China in 2008

My thoughts on the Chinese Olympics are thus:

Yes, the government of the People's Republic of China is brutal. But nobody suffers more from its brutality than the people under its jurisdiction.

They have endured so much. Crushing poverty, isolation, gory revolutions, disappearances, the destruction of their own beautiful culture from the outside in.

Now, finally, people are getting a taste of wealth and commerce and increased communication with the rest of the world. Hosting the Olympics in Beijing is an honor and a privilege for the entire nation. It implies a sense of participation and belonging and goodwill in the greater community of Planet Earth.

The people of China deserve it.

Ai Wei Wei, the architect of the new Olymipc stadium in Beijing, has denounced the games. He is saddened that the scale of civic renovation is for the sake of the games only, so as not to lose face on the world stage. Watch an Al Jazeera interview with him here.

This is damning, coming from someone so intimately involved. At the same time, greater scrutiny from the international community may chasten the government of the PRC into making the very changes he suggests.

To boycott the games would send a very sad message to the Chinese citizens. It would be an insult to the Government, but also to the people. As though we were saying we do not want the finest gifts they have to offer:

Aside from the obvious irony of America taking anyone to task on human rights these days, I think the best thing we can do is lead by example. China is an important partner, and I hope we can evolve together.

Are you a Replicant? Or are you a Repli-CAN?

Oscar Pistorius is the Cyborg of the Moment.



You're probably already aware of his story: a double, below-the-knee amputee as a child, Oz has grown up to be a fantastic runner... with the help of his Ossur brand Cheetah prostheses. For an in-depth introduction, I recommend Wired's article from early last year.

They call him the "Blade Runner." Sexy, no? His Nike ad is pretty hot, too

This week, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has ruled that Pistorius's carbon-fiber legs confer an unfair advantage, and has barred him from competing in the Summer Olympics in Beijing. I have yet to read the IAAF report, but news items I've heard have mentioned the "springiness" of the Cheetahs (greater than that of the traditional calf-and-ankle model, but that's not hard to beat) as well as his more horizontal stride - he doesn't waste as much energy bouncing as he runs. I've also heard arguments focusing on his (purported) aerobic efficiency - nonexistent legs don't require oxygen.

These might be valid arguments for an advantage if he consistently beat the intact competition. But he doesn't. His 400 meter best is still a half second short of the Olympic qualifying time. So it's hard to see where the advantage is conferred, exactly.

The day double amputees begin to regularly smoke "able bodied" Olympians, then it may be time to reevaluate whether the competition is fair. Unless and until that happens, I say let him go to the trials. If he qualifies, let him race.

It comes down to energy efficiency. How much effort does an athlete expend to get his or her results? There's no free lunch in the Olympics (or in Major League Baseball either, apparently). But it's unreasonable to suggest that this guy is not working as hard as his counterparts. Insulting, really. Oscar Pistorius isn't a cheater - he's exactly the kind of dedicated competitor who belongs in Beijing this summer.