No Internet For You, Me Old China

From The Age:

China reneges on 'open' pledge

Is the world really this silly? Did they really think that the Chinese government, a government whose attitude towards violence is so casual that they don't even acknowledge it's happening rather than defend it, would allow an open Internet for the Games. It's also been revealed that visitors will have their access monitored. Like they do in every hotel in the world, but let's not let that get in the way of a good story...

Oh, trill the offended journalists, we can't get to our sites! We can't get to google.com! We can't blah blah blah. This from the Chinese official, Sun Weide, who presumably was able to keep a straight face:

"Our promise was that journalists would be able to use the internet for their work during the Olympic Games. So we have given them sufficient access to do that."

Followed, no doubt, with a sheepish, Scooby-Doo laugh. Note the crushingly unsubtle changing of the goalposts. Despite all the ominous signs that this is just one of many probable broken promises, there is a silver lining. Kevan Gosper, or as Roy and HG like to call him, Lord Gosper, is embarrassed.

From the Age article"

'Senior IOC member Kevan Gosper apologised to the world's media for misleading them about access to the internet.'

It gets better:

'Mr Gosper revealed that "some IOC officials had negotiated with the Chinese to have some sensitive sites blocked". Mr Gosper said he had been unaware of the deal while telling the world's media for months they would have unfettered freedom to report while in China.'

Wow, two things together that need unpicking. The first, in direct contravention of Olympic ideals we're always hearing about, things are being locked down, or, if you prefer, politicised. Nice. Second, Lord Gosper is 'unaware' of something that has been open in the media for seven years. A lie, as we now know, but brilliant nonetheless. Nothing like watching these clowns squirm.

I have entertained serious doubts about the Olympics for years. They are a tedious wank for whichever city gets a hold of them, costing serious dollars and without fail leaving a hefty debt of approximately a gazillion dollars. They are supposed to be apolitical but are swimming in political urea at all times. They are supposed to be free of the sort interference commercial dollars bring but chunks of the world's population are denied access to the spectacle by draconian copyright protection. And now they negotiate with the Chinese government and decide what can and can't be allowed on the internet. Awesome. Sign me up.