With one month to go, Beijing Olympic venues shine but worries remain over pollution, press freedom

I doubt the pollution is going to clear up as quickly as the officials hope. The other issue is that there are several lines of authority in China. Beijing is nominally in control but if the local pols decide to enforce strict rules on reporting it's because their heads will roll in a decision by others. China is a confusing place to figure out when it comes to who is running what. I just hope things go more smoothly than I anticipate. But since the regime anticipates that there will be protests I have to wonder...

One of two rights-holding broadcasters for the games in Germany, Hano said ZDF was sending a “sharp protest letter” to IOC president Jacques Rogge, Beijing organizers, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the European Broadcasting Union over the incident. A video shows two uniformed officers and a man in civilian clothes waving their hands in front of the camera, with Hano in the background trying to do his interview.

Ah yes freedom at work in China, gooooooo CCP. Way to go on keeping your promise.....A shinning example of a great nation

Chinese officials say terrorism is the biggest threat to the games, although human-rights groups say the threat is being used to dampen internal dissent.

Oh you over there holding camera he must be terrorist....Quick release the dogs and take him away!

Ah yes, the old line of how they are concerned with terrorist.....Now that is one of the best ones yet. I think they have been studying GW Bush and Dick C`s tactics real well.....Man you CCP folks learn real fast on how to control the press!

yes but the beijing govt uses 100 as the dividing line for good/bad air quality, while the rest of the world's accepted line is 50...using 50 means that there were maybe 3 days all year that the air quality was good...using 100 obviously is in the c-govts interest because it makes things appear better than they are

what's the over-under on how many athletes and spectators need hospitalization because of the toxic air ? 1000 ? 3000 ?

While I'm no fan of Beijing air, for heaven's sake it isnt THAT bad. If you can stand L.A., you can stand Beijing. The Average AQI (Air Quality Index) for Beijing fluctuates between 75-110 during the year. The AQI for L.A. today is 90.

31 days to go. 18 days to go, for olympic badminton.

what's the over-under on how many athletes and spectators need hospitalization because of the toxic air ? 1000 ? 3000 ?

questions over media freedom remain.

Questions? There's no question that freedom of the press does not exist and frankly,should not exist. Not if the regime there wants to stay in power.

The day approaches. It should be interesting, if not entertaining.