Here it is, 8-8-08, an auspicious number in Chinese numerology. So get out there and play a lottery ticket as fast as you can. Tonight the place goes nuts at the Bird’s Nest – the gorgeous National Stadium – but not me. That’s a tough ticket and I’m laying low. I heard a rumor of a $20,000 scalp price being offered. Seems off the charts, but hey, what do I know?
The Games actually have already started. Some events are rolling along and I’m looking for a thumbtack to stick up the full page schedule that the New York Times published on Monday. I am at a serious disadvantage to my American comrades in that I don’t have any way to watch the Games in English on television (I know, ironic, fly to China to the Olympics, and then watch them on television). NBCOlympics.com – where we are advertising – has a Microsoft Silverlight enabled stream but guess what? IP block on non-USA traffic, so unless one of you geeks knows how to IP spoof from inside of Great Firewall, I am going to have to content myself with CCTV.
We’re also doing a sponsorship at the European Broadcast Union, but as my blogging colleague Carina told me yesterday, we can’t see it because we’re not inside of the EU. So, message to family – clear out some Tivo space and save me all the rowing, baseball, weightlifting, and track and field you can.
Other Lenovo bloggers in Beijing include Kevin Walker and Geri Kan. I’ll to get their blog addresses and show them some link love. Other Lenovo bloggers – don’t be shy. I’ll open up a blogroll and update it as additions come in.
Randomly:
- If you need tech support or any kind of assistance and you’re in Beijing. Ping me. I am on my US cell phone but also have a China number which I’ll disclose if you email me at david AT churbuck.com
- Starting Monday I’ll be stationed during the day on the Olympic Green at our Olympic Hospitality Center. If you’re on the Green, phone me, or find me online.
- I’ll be dumping photos into my Flickr stream http://www.flickr.com/photos/churbuck/ randomly
- Organizing a Lenovo-Ogilvy blogger meet-up on Sunday night, 7pm at the Bookworm in Sanlitun with Rohit Bhargava and Kaiser Kuo. Ping me, or tweet me if you’re coming.
- Looks like things are getting “interesting” in the city center with traffic restrictions due to the big Olympic banquet at the Hall of the People for the foreign dignitaries. So … I may not go mobile this afternoon and may do a photo/video walk around Haidian and a march up to the Summer Palace.
- Athletes – if you need help at the International iLounge, ask for Kevin Walker. Best time to seek help with posting problems, hardware, etc. is after 4 pm. Ping me for his cell phone and stand by for an email from us inviting you to lunch, a meetup on Sunday night, and other info and offers of assistance.
- There is a cool hashtag campaign being organized by Chinese twitter users – tag with #080808
More later.
From the mall under the Grand Hyatt, there were a few of these wild mannequin displays.
If I remember correctly…you have the Slingbox? If not….do buy it, it’s fantastic. If so, does it work for you in China?
Try connecting to your vpn, then going to NBCOlympics.com – if it’s a US VPN, it ought to show as a US IP address. If not, I’ll dredge up a proxy service for you to use.
Slingbox is hosed back home and the local talent is technically challenged. mark — I would but our only VPN instance that supports vista is in ….
Europe.
Mark — I’d be interested in your recommendations for a good proxy service. I’ve got need of them for other times for when I want to watch streaming content from Fox, ABC, NBC, etc. I’ve yet to find a good one.
And David, not to disparage a sponsor, but if you do get a proxy running, forget NBC, go to Eurosport’s feeds instead. For pure sport, ALL sports, and no fluff, they are by far the best. In Torino we loved them and I am forever a fan, especially since they showed so much Curling. Not that I’m that interested in curling, but the US team had such midwest charm.