Remember the old saying, "It looks too good to be true"? Remember how so many on Dialy Kos went wild over the opening ceremonies, especially the fireworks? As they say on the internets, you all got pwnd.
MSNBC.COM is quoting their source, the Beijing Times (!) that apparently what what was broadcast on TVs around the world was a digitally faked fireworks display:
Fireworks over the Olympics pyrotechnics erupted yesterday when it was learned that the elaborate display broadcast to the world as part of the opening ceremony was faked, done digitally in 3-D computer graphics.
The Beijing Times, which first reported the story, said members of the Beijing Olympic Committee defended the ruse because of the city’s hazy, smoggy skies, which made such an elaborate fireworks display at night too difficult to pull off successfully.
Committee members also said they were concerned that the helicopter pilot who would have flown overhead to film the fireworks would have been "at risk by making him try to follow the firework route," according to a quote from a committee member reported in a Daily Telegraph story.
It seems that there were real fireworks at the stadium, but since the state controlled the broadcast to all the international outlets, they inserted the digital fireworks at the right time so no one noticed. That is until yesterday when the story got leaked.
I know a lot of Kossacks out there are watching the games, rooting for the USA, yadda yadda. I don't want to take away from their enjoyment. Yet I'm one of those that will not watch the game not just because for what the Chinese government is doing against human rights, but also for all the corporate sponsors who are essentially support what the Chinese are doing. In many ways this is symbolic of the ugly ties between the two parties. Put on a happy facade, show what wondrful citizens of the world while they opress at the same time.
So remember that if looks too good to be true, it probably is.