olympics

China’s opening ceremonies were spectacular!!! I thought it impossible to outdo the magnificent show put on in Athens–but w/ unlimited money & great ability the Chinese did it. Director Zhang Yimou: What a job!!! Might and the collective spirit were emphasized. There were no individual performances. The sheer manpower & creativity was breathtaking–& scary. Now, 1.3 billion strong w/ the world’s 3rd largest economy—like the roots of this country, it’s built on slave labor.

During many trips I made to China (all work oriented) I observed unusual things:

1.) The govt. keeps things shut tight. I saw a dozen drug dealers shot by a firing squad on the news there. I’m shocked someone stabbed the American tourists. It doesn’t surprise me that the perp took his own life afterward.

2.) I saw a brochure for a golf course in the wealthy Shenzhen industrial zone, directly across the harbor from Hong Kong. You often see HK businessmen taking their clubs on the ferry to the mainland for a round. The club’s clientele must have been having trouble w/ the difficult game: the brochure told perspective members that in golf a high score is the best score!!!

The 1st events I saw were swimming. The US girl swimmers were camera-ready:wearing waterproof makeup & stud earrings! It seemed so strange & artificial, like Esther Williams at MGM!!!