Smoggy olympics on tap...

asuusa · 07-27-2008, 09:01 PM

Doesn't look like the chi-coms can clean up their air in time!

[QUOTE]Beijing was swathed in smog on Friday just two weeks ahead of the Olympics as its notorious pollution defied aggressive steps aimed at clearing the air for next month's Games.

However, Chinese officials brushed off concerns over the city's stubborn smog, which has triggered a warning by IOC chief Jacques Rogge that some events could be postponed if air quality is poor.

"Sometimes it looks like it's a foggy day, but the air quality is actually good," Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee, told AFP.

"Our confidence is based on our 10 years of effort (to clean up the air). We are now implementing a continued plan to ensure clear air during the Olympics."

Chinese officials routinely refer to the city's smog as "fog".

Friday's smog came despite a broad last-ditch campaign kicked off last weekend to reduce air pollution by closing factories and banning more than a million cars.

Beginning on Sunday, cars with odd and even number plates are allowed on streets only on alternate days. Beijing had earlier taken 300,000 heavily-polluting vehicles off the road.

The city experienced a few days of air quality this week that was better than usual, raising hopes that the measures were working.

But by Wednesday, the familiar grey cloak had re-emerged and on Friday the air pollution index in the city averaged 130, or "light pollution."

By comparison, it stood at around 65, or "good" last Sunday, the first day of the driving restrictions.

Du Shaozhong, deputy head of the Beijing Environmental Protection Department, told reporters on Friday that major air pollutants emitted by cars, such as carbon dioxide, had dropped by 20 percent from July 1 to Friday.

He said the city had seen 22 "blue sky" days during that period, two more than the same same stretch last year.

Pollution is a major threat to the August 8-24 Games and Rogge warned last year that poor air quality during the Games could result in the suspension of some events, particularly endurance races such as the marathon.

Haile Gebrselassie, the Ethiopian marathon record-holder, has already pulled out of the Beijing race over fears the pollution could affect his asthma.

[/QUOTE]

LyonMtJet · 07-27-2008, 09:07 PM

I thought that they could just order their air to clean itself up.

asuusa · 07-27-2008, 09:27 PM

[QUOTE=LyonMtJet;2650344]I thought that they could just order their air to clean itself up.[/QUOTE]

Only if they ban cig smoking outside!:D

sackdance · 07-27-2008, 10:21 PM

[I]"Sometimes it looks like it's a foggy day, but the air quality is actually good," Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee, told AFP.[/I]

Then why are you being interviewed, Sunny Weide, because no one has seen fog before?

cr726 · 07-28-2008, 12:53 AM

Real Sports has a done a few pieces about this and it is frightening. A lot of U.S. Olympic athletes are staying as far as 3,000 miles away and flying in for their event and then immediatley leave.

China has a way to make it rain which helps for a day or two.

Olympic bikers actually threw up on themselves because of the air quality last year in China.

PlumberKhan · 07-28-2008, 07:09 AM

What are you talking about? Car exhaust is good for the air. Remember...it contains carbon dioxide which plants need to survive. Beijing has plants growing all over the place because of all the free carbon dioxide. It is a modern day Garden of Eden.

MnJetFan · 07-28-2008, 08:31 AM

Population control Chinese style!

cr726 · 07-28-2008, 09:53 AM

[IMG]http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2006-06/chinese-death-van.jpg[/IMG]
All aboard. Welcome to the Chinese Death Van. They donate the organs of the executed.

[QUOTE=MnJetFan;2650889]Population control Chinese style![/QUOTE]

Come Back to NY · 07-28-2008, 05:23 PM

the Chinese are urging athletes not to wear smog masks during the opening ceremonies....should be fun for the marathon runners...

King Ryan · 07-28-2008, 05:26 PM

what is "chi-com"?

Chinese Communists?

cr726 · 07-28-2008, 05:28 PM

I think the world Champion marathoner is not attending because of the air quality.

[QUOTE=Come Back to NY;2651959]the Chinese are urging athletes not to wear smog masks during the opening ceremonies....should be fun for the marathon runners...[/QUOTE]

HDCentStOhio · 07-28-2008, 05:45 PM

[QUOTE=cr726;2651968]I think the world Champion marathoner is not attending because of the air quality.[/QUOTE]

There are other issues too that are a concern to the medical teams. The US is bringing in their own food, out of fear of safety and the possibility of positive banned substance drug tests. Not a great place to hold the event from a medical standpoint.

cr726 · 07-28-2008, 05:46 PM

Staying 3,000 miles away will have an effect as well. It is a nightmare.

[QUOTE=HDCentStOhio;2652015]There are other issues too that are a concern to the medical teams. The US is bringing in their own food, out of fear of safety and the possibility of positive banned substance drug tests. Not a great place to hold the event from a medical standpoint.[/QUOTE]

asuusa · 07-29-2008, 12:06 AM

[QUOTE=Tanginius;2651964]what is "chi-com"?

Chinese Communists?[/QUOTE] :yes::yes:

jetstream23 · 07-29-2008, 01:58 AM

[QUOTE=cr726;2652018]Staying 3,000 miles away will have an effect as well. [B]It is a nightmare[/B].[/QUOTE]

No doubt. The Olympics just don't seem to be as popular as they once were but leave it to the Chinese to find a way to get people to tune in. It will be like 2 billion people standing on a street corner watching a car wreck.

In addition to the pollution, they've got terrorist threats, venue issues (i.e. construction, suitability of field surfaces) and they've spent about a year trying to train their people how to behave in public. They actually had public practice sessions where hundreds of ordinary citizens practiced standing in line rather than just mobbing a ticket booth or entrance.

[QUOTE]
[url]http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/world/jan-june08/china_4-16.html[/url]

...On the cultural front, Beijing officials and dedicated civilians are working to curb what Western visitors may see as discourteous habits -- citizens have been told not to litter, spit, smoke in most public places, cut in line and swear.
The campaign officially began during a national holiday in May of 2007 when officials passed out more than 100,000 paper bags for people to spit into. Authorities also began fining spitters: 89 citizens were charged between 20 yuan ($2.80) and 50 yuan ($7) over the week-long holiday.

The 11th of every month is now official "Practice Standing in Line Day" because the number resembles two straight lines.

Beijing's official etiquette watchdog, the Capital Ethics Development Office, has asked people in the service industry to take etiquette and English courses.

With only three months left for preparations, the pressure is on. The world will be watching Beijing, and no one is more concerned with that image than China itself.
[/QUOTE]

JetsFan2012 · 07-29-2008, 10:10 AM

Wow... athletes having to bring their own food and stay 3,000 miles away, people practicing standing in line, dogs and cats being taken off the menus... what was the IOC thinking when they chose China?

jetstream23 · 07-29-2008, 10:34 AM

[QUOTE=pauliec;2653077]Wow... athletes having to bring their own food and stay 3,000 miles away, people practicing standing in line, dogs and cats being taken off the menus... [B]what was the IOC thinking when they chose China?[/B][/QUOTE]

Cheap toys and furniture! :yes:

cr726 · 07-29-2008, 11:00 AM

Politics and money.

[QUOTE=pauliec;2653077]Wow... athletes having to bring their own food and stay 3,000 miles away, people practicing standing in line, dogs and cats being taken off the menus... what was the IOC thinking when they chose China?[/QUOTE]

nuu faaola · 07-29-2008, 11:11 AM

[QUOTE=cr726;2651968]I think the world Champion marathoner is not attending because of the air quality.[/QUOTE]

Correct. It's an ethiopian dude. He has asthma and said the air quality could trigger a bad atatck during his run.

Come Back to NY · 07-30-2008, 11:56 AM

[QUOTE=HDCentStOhio;2652015]There are other issues too that are a concern to the medical teams. The US is bringing in their own food, out of fear of safety and the possibility of positive banned substance drug tests. Not a great place to hold the event from a medical standpoint.[/QUOTE]

wow- they really think the chicoms will spike the food???

07-27-2008, 09:01 PM	#1
asuusa All Pro Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,171	Smoggy olympics on tap... Doesn't look like the chi-coms can clean up their air in time! [QUOTE]Beijing was swathed in smog on Friday just two weeks ahead of the Olympics as its notorious pollution defied aggressive steps aimed at clearing the air for next month's Games. However, Chinese officials brushed off concerns over the city's stubborn smog, which has triggered a warning by IOC chief Jacques Rogge that some events could be postponed if air quality is poor. "Sometimes it looks like it's a foggy day, but the air quality is actually good," Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee, told AFP. "Our confidence is based on our 10 years of effort (to clean up the air). We are now implementing a continued plan to ensure clear air during the Olympics." Chinese officials routinely refer to the city's smog as "fog". Friday's smog came despite a broad last-ditch campaign kicked off last weekend to reduce air pollution by closing factories and banning more than a million cars. Beginning on Sunday, cars with odd and even number plates are allowed on streets only on alternate days. Beijing had earlier taken 300,000 heavily-polluting vehicles off the road. The city experienced a few days of air quality this week that was better than usual, raising hopes that the measures were working. But by Wednesday, the familiar grey cloak had re-emerged and on Friday the air pollution index in the city averaged 130, or "light pollution." By comparison, it stood at around 65, or "good" last Sunday, the first day of the driving restrictions. Du Shaozhong, deputy head of the Beijing Environmental Protection Department, told reporters on Friday that major air pollutants emitted by cars, such as carbon dioxide, had dropped by 20 percent from July 1 to Friday. He said the city had seen 22 "blue sky" days during that period, two more than the same same stretch last year. Pollution is a major threat to the August 8-24 Games and Rogge warned last year that poor air quality during the Games could result in the suspension of some events, particularly endurance races such as the marathon. Haile Gebrselassie, the Ethiopian marathon record-holder, has already pulled out of the Beijing race over fears the pollution could affect his asthma. [/QUOTE]

07-29-2008, 01:58 AM	#15
jetstream23 recovering from turf toe Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ (New Jets Stadium Section 246) Posts: 31,607	[QUOTE=cr726;2652018]Staying 3,000 miles away will have an effect as well. [B]It is a nightmare[/B].[/QUOTE] No doubt. The Olympics just don't seem to be as popular as they once were but leave it to the Chinese to find a way to get people to tune in. It will be like 2 billion people standing on a street corner watching a car wreck. In addition to the pollution, they've got terrorist threats, venue issues (i.e. construction, suitability of field surfaces) and they've spent about a year trying to train their people how to behave in public. They actually had public practice sessions where hundreds of ordinary citizens practiced standing in line rather than just mobbing a ticket booth or entrance. [QUOTE] [url]http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/world/jan-june08/china_4-16.html[/url] ...On the cultural front, Beijing officials and dedicated civilians are working to curb what Western visitors may see as discourteous habits -- citizens have been told not to litter, spit, smoke in most public places, cut in line and swear. The campaign officially began during a national holiday in May of 2007 when officials passed out more than 100,000 paper bags for people to spit into. Authorities also began fining spitters: 89 citizens were charged between 20 yuan ($2.80) and 50 yuan ($7) over the week-long holiday. The 11th of every month is now official "Practice Standing in Line Day" because the number resembles two straight lines. Beijing's official etiquette watchdog, the Capital Ethics Development Office, has asked people in the service industry to take etiquette and English courses. With only three months left for preparations, the pressure is on. The world will be watching Beijing, and no one is more concerned with that image than China itself. [/QUOTE] Last edited by jetstream23; 07-29-2008 at 02:02 AM.

07-27-2008, 09:07 PM	#2
LyonMtJet ready for the 2011 season Veteran Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 358	I thought that they could just order their air to clean itself up.

07-27-2008, 09:27 PM	#3
asuusa All Pro Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,171	[QUOTE=LyonMtJet;2650344]I thought that they could just order their air to clean itself up.[/QUOTE] Only if they ban cig smoking outside!:D

07-27-2008, 10:21 PM	#4
sackdance All Pro Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 5,887	[I]"Sometimes it looks like it's a foggy day, but the air quality is actually good," Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Organising Committee, told AFP.[/I] Then why are you being interviewed, Sunny Weide, because no one has seen fog before?

07-28-2008, 12:53 AM	#5
cr726 Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,325	Real Sports has a done a few pieces about this and it is frightening. A lot of U.S. Olympic athletes are staying as far as 3,000 miles away and flying in for their event and then immediatley leave. China has a way to make it rain which helps for a day or two. Olympic bikers actually threw up on themselves because of the air quality last year in China.

07-28-2008, 07:09 AM	#6
PlumberKhan BRACE YOURSELVES FOR 12... Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Van down by the river Posts: 21,015	What are you talking about? Car exhaust is good for the air. Remember...it contains carbon dioxide which plants need to survive. Beijing has plants growing all over the place because of all the free carbon dioxide. It is a modern day Garden of Eden.

07-28-2008, 08:31 AM	#7
MnJetFan All League Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,302	Population control Chinese style!

07-28-2008, 09:53 AM	#8
cr726 Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,325	[IMG]http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2006-06/chinese-death-van.jpg[/IMG] All aboard. Welcome to the Chinese Death Van. They donate the organs of the executed. [QUOTE=MnJetFan;2650889]Population control Chinese style![/QUOTE]

07-28-2008, 05:23 PM	#9
Come Back to NY Making lotsa $$$ off obama's stupidity... Jets Insider VIP JetsInsider.com Legend Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 31,407	the Chinese are urging athletes not to wear smog masks during the opening ceremonies....should be fun for the marathon runners...

07-28-2008, 05:26 PM	#10
King Ryan take a guess Hall Of Fame Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Montville, NJ Posts: 5,473	what is "chi-com"? Chinese Communists?

07-28-2008, 05:28 PM	#11
cr726 Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,325	I think the world Champion marathoner is not attending because of the air quality. [QUOTE=Come Back to NY;2651959]the Chinese are urging athletes not to wear smog masks during the opening ceremonies....should be fun for the marathon runners...[/QUOTE]

07-28-2008, 05:45 PM	#12
HDCentStOhio longing for the days of Ronald Reagan Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Long Island & Section 337 Posts: 4,859	[QUOTE=cr726;2651968]I think the world Champion marathoner is not attending because of the air quality.[/QUOTE] There are other issues too that are a concern to the medical teams. The US is bringing in their own food, out of fear of safety and the possibility of positive banned substance drug tests. Not a great place to hold the event from a medical standpoint.

07-28-2008, 05:46 PM	#13
cr726 Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,325	Staying 3,000 miles away will have an effect as well. It is a nightmare. [QUOTE=HDCentStOhio;2652015]There are other issues too that are a concern to the medical teams. The US is bringing in their own food, out of fear of safety and the possibility of positive banned substance drug tests. Not a great place to hold the event from a medical standpoint.[/QUOTE]

07-29-2008, 12:06 AM	#14
asuusa All Pro Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,171	[QUOTE=Tanginius;2651964]what is "chi-com"? Chinese Communists?[/QUOTE] :yes::yes:

07-29-2008, 10:10 AM	#16
JetsFan2012 Waterboy Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 0	Wow... athletes having to bring their own food and stay 3,000 miles away, people practicing standing in line, dogs and cats being taken off the menus... what was the IOC thinking when they chose China?

07-29-2008, 10:34 AM	#17
jetstream23 recovering from turf toe Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ (New Jets Stadium Section 246) Posts: 31,607	[QUOTE=pauliec;2653077]Wow... athletes having to bring their own food and stay 3,000 miles away, people practicing standing in line, dogs and cats being taken off the menus... [B]what was the IOC thinking when they chose China?[/B][/QUOTE] Cheap toys and furniture! :yes:

07-29-2008, 11:00 AM	#18
cr726 Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,325	Politics and money. [QUOTE=pauliec;2653077]Wow... athletes having to bring their own food and stay 3,000 miles away, people practicing standing in line, dogs and cats being taken off the menus... what was the IOC thinking when they chose China?[/QUOTE]

07-29-2008, 11:11 AM	#19
nuu faaola All Pro Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 6,253	[QUOTE=cr726;2651968]I think the world Champion marathoner is not attending because of the air quality.[/QUOTE] Correct. It's an ethiopian dude. He has asthma and said the air quality could trigger a bad atatck during his run.

07-30-2008, 11:56 AM	#20
Come Back to NY Making lotsa $$$ off obama's stupidity... Jets Insider VIP JetsInsider.com Legend Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 31,407	[QUOTE=HDCentStOhio;2652015]There are other issues too that are a concern to the medical teams. The US is bringing in their own food, out of fear of safety and the possibility of positive banned substance drug tests. Not a great place to hold the event from a medical standpoint.[/QUOTE] wow- they really think the chicoms will spike the food???