Flying Daggers and the Olympics

Being the 25 year old American that I am, its hard for me to imagine a world in which the United States was not the very center of attention. For my entire existence, and even more since the age of 9, not one power, not one army, or one country, have even so much as distracted us from our raved affection for all things Britney and K-Fed. Even the horrifying tragedy of 9/11 ended up just being the screw we picked up in our tire, forcing us to pull over on the way home, missing the first segment of the culture-shaping - "The Simple Life 2".

For quite some time now, certain American's, even those stuffing their mouths with fried mayonnaise balls (thank you Daniel Tosh), have pulled out their "I'm with Stupid" t-shirt, only to have that priceless puzzled expression find their face when they read the inscribed label, "Made in China" - "We couldn'a made that?"- Apparently not.

China. Mysterious, are they really communist? China. We have to admit it, we're intrigued. Oh, it may in fact scare the hell out of us, you know, that they're 1 billion strong, 1/6 the population of the world, and yet all most Americans and the rest of the world's population could tell you about the Chinese is, "I like them little fortunes and all, but they could sure make them cookies taste better."

What are they like? Can we even go there? Most of us don't know, and that makes China the most intriguing, confusing, tricky yet exciting, and important foreign policy issue my generation will ever face.


Every so often the news will carry a story, detailing the handful of countries fighting over the right to host the Olympic Games. The choice the IOC makes can no doubt, effect a nation's short-term history. Just ask Germany after a successfully lucrative World Cup. So when Beijing some years back threw its name into the hat to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, no disrespect to Hot-Lanta, but this was a little different. Historically closed, and guarded China, willingly decided to throw its doors wide open for the world to come in and poke around a little. Believe it, they will be ready. All of our intrigue could lead to wonder. They know the opportunity, this is their showcase, their, "we know everyone's fascinated, and scared of us...So lets show 'em."

With Zhang Yimou, director of "Hero", "House of Flying Daggers", and "Raise the Red Lantern", tapped to direct the opening ceremonies, amazing, will truly be a souvenir. Zhang recently asked fellow director, Steven Spielberg, to be more than just an adviser, and give some "real, concrete suggestions".

China's "coming out party", will be unprecedented. Just ask Yu Yonggang-

"When he's not tending cherry orchards outside Beijing, Yu Yonggang can be found behind the twin barrels of a 37mm anti-aircraft gun, blasting shells at passing clouds...Now Yu and the other rainmakers face their toughest challenge: making sure it stays dry for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The idea is for the peasant gunners to work with meteorologists watching radar in the capital. Together, they will hunt pregnant rain clouds and pound them with rockets containing silver iodide. The hope is that any moisture will fall before the clouds can threaten the parade of athletes and lighting of the Olympic flame at the new National Stadium.

China's leaders want the Games to be a showcase for the country's astonishing economic development. The cloud-busting effort shows how far they will go to ensure that nothing interferes with the pageantry."-USA Today, McLeod

What!? They're making rain in China!? This is going to be ... you fill in the adjective.

For the first time, the world will see China in all of its glory. Will it inspire us? Will it scare us? Make no mistake, it will be spectacular. It could be the event that sets China as the new Superpower. Though they may be already, the entire world will recognize the United States is no longer the only big dog on the playground.

It will be their showcase, their invitation to the world to enter the theme park. And they know it. They'll be waiting for us. Will you watch with that curious intrigue, with that frightened eye? I will. I'll be the guy in the front row, watching "House of Flying Daggers" meets "Jurassic Park", while stuffing my face with fried mayonnaise balls.