I don't really follow the Olympics. Everyone else in the house does though.

No, I don't want it to end! It's been so entertaining and heartwarming and uplifting to see all these wonderful athletes representing their countries. (Mostly heartwarming, we're really sorry to see some sour-grapes on behalf of a few athletes, sheesh, throwing medals, hitting judges, etc.)

I bet the closing ceremonies will be nice tonight.

I have really enjoyed it. We have an "almost hometown girl", Shawn Johnson from West Des Moines bringing home a gold and a couple of silver medals in gymnastics.

I haven't watched much, but have watched the news to know what's going on. So I really don't care.

I'm just glad that football season has started!!!

I haven't watched a whole lot of it, but the tv is on with the volume turned down. I wish they showed equestrian events. I guess they do on cable, but haven't seen any on regular tv...altho I sure could have missed it. I got a little bored with beach volley ball.

I'm not tired of it, but I didn't watch much of it.

Like some of the others, I'm not tired of it... but haven't watched a whole lot either.

I am glad that today is the last day, now I can drag myself away from the tv and get caught up on housework I have let slide the past couple of weeks!

kinda sorta

Not at all. I love the olympics! I have been Tivo'ing it at night and then scrolling past all the stuff I don't care about. I can watch about 5 hours of it in a little over 1!

The only thing I enjoy is the gymnastics, and I haven't caught all of that.

I'm sure it is a great experience for those competing.

Sue

Didn't watch much.

They say that it's not political - bunk. Thousands of national flags in the initial and final parades ... competition as to which country's reps earn the most medals ... national anthem of winner of each gold medal played, etc.

They say that it's not corporate - bunk to that, too. Lots of, "Proud sponsor of the olympics" in corporate ads this year, much corporate ad visibility on TV, other media during the action.

In China ... political and corporate are pretty well one and the same, in many fields of endeavour.

What did the intial celebration cost ... something like 92 million, did I hear? When millions are hungry.

Don't try setting up a demostration critical of anything in China: 37 requests, none granted, even for a demo in an outlying area ... and a number of Chinese applicants went to jail/re-education camps.

The guys running the I O C travel and operate first class.

Not so the peons that do the work - many of them must struggle to qualify, some getting some government or corporate help, many getting little or none.

Some of the winners in the high-profile contests get very lucrative positions later - but many of even the winners in the less popular areas don't.

Out of one side of our mouths, we say that it's important for everyone to get involved in sport, and sometimes that pArticipation is more important than winning.

In the olympics ... the total emphasis is winning: silver ain't much ...

... and next position below bronze is ... next to nothing.

How much emphasis do you hear on that contestant being fourth most capable in the world?

Yeah - men get crabby, sometimes.

ole joyful