Author Topic: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far? (Read 48,720 times)

zridling · « **on:** August 13, 2008, 03:24 AM »

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Darwin · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2008, 05:18 AM »

I'm boycotting 'em. I've lost interest in the Olympics in general (my God! What happened to the idea of amateur sport?) and then there are the questions around ethics, human rights, etc. in China. Double whammy = double the reason to stay away. The Olympics have joined Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson on my personal blacklist. Of course, my wife is watching them

zridling · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2008, 06:27 AM »

Good points. There are so many silly sports that get rotated into now, and in quite a few they allow professionals to participate -- you won $320m last year; who cares if you tack on a gold medal?

Josh · « **Reply #3 on:** August 13, 2008, 10:51 AM »

One day internet trolling will be one of the sports and then Zaine can join in too! ;-)

40hz · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2008, 01:35 PM »

Quote from: Josh on August 13, 2008, 10:51 AM

One day internet trolling will be one of the sports ...

I'm boycotting until they add my favorite sport - "Australian Rules" Full Contact Bowling!
(Which is a shame considering the amount of "eye-candy" they have participating this time around. Is it just me. or are they better looking than usual this year?)

Quote from: Darwin on August 13, 2008, 05:18 AM

Of course, my wife is watching them

Yours too?

Josh · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2008, 01:39 PM »

Full contact bowling? Bah, I think that speed programming should be a sport. Skrommel would take the gold!

40hz · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2008, 01:44 PM »

Quote from: Josh on August 13, 2008, 01:39 PM

Full contact bowling? Bah, I think that speed programming should be a sport. Skrommel would take the gold!

No argument from me on that.

Veign · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2008, 02:03 PM »

No Swimming as an option?

Josh · « **Reply #8 on:** August 13, 2008, 02:31 PM »

Who swims nowadays unless it is virtual swimming!

PhilB66 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 13, 2008, 02:37 PM »

Quote from: 40hz on August 13, 2008, 01:35 PM

Quote from: Darwin on August 13, 2008, 05:18 AM
Of course, my wife is watching them

Yours too?

I think, he meant Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson... ???

Josh · « **Reply #10 on:** August 13, 2008, 02:46 PM »

Tom Cruise? Is acting like an idiot on the Oprah Winfrey show an olympic event now?

Darwin · « **Reply #11 on:** August 13, 2008, 03:19 PM »

Sorry folks - to clarifiy:

1. My wife is watching the Olympics (though she has no problem watching Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson, either!).

2. The two aforementioned "actors" are on my personal blacklist as part of a "think globally, act locally" approach. I despise what each stands for in their personal lives and won't support them in their continued accumulation of vast wealth and status, which they use to push their idiocy on the rest of us.

Tom Cruise's excoriating of Brooke Shields over Post-Partum Depression and her use of prescribed pharmaceuticals and his evangelizing about Scientology pushed me over the edge with him. I'll still watch a John Travolta movie, yet he, too, is a Scientolisgist. He doesn't speak outside of his area of expertise whereas Tom Cruise, seems to think that the heady combination of hyper-success and weatlh, personal religious (more of a cult) convictions, and an asinine public willing to listen to the drivel that flies from his mouth, makes him an expert on everything. What an asshole. Mel Gibson's anti-semitic ravings have had the same effect on me. I don't like these men as people, why should I contribute to their continued success? They're not doing anything for me!

OK rant over

EDIT: formatting

electronixtar · « **Reply #12 on:** August 13, 2008, 03:30 PM »

I didn't know it's so easy to boycott something

as a Chinese I support Olympics. The fireworks are not fake, just the footprints on TV is pre-recorded and CG

Hmm, no option for Phelps?

Darwin · « **Reply #13 on:** August 13, 2008, 03:34 PM »

electronixtar - boycotting the Olympics is as easy as changing the tv channel!

Lashiec · « **Reply #14 on:** August 13, 2008, 04:07 PM »

British cyclists fast? Is there any British cyclist left?

Oh well, except basketball (go Spain!) and tennis (go Rafa!), I did not watch anything else. The rest of the sports are a bit too boring to be seen on TV, or do not interest me. The opening ceremony was certainly impressive, that's true. I wonder which was the cost...

Josh · « **Reply #15 on:** August 13, 2008, 04:33 PM »

We should have a DC olympics in celebration of the real ones! We could have a coding contest to see who can code an app the fastest. Make a task for the app to perform, and see who can write it the quickest. Specify a start date and time so all will know when to check the boards, then start the timer and go!

allen · « **Reply #16 on:** August 13, 2008, 04:49 PM »

Personally, I love the olympics--I think maybe the world might be a better place if we more often than once every two years put aside the bullshit to have a play date.

As far as events go--my wife is a fan of the gymnastics, I don't mind watching them with her. I've been following the swimming, witnessing the undisputed greatest swimmer in recorded history is something to behold. On the other hand, I feel awful for the rest of his team who're completely overlooked. (How furious must the guy who won the relay for them have been at the race being referred to as Phelp's 7th gold every other minute).

I'm disappointed that I missed handball yesterday, was looking forward to that.

Forgot to add...

Quote from: Darwin on August 13, 2008, 03:19 PM

Tom Cruise's [...]

I absolutely agree with your rant about Tom Cruise--it's spot on. Though I'm very much one who separates the idiot from his work--I'd be glad to kick Tom Cruise/Mel Gibson in the family gems any day, but I won't let their idiocy keep me from enjoying a truly mediocre film.

Bono. I think I hate him more than even those two. I think South Park very well summed up why no matter what seemingly good things he does, he always seems to be a giant shit. Love South Park.

Darwin · « **Reply #17 on:** August 13, 2008, 05:03 PM »

Heh, heh... I didn't mention Bono, did I? But now that you have brought him up... I don't like his sanctimonious stance, but at least as far as what I can see of what he stands for, he is trying to use his fame and influence for some good!

Love the family gems comment - pretty much mirrors what I was thinking as I wrote about those two clowns

EDIT: added a few missing words to improve clarity

JennyB · « **Reply #18 on:** August 13, 2008, 05:08 PM »

Quote from: Lashiec on August 13, 2008, 04:07 PM

British cyclists fast? Is there any British cyclist left?

Thus far (out of four events) gold in the women's road race and silver in the time trial. They are expected to do even better in the the track events and the BMX later, having just about cleaned up in the World Championships. If you like fast, watch out of Mark Cavendish who won four sprint stages in his debut Tour de France this year.

The Spanish didn't win everything - it just seems that way sometimes!

Josh · « **Reply #19 on:** August 13, 2008, 05:12 PM »

Did anyone see the world record set in the 400 swim last night? Talk about impressive!

edbro · « **Reply #20 on:** August 13, 2008, 05:43 PM »

Michael Phelps!

Josh · « **Reply #21 on:** August 13, 2008, 05:53 PM »

Hellz yeah! High five!

40hz · « **Reply #22 on:** August 13, 2008, 06:43 PM »

Quote from: Darwin on August 13, 2008, 03:19 PM

Sorry folks - to clarifiy:

1. My wife is watching the Olympics (though she has no problem watching Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson, either!).

Um-hmm... Yours too?

Veign · « **Reply #23 on:** August 13, 2008, 06:58 PM »

The swimming has been amazing this year. Phelps sets a world record with his goggles filling up with water - even that can't distract him.

CWuestefeld · « **Reply #24 on:** August 13, 2008, 07:39 PM »

The thing about the swimming that amazes is the world records. Here's a sport that's been essentially unchanged in modern times, but every olympics the athletes are resetting the records.

How is it that athletes are getting so much better? A gold medalist swimmer from, say, 20 years ago couldn't get into the finals today. But it's not that the rules have changed (like basketball and other sports), it's that they're executing the same task better.

What other sports are objectively improving in the same ways? I don't think cycling counts, because this is (at least in significant part) attributable to the technology of the bicycles.

Author Topic: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics so far? (Read 48,720 times)

Poll: Favorite part of the Beijing Olympics?