OK, I admit it, I've got it--albeit, a mild case--but I've been amazed that for the past three days, almost every conversation I overheard when walking on the street, sitting in restaurants or just talking to friends involved the Olympics.

It's kinda nice to see people so excited about something; but there have been a couple of downer points this week.

1. That adorable little girl singing "Ode to the Motherland" on Friday night? Turns out she was lip-synching--because the real singer was deemed not cute enough, according to AP.

AUGH. That is terrible! The kid is 7 years old! How can anyone be that unattractive at 7? (She really isn't--sure, she's gonna need braces at some point, but come on. Check out a picture of her here--along with the fake singer--if you're curious.)

It's just so shady and lame, and many of the people who had questioned China hosting the Olympics because of human rights issues and other concerns were very vocal about the whole incident just being inappropriate. It was.

2. And then, this. According to Gawker, a Hong Kong paper earlier this week announced that it had a 21-point memo from the Chinese government's propaganda unit with rules about how the national media needed to cover the Olympics.

According to the head of the Beijing Olympic committee, "no such 21-point document." However, Gawker by pointing out that the Sydney Morning Herald got its hands on the  same document, and published it. Ouch.

It's not pretty. And it has added some more unease about China hosting the Olympics.

I don't really know if the games should stand apart from politics--maybe if the Olympics really are just about athletic excellence, that's all they should be about--or if the committee has a responsibility to factor in a country's past when choosing it for a future games site.

But I do know it's whack that the Chinese government allegedly created those rules--if they are indeed the real thing--and I sincerely hope that "unattractive" 7-year-old was given another reason for not being able to sing in public. 

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