All stories about "Olympics"

Beijing Olympics officials have just released a diagram illustrating the summer games’ official cheer. A simple repetitive clap is, apparently, utterly archaic. Instead, Olympics attendees are encouraged to ‘clap two times,’ then make their ‘hands in fists with thumbs up, arms extended,’ then ‘clap two times,’ and, finally, ‘hands in fists, arms extended outward and upward.’ Now, everybody! [Jaunted]

Media outlets are are getting a first-time chance to look inside Beijing's new "Bird's Nest" Stadium. The building, which took 52 months (and $494 million) to construct, features architectural elements, like lamps and wiring jumbles, that are intended to make the place look even more like a bird's nest. Follow the link to see video of the inside of this remarkable construction. [BBC]

In order to cut back on pollution, Beijing will shut all its building sites three weeks before the Olympic games begin. "Digging, pouring of concrete and outdoor spray-painting will also be banned under plans announced by the Environmental Protection Bureau." Some businesses have also been asked to cut emissions by 30%. [BBC]

The 2008 Beijing Olympics are still four months away, but they've already started with a bang. Activists who oppose China's occupation of Tibet have been holding huge protests as the Olympic torch makes its customary pre-games lap around the globe. In the past week, the torch toured Paris and London with an entourage of local policemen and Chinese security personnel. In spite of all the guards, protesters forced the torch to be extinguished for the first time in modern Olympic history. If you want to get in on all of the "Free Tibet" fun, the Olympic torch will be stopping in fourteen more cities between tomorrow and April 29th. The good people at Google have made a map showing all of the remaining cities along the torch's route. The tour includes such exciting destinations as San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and the hometown of everyone's favorite despot -- Pyongyang!

There's still plenty of time to plan a trip to go protest the torch in any one of these great urban oases. Protesters get to meet other cute politically involved types and rub elbows with the world-class athletes who carry the torch, all while enjoying the fun of screaming and flinging yourself at angry law enforcement personnel. So why not fly around the world following the Olympic torch and going apeshit? It's all for a good cause. It's kind of like the civil rights movement, with sightseeing instead of big dogs and high-powered hoses.

Three protestors climbed up the suspension cables of the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday, hanging "Free Tibet" and "One World, One Dream" signs in protest of China's occupation of the country. Organized by the Students For a Free Tibet, the protest came one day before Beijing's olympic torch relay was to take place in San Francisco. Here, one of the climbers calls the local CBS news station and speaks with the news caster live while midair. The three climbers took about 45 minutes to secure the banners before descending and allowing police to arrest them. Curious to see what it looks like to climb the Golden Gate? Video taken from the helmet cam of one of the protestors after the jump.

France's President, Nicolas Sarkozy, has said that he will not attend the opening ceremony at this summer's Beijing Olympics unless "China opens a dialogue with the Dalai Lama." The ultimatum is one of three Sarkozy that has committed to. The French Elvis incarnate also asked that any violence against Tibetans be stopped, a clarification be made of recent Tibetan events, and political prisoners be released. [CNN]

Despite what you'd expect from a country preparing to host the Olympics, China's human rights record has worsened recently. According to Amnesty International, China's handling of recent protests in Tibet has proved especially worrisome. Despite having received calls to boycott August's Beijing Olympics, US President George W Bush has said he will attend the Opening Ceremony. Germany's Angela Merkel has said she will not, while French President Nicolas Sarkozy has not yet committed one way or the other. [BBC]

Escalating violent protests criticizing the Chinese government have washed over Tibet in recent weeks, but the 2008 Beijing Olympics' torch will still make its way through the country's capital city, Lhasa. This Monday, the torch will be lit in Athens, before touring a total of 135 cities and then being carried to the top of Mount Everest sometime in May. The torch will then be taken to Lhasa. In total, the torch's tour will span 130 days, and involve more than 20,000 torchbearers. [IHT]

Toilets have been making news around the globe this week. First, in Portugal where a mall is attempting to entice customers by lining their "bathrooms with lingerie clad mannequins." They have both male and female versions of these "underwear models" depending on which bathrooms you visit. Next up on the toilet beat, Beijing where to prepare for the Olympics, organizers are "refitting the toilets at three main Olympic venues after complaints from foreign athletes about having to squat." In China, many toilets involve standing over a whole in the ground. They also often lack toilet paper. I think the Portugese bathroom designers should go to Beijing and help out with the Olympic toilet redesign. The presence of sexy naked plastic dolls would help promote the Olympic ideals of friendship and hotness.

Beijing officials have been talking a big game lately about cleaning up their not-so-fair city in preparation for the Olympics. But as any recent visitor can tell you, the air quality there isn't going to improve based on six months of recycling education alone. Still, there are certain measures the city can take to spruce up the place a little; make it more welcoming to visitors. And grading the janitorial efforts of city employees with a hotel-like star system is sort of an easy way of communicating said efforts to visitors. Below, discover the glorious results of Beijing's most dedicated efforts.