MORE ON MY "CHINA THEORY" FOR THE 2008 OLYMPICS

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

A journalist doesn't have to reveal his source, only as long as he is able to back it up when needed. However, what is stupid about this is that Cram used your words-of-wisdom to top off the cake of his article. Its just lazy writing, thats all.

Maybe the editor didn't want to reveal the source out of fear of bad journalism. There isn't much precedent for using message board postings. Cram should have tried to contact you directly. Lazy, Lazy, Lazy...

I would be careful about ever going back to China, they might lock you up in the cell for espionage, or something crazy like that. Maybe its a good thing your name wasn't quoted in a major publication.

Ask Judith Miller. I for one go along with jason m on this one. I have been criticized and have had some posts deleted for saying it; but China is the major current/future enemy for the US. Trying to ignore this fact is potentially dangerous.

With the current administration in place our public image worldwide is taking a pounding (owing to the botched situation in Iraq) to such an extent that if we WERE attacked a good number would say: you deserve it.

Tragically, we had most of the civilized world in our corner in the fall of '01. We blew it. Badly.

It would not surprise me in the least to learn that this 'avian flu' is a PRC bio weapons test gone awry.

I would suggest to any friends who are considering it to NOT go to Beijing (Peking/Peiping) in '08.

I get your main point but a better name to suggest than Alan Culpepper is someone like Justin Gatlin or Jeremy Warriner. They are more of a threat to China and they represent "American Track" to most people--i.e. really good, often cocky/flashy, sprinters. Nothing againt Culpepper by the way. Hes good but at least not now a medal threat.

Anon wrote:

It would not surprise me in the least to learn that this 'avian flu' is a PRC bio weapons test gone awry.

You are a fruitcake. They should lock you up.

China and the US relations are fine because of the economic dependence that each has with other. Current/Future enemy is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Go back to picking your zits and reading Tom Clancy. You sound like you're in high school.

Don't rule out the possibility that Cram did the right thing and the writer/editors did a butcher job. My guess is that this is more likely than what you all seem to be assuming.

I doubt that Chinese aggression would be met with favor by the rest of the world. America is not as detested as you imply -- I can't see the rest of the world deciding to allow China to have its way with us. I can't help but think that people the world over would prefer American influence in world affairs over Chinese influence.

In two decades the big three (China, Russia, USA) will be calling the shots for everyone. There will be too much money to be made on international trade and that precludes any dumb war breaking out over influence. Influence will be purchased and not militarily forced on anyone. Britain will be OK but the EU will be crippled by its sheer bureaucratic incompetence. The new credos will be "Make Money, Not War" and "All You Need is Cash". The new China is pragmatic about trade and they have cleared the hardline Maoists from positions of power.

If a major war is coming it will be against a credible nuclear threat from the Muslim world. Believe me, the Chinese have no love for radical Islam as that could destabilize large swaths of China. The Russian's Chechen problem is Muslim driven and we all know about our issues with Islamic extremism. If we keep Iran contained for another decade or so, the younger Iranians will rise to power and they are not as devout or fundamentalist as their parents. Once the mullahs are gone, Iran will open for business again and be friendlier with the West.

How's the view out of Mom's basement window, by the way?

On the subject of zits, which you apparently have some experience, I will yield to you as I have none.

rofl. what a meeting of the minds.

..." I advocate an Olympics based on strict PERFORMANCE, without flags, without national uniforms and without even the name of the country attached to the name of the athlete."

ummm, and the team sports?

um, Russia is not big anymore. they are one of the only countries in the world with a declining population. superpower they are not.

Hyperbole Now! wrote:

In two decades the big three (China, Russia, USA) will be calling the shots for everyone.

Stop self promoting Mayeroff. How many times you gonna tell us where you live?

Beijing is going to be fine.

Why would China want the world to see how dirty and destitute their country might be? If you actually have been to China then you know that they will clean and sanitize the entire city from all garbage,poverty and/or empoverished people. They will shut down all factories in the area weeks prior to the games to clean up the air quality and pollution. They will take any people who are ill or assumed to be ill with any kind of infectious disease and take them out of Bejing to another part of China. They will arrest and/or kill anyone suspected of any criminal activity or criminal backrground whatsoever. Why? Becuase they can. They are a communist country and they can do whatever they want, whenever and however they want, to any of their people at any time.

China will want to come across to the world as civilized, modernized and ready for the 21st century. They will do anything they need to prove it to the world (not a mass poisoning of the US team's water supply). It makes sense that they would not want any kind of controversy or negativity to detract from that. Beijing will most likely be the safest and most efficient Olympic games ever. Probably even the most spectacular.

The best part will be the communist army marching around the village in unison 24/7.

Last time we saw the PLA was when they were mashing pro-democracy demonstrators with their tanks.

But the Russians have petroleum reserves, abundant timber, and vast mineral resources. They'll need hard currency for future nation building and when stabilized politically and economically will be an excellent location for manufacturing. Growing Chinese and American economies will need those raw goods thus making Russia a player. If the EU was smart, they would admit Russia ASAP to get a cut of that action. But they won't because they are too focused on forcing the Euro on the U.K. and trying to please all of their multi-cultural member states. Much like the UN, they try to be all things to all people and do nothing particularly well.

First of all, To view China's growing economic initiatives and new business relations with the U.S. as tokens of peace is bulls***. The Chinese have always had a vested interest in US technology and money and have incorporated certain facets of our capitalistic economy into theirs for the sole purpose of becoming a super-power. And history has shown that all communist states that have enjoyed any amount of success are determined to impose their vision of utopia on everyone else in the world.

People may say that "china is changing", that "china is a nice place to live", but the fact remains that China is a totalitarian government with state-run media, state-filtered web access and and has no respect for the sanctity of human life and free will. Example: their atheletes (in the great soviet tradition), are taken from their parents at an early age and groomed towards a specific sport for their entire lives. The olympics are the "do or die" of the chinese sports mentality, and as far as I am concerned, China is simply The Soviet Union under a new guise. To argue against this is not only absurd, but also reflects a lack of basic elementary history.

If China is determined to win the medals race, I wouldn't be suprised if some "monkey business" or visa-application snafoos manifest themselves at the last minute against other top runners from countries other than the U.S. in order to narrow the competative field.

OK, pot, this is me kettle. You Americans is killed me. Hahahahaha. Like you would't do ANYTHING to be highest the medal counting. Just saying no drugs or cheating or crime or world domination complex is USA at all times perfection, yes? Hahahaha. Look in the mirror. Many USA theory too. And that guy, Oswald, yes yes he killed Kennedy, all the way from that window, then he conveniently shot, then that guy conveniently cancer in his prison, oh yes no theory here. Gag me with a chopstick eh?

Attica Attica Attica Attica........