Gothamist: Olympics Close in Beijing, Head to London in 2012

johnnye

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:32:04 -0500

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

NannyState

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:04:12 -0500

$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.

Kingpin

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:25:01 -0500

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?

Think twice

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:24:43 -0500

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

fakenewyorker

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:48:00 -0500

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

babyhitler

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:49:12 -0500

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.

eyekantspel

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:18:33 -0500

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.

eyekantspel

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:55:52 -0500

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.

JacqueMehoff

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:44:37 -0500

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

babyhitler

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:32:58 -0500

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?

King Kong

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:09:13 -0500

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.

spiritross

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:05:01 -0500

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

JMH

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:31:27 -0500

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

Politburo

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:19:39 -0500

"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.

fakenewyorker

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:06:32 -0500

boris johnson looked like a complete douche as well

Ph

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:21:59 -0500

I thought the opening and closing ceremonies were amazing. I don't really think anyone is going to top these games for a very long time. From the ceremonies to the actual venues, the whole thing was just completely over the top! I actually enjoyed watching this one and am kinda sad that I'm probably not going to watch the TV set for another 2 years.

GM

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:14:13 -0500

Jacques Rogge is an enemy combatant

moominpapa

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:05:01 -0500

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

moominpapa

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:04:06 -0500

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.

Jen Chung

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:15:18 -0500

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

Pull My Finger

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:24:38 -0500

Thank God its all over.

thenebula

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:02:53 -0500

aside from the cool bus, the handover pretty much sucked. also, it's spelled "olympics" in the title, not "olympcs"

Rocknrope

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:25:17 -0500

^ Or, we'll all be dead by then.

Public Relations

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:14:46 -0500

Four years from now, Internet technology will have improved so dramatically, that our viewing experiences will be noticeably different. Viewers may not be as concerned about all the hi tech ceremonial displays - they will probably be awed by the advanced in viewing and real time global social interaction

Toby von Meistersinger

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:50:59 -0500

Finally. I can now program NBC back into the TV now.

Yaotl

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:45:03 -0500

holy shit, not another olympics until 20012? really?

babyhitler

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:29:28 -0500

London better be good cause that david beckham on a crap neon umbrella bus thing aint cutting it.