24 hours and Counting

 All preparations are done,  rehearsals complete the 2008 Olympic Games will begin soon. A thank you should go out to the people of China for doing a bang up job!  Xie,xie!  Regardless of the governments policies this event could not happen without the people......this without doubt was a great undertaking.....not without sacrifices. The air quality of course was related to industrial development in China but also the fact that it took longer than they thought it would......I was told that all construction was suppose to cease by January of this year, but of course construction did not actually end until this month........plus the instituting of the odd-even cars in Beijing was suppose to begin well before the Games began........but they were afraid it would be too disruptive................  Indeed when I was in Beijing the construction workers were working 24 hour shifts often  sleeping on the sidewalk....and then waking to continue everyday........hundreds of thousands of workers had to be brought into Beijing to complete the Olympic Games Venues and housing............  All the old Taxis and buses were replaced with new gas efficient  models with advance smog devices.......in fact they had to meet European standards for car emissions....which are even more stringent than in the United States. Has the Games changed China?  Enviremental issues have had to be dealt with..............hosting  different foreign countries.........news...............reporting.........though that's still in the realm of government control.........but you can't control the athletes from talking to each other and to the masses of China. Yes, small changes have already begun to happen..., thru people to people friendship the world will change..........the government.....well that's up to it's people.........we can hope free exchange and making contact with diverse populations will change the outlook and hopes of the Chinese People...............................they will learn to hold their government accountable....................as well this experience will bring us together.....hopefully someday we won't need governments...............hehe........then it will be the Games for the people.  Anyway, enough of that, Jiayo Olympic Games.......Let the Games begin!!  Later, all!