A murder clouds the olympics
August 9, 2008 4:09 PM Subscribe
A chinese man killed Todd Bachman in Beijing today before jumping to his death from an ancient tower. Todd Bachman was the father-in-law of Olympic Men's Indoor Volleyball Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon, his wife is still in hospital for her injuries. Not part of the curse of the fuwas.
Yeah, this was a crazy story. Condolences. I've got mixed feelings about China holding the Olympics, but at the end of the day I feel as if they have a right to have them go off without a hitch.
This is a pretty nasty hitch.
posted by bardic at 4:22 PM on August 9, 2008
This is a pretty nasty hitch.
posted by bardic at 4:22 PM on August 9, 2008
If this is the thread for posting stories of random violence, a man was so severely bashed in a Sydney street yesterday that police have not been able to identify him or determine his age.
This is also unrelated to the fuwas.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:42 PM on August 9, 2008
This is also unrelated to the fuwas.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:42 PM on August 9, 2008
Between the situation in Georgia, the most politicized Olympics since 1980 (or longer) and the U.S. election season, not to mention the many wars already going on, right now just feels like the world is a giant fuse and any idiot can light the match.
John Edwards: saving the world by diverting our attention away from myriad global tragedies with his tabloid shenanigans?
John, you magnificent bastard. Thank you.
posted by billysumday at 5:05 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
John Edwards: saving the world by diverting our attention away from myriad global tragedies with his tabloid shenanigans?
John, you magnificent bastard. Thank you.
posted by billysumday at 5:05 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
This is terrible, and I don't want to justify it. But was the killer one of the mis-treated workers who built the Olympic stadia, or one of the people evicted from their homes to make room for the Olympics?
Frankly, I have no interest in watching the Games this year; at this point they seem too politicized, too nationalistic, and just too big. The essence of sport seems to have been lost in the hubristic and empty monumentalism of the venue, the clean lines of competition and of athletes' bodies scribbled over by win-at-any-cost performance enhancing drugs, any innocence and earnestness drowned out in torch-parades managed by secret police and over-choreographed and overly-televised opening day performances and corporate sponsorship.
It all seems, frankly, a fascistic intersection of nationalism and corporatism: corporations sponsoring games by national teams of young men and women whose victories are congratulated not in the athlete's names but with the anthems of the athletes' nations, and then afterwards the no-longer "amateur" athlete gets his or her payoff by sporting a pair of Nikes and drinking a Gatorade.
And all accompanied by bombastic nationalistic sport announcers who can never seem to shut up long enough for us to enjoy the athleticism, and who fill the air between events with mawkish (and corporate sponsored) morality tales purporting to be the athletes' stories, even though each individual story seems to adhere to one of a few set scripts recunting determination, perseverance, and the overcoming of adversity on the way to VICTORY FOR OUR TEAM!
posted by orthogonality at 5:07 PM on August 9, 2008 [14 favorites]
Frankly, I have no interest in watching the Games this year; at this point they seem too politicized, too nationalistic, and just too big. The essence of sport seems to have been lost in the hubristic and empty monumentalism of the venue, the clean lines of competition and of athletes' bodies scribbled over by win-at-any-cost performance enhancing drugs, any innocence and earnestness drowned out in torch-parades managed by secret police and over-choreographed and overly-televised opening day performances and corporate sponsorship.
It all seems, frankly, a fascistic intersection of nationalism and corporatism: corporations sponsoring games by national teams of young men and women whose victories are congratulated not in the athlete's names but with the anthems of the athletes' nations, and then afterwards the no-longer "amateur" athlete gets his or her payoff by sporting a pair of Nikes and drinking a Gatorade.
And all accompanied by bombastic nationalistic sport announcers who can never seem to shut up long enough for us to enjoy the athleticism, and who fill the air between events with mawkish (and corporate sponsored) morality tales purporting to be the athletes' stories, even though each individual story seems to adhere to one of a few set scripts recunting determination, perseverance, and the overcoming of adversity on the way to VICTORY FOR OUR TEAM!
posted by orthogonality at 5:07 PM on August 9, 2008 [14 favorites]
you must be a blast at parties.
posted by jonmc at 5:11 PM on August 9, 2008 [10 favorites]
posted by jonmc at 5:11 PM on August 9, 2008 [10 favorites]
jonmc writes "you must be a blast at parties."
Funny you should mention that: a few years ago I was at a party, and met a former Olympic medalist. We hit it off, and it was pretty clear I could have, ahem, scored me a medal that night. And then she mentioned she thought Dubya was unfairly maligned by liberals. I quickly exited that competition, and ended up crashing at my gay friend's place.
posted by orthogonality at 5:17 PM on August 9, 2008 [5 favorites]
Funny you should mention that: a few years ago I was at a party, and met a former Olympic medalist. We hit it off, and it was pretty clear I could have, ahem, scored me a medal that night. And then she mentioned she thought Dubya was unfairly maligned by liberals. I quickly exited that competition, and ended up crashing at my gay friend's place.
posted by orthogonality at 5:17 PM on August 9, 2008 [5 favorites]
a few years ago I was at a party, and met a former Olympic medalist. We hit it off, and it was pretty clear I could have, ahem, scored me a medal that night. And then she mentioned she thought Dubya was unfairly maligned by liberals. I quickly exited that competition,
you gave up sex over politics? you're weird.
posted by jonmc at 5:21 PM on August 9, 2008 [13 favorites]
you gave up sex over politics? you're weird.
posted by jonmc at 5:21 PM on August 9, 2008 [13 favorites]
But you have to admit, beach volleyball as a ritualized substitute for world war is really very Kilgore Trout.
posted by kid ichorous at 5:21 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by kid ichorous at 5:21 PM on August 9, 2008
But was the killer one of the mis-treated workers who built the Olympic stadia, or one of the people evicted from their homes to make room for the Olympics?
Doesn't appear to be. He's from a village in east China, according to reports. There do appear to be issues with him, but not those issues, and we probably won't ever find out the real story because the Chinese government is clamping down tight.
posted by Class Goat at 5:23 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
Doesn't appear to be. He's from a village in east China, according to reports. There do appear to be issues with him, but not those issues, and we probably won't ever find out the real story because the Chinese government is clamping down tight.
posted by Class Goat at 5:23 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
I like how "the" is a related tag of "of". This post has both!
posted by telstar at 5:27 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by telstar at 5:27 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
We hit it off, and it was pretty clear I could have, ahem, scored me a medal that night.
Minus the beer goggles, it was probably lucky you didn't.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:27 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
Minus the beer goggles, it was probably lucky you didn't.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:27 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
That's an awful picture of Tonya Harding.
posted by kid ichorous at 5:29 PM on August 9, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by kid ichorous at 5:29 PM on August 9, 2008 [3 favorites]
because the Chinese government is clamping down tight.
Really looking forward to hearing about how this is the fault of the good ol' U.S.A. Or corporations. That would work too. Anyone want to give it a go?
posted by dhammond at 5:31 PM on August 9, 2008
Really looking forward to hearing about how this is the fault of the good ol' U.S.A. Or corporations. That would work too. Anyone want to give it a go?
posted by dhammond at 5:31 PM on August 9, 2008
Really looking forward to hearing about how this is the fault of the good ol' U.S.A. Or corporations. That would work too. Anyone want to give it a go?
For extra credit, work in Scientology or Ayn Rand.
posted by jonmc at 5:33 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
For extra credit, work in Scientology or Ayn Rand.
posted by jonmc at 5:33 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
damned esprit de l'escalier!
[insert joke about coming first here]
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:37 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
[insert joke about coming first here]
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:37 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
Here's what I've found about the attacker:
No matter what the true story is, what we're eventually going to get told is that he was a lone nutcase, because that's the explanation which will embarass the government the least.
posted by Class Goat at 5:46 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
The attacker was identified as 47-year-old Tang Yongming from the eastern city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, according to an ID card found on his body.As to the neighbors, I saw a different report somewhere in which the neighbors said that there was something going on but they couldn't talk.
An initial investigation showed that Tang had no "fixed residence or job" in Hangzhou when he came to Beijing on August 1, a spokesman with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said.
Zhejiang police said Tang had worked for a meter factory in Hangzhou but had resigned. They didn't say why or when.
He and his wife divorced in 2006. He sold his apartment the same year and had lived in a rented house ever since.
"Tang has no criminal record. His neighbors said they hadn't seen any abnormal behavior from him before left Hangzhou," a spokesman with the Zhejiang Provincial Public Security Bureau said.
The spokesman said Tang was not a petitioner; that is, he had not so far submitted any kind of complaint to government officials.
Tang vacated his rented house on August 1, saying he would move elsewhere to do business, the spokesman said. Tang didn't specify where he would go or what business he intended to do.
Tang has a 21-year-old son who was once sentenced to six months in prison for theft, he said.
"We are now looking for Tang's ex-wife and elder brother, hoping to find out what he did before the incident in Beijing and figure out his motivation," he said.
No matter what the true story is, what we're eventually going to get told is that he was a lone nutcase, because that's the explanation which will embarass the government the least.
posted by Class Goat at 5:46 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
It's a sad event in any case, but it becomes much more disturbing if they were specifically targeted for being foreigners/Americans.
Nationalism and anti-foreign sentiment has been running high in China anyway in the lead-up to the Olympics (i.e. the anti-Carrefour, anti-CNN movements), but there has been no real organized violence so far. With the nationalist fervor being so encouraged among ordinary Chinese citizens, though, I'd not be surprised if we see additional instances of anti-foreign violence before the games are over. If they are very unlucky, there could be serious repercussions for foreigners making disparaging remarks about China or trying to protest for Tibet, for example.
I hope it doesn't happen, and I'd say most Chinese would be appalled at the very idea, but I would be very cautious if I was in China right now.
posted by gemmy at 5:49 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
Nationalism and anti-foreign sentiment has been running high in China anyway in the lead-up to the Olympics (i.e. the anti-Carrefour, anti-CNN movements), but there has been no real organized violence so far. With the nationalist fervor being so encouraged among ordinary Chinese citizens, though, I'd not be surprised if we see additional instances of anti-foreign violence before the games are over. If they are very unlucky, there could be serious repercussions for foreigners making disparaging remarks about China or trying to protest for Tibet, for example.
I hope it doesn't happen, and I'd say most Chinese would be appalled at the very idea, but I would be very cautious if I was in China right now.
posted by gemmy at 5:49 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
No matter what the true story is, what we're eventually going to get told is that he was a lone nutcase, because that's the explanation which will embarass the government the least.
Of course, that could be the true story. There's over a billion Chinese people, so I figure there's at least a few lone nutcases among them.
posted by jonmc at 5:50 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Of course, that could be the true story. There's over a billion Chinese people, so I figure there's at least a few lone nutcases among them.
posted by jonmc at 5:50 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
what we're eventually going to get told is that he was a lone nutcase, because that's the explanation which will embarass the government the least.
I have little faith in transparency from the Chinese government but in their defense, most people who commit crimes in this fashion are lone nutcases.
Or, on preview, what jonmc said.
posted by dhammond at 5:51 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
I have little faith in transparency from the Chinese government but in their defense, most people who commit crimes in this fashion are lone nutcases.
Or, on preview, what jonmc said.
posted by dhammond at 5:51 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Friday night, night of the Opening Ceremonies, me and some buddies and our girlfriends were walking by the Gulou area. If you've ever been there, you know it's classic old Beijing, how the old alleyways crammed with the courtyard houses wind off from the main streets into backstreet areas to lord knows where, and it's pretty as hell.
Well, about midnight, one, we're walking along the street looking for a restaurant, which is almost impossible to find, as everybody's eyes are glued to the TV. And we would have scouted in the alleyways, but every single one was closed off with a barricade that read "Activity ahead, no entry", and at each barricade there were at least 5 Olympic volunteers and a police officer. We eventually found a restaurant after walking a mile, had our food, and went home, but now I get it. We couldn't guess at all what that area had to do with the Olympics.
posted by saysthis at 5:51 PM on August 9, 2008
Well, about midnight, one, we're walking along the street looking for a restaurant, which is almost impossible to find, as everybody's eyes are glued to the TV. And we would have scouted in the alleyways, but every single one was closed off with a barricade that read "Activity ahead, no entry", and at each barricade there were at least 5 Olympic volunteers and a police officer. We eventually found a restaurant after walking a mile, had our food, and went home, but now I get it. We couldn't guess at all what that area had to do with the Olympics.
posted by saysthis at 5:51 PM on August 9, 2008
you must be a blast at parties.
Given the lengths to which you'll go to seem cynical, bored with everything, and better than everyone else on Metafilter, I'm pretty sure you're the life of the party yourself.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:55 PM on August 9, 2008 [7 favorites]
Given the lengths to which you'll go to seem cynical, bored with everything, and better than everyone else on Metafilter, I'm pretty sure you're the life of the party yourself.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:55 PM on August 9, 2008 [7 favorites]
oh, but you obviously haven't had jonmc take over the stereo & play classic rock all night.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:59 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:59 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Given the lengths to which you'll go to seem cynical, bored with everything, and better than everyone else on Metafilter, I'm pretty sure you're the life of the party yourself.
As opposed to someone going to great lengths to find grand conspiracies or (more likely) an opportunity to speechify about pet causes over what seems to be a random tragedy?
posted by jonmc at 5:59 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
As opposed to someone going to great lengths to find grand conspiracies or (more likely) an opportunity to speechify about pet causes over what seems to be a random tragedy?
posted by jonmc at 5:59 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
There's over a billion Chinese people, so I figure there's at least a few lone nutcases among them.
Hey, it was a "knife-wielding Chinese man" who murdered and decapitated his victim on a Greyhound bus in Canada recently. Coincidence?
posted by binturong at 6:04 PM on August 9, 2008
Hey, it was a "knife-wielding Chinese man" who murdered and decapitated his victim on a Greyhound bus in Canada recently. Coincidence?
posted by binturong at 6:04 PM on August 9, 2008
Hey, it was a "knife-wielding Chinese man" who murdered and decapitated his victim
And "ate the corpse" and presented a plastic bag with nose, ears, and a piece of the lips to the RCMP. My point being I don't know.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 6:11 PM on August 9, 2008
And "ate the corpse" and presented a plastic bag with nose, ears, and a piece of the lips to the RCMP. My point being I don't know.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 6:11 PM on August 9, 2008
gemmy :Nationalism and anti-foreign sentiment has been running high in China anyway in the lead-up to the Olympics (i.e. the anti-Carrefour, anti-CNN movements)
That anti-cnn site has had some ire directed at my main site (which only shows ads or talks about - it's all advertising) because of a campaign created by the Swedish youth red cross. Since the photographs in the campaign are from Nepal (mainly) and the campaign is about discussing Chinas human rights record, one lone commentor got enough pals with him to inform both Geneva and Stockholm Red Cross. After I reported that the Red Cross (Youth) pulls "Olympic" human rights campaign in Sweden. the site itself still suffered dos attacks, and I got funky phonecalls at three in the morning. Since clearly, I am the bad guy for showing an ad campaign someone else has made.
posted by dabitch at 6:12 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
That anti-cnn site has had some ire directed at my main site (which only shows ads or talks about - it's all advertising) because of a campaign created by the Swedish youth red cross. Since the photographs in the campaign are from Nepal (mainly) and the campaign is about discussing Chinas human rights record, one lone commentor got enough pals with him to inform both Geneva and Stockholm Red Cross. After I reported that the Red Cross (Youth) pulls "Olympic" human rights campaign in Sweden. the site itself still suffered dos attacks, and I got funky phonecalls at three in the morning. Since clearly, I am the bad guy for showing an ad campaign someone else has made.
posted by dabitch at 6:12 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Hey look, it's all the mefites with name recognition, snarking at each other!
It's unprecedented.
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:29 PM on August 9, 2008 [6 favorites]
It's unprecedented.
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:29 PM on August 9, 2008 [6 favorites]
Okay, summing up, orthogonality ranted in a semi-related way just to get his anti-Olympic bent into the mix; jonmc makes fairly obvious, "usual cynic" joke; Pope Guilty calls out jonmc and namecalls; jonmc-centric thread ensues. Okay, now that that's out of our system, can we please focus on the tragedy that just occurred, as opposed to devolving into a pathetic bout of my dick is bigger?
posted by SeizeTheDay at 6:31 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by SeizeTheDay at 6:31 PM on August 9, 2008
The answer to your question is no, SeizeTheDay.
And it's because I'm here to expose your clear bias against Libertarian ideals. They paid their five bucks! They have a right to determine the use of the product they subsidize. If they want to insult each other and snark in an unrelated thread, that's fine.
Commie.
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:36 PM on August 9, 2008
And it's because I'm here to expose your clear bias against Libertarian ideals. They paid their five bucks! They have a right to determine the use of the product they subsidize. If they want to insult each other and snark in an unrelated thread, that's fine.
Commie.
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:36 PM on August 9, 2008
They may delete it from the thread, jonmc, but it will live on in our ♥♥♥♥♥♥
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:41 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:41 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Talk about party pooping.
posted by stinkycheese at 7:01 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by stinkycheese at 7:01 PM on August 9, 2008
Not interesting. I mean I'd love seeing the Chinese Olympics go amusingly/badly. But I was promised runners keeling over from pollution, not lone crazy knife guy. I'm not asking for big disasters, but this isn't even amusing. How about flying a flotilla hot air balloons in the shape of a 4. Or sky writing a 4? See those are harmless pranks but oh so funny.
posted by jeffburdges at 7:05 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by jeffburdges at 7:05 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
The most masterful thing the Party has done is not getting its own people to comply with its speech laws. It's convincing much of the world that it would be indecorous for them not to do the same. It hints at what the Neocons could have been capable of if they were were half as good at diplomacy and passive aggression as they are at naked aggression.
posted by kid ichorous at 7:06 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by kid ichorous at 7:06 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
^ Oh, that remark was kindof a response to dabitch's upthread. It looks really out of context.
posted by kid ichorous at 7:08 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by kid ichorous at 7:08 PM on August 9, 2008
It looks really out of context.
Yeah, by being on topic. C'mon we're fighting about, um, er, something or another here. Get with the program.
posted by elwoodwiles at 7:19 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Yeah, by being on topic. C'mon we're fighting about, um, er, something or another here. Get with the program.
posted by elwoodwiles at 7:19 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
elwoodwiles writes "Yeah, by being on topic."
But, but, I thought the rule is, once jonmc enters thread, that thread becomes about jonmc, mefi's own Byronic hero.
posted by orthogonality at 7:22 PM on August 9, 2008
But, but, I thought the rule is, once jonmc enters thread, that thread becomes about jonmc, mefi's own Byronic hero.
posted by orthogonality at 7:22 PM on August 9, 2008
How about flying a flotilla hot air balloons in the shape of a 4. Or sky writing a 4? See those are harmless pranks but oh so funny.
Well, lucky number 88 is also some kind of NeoNazi code, and the swastika still lives on in eastern art & architecture, and an Indiana Jones movie came out this year. So just you think about that, and tell me if there's any better time for Hitler to come back.
posted by kid ichorous at 7:23 PM on August 9, 2008
Well, lucky number 88 is also some kind of NeoNazi code, and the swastika still lives on in eastern art & architecture, and an Indiana Jones movie came out this year. So just you think about that, and tell me if there's any better time for Hitler to come back.
posted by kid ichorous at 7:23 PM on August 9, 2008
Bardic: "I feel as if they have a right to have them go off without a hitch."
If the Olympics went off without a hitch, the Chinese government could use that as a way to say that they can interact with the rest of the world and yet remain a tyrannical enemy of inalienable human rights. If the Olympics fail, the government could find a million possible scapegoats to blame it on. It really doesn't matter. They already won in their little campaign to improve their reputation with the rest of the world.
I'm thankful it's not going without a hitch. I hope there's a lot more hitches. NASCAR fans may tell you they watch men turning left for more positive and uplifting reasons, but deep down all anyone wants to see is the wreck. I don't watch car races. If there's a cool wreck, I can probably find a video on YouTube that'll sum up what I really wanna see in less than ten minutes.
I'm sure if anything REALLY interesting happens in Beijing? I won't have to look far to see it. The opening ceremonies? What little I HAVE seen, it consists of a bunch of well-meaning folks who want to support their livelihoods and want to appease their government. Kinda like here in America. I'm happy for them, but I wouldn't call that interesting. Lemme know if something explodes.
What I'm watching at the moment? Reruns of "I survived a Japanese gameshow" available at abc.com. Much more entertaining than the saccharine spectacle known as the Olympics, and slightly less murder.
posted by ZachsMind at 7:42 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
If the Olympics went off without a hitch, the Chinese government could use that as a way to say that they can interact with the rest of the world and yet remain a tyrannical enemy of inalienable human rights. If the Olympics fail, the government could find a million possible scapegoats to blame it on. It really doesn't matter. They already won in their little campaign to improve their reputation with the rest of the world.
I'm thankful it's not going without a hitch. I hope there's a lot more hitches. NASCAR fans may tell you they watch men turning left for more positive and uplifting reasons, but deep down all anyone wants to see is the wreck. I don't watch car races. If there's a cool wreck, I can probably find a video on YouTube that'll sum up what I really wanna see in less than ten minutes.
I'm sure if anything REALLY interesting happens in Beijing? I won't have to look far to see it. The opening ceremonies? What little I HAVE seen, it consists of a bunch of well-meaning folks who want to support their livelihoods and want to appease their government. Kinda like here in America. I'm happy for them, but I wouldn't call that interesting. Lemme know if something explodes.
What I'm watching at the moment? Reruns of "I survived a Japanese gameshow" available at abc.com. Much more entertaining than the saccharine spectacle known as the Olympics, and slightly less murder.
posted by ZachsMind at 7:42 PM on August 9, 2008 [1 favorite]
"The Drum Tower is one of few ancient structures still in fast-developing Beijing. Long ago, drummers pounded their massive instruments on the hour to let people in the imperial city know the time. It is located on an important central axis of the city, to the north of the Forbidden City, which was home to the emperor."
From this AP article, which is heavier on the details than the linked TIME article.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:02 PM on August 9, 2008
From this AP article, which is heavier on the details than the linked TIME article.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:02 PM on August 9, 2008
A murder clouds the olympics
BEST OF THE WEB!!!
posted by a3matrix at 8:21 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
BEST OF THE WEB!!!
posted by a3matrix at 8:21 PM on August 9, 2008 [2 favorites]
Man, the Americans sucked ass at the men's cycling road race today. They can't get one guy into a 25 man breakaway? Jeez, what a disappointment. The Spanish riders took 'em to school.
posted by fixedgear at 8:34 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by fixedgear at 8:34 PM on August 9, 2008
Lone Nutcase or no, this tragic incident is deeply embarrassing to the Chinese regime. A murder/suicide of a close relative of one of the American Head Coaches? A day after that incredibly extravagant opening ceremony? Between rapidly spreading word-of-mouth, gossip, & innuendo on the ground inside of Beijing, and mounting international pressure that this incident is fully accounted for, thoroughly investigated, and remains isolated, Chinese Officialdom is Very Unhappy. Now just wait for the first pollution related athletic collapse....
posted by vurnt22 at 8:44 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by vurnt22 at 8:44 PM on August 9, 2008
He murdered one person, tried to murder another, then killed himself. He was a nutcase. The reasons behind him being a nutcase are another matter, but no amount of reasoning will make him any less a nutcase or justified in his actions.
posted by Brocktoon at 8:50 PM on August 9, 2008
posted by Brocktoon at 8:50 PM on August 9, 2008
I'm watching the Rays game. They're losing, again. I really hope they're still in contention when I see them play the Yankees next month.
Olympics? Have they had the women's diving, yet?
posted by dirigibleman at 8:55 PM on August 9, 2008
Olympics? Have they had the women's diving, yet?
posted by dirigibleman at 8:55 PM on August 9, 2008
SeizeTheDay writes "Okay, now that that's out of our system, can we please focus on the tragedy that just occurred, as opposed to devolving into a pathetic bout of my dick is bigger?"
I'm not sure what is to focus on here. Someone very few if any of us knew or had even heard of was killed by someone even farther below the radar who appears to have been a crazy nut job.
Despite any embarrassment the Chinese goverment might feel there doesn't seem like much they could have done to prevent this.
posted by Mitheral at 9:39 PM on August 9, 2008
I'm not sure what is to focus on here. Someone very few if any of us knew or had even heard of was killed by someone even farther below the radar who appears to have been a crazy nut job.
Despite any embarrassment the Chinese goverment might feel there doesn't seem like much they could have done to prevent this.
posted by Mitheral at 9:39 PM on August 9, 2008
This is obviously the most significant Olympics in my lifetime, and no one in India bought the broadcast rights, so I can't see a frame of it.
It's driving me nuts.
posted by paisley henosis at 10:10 PM on August 9, 2008
It's driving me nuts.
posted by paisley henosis at 10:10 PM on August 9, 2008
young men and women whose victories are congratulated not in the athlete's names but with the anthems of the athletes' nations
American swimmer Michael Phelps' name was mentioned once or twice in connection with his victory in the 400-meter individual medley today. They did play the U.S. national anthem, but I understand that's traditional. His mom seemed proud, but I suppose that makes her a fascist corporate/nationalistic pawn.
each individual story seems to adhere to one of a few set scripts recunting determination, perseverance, and the overcoming of adversity on the way to VICTORY FOR OUR TEAM!
Determination and perserverence are how anyone gets to compete with the best in the world, and of course the media of the various countries focus more on their own athletes.
posted by longsleeves at 10:38 PM on August 9, 2008 [3 favorites]
American swimmer Michael Phelps' name was mentioned once or twice in connection with his victory in the 400-meter individual medley today. They did play the U.S. national anthem, but I understand that's traditional. His mom seemed proud, but I suppose that makes her a fascist corporate/nationalistic pawn.
each individual story seems to adhere to one of a few set scripts recunting determination, perseverance, and the overcoming of adversity on the way to VICTORY FOR OUR TEAM!
Determination and perserverence are how anyone gets to compete with the best in the world, and of course the media of the various countries focus more on their own athletes.
posted by longsleeves at 10:38 PM on August 9, 2008 [3 favorites]
But was the killer one of the mis-treated workers who built the Olympic stadia, or one of the people evicted from their homes to make room for the Olympics?
The most masterful thing the Party has done is not getting its own people to comply with its speech laws.
I would be very cautious if I was in China right now.
I don't know much about China, but, witnessing a similar thing happening with Japan (a country I *do* know something about) in the western media I do know that the country is generally misreported in the Western press - China is too big and too complex (and 99% of the information is written in Mandarin, not English) for CNN or whoever to report on accurately, so we get the usual story of an oppressed people, totalitarian dictatorship, antiwestern sentiment, etc etc etc, and then we can all purse our lips and express our disapproval, etc etc etc, but the truth is more complex.
In the west we're accustomed to thinking in terms of a liberal/conservative dichotomy, or reformist/reactionary, democratic/authoritarian, etc. Any mass of oppressed people dream of liberty, freedom of speech, democratic choice.
I think what the West is unable to comprehend is that, while basic human values are the same, at the same time average Chinese folk have very different priorities than do their liberal sympathizers in the West (or in this thread). Due to differences in culture, it can be argued that basic psychology is different.
Anyway, the murder discussed in this thread is unfortunate, but has nothing to do with the Olympics or hatred of this west. Sometimes people just go crazy, with tragic results.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:52 PM on August 9, 2008 [4 favorites]
The most masterful thing the Party has done is not getting its own people to comply with its speech laws.
I would be very cautious if I was in China right now.
I don't know much about China, but, witnessing a similar thing happening with Japan (a country I *do* know something about) in the western media I do know that the country is generally misreported in the Western press - China is too big and too complex (and 99% of the information is written in Mandarin, not English) for CNN or whoever to report on accurately, so we get the usual story of an oppressed people, totalitarian dictatorship, antiwestern sentiment, etc etc etc, and then we can all purse our lips and express our disapproval, etc etc etc, but the truth is more complex.
In the west we're accustomed to thinking in terms of a liberal/conservative dichotomy, or reformist/reactionary, democratic/authoritarian, etc. Any mass of oppressed people dream of liberty, freedom of speech, democratic choice.
I think what the West is unable to comprehend is that, while basic human values are the same, at the same time average Chinese folk have very different priorities than do their liberal sympathizers in the West (or in this thread). Due to differences in culture, it can be argued that basic psychology is different.
Anyway, the murder discussed in this thread is unfortunate, but has nothing to do with the Olympics or hatred of this west. Sometimes people just go crazy, with tragic results.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:52 PM on August 9, 2008 [4 favorites]
KokuRyu: "Due to differences in culture, it can be argued that basic psychology is different."
Yes. Americans have been brainwashed to like freedom of speech and democratic choice. The Chinese culture is notably ...different. Noted. Thank you for pointing that out.
0.o
posted by ZachsMind at 11:24 PM on August 9, 2008
Yes. Americans have been brainwashed to like freedom of speech and democratic choice. The Chinese culture is notably ...different. Noted. Thank you for pointing that out.
0.o
posted by ZachsMind at 11:24 PM on August 9, 2008
I never said anyone, including Americans, were being brainwashed (and I'm kind of surprised you would distort what I said like that just because I said something you disagreed with, or because I sounded pompous or whatever). I think my point is, freedom is speech is great and everything, but perhaps economic freedom is more important initially - Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and so on. But who knows? It's not like I can just go out an interview a bunch of Chinese folks to find out what really matters to them. Perhaps you'd like to educate me, ZachsMind?
And what happens when people get freedom of speech, but say things you might not necessarily like (such as Tibet is an integral part of the Chinese polity?), things that don't fit into our left/right worldview.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:14 AM on August 10, 2008
And what happens when people get freedom of speech, but say things you might not necessarily like (such as Tibet is an integral part of the Chinese polity?), things that don't fit into our left/right worldview.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:14 AM on August 10, 2008
there is a todd bachmann over at npr's sound opinions. I hope that's just a coincidence.
posted by krautland at 3:48 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by krautland at 3:48 AM on August 10, 2008
And there was a bus accident in Texas. And a guy got mugged in Denver.
Are the olympics not over yet?
posted by fourcheesemac at 6:23 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
Are the olympics not over yet?
posted by fourcheesemac at 6:23 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
The Chinese are more mentally & physically disciplined than us on the one hand (1k tai chi practitioners in PERFECT synch!?!? Americans won't do it.), and are more socio-politically cantankerous than us on the other. Chinese workers have yearly protests in the tens of thousands against corrupt party officials, bad job conditions, etc; in the U.S.? Not so much. Imagine if we had protests in the tens of thousands across the country now-like a relentless Seattle WTO from coast to coast. Exactly. I can't either.
That opening ceremony was a message-
Middle Kingdom Got Next...
posted by vurnt22 at 8:07 AM on August 10, 2008
That opening ceremony was a message-
Middle Kingdom Got Next...
posted by vurnt22 at 8:07 AM on August 10, 2008
Hey look, it's all the mefites with name recognition, snarking at each other!
"Snarking" sounds so déclassé, like belching. I prefer to think of it as the witty rejoinders, bons mots, and waggish repartee of fops and poppinjays--or as a nest of acid-tongued vipers in smoking jackets, sipping claret.
posted by ornate insect at 9:01 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
"Snarking" sounds so déclassé, like belching. I prefer to think of it as the witty rejoinders, bons mots, and waggish repartee of fops and poppinjays--or as a nest of acid-tongued vipers in smoking jackets, sipping claret.
posted by ornate insect at 9:01 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
So, do you think this comment makes my dick look bigger ?
posted by y2karl at 10:33 AM on August 10, 2008
posted by y2karl at 10:33 AM on August 10, 2008
Yes. Americans have been brainwashed to like freedom of speech and democratic choice.
I think there is a lot of indoctrination that goes on with Americans to get them to love "freedom" and "democracy", especially as kids. Probably a lot of that has to do with residual cold-war propaganda I think most people would not be 'by default' as concerned about it if they grew up in other societies.
posted by delmoi at 10:59 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
I think there is a lot of indoctrination that goes on with Americans to get them to love "freedom" and "democracy", especially as kids. Probably a lot of that has to do with residual cold-war propaganda I think most people would not be 'by default' as concerned about it if they grew up in other societies.
posted by delmoi at 10:59 AM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
delmoi: I think there is a lot of indoctrination that goes on with Americans to get them to love "freedom" and "democracy", especially as kids. Probably a lot of that has to do with residual cold-war propaganda
I don't totally disagree. However, I also think that a lot of it has to do with freedom and democracy, without the quotes. Because America and the West in general does have, more or less, freedom and democracy, and freedom and democracy are, more or less, good.
I think there's a trend towards thinking the serious flaws within the West and/or America invalidate the basic premise of the West/America. The concepts are often invoked in an empty commercial or nationalistic way, but that doesn't mean the concepts themselves are empty slogans.
posted by spaltavian at 12:16 PM on August 10, 2008
I don't totally disagree. However, I also think that a lot of it has to do with freedom and democracy, without the quotes. Because America and the West in general does have, more or less, freedom and democracy, and freedom and democracy are, more or less, good.
I think there's a trend towards thinking the serious flaws within the West and/or America invalidate the basic premise of the West/America. The concepts are often invoked in an empty commercial or nationalistic way, but that doesn't mean the concepts themselves are empty slogans.
posted by spaltavian at 12:16 PM on August 10, 2008
delmoi's here too! Now the thread is complete.
Sorry, fella, but serious contributions should go elsewhere. This thread disappeared up our collective fuwa almost immediately. Even though it was triggered by a death, it appears to have been a random one, and therefore the I Ching says snark and willy-waving is the order of the day.
posted by imperium at 12:37 PM on August 10, 2008
Sorry, fella, but serious contributions should go elsewhere. This thread disappeared up our collective fuwa almost immediately. Even though it was triggered by a death, it appears to have been a random one, and therefore the I Ching says snark and willy-waving is the order of the day.
posted by imperium at 12:37 PM on August 10, 2008
I don't know much about China, but, witnessing a similar thing happening with Japan (a country I *do* know something about) in the western media I do know that the country is generally misreported in the Western press - China is too big and too complex (and 99% of the information is written in Mandarin, not English) for CNN or whoever to report on accurately, so we get the usual story of an oppressed people, totalitarian dictatorship, antiwestern sentiment, etc etc etc, and then we can all purse our lips and express our disapproval, etc etc etc, but the truth is more complex.
I don't know much about Japan, or China for that matter, but what I do know is that the American people are far more complex than the Asian population would like to imagine. So instead we hear about how we spend ten hours a day eating raw fat on our sofas and can't point to our own country on a map, and certainly could never begin to understand the nuances or complexity of a different culture. Hell, most of us can only speak one language--and poorly, at that.
Had you bothered to read the article, you might have picked up on this:
Apparently gross generalizations are not unique to Americans. Thanks for the reminder.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:56 PM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
I don't know much about Japan, or China for that matter, but what I do know is that the American people are far more complex than the Asian population would like to imagine. So instead we hear about how we spend ten hours a day eating raw fat on our sofas and can't point to our own country on a map, and certainly could never begin to understand the nuances or complexity of a different culture. Hell, most of us can only speak one language--and poorly, at that.
Had you bothered to read the article, you might have picked up on this:
The murder did not appear to have been pre-meditated. "It seems like a senseless act of violence by a random individual with no motive," says Richard Buangan, spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Beijing. "They were not targeted because they were Americans." The USOC said the victims had not been wearing any USA apparel.No mention of oppressive regimes, or downtrodden Chinese yearning to breathe free. No mention of anti-western sentiments--in fact quite the opposite.
Apparently gross generalizations are not unique to Americans. Thanks for the reminder.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 7:56 PM on August 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
Me: "Americans have been brainwashed to like freedom of speech..."
KokuRyu: "...never said anyone, including Americans, were being brainwashed... Perhaps you'd like to educate me, ZachsMind?"
Not especially. I'm a terrible teacher. You might want to educate yourself on words like "humor," and "comedy" and "nottakingyourselftooseriously." Or not. That's entirely up to you. What do I know? I'm a brainwashed American and must go stand by the stairs so that the robots can protect me from the terrible secret of space.
posted by ZachsMind at 6:44 PM on August 11, 2008
KokuRyu: "...never said anyone, including Americans, were being brainwashed... Perhaps you'd like to educate me, ZachsMind?"
Not especially. I'm a terrible teacher. You might want to educate yourself on words like "humor," and "comedy" and "nottakingyourselftooseriously." Or not. That's entirely up to you. What do I know? I'm a brainwashed American and must go stand by the stairs so that the robots can protect me from the terrible secret of space.
posted by ZachsMind at 6:44 PM on August 11, 2008
"The murder did not appear to have been pre-meditated. 'It seems like a senseless act of violence by a random individual with no motive'."
THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY WANT US TO THINK!
[insert twenty years of conspiracy theory speculation double talk here]
posted by ZachsMind at 6:51 PM on August 11, 2008
THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY WANT US TO THINK!
[insert twenty years of conspiracy theory speculation double talk here]
posted by ZachsMind at 6:51 PM on August 11, 2008
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My heart goes out to the Bachman family.
posted by Navelgazer at 4:16 PM on August 9, 2008 [4 favorites]