It is amazing how we take our Internet for granted back in Canada. Wireless systems are everywhere and it has become an indispensible tool for nearly everyone, journalists included. To access the web here for the Olympics, journalists must pay either $500 for a wired connection which is reliable but there are very very few wires around; or $500 gets you a wireless system which is slow and prone to crashing. Either system only worked in approved Olympic work venues and that does not include our accomodations. With an already busy day, it can be a real nuisance finally getting back to our room after midnight and having to go to the next building over to their workroom to check a quick email.
The Internet does work and although I can read thestar.com online, I am not allowed access to this very blog. I don't know what is wrong with Star blogs, but they are censored anyway. As a constant reminder of the Internet issues here, in the Olympic village, directly between the Main Press Centre and the famed Water Cube are 3 large, black ominous buildings which are said to house hundred if not thousands who are monitoring every email and transmission made by the press.
It is an odd feeling that your every electronic move is monitored, I just wish someone in the imposing black buildings would respond to some of the many unimportant emails I get each day so I can get a little more sleep.
-Richard Lautens
what is strange is the kind of denial some of the expatriates display.
Posted by: kudzu fire | August 14, 2008 at 09:05 PM
chinese censor everything so there people are not exposed to things that could start a riot. More than a billion people uprising would surely end the current gov over there, but witht the censorship these people have to endure, it is basically like living in Iraq, without all the suicide bombers.
Posted by: sg | August 16, 2008 at 08:29 AM
It's not the Star's blogs, but more likely Typepad as a whole. Easier to block out whole domains rather than partials.
Posted by: jcn | August 20, 2008 at 01:19 PM