We're at the starting line of our travels

We're on our way. Beijing, China, here we come.

This is our 4th trip to China. Our 5th over the Pacific. Or, around it. To get to Beijing, we'll fly to D.C. Depart early Monday. Then around noon we'll fly to Beijing, direct. The flight path goes over the North Polo. We've never gone from D.C. before.

On the way home, we'll fly to Chicago. Stay a day or two. Then come home. That will be in September.

Did I mention, again, that we have house sitters.

The photo above is on a running track outside a stadium in Chengdu. It is in the common ground area there. Imagine that around PNC Park and Heinz Field. Why not have a 'running track?' Golly. Kids could get some exercies. And, adults too.

China has had the Olympics on its mind for some time. They have put effort into hosting the games -- by making these tracks and fitness elements a part of the parks and landscape. We can learn a lesson about that. Around our stadiums, we're looking for more ways to serve beer and that's about it, if you overlook the casino.

We leave on the 4th. We'll get there on the 5th. The flight to Beijing is as long as four movies and a good long nap.

I've got my iPod loaded with some Free Talk Live radio shows. And, I've got my ear plugs. The kids and Catherine have those soft comfy neck pillows.

Last trip Catherine and I took was to Amsterdam in the spring. We flew in business class. Ahh. Those were the days. Now it is 'coach.' Love that name, coach.

China in China

China is getting set for 8-8-08. We are too. The boys are packed and at the park shooting hoops. Then it is off for some ice cream.

I'm trying to slay the dragon of digital dust.

Heard on some site (if one can do the 'hearing' via a posting) that there is a chance of rain on either 8-8-08 or 8-9-08. We'll have none of that as the world watches the kick off to the Olympics. So, it remains to be seen if the weather altering measures are going to be deployed by the authorities in China to insure that there will be no rain. You don't want to rain upon the parade. Literally.

There are ways that the China government has to bump the weather by seeding clouds and such. Wild, but talked about, if not proven.

The image above is a zodiac chart on a plate. I took the photo as it was for sale in an art market.

Now I'm dealing with a lot of round objects and trying to clean them up. Digital dust on the CDs, DVDs and mini-CDs for the campers and computers.

Then I called Curtis with the Ozanham Basketball program, all excited to say that Holder was listed in the Russian vs. USA basketball game box score. He already knew. He watched the game the other night at 3 am. Someone had tipped him off to the game time. Holder did start. He played some in Wilkinsburg then went to a private school for later in high school.

I'be been telling folks that the Olympics are going to be on the air via NBC for 212 hours a day, given all the various networks. You'll be able to see more of the games here, sitting in front of the TV than I'll be able to see in Beijing. That prediction came true even before we departed town as the games are being watched -- and I'm missing them to pack.

If you can -- set up a time for my and/or me and my boys to come to your school, your team or your neighborhood open house to present our views of the Olympics and Beijing upon our return in September.

Last year we had t-shirts. Going to Citiparks Swim Meet on Saturday

From ormsby-serpents

I get to go to two more swim meets this summer. Tomorrow morning is the Citiparks Swim Meet at Highland Park Pool. The photo above was from last summer when the team had t-shirts. They are not expected this year. Oh well.

The next meet, the 2008 Olympics, also called, Games of the XXIX Olympiad.

Swim coach David Salo once told me that the Olympics is just another swim meet. He's right.

Good luck city swimmers. Hope all are able to finish the races.

Grant and Erik will swim three events each including the I.M.s.

This is a weird summer if not year in one dimension. Both of the boys have gone all year without being on a single relay with their club teams. Not one in the winter, summer nor the Citiparks meet. That's sorta sad. Last year there were plenty of relay splashes with the summer club team at Crafton and in the winter with Carlynton. Oh well.

For the sake of total honesty, this past winter, Erik was on middle school relay teams. Grant didn't swim a relay with his elementary school team.

Testing, 1, 2. Testing. Is this blog and wiki visible in China? Please ping me Peking!

To the best of my knowledge, neither this blog, http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com, nor the wiki, http://AforAthlete.wikia.com, is able to be viewed in China.

In the recent days, some of the restrictions on various internet sites have been lifted. What about these sites?

Help if you can. Leave a message in the comments or send email to me, Mark@Rauterkus.com.

Peace to all.

[412] Beijing Bound. Our summer vacation shapes up -- Olympic style

[412] Beijing Bound. Our summer vacation shapes up -- Olympic style


Hi Friends, Neighbors the world over!

We depart (and the house guests arrive) for Beijing in a couple of days. Your gift and postcard requests are due to me ASAP.

Throughout August, my family and I are going on our 4th trip to China -- but this time we'll be within the buzz of the Olympic Games. We're excited.

I'll be blogging from China, as best as can be expected, at this new
site with others.
http://2008gamesbeijing.com/

Check out a service called TWITTER as well. See links on my blog.
http://Twitter.com/Rauterkus/


Recent snip: "her teammates stopped their training session and flashed their middle-fingers at the man behind the camera..." Sign up to follow my twitter feed.

Olympicpedia has concluded. My sons and I -- with the help of a few others -- built a 1,000+ page wiki this summer. study up for our sporting experience. http://AforAthlete.wikia.com There is plenty to do there -- and it will be a lifetime labor of love. Your input is most welcomed.

I've got a lot of hanging questions yet:

- Where can we train in Beijing, as I expect they'll not let us splash within the Water Cube without tickets. Erik, Grant and I want to continue to swim and exercise / lift.

- I need a loaner computer monitor. I'll bring the PC/Mac Mini. We're in an apartment in BJ's Silicon Valley.

- We would like to get 3 bikes for the month. Perhaps the 4th bike could be one with a bench. Then the boys can drive my wife an I around town.

- Tickets and tips are welcomed, especially to gratis events. We have a sample of tickets to many different events, swimming, water polo, basketball, canoe, table tennis, football.

- I'm very light on Biz cards, pins, trade swag, N at . Anyone with a suitcase full of Pitt t-shirts or hot ideas -- call me.

- My blog(s) and wiki(s) are not able to be seen from within China -- at last report. So, we do what we can. Mega uploads are expected in September. A proxie and other technical questions might -- like camera storage needs -- might still materialize.

- Go USA Athletes!

Danish coach accuses Chinese of spying (cont.) - Grant Wahl - SI.com

Humm....

Danish coach accuses Chinese of spying (cont.) - Grant Wahl - SI.com: "I don't think that's the way that anybody should be treated at a World Cup or an Olympics.'

Interesting story.

Locally, we only have to look as far as the family changing rooms at Soak Zone and some jerk 15 year old employee with his cell phone camera stuck to the end of a stick for cheap views. But, let's leave that one for the Carbolic Smoke Ball and humorist, if there is any humor in that.

In US football, the Patriots were pointing cameras at coaches in the games to catch signals and plays as they were relayed to the players. This came into focus by a US Senator from Pennsylvania who was able to waste lots of time on the matter.

Insert more jokes here about how the Danish team should recruit the senior senator from Pennsylvania to look into the matter -- and we might get WWIII.

Globally, I'd encourage the coach to say that the treatment should not be hinged upon the venue of the World Cup or the Olympics. People should not be treated that way -- period.

Privacy in a public realm is hard to insure. On one hand there is hopes of huddles with the team and no outsiders will be there. Then in the next hour there is hope that there will be 50,000 in the stands and 50-million, if not 500-million, watching on television.

Frankly, I hope that cameras are everywhere in Beijing. I hope that they are in the stands, in the hands of the people, and in the grassroots. In Pittsburgh, I'm wishing we had more cameras that were pointed at our politicians and public funds -- and less at the citizens.

Finally, it come time to make a mention of the overall hope of a 'closed practice.' Wow. That opens a big can of worms.

USA 2008 Olympic Team - A for Athlete

USA 2008 Olympic Team - A for Athlete USA 2008 Olympic Team

The list of the athletes is on the wiki.

Pennsylvania did well in terms of numbers of Olympians headed to Beijing.

Pittsburgh has some mentions too, mostly as a former home town.

Key:

* Name, Date of Birth (Month/Day/Year), Hometown, Birthplace, Current Residence, Sport, Event/Position/Weight Class/Horse

Watch for:

Marvell Wynne II, 5/8/1986, Poway, Calif. (hometown), Pittsburgh, Pa. {birthplace), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, (Current) playing Soccer, as a Defender.

Lauryn Williams, 9/11/1983, Miami, Fla., Pittsburgh, Pa., (Rochester HS) Miami, Fla., Track and Field, 100m

Allison Schmitt, 6/7/1990, Canton, Mich., Pittsburgh, Pa., Canton, Mich., Swimming, 200m Free, 4x200m Free Relay http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Lauren Crandall, 3/17/1985, Doylestown, Pa., Pittsburgh, Pa., Chula Vista, Calif., Field Hockey, Defender http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Michael Friedman, 9/19/1982, Pittsburgh, Pa., Pittsburgh, Pa., Colorado Springs, Colo., Cycling, Track Madison

Since this is a wiki, if you know these folks, or want to do the research on them, post them to their page.

---

Meanwhile, at the other end of the bleachers, the International Olympic Committee just announced the news that the Iraqi teams are being banned from the Beijing 2008 Olympics saying the government missed the deadline to address accusations of political interference.

Beijing steps up battle against smog - World Blog - msnbc.com

Beijing steps up battle against smog - World Blog - msnbc.com Twenty-two days before the Olympic Games open here, the capital is awash in smog – an unseasonably thick haze that seems part pollution, part humidity.

More negative press from the Mainstream Media.

Where did I put those rose colored glasses?

The UK press might have a smog alert feature now -- but have you heard that the site in Londor for the 2012 Games is radioactive!

Need to tag: BG08

Looks like there is an effort to have tags for Flicker for photos and blog posts for Beijing, #BG08. I'm not sure if the # is to be there or not. Please advise. So, I've set up a new tag at this blog too.