Do the cheerleaders have to follow the guidelines of medal presenters set forth by Zhao Dongming, director of the Cultural Activities Department at Beijing's Organizing Committee for the Games?

"Generally speaking, they can't be too fat. Their figure should be good. They shouldn't be too heavy."

Isn't every Chinese person basically indentured?  They are going to be cheering for the sake of cheering and not really for the performance, or they will be put back into the sweatshop they came from.

This is kind of bizzarre.  Ithought that cheeleading was pretty much an American thing.  I've been alot of places outside North America, and NEVER seen a cheeleader at any of the sporting events I've been to.  I have heard that some Russian BBall team have "dance teams" like the NBA, but cheerleaders?  I don't get it. Will they lead cheers in Chinese?  Engrish? I can almost here it - "2-4-6-8  We apprciate highly your esteemed attendance at Glorious Leaders welcome to the world!"

That said, I think I will have to do some very, uh, in depth study of the Olympic cheerleaders.  You know, just to see if it works.