Views on the Olympics

[John M]

Well, I am very anti-Olympics these days. I HATE that professional athletes are in them, which goes against the purpose of them. And they've become a vehicle to sell products, etc. It's so sad. I'd take them more seriously if all the TV networks covered the games for free as news, and only amateur athletes were allowed, and if they were no longer "politicized" by countries. But, of course, that will never happen.

That said, while I personally wouldn't travel to China, I feel that trying to put politics aside where the games are concerned is a step in the right direction (for the Olympics, not for China). Although I totally understand why there is so much turmoil over it. I think our teams should participate, because that is about the games, but I do not feel that Bush should go, as that is about China, and I have real issues with that.

[Laurie]

I am boycotting the Olympics. I am not watching, because I have a hard time with giving the Olympics to a country that ignores basic human rights and values. I see the games as a way of businessmen rewarding their most important trading partner, the one who puts lead in our toys and poison in our dog food. The one that takes away our jobs. Bush is just the leader of that gang. NO, I don't have to turn on my TV set at all.

[Laurie]

I agree with you Donna. Our own governments are killing us slowly over time. China is busy destroying its own country for money, what will they do when they can't drink their own water or breath their own air?

[webmaster]

I hate sports anyway! - I don't understand that desperation or need to prove yourself but I accept it's probably like gardening to a lot of sports fans - in that it's a (hyper) leasure activity.

I know a lot of people who really enjoy it so good luck to them (yawn) - but they would say the same about being a Doris Day fan.

[BabeWilliams]

I hate sports anyway! - I don't understand that desperation or need to prove yourself but I accept it's probably like gardening to a lot of sports fans - in that it's a (hyper) leasure activity.

You know, I think of sports like acting or singing. Yes, we all know actors singers and sports guys do what they do because it's what they love to do. But they also do it for other people's enjoyment. Just because everyone doesn't like sports, there are still some people who do like them. So, sports is how they'll get their entertainment. But, us who are movie buffs don't always find sports appealing. So, we go to the cinema or pop in a cd or movie, and there's our source of entertainment....

That's my opinion anyway..

[rt]

Re human rights - food for thought:-

"Human rights abuses are monitored by United Nations committees, national institutions and governments .....................

Only a very few countries do not commit significant human rights violations, according to Amnesty International. In their 2004 human rights report (covering 2003), the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Costa Rica are the only (mappable) countries that did not (in their opinion) violate at least some human rights significantly."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights

Rum

[Theodomus]

. all this rubbish should be tested more and reported to the public.

Well, they are being tested right now:

REACH

However I am not quite sure about the part on animal testing - I read articles that stated the direct opposite...

[Sheila]

Rum, that is so true. I don't think the Chinese do anything, that many nations, who consider themselves to be 'democratic' do not do. I am thinking of Guantanamo Bay...people arrested and held without their legal rights being upheld. In addition, I am thinking of the British and American troops who have violated human rights on numerous occasions. For animal rights, I am thinking the Greyhound Industry...I have been researching this particular area, not good and not humane!! really, what the Chinese do, is on a par with what goes on in many European and international countries.

[Theodomus]

I wouldn't go quite that far - As much as there IS going wrong:

At least we do have freedom of speech, here not thousands of people are relocated without compensation for big dams or sports stadiums to be built etc....

[John M]

Marion, I think that is a very good point about the degree of the vioations. At least here we can speak out about our government's rights violations without tanks rolling over us in the public square. Sheila has a great point about how most countries are rights violators, and we certainly ignore our own violations. But I do think there are levels of degree. But don't get me started on Iraq, Gitmo and water boarding.

And don't get me started on Bush's hypocrisy about chiding China on their records while he never takes his good friends the Saudis to task for theirs. And all the while he's ensuring we import more and more defective and dangerous products from China and lose more and more American jobs as a result. The last three years have been NON-STOP stories of dangerous products being imported, mostly children's toys, one after the other. If they had come from an American company, that company would be out of business by now. But the shipments just keep rolling in from China here.

And of course, our government also is to blame in the dangerous product market, as Donna pointed out. All these food scares and recalls the last year here in America are inexcusable. We have cut back so severely on the FDA, but why?? Why do we want to have unsafe food? Washington is so full of idiots.

[John climbs down off soap box, and then kicks it for good measure.]

[Theodomus]

John, we are having the same problem here with poisoned stuff from China - But be honest:

WHO is it that asks for cheap cheap cheaper?

Re: Safe Food

Actually we in Europe are also thinking this about the US with their genetic manipulated food they want to sell around the world.

Most Europeans feel VERY uncomfortable about this because the risks for humans and the environment have not been researched to the full extend by far. But let's export it to every country, don't label the food as manipulated and force the farmers in Africa and elsewhere in the third world to buy the seeds...

[Sheila]

We don't have total freedom of Speech, certainly in the UK. You start shouting out what you think about the Royal Family, (if your views are negative, as mine are) at a gathering where they are, and see how far freedom of speech gets you! try getting into Parliament and telling them, what you think of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan...you'd soon find yourself escorted out! if you persisted, you would be charged. OK, we have a democracy, but it's a joke! in my view. You vote, they get in, then they do as they like, with very little, if any consultation with the people who voted them in!

In western countries we are controlled using covert methods of social control, such as religion, education, the family. The wealthy and powerful's interests through out history, have always and will always come first!


Political correctness...it's getting so difficult to know what is the PC way of discussing anything, any more. This starts in nursery school...I'm thinking here 'Bar, Bar Multi-coloured sheep'! yes, that is the latest. I agree with showing everyone respect, but I think by being overly sensitive to other people's differences, in a way diminishes free speech, and is in fact a method of social control.

Jumping off soap box around about....now!

[Laurie]

Actually we in Europe are also thinking this about the US with their genetic manipulated food they want to sell around the world.

I do not want genetic manipulated food in the US, either. Yes, I believe such corporations such as, Wal-Mart, are forcing suppliers to find cheaper means of production in order to give their consumers cheaper prices.
It has become an ugly vicious cycle where the poor have become pawns for the sake of profits for the shareholders in every country.

Getting off of my soap box now.

[Theodomus]

Sheila, but you won't be imprisoned or beaten up by policemen and military for stating your opinion on the iraq war, publishing critical articles on the government etc.

I'm thinking here 'Bar, Bar Multi-coloured sheep'! yes, that is the latest.

What does that mean?

[Dianne]

Political correctness...it's getting so difficult to know what is the PC way of discussing anything, any more. This starts in nursery school...I'm thinking here 'Bar, Bar Multi-coloured sheep'! yes, that is the latest. I agree with showing everyone respect, but I think by being overly sensitive to other people's differences, in a way diminishes free speech, and is in fact a method of social control.

Laurie, Sheila, Donna, Marion, John, etal
Couldn't resist this opportunity to jump in...check this out about the Dumbing Down of America


and then this....with all of Bush's executive orders, we have been stripped of our basic rights, including free speech...did you know that whenever there is a political gathering and such, there are free speech zone set up far AWAY from the media? Yes, we still have the right to assemble...but only in designated areas. The mainstream media is OWNed by corporate America...and we are fed the propaganda that they want us to hear? HABEAS CORPUS has been suspended...without this basic right, nothing else matters...America will soon be a thing of the past.

[Sheila]

Oops Sorry Marion I spelt it wrong it should have been Baa Baa Multi coloured sheep. This is what I was meaning about political correctness. This is the nursery rhyme that used to be Baa Baa Black Sheep, which is now considered by some people to be racist?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3xtMZvG2WI

[Theodomus]

This is the nursery rhyme that used to be Baa Baa Black Sheep, which is now considered by some people to be racist?

Aah, okay. Stuff like that happens here as well.

Same with occupations. One isn't a "cleaning lady" anymore but a "room nurse" (sounds silly, is translated from the German words) or a "qualified cleaning employee"....

[Laurie]

The politicians do manipulate the media in this country. Having been an educator for the past nineteen years, I can tell you that education of our youth has become a giant business to make money off of in the past fifteen years. Texas, my home state, has had to endure the legacy of George W. Bush and let me tell you it is not a pretty picture for teachers in this state. Everything is geared to the TAKS test. Right now, I am fighting my own local school district over a computer program called C-Scope. This computer-generated curriculum tells the teacher what to do everyday in their classroom. Tells you what objective to teach and how to teach it, step by step. What book to use and what supplies to use in the lesson. Of course, the funny part of all it is, there is never enough money to buy the supplies to have on hand. Yes, I am fighting a system that encourages mass produced thinkers that cannot think independently on their own. Wonder why teachers are so morally beaten down? This is a big part of it. We know we will never be paid what we are truly worth and kids will never be angels in the classroom, but don’t take away our right to think for ourselves.

[Theodomus]

I'm beginning to think of our current school kids as a "lost generation".

First our politicians introduced a "spelling reform" to make German easier a few years back, which wasn't thought through at all and inconsistent. So it was changed, taken back, reintroduced, changed etc.

And all this with the children in school having to follow every step and learn it one way and the opposite the next year. Gigantic field test on the back of the kids...

Newspapers took the new spelling on, some completely, others only parts. Then they turned back to the old writing and grammar, then they changed to the new one again.

Not to mention that naturally all children's book etc. they may have had before the reform are in the old style....

Then German pupils didn't do too well in the so-called "Pisa-Test" which compares the student levels in different countries. Everything was getting hectic, new study plans and school forms were invented and promoted.

And then some states decided to change from a 13-year school to a 12-year school because our children are too old when they finish school compared to other countries. Well, unfortunately they forgot to take out topics of the study plans, so that the kids now have to learn the same amount while having one year less time...

I really often ask myself what politicians still know about reality...

[Laurie]

Now that I've read your post, Marion, I don't feel like the only crazy person out there. Educators in my country are compared to the rest of the world and usually made to feel like losers, because we are not number one in everything. (Must be some sort of American mentality.) We flip flop constantly in our approach to the basics, also. I do know that my children will be experts in video gaming and internet usage if not anything else. Seems like that really the only thing students are interested in anyhow.

[Jake Iverson]

Political correctness...it's getting so difficult to know what is the PC way of discussing anything, any more. This starts in nursery school...I'm thinking here 'Bar, Bar Multi-coloured sheep'! yes, that is the latest. I agree with showing everyone respect, but I think by being overly sensitive to other people's differences, in a way diminishes free speech, and is in fact a method of social control.

Laurie, Sheila, Donna, Marion, John, etal
Couldn't resist this opportunity to jump in...check this out about the Dumbing Down of America


and then this....with all of Bush's executive orders, we have been stripped of our basic rights, including free speech...did you know that whenever there is a political gathering and such, there are free speech zone set up far AWAY from the media? Yes, we still have the right to assemble...but only in designated areas. The mainstream media is OWNed by corporate America...and we are fed the propaganda that they want us to hear? HABEAS CORPUS has been suspended...without this basic right, nothing else matters...America will soon be a thing of the past.

Being considerate of others is one thing. Being PC is another animal entirely. It seeps into everything where you cannot express an opinion without being labled racist, sexist, anti this or anit that. It is so pervasive now that it interferes with everything. I feel that this is becoming a kindergarten society where people get bent out of shape over a name, phrase or point of view. Deal with it. There are much more important and serious things to deal with. Diseases, war, financial problems. If someone makes a crack, have the brains to either defend yourself or let it pass. Don't run crying to someone just because a phrase might have a double meaning. Sorry guys, I work in personnell and this happens a lot and its just idiotic in my opinion.

[John M]

Jake, you are SO right! It may have started out with good intentions, but it certainly has morphed into something idiotic... and dangerous at times. (And as the saying goes, "the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.")

But it's great for people who don't have minds of their own, or are too lazy to actually use them. Like "Hamburger Helper for the Soul."

[daybyday08]

I guess im the only one on this forum that LOVES the Olympics!! I wait for it to come, it's amazing I think.
I train really hard in horse riding so I guess I feel for all the athletes. My favorite athlete and role model of today is Shawn Johnson who is in gymastics at the olympics. Doris Day will always be my favorite but shes my favorite in sports.
Here's a video (Shawn Johnson :Olympics) Hope you like it.

[Its2Good2BeTrue]

I can't wait for the Winter Games in Vancouver