Beijing's Safety Dance

This morning Beijing/st1 :city>'s streets, which are usually packed with 3.3 million cars, probably felt a little less congested, since half of those vehicles won't be on the roads.  Due to Olympic pollution concerns and overcrowding, Beijing/st1 :city> has implemented an odd-even numbered license plate system, so cars will only be able to drive every other day, depending on their plate number./span>

For tourists, this seems to be a great system- cutting down on traffic and pollution, but security checkpoints leading into Beijing/st1 :city> have caused massive delays.  Everyone must travel with proper identification, and it could take several hours for people to get into the city. /span>

Life for factory workers isn't any easier; many have had to shut down during the Games.  Chemical plants, foundries, and power station remaining open will also have to reduce emissions by thirty percent.  Vendors selling fruits and vegetables to city residents are also without much work, due to increased security concerns caused by potentially hazardous produce. /span>

For months, Beijing/st1 :city> has been flirting with two competing versions of the Olympics- one is subdued, safe, and secure; the other is exciting and daring.  It's possible that there will be a combination of the two, but when it comes down to it, Mr. Security is the preferred choice to Mr. Excitement./span>

According to senior official Xi Jinping, "a safe Olympics is the biggest indicator of the success of the Games."  He also maintains, "A safe Olympics is also the biggest indicator of the positive reflection of our nation's image."/span>

Perhaps this is the case, and Chinese leadership clearly doesn't want the Beijing Olympics to have the same connotations as the 1972 Munich Games, but some wonder whether all of these efforts are really necessary to ensure public safety./span>

From the multiple arrests and even executions of alleged terrorists, to the anti-terrorism force of 100,000 in Beijing it's clear that Beijing/st1 :city>'s not messing around.  Even certain restaurants are temporarily closing, so as not to offend the sensibilities of visitors./span>

While very little will escape the eyes of the 300,000 citywide security cameras, various media outlets are unsure that their cameras will be able to broadcast certain controversial events or protests, perhaps to ensure the safety of the viewers at home?/span>

With less than three weeks before the Olympics, anything's still possible, and we can all rest assured that even if these aren't the most exciting, thrilling Olympics, they'll definitely be the most secure./span>