There’s an excellent review of Beijing’s Olympics architecture in the Aug. 5 New York Times, Aug. 5. But there's more to it than what's on the surface.

A few months ago I wrote about the architectural efforts by Beijing and the amazing job the Chinese have done in creating some of the most exciting and important buildings the modern world has seen. Those buildings – the National Stadium and the Swimming Cube in particular – are making quite impression worldwide, now that the Olympics are in full swing.

The Times' writer, Nicolai Ouroussoff, does a superb job in meditating on the efforts put forth by the Chinese, about what they were hoping to accomplish with their new buildings, and what these structures represent philosophically. He describes the National Stadium, known as The Bird’s Nest, as “an intoxicating beauty that lingers in the imagination.”

Well put.

There’s a fine art to architecture writing, and to do it well, to relay clearly the meaning behind a structure with artful and concise prose is a true talent and this is one of the finest examples of the art form you’re likely to read this year.

The structures in Beijing that Ouroussoff writes about relate just how far China has come in the eyes of the world, and in its own eyes since to early 1970s thaw. That advancement to a superpower has come at a grave cost, of course, in terms of pollution and human life, but it is precisely the presence of the Olympics, and the “intoxicating beauty” that will “linger in the imagination” that will bring China into the mainstream of world culture, and invite it to change its ways to be more in keeping with the leadership role that a superpower should take. That, at least, is the hope.

Beijing has created Olympic venues that will far outlast the games themselves and grow in stature as the years pass, something that is very difficult to do. As the writer so ably notes, the Olympic stadiums that have been built in the past and are still memorable can be counted on one hand, maybe even a single finger.

It is decidedly important to speak on the postives of the games and the buildings that China has erected, but, as mentioned above, that cost in pollution and human life has to be addressed, because there are egregious wrongs being completely glossed over by the world media as the games begin. Why this is I can't say. Perhaps it's due to China's trading power in the modern world economy; perhaps it's simply because other nations are scared of China's might. Whatever the reason, it's wrong to ignore, especially as such a huge "celebration" takes place.

There are those brave few in China, however, that are willing to take on the machine, putting themselves at great personal risk to try and get the word out about the environmental, political and human rights abuses taking place. Most of these people are under the age of 30 and desperate to see substantial changes in the attitudes of their country. And nowhere can you get a better feel for these brave people, or the hidden dirty secrets of the Orwellian Chinese regme than on Current TV (on certain cable providers), or at CurrentTV.com. There you can see reports about the abuses, about the horrific pollution - did you know that out of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, China has 16? - and the ravaging of its people?

No amount of Orwellian doublethink can block out the true facts. Hopefully these brave few people willing to talk, combined with the attention of the entire planet over the next few weeks, will force China's hand, and force it to come into the world community, stop its horrible abuse and denial and be leaders in preserving the planet, its people and their dignity for the next thousand years. That is where my personal hope lays. Only time will tell.

Check out the link to the article here, enjoy the excellent writing and – whatever your opinion of how China conducts its business – do tune into the Olympics to get a glimpse at these amazing buildings.

-Noah Fleisher, Aug. 11, 2008