Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

JaniceS — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:37:03 GMT

SOUR GRAPES is the false denial of desire for something sought but not acquired; to denigrate and feign disdain for that which one could not attain. This metaphor originated from the fable The Fox and the Grapes by Aesop, where the protagonist fox fails to reach some grapes hanging high up on a vine, retreats, and rationalizes that the grapes are probably unripe anyway. The phrase is sometimes also used to refer to one expressing, in an unsportsmanlike or ungracious way, anger or frustration at having failed to acquire something (i.e. being a "sore loser"), regardless of whether the party denies their desire for the item (e.g. a hypothetical girl Joumanna being jealous of the fact that no one buys her lunch). Not including the denial of desire is technically a slipshod extension of the metaphor because it is inconsistent with the phrase's origin in the fable and the notion of the grapes being declared "sour".

THE OPENING OF THE BEJING OLYMPICS WAS THE BEST EVER. IT HAD TASTE, IT HAD ORIGINALITY, IT HAD CREATIVITY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT SHOWED THE WORLD THAT AS MUCH AS YOU THINK CHINA IS "BACKWARDS," WITHOUT ITS INVESNTION, THE WORLD WOULD HAVE NEVER PROGRESSED TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

ARE PEOPLE SO NAIVE TO THINK THAT HUGE GIGANTIC PRODUCTIONS SUCH AS THIS ONE, IS NOT ENHANCED BY TECHNOLOGICAL TROUBLE-SHOOTING AND "JUST IN CASE" RED BUTTONS. GIVE IT UP PLEASE, SOUR GRAPES OUT THERE. YOU ENJOYED IT, YOU CAN'T DENY THAT, SO JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. CAUSE IF AMERICAN SINGERS CAN LIP-SYNCH IN CONCERTS AND SATURDAY NIGHT "LIVE" THEN FOR THIS KIND OF EVENT, I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT WE CAN FORGIVE A LITTLE (AND REALLY IT WAS JUST A LITTLE) HELP FROM TECHNOLOGY.

SOUR GRAPES.

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

martialguy — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:08:13 GMT

It is not surprising to see the Spanish behave this way and don't see anything wrong with it. They still live with the savage Middle-Ages mentality. Who else in history savagely macacred natives of the American continent; and even tied mothers and their children together to conveniently burn them alive? Their savagery can be compared to that of Genghis-Khan Mongols. May be someday China can help the world by nuking them and the Neo-Nazis

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

Elex — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:44:56 GMT

Newsweek would be a better newspaper when it wises up and gets rid of Medlinda Liu.

The malicious, see-no-good cynicism caters and panders to the neo-cons that want to create a Satan and enemy if they don't find one. Newweek might see this as a profitable market niche, but I doubt if it will serve Newsweek's long-term interest because it is on the wrong side of history.

Newsweek might think finding a Chinese face to bad-month China is a smart idea, but that earns the paper a double dose of despise instead.

When the fireworks at the closing ceremony again light up Beijing's night sky, the malicious attacks will go up in smoke, and so will part of Newsweek's credibility.

Don't you evern learn?

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

fluxionman — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:46:20 GMT

It's refreshing to see that Chinese Internet trolls are just as childish and irrational as trolls from other parts of the world. Welcome to the blogosphere, fellas! You might want to learn the language before you start your flame wars, or at least figure out the "Elex" is not a name.

A Chinese douchebag is sadly, still just a douchebag.

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

sarahmd07 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:28:12 GMT

There's nothing, but shame in what China has done. A country obsessed with its image! When will these fools realize that the world is smart enough to read under these fake routines and events.

No matter how much China tries to show the world what a great country it is by hosting these Olympics, everyone in the word knows China is fake and full of crap. China's human rights record is beyond poor. If you protest the government, you are thrown in jail for treason. Chinese invaded Tibet decades ago and are still occupying it claiming it to be theirs. China is one of the only nations in the world that has strong ties with Sudan. China doesn't even acknowledge that there IS a Darfur crisis where thousands of people are getting killed everyday.

This Olympics is all just a fake ass show to the world. The Chinese think the world is dumb enough to buy this fake ***. There is no freedom in China. The govt. rules the country with an iron fist, and human right? Well, there are none. Put on a better show China because the world isn't buying your fake ass ***.

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

jakewang — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:05:55 GMT

The auther is desperately fighting for her job, given the sparse comments on her previous scraps, she had to pull out "something tremolo" to pull in those who won't hesitate a second troating at China. It's quite seamy the way the Spaniard's commercial has been distorted by the Americans. No Chinese took offensive out of that, and why a Chinese corp. would insult Chinese people in the first place? Spain was booed during the game with China, then what about Angola, Greece??? Did they also do something to "insult" the Chinese?

The American medias aimed to give Chicago a leap forward in the 2016 Olympic bid by framing a charge to Madrid, and backstabbed China for not granting a vent for the Chinese to this "humuilating" ad.

This columnist constantly selectively chose some "FACTS", and distorted the "FACTS" to make it sound like the "FACTS". And the FACT is, she has nothing to offer!

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

Mark B — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:05:20 GMT

WHO CARES ABOUT THE GAMES ANYMORE. MONEY IS THE KEY FOR THESE FIXED GAMES.

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

ay caramba — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:35:25 GMT

If you belive that those female Chinese gymnasts are 16 or older, then you may also believe that China has freedom of the press and treats Tibetans well.

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

PresidentSupporter — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:45:29 GMT

For the love of everything holy, posters, get a grip on yourselves. I've never seen a bigger spread of whiny, ranting posts in my life. You all act as if the Olympics and this article have ruined your lives in some way.

If you don't like the Olympics, China, or semi-negative articles about the games, then go do something else. This article was just written to give insight for people who may be curious.

re: Olympic "Oops": What You Weren't Supposed to Notice About the Games

lwta — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:05:24 GMT

The Blue Screen of Death? Ha. :) Can't believe I didn't notice that.

As for the slanting-eyes photo, I completely believe that the Spanish team really thought they were being "cute" and funny (although I can't get how sitting around a dragon would show "respect"); it just shows ignorance. Some Asians might think differently, but I know that as an Asian American, everyone I know has experienced someone doing the eye thing at you...particularly taunting on the playground (fyi, there's a weird little chant that goes along with the slant-eye thing). Not pleasant memories for any of us, to say the least.

I can appreciate the team's innocence/ignorance, but I hope they understand why the crowd didn't think it was cute. As far away as this was from their intent, it unwittingly communicated major disrespect.