U.S. already 'causing problems

[DBD]

Hahahahah I found a bit of humor in this


BEIJING (AP)—A group of American cyclists has apologized to Beijing Olympic organizers after arriving in China’s capital wearing face masks.
Michael Friedman, Sarah Hammer, Bobby Lea and Jennie Reed released a statement Wednesday, a day after they caused a stir by showing up in the protective gear.
“The wearing of protective masks upon our arrival into Beijing was strictly a precautionary measure we as athletes chose to take, and was in no way meant to serve as an environmental or political statement,” the athletes said. “We deeply regret the nature of our choices. Our decision was not intended to insult BOCOG or countless others who have put forth a tremendous amount of effort to improve the air quality in Beijing.”

Full story here US Cyclists with masks

[SnglTrckMnd]

The past few times I've flown to Hawaii I've seen Chinese tourists wearing face masks on the airplane and through the airport but we can't wear them in their country? Lame...

Originally Posted by DBD

Hahahahah I found a bit of humor in this


BEIJING (AP)—A group of American cyclists has apologized to Beijing Olympic organizers after arriving in China’s capital wearing face masks.
Michael Friedman, Sarah Hammer, Bobby Lea and Jennie Reed released a statement Wednesday, a day after they caused a stir by showing up in the protective gear.
“The wearing of protective masks upon our arrival into Beijing was strictly a precautionary measure we as athletes chose to take, and was in no way meant to serve as an environmental or political statement,” the athletes said. “We deeply regret the nature of our choices. Our decision was not intended to insult BOCOG or countless others who have put forth a tremendous amount of effort to improve the air quality in Beijing.”

Full story here US Cyclists with masks

[SheDevil]

Funny thing is....our product manufacturing in China is causing their air pollution problem...so it's an interesting twist. Just because it's not in our backyard...does it not exist? Food for thought.

PS...I was there in October...it's horrific. I had an upper RI the whole time.

[mmosqueda]

Have the reporters seen Chinas air? I would wear a freaking gas mask.

[luna]

Where's Al Gore to defend our cyclist, in a time like this

[1080P]

I wonder if it's as bad or worse than the air quality in Los Angeles in the Mid '70's through the 80's? I remember smog alerts and not being even able to play on the playgrounds at school, the smog was so brown and so bad. Even breathing shallowly while swimming in the pool in the summer time hurt, so bad was the air with sulfuric and nitric acids. Though we never had acid rains?

[BoingBoing]

Originally Posted by 1080P

... so bad was the air with sulfuric and nitric acids. Though we never had acid rains?

"It never rains in Southern California" --sung to the tune of "It never rains in Southern California"

[Docklobster]

They masks probally said maid in vietnam, not china....

[duke777]

I'm sure the masks are made in china....what's not made in china now and days.

[kanga]

Apparently the team has issued an apology...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/sp...tml?ref=sports

[DownHillPhil]

Originally Posted by duke777

I'm sure the masks are made in china....what's not made in china now and days.

Wouldn't surprise me to find out that we've been outsourcing our intelligence agencies to China

[denmother]

Originally Posted by kanga

Apparently the team has issued an apology...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/sp...tml?ref=sports

I find this quite ironic. I guess they should have told them when/where to where them.

...The masks, issued to the athletes by the Olympic committee through USA Cycling, were given to about 200 of the 596 athletes in the United States delegation, U.S.O.C. officials said. The swimming team was among those teams that brought the masks to Beijing, said one of the doctors working with that team.

But the cyclists’ grave mistake, U.S.O.C. officials say, was to wear their masks in the airport....

[evdog]

They were probably all roadies.

[foofighter]

Originally Posted by SheDevil

Funny thing is....our product manufacturing in China is causing their air pollution problem...so it's an interesting twist. Just because it's not in our backyard...does it not exist? Food for thought.

PS...I was there in October...it's horrific. I had an upper RI the whole time.

that's an excellent point

[Zippy]

Originally Posted by denmother

I find this quite ironic. I guess they should have told them when/where to where them.

But the cyclists’ grave mistake, U.S.O.C. officials say, was to wear their masks in the airport....

Right. "Take this, but don't let anyone see you with it". Jeeze, Chinese people wear masks in Beijing, why can't anyone else?

BTW, the prevailing trade winds blow China's pollution accross the pacific to the US anyway. My prof. for my atmospheric chemistry course had some awesome satellite photos.

[ApexMan]

Originally Posted by SnglTrckMnd

The past few times I've flown to Hawaii I've seen Chinese tourists wearing face masks on the airplane and through the airport but we can't wear them in their country? Lame...

It's a cultural thing, it's not worn as something to protect themselves from, it's that they have an illness and don't wish to spread it. I've been to Japan and they have an extensive public transit system, and it can get FULL. So, one person's cough could infect a whole car. It's just a public consciousness.

There is the weird practice to maintain ivory skin tones by women, I've seen them wear masks and arm socks and we've all seen those comical face visors!

[DDB@OCR]

Adam Craig and LOT of others bailed on a race and training rides over there...the world champ was puking his guts out it was so bad.

The air quality is horrible- it is actually toxic and full of fine and coarse particulate, one of the worst in the world.
To even entertain the thought of a bike race or endurance event out of doors in Bejing is laughable.

Teams are speading out all over the region- as far as Korea and Singapore to escape the pollution. Nice huh?

U.S. 'goods' aint the cause either, China makes for many countries, not just us, and- they have little if any at all regard for the environment. We choose to employ them, they choose not to regualte how it's done.

[DownHillPhil]

Originally Posted by ApexMan

There is the weird practice to maintain ivory skin tones by women, I've seen them wear masks and arm socks and we've all seen those comical face visors!

Yup if you are tan - that means you are low class because you work in the fields.

The upper echelons of society were translucent back in the day :P