Great start at Shuyi and American heroes

Rami Zur planned the work and worked the plan.

He got a great start to his 1000m campaign by getting a great start to his heat yesterday, then making sure he made the semis without wearing himself out.

He and Carrie have their first heats in the 500 today. Rami is doing both the 1000 and 500m.

It's really great to see Nathan, Cliff, Rami and Carrie. I really just started getting to know them a bit in Oklahoma City at the Trials. They're all great folks!

Chip and Garrett are still out there (US Diplomatic Security) and that's a great thing. What pros these guys are.

Chip talks about the athletes being American Heroes, and they are, but so are these guys. Respectful, fun, competent, helpfull and great ambassadors for the US. Both speak Chinese and know everyone at the venue.

We can all be proud that there are guys like these out there representing our country all over the world.

I heard a young American lady say how the world was getting worse all the time. For the record, I do not believe that. And, if that young lady would conduct herself like Chip and Garrett do on a regular basis, have a positive attitude about our country and share that with the folks she comes in contact with, she'd make the country and world a better place.

Sharing what's great about America with the world is what we as individuals need to do. Where else are the people of the world going to get their POSITIVE views of America? The news media? Bad news and controversy sells, right? Hollywood with their crappy TV shows that portray America as totally materialistic, sex obsessed and petty? Please.

It's up to us as ambassadors of the US to spread that word. Be nice. At least try to say hi or thanks in the host language. Something.

It infuriates me to see visitors from the US and elsewhere being impatient (and thus rude) with the Chinese volunteers that are really trying to help. It's like they expected everyone to learn English before we all came over here. Give me a break.

Enough of that.