OLYPlusSelectPlusSportsOlympics '08: Just One Day AwayOlympics '08: Just One Day AwayThe Associated PressThe Olympic opening ceremonies are just one day away, but there are still plenty of worries about air quality and security in Beijing. (Aug. 7)LESS THAN TWENTY FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE 2008 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES, AND THE CITY OF BEIJING IS BRIMMING WITH ANTICIPATION....AS CROWDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD POUR INTO THE CITY....SOTSOTAS RUNNERS CARRIED THE OLYMPIC TORCH ALONG CHINA'S HISTORIC GREAT WALL WEDNESDAY....CROWDS OF PEOPLE CHEERED THE TORCH'S ARRIVAL TO THE HOST COUNTRY....(NATS)BUT AMIDST ALL THE EXCITEMENT, THE SECURITY IS TIGHT, THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES CONTINUE INSTALL ADDITIONAL SECURITY CHECKPOINTS AND ADD MORE MILITARY TROOPS INSIDE THE OLYMPIC GREEN AREA IN PREPARATION FOR OPENING CEREMONIES....THE EXTRA SECURITY HAS MANY SPECTATORS ON EDGESOT ALONG WITH HEIGHTENED SECURITY, POLLUTION ALSO IS ANOTHER BIG CONCERN OF THIS YEAR'S GAMES....THE MILKY FOG THAT TYPICALLY SURROUNDS THE CITY HAS NOT LIFTED....AN AIR QUALITY TEST PERFORMED THE DAY BEFORE THE GAMES REVEALED THE AIR TO MORE THAN SIX TIMES THE ACCEPTABLE AIR QUALITY LEVEL RECOMMENDED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION "Today our readings are well into the three-hundreds and are touching the four-hundred range. That may change as the day goes on, perhaps the wind will pick up or die down more. There is just really no way of knowing. But at the moment the quick tests that we're taking are showing that in the three-hundred to four-hundred range.BUT BEIJING OLYMPIC ORGANIZERS SAY THEY AREN'T WORRIED(Jeff Ruffulo, BOCOG spokesman:) "we hope Mother Nature will help us and clear up some of this humidity/fog that we're experiencing. This is not pollution. This is muck. This is fog that lays into the city, and stays over Beijing, and trapped by mountain ranges."STANDUP BONNY ('Regardless of the air quality the show must go on....Friday's opening ceremonies will draw nearly 100,000 spectators, the promises a spectacular fireworks display....Bonny Ghosh the Associated Press Beijing." Author: AssociatedPress Keywords: oly countdown olympics '08: day Added: August 7, 2008
