the nationalistic issue...

After 5 "fruitful" prelim papers, i resent to admit that i'm screwed up-side-down for prelims man. it's just half way through and more have yet to come. science department has yet to unleash their greatest prowness on us and the H3-mates have yet to witness the super-ultra-"zai"-integrated H3 econs paper on the very last day of prelims (yes.. like we haven't die enough and have to screw us up even further)

like what ms M like to say, "Jason, move on with life and think simple." Those verses under the MMM (ms masnidah's mantra) rings in my head during GP, even though I think i flung my GP this time round.

But one thing that I would really like to comment on. Olympics.

Like what many people said, this Olympics is sure to be the most politicized one after the cold war-era. You bet. Right from the start of 2008, China has been taking the beating from left-right-centre. From human rights to dumping taxes to toy quality, you name it, they have it. Westerners are really mocking the small-eyed people with the yellow skin the moment they have the chance. But one thing that they are all impressed with is the effort and the efficiency which the Chinese authorities dealt with the Earthquake disaster in contrast with their communist neighbours Myanmmar, that still had the guts to hold a constitution voting in the midst of all this. And even more so when they think they are very smart by rejecting everybody's help. You know, people might not be expressing this openly and politically, but I bet half of the world out there was uttering silent prayers that the burmese will all rise against the junta. Sometimes, it doesn't take an action to change the tide, but rather the will. We have some cause for optimism as the burmese are not entirely dumb, there are intellectuals who are really thinking on their feets and doing something about it. Very much unlike another communist counterpart, NKorea, playing around with nukes (okay.. alledged-nukes)

So back onto the Olympics. Man, that was one impressionistic opening ceremony, wasn't it? This statement is goes two ways. Impressionistic for the fact that we have been marvelled by the technicality and dedication by the performers. Yea.. thousands of them moving together and even picking the people with the similar height to ensure that everything looks uniform. (just like the PLA style of doing things) But obviously, we can't leave out the spectacular fireworks (what.. 500 million worth?) that lit up the sky of Beijing.

However, things are never that simple. Even more so when you have 4 billion eyes watching you and with thousands of preying-eyes of both the media and politicians (with various political agenda), some things can't escape. The immediate responses by the 2012 London Olympics Committee and the Chicago 2016 organising committee were the same: we won't have an opening ceremony as elaborate as that. Some even went on as far as suggesting that these "bunch of white men or guai-loh (in a colloquial fashion)" are feeling intimidated. Personally, I think this is really elaborate and even some level of cultural propaganda going on. The whole ceremony was about the Chinese's 5000 years of History and how it became of what it is today(I give credit for the effort in concising all this into a one-hour opening ceremony). But is the Olympics really about learning your host nation's history? It's not history class for 4 billion viewers worldwide?! We are here to witness to opening of an event that marks the confluence of sportsmen and sportswomen around the world and once again see the true aesthetics of atheleticsm (e.g. Phelps' 8 gold medals haul), just like how the ancient greeks adorn the beauty of the human body and its physical and mental capabilities. Not to mention the sportsmanship involved of course. Some critics pointed out that around the half-mark of the show, they felt "sian" and really want to get on with things. Simply because this is becoming too elaborate.

Then there was this issue about the fireworks. No doubt that the Chinese are the inventors of fireworks (and even at some point of time, stood at the pinacle of technological development). But hey, 500 million worth of fireworks? What about the guys at Szechuan? They got a 1 Billion relief package. And it just took 15 minutes to blow up half of that amount at Beijing. Personally... I thought it was too elaborate. My dad even said that after watching the opening ceremony, we don't have to watch NDP as the firework display in NDP will be totally dwarfed by the one in Opening Ceremony.

Onto the last issue: the girl. So I was talking with Mathew the other day and saying how the chinese atheletes are performing in the Olympics. We chatted about Singapore as a powerhouse in the fields of Swimming and how Singaporeans are hoping for results from both areas. Then I said,

J: You know, Rome wasn't built in a day. We might take years.. perhaps another 10-15 years?
M: Well, so was the Bird's Nest (referring to the chinese atheletes)
J: Well, it took just one cute girl to demolish it.
M: Haha

Honestly speaking, playing cheat in front of 4 Billion viewers. Somebody is asking for trouble man. The choice of a girl is to represent the purity, innocence in character (on top of the value of integrity in Olympics) and yet the act of lip-synching really made it so paradoxical that it seemed like a slap on the faces of the Chinese authorities. (and they even went as far as changing the laws to permitting the act.. WOAH!) Like what one of the journalist in Straits Times wrote: This simply meant that it doesnt matter you have the good voice (inferring to the qualities of individuals), but as long as you have the cute look, you're in! That speaks volume... really loud.

But to put things into perspective, I think the western press put a little bit too much focus on the girl itself. Do you have to exaggerate so much? Even Pavorotti lip-synched during the opening ceremony of Turin Winter Olympics and nobody spoke much about it. (well, maybe because it was still Pavarotti's voice and he was suffering pretty bad from cancer that time). So, Hey, this is about the games. Not the girl.

Little thoughts.. should stop here. Though I would really like to talk about the cultural side of things here.

last thoughts: I'm back to the days of waiting for sms-es. haha. just infer. but perhaps, not the right signals.