...born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad

Faster. Higher. Stronger. (Cough. Sputter. Choke): What would a Smoglympics be without athletes sporting festive face masks during opening ceremonies? Under the circumstances, maybe they should give out medals for such new events as “highest lung capacity” and “strongest respiration”.

Update: Anyone else creeped out by the opening ceremonies--the totalitarian aspect of the spectacle, I mean? Sure it's exquisite. Certainly it's breathtaking. But the sight of hundreds (thousands?) of anonymous moving parts in one ginormous printing press, for example, or drummers as far as the eye can see filling the entire TV screen, all banging away in lock step precision, or soldiers in dress uniforms unfurling the flag and then doing that ever-popular, all-too-familiar fascist goose step whilst those in attendance sing the national anthem and raise their arms in a modified Hitler salute--sorry, it's all a bit too Leni Riefenstahl for my taste.

Posted by: scaramouche at 10:07 | link | comments (3)

Comments:

#1  08 August 2008 - 15:18

 

If it's a bit too Leni Riefensthal for you, then this is probably why.

Hitler architect’s son redraws Beijing

"THE son of Hitler’s favourite architect, who was ordered by the Führer to turn Berlin into the greatest city in the world, has designed a key route to the Beijing Olympic site."

"Albert Speer Jr, who was born a year after Hitler came to power, was recruited by the Chinese authorities as lead designer on the huge architectural project to redesign the sprawling city ahead of the 2008 Games."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2241705.ece

Cyclist

#2  08 August 2008 - 18:22

 

Interesting.

scaramouche

#3  08 August 2008 - 21:46

 

I just read about it this morning. I'm surprised it hasn't been given more exposure.

Cyclist

Comments: