China claims it's managed to clear the algae from the water around Qingdao, well the parts to be raced on.
They just made people do it. It's a pretty good resource, thousands of people willing to do a shitty job.

Or else ... :\

NO POLITICS IN THE SPORTS FORUM! :eek

You should have added "Or else" Pub :D

:lol

This Olympics is shaping up to be quite interesting, apart from the whole political angle (sorry Pub). Apparently South Africa will be sending an amputee to the games (single) - a swimmer in the women's 10K marathon.

Plus, as I recently found out, Team Handball is still an Olympic event, much to my surprise. (The US still failed to qualify in either the men's or women's events.) For me, I'm awaiting full, real-time coverage of synchronized diving, rhythmic gymnastics and the hammer throw.

I know .... I need help.

The hammer throw is neat to look at though

Yes, it is.

I have this vision of a Bulgarian or Romanian teeing it up in the circle, whirling around at breakneck speed only to have the cord break just before release, and the weight breaking through the netting and flying off into the crowd. YouTube would have a field day (no pun intended). :eek

I'm sure this happened once or twice in competition, before the invention of Kevlar.

Marina Erakovic has been knocked out in the first round of both of the tournaments she's played since Wimbledon, so it doesn't look like she'll manage much going into Beijing. :(

Best to keep expectations low - unlike the general expectations for the US basketball team. :\

NZ had a man come third in the 1500 metres at the Monaco Super Grand Prix, he was behind two Kenyans. :lol

Wow, the Russian female pole vault champion managed to raise her (and the world's) record by a centimetre! :eek
Maybe that really is amazing if you have no idea how long a CM is? :blah

About |------| that much.

Actually I think it is about -- shorter than that :P

it's like a hundred meters, right? so, about as long as my couch?

The Olympics are nothing more than an elaborate scheme to trap our athletes:
http://www.theonion.com/content/vide...ics_are_they_a

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/bei...yhoo&type=lgns

So France's Alain Bernard had the following to say about the US Olympic swimming team.

“The Americans? We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for.”

If by, "smash", you mean, "surrender to", then sure, I believe you :lol

The French Swim Team is exceptionally strong - it comes from all that practice of raising their arms over their heads.

In other news, the US Women's Sabre team just swept the medal podium. Hoo Rah!:rock

(I know, I need help ...) :hypno

Am I a pervert for watching women's beach volleyball in HD?

Nope, I'm dvr'ing it right now.

Also, I was really impressed with the opening ceremony. I only saw about an hour of it but I was wowed.

Hell no - Women's (enter practically any sport here) rocks!

Except for weightlifting. :x

Women's Weightlifing is the only one I've managed to see so far, and it was great. >:

Sing it with me and Pub:

"Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum,
What might be right for you, may not be right for some.
A man is born, he's a man of means.
Then along come two, they got nothing but their jeans.

But they got, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.

Everybody's got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine,
It don't matter that you got not alot
So what,
They'll have theirs, and you'll have yours, and I'll have mine.
And together we'll be fine....

Because it takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world.
Yes it does.
It takes, Diff'rent Strokes to move the world. "

Why am I meant to know that song? What is it from?

Also, the first five minutes of the US vs China basketball was great. :lol

I was watching men's beach volleyball. China vs Austria. It seemed to me not only were American commentators overdubbing the announcing but also the songs they were playing over the overhead speakers. I'm pretty damn sure in a China vs. Austria game they're not going to be playing "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" and then "Beer" by Reel Big Fish. Anyone else notice this or thinks its awkward?

Why don't the men wear slinky speedos like the women for beach volleyball? Not that it matters much to me, but some of us (and you know who you are!) might like to see a little beefcake.