Good Morning, Beijing!

View from the hotel suite . . . beautiful morning air!

CNN showing the National Stadium (a.k.a. the Bird's Nest), where we'll be tonight for the Opening Ceremony.

L.A. 2020: The Los Angeles 2020 Summer Olympics

Being here in Beijing has got me on this Olympic cities kick.  I am looking into Olympic bids, candidate cities, etc.  It's kind of exciting.  So here are some thoughts:

If Chicago loses its bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics (very possible because right now both Madrid and Tokyo have higher "scores", and Rio de Janeiro poses a serious challenge as the first serious South American contender in Olympic history), the IOC will be looking for an American host for the following year (2020).  By then, it will have been over 24 years since an American city hosted the Summer Games (Atlanta in 1996).  

Los Angeles will be an excellent candidate city for the 2020 Games.  Because L.A. did seek to host the 2016 Games, the Southern California bid committee may be a little burned out.  The City of Angeles came awfully close to getting the USOC's nomination for the 2016 international bid, losing by a slim margin to Chicago.  San Francisco and Houston were also seeking the USOC's approval, but S.F. withdrew and Houston was rejected.  Anyway, despite its recent efforts and failure, I think Los Angeles should definitely explore the option of bidding for the 2020 Games!

Los Angeles has an extensive history with the Olympics.  L.A. already hosted the Olympic Games twice: 1932, and in 1984.  Some cool trivia: L.A. was the first city to open an Olympic Village (1932).  John Williams wrote the acclaimed Olympic theme song for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.  Also, L.A.'s 1984 Games have been recorded as the most profitable in modern Olympic history.  The 1984 Olympics are often cited as a model of how to plan and organize an Olympiad.  It was a huge boost to the regional economy.

Los Angeles boasts more mountains, beaches, and sports venues than any other city in America, and is the most diverse place in the world.  It could keep the visitors and participants busy and entertained as it is the entertainment capital of the world.  Also, for selfish reasons, Los Angeles' infrastructure needs could be better addressed with the Olympics as a goal/objective/reason.  L.A. could certainly serve as an excellent host for the world's greatest sporting event in 2020. 

Plus, I like the ring of it: L.A. 2020  !!!

Any thoughts?

Arrival in Beijing

We got to Beijing at about 2am on 8/8/08 (local time).  Heavy heat and humidity upon exiting the aircraft.  As we taxied in, we couldn't see much at all because of the thick fog-like sand/dust/smog!  Thick air, heavy heat...

Beijing has put up lots of beautiful banners and flags along major roads in the city.

Another interesting feature on the freeways is the new "Olympic lane" - the far left lane on the freeways is reserved exclusively for vehicles with an Olympic pass - cars on official Olympic business, etc.  

In hotel now . . . looking forward to this adventure.

Obama's airplane

We were in Minneapolis for a few minutes and actually parked next to Senator Obama's aircraft (B-757) . . . pretty cool.  Here is a picture of the plane as seen from our plane:

departing California

to old Peking

here we go . . . . !!!

Olympic pin trading in Beijing

I was obsessed with pin trading during the 1996, 2000, and 2002 Olympics.  This year in Beijing there will be plenty of pin trading going on:

http://english.cri.cn/4406/2008/06/11/1141@367892.htm

soon departing

leaving in just a couple of days for China . . . 

can't wait to see the air quality, the traffic flow, the millions of visitors, the new Olympic facilities, and the top knotch security.  

some secrets revealed about the opening ceremony

Secret's out about Beijing Games opening ceremony
By ANITA CHANG
BEIJING (AP) — The secret's out about next week's Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. Be ready for a dramatic countdown, giant whales, an illuminated globe and performers flying through the air like Peter Pan.
A South Korean television crew filmed a rehearsal of the show earlier this week at the massive Bird's Nest national stadium, leaking the first video from a show so closely guarded that practice sessions have been protected by three rings of checkpoints. Cast and crew were required to sign confidentiality agreements.
A Beijing Olympics official said Thursday the report by South Korean broadcaster SBS, which was then circulated online, was "disappointing." Sun Weide, spokesman for Beijing's Olympic organizing committee, would not say whether SBS would be punished, only that officials were "checking into the situation."
"But the fragments cannot demonstrate the full picture of the spectacular opening ceremony," Sun said in a statement.
There were no huge surprises from the footage shot in the darkened stadium, though it gave a glimpse of the lavishness of the 3 1/2-hour opening ceremony next Friday with an expected cast of 10,000.
China's most famous film director, Zhang Yimou ("Raise the Red Lantern," "House of Flying Daggers"), spent the last three years designing the spectacle, trying to boil 5,000 years of Chinese history into a 50-minute show.
Undulating white columns apparently simulated a waterfall, and giant blue whales were projected onto the strips of roof bordering the opening of the top of the stadium. The video showed a giant blue-and-green illuminated globe on the floor of the stadium at one point.
The rehearsal included contemporary dancers dressed in black and others twirling ribbons, dozens of drummers, martial arts experts, and several colorfully dressed performers suspended by wires and floating above the audience.
One segment featured a half-dozen actors on a raised platform surrounded by hundreds of other performers, while cymbals clanged noisily in the tradition of Beijing opera.
The most impressive part of the show was a countdown accompanied by drums, the SBS report said. Footage showed rows of hundreds of people, flashing cards to form the number two, then one, while chanting lustily in Chinese. Strobe lights flashed.
An SBS crew filmed the rehearsal without having to sneak in, a network official said. SBS, one of South Korea's major TV networks, shares Olympic broadcasting rights in Korea with two other networks.
"Nobody stopped us when we entered the main stadium on Monday. Chinese officials let us in after we showed our ID cards and we shot the rehearsal," the official from SBS told The Associated Press from Beijing by telephone. He asked not to be identified as he was not authorized to speak to media.
SBS spokesman Park Jae-man said it was regrettable if Beijing Olympics organizers felt offended by the broadcast.
"The purpose of the broadcast was aimed at heightening enthusiasm toward the Beijing Olympics by showing South Korean viewers the magnificence of the opening ceremony, there was no other intention," Park said, adding that his company didn't secretly tape it.
Unconfirmed media reports have said that anyone who violates the opening ceremony confidentiality agreement was subject to jail time. However, Zhang laughed off questions about such a punishment during a news conference earlier this year, saying "Who is going to deliver such a judgment?"
The video of the rehearsal was circulating on Chinese message boards up until Thursday morning, but no working versions could easily be found in China by early afternoon.
A few details about the ceremony had been trickling out since rehearsals began at the Bird's Nest earlier this month.
Organizers have not been able to hide the enormous bursts of fireworks exploding around the stadium at night. The show will include dozens of smiley face bursts and is expected to feature fireworks in the shape of a yellow dragon with red peony flowers in the background.
The main artistic director of the fireworks show has said fireworks will be launched from more than 1,800 sites around the city, including major urban areas from Tiananmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium.
Like many aspects of the Beijing Games, the opening ceremony has become a political issue. Steven Spielberg sparked controversy in February when he withdrew as an artistic adviser to protest what he saw as China's refusal to do more to help end the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.
While President Bush has said he would attend the opening ceremony, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper have said they plan to stay away. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to attend, after first threatening to skip it.
One part of the opening ceremony still remains top secret. It is not known how the Olympic cauldron will be lit, and who will be the final torchbearer.
Chinese media reports have speculated that the cauldron will be lit by a fire-breathing dragon or phoenix.

80+ Heads of State to Attend the Opening Ceremony

The 80+ heads of state include:

• USA: George W. Bush*
• France: Nicolas Sarkozy
• Japan : Fukuda (pictured above)
• Australia: Kevin Rudd
  
• South Korea: Lee Myung-bak
  
• Russia: Vladimir Putin
• Monaco: Prince Albert II
• Pakistan: Pervez Musharraf
• Samoa: Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi
• Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri Albert Gabriel Felix Marie Guillaume
• Hong Kong: Donald Tsang
• Israel: Shimon Peres
• Turkmenistan: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov

Other notable political and business leaders in attendance:

• George H.W. Bush, former president of USA
• Gerhard Shröder, former chancellor of Germany
• Mayor of Tokyo (one of 4 finalist contenders for the 2016 summer Olympics)
• Bill Gates
• Drs. Chen of Sunrider International
• Rupert Murdoch
• Jerry Yang
• Princess Haya of Jordan

Big shots who have decided to NOT attend the ceremony:

• Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
• Gordon Brown, P.M. of Great Britain
• Stephen Harper, P.M. of Canada

*no American president has ever attended an opening ceremony beyond American borders (while in office).

VIP treatment in Beijing

The Wall Street Journal ran this article a few weeks ago about the VIPs at the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

They pose the question: how do you treat VIPs in a setting in which (almost) everyone in a VIP?

There will be at least 80 heads of state attending the opening ceremony on Friday evening.

Beijing has blue skies almost daily!

(is this one of the "blue sky" days??)

I love this site! I also love how the Chinese government created a system to rate air pollution that yields the following results:

• In July 2008, there were 26 blue sky days (i.e., only 5 days were "somewhat polluted" or above.)

By this standard, there are no polluted days in the United States - not even in San Bernadino County (currently #1 in the U.S. for air pollution).

Anyway, check out the website linked above. The photographer has taken daily shots of the view outside his window for hundreds of days. He also provides Beijing's government-issued pollution ranking for each particular day. Please check it out. You will now excuse me while I go to Costco to buy a gas mask for next week's trip to China.

203 countries to participate in 2008 Games

In Beijing, over 10,000 athletes from 203 countries will participate in the over 300 events of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.

Benin is first nation to raise flag above the Olympic Village in Beijing

PEK: Beijing International Airport's newest terminal

Yes, surely most people have heard of Beijing's amazing new airport terminal, but I really want to put up a brief post on it. Well, it is quite impressive. Its ultra-modern design certainly makes those of us who use LAX and JFK jealous!

Beijing's makeover

My last trip to old Peking was about two months ago. During that trip I was astonished that Beijing's evolution had been so extensive. When I compare what I saw in May/June 2008 to what I saw during a prior stay in July 2007, I am amazed at the makeover the city had gone through in less than a year! Beijing's roads are now lined with potted flowers and plants. Sidewalks are cleaner, buildings are shining with new decorations, and even the people of Beijing look happier. Wangfujing Avenue is sparkling with modern façades, bright billboards, and brand new sidewalk tiles! Beijing in May/June 2008 felt like a completely different place.

Vanity Fair did this article on Beijing's new look.

I am excited to get back to Beijing next week to see what they've done in the past 9 weeks! (I'm hoping to see blue skies.) I'll post plenty of photos.

in and out of Beijing

so we'll be in and out of Beijing . . . not staying for the full 3 weeks in the Chinese capital. We'll spend some time in the city of the equestrian events: Hong Kong. Also, we'll take quickies to Taipei and Seoul.

staying in beijing?

just found this at Danwei.org:

Will you stay in Beijing during the Olympics?

by Yuan Yue

At last the Olympics have arrived. We all hope that the Olympics will be an untroubled success, but as a professional who spends a lot of time living and working in Beijing, should I remain in the city during the Olympics, or should I hide out elsewhere? Below, allow me present five reasons to stay in Beijing and five reasons to leave.

Five reasons to stay in Beijing: (1) This is a once-in-a-century opportunity that we ought to personally experience. When your grandchildren ask you about it, you should be able to say that you personally witnessed the spectacle, or else they might look down on you. (2) Lots of friends are coming to see the Olympics, so if you run off to avoid them, they'll think that you're not welcoming. I've even got some foreign classmates who are set to watch the Olympics. (3) There'll be swarms of celebrities at the Olympics, and for many people, this will be their only chance to see them. And you'll be able to see lots of superstars all at once, so you can really satisfy your hunger. (4) Many people will be able to employ their skills, to some degree. For example, there'll be even more foreign reporters than athletes, so those of us who know English can go around giving interviews so they'll have a more well-rounded understanding of China. We're always going off to far-off countries to promote China, but this time they've come here, so why not make a contribution? (5) The Olympics are the Olympics, and work is work. Athletes fight for the glory of the country in the arena, so we should continue to work steadily at our jobs so we don't fall behind. We should do what we need to here in Beijing, rather than let the Olympics delay the work at hand.

Five reasons to leave Beijing: (1) The Olympics don't need us. We have a huge, dedicated team, and the on-site volunteers are all set. Competitions on TV are clearer than in the stadiums, so let's not add to the mess by staying in Beijing and crowding out the international guests. (2) Everything will be inconvenient during the Olympics: cars use the even-odd system, roadways come under frequent control, and many places aren't easily accessible because of the need to look after foreign guests. Even many familiar bathhouses, massage parlors, and KTV joints have been closed. So with convenience and practicality in mind, we should go elsewhere for our activities. (3) During the Olympics, Beijing has substantially fewer meetings and professional, many of which have been moved to other places. Some international guests are even hoping to host events outside the country after being unable to obtain a visa for this period, so we ought to go where we're needed rather than remaining here idle. (4) During the Olympics, everything will be done for the service of the games and everyone will be focusing on the Olympics. But in fact, the things that people focus on are not necessarily the most important, and it is precisely during this period that many other thing require our attention. The victims in the Sichuan disaster areas, for example: we need to take this time right now to conduct another round of surveys of the needs of those victims. (5) The company's headquarters is located in Beijing, and I typically use that as a reason to spend most of my time here. Now there's finally a good reason to check up on my colleagues, clients, and partners in other areas.

So I've decided to spend half the time - particularly the beginning - in Beijing, especially to take care of friends and special guests who have come to watch the Olympics and to do what I can to contribute as needed. But the other half of the time I'll go elsewhere rather than postpone my work, both revolutionary and otherwise. So what's your choice?

concerns over security, rights, privacy, etc. during Olympics

Many foreigners are becoming quite concerned about the major security programs being implemented in Beijing and around China for the Olympics. I don't anticipate any major problems . . . it won't be worse than security at Salt Lake City, Athens, or Torino! Right?

Aviation in China

We hope that China can handle the major increases in air passengers during the next few weeks! This story is quite frightening:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080729105124.fz8pp5h0&show_article=1

Beijing's Clean Air

 

Beijing's new Olympic Village

The Olympic Village in Beijing is another remarkable example of the country's growth and excitement to host the world.

In 2002, I worked at the Olympic Village in Salt Lake City.  Those have since become student housing units at the city's University of Utah.  

This Sunday the BOC has just unveiled its gorgeous and expensive Olympic Village (partially pictured above).  

 

The new facilities at the Olympic Village will provide the over 10,000 athletes with Lenovo computer lounges, extravagant eateries, comfortable suites, free haircuts, free Mandarin classes and tutors, as well as beautifully manicured gardens and parks.  It even has a large library and its own fire department.

By the end of 2008, the apartments in the Olympic Village will become available for rent, sale, or lease.  If you're looking to live in Beijing, these are great lofts!

Security issues at the Games in Beijing

There has been a lot of discussion about the security and safety regulations implemented and enforced by Chinese law enforcement and military during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.  They have a very ambitious security plan -- something that causes great concern for millions around the world.  Many ask if the Games will be "fun" with so many security precautions and regulations.

From the China Daily:

Safety departments at various work units and even drivers of subway trains, buses and taxis will be involved, said Qiang Wei, Beijing's deputy Party secretary.

He said Beijing would also work with the security organs of other countries - such as the United State, Germany, Britain, France and Russia - to enhance its defence against riots or terrorist attacks.

Qiang, also head of the co-ordination team organizing Olympic security that was established last December, made the remarks at a rally yesterday, which marked the implementation of the city's Olympic security masterplan.

But he did not reveal the budget for running the security scheme, which contains all-round protection in the air, on land and at sea for the Games.

Athens, which hosted the Olympic Games last year, spent more than 1 billion euros (US$1.3 billion) on security.

China's security programme could include security features similar to those used in Athens, which had a vast computer surveillance network with thousands of hidden cameras and microphones that analyzed dozens of languages.

"We should learn from Athens, which had an advanced security management system and high-tech equipment in order to ensure a safe environment for the Games," said Qiang.

The city has already dispatched five groups, involving a total of 39 people, to Athens to learn about its experiences.

"We do not want to turn Beijing into a fortress, but a place with an auspicious and peaceful atmosphere that will make athletes, coaches and visitors feel relaxed and safe," Qiang said.

Ma Zhenchuan, director of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, said apart from safety protection, providing a good service to participants was another priority task.

Ma said his bureau would carry out a seven-year language training programme, which started in 2001 when Beijing was picked to host the 2008 Summer Olympics.

He said Beijing police will encounter thousands of people who do not speak any Chinese during the 2008 Olympics.

"We have published a textbook of 'Olympic Security English' which mainly focuses on the handling of every possible problem that may happen during our security work for the Games," said Ma, who is a deputy head of the co-ordination team organizing Olympic security.

Ma said his team would set up two branches - the Olympic security command centre and the intelligence centre - by June this year.

Mormon attorneys leading the BOC legal team

Two LDS attorneys are leading the Beijing Olympic Committee's legal operations with offices in both Beijing and Los Angeles.  the full article is available here.

Terrorist attack in Kunming

Chinese officials and military are tightening security in an almost frightening way. Some journalists have called the Olympics the "no-fun" Games because of the high levels of security expected in Beijing and throughout China.

I will be posting lots of info about security once I get to China in August.