Sharon Stone, Christian Dior and Carbon Fiber Feet.

[suralos]

A Chinese ad agency has pulled Christian Dior ads featuring Sharon Stone from Chinese department stores in the controversy over her comment about Chinese karma. Stone, a Buddhist and friend of the Dalai Lama, wondered aloud to reporters at Cannes whether the China earthquake was the result of China's treatment of Tibet. "Is that karma, when you're not nice that the bad things happen to you?" Stone mused while (inappropriately maybe, so what's new for actors?) injecting her political leanings into her chat from the red carpet. The Chinese (government, no doubt) are purportedly threatening to boycott not only Dior products but Stone's films.

The predictable rebuke of Stone is way out of line for her remark. Dior has a great opportunity here to admonish the ad agency that there are at least as many Chinese who will buy Dior products over the controversy as not, and everybody wins, including the government.

By the way, while we're in China, the Beijing Games should be boycotted if a runner with carbon fiber feet is allowed to participate. The only reason they're letting him compete is because they're certain he won't win.

However, they have opened the door for next generation prosthetics and eventually bionics and robotics, and this is just wrong. The Olympics will become the premier trade show for high tech companies displaying their latest wares.

Boycott the Beijing Olympics and its gimmicky freak show attraction.

[PostmodernProphet]

By the way, while we're in China, the Beijing Games should be boycotted if a runner with carbon fiber feet is allowed to participate. The only reason they're letting him compete is because they're certain he won't win.

please tell me he was a handicapped person and not someone who had his feet removed to run faster......

[Buck Laser]

please tell me he was a handicapped person and not someone who had his feet removed to run faster......
The guy in question was born with a birth defect--a missing bone in each of his shins, and would never have been able to walk unless they amputated his feet and gave him prosthetics. He is seeking a chance to compete in the Olympics as an able-bodied athlete.

[PostmodernProphet]

then I think it's great.....

[Truth_and_Power]

then I think it's great.....

I think he should get some wheel prosthetics, then his trainer can pull him backwards over the starting line like one of those toy cars we all had and then wheeeeeeee. The guy should get into swimming as well, I'm sure they can provide him with some giant flipper prosthetics.

[Easy90]

Super! They should give him a head start in the race...just to make it fair. Anyone who says otherwise obviously hates handicapped people. [/sarcasm]

[PostmodernProphet]

yeah, it really sucks when those handicapped people think they can get away with doing things normal people do.......

[PatrickHenry]

http://www.thesoleofafricablog.org/images/Oscar2004_2.jpg

Looks like the American behind him is handicapped by only having one prosthetic racer-foot.

http://steinskog.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/oscar-pistorius.jpg

[suralos]

He is seeking a chance to compete in the Olympics as an able-bodied athlete.

Yes, BL, we all know what he is trying to do. Thank you so much for reiterating it. Here's a news flash for you: He is not an able-bodied athlete.

What do you think of that?

[PostmodernProphet]

if the only thing keeping him from qualifying for the Olympics is a court order, I suspect he is more able bodied than anyone posting on this board.....

[suralos]

if the only thing keeping him from qualifying for the Olympics is a court order, I suspect he is more able bodied than anyone posting on this board.....

I don't recall a court order being anything like an issue here. He is without legs, assisted by a pair of super crutches, but if he runs, you will not have seen anything yet.

The problem is the denigration of the integrity of the Olympic Games.

Certainly, you already realize this, and you all seem perfectly comfortable with it. Unbelievable.

[Buck Laser]

Yes, BL, we all know what he is trying to do. Thank you so much for reiterating it. Here's a news flash for you: He is not an able-bodied athlete.

What do you think of that?
I think it's great that prosthetic science has advanced to the point where amputees might have the chance to compete on an equal basis with the rest of the world. I think the decision is up to the International Olympic Committee.

I have to say though that anyone who imagines that a prosthetic device is superior to the real thing is seriously out of touch with reality. Perhaps you should volunteer to give up your own legs and see how much "better" the prostheses are.

[suralos]

I have to say though that anyone who imagines that a prosthetic device is superior to the real thing is seriously out of touch with reality.


Oopsy daisy, there, BL. Reads a lot like a personal attack. In fact, it is a personal attack. A little help here, moderator?


Perhaps you should volunteer to give up your own legs and see how much "better" the prostheses are.

Can't help you, BL. Unbelievable.

[lily]

If he qualifies he should be able to run. It's not like every athelete is going to get a limb cut off so he can use a prosthetic one.......I'd be more worried about doping.

[Buck Laser]

I think he should get some wheel prosthetics, then his trainer can pull him backwards over the starting line like one of those toy cars we all had and then wheeeeeeee. The guy should get into swimming as well, I'm sure they can provide him with some giant flipper prosthetics.

That reminds me--I think wheelchair marathon participants post better times than able-bodied runners. But I doubt that anyone would ever go for an elective amputation just to run fast. However good the new prostheses may be, they could never match flesh and bone.

This whole thing is just silly.

[suralos]

This whole thing is just silly.

It's just a silly ol world.

[PostmodernProphet]

I don't recall a court order being anything like an issue here. He is without legs, assisted by a pair of super crutches, but if he runs, you will not have seen anything yet.

The problem is the denigration of the integrity of the Olympic Games.

Certainly, you already realize this, and you all seem perfectly comfortable with it. Unbelievable.

denigration of the integrity of the Olympics.....denigration of humanity...../weighs the options.......Olympics loses......

are you trying to make the point that his handicap gives him an unfair advantage?....../boggle......

[suralos]

By the way, while we're in China, the Beijing Games should be boycotted if a runner with carbon fiber feet is allowed to participate. The only reason they're letting him compete is because they're certain he won't win.

However, they have opened the door for next generation prosthetics and eventually bionics and robotics, and this is just wrong. The Olympics will become the premier trade show for high tech companies displaying their latest wares.

Boycott the Beijing Olympics and its gimmicky freak show attraction.


Thank you for reposting this part of your original post as it is apparently so provocative, although the first part was probably more important, if a bit hot. Now I'll just read the entire post on your thoughts about the athlete with the artificial legs and reply as if I'm actually thinking, which is more than anyone can say for you. Man, I was about to say something really f**king stupid, too! If I wasn't such a lazy ass, I'd google "bionics" and "robotics" to find out for myself if your suggestion has any merit. That's the way it goes.

But anyway, what's wrong with Olympic Games wherein you maneuver athletes with a joy stick from the comfort of your couch? ("Joy stick" -- that's so yesterday.) My kids' kids won't have any reservations about it because they won't know the difference. Screw the Olympics, screw tradition, screw the definition of "human", especially "able bodied human" and screw you, suralos.

Just as long as I'M the one with the joy stick (sic), why should I give a s**t? Pay-per-view live action gaming with real people instead of stupid computer graphics -- that's the road to the good life, and we STILL have memerial day and the forth of july.

Moderator, suralos insulted me. He's condescending, impatient and probably really mean.

[PostmodernProphet]

/e turns off the Xbox and puts the Suralos disc back in the plastic case.....

I suppose if we can manipulate Olympic athletes we can manipulate thread posters too....

[suralos]

/e turns off the Xbox and puts the Suralos disc back in the plastic case.....

The brilliance is just blinding, so I bought some sunglasses.

[QUOTE=PostmodernProphet;187532]I suppose if we can manipulate Olympic athletes we can manipulate thread posters too....

Mmm, I'm thinking ... probably not, ace.

[Pookie]

Well, hell, my hat's off to him. Geez, you should see me chasing the dog. He rocks! What a way to overcome a challenge like that.
God bless him.
Purrs,
Pookie