Comments on: The Herculean PR effort of the Beijing Olympics http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:15:15 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: CoyoteBlue http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291967 CoyoteBlue Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:07:33 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291967 It is not the norm for heads of state to attend the Olympics. Why Bush chooses to honor China in this way is a bit of a boggle. Having our athletes boycott, no as that really only punishes them. But I just don't get how the "freedom agenda" President thinks it makes good sense to go himself. It is not the norm for heads of state to attend the Olympics. Why Bush chooses to honor China in this way is a bit of a boggle. Having our athletes boycott, no as that really only punishes them. But I just don’t get how the “freedom agenda” President thinks it makes good sense to go himself.

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]]> By: Tychicus http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291801 Tychicus Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:10:23 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291801 Stephen [#2]: I spoke with a Czech man today about the 1980 boycott of the Moscow Games. He said, "At the time in Czechoslovakia, we couldn't understand why Western nations wanted to boycott the Games. We thought that we were good, at least that's what we were always told, and we couldn't understand why Western nations didn't like us. It was then when we really began to doubt, when we started to seriously ask questions about our own government." It was that questioning that led to a change in thinking, change which less than a decade later heavily influenced the revolutions across Central and Eastern Europe. Olympic boycotts are ineffective? Stephen [#2]: I spoke with a Czech man today about the 1980 boycott of the Moscow Games. He said, “At the time in Czechoslovakia, we couldn’t understand why Western nations wanted to boycott the Games. We thought that we were good, at least that’s what we were always told, and we couldn’t understand why Western nations didn’t like us. It was then when we really began to doubt, when we started to seriously ask questions about our own government.”

It was that questioning that led to a change in thinking, change which less than a decade later heavily influenced the revolutions across Central and Eastern Europe. Olympic boycotts are ineffective?

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]]> By: RonD http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291790 RonD Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:08:39 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291790 In and out once is all that is necessary. In and out once is all that is necessary.

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]]> By: Victoria http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291770 Victoria Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:22:52 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291770 NOTE: Quotes from article below. International Herald Tribune - Asia - Pacific China limiting visas to pre-Olympics visitors The Associated Press Published: April 8, 2008Published: April 8, 2008 "HONG KONG: China has stopped issuing multiple-entry visas to foreigners </b>and has slowed visa processing in Hong Kong, a major gateway for travel to the mainland, in restrictions that will remain in place until after the Olympics, travel agents here said Tuesday." "The restrictions came amid criticism of China's human rights record after its recent crackdown on anti-government riots in Tibet. Protesters disrupted the Olympic torch relays in Paris and London this week." "He said <b>China also had suspended one-day travel visas to the mainland city of Shenzhen,</b> a popular shopping destination near Hong Kong." "Forever Bright Trading, a travel agency in Hong Kong, said on its Web site that <b>multiple-entry visas had been suspended from March 28 until Oct. 17. The Beijing Olympics are scheduled to take place from Aug. 8 to 24."</b> <blockquote><a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/08/asia/visa.php" rel="nofollow"><b>China limiting visas to pre-Olympics visitors</b></a></blockquote> NOTE: Quotes from article below.

International Herald Tribune – Asia – Pacific

China limiting visas to pre-Olympics visitors

The Associated Press

Published: April 8, 2008Published: April 8, 2008

“HONG KONG: China has stopped issuing multiple-entry visas to foreigners and has slowed visa processing in Hong Kong, a major gateway for travel to the mainland, in restrictions that will remain in place until after the Olympics, travel agents here said Tuesday.”

“The restrictions came amid criticism of China’s human rights record after its recent crackdown on anti-government riots in Tibet. Protesters disrupted the Olympic torch relays in Paris and London this week.”

“He said China also had suspended one-day travel visas to the mainland city of Shenzhen, a popular shopping destination near Hong Kong.”

“Forever Bright Trading, a travel agency in Hong Kong, said on its Web site that multiple-entry visas had been suspended from March 28 until Oct. 17. The Beijing Olympics are scheduled to take place from Aug. 8 to 24.”

China limiting visas to pre-Olympics visitors

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]]> By: RonD http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291758 RonD Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:59:28 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291758 "NJL, they can control anything they wish in their country, they have already made many rules which they will enforce." Pssst, Victoria . . . there could be an evangelism effort taking advantage of the fact that the commies can't actually control everything. Since one of the rules of hosting the Olympics is that the entire country is to be "open" and travel unrestricted to visitors, there could be a huge effort underway to take advantage the situation. And you didn't hear it from me. “NJL, they can control anything they wish in their country, they have already made many rules which they will enforce.”

Pssst, Victoria . . . there could be an evangelism effort taking advantage of the fact that the commies can’t actually control everything. Since one of the rules of hosting the Olympics is that the entire country is to be “open” and travel unrestricted to visitors, there could be a huge effort underway to take advantage the situation. And you didn’t hear it from me.

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]]> By: Victoria http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291751 Victoria Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:44:18 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291751 NJL YOU WRITE:.... "They won’t be able to control all the athletes or the visitors or the media." NJL, they can control anything they wish in their country, they have already made many rules which they will enforce. NJL

YOU WRITE:…. “They won’t be able to control all the athletes or the visitors or the media.”

NJL, they can control anything they wish in their country, they have already made many rules which they will enforce.

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]]> By: llama http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291744 llama Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:30:41 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291744 I they can get the West to boycott the Olympics, it would the perfect time for the west to drop any number of megatons of nukes right in on the opening ceremony and strategically scattered about - in a Dale Brown novel if nothing else. The anti trade, unfair trade, isolationist lefties should be all for this since trade with the evil China would come to a quick haul , not likely to start up any time soon thereafter. I they can get the West to boycott the Olympics, it would the perfect time for the west to drop any number of megatons of nukes right in on the opening ceremony and strategically scattered about – in a Dale Brown novel if nothing else.

The anti trade, unfair trade, isolationist lefties should be all for this since trade with the evil China would come to a quick haul , not likely to start up any time soon thereafter.

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]]> By: KayVee http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291726 KayVee Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:29:09 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291726 Rond, I can, and do, say no to anything made in China that I don't actually need. It's getting harder and harder, though, to find <i>affordable</i> everyday needs, like a pair of socks or a kitchen utensil, for example, that aren't made in China. It's the proverbial vicious circle: the intended buyer can't afford the product if the manufacturer pays American wages and other costs, so he has it made in China, which costs other Americans their jobs. Then <i>those</I> people can't afford what they used to buy, so they buy stuff made in China. We've allowed this to get so far out of hand that it's hard to see how to get it back into control. Rond, I can, and do, say no to anything made in China that I don’t actually need. It’s getting harder and harder, though, to find affordable everyday needs, like a pair of socks or a kitchen utensil, for example, that aren’t made in China. It’s the proverbial vicious circle: the intended buyer can’t afford the product if the manufacturer pays American wages and other costs, so he has it made in China, which costs other Americans their jobs. Then those people can’t afford what they used to buy, so they buy stuff made in China. We’ve allowed this to get so far out of hand that it’s hard to see how to get it back into control.

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]]> By: RonD http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291712 RonD Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:50:51 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291712 Wouldn't a more effective message from the world to the Communist Chinese be a substantial change to that double digit growth they're enjoying? Protesting the Olympics is fine because somewhere the point needs to be made. But when it come to the larger picture of world commerce, these protests are just more symbolism over substance. It's sad to say that if a Google search for "Made in China" could be run on the stuff of everyone, including the protesters, the return would be astronomical. We—the world—happily enjoy the prices China offers at every level, but choose to make a stand over the Olympics which are supposed to be a world gathering to enjoy sport without any politics. If we—anyone—wants to do something about China including industry that profits from their system, be concerned about what you buy. It would mean doing without lots of "stuff," but hey, it would actually mean something to the Chinese. Wouldn’t a more effective message from the world to the Communist Chinese be a substantial change to that double digit growth they’re enjoying?

Protesting the Olympics is fine because somewhere the point needs to be made. But when it come to the larger picture of world commerce, these protests are just more symbolism over substance.

It’s sad to say that if a Google search for “Made in China” could be run on the stuff of everyone, including the protesters, the return would be astronomical. We—the world—happily enjoy the prices China offers at every level, but choose to make a stand over the Olympics which are supposed to be a world gathering to enjoy sport without any politics.

If we—anyone—wants to do something about China including industry that profits from their system, be concerned about what you buy. It would mean doing without lots of “stuff,” but hey, it would actually mean something to the Chinese.

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]]> By: Stephen Tilson http://online.worldmag.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-291702 Stephen Tilson Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:29:08 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/04/11/the-herculean-pr-effort-of-the-beijing-olympics/#comment-291702 The games shouldn't be boycotted. Didn't we learn anything from 1980 and 1984? Olympic boycotts are ineffective at anything but harming the athletes who have spent lifetimes training for them. Why not go and shine light into that dungeon? The games shouldn’t be boycotted. Didn’t we learn anything from 1980 and 1984? Olympic boycotts are ineffective at anything but harming the athletes who have spent lifetimes training for them. Why not go and shine light into that dungeon?

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