Bugger Beijing !
Posted by Big John on August 6, 2008
I don’t know about you, but I’m fed up with the bloody Olympics and they haven’t even started yet !
Everytime I turn on the TV there is that bleeding Chinese monkey and his mates leaping about all over the place; and don’t you just love the lyrics ?
Our local TV station is getting very excited because a member of the ladies’ hockey team comes from around here … Wow ! … I’ll be sitting up all night to watch her ‘bully-off’.
I really couldn’t care less if ‘Team GB’ (I wonder how much someone got paid for thinking up that one) win any medals or not, or if someone runs a bit faster than anyone else in the world, and I’m sure that I’m not the only one.
All I know is that we are in for three weeks of massive news coverage (the BBC alone is sending 400 staff) not only about such riveting sporting events as archery, fencing, handball, shooting and formation drowning synchronised swimming (what no darts or snooker ?), but also about such subjects as the air polution in Beijing and the fact that the Chinese eat anything that moves including dogs, snakes, bugs and spiders … and speaking of spiders …
Guess what ? … Headline News ! … Paula Radcliffe has been bitten by one !
I see that amongst those sponsoring the Olympics are those two fitness and health conscious companies Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, with McDonald’s being the ‘Official Restaurant’ of the Olympic Games, with four locations at the Games serving their favourite menu items.
As yet I haven’t seen an advert for a ‘Big Beijing Burger’, although I have seen a McDonald’s poster featuring something called ‘Tastes of the Orient’ …
Blimey ! You don’t suppose … ? …
… that they are selling … :shock: … 
dc said
Hi, I just added you to my list as recommended by a lady blogger in Arkansas that I read faithfully. Since she recommended you I thought I would take a peek. I love getting to see other peoples comments, especially from other countries. Isn’t this internet just the cats pajamas? !!
Betty said
I won’t be watching, either. I just can’t stand those “heartwarming” handwringing human interest stories about what horrors the athletes have overcome in order to make the team.
Nancy said
As yet I haven’t seen an advert for a ‘Big Beijing Burger’, although I have seen a McDonald’s poster featuring something called ‘Tastes of the Orient’ …
Blimey ! You don’t suppose … ? …
… that they are selling …
FIDO BURGERS!!!!!!!!!!… YUM….. with CATsup….and pickEELS
and FrenchFLIES…..
SilverTiger said
Not having a TV (go on, throw yours away – you know it makes sense!) we are not subjected to too much of this stuff. I am not interested in “sport” myself, but am happy to let others get on with it if they enjoy it, as long as they don’t bore me with it.
Hosting the Olympics is bound to be an “interesting” experience for the Chinese and therefore to some extent for us as well. They have already been forced to relax their censorship of the Web to a small degree as a result of protests from Western journalists. Will those sites recently released (including Amnesty International’s) be closed again after the Games?
From our point of view, far worse than the OG in Beijing are the 2012 OG in London. We plan to be out of London for the duration but will have to bear the run-up and all the hypocritical nonsense spouted by pro-OG-ers about the “benefits” of hosting the Games. (Oh, you mean the massive debts we citizens will pay back in extra taxes…)
With reference to Chinese food, Tigger and I once dined in a fine Chinese restaurant in the O2 Centre in Finchley Road. The last page of their menu was entirely in Chinese except for a sentence in English at the top warning that “Non-Chinese diners should not order any of the following items without first seeking the advice of staff”. I can only speculate what horrors might be hidden behind the Chinese characters and, even worse, behind the kitchen doors…
Chris said
I’m with you, John. Who cares about the Olympics? Britain never gets anywhere near the top of the medals table anyway. Does this country have any chance, though, of winning the London gay football world championships? And, since you live closer to the action than I do, will you be posting regular match reports when it kicks off at the end of August?
Big John said
Welcome DC. … ‘cat’s pajamas ?’ … Yes, but sometimes it can be more like a ‘dog’s breakfast.
Betty, I know what you mean, I was just reading about how 40+ American competitors all come from somewhere else in the world !
Nice one, Nancy …
Yes, Tiger, they do go on about those ‘benefits’. Like those received by those poor people in Beijing who were forcibly evicted from their homes to make way for all the new buildings.
BTW I once took two American ladies to my favourite dim sum restaurant in London and watched them ‘tackle’ chickens blood porridge and fried duck’s feet. I love Chinese food, but even I wouldn’t try those two dishes.
Good luck to Gay football championships. It sounds more exciting than most of the Olympics, Chris.
Ironhoofers United. 
I can’t wait for the game between the organizers, ‘Leftfooters FC’ and favourites
Nancy said
I’m surprised that you English lads are forgetting your “Olympic Moment of Glory” when, in 1988 Eddie the Eagle Edwards soared from the 70 meter ski jump and finished dead last.
BUT, you did have your truly wonderful Olympic moment in 1984 when Torvill and Dean finished their Ice dance and the audience was too stunned by their brilliance to applaud. Then, they ERUPTED in a burst of applause that they say can still be heard in the streets of Sarajevo. They were the only Olympians that ever got 6.0 from EVERY judge. What an accomplishment….
You should be very proud!
Ginnie said
I’m with the “no TV” crowd. If I don’t turn it on I don’t have to be badgered by it. Aren’t you thrilled that our King…oops, I mean President…is there to keep them all straight about treating our fellow man humanely? Maybe he’ll choke on some of that smog !!
John-Ward Leighton said
Our National broadcaster the CBC is the official link to the games with the anchor of our National News situated in Beijing. Another reason to leave the damned thing turned off.
The joke around here is what does a Chinese person call his dog?
“Lunch”
JWL