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Olympic Scrawl

Brian Thornton | 14:10 UK time, Monday, 11 August 2008

Olympic Scrawl

stadium_nn_203.jpgAs part of Newsnight's coverage of the Games, we'll be publishing the thoughts of a journalist who's gone to Beijing, but who has chosen to remain anonymous.

He'll be reflecting on the impact of the Games on the lives of ordinary Chinese through pictures, video and regular posts.

Catch his entries from now through to the end of Olympic Games right .

And do let us know what you think...

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Test

  • Comment number 2.

    SPRINGFIELD TYRE DUMP

    Every time you show the Birds Nest art shot - against the skyline - it looks so much like a tyre that has shed its tread and been destroyed, it conjures thoughts of technological 'end of the road'.
    As above so below?

  • Comment number 3.

    It is important to look at the impact of the games on the population of the Peoples' Republic. The writer of Scrawl has a moving encounter with a child in a shop, which puts western affluence in perspective. We do have to stop and think. I believe the games will help propel China forward. There are so many inequalities in the country - with billionaires in cities and while others live in remote rural poverty. Yet I salute the incredible vision that has moved China forward from the nightmare of the Cultural Revolution - as detailed in the book Wild Swans. The games and the performance of the Chinese athletes have been inspirational. China houses an incredibly diverse collection of wonderful people and cultures. I hope the child in the shop and the people throughout the country enjoy a brilliant future.

  • Comment number 4.

    So they liked the Americans... but how did they react when Team GB came on?

  • Comment number 5.

    I think we have to be realistic about China's future after the Olympics - who will it bring prosperity to? I doubt the little boy in the shop will be benefiting from the Olympics in the long term. If anything, he will enjoy a short period of increased sales and then after the Olympics, it will be business as usual. How will the Olympics help him so that he has more to look forward to in the future? I have family in rural China and they have not felt the impact of the Games and like many villagers, they will not fully understand the political and human rights issues involved. What they care about is earning enough money so that they can feed themselves and all the people displaced by the Chinese government will feel the effects of losing their land and home long after all Olympic glitter has settled.

  • Comment number 6.

    I have just read about Liu Xiang. I've just damaged my achilles tendon too - there's no way i can run for months. I feel sorry for the guy if he had to go through the pantomime of pretending he was going to compete. Conspiracy theorists will replay his kicking of the wall antics on Youtube for ages.

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