You know, this is starting to become a pattern...
...Oh, right, before I forget: "FREE TIBET!"
By Moe Lane Posted in Foreign Affairs | Free Tibet! — Comments (9) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
It would seem that the PRC have earned themselves a nice little PR disaster here:
Officials extinguish Olympic torch again
PARIS - Security officials have extinguished the Olympic torch for a second time amid heavy protests during the torch relay in Paris.
Police have escorted the flame onto a bus, apparently to move it away from protesters.
The flame was being carried out of a Paris traffic tunnel by an athlete in a wheelchair when it was stopped because protesters booed and began chanting "Tibet."
Ain't that a shame. A big, public, well-publicized shame, what with this incident, and the London one. I don't know how many more shames we're going to end up seeing though, as it's an interesting route this year - albeit one that seems to be doing its best to minimize the appearance of mobs of protesters over the PRC's occupation of Tibet. Still, next stop: San Francisco.
Make us proud, San Francisco.
Moe Lane
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You know, this is starting to become a pattern... 9 Comments (0 topical, 9 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
...I guess, in that case, they didn't realize whose good luck it would be for.
If they were really concerned about the luck of numbers in Chinese, they probably should've realized the fundamental thing about the Summer Olympics... they come once every four years. Four is considered a very unlucky number in Chinese culture (as it symbolizes death).
"No matter how much lipstick you put on the taxation pig, it's still a pig... and it's currently snout-down in your wallet." - Michael Fisk
...actually, I don't think 9 is a lucky number in Chinese, now that I think about it. Oops. Either way, four is bad news, and maybe, after this, eight will just be known as being doubly bad.
"No matter how much lipstick you put on the taxation pig, it's still a pig... and it's currently snout-down in your wallet." - Michael Fisk
that San Francisco is a hot bed of cause du jour idiots. I just hope they pick this as their cause.
Fighting for conservatism one day at a time.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
I work here in San Francisco. I am a couple of blocks from Civic Center, just off Market St, for those who know the city. The torch is going to be carried along the Embarcadero, which is our eastside waterfront facing the Bay Bridge.
The city government has already passed the (usual) resolutions condemning China's record on human rights and Tibet. There has already been a Human Rights Torch day.
Plans are afoot for MASSIVE protests here when the torch arrives. It's already setting up big problems politically. The local Chinese community here is one third of the city's population. They are, understandably, proud that China is hosting the games and will be out in force, they say, to cheer the torch.
The ant-China folks consists of just about everybody else here. The police are already budgeting nearly $600,000 for overtime during the Wednesday protests.
Expect a fine show.
...that we're moving rapidly towards an epic trainwreck? Since the awarding of the Games to Beijing seven years ago, has there been a single piece of positive news?
They run behind schedule on building and prepping the facilities, there are significant concerns about pollution, every stop the torch has made has been has seen protests, etc.
I'm beginning to realize that being a member of the IOC must be the greatest job in the world. One can travel the world (often in considerable luxury), accept bribes, and make boneheaded decisions with zero accountability. If it weren't for the fact that I possess a conscience, my only question would be "Where do I apply?"
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right...
---Thomas Paine---
The IOC should keep the Olympic Torch extinguished. Taiwan, Tibet, Bhutan and any place else that CHina has falsely claimed sovereignty over should all simultaneously proclaim their independence at the climax of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games.
"I believe we must adjourn this meeting to some other place." - The last recorded words of Adam Smith.