Passing the Torch

A few random notes about the Olympic Torch now that it's going on it's worldwide tour:

• There's a Sacred Flame Protection Unit of the Chinese People's Armed Police (seriously). Those are the Chinese cops following the flame everywhere and jumping on protesters.

• The international torch relay was started by the Nazis in 1936 for the Berlin Olympics. They thought it would look good in some of their "promotional" videos.

• During the course of the torch relay, the flame will travel some 50,000 miles, plus another 35,000 miles when it goes around China en route to Beijing. And according to wired.com, all that traveling adds up to 462,400 gallons of jet fuel and over 11 million pounds of carbon emissions. That's as much greenhouse gas as 153 Americans (or 624 Chinese) put out in a year (calculated here). Not so good considering Beijing is calling this the "Green Olympics". Then again, this whole thing as much the IOC's (and Hitler's) idea than it is China's. Maybe it's good that they're thinking of canceling this in future years.