Saturday, August 9, 2008

Czechs Snatch Games First Gold

Congratulations Czechs on the first gold medal of the games. Link to the New York Times article via the title.

Wow, was that Olympic Opening Ceremonies ever a party. I totally agree with my President (which I note cause it so rarely happens) that when someone has spent billions on throwing a party that you're invited to, it's not the time to talk about your biggest areas of disagreement. It wouldn't be effective. But your friends might listen to you, when they know you're their friends because you were there to share their greatest achievement.

It was so refreshing to see those Presidents sitting in the stands like they're taking in a game at Wrigley Field. Five hours in stadium seats in 90 degree heat in a suit. Wow. So what's the etiquette for a President who has to go the bathroom during the Parade of Nations? Do you slip out during Andorra? Vanuatu?

Including little Lin Hao, the nine-year-old boy who had saved two of his classmates during the earthquake, in the opening ceremonies was absolutely brilliant. Yao Ming, the Chinese basketball player who shepherded him in, explained it so eloquently when he said this little boy's leadership spoke to the future of China if he knew how to behave heroically at age nine.

I guess we can't think of Communists as the world's largest creators of bad architecture anymore. It's exciting to see the role fantastic architecture and great engineering are playing in these games. The bird's nest and the water cube are sooooooo exciting and innovative. When you're achieving 11% GDP growth are you still Communists though? You've passed over to the other side. Last night was a presentation of excellence. I felt proud as a fellow human being!

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