Don't forget the next Winter Olympics in 2010 are in Vancouver BC. The Seattle Times is all over that one:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ronjudd/2008136178_olyjudd25.html

$40 billion, which with our cost of labor, would be more like $100 billion. This is National Treasury shit. China can't be topped unless someone says "fuck it", and blows Iraq War type money on a games. It can't happen here. Who's the next sucker for the I.O.C. faeries? My money's on Dubai, only they'll have to hold the summer games in winter just so few marathoners die along the Sheikh Khaled Road.

13 and 15, you wouldn't happen to be Ken Livingston supporters would you?

At least Boris was honestly excited about it, if Ken had still been in office he would've been all smug and smarmy about it.

18, any other ill-educated things you'd like to say while you're at it?

I secretly hope that NYC gets to celebrate it's 400 birthday with the 2024 games and World's Fair.

you were a lot more fun when you were a racist troll baby hitler

21 = For real dawg. The only difference between communism and capitalism is the packaging. Everybody's yelling about chinese torture. Ever hear of waterboarding? The US govt has even better propaganda than the Chinese cause more Americans actually believe that they are free and have freedoms. No, you don't. Talk about living in the Matrix. Wake up and take the red pill.

Oh, and as for all the hand-wringing about protestors... meh.

I'm not sure how seeing people waiving Free Tibet banners would have contributed to a better Olympics. The message got out. Free Tibet. Don't persecute Falun Gong. so what.

Heck, we HAVE a First Amendment, but our right to free speech is limited all the time. Ever see pictures of our government turning fire hoses and releasing dogs on people during the civil rights movement? We'll surely have arrests made during the Democratic and Republican conventions. Zones created around medical facilities, in airports, in schools. The Fairness Doctrine, which attempts to assess and regulate content based on political ideology; scary stuff. Critical Mass bike riders getting pushed around by the cops. You can't even rally at City Hall or have a parade down the street without a permit.

Congrats to China for an amazing Olympics!

The opening and closing ceremonies were fantastic, and the facilities looked incredible.

Hopefully this helps create a more open relationship between China and the rest of the world.

China did all that in less than ten years and we still have a hole in the ground.

we dodged a bullet is right.

London is so fucking Tiny. At least the Chinese had a billion people to pick and choose who had the best smiles through social and genetic engineering. Did you see how adorable those kids were at the closing ceremonies? China probably bred them just for that day. London is going to have some serious problems with traffic and british teeth and snob attitudes. I like how The British still adore the monarchy even though they aren't their rulers anymore. Says something about humanity doesn't it?

Who are the English going to lock up in 2012, the Irish? The Chinese leaders should be forced to switch places for a month or two with those that they oppress. In fact maybe Bush should join them.

Phew, and let us all give thanks once again for the Olympics NOT going to NYC in 2012.

Dodged a bullet there, London can have that nightmare

Well, Boris Johnson kind of IS a douche, so there you have it.

"Four years from now, Internet technology will have improved so dramatically, that our viewing experiences will be noticeably different."

Only if you have Vista... or whatever the latest crap will be called.

boris johnson looked like a complete douche as well

Jacques Rogge is an enemy combatant

Should read "multi-cultural clpatrap". Oh well.

The "handover" with its bus and umbrellas and multi-cultural seemed incredibly tacky after the grandeur of the Chinese ceremonies. I was embarrassed for London. Never did totalitarianism look so attractive.

I, for one, welcome our new Chinese overlords.

Thanks for help with the typos--I was too tired at 1 a.m.

Thank God its all over.