China, meanwhile, canceled plans to reopen the Tibet Autonomous Region to foreigners May 1, after its closure over anti-Chinese protests. It also said that arrests in January and March had uncovered a plot by radical Islamists to kidnap foreigners, including journalists, to bomb hotels and government buildings, and to poison food in Beijing and Shanghai.



Damn those radical Islamists! They get everywhere!

Fark China.

FTA: It also said that arrests in January and March had uncovered a plot by radical Islamists to kidnap foreigners, including journalists, to bomb hotels and government buildings, and to poison food in Beijing and Shanghai.

The Chinese suck at trolling.

Hetfield: FTA: It also said that arrests in January and March had uncovered a plot by radical Islamists to kidnap foreigners, including journalists, to bomb hotels and government buildings, and to poison food in Beijing and Shanghai.

The Chinese suck at trolling.

Yeah. They're only good at keeping the news away from the populace. If you want REAL fear mongering, you come to us.

/fark yeah
//...wait...

Is there anything the IOC can't do? Behold the power of a parallel world power made up of chamber of commerce types who usually just bust Greek restaurants for using the name Olympic. The capture the flag torch event in SF was the final olympic event in the 2008 season.

Trinilos:

The Chinese suck at trolling.

Yeah. They're only good at keeping the news away from the populace. If you want REAL fear mongering, you come to us.


Intending to express and feeling no disdain whatsoever to my fellow countrymen, we ARE the best at spin. It doesn't hurt to recognize this.

Sandwyrm:


Intending to express and feeling no disdain whatsoever to my fellow countrymen, we ARE the best at spin. It doesn't hurt to recognize this.

We Americans aren't bad at it, but I think the Brits wrote the book.

Solwyvern: Sandwyrm:


Intending to express and feeling no disdain whatsoever to my fellow countrymen, we ARE the best at spin. It doesn't hurt to recognize this.

We Americans aren't bad at it, but I think the Brits wrote the book.

Other way around (Bernays, Lippmann, etc.)

In related news, non-Chinese athletes also not allowed to beat Chinese ones, lest they be shot, cooked, and eaten at the finish line.

As an Olympic athlete, I'd just like to say ___ ___ _____ ___ ____ ________ ___ _____ _____ _ ___ _____. And I truly mean that.

Sandwyrm:Intending to express and feeling no disdain whatsoever to my fellow countrymen, we ARE the best at spin. It doesn't hurt to recognize this.

I think it was a sci-fi novel I read in which one character says to another "They've ruled an entire continent for centuries, can you imagine how good their propaganda must be?"

"athletes at the Summer Games in Beijing would be allowed to speak without restriction at some Olympic sites"

I guess it is like how people are free to mock some religions.

Why are they concerned about poisoning of food in Beijing and Shanghai. The Chinese have perfected the art of poisoning pet food.

liam76: "athletes at the Summer Games in Beijing would be allowed to speak without restriction at some Olympic sites"

I guess it is like how people are free to mock some religions.

It's more like the "free speech zones" we've implemented here in the US. I don't recall seeing anyone thrown in jail for mocking a religion but I have seen stories of peaceful demonstrators jailed for trying to do it outside their assigned ghetto.

But by all means, work that persecution complex into a frenzy. You'll get the nice warm glow of misplaced moral outrage for a while before the nagging ache reminding you that you're making shiat up. Then it will be time for another moral outrage fix.

In other news: War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

/Orwell

Fark the farking farks

Thank God the Olympic Committee has never beforer punished Atheletes for expressing poltical opinions, thereby setting a precedent or something.

Oh, Wait: (new window)

A spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Jiang Yu, said Thursday that she hoped the IOC would stick with its policy of "not bringing in any irrelevant political factors."

The Olympics isn't about politics; it's about profits.

Since when did America start caring what a bunch of druggies have to say?

So could they strip a medal from a runner who circled the track holding a Tibetan flag after winning a race? Exactly what sactions come into play?

liam76: "athletes at the Summer Games in Beijing would be allowed to speak without restriction at some Olympic sites"

I guess it is like how people are free to mock some religions.

You can say whatever you want at the rifle range and the equestrian ring, where ones of spectators can hear your outcry.

equilibrium: It's more like the "free speech zones" we've implemented here in the US. I don't recall seeing anyone thrown in jail for mocking a religion but I have seen stories of peaceful demonstrators jailed for trying to do it outside their assigned ghetto.

Were those in the zones invited there? Were they asked to speak? How would you feel if I blocked your way to work and screamed in your face with a bullhorn? If cops stopped me would that violate my free speech? If you got a permit to use a park for whatever reason and then I had a sit in blocking what you wanted to use the park for, would the cops kicking me out, violate my free speech?

Ghetto really?

equilibrium: But by all means, work that persecution complex into a frenzy. You'll get the nice warm glow of misplaced moral outrage for a while before the nagging ache reminding you that you're making shiat up. Then it will be time for another moral outrage fix.

Persecution complex? Didn't you just bring up "ghetto's". I don't recall people who wish to voice a certain point of view forced to move with their family into forced space where they were systematically starved. Who here really has the persecution complex?

I am pissed that an organization will bow down to arbitrary limits on what it can or cannot say for fear of upsetting a group of people, any group of people. You trying to compare this to free speech zones is laughable. You think there is a place in China where they can talk to reporters or walk around publicly saying that tibet should be freed?

Now I'm curious to see what the athletes do to protest. Ahh, whom am I kidding, they don't want to rock the boat because:

a. they come from someplace that might fold, spindle or otherwise mutilate them or their family for speaking out.

b. they don't give a damn

c. they don't want to jeopardize any lucrative Wheaties endorsement money they'd lose for being a non-team player.

d. they might get booted from the team

liam76: Were those in the zones invited there? Were they asked to speak? How would you feel if I blocked your way to work and screamed in your face with a bullhorn? If cops stopped me would that violate my free speech? If you got a permit to use a park for whatever reason and then I had a sit in blocking what you wanted to use the park for, would the cops kicking me out, violate my free speech?

Ghetto really?

Persecution complex? Didn't you just bring up "ghetto's". I don't recall people who wish to voice a certain point of view forced to move with their family into forced space where they were systematically starved. Who here really has the persecution complex?

I am pissed that an organization will bow down to arbitrary limits on what it can or cannot say for fear of upsetting a group of people, any group of people. You trying to compare this to free speech zones is laughable. You think there is a place in China where they can talk to reporters or walk around publicly saying that tibet should be freed?

So how does that moral outrage feel? Did you get the rush you were looking for?

I just hope I don't see any black people raising their fists up in the air. That shiat really pisses me off.

LonMead: As an Olympic athlete, I'd just like to say ___ ___ _____ ___ ____ ________ ___ _____ _____ _ ___ _____. And I truly mean that.

"And thats all I have to say, about the war in VietNam"

/First thing in my head

Magorn: Thank God the Olympic Committee has never beforer punished Atheletes for expressing poltical opinions, thereby setting a precedent or something.

Oh, Wait: (new window)

Yeah, and a lot of good that gesture did.
Civil rights legislation had already been passed. And not much else has changed since their 'angry fisting' moment.

Want to participate in their event? Abide by their rules.

kronicfeld: Want to participate in their event? Abide by their rules.

Bullshiat. Really?? Are you serious?? The Olympics, whose original goal was to transcend squabbles and celebrate the accomplishments of humanity??

Shut up, the IOC explained (new window).

equilibrium: So how does that moral outrage feel? Did you get the rush you were looking for?

Once again, someone who compares free speech zones to ghetto's, has not right to accuse someone of getting pumped over moral outrage.

Confabulat: ... and to poison food in Beijing and Shanghai.

Their method: have a bunch of unwashed peasants cook unregulated food in unhygenic conditions in a marginally developed country and let nature take its course...

So you're telling me my hippy friends who attended the "Free Tibet Freedom Concert" had no affect on freeing Tibet? You don't say.

liam76: Once again, someone who compares free speech zones to ghetto's, has not right to accuse someone of getting pumped over moral outrage.

I just think its odd that China, who has absolutely no guarantee of free speech within its borders for anyone, is being criticized for not honoring a right that they deny their own people while the US, who has that right written into its founding document curtails the right to political speech and free association (in some circumstances).

You appear to be locked up on my usage of the word "ghetto" to describe our free speech zones. I only chose that word because it conveys the idea of separation from the general populace and fences. I'm not making a one to one comparison of our "free speech zones" to the Jewish ghettos in mid twentieth century Europe. Think connotation rather than denotation.

But please, my comment is exactly what you were fishing for when you wrote I guess it is like how people are free to mock some religions implying that only some religions can be mocked and not all of them. I just thought I'd help you fix.

pvd021: So you're telling me my hippy friends who attended the "Free Tibet Freedom Concert" had no affect on freeing Tibet? You don't say.

Anyone interested in Tibetan independence would do better to boycott Chinese manufactured goods while informing the vendor what they were doing and why. Only when vendors start dropping their Chinese manufacturing contracts with a drop in sales due to the Tibetan occupation as the primary reason will China pay any attention to the issue.

Selector: Bullshiat. Really?? Are you serious?? The Olympics, whose original goal was to transcend squabbles and celebrate the accomplishments of humanity??

So starting a squabble by protesting is in the spirit of transcending squabbles?

Confabulat: China, meanwhile, canceled plans to reopen the Tibet Autonomous Region to foreigners May 1, after its closure over anti-Chinese protests. It also said that arrests in January and March had uncovered a plot by radical Islamists to kidnap foreigners, including journalists, to bomb hotels and government buildings, and to poison food in Beijing and Shanghai.

Damn those radical Islamists! They get everywhere!

Does anyone really believe that "plot"? MOre PRC propaganda.

40below: So could they strip a medal from a runner who circled the track holding a Tibetan flag after winning a race? Exactly what sactions come into play?

Gods, I would love to see that happen. What I wonder is: are Chinese customs officials going to be on high paranoia alert and thoroughly search the bags of all athletes, coaches, et al, who arrive for the Olympics? How can they possibly prevent anyone from bringing in a Tibet flag or something similar?

This is the first Olympics I'm actually looking forward to watching. Not for the sports, but for the shenanigans sure to happen around the edges of events.

quizzical: This is the first Olympics I'm actually looking forward to watching. Not for the sports, but for the shenanigans sure to happen around the edges of events.

I hear this is to be the first Olympic Games in a long time to not allow live broadcasting. Apparently things are going to be delayed long enough for them to shut the feed when political statements are made.

"So, Racer McSpeedy, you've just broken the world record in the 100-meter dash by a half-second! What do you have to say to all the people around the world whoa are watching at home?"

"EXPUNGED"

Sandwyrm: quizzical: This is the first Olympics I'm actually looking forward to watching. Not for the sports, but for the shenanigans sure to happen around the edges of events.

I hear this is to be the first Olympic Games in a long time to not allow live broadcasting. Apparently things are going to be delayed long enough for them to shut the feed when political statements are made.

You know, that actually surprises me. It would seem at least for NBC that they could get higher ratings with the promise that someone would badmouth the Chinese regime on live, international television, and not have it cut out.

Wolfmanjames: Shut up, the IOC explained (new window).

Don't call it that.

Carry Tibet flags...

FTA: "There are small restrictions in not making propaganda or demonstrations in Olympic venues, like on the podium. . . . We are a movement of 205 nationalities, and many of these nationalities are in conflict with each other," Rogge said. The IOC will provide athletes with guidance on what constitutes propaganda, he added, "and we'll do this with a lot of common sense."

Athletes will be allowed to speak freely in on-site media interviews after their competitions, even on the grounds of Olympic venues, where the Olympic Charter bans political protests.


Sounds like restrictions that are status quo and have always been in place.

Seems like it was less of a controversy when the Nazis held the games

Robo Beat: Sandwyrm: quizzical: This is the first Olympics I'm actually looking forward to watching. Not for the sports, but for the shenanigans sure to happen around the edges of events.

I hear this is to be the first Olympic Games in a long time to not allow live broadcasting. Apparently things are going to be delayed long enough for them to shut the feed when political statements are made.

You know, that actually surprises me. It would seem at least for NBC that they could get higher ratings with the promise that someone would badmouth the Chinese regime on live, international television, and not have it cut out.

Yeah, but I think the issue here is the Chinese government is imposing the delay. I'm sure there are a lot of things NBC wants to do for ratings that China isn't allowing. Like report live from Tianamen Square for instance.

kronicfeld: Selector: Bullshiat. Really?? Are you serious?? The Olympics, whose original goal was to transcend squabbles and celebrate the accomplishments of humanity??

So starting a squabble by protesting is in the spirit of transcending squabbles?


You know, you're right. I may have jumped the gun on that, and after I thought about it a little bit, there's really no other way to control such outbreaks, is there?? Can't people just stop being cockfaces and appreciate what other people do??


/apologies

Farking fark the farking farked China farks.

Confabulat
Damn those radical Islamists! They get everywhere!

Western China borders on Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, etc. And there is a large Muslim (predominantly Turkish) population in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

And there are several active Muslim separatist militias who want an independent "East Turkistan".

Sum Dum Gai: And there are several active Muslim separatist militias who want an independent "East TurkiDerkaDerkastan".

FTFY