The Games In China: Day Six (Or Is It Seven?)

We are six days (seven if you're seeing this the following day) into the Summer Olympics in Beijing. So far not one dissident has been thrown in jail, nor has one Western journalist been censored. Is that a good thing or not? If there's one thing we've learned, it's that the Chinese can't protect itself against stupid behavior.

The Opening Ceremonies, which were attended by President George W. Bush as Russian troops invaded the Republic of Georgia (In answer to your question, a certain soft drink brand which happens to be the Worldwide Olympic Partner isn't based there), went off without a hitch. That is, unless you count the computer-generated fireworks and the nine-year old girl who lip-synched the song Ode To The Motherland. Sounds like the Chinese have learned a few things from Hollywood.

On the other hand, the Chinese government has been so security-conscious that they've forgotten about those who pose an actual threat to safety at the Games.

Americans Todd and Barbara Bachman were attacked by a knife-wielding individual outside the Drum Tower in Beijing. Todd was killed, Barbara is recovering, and the alleged assailant (who authorities said had family problems) jumped to his death in a nearby river. The fact that the Bachmans (A) are from Burnsville, Minnesota, (B) owned a chain of floral shops, and (C) whose daughter (a 2004 Olympian) is married to U.S. men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon is beside the point.

As for the competition thus far, you might have heard that American swimmer Michael Phelps won a few gold medals, and is looking for more. The Chinese women's gymnastics team is allegedly old enough to be fans of Hannah Montana. Bela Karolyi, who molded many a gymnast in his time, complains about the lack of a perfect 10 in the new scoring system. And the skimpy uniforms the women beach volleyballers wear must be a culture shock to the Chinese.

NBC (a unit of General Electric, another Olympic Worldwide Partner) reports record audiences for the first few nights of prime time coverage, obviously helped by convincing (if that's the right word) the International Olympic Committee to put the swimming and gymnastics events in the morning so they could be shown live in the U.S. Otherwise, when there's not much else on TV and families can't afford to go on vacation . . .

Among the ads you'll be sick of watching before the Olympics are over (besides the new NBC fall shows you probably won't be watching anyway): Senators John McCain and Barack Obama spending their hard-earned money on the same spots that have been running elsewhere all along.

Obviously, there is more to come. We haven't even had the first medal winner to test positive for a banned substance.