Rain delay at the race course - that makes for a good time to meditate on the meaning of all things China, the Olympics, and rowing.
Everyone who has rowed - and watched a rowing race - knows that rowing is the most exciting sport in which to participate - and the most boring sport to watch. Times change. Rowing is now full'tilt boogie exciting to watch! And it's because of the little cable camera that swoops across the course, from Lane 1 to Lane 6 - for the last 500 meters. Physics demands that the camera make a nifty little 180 degree spin at some point if the leader is to remain in the picture. And the camera is surprisingly low to the water - no more than 12 feet at the lowest part of the curve. Sexy comes to rowing!
Things not seen while walking around Beijing: dogs. And it's not just those Paris-accessory dogs that are MIA - all dogs have gone to heaven (or somewhere between here and there).
Also MIA: graffiti, litter, the homeless.
Found in large quantities: helpful citizens. If you stand still for fifteen seconds while holding a map, you will be approached by some helpful soul intent on assisting you in sorting out your difficulties. Pretty much everyone under 30 speaks at least a little English.
Some websites are indeed blocked. The Los Angeles Times articles on the Olympics don't come up. But PerezHilton.com is a still a winner.
The Olympics serves a lot of masters, some more noble than others. In the big picture, it's a good thing, the Olympics.
'One world. One dream' is the slogan of these Games. The dream- 'Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream.' Is it legal to use the word -dream- twice in this context- I don't think so. And no mention of dark chocolate for everyone, damn it.
A place like China is the ideal location for the Olympics. Lest we forget, Paris and Toronto were prime contenders for 2008. What the hell could the Olympics have taught those two sophisticated urbanites- Not a thing.
China as has 1.3 billion citizens. Seventy'three are rich. Roughly 300 million are 'middle class.' That leaves one billion dirt poor people in this massive country, the sort of citizen who starred in the documentary 'Altered Landscapes'.
The Olympics has brought 'good 'n different' to China. Different, as in a little variety. A lot to be said for that. The only way to end the -us-against'them- madness is by us getting to know them.
'Good' comes from the Olympics. Where else are the people of China going to have an opportunity to meet Matt Smith- Matt is a southern California native, graduate of UCLA, so-so sculler, and now the Executive Director of FISA. Smart, dedicated, he always puts the best interests of rowers ahead of everything else. FISA is one of the best international federations in the world because of Matt Smith, his staff, and the FISA executive board. We who love rowing are lucky to have him.
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