The Olympic Flame is Lit in Ancient Olympia.

The Olympic flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, (3/24/08) and now it is on its way to Beijing, with a long torch relay through many countries. These games were held, at least, since 776 BCE and until 394 CE, when the Christian emperor Theodosius banned them as a bad pagan practice! Christianity thought of the human body purely as a functioning machine for survival, not to be idolized in any way. Any pleasure of the flesh was rather sinful.... But, that's another story for later.

Anyway, the Olympic Games were resurrected by Pierre de Coubertin in 1896, held in Athens. Much has changed since the ancient times and since the first modern Olympiad. But, did you know that the (modern) Olympic flame first appeared in the Amsterdam Olympiad of 1928, and the torch relay in the Winter Games of 1936 in Germany? A Dutch Freemason [conspiracy theories, anyone?] lit the flame every day during the games and this custom was established.

You may not know that much of the Peloponnese and the area around ancient Olympia were severely burnt this past summer. The devastation was immense. Many people died when their villages were surrounded by the fire. Actually, much of the country experienced horrible fires last summer. This part of Greece is truly beautiful and (was) very green. I've been to many places on this "island" and I have family connections there. I don't know if I could visit now to see that area devastated; I'd rather not.





I'd like to end this post on a high note. I'm told that the Greek swimming team is in rare form this year and will probably dominate any opponent that dares to challenge them in the water. Here's a picture of the Greek swimmers training.... Intimidating, no? Don't mess with these guys!

A fellow blogger (tmt) is in China and has taken wonderful pictures of the the Water Cube where all sorts of aquatics will take place. Here are some of those nice pix.

click on the picture for more by tmt

Happy, Beautiful Spring. Observe and Enjoy!

A couple weeks ago we jumped ahead by one hour and now Spring has arrived! Ah, time for renewal. It makes sense that the ancients celebrated the new year in the Spring, doesn't it?

Do you know why we have the seasons? It's because our home is wobbling and has a maximum axial tilt of about 24 degrees. It's not the distance from the Sun that does it. Actually, we are closer to our main sequence star in the winter than in the summer! Fascinating stuff. Too bad too many people still believe all sort of fallacies and don't want to change their minds. Science is the best tool we have for understanding the world around us.

New York City

The city that never sleeps. Unlike elsewhere when the night comes, you know it--everything gets dark. Not in New York city. It's just like another day without sunglasses... (well, sometimes sunglasses are necessary at night in NYC!)

The local public station had a documentary on New York City this evening. I watched the whole thing with mixed feelings. They had several famous people who have made NYC their home, all praising the city though not idealizing it. The theme was that New York, despite all its problems, its ups & downs, being a huge mosaic, and seemingly a cacophonous metropolis, it charms the people who really get to know it.

I think any place means something because of the events that take place there. New York City is a harsh place for newcomers, like myself, who try to establish roots here. The late 70s and early 80s were particularly difficult for me as a very young person trying to adjust and "make it" without having a network of friends and family around. Many years have passed since. Maybe I got the attitude described by the lyrics of the famous NY song, "if you can make it here you can make it anywhere!"

Even common events, including the horrific days of 9-11 and its immediate aftermath, even though they're part of our collective memories, they also have a personal meaning to individuals. You feel connected, affected, but you give your own meaning to the events, to your own life. People have their own routines, life struggles, expectations, hopes, happiness and sadness. Most New Yorkers aren't tourists in their own city; they try to survive. The fortunate ones steal time to enjoy the city. The rich & powerful (and there are plenty here) have a much different taste of NYC.

So, New Yorkers don't have the same experiences despite living in the same city. I've seen several aspects of this big city and I know there are lots more that I haven't seen, only heard about. I've had a long trek through it, and the socio-economic status determines a great deal of what a person sees & experiences. It's the same in any big city. The reality is a bit more harsher here because of the overall rush and grit this city is known for.

I feel I could write a book about New York city, including the borough of Queens where I spent many years of my life. Which brings me to another point: The city is not only Manhattan but the entire 5 boroughs, each one having its own character and sub-culture(s). I intend to return to this subject several more times, and I don't think I can exhaust it. The best approach would be to break down the various aspects of the diverse experiences within this metropolis and its surrounding areas in which I've spent most of my life. So, stay tuned....

PS. clicking on the images opens them bigger for better viewing.