Message to San Francisco: don't do it!

Who's been to San Francisco? I have, and it's a beautiful place. My late husband and I spent a week there before we flew to Singapore in 2005. Some friends of ours have a house out there and from their kitchen you can see San Francisco Bay. I called the city "God's Country." I've got a standing invitation to visit anytime.

San Francisco also has a large Asian population and it is one of the cities on the 2008 torch relay. They are alredy, if I am not mistaken, accepting applications for runners. It will be intersting to see who eventually is selected, and even more interesting to see who doesn't make the cut.

I would like to see the torch relay bypass the United States completely. If our President isn't going to follow the lead of Prince Charles and not attend the Opening Ceromony, at least let's send the right message and tell the Mainland Chinese where they can take their torch---out of our democratic country.

Some may argue democratic is a stretch in this country. But I am free to blog my thoughts and ideas, peaceful protest is allowed, and we are free to practice any religion we want to. But is that possible in Beijing? I think not.

Beijing continues to break promises. Let's not reward them further in the United States by running the torch relay here. The first step in that is not filling out that application, San Francisco. But if you are, I would like to see a Falun Gong, Tibet activist, or exiled Chinese use that opportunity to get the message across that time's up for China, and that we've had enough of their lies and deceit.

It's the right thing to do.

Prince Charles gets it right

It was announced yesterday that Prince Charles will not be going to the Opening Ceromony of the Beijing Olympics. In fact, he won't be going at all.

He's known the Dalai Lama for years. Activists in the free Tibet movement have urged His Royal Highness not to attend.

This time, someone listened.

HRH has been an activist himself for many years, championing causes such as design, the environment and natural foods. If you have a chance to try some of the Duchy Originals products that come from his farm, (especially the biscuits!), they are very good.

Prince Charles has done the right thing, and he has set a stellar example for his contemporaries, of whom, human rights is only lip service.

Well done Sir!

Friday's Random Thoughts

We're getting ready for Round Two of sleet and snow here. Warning: I am a bit cranky tonight---so don't say you didn't know!!



I cancelled my Miss America judge's certifcation this week. It allowed me to judge local and state pageants. I don't agree with the de-facto entry fees and the forced national platform. A local director that wanted me to judge agreed with me-and said they hope it "goes back to the old way" if enough people complain. Keep that in mind when you watch Miss America tomorrow night. (And BTW, I think Las Vegas an an inappropriate place to hold the contest, especially with many delegates under 21 and not even allowed in the casinos.)

It's spelled GIRL and not "GRRL!"

To the a*****e who almost hit me today driving down the road, there is something called KARMA!

Hope everyone at the Legacy conference is having/had a good time, and made it productive. Someone give me the scoop and dirt, if you know my email.

Fred Phelps is talking about having his followers picket the Heath Ledger funeral. He's the guy from Westboro Baptist Church who pickets the funerals of Iraq war vets. Heath contributed more to this world in his short life than Fred Phelps ever will do in his.

Doppler 2 Radar, TrueView Titan, PowerPlus One Million. Heck, how about just calling it a weather radar?

One of my good friends is calling it for Chicago 2016. I love you guys (you know who you are), but I stand on what I have said previously: Chicago out in the first round of voting.

I am looking forward to being in the UK this spring. I am ready for a break, especially after the griefs and dramas of the past year. Might pay London 2012 a friendly visit.

I love the 2-for-1 deals Publix has. They are a good value, and an opportunity to stock up on the basics.

Could someone tell me why the price of Lipton tea bags has shot up in the past year?

I am recruiting delegates for the Georgia Dream Girls USA pageant and Georgia International Pageants. Email me for details if you know my contact info. You or someone you know could be the next titleholders! My directors are sweethearts. (People are surprised when they meet me that I have a life outside the Olympic world.) It's called balance.



We're back on Monday! (if we have finished digging out---LOL!)

Where is the conscience?

I am really baffled at how silent many Olympic writers are about what's been happening lately. It was touched on before here, but I think it bears repeating. There are some out there who have editorialised (you know who you are), but there are others out there that I have to shake my head in amazement and say "what are you thinking?"

We in the west are the conscience and the voice. That is a tremendous responsibility. To pretend that problems don't exist is to be part of the problem and not the solution.

But I am still hopeful some of you can be turned around. For once, take a chance, and tell it like it is instead of coddling these people and being enablers.

Don't make me mention who you are.

Belgian NOC muzzles it's athletes

Yesterday the Belgian NOC decreed that it's athletes can not discuss politics while inside Olympic facilities (including the Olympic Village) in 2008.

What a load of crap.

To the athletes of Belgium, I say listen to your conscience and speak your mind, no matter what subject it is.

I would like to think we live in a society that welcomes the free exchange of ideas. I have been to Belgium before (in 1988) and had a great time. The people were friendly, the food fattening (sigh), and the history incredible. But their NOC's attempts to muzzle their athletes is just plain wrong.

Part of the Olympic experience doesn't happen on the competition field. It happens in the Village, in the towns, and meeting the local folk as well as getting to know your fellow athletes. Telling someone you can't talk about certain issues is just plain wrong.

My gut feeling this order came to the Belgians via Lausanne. It's well known Jacques Rogge had consistantly dodged the issues that have arisen in regards to Beijing's election as a host city. AFAIK, no other NOC has issued an order similar to this. It's shameful what they have done.

We are either part of the solution or part of the problem. No guess as to where the Belgian NOC stands in this equation.

For shame. And it should have never happened. You've played right into their hands.

And that is just what Beijing was looking for.

UN and the IOC's cooperation: not good

The UN today reaffirmed it's satisfaction with the IOC's stance on various world issues. I am not so sure this is an alliance we should be praising.

The UN is about one of the most corrupt organisations in the world. It has a legacy of payoffs, bribes, and gosh knows what else going back years. Just when we thought the IOC was getting cleaned up, comes this hookup.

If you have been to New York, and walked by UN HQ, you know the building is in a mess. There was a report on one of those news magazine shows about the conditions inside. OSHA would have a field day if they could start writing violations, but many of the people who work there have diplomatic immunity, and as such are untouchable.

In the future, I would like to see the IOC be more careful with it's alliances, and in that way, it will lessen the chance for another IOC-related scandal to show it's head, just as the IOC was on track to getting itself cleaned up of the scandals that has dogged them in recent years.

Youth Olympic Games: Moscow or Singapore?

Tough call, this one.

Both deserving cities, each with their own unique perspectives. Each could host quite well.

Since Sochi is already hosting the Winter Games, I am calling this one on Singapore. They hosted a very successful IOC Session in 2005, and aside from the searing heat, it was a well-oiled machine. Both cities are friendly and accomodating (in my experience.) But with the recent IOC vote on Sochi (which was the lowest rated city out of all the bid cities), it would be tough to predict what could happen when the postal vote is done.

It's Singapore's time to shine again-and awarding the Youth Olympic Games will be one more jewel in their crown.

I would be happy with either city. But I doubt the IOC will award two Olympic Games to one country so soon. But you never know the mood of the voters, so the impossible could certainly be possible and see Moscow come out on top.

This is one vote that certainly will be interesting-bet on it.

Friday's (soon-to-be-snowy!) Random Thoughts

We're getting ready for Round Two of wintry weather. Fridge is stocked, and I am ready. Bring it on! (just don't want the power to go out-our subdivision was lucky last time.)




That British Airways pilot who crash landed the plane with no loss of life is a hero. And good looking too-next stop, the cover of Men's Vogue. Or at least Jay Leno's show, hopefully!

I have been disappointed so far withe the Target GO designers. Poor quality garments that fall apart. I am hoping for better from the next designer, Jovovich-Hawk.

Could someone please tell me why the service in Doubletree Hotels is so bad? They are a division of Hilton so you'd think that they would be right "up there" with their parent company. I've stayed in Doubletrees three times and every time the service was horrible. Never again.

My local grocery store has a great Super Bowl display. They really take the time to do it up right. Two giant plastic football helmets anchor it. Wonder if they will give those away or they go back to Pepsi?

I don't understand the appeal of Katherine Heigl.

Did anyone see the news report of that American Idol rejected contestant who bawled her eyes out? It was all over the news. She didn't sound that bad, actually. Give her a second chance guys. You made a mistake!

Two cops over in DeKalb County were shot dead this week. It was a few nervous hours in this house before they released the names. One of my best friends is on the force there. A sigh of relief to find out it wasn't Mike. I feel sorry for the two families who lost husbands and fathers. 32 and 26 years old. RIP (and tell your local cop you appreciate what they do.)

Is the writer's strike ever going to end?

There are still leftover holiday labels of 2 liter Coke at my local grocery store.



Back on Monday, (after we dig out, LOL)

None of your business!

Gah-give me a break. I am almost tempted to buy, out of spite.

BOCOG has decreed that you must submit a photo if you have Opening or Closing Ceromony tickets, allegedly to prevent unauthorised transfer or sale of the tickets.

Who are they fooling? Certainly not me.

I certainly wouldn't set one foot in mainland China (as if they would grant me a visa anyway), but I am almost tempted to buy an OC or CC ticket, just to resell it and see what big bad BOCOG might do to me. Like I am scared, whoooo.

People's plans change, a lot. Issues come up, travel plans change. I don't think anyone who is holding these tickets should ask for permission to sell them. Otherwise you are left with a pretty expensive piece of paper that you can't use.

We didn't have this problem in Atlanta. People sold tickets, people paid for them and had a good time at the events they attended. Every big-name event is going to have counterfeits. Requiring photos won't stop that problem. AFAIK, they do not have the photo requirement for the other events. I've heard it's to stop possible protesters. But that can happen anywhere-and BOCOG's heavy-handedness smacks of, well, you know the drill.

My advice to BOCOG (as if they would take my advice anyway): mind your own damm business and focus on the important stuff:

Like addressing the problems up to this point you have refused to acknowledge.

It would be a start-and maybe a small improvement in the poor image you have with a lot of people that have tried to engage you in conversations.

But then you don't listen, do you?

Oscar Pistorius-go get 'em!

The IAAF said today that Oscar Pistorius blade-shaped prosthetic racing blades give him "an unfair advantage."

All he wants to do is compete in the Beijing Olympics-with the rest of the able-bodied folk.

The IAAF is determined not to have that happen.

Just as I thought...I wrote several months ago about how long it would take a disabled athlete to sue the IOC or one of the sport governing bodies over a right to compete issue.

And it's come to fruition.

The guy can't help it. He's a double amputee. It's not his fault, but the IAAF sure wants Oscar to pay, and pay big time for his disability. And that's just plain wrong.

All he wants to do is compete. And compete in an area where he feels comfortable. And that area is with the able-bodied runners. And he should be able to do that, no questions asked.

The issue is whether his running blades give him an unfair advantage over an able-bodied runner. I can tell you from experience with 17 years of working the Peachtree Road Race under my belt, that if it was up to him, he probably would welcome the return of his two original feet, instead of having to fight for the right to compete.

I've observed wheelchair athletes. Let me tell you, seeing a wheelchair barreling at you at close to 100 MPH can only mean one thing: get out of the way, before you are roadkill. Oscar isn't a wheelchair athlete, but the IAAF is trying to pigeonhole him like one and dictate how they think he should compete, instead of taking his feelings and needs into consideration. And that is where the stalemate is.

He's obviously thought this through and decided the Paralympics isn't for him. It should be his right and his decision to compete in an atmosphere that best suits his talents and needs. Ironically you don't hear athletes voicing objections-just the governing bodies. It would then beg the question: who's interests are at stake here?

I've said before that bid cities should be required to have a "right to compete" statement in their bid documents. Then the Pistorius case wouldn't have got as far as the IAAF.

I hope Oscar get the right to compete however he wishes. He will be a trailblazer, in more ways than one.

E-mail hijinks-and guess where it came from

I had a very strage email come in over the weekend. It was a usenet posting I made about six years ago, and the response was a bunch of gobbledygook that didn't make any sense. I pulled the full headers, and traced the NNTP Posting host: right to mainland China.

Clearly, someone was looking for something. It was a post I had made regarding a death-penalty case here in the United States. The posting wasn't anything recent. So clearly someone had the assignment to go looking for something. And whoever did this had to be pretty desparate to dig up something I wrote six years ago in a non-Olympic related newsgroup.

I filed a complaint with the hosting company. If you have ever had a spam problem, trying to get the Chinese and far east spams nuked is next to impossible, many times due to the language barrier. But this email was diferent. It wasn't a spam and it was clearly intended for me. It will be interesting to see how the complaint goes. It's made me more vigilant.

It always pays to be one step ahead. I certainly didn't fall for it and whoever was behind it would do well to stop wasting my time and focus on something productive.

Like their own problems over there, of which there are many.

Got it?

Friday's Random Thoughts

Hope everyone had a great Christmas (notice I am not going to be PC and say "holidays") but I am ready for warmer weather. January cabin fever stinks. I've had about all I can handle of the cold weather. I just hope the bulbs my late husband planted will bloom-we've had several hard freezes here.



Just what is it with the murders of young women lately? They found the body of that pregnant Marine today. I don't understand it.

The stock market is way down for this week's trading. Something like 250 points today. This is one time I wish I wasn't in the market, but it always seems to bounce back.

There is talk of a Delta merger. They claim that might be the only way to survive. How about bringing back good service? I was thinking of going to Barbados at the end of the month for a conference. The flight is 4 1/2 hours, and NO meal in coach. People at the back of the plane are increasingly getting shafted. I remember when my late dad used to travel for business, and the service was always good, no matter where you sat. Not any more.

Can someone explain the Hannah Montana phenomenon to me? I don't quite get it. Back when I was in high school in the 1970s, David Cassidy ruled (and still does...we saw his show in Blackpool before Ken and I came back to the States. My late husband never let me forget it. If a man can sit thru two hours of middle-aged women screaming, that's a REAL man!)

Bravo to the house on the next street over who didn't take down their Christmas tree until the 12th day of Christmas! That's when I took down my decorations too.

All of us are talking about why Easter is SO early this year.

Isn't it a bit silly that some grocery stores have those plastic covers for certain magazines? It's not as if they are selling Playboy or Penthouse. This is Cosmopolitan, and the other day, even Fitness was covered up. Oh pluheese. Get over it. If you don't like it, don't buy it.

They caught the two people that broke into my neighbors house. It was two kids, 19 and 21. They hit another house the same day. The courts are so backed up, they won't go to trial for another six months.

I watched the movie "Music and Lyrics" last night. I didn't know Hugh Grant could sing that well!



Back on Monday. And be good in the meantime!

Let's stop the interference

There was talk in Guatemala City at the IOC Session this past summer about the visits of the various heads of state who were in town to lobby for their Olympic bids. Besides the security and logistical nighmares, some pundits were going so far as to say that those actual visits put bid cities at a disadvantage versus those bids who didn't have a high-level visit.

I would say it's more like interference which we clearly saw this week with President Bush's visit to the Chicago folks.

That didn't impress me one bit. In fact, I think it puts them at a clear disadvantage. I see it every year, so-and-so gets a visit, which puts x city out in front or the one to beat but when it comes down to the actual vote, it's more like a flameout.

I'm not one of these people who's going to ohh and ahh over a presidential visit. Big deal. It won't win the US the Olympic Games and with the US's world stance and position right now in terms of how other countries view us, we will be clearly at a disadvantage for years to come. If you look at the makeup of the IOC voters, it is clearly not in our favor. Look at how NYC flamed out to a 4th place finish. I could see that coming from a mile away.

Clearly the US bid has an image problem which mirrors the US image problem overseas. Translate that to IOC votes and you get my point.

Besides, you just can't demand respect. It HAS to be earned-and just because the President shows up doesn't mean he gets a free pass.

And that is something the US doesn't have now---and it would behoove the Chicago folks to not pull any more stunts like this before they get into a hole they won't be able to dig themselves out of.

But it may be too late.

Chicago: first one out of the final vote. I stand on it.

Marion Jones: Throw the book at her

Marion Jones is going to be sentenced soon. She's a liar, cheat and a disgrace to every athlete whoever competed honestly. I have NO sympathy for her. She gets what she deserves.

I have said before lying to the Feds is serious business. Lying to the people who put their trust and faith in you is even worse. And for that, you must be held accountable.

I am not a lawyer so I don't know the ins and outs of federal sentencing. We here in Atlanta got a taste of it with the Michael Vick situation. That was a bad one there. But there is talk he might get out early, possibly in one year, if he successfully completes a drug rehab program while in the joint.

Marion Jones deserves nothing---except scorn and our back turned, because that is exactly what she did to us, when she denied using performance-enchancing drugs.

Now, she will know what it is like on the other foot.

And hopefully she will have a long time to think about it.

Clemens: defending his reputation

He's one athlete who said enough's enough.

Roger Clemens is suing his former trainer who sang to Senator Mitchell about Clemens allegedly using steroids. Defamation. And he's not taking this lightly.

I think it's really sleazy that anyone can appear in front of a federal committee, Congress, grand jury, or whatever and sling some very serious accusations at someone without showing up with some proof. I am not talking about stuff like "so-and-so cheats on his wife" or "I saw (name of athlete) snorting white powder in the XXX Club"..., or grainy pictures off a cell phone (think Kate Moss), but life-and-death allegations that could invoke a whole list of issues. "But no one is getting hurt!" I hear you say.

Bull. With a capital B.

Peoples' reputations are getting hurt. Careers can potentially come to an end. I am not referring to situations like Marion Jones (guilty) or the BALCO issues. But tabloid-worthy gossip fodder that you could read in between looking at the Page 3 girls.

I hope Roger is successful. He's going to pave the way for more athletes to take decisive action, if they ever find themselves in the cross hairs of someone looking to make an easy buck or worse, their 15 minutes.

What next?

If there is one thing I have learned, anything can happen during an Olympic year. I certainly wouldn't put anything past anyone. The closer it gets, the higher the stakes. Money, reputations and sport glory are all on the line. Just when you think you've seen it all, something else comes up to make you scratch your head and say "whaaa?"

Right now, it's pretty quiet. Besides the arrest of an internet blogger in China last week, things are pretty quiet on the Olympic front. It's the lull right after Christmas. I remember this happened in 1996, what with me getting calls every several days from department managers begging me to work in their areas. I had already made a commitment to the IBC, but it was a pleasure to help someone else out, as everyone was scrambling for good people (and some areas had volunteer shortages, our office being one of them.)

I wonder after it's all over, what will be the legacy? What will we remember most? Or will there be some last-minute surprise that takes us all by storm?

Let's all wait it out-and see what the future holds. We just might be surprising ourselves.

A Singapore sling---and an apology

There are moments in life we would rather forget. Those embarassing slip-ups that remind us we are all human. Then we have those times that once the cat is out of the bag, it's difficult, if not impossible to reign it in.

I remember a news conference in Singapore with the London 2012 people. They all seemed to be amiable folks, joking and laughing amongst themselves. Tessa Jowell was on the far left.

As things progressed I sensed that she was "disconnected" from the rest of the group. As if she really didn't want to be there, like there was something else going on that no one knew about. She had the look on her face of "this is the last place I want to be right now."

She only answered a few questions. Maybe two or three. I had a question in regards to what London 2012 would do to ensure equal employment opportunity for all applicansts, especially those outside of the EU. My demeanor and facial expression meant business.

There was a bit of short discussion as to who should take the question and in the end Tessa took it, with a short two or three sentence answer. I got a look at her eyes---and right at that moment I knew I had made a mistake. Progressivly thruout the conference, she became more and more disconnected, until the point she answered my question, and the answer had nothing to do with what I asked, but it didn't matter.

I have a pretty strong second sense. My impression is that the rest of London 2012 was subtly "goading" her to take the question. Sort of a verbal being-beaten-up-on-the-playground thing. Right then I had a huge lump in my throat and I wanted to say "but I really didn't mean it that way!" but the damage was already done.

Later on, after I got home, it emerged that Tessa was going thru some major personal and professional issues. If I could have gone up to her and given her a hug, I would have (but that would have been highly unprofessional.)

It's been my one big regret-ever since. You can't take certain moments back (both good or bad.)

But the one thing you can do is make things right.

And Tessa, I apologise.

Contributing to someone's broken spirit is never right, no matter what the situation.

I hope you forgive me, because right now I can't forgive myself.

It's not all negative-honest!

Regular readers (who don't personally know me) might think I am 100% down on a lot of things. It just appears that way. I am just as quick to give out praise as to handing out the bricks.

Some people are working hard to make things better. These are individuals in and out of the IOC. It's not all bad coming out of Lausanne (or elsewhere.) We might not all agree at times but were are one in the brotherhood. OK I will be the first to admit that there are a few (emphasis on the few) that I don't want to be caught stuck in a foxhole with, but the overall experience has been good. The negatives I have learned from.

One of the things that I love to do is observe people---and the stupid mistakes they make. Case in point: Singapore 2005. Online reporter for major European radio station refers to me as "some woman from Atlanta." If that person had done their homework, they would have found I have a name. Fast forward six months later---there is a new reporter on the beat and Mr. Clueless is stuck in 5-day-a-week-local-radio-purgatory, having probably seen his last IOC Session for quite sometime, perhaps forever.

As I am writing this, I am listening to the positive speech of Barack Obama. He's a fine example of someone who can bring the negative to the forefront, but with a positive message of solution for those negatives.

I would like to see more of us on the Olympic beat do the same. I am as guilty as anyone of dishing out the negative, with no solution to back it up. We all are at times. I've even have a major regret about some rough questioning that happened in Singapore.

We all make mistakes-and in my next column I will discuss one of those-and proffer an apology in the process.

Keeping them on their toes-and honest

Eight months to go. Safe to say I won't be there (like I would risk taking the chance), but now that we are heading into the home stretch, it isn't a time for us to let down our guard. It's still important to be discerning about what is being written and said. It still surprises me that there are folks who will accept anything that is written, without questioning.

Please, for 2008, can we make a new year's resolution to be discerning, not to take everything at face value, and to keep shining the light? I know I have said this before, but it bears repeating.

Because some people just don't get it.