Freedom takes a holiday

Giant screens were set up in parks so Beijing residents could share in the glory of their city hosting the lavish Olympics opening ceremony Friday. But in at least one park, security guards shut the gates and shooed people away.

Main roads were quiet, with police cars stationed at every intersection. In old Beijing neighborhoods, security volunteers in Olympic T-shirts sat on street corners or cycled around looking for any hint of trouble.

After seven years of buildup and billions of dollars in preparations, the capital declared an unofficial holiday and encouraged millions of residents to stay home or use public transport.

Officials said it was an effort to reduce traffic congestion as 91,000 people attended the opening of the Beijing games.

The Olympics have been a huge source of national pride. But they have also come at a cost for the residents of Beijing, a city of 17 million where half the cars have been taken off the roads, and many migrant workers and students have been sent home to reduce pollution and congestion.

No blimps allowed

As an official sponsor of NBC’s coverage of the Beijing Olympics, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. will have its familiar blimp logo appear on TV screens during aerial shots of the games, which began their run Friday.

But don’t be fooled.

It won’t be an actual Goodyear blimp providing the footage. That will be left to Chinese crews in planes or helicopters.

“It will not be a (Goodyear) blimp because it’s restricted airspace for the Olympics,” company spokesman Ed Markey said.

A meaty incentive

Belarusian athletes who win gold medals at the Beijing Olympics will be provided with meat and sausage for the rest of their lives, a meat company said on Thursday.

The women’s national basketball team, which will take part in the Olympic Games for the first time, will get the reward if is secures any medal. In addition to monetary rewards from Games organizers and sponsorship deals, Belarusian athletes will be given $100,000, $50,000, and 30,000 each in their home country for gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively.

Marching orders: win

Military personnel make up almost half of the Russian team that will compete at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, a senior military official said Thursday.

Col. Igor Konashenkov, an aide to Russia’s Ground Forces commander, said 201 of the 467 athletes in the team came from the armed forces.