Comments on: Roll up, get your Olympic Torch Facebook app http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/ Tracking the UK's mobile and web start-up ecosystem. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:46:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: isabel_hilton http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-126773 isabel_hilton Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:40:01 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-126773 The list of Olympic sponsors is here: http://en.beijing2008.cn/90/53/column211995390.shtml what it does not tell you is how much they paid for the privilege The list of Olympic sponsors is here:

http://en.beijing2008.cn/90/53/column211995390.shtml

what it does not tell you is how much they paid for the privilege

]]> By: phil_style http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-126631 phil_style Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:17:06 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-126631 Mr. P, makes a good point. Has anyone thought of producing a list of all sponsoring companies? I'm happy to start one over at http://virtuphill.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-flaming-shambles.html if no-one else has already . . . Mr. P, makes a good point. Has anyone thought of producing a list of all sponsoring companies?

I’m happy to start one over at http://virtuphill.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-flaming-shambles.html if no-one else has already . . .

]]> By: Mr P http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123389 Mr P Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:17:36 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123389 All this engagement with China is basically looking the other way while they do whatever they want. The sponsoring companies are interested in ingratiating themselves to the regime in the hope that they can sell more goods. Unfortunately companies more or less have to do this because of their shareholders. The only way to counter this is for western consumers not to buy their products. So no Samsung LCD TV for me. Who should care about stupid medals when the country hosting the games cares nothing about human rights and freedom. Oh and if you do care about medals what about the extensive use of enhancement drugs by China's athletes. The olympic ideal has been tarnished for a long time - this is just a new low. All this engagement with China is basically looking the other way while they do whatever they want. The sponsoring companies are interested in ingratiating themselves to the regime in the hope that they can sell more goods.

Unfortunately companies more or less have to do this because of their shareholders.

The only way to counter this is for western consumers not to buy their products. So no Samsung LCD TV for me.

Who should care about stupid medals when the country hosting the games cares nothing about human rights and freedom.

Oh and if you do care about medals what about the extensive use of enhancement drugs by China’s athletes.

The olympic ideal has been tarnished for a long time - this is just a new low.

]]> By: Mike Butcher http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123302 Mike Butcher Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:09:32 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123302 Hmmn. Ok, so either I must not write anything about China. Or I must write about anything to do with China in order to take the opportunity to bring up Tibet. Holy Torturous Scenario Batman! But seriously... Ian - I take your point. My only defence is that in and of itself the application is interesting. Antony - Fantastic script writing! Ok, so yes, a few blogs *not* writing about China is hardly going to get their government taking notice. But I think we're still going to have to write about the companies, clients and people that decide to engage with the Olympics in this manner. Let history be their judge. Hmmn. Ok, so either I must not write anything about China. Or I must write about anything to do with China in order to take the opportunity to bring up Tibet. Holy Torturous Scenario Batman!

But seriously…

Ian - I take your point. My only defence is that in and of itself the application is interesting.

Antony - Fantastic script writing! Ok, so yes, a few blogs *not* writing about China is hardly going to get their government taking notice. But I think we’re still going to have to write about the companies, clients and people that decide to engage with the Olympics in this manner. Let history be their judge.

]]> By: Antony Mayfield http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123277 Antony Mayfield Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:28:42 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123277 Scene: INT. Party Committee Meeting Room, Beijing. Two Communist Party Officials sit around a circular table. They look agitated, drawn. Suddenly one stands and and slams down his papers... OFFICIAL ONE: This is insufferable. OFFICIAL TWO: It cannot be suffered. OFFICIAL ONE: The games are to be the most glorious celebration of China's place in the world. OFFICIAL TWO: Our ascendancy assured, the games were to be a fanfare, a song to our superpower status. OFFICIAL ONE: But now this... OFFICIAL TWO: Yes. Some blogs may stop running lame tie-in social network / olympic stories. Whhhhhyyyyyyy!!! OFFICIAL ONE: Their own human rights record doesn't look so pretty. Aren't they occupying a couple of countries right now? OFFICIAL TWO: Yeah, but... they are hardly likely to boycott reviews of their own Facebook apps... OFFICIAL ONE: And then there is Northern Ireland... not so long ago... I've seen In The Name of the Father: educational. OFFICIAL TWO: Exactly. Nonetheless, hypocrisy aside, let's begin talks with the Dalai Lama and begin plans to pull out our troops. OFFICIAL ONE: Curse this highly effective tokenism. I expect they'll be selling their iPhones, Macbooks clothes and other goods manufactured in China next and donating the proceeds to the Free Tibet campaign... OFFICIAL TWO: Oh, no chance of that... Scene: INT. Party Committee Meeting Room, Beijing. Two Communist Party Officials sit around a circular table. They look agitated, drawn. Suddenly one stands and and slams down his papers…

OFFICIAL ONE: This is insufferable.

OFFICIAL TWO: It cannot be suffered.

OFFICIAL ONE: The games are to be the most glorious celebration of China’s place in the world.

OFFICIAL TWO: Our ascendancy assured, the games were to be a fanfare, a song to our superpower status.

OFFICIAL ONE: But now this…

OFFICIAL TWO: Yes. Some blogs may stop running lame tie-in social network / olympic stories. Whhhhhyyyyyyy!!!

OFFICIAL ONE: Their own human rights record doesn’t look so pretty. Aren’t they occupying a couple of countries right now?

OFFICIAL TWO: Yeah, but… they are hardly likely to boycott reviews of their own Facebook apps…

OFFICIAL ONE: And then there is Northern Ireland… not so long ago… I’ve seen In The Name of the Father: educational.

OFFICIAL TWO: Exactly. Nonetheless, hypocrisy aside, let’s begin talks with the Dalai Lama and begin plans to pull out our troops.

OFFICIAL ONE: Curse this highly effective tokenism. I expect they’ll be selling their iPhones, Macbooks clothes and other goods manufactured in China next and donating the proceeds to the Free Tibet campaign…

OFFICIAL TWO: Oh, no chance of that…

]]> By: Ian Delaney http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123244 Ian Delaney Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:48:26 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123244 PS. I did like the way you handled it, though. PS. I did like the way you handled it, though.

]]> By: Ian Delaney http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123243 Ian Delaney Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:47:17 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/03/26/roll-up-get-your-olympic-torch-facebook-app/#comment-123243 I don't get your stance on this, Mike. If ever there was a chance to protest against the Beijing Olympics then not running lame tie-in socnet/olympic stories is pretty much up there... Not being controversialist, honest. I don’t get your stance on this, Mike. If ever there was a chance to protest against the Beijing Olympics then not running lame tie-in socnet/olympic stories is pretty much up there…

Not being controversialist, honest.

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