The Olympic Torch

[jadewik]

Has anyone else been paying attention to all the places the Olympic Torch has been this year? I know there's been controversy in several places... because there's been a risk that it'll get blown out.

... but did you ever expect to see it on Mount Everest?!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354373,00.html

BEIJING — An Olympic flame reached the top of the world Thursday.

Live television footage showed a Chinese mountaineering team holding up a specially designed torch — separate from the main Olympic flame — along with Chinese and Olympic flags on the peak of Mount Everest.

There's more to the story... but you get the idea.

I think they should take it to the bottom of the ocean, next.... this is getting silly.

[PirateJohn]

Well, first of all, it's pretty common for the Olympic torch to get blown out during the relay. It typically happens several times each relay.

Secondly, I've always been of the opinion that political protest has no place in the Olympics no matter how noble the cause. In ancient Greece, the city-states would put wars on hold to stage the Olympics. The whole purpose of the Olympics is to transcend politics.

But on a separate note, in 1996 I was fortunate enough to see the torch in both the first and last city during the relay. I lived across the street from the torch lighting ceremony in Los Angeles, so I got to see it as it came up the street, and in Atlanta I caught a glimpse of it during the last day of the relay.