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HBC styles smog-chic Olympic gear

JAMES CHRISTIE

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 10:18 PM EST 30/04/08

Beijing bound athletes to wear team gear featuring practical function to fight host city's notorious air pollution ...Read the full article

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  1. Boy Tigas from Mississauga, ON, Canada writes: What about clean-air portable tank???
    The air pollution in Beijing will be an advantage to their local athletes; go figure...
  2. Marley B from Vancouver, Canada writes: You know I have been teasing our games, calling them the first 'Wet' Olympics because we could have our notorious winter rain the whole time (down from the mountains). However I am now a little prouder that we will have a clean air Olympics. Despite the million and one other reasons Beijing should not have been awarded the games - isn't this air quality thing outrageous on its own?
  3. Rolloff deBunk from Calgary - city of strange intersections, Canada writes: Ha! Great story. This points out the absurdity of this event. It reminds me of our days as parentso fund raising for high skool band in Bingo halls. Kids who are in the wind section selling Bingo cards in a toxic, smoke-filled Bingo hall. 'when will they ever learn?'
  4. felix balcarce from the peaceful people, Canada writes: How come the most peaceful people are from Argentine, North Korea, Vietnam and some of the less developed countries.
  5. Rain Couver from Canada writes: So would it not make sense to transplant the Olympics to a place that does not suffer from such horrific pollution?
  6. Rolloff deBunk from Calgary - city of strange intersections, Canada writes: I agree Rain but the fat cats in leisure suits - the Olympic poobahs - want to visit the mysterious Orient. Cough, gag..
  7. Comments closed, censored, deleted or made to disappear from Mini Bushland, Canada writes: Smog gear? We need that very badly, in Canada: import that gear... and then just shut up and try and join in, Globe... This is Olympics time, in China. Still stuck with your sour grapes? I am still waiting to read some decent article, in the Globe, on the Beijing Olympics. Will it come before Xmas 2008?
  8. Paul, Bytown, from Canada writes: Where were these masks during Mexico City, L.A., Athens, Atlanta...... Oh that's right, these cities weren't in China. The western media bashing of China continues.
  9. Tal Moody from Canada writes: The eyebrow raiser is the line about the USOC choosing an athletic wear style inspired by the Jesse Owens style.

    What a marvellous subliminal message we have here... the 1936 Berlin Olympics look... a clear reminder hat the 2008 Beijing farce is highly comparable to the 1936 Berlin propaganda disaster.

    The IOC should never have let communist china host these games.

    Like others have so well stated ... WE MUST BOYCOTT BEIJING 2008.
  10. Roland 2008 from Canada writes: I totally agreed with Mini, the G&M Still stuck with your sour grapes.

    How stupid gadget it is. Over 10 million people live there years by years, how come the althlets need such foolish thing. Do they too weak to breathe in another city. Coming to 401 or downtown, enjoy the fresh air!!!
  11. Lyn Alg from Canada writes: It just goes to show just how bright Jacque Rogge and his Olympic venue selection committee are when they selected China as the host nation knowing of the terrible pollution conditions and the lack of human rights shown by that deplorable country. What were they thinking of? Duh !! Had Dick Pound been elected as head of the Olympic committee, this would never have happened.
  12. Noble Savage from Canada writes: I'm really surprised, I guess the attempted car ban and factory ban didn't have the reduced smog effect Beijing had hoped. I really hope they implement cleaner methods in China soon, for its own citizens sake.

  13. Building an Ark from Canada writes: I wonder if they have optional head-gear and body armour in case the locals get upset and start the usual 'punishment for order' or perhaps they should install kidney pads lest organs need harvesting!
  14. D K from Canada writes: ' Rain Couver from Canada writes: So would it not make sense to transplant the Olympics to a place that does not suffer from such horrific pollution?'

    The Olympics CREATES massive amounts of pollution.
  15. The Business from Canada writes: Don't you just love the irony of seeing the comments of a guy calling himself 'Comments closed, censored, deleted or made to disappear from Mini Bushland, Canada' publicly posted?

    Nothing quite like killing your own argument, CCP-dude!
  16. The Business from Canada writes: Roland 2008.

    The pollution issues of Beihing are well-documented; not even your beloved CCP denies the problem, and that it could have a grave effect on those not exposed to such a dirty environment.

    You could quite easily verify the air quality issues in Beijing versus Western cities with a little research. Oh wait, you're not allowed to do that are you? Now that I think about it, doing some research would imply that you have the ability to think independently. Scratch that! ... leaving you resorting to polluting this board with fact-free invective.
  17. james schauer from Toronto, Canada writes: Yes, Paul Bytown and others, the pollution is that bad - it's far worse than most Western cities. If you think Atlanta is bad, you'll get a headache from walking down the street in Beijing. It will absolutely affect athletic performance, as even the Chinese government has admitted. But yes - we should fix our own problems as well.
  18. Noble Savage from Canada writes: I feel a bit guilty but its a guilty pleasure to read ''The Businesses'*' comments because its so very true. Its hard to stay rational when some CCP types are constantly spinning tales, stirring hate and labeling just anyone non 'as kissing' Chinese a 'demon with a tail' and/or 'a terrorist'. Its not easy dealing with a hysterical group of people, is it insecurity, lack of dignity to have those traits???.....

  19. Wicked Messenger from Vancouver, Canada writes: Why on earth was China awarded the Olympics in the first place? Human Rights abuses, pollution-all the olympics in beijing have done is show what an awful country China is.
  20. TOP SHELF from Hearst, Canada writes: As a warm up for the Beijing Olympic smog, all of our Canadian athletes should strap Chinese made toys to their chest and inhale the toxic paint fumes.

    I bet the CCP athletes are training in toxic fumed Chinese toy factories as we speak.
  21. TOP SHELF from Hearst, Canada writes: The Chinese promised better human rights 8 years ago in 2000 when they were awarded these Olympics. Typical of these guys, always making 'hand shake' promises, never once intending on making any efforts unless it absolutely benefits them.

    Selfish calculating group running that country.
  22. howard smithers from Canada writes: Democracy at work in China! You all have the freedom to breathe the air. In North America we start to raise health concern issues at one sixth the readings of air pollutant levels that have been taken regularly there in China. Athletes have been told not to do the typical acclimatization training there due to this soupy environment.
    New Beijing Olympics Sport
    In a Toronto newspaper they had a recap of fictional events tied around shocking news reality as experienced through the year. As we all know fiction can be a reflection of past reality however it has become such as well. In a raising eyebrows article, the following shocking event was noted: In a spectacular ceremony before it hosts the Olympics at its pollution-plagued site, China demonstrates synchronized wheezing.
    Their people are developing chronic respiratory illnesses at their present pollution output levels and their only rebuttal to not accepting carbon emissions level reduction is that per capita they are far below developed nation’s excesses. God Bless them as their logic will fail them.
  23. don river from Canada writes: Tal Moody from Canada writes: The IOC should never have let communist china host these games.

    Like others have so well stated ... WE MUST BOYCOTT BEIJING 2008.

    I wholeheartedly agree with Tal. Only white nations should be allowed to host the Olympics, since they have such stellar human rights record. (For a brief tour of this stellar human rights record, please visit the progressive website http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/14/8287/)

    Good nite, all!
  24. Joe V from Canada writes: 'Paul, Bytown, from Canada writes: Where were these masks during Mexico City, L.A., Athens, Atlanta...... Oh that's right, these cities weren't in China.'

    None of those cities -- including Mexico city -- were even close to being as polluted as Beijing when their Olympics were held. Sorry that the reality of the situation disagrees with your biased viewpoint.
  25. Don Jenkins from Canada writes: It's like the Kids in the Hall movie Brain Candy. When everyone goes into a coma from the medication, they celebrate the opening of a 'chic comatorium'. When the air is too toxic to breathe, we introduce a fashion around it. Breathe through the smog, high class. Give you an idea where our priorities are, and I'm not sure we should be proud.
  26. John Stanton from Canada writes: This is great. People will see China from the inside. This is why they were given the olympics....to expose the disaster that is china. should be fun to watch and breathe from clean Canada.
  27. The Business from Canada writes: Don River.

    This is not a race-based argument. What people want is freedom for the Chinese people to make decisions indepedently from their government. Including the Tibetans.

    You make this a race-based argument by attacking white people. As someone who strongly stands for individual rights, freedoms and responsibilities, regardless of their ethnic background, I take strong offence to your words.

    Besides which, what do you stand for, Don River? Are you arguing that China should become a better representative of human rights? That China can be better for the world community? Then make your case! Or are you content being yet another totalitarian race-baiter?
  28. P cheng from ottawa, Canada writes: Noble Savage from Hearst, Canada writes: The Korean government Tuesday announced that it will deport any Chinese nationals found guilty of attacking local protesters during the Olympic torch relay. Police are trying to trace four Chinese students after analyzing video clips and photographs of the violence during the relay.''
    ===================>
    I really hope that they did and should post them out. Before they got the proof, don't judge it before the verdict.
  29. Jery Right from Canada writes: I belief that as Canadian I should have the right to run the race in Beijing. The Beijing air is the appropriate to the Mexican air. This is China bashing brought to extreme. Westerm media lies tell the tail.

    Air of Beijing is no different than of the Rome air or Montreal air. The runners will have the same detriment as the other city.
  30. Ed Anger from Canada writes: I think the clothing designers at HBC smoked one to many dubes when they did these olympic uniforms.
  31. A Wong from Montreal, Canada writes: I actually like the designs--they're kinda cool.
  32. Johann Decruyff from *La Pazadelphia, Bolivia writes: On a related topic, the Korean people are angry and insulted at the behaviour of those thuggish chinese students in Seoul last week:

    http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/05/117_23420.html

    South Korea said Thursday that it will toughen entry visa rules for Chinese students in the wake of their violent protests during a recent Olympic torch relay in Seoul.

    "We are going to talk with the related authorities over steps to toughen the issuance of entry visas for Chinese students and other Chinese people,'' said Moon Tae-young, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade....

    :-)
  33. Levap K from Burlington, Canada writes: I have to wonder why we have to carry so many Chinese symbols on our Olympic uniforms? Considering Olympic games in any other country did Canadians have Australian, American, German, French, English and so on markings in the past? Our Olympic uniforms are plain submissive to China. I wonder will Chinese uniforms have as many Canadian labels in 2010 in Vancouver? Somebody's noses are turning brown.
  34. Gerry Dunnhaupt from Canada writes: These clown costumes will certainly make Canada the laughing stock of the Olympics. But why not -- anything to get a laugh.
  35. bob tillman from Canada writes: Bring back Roots please! I'll take anyone at this point. HBC must be on LSD with this clothing. I agree with Levak K from Burlington - why all the Chinese symbolism on the clothing? Our team is from Canada!!! If you're gonna do that then start with that famous picture from Tiannemen Square - you know the one where the student gets run over by an armed Tank - incorporate that into the design! That represents China today more than some mystical symbolism. I suspect HBC was paid off by the Chinese. Oh well, it looks like I will have to wait until 2010 to purchase some CANADIAN olympic wear.
  36. howard smithers from Canada writes: From the sad bad likely true file!
    HBC costumes are likely designed, made and tainted in China as well. Now the athletes will develop skin rashes as well as crippling respiratory scares. Our finest athletes sacrificed for envisioning the world.
  37. John Stanton from Canada writes: Here is an online translator for the olympics http://www.engrish.com/
  38. Comments are Closed from Toronto, Canada writes: Absolutely hideous. Says nothing about Canada. Yup, clown costumes, just like those idiotic mascots of the Vancouver games.

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