Is the design of the torch:

http://www.20minutes.fr/article/225989/jeux-Olympiques-2008-Pekin-Le-gaz-carbonique-de-la-flamme-olympique.php

4/18/2008 3:58:52 PM

I cannot read European.

4/18/2008 4:02:18 PM

sorry, basically it says the carbon dioxide from the torches is poluting the air of the world

it's not a joke, it's super serial.

[Edited on April 18, 2008 at 4:10 PM. Reason : ]

4/18/2008 4:09:24 PM

^^french.

4/18/2008 4:24:42 PM

No you fucking retard.

Its the carbon footprint of the torch.

IE: the fact that it has its own jet carting it around, its own hotel room, transportation etc etc.

Not the actual flame itself.

4/18/2008 4:38:15 PM

Pour chaque litre de carburant consommé, c’est 2,9 kilos de CO2 injectés dans l’air. Rien que le transport aérien de la flamme va donc offrir généreusement à l’environnement 2,9 millions de kilos de CO2. L’équivalent, en poids, de plus d’un millier d’Hummer H-2.

yea you're right lol didn't bother to read it

4/18/2008 4:47:01 PM

/facepalm

4/18/2008 5:00:11 PM

Stupid.

This is kind of like the bullshit where conservatives mock environmentalists for causing all that pollution flying around the world to deliver speeches on global warming.

In reality, it's less than a drop in the bucket.

4/18/2008 5:03:24 PM

Its a torch,

I dont see how much harm a torch can have

4/19/2008 1:08:25 AM

I don't recall this being an issue the last time we had the olympics. Or any of the times before that.

The whole world really did go limp wristed for global warming (oh sorry, they changed that from global warming to climate change about the same time) and carbon emissions about 2.5 years ago.

It's like everybody just gave up fighting it and all the global corporations now start spouting bullshit about it and you can't watch TV without some bunch of liars doing a bunch of feel good do nothing bullshit talking about how they're saving the world.

I especially love the energy company commercials with the kids saying absolutely meaningless drivel that sounds like something out of a 100-level world cultures class...

[/ranting]

But seriously, it's a fucking torch. Perhaps next time around we can have our guys run around with an LED powered torch. It uses way less energy and has zero emissions guyz, lolz. Plus nobody can get burned with it and it can never go out (unless the chinese-made electronics fail or catch on fire!)!!!!!!1

4/19/2008 2:05:10 AM

Perhaps I'm missing something, but historically the goal of the Olympic Games has not been expressly to promote liberal capitalism.

Drawing attention to a country draws attention to its flaws. This is beneficial in its own right.

4/19/2008 7:01:10 AM

Apparently the Chinese government has started to clamp down on the rather vocal nationalistic moves by its citizens over the entire Olympics issue. The US press seems to believe that this change of heart began as Chinese citizens were mobilizing to start boycotting French firms, a situation that could have easily escalated into damage for Chinese trade and threaten foreign investment in China. The emergence of growing "mob violence" from the stoning of people's houses to death threats is probably another sign that its time to reel people back in.

In some ways, this has been standard operating procedure for the Chinese government: allow protests and citizen mobilization to make the Chinese point vocally and then start scaling them back when they get on the brink of threatening economic relations and investor confidence. A similar thing happened in anti-Japanese protests a few years back. It's a risky tactic given that these sorts of heated nationalistic movements can get out of control, but it displays a sort of unity among the Chinese people and helps reinforce national identity behind the government.

A cynic would say that it helps spread anti-Western sentiment... not enough to scare away Western investors and trade but just enough to keep their people from getting too close to Western ideas and reinforce the idea of a third, Chinese way. It also helps to distract several big domestic issues that the Chinese people face, ranging from their own "baby boomer" demographic time bomb to income disparity to the weakness in the PRC's ability to deliver public goods. Think of it as buying time for the government to try and work these problems out.

4/23/2008 12:02:44 AM

those fucking french :grr: :rar:

VIVA LA FREEDOM FRIES!

4/23/2008 12:26:07 PM

Quote :

"...In reality, it's less than a drop in the bucket."

Yeah, and the mentality that dismisses steps toward an end goal because they don't deem the step large enough. The "x is nothing compared to y, so why even bother with x" dodge.

If the bucket filled drop by drop by the adoption of bad habits over time it will have to be drained the same way. Drop by drop by the formation of good habits over time.

Quote :

"I don't recall this being an issue the last time we had the olympics. Or any of the times before that."

Yeah. If you've been paying attention to corporations "green" is this year's "synergy", "think outside the box", " paradigm", "downsizing", "right-sizing", etc. At least this time it might make a difference outside of creating a few more Dilbert cartoons.

[Edited on April 23, 2008 at 4:26 PM. Reason : -]

4/23/2008 4:18:30 PM

so what about this lawsuit?

CNN now sued for $1.3 billion - $1 per person in China

Quote :

"HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Chinese primary school teacher and a beautician have filed a suit against CNN in New York over remarks they say insulted the Chinese people and are seeking $1.3 billion in compensation -- $1 per person in China, a Hong Kong newspaper reported. The case against the Atlanta-based cable channel, its parent company Turner Broadcasting and Jack Cafferty, the offending commentator, comes after 14 lawyers launched a similar suit in Beijing alleging that Cafferty's remarks earlier this month violated the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people. Cafferty said the United States imported Chinese-made "junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food" and added: "They're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years". CNN said Cafferty was expressing an opinion about the Chinese government, but the Foreign Ministry demanded an apology and accused the network of trying to drive a wedge between the Chinese people and leadership."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSPEK30866720080424

4/25/2008 5:24:46 PM

That has got to be the most frivolous...

I swear that if everyone who was insulted by a news outlet could sue, every media outlet on the planet would disappear under an ocean of red ink. Someone obviously has no idea how to take an insult.

4/26/2008 1:43:52 AM