Beijing Triathlon

Well, it seems that double-speak, misdirection, and propaganda are the new triathlon for the Olympics this year. First, this from Arne Ljungqvist, chairman of the Olympic medical commission:

"The mist in the air that we see in those places, including here, is not a feature of pollution primarily but a feature of evaporation and humidity [emphasis added.]"

Oh, it's mist! Ballista thought that smog was the particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone that the Chinese authorities admit are at near-unsafe levels, as set by the World Health Organization. (Air Pollution Index of 91, with 100 being unsafe).

Then there's the US cycle team arriving in what appeared, at first, to be protective face masks. Again, we all assumed the masks were for pollution. No, no, no. The cyclists later apologized for the misunderstanding and explained the masks were really there to prevent them from speaking their minds while in Communist China, thus protecting them from unexpected and completely accidental injuries.

Finally, we have the very rapid spot-cleaning of Beijing itself. That's not an unfinished building behind that curtain. And that corner never had a host of food carts on it. Nope just a nice clean city. Take lots of pictures for your capitalist pig friends. Remember the city as it was for this week because it doesn't matter what happens in China after the Olympics. Not that anything "unpleasant" is going to transpire. Of course not.

Ballista expects this type of behavior from the Communist party - it's their stock and trade - but it's disappointing to see the Western officials following suit. What did Solzhenitsyn say about the free world losing it's spine?...