I’m not watching The Olympics

And I’m not generally discussing politics here but this is part of the reason:

Initially, the Chinese government, the IOC and Jacques Rogge had assured that Internet access would not be censored at the Olympic Village press center.^[21] However, journalists that arrived at the press center after its opening on 25 July found that sites containing politically sensitive matter were inaccessible and learned that the IOC had quietly agreed to “some of the limitations.”^[21] In response Sun Weide, the Chinese spokesman, indicated that the media will have “convenient and sufficient” access to the Internet.^[21] The censorship at the press center added to a growing skepticism about the claims of the government that it would improve its record on human rights.^[21] The “broken promise” was condemned by Reporters Without Borders who pointed out that about 20,000 foreign journalists would be directly affected.^[22] On August 1, 2008, Reuters reported that Internet restrictions would be lifted for reporters covering the Olympics.^[23] Reporters Without Borders subsequently confirmed that its website, except for the Chinese version, was accessible for the first time in China since 2003. The Chinese version of the website is still blocked.^[24]

IOC press chief Kevan Gosper admitted that, “I regret that it now appears BOCOG has announced that there will be limitations on Web site access during Games time. I also now understand that some IOC officials negotiated with the Chinese that some sensitive sites would be blocked on the basis they were not considered Games related.”^[25]

On August 2, 2008, the Associated Press reported that although Chinese organizers unblocked some sites at the request of the IOC, others remained censored for journalists covering the Summer Games. Even though Chinese officials and high-ranking IOC members have repeatedly said there would be no censorship on the Internet for accredited journalists covering the games, many sites the Chinese government objects to, for example, the spiritual movement Falun Gong, are blocked. The sites being blocked seem to change daily. Some key words always draw blank screens. Sites that host thousands of blogs are also routinely blocked.^[26]

That’s from Wikipedia.

As much as censorship, I’m appalled at the treatment of female children in China and that nothing has been done to discourage the practice of aborting female fetuses. China is not alone in this (India has a similar if slightly less reprehensible record) but I’m not supporting the Olympics, companies who pay to advertise during the Olympics, and the metric asston of Chinese propaganda stories that promise to be filed by reporters who are just trying to do their jobs but are hampered by agreements not to criticize the Chinese government in any way – precisely when we SHOULD be talking about these issues (among others).

So. Yeah.

/rant