IDoSugar -- Meant to be.

No Gold: Visits to China Down in 2008 Despite Olympics

CitizenSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:05:50 -0800

The number of visitors to China dropped by two million last year to 130 million, despite the enormous fanfare and draw of the 2008 Olympics. It was the first decline in visitor numbers since 2003, when an outbreak of SARS knocked the country off desired vacay location lists.

The slump has been attributed to the weak economy, which hasn't been kind to the tourism industry as a whole, stricter visa restrictions before the Beijing Olympics, as well as a May earthquake in the southwest of the country.

Only 389,000 foreign tourists visited Beijing the month of the games, including travelers from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, according to the Beijing tourism bureau. That number is much smaller than the 500,000 the bureau expected. China built the world's largest airport terminal before the Olympics and most of the major hotels in Beijing underwent costly renovations and changes from top to bottom.

Source

Your Favorite Olympic Moment of 2008

FitSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0800

It may not be quite as exciting as winning eight gold medals, but Michael Phelps has won again — in FitSugar's best Olympic moment of 2008 poll. Though he was bested in the favorite Olympian poll by Shawn Johnson, his record-breaking moment garnered 40 percent of your votes, and the thrill of his victory was also the favorite of CitizenSugar readers.

Source

Biggest Headlines of 2008: China Hosts the Olympics

CitizenSugar — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Hosting the Olympics was a huge deal for the Chinese government and people. While protesters put their feet down around the world, the Games were a source of pride for the controversial country. Take a look at the biggest stories to come out of China hosting the 2008 Games. Source

Favorite Olympic Moment: Michael Phelps Breaks Record

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:30:47 -0800

While the opening ceremony and women's gymnastics nearly tied for silver, Michael Phelps's record-breaking performance won him yet another gold. With 54 percent of your votes, he easily dove into the Best of 2008 on both our poll and Pop's poll.

He's still soaking in the gold light while promoting his book, posing for magazine covers, and appearing on talk shows like the Colbert Report. Look for him in London in 2012 where he plans to swim again, but not break any records. Because, really, whose record would he break — his?

Source

What's Your Favorite 2008 Olympics Moment?

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:01:43 -0800

Now that you've voted for your favorite Olympian and relived the Beijing games, I want to know what Olympic moment you loved most. (Of course, these are all sports moments; if you want to vote on the whole shebang, check out Citizen.)Source

Biggest Headlines of 2008: The Beijing Olympics

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:05:57 -0800

It seems like so long ago that the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing completely consumed my Summer. Not only were there plenty of amazing Olympians to follow, but there was also plenty of controversy. Take a lap through the most compelling moments.
Source

What Is Your Favorite Olympic Moment?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:30:16 -0800

Oh, the Olympics. They come; they go. We wait two years for another season. Stories of last-minute switch-ins, and outs, pull the strings of my out-of-shape heart. Even people who don't like sports, love the Olympics. For the first week anyway. So before we say 再见 to the Beijing Games for good, let's look east to our most favorite moments. The opening ceremony was the most lavish and expensive ever. And, it showed! Swimmer Michael Phelps's historic, eight-gold-medal win crowned him the world's greatest athlete. And it was American gymnast Nastia Liukin — underdog to her friend and teammate Shawn Johnson — who flipped her way into the number-one spot, earning a gold in women's all-around. Even better, it (almost) evened out when Shawn struck gold on the balance beam. But maybe you've already forgotten the athletes? Nothing wrong with that! Nor is there anything wrong with enjoying a scandal (or two) in your Olympic cocktail. Though seeing pictures of President Bush playing beach volleyball is all the fun I need!The Olympics definitely top the list of 2008's biggest stories. Before London's calling about the 2012 Games, tell me:Source

What Is Your Favorite Olympic Moment?

The dazzling, over-the-top opening ceremonies

Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson's vault to the top

Michael Phelps's record-setting, eight-medal relay

President Bush's impromptu game with the women's beach volleyball team

Gold medal, no medal — who cares? It's the scandals that sucked me in.

Guess Who Said It?

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Which Olympic medalist said this:

"I'm chubby and I'm pregnant and it's awesome!"

Michael Phelps Will Be the New Face of Subway

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:30:14 -0800

Move over, Jared. Subway's got a new guy in town, and his name is Michael Phelps. The mega-medal Olympian continues to score endorsements faster than his swimming records. He's now landed an exclusive fast food deal to represent Subway beginning early next year. As Phelps puts it:

Subway restaurants have always given me the options that I am looking for — whether that's healthy sandwiches before a big meet or the tasty meatball sub that I treat myself with. I was ready to take my Subway fandom to the next level — I really think of Subway as a champion food option.

The exclusive fast food deal has left many industry experts puzzled, considering the swimmer unabashedly campaigned for a relationship with McDonald's during the Summer games. But the announcement isn't the first surprise move by Phelps, who shocked everyone when he declined to appear on the cover of the Wheaties box — as many Olympic champions have done — in favor of endorsing Kellogg's Corn Flakes and Frosted Flakes. Do you think Phelps is an appropriate fit for Subway?

Source and Source

Front Page: Bush Defends Economic Measures, China's Media Freedoms to End, US Pushes for Iraq Security Deal

CitizenSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 07:00:41 -0700

Bush Defends Measures:
In a speech at the US Chamber of Commerce moments ago, President Bush defended the government's recent intervention in the financial crisis as measures of "last resort," saying that it will "take a while" for the credit system to thaw and that Americans can be confident it will. He said of the intervention, "Had the government not acted. . . We would have been forced to respond with even more drastic and costly measures later on."

China's Media Freedoms to End:
The rules that allowed greater freedom for foreign reporters during the Olympics are set to expire. There has been no word yet whether they will be extended, tossed, or traded for a new set of rules. The rules that allowed journalists to travel around China without applying for permission did not apply to Chinese journalists. Many hope the freedom will expand as a legacy of the Games.
US Pushes for Iraq Security Deal:
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is seeking to extend the US mandate in Iraq which is set to expire later this year. The details of the planned draft would have US troops withdraw from Iraq by 2011. Official approval by Congress isn't required though approval from Iraq, is. The current mandate expires on Dec. 31.

Source