China Won't Turn the Other Cheek

Joey Cheek is someone who actually believes in the Olympic ideal, the quaint notion that sports could be used as a force for good, to raise awareness, understanding and even bring people closer together. The 2006 speed skating gold medalist will now not get the chance to test his theories. Cheek, the president of Team Darfur, a coalition of as many as 200 athletes aimed at raising awareness about the suffering in the Sudanese region, had his visa revoked the evening before he was to fly to Beijing.

"I didn't see it coming," Cheek said. "I figured once they gave me a visa, I wouldn't imagine they wouldn't allow me to come in later. That was a big shock. I wasn't expecting to get a call the evening before I was leaving for Beijing."

Cheek wasn't alone. Team Darfur member Kendra Zanotto, a US bronze medalist in synchronized swimming at the Athens Games in 2004, was also denied entry even though she was attending in an official capacity, as a reporter for the Olympic News Service.

The fact that China acted so abruptly, stating that they were "not required to give a reason" for these actions is no surprise. The craven response by the International and US Olympic Committee is actually bracing. No support for their own medalists when the stakes are having a games "without controversy." The irony is that Cheek and Team Darfur are a moderate force in this protest drama. They never called for an Olympic boycott and always saw the games as a place to advance dialogue more than struggle. China and the IOC might pay a price for denying this kind of presence. Already Western protesters have broken onto fields of play to unfurl Tibetan flags. This kind of high profile disruption infuriates China and the IOC. But it is also effectively harmless for China's rulers who have been adept at stoking nationalism when "western" protesters raise concerns. More problematic has been the efforts of two Beijing women Zhang Wei and Ma Xiulan--two of the 1.5 million people displaced to make way for the games. They have been public figures speaking out about the human cost of the $40 billion games. Late Wednesday, they were taken from their homes by police, trying to clamp down on dissent. We will see if this kind of local action--and reaction --causes a greater headache for China than anything said or done by Joey Cheek.

Comments (69)

1. "The fact that China acted so abruptly, stating that they were "not required to give a reason" for these actions is no surprise. The craven response by the International and US Olympic Committee is actually bracing."

   Mr Zirin, the response of the IOC and USOC shouldn't be a surprise either.

   Seems cravenness following NAIVETE is the rule, not exception, when it comes to these "international bodies"!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/07/2008 @ 11:13am

2. Seems cravenness following NAIVETE is the rule, not exception, when it comes to these "international bodies"!

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/07/2008 @ 11:13am |

   Yes Mask, you hit the nail on the head again. They selected China for the host nation for these games. What the hell did they think was going to happen? That China was going to allow people to waltz into their country and turn it into an international stage for protests?

   Kind of reminds me of the Bush town hall meeting and campaign speeches (and McCains where they arrested the 60 year old librarian) Any person or persons in disagreement or with a t-shirt with opposition views must be removed.

   The U.S. really doesn't have much room to point our fingers at China while we do the same thing here, maybe not as blatantly or to the same degree, but this country is guilty of the same thing it is pointing it's finger at China for doing.

   Yes, there is freedom of speech, as long as you stay with the script and don't deviate from it. We have a lot more in common with China than we think.

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 11:31am

3. Check this article out. If this is true, just about every media source we have access to in the U.S. has lied to us about the president of Iran threatening to wipe out Israel. According to this article, it's not true. That's scary indeed. Also, for Liv and the rest of you pro-Israel folks, check out the number of nukes Israel has compared to Iran and then come back and tell us why the U.S. needs to defend poor Israel.

   http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2

   008/aug/06/secondworldwar.warcrimes

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 11:54am

4. I'm sorry but did you REALLY think that a bunch of games were going to make China change their tune? China has been this way for HOW long now? Come on, I'm only 21 and I'm not that naive.

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 12:42pm

5. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/07/2008 @ 11:54am

   Sooooo. We will be having the Olympics....alone?

   Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 12:44pm

6. The Olympic flame was invented in Hitler's 1938 Olympics, Bumbrage defended the whites-only totalitarian regime from South Africa and only protest organized by black South Africans like Dennis Brutus led to him banning the South African racists. Let's not talk about 1984 Los Angeles. So I am not surprised at the IOC's behavior.

   Posted by tintinyana at 08/07/2008 @ 1:41pm

7. well apparantly the polution is so bad some runners showed up wearing filter masks, which did not make the chinese happy...

   but after gitmo and abu ghraib our admonishons and hectoring over human rights et al ring oh so hollow...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 08/07/2008 @ 1:56pm

8. hmmmmmm?

   human rights vs. medal count?

   let the games begin!

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 1:59pm

9. Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 11:54am

   i've read many times those words were mistranslated.

   your link didn't work.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 2:01pm

10. Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 11:54am

    It's been stated many many times that they mistranslated what he says. The right justifies it by saying that the "mistranslation" thing is a lie. Believe me. You will never prevent the right from justifying going to war.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 2:32pm

11. i've read many times those words were mistranslated.

    your link didn't work.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 2:01pm

    Sorry Frosty, The link was so long I wasn't able to keep it in one line so I had to separate it. Go to google and type in The Guardian The lessons that should be learnt from Hiroshima. The article is written by John Pilger. It shows a different angle of history and news than what we get here.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 2:52pm

12. to see what the The Disassociator looks like....LOL!

    I hope it gets more coverage!

    Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/07/2008 @ 2:55pm

    Pretty lame.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 3:45pm

13. How about a boycott of all things Chinese? They, 'The Chinese Government", understand economics, and profit, like no other government on the face of the earth. Their economy is growing by a reported 12 percent and a suspected actual 17 percent. Although i belong to the Wal Mart economy, I would gladly join a national boycott for human rights.

    Posted by julien38 at 08/07/2008 @ 4:31pm

14. Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/07/2008 @ 2:52pm

    try www.tinyurl.com you can use it to shrink long urls.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 4:39pm

15. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/07/2008 @ 2:55pm

    Wonder how many people McCain has disassociated himself from by now? Like speakers of the CofCC? Hmm. You guys ran a speaker of the CofCC actually when you ran Huckabee. You guys are chock full of classy options.

    Guess people who are associated with the KKK without the sheets are ok with you guys, right?

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 4:43pm

16. http://tinyurl.com/59wpq5

    Is McCain thinking that we are dumb with this ad? Or is he just trying to throw his Republican supporters out the window. He is talking about going to war with oil companies. Saying our country is worse off now than it was 4 years ago. If you ask me it sounds like he hates America... Damn America hating liberal.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 5:01pm

17. Like Byrd? Posted by JOMAMMA at 08/07/2008 @ 5:23pm

    Eh I was thinking like Mike Huckabee. Or what other fun dooseys do you guys have swelling your ranks? Let me find the name of the speaker McCain gave money to for a political bid.

    My point is same for Happy. Both of these candidates hands are not clean. So supporting one while denouncing another is hypocritical yet you choose not see it or acknowledge it. Like I have said before. Anything you say is only in an attempt to disparage him, not because of his actions, but because he is a Democrat. So your opinions on his actions are worth nil because you don't hold your people to the same standard.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 6:54pm

18. McCain is 71 and Magic is 46, besides that simple fact, how long has McCain been on the national scene vs. Obama? I guarantee you I've disassociated with or boycotted more people than you! I've been an adult for over 35 years and you, 3 years! Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/07/2008 @ 5:26pm

    Point being? My point is when you go into politics you are force to disassociate from people. Obama hasn't been in politics long he has had to break relationships with certain people. I have had people in my life that if I ever went into politics I would have to leave behind. I think all of us do. This guilty by association thing is getting tired because not everyone in peoples lives are 100% good.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:04pm

19. I boycotted Nestle over the baby formula horror stories and just got used to not buying their products. It's been thirty years and I have no idea if they even produce baby formula anymore, but always pass up the Nestle products our of habit.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 7:05pm

20. http://tinyurl.com/5a4vum

    You'd think the nuts would at least wait till he was in office.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:10pm

21. I boycotted Nestle over the baby formula horror stories and just got used to not buying their products. It's been thirty years and I have no idea if they even produce baby formula anymore, but always pass up the Nestle products our of habit. Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 7:05pm

    They still do.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:12pm

22. Between the self-important liberal hippy douches, and the aging repug baby boomers dead set on destroying the world we live in before they release their death grip, how is anything supposed to get better?

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:07pm

    I can't stand party members who think they are better than members other party. Whether they be liberal or Republican. This idea that one likes America more than the other is ridiculous. They can't see past the veil of their own ignorance of the other side to stop think how ridiculous they are. They can't stop to think that we all essentially want the same thing for America. For it's inhabitants to live in peace, prosperity and happiness. Just because the means we stress are different they think it somehow means we all want something different for this country. Much like religion, where if you strip away the means the ends is the same, happiness and peace.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:16pm

23. Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:14pm

    The problem is no body research farther than the sound bites. All they heard was Damn America and that put the blinders on them. After that everything the man said was a lie and meant that he hated America. If someone hates America that much they would leave. Many people have. Few people stay in a place that they hate. To Republicans though liberals stay here because they want to take it down. They want to make it "socialist". Never realizing that if I wanted to live in a socialist nation there are plenty to choose from and I don't have to stay here.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:19pm

24. That's the funny thing. Republicans think they are tough because they are not "PC". But if you say something disparaging about America even if it is only pointing the truth. They refuse to acknowledge disparaging truths about this country. Instead they cry about hating America, like when hippy liberals hear conservatives use words like negro they cry about hating blacks. It all goes both ways it's just everyone has blinded themselves to their own hypocrisy. It makes me laugh always to hear someone be so blatantly hypocritical but never ever will they be able to know it. If you point it out to them they justify it in their own mind to make it ok. It's the joy of growing up in this time. I have grown up in a different system where information is readily available. Where communication with the world is like no other time. I can talk to someone in China, Africa, Australia, Texas and England all at the same time. When information and communication is that wide spread I think it opens your eyes to the fact that there is little difference between us.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:25pm

25. Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:23pm

    I'm naive I guess. I like to believe in basic human decency. Maybe I am wrong. But I just have high hopes.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:31pm

26. In context the unfortunate "Damn America" makes more sense. He's a preacher and Biblically speaking if America were a person instead of a country it's sins would most certainly be worthy of damnation. That was pretty much the whole enchilada and I, a midwestern WASP, really didn't see what all the fuss was about. Besides if religious hyperbole bothered them right-wing Christians would be running away from their churches in droves.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 7:33pm

27. Now now, the next lesson you have to learn is that the democrats are basically no different. Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:29pm

    Oh I have never not acknowledged that they are no different. Sorry if that wasn't clear. Democrats are exactly like Republicans with their attitude toward the other party. I don't like people who are zealots towards anything. Beliefs make human beings to rigid and unchanging. I believe you need to be able to flew and bend and adapt. Having convictions is important but you also have to understand that just because someone has some that are different than yours doesn't make them a better or worse person. This is why politics and religion are the two most divisive issues. In politics and religion you are either right or wrong. There is no room for in between with most people now a days. They have one ideology and will never accept another one as possibly having the right answers. Most religions leave no room for others to be right. Christianity, Judaism, Islam and all the others claim to be the one true path to God. However which one is right and how can you be sure the one you choose is right? Even more so with religion than politics because religion has no answered questions. It is faith based. At least with politics you can look to history and try to understand that.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:37pm

28. Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:36pm

    The question is, will people ever do that?

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:40pm

29. Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 7:33pm

    Funny that they can hold people like Pat Robertson and Hagge above the fray. But when a liberal priest says it it is all of a sudden an atrocity. Right wing priests said that 9.11 was an act of God to punish America no one batted an eye.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:42pm

30. can the olympics be thought of in THIS interesting context? Posted by Zero at 08/07/2008 @ 7:44pm

    Bunch of fat Americans trying to compete?

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/07/2008 @ 7:49pm

31. Every player in the NFL is overweight or obese, every power lifter is obese, many incredibly conditioned atheletes are considered overweight by the BMI charts. Until they fix the the standards of overweight and obese its going to be hard to take them seriously. At 6'5" when I go into a doctors office and read that I have to be less than 212 pounds to not be considered overweight its more of a discouragement than an encouragement to lose weight.

    Posted by Guiles at 08/07/2008 @ 8:29pm

32. I would gladly join a national boycott for human rights.

    Posted by julien38 at 08/07/2008 @ 4:31pm

    happy's right.

    i do my very best to avoid products from certain countries.....

    no sense waiting for your neighbour.

    it's tough, but who needs all that junk, anyway?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 9:10pm

33. I've been an adult for over 35 years

    Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/07/2008 @ 5:26pm

    are you sure

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 9:11pm

34. Between the self-important liberal hippy douches, and the aging repug baby boomers dead set on destroying the world we live in before they release their death grip, how is anything supposed to get better?

    It's like waiting for an entire generation to retire or die so we can attempt to get back on track. Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:07pm

    by making oneself better.

    wait for no one.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 9:13pm

35. People as a group (at least in america) are usually petty, greedy, and selfish.

    ••••• my anecdotal experience has shown the opposite. why once, a family in grand rapids invited me, a total stranger, into their kitchen for apple pie and ice cream after a friendly game of b-ball.

    They want their OWN happiness and prosperity, so long as nobody they know or care about has to suffer for their ability to have microwavable plastic dishes.

    ••••• well, yeah, there's a lot of people like that, too.

    Out of sight, out of mind.

    Not to mention they seem pretty stupid too, seeing as they haven't figured out that karma is a bitch,

    ••••• i have.

    and everything won't necessarily be reality television and having nothing worse to bitch about than $4/gal. of gas.

    ••••• no, it won't.

    We may actually be in a position as a nation where we have to TRULY suffer, and it will be a direct result of our need to stay "comfortable".

    ••••• people seem to be waking up. a little.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:23pm

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 9:18pm

36. We already boycott Chinese goods as much as possible-easier if you don't go to Wal-Mart. It isn't anything all that political, more fear of the scary trade deficit. As far as human rights go, it's like I told the kids, China is a dictatorship. It is a sad but obvious fact that they will restrict free speech and civil rights. On the other hand when our country pens protesters in "free speech zones" and investigates people because their bumper stickers criticize our great and glorious leader the whole world should be alarmed.

    The founders set goals for us and lately we have been moving away from them rather than toward them.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 9:21pm

37. In that case you shouldn't be so stupid as to insinuate that age somehow implies wisdom or experience.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 6:58pm

    You should know peewee.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/07/2008 @ 9:55pm

38. When my great gram was about 90 she sent an old man all but running out of her room in the nursing home, just ripped into the poor old thing telling him to get out in no uncertain terms. I was horrified at her behavior and told her so.

    She said." He was a horrid child, a shallow youth, a worthless man and now he is an annoying old fart. Why do you young people think everyone improves with age?"

    And as I have said before, my vigorous and intellectually sound 71 year old mother thinks John McCain is too old to be president. Who am I to argue with HER age and experience?

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 10:03pm

39. oil is an anachronism.

    THE SUN! IT'S HOT!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 10:03pm

40. It's like winning the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

    Posted by madlib at 05/23/2008 @ 1:14pm

    That's the one basic tenet behind any zealot/fundamentalist's argument. Don't ever admit you're wrong even if the obviousness of your wrong-doing is slapping you in the face daily.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:07pm

    Wow. Could that be....hypocrisy?

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/07/2008 @ 10:09pm

41. THE SUN! IT'S HOT!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 10:03pm

    We installed one of those wood stoves on steroids and cut our propane bill by 67% last year. We cut up four trees that came down in a summer storm, but planted 4000 on what was pasture and cornfields.

    Mind you, if some nutjob wasn't suing to keep wind turbines out of the county we might have one of those beauties up on the ridge providing pollution free energy for the whole darn valley.

    Northern Wisconsin, toasty in the summer, windy all freakin' year.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 10:32pm

42. Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 10:32pm

    http://www.dlsc.ca/

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 10:36pm

43. http://www.dlsc.ca/

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 10:36pm

    WHOA! Alberta! I may have to do some serious adjustments to the plan. Thanks.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 10:43pm

44. well, it may be warm in their houses,

    but an alberta winter is pretty crisp.

    oh, wait your in wisconsin.

    nevermind.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 10:53pm

45. Yup, Wisconsin where there is much wildlife, but sadly no whales.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 11:00pm

46. r.i.p., lummi.

    i hope the waters in heaven are quieter for you.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:11pm

47. fuck whales,

    you've got badgers!

    www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:15pm

48. Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:15pm

    Can't...turnit.....offfffmushrroommmushrrrooom.......

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 11:22pm

49. The Baiji (Chinese: 白鱀豚; pinyin: báijìtún) (Lipotes vexillifer, Lipotes meaning "left behind", vexillifer "flag bearer")

    is a freshwater dolphin found only in the Yangtze River in China.

    Nicknamed "Goddess of the Yangtze" (simplified Chinese: 长江女神; traditional Chinese: 長江女神; pinyin: Cháng Jiāng nǚshén) in China,

    the dolphin WAS also called Chinese River Dolphin, Yangtze River Dolphin, Whitefin Dolphin and Yangtze Dolphin.

    It is not to be confused with the Chinese White Dolphin (simplified Chinese: 中华白海豚; traditional Chinese: 中華白海豚; pinyin: Zhōnghuá bái hǎitún).

    The 2007 IUCN Red List classifies the Baiji as a critically endangered (CR) species, and acknowledges the species is possibly extinct (PE).

    The Baiji population declined drastically in recent decades

    as China industrialized

    and made heavy use of the river for fishing, transportation, and hydroelectricity.

    The last confirmed sighting of a Baiji was in 2004, with an (as yet) unconfirmed sighting in August 2007. Efforts were made to conserve the species, but a late 2006 expedition failed to find any Baiji in the river.

    Organizers declared the Baiji "functionally extinct", which would make it the first aquatic mammal species to become extinct since the demise of the Japanese Sea Lion and the Caribbean Monk Seal in the 1950s.

    It would also be the first recorded extinction of a well-studied cetacean species (it is unclear if some previously extinct varieties were species or subspecies) to be directly attributable to human influence.

    <<<>>>

    they were so cute. google image: "baiji"

    oh well.

    hey did you see my new olympic logo iplod?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:31pm

50. The Chinese have it right, keep all the ideological idiots out of the country and let the games begin!

    Posted by RedRiver_. at 08/07/2008 @ 11:29pm

    actually, they keep many in prison:

    Beijing - The number of Chinese political prisoners rose in 2007 to its highest level in eight years, according to a report published Monday by the US-based Dui Hua Foundation.

    According to report, arrests in China for 'endangering state security' rose from 561 in 2006 to 742 in 2007.

    In the Chinese legal system, this category of crime (which in 1997 replaced 'counterrevolution') includes subversion, espionage, and so- called 'splittism' and the incitement thereof. The foundation said these laws are aimed at squelching dissent.

    'These numbers remind us that in spite o all of the information that comes out of China about the government's crackdown on politcal dissent, for the most part the arrests are taking place out of the public view,' said Joshua Rosenzweig, manager of research and programmes at the Dui Hua Foundation.

    'Even after all of our research, it turns out we still only know the names of two or three per cent of those being arrested,' he added.

    <<<>>>

    tennis, anyone?

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:36pm

51. "More chillingly, dissidents alleged earlier this year that the Chinese government has paid Chinese citizens token sums for each favorable comment about government policies they post in chat rooms and on blogs."

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:48pm

52. www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:15pm

    And I thought UW Madtown had changed since I as an underage lass wandered into a cloud of tear gas because I thought the screaming crowd meant a street dance.

    Mushrooms indeed. Night frosty, night all.

    Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 11:49pm

53. Posted by frosty zoom at 08/07/2008 @ 11:48pm

    Another entrepreneurial opportunity, collecting & providing names to the govt. Verification can't be important unless entertainment figures are involved. Like shooting fish in a barrel.

    Posted by Sorelish at 08/08/2008 @ 12:10am

54. egad!

    obama takes the pledge!

    http://videos.cleveland.com/plain-dealer/2008/0

    8/photographer_insists_on_pledge.html

    ERRORS

    A word or url was too long, and has been broken up.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/08/2008 @ 01:16am

55. <i>Posted by Pogge at 08/07/2008 @ 10:03pm</i>

    Is it just me or this is analysis self-defeating? If your mother can be fully intellectually sound at age 90, who's to say that being 71 is a huge barrier to the presidency? Maybe you don't think that McCain IS that intellectually sound, but it's certainly not something that comes solely by virtue of him being as old as he is.

    Posted by Thrawn at 08/08/2008 @ 03:00am

56. realized at that point just how wrong things have gotten.

    Now, I am off for my run.

    Posted by Zero at 08/07/2008 @ 8:50pm

    Zero, You are dead on with the eating thing in this country. I from the state of Washington down to Georgia and let me tell you, there are some serious wastelines down here. I have never seen so many out of shape, fat people in my life.

    I used to play high school sports and all of that, and never really quit working out, but I see people who I grew up with that I can barely recognize. It's not because they'e gotten older, but because they've gained so much weight.

    I think steroids are partially to blame. Young guys see the NFL players who can bench 450, run a 4.0 forty and wieigh 230 and think that's what they need to look like. So, they start eating a lot, lifting the weights and never get there. You average person can't bench 300 let alone 450 so you are talking steroids in most cases. Most of the people who do end up benchin 450 become portly folks in their older age.

    Cardio work outs and weight training are the way to go...along with eating a lot of veggies and fruits and skipping the red meat. Just one more thing us Americans need to be reprogrammed in.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 08/08/2008 @ 09:03am

57. Posted by RedRiver_. at 08/07/2008 @ 11:29pm

    Gee, what a shock. RIO BRAVO tries to make an "anti-Left" post...

    by sucking upto the COMMUNIST Chinese!

    LOL!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/08/2008 @ 09:12am

58. Communist China is a good friend to the neo-cons. Cheap labor, few regulations, imprisonment of dissenters.

    everything they want Amerikkka to be.

    If the neo-cons TRULY believed in their BS about freedom and democracy, China would be in the forefront of their GWOT.

    this IS the genocide Olympics. The IOC should be ashamed, tarred and feathered for even thinking China would change an iota for "the world". "The world" knows what goes on their daily, but continues to be a great customer.

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/08/2008 @ 09:28am

59. Easy bet:

    I bet NBC's coverage will suck. There will be more "portraits in adversity" than actual sport. We will see fitty hours of swimming, 2 minutes of field. they will continue to act like they are bringing us "live" coverage and again will move events to create false excitement (like the gymnastics in 2004). Their "news" will broadcast lite stories about Chinas horrendous human rights, while the sports crew will say nothing. Matt Lauer will get a medal from Hu Jintao for being a schill

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/08/2008 @ 09:37am

60. RedKORESH

    Do you realize that your military tried a driver, convicted him, sentenced him to 5 1/2 years, but claims the right to hold him FOREVER. Your government has kidnapped innocent people and had them tortured by Islamic governments. Your military occupies two nations, one of which never was threat to you or their neighbors.

    I would call that extremist ideology.

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/08/2008 @ 09:42am

61. Frosty, enjoy CBC coverage, I really miss it!

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/08/2008 @ 09:51am

62. Frosty, enjoy CBC coverage, I really miss it!

    Posted by crabwalk at 08/08/2008 @ 09:51am

    listen on line.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/08/2008 @ 12:42pm

63. oh,

    are you talking about olympics?

    yeah, much less rah rah go america.

    no "indepth" stories about how Sam Redstone the shotputter killed 37 iraqis with his stone.......

    more global. more swallowable.

    still, i'd rather go to the beach.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/08/2008 @ 12:44pm

64. Is it just me or this is analysis self-defeating? If your mother can be fully intellectually sound at age 90, who's to say that being 71 is a huge barrier to the presidency? Maybe you don't think that McCain IS that intellectually sound, but it's certainly not something that comes solely by virtue of him being as old as he is.

    Posted by Thrawn at 08/08/2008 @ 03:00am

    thank you.

    mr. mccain has been dumb for a long time. it has nothing to do with his age.

    the man has crashed like 17 jets. divorced 9 times. and dealt with lobbyists!

    he's indestructible.

    except on policy. what a maroon!

    Posted by frosty zoom at 08/08/2008 @ 12:47pm

65. Damn, this blog is full of Chinese trolls, and they're not even good trolls. They're trying to pose as Americans, even though their clunky English and poor use of vernacular is a dead giveaway. Besides, Germans have names like Wolfgang. No real American would voluntarily call himself "Wolfgang", unless of course he were going through some kind of deep self-loathing homosexual shame spiral.

    BTW Wolfie, that left-handed crack about American obesity...yeah, some of us are fat and it's a problem for us. But don't hate because we've got plenty to eat. There's a reason we don't ever have famines in America. We know better than to ever let our population grow so big that we can't feed them all. Better to have too much than not enough. Comparatively speaking, it'll be way easier for America to shed a few pounds than it will be for China to feed 1.3 billion in one of its famous famines.

    I can't wait for these pseudo-Olympics to end so these boring, tiresome people can crawl back under their internet-restricted iron curtain. Then we can finally get back enjoying our freedom of speech and free press without them cluttering it up with their weak anti-American wannabe propaganda.

    Posted by gmlaster at 08/08/2008 @ 2:11pm

66. I must have offended his tar-tar cousin/offspring/parent/sibling/extended family.

    Or maybe a tar-tar teacher?

    OR, better yet, a tar-tar himself.

    Posted by madlib at 08/08/2008 @ 3:54pm

    Ah, another 'keeper'.

    Like shooting fish in a barrel.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/08/2008 @ 4:07pm

67. It's like winning the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

    Posted by madlib at 05/23/2008 @ 1:14pm

    That's the one basic tenet behind any zealot/fundamentalist's argument. Don't ever admit you're wrong even if the obviousness of your wrong-doing is slapping you in the face daily.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:07pm

    I must have offended his tar-tar cousin/offspring/parent/sibling/extended family.

    Or maybe a tar-tar teacher?

    OR, better yet, a tar-tar himself.

    Posted by madlib at 08/08/2008 @ 3:54pm

    Hypocrisy at its finest.

    Posted by madlib at 08/07/2008 @ 7:42pm

    Wow. The perfect setup.

    A hypocritical Hypocrite.

    THERE'S something you don't see everyday.

    Someone should give you a cookie peewee.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/08/2008 @ 4:11pm

68. osted by Benchrest at 08/08/2008 @ 4:11pm

    Isn't that a double negative?

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/08/2008 @ 4:59pm

69. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/08/2008 @ 4:59pm

    Yup. But it fits perfectly for this jerk.

    A John Lowell jr.

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/08/2008 @ 5:09pm