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:-( Beijing Olympics -- A Lot of Unhappy People

Pardalis said:
That's actually a pretty good rendition of what your view of the world must look like. An indigest, childish and incoherent mishmash of nothingness.
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No, it's a good rendition to the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by "Non-Bejing People". Did I just say you're an ignorant? :confused:
 
Wolfman said:
* To decrease traffic, Beijing two days ago initiated a policy whereby cars with even-numbered and odd-numbered license plates drive on alternate days (which really has made a big difference to traffic)
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South Korea did this in Seoul the last several years at various times. However, I never noticed a huge impact on traffic.

Then again, South Koreans tend to flagrantly ignore and break their laws more often than they follow them, so I'm pretty sure it was ignored. I'd guess it probably works better in Beijing.
 
ARubberChickenWithAPulley said:
South Korea did this in Seoul the last several years at various times. However, I never noticed a huge impact on traffic.

Then again, South Koreans tend to flagrantly ignore and break their laws more often than they follow them, so I'm pretty sure it was ignored. I'd guess it probably works better in Beijing.
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Actually, thus far its working brilliantly. Traffic is far, far better...and city buses, that are famous for always running behind schedule because of traffic delays, are now running about 90% on time.
 
Wolfman: This sounds like a major news scoop if all these things are true.
Did you learn this through the news media or some other way?
If racial discrimination is an official or semi-official policy, that would be newsworthy.

It's a little hard to imagine that they wouldn't realise that such policies themselves would be the bigger scandal and bigger loser-of-face in western eyes.
 
Puppycow said:
Wolfman: This sounds like a major news scoop if all these things are true.
Did you learn this through the news media or some other way?
If racial discrimination is an official or semi-official policy, that would be newsworthy.

It's a little hard to imagine that they wouldn't realise that such policies themselves would be the bigger scandal and bigger loser-of-face in western eyes.
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Racial stereotyping isn't against the law (and certainly isn't against the culture) in China. They tend not to think too much about what the western eyes are seeing - at least not when it comes to issues of what they perceive to be local security. They're sure we all hate them and want to see their downfall (they are after all, the old guard, and they're somewhat correct about that), so being Chinese, and successful Chinese at that, they feel they know what's good for China.

The more moderate factions definitely understand that perception is very important, but they also know that Mr. and Mrs. Tourist will complain about the food, the heat, the air and the hotel room,.... plus the security and waiting in line. But that's nothing compared to 15 million Beijingese complaining about bombs going off in the city. One leads to loss of face in countries who you hate, anyway. The other leads to overthrow of their status quo.

Alway remember that the single interest of Chinese politicians is like the interest of all politicians, everywhere. To stay in office. When we look at the impact in the west as to something done in China, the easiest way to figure it out is to say, "How does this effect the population of China? Is there any perceived threat in this to the ruling order." That's where the answer usually lies.
 
Wolfman said:
Actually, thus far its working brilliantly. Traffic is far, far better...and city buses, that are famous for always running behind schedule because of traffic delays, are now running about 90% on time.
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I sense a business opportunity for the person who can invent a false digit for the license plate.

How about raising the price of gas instead? Isn't it subsidized in China?

I've heard from some in California that the infamous and often clogged California Freeways have become more drivable with these higher gas prices.

Licence plate numbers are too arbitrary. What if you need to use your car on the wrong day?
 
SezMe said:
Wolfman, you didn't say if the Olympics had personally affected your daily life.
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Certainly. I've had major problems getting my visa renewed (got a temporary renewal that lasts until the Olympics are over); and business sucks right now, won't get back to normal until the Games are over.

Puppycow said:
Wolfman: This sounds like a major news scoop if all these things are true.
Did you learn this through the news media or some other way?
If racial discrimination is an official or semi-official policy, that would be newsworthy.

It's a little hard to imagine that they wouldn't realise that such policies themselves would be the bigger scandal and bigger loser-of-face in western eyes.
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Actually, pretty much all of this has appeared in the media (Chinese and/or Western); the only part that hasn't is my evaluation of the inner workings of the Beijing Olympic Committee, and how much the actions of the gov't have upset some of the gov't officials involved with that. This info comes from personal contact with them.
 
Puppycow said:
I sense a business opportunity for the person who can invent a false digit for the license plate.

How about raising the price of gas instead? Isn't it subsidized in China?

I've heard from some in California that the infamous and often clogged California Freeways have become more drivable with these higher gas prices.

Licence plate numbers are too arbitrary. What if you need to use your car on the wrong day?
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This is intended as a purely local and temporary measure, only within Beijing, and only during the Olympics. Raising gas prices would be too problematic for that kind of strategy (it would affect people outside of Beijing). The license plate strategy, while not perfect, does the job as a temporary measure.
 
Don't serve blacks, period.

You, you, and you, you get the hell out.


I can't wait for NBC's in-depth coverage...of the lives of the athletes in Up Close and Personal segments*! :rolleyes:










* Which, by the way, will replace broadcast of actual sports since more people watch when those are on than when actual sports are on.

Alls I have to say is I hope CBC is showing it this year so I can tune in Windsor 9. From previous Olympics to Space 1999, it's served me well.
 
Foolmewunz said:
Where are you in Germany? I work for a rather huge German company in Logistics (not Schenker,.... that other one). We've got people going home at various times... I could send you some if you're in a coincidentally convenient location. (I think they travel okay with a little dry ice - I'll ask an expert, though.)
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Oh as nice as that would be, I am too humble to accept it. :o
If it doesn't work with the rectangular ones, and the other shop doesn't have round ones, I will get me a round glass, flour and water! ;)

Thanks though. :)
 
King of the Americas said:
Athletes are being asked to wear 'smog masks'...? REALLY?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/sports/othersports/24mask.html

Is this a political protest of the conditions there?
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The organizing committee will freak out!
This is the kind of thing they truly don't want. If you get miles of video footage of premier athletes getting off the plane or bus with smog masks on, it's going to make every newscast in the world.
I'm betting there will be huge political pressure from the USOC to not have the athletes do this. (Barcelona has equally bad pollution.... no one made such a dramatic move, there.)
 
But but but but but during SARS they (gubmint) were the bone heads nearly insisting everyone wera a mask even though their own experts were in the paper saying it was not effective for the general populace.
 
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