Which country will win the most medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

first rule of the olympics: America gets the most medals.

lol@ironman! maybe that was .. but I think the times they are a changing!

All the track events are still up. I think the US will beat the Chinese there.

@ironman288 you reprisent everything i hate about America, congratulations.

If ironman watch only the NBC Sports reruns, he would have thought the US have won all the medals available. But he should be careful and not watch the live events.

autotom--

what do you hate about America? just curious

ok question on settlement...if there is a tie in total medals won, what will be used to determine the winner?

@victorhugo - I think thats pretty unlikely, but if US and China have the same number of medals overall, we will give the tie breaker to the highest Gold medal count.

Sorry, jenni, but if there is a tie in total medal count, shouldn't the
question be voided? There are other questions about the number of golds.
I voted on this one based on the "win most medals" wording. Unfortunately,
there was no choice given for what would happen in the event of a tie.

I looks like using number of golds is a reasonable approach, rather than voiding the entire question. I'd suggest though, the the question be edited to indicate that in the background so everyone would be aware and not have to read through all the comments to understand that possible settlement condition. It's still several days away from settlement becomes an issue and if everyone understands the conditions involving a tie, there should be no problem.

I still think it changes the original intent of the question if you add on an arbitrary qualifier for tie settlement. Why golds? Why not gold+silver? Or gold+team-size? I think that if it's a tie and there is no applicable option, then the question should be voided. Hopefully, a tie will not occur and this won't be an issue.

Any reasonable person would agree that gold is worth more than silver, and silver is worth more than bronze. I agree with @jenniandboys and @bayoubear that gold should be the tiebreaker, and if there's a tie in gold, silver be the tiebreaker; and an amendment be added on the resolution in case of a tie in total medals.

No way should number of gold medals be the tiebreaker. That has nothing to do with the intent of the original question. The question would have to be voided at that point.

Guys, the tie breaker will be the number of Golds -- that's how its typically reported in the MSM. The chance of this happening is VERY SMALL. If you think this clarification has changed the question too drastically, you can email me within the next day or so and I will void your prediction. (jenni at hubdub dot com)

I think that's a decent compromise. I still believe number of golds is largely irrelevant to this original question, but under the circumstances, I'd agree as a tiebreaker this settlement idea is probably as good as any.

I can understand why some would object to Gold Medals being the tie-breaker.

Many would, I think, agree that this question comes down to China vs. the USA for "total medal count".

There are. and have been since before the Games began, numerous press articles and commentators putting forth the notion that *this year* (for the first time?) the USA may lose it's lead in the total Gold Medal count, but retain it's lead in the total number of medals awarded.

Perhaps many have made predictions in both this market, and the companion market <http://www.hubdub.com/e/Market/Which_country_will_win_the_most_gold_medals_at_the_2008_Beijing_Olympics_4808>
based on that notion.

IF SO, then to determine a tie-breaker based solely on Gold, may be, in the eyes of some/many an automatic default to China. Adding up the "total medal value" to determine a tie breaker -- in a question that is about "total medal count" would seem, to me, to be a solution that better reflects the totality of this question.

That said, as the question is still open, and I can either cash out, or as Jenni as said, request a void -- I'm willing to go forward, forewarned.

This is definitely a tight competition though. The Chinese have only a one medal lead on the US right now.

I'm good with the tie breaker...and I grant that it is still a small chance. Thanks jenny.

I still want to know why autotom hates america...any ideas?

@victorhugo

The 'we are the greatest' mentality.

I visited America, sadly i saw Hawaii and L.A

I was not disgusted, i was saddened.
I was shocked and horrified by what your 'first world' country looks like.
I hear that Clinton is to blame for cutting payment to those incapable of gaining employment, therefor you have allot of bums..

Sorry to be like this but when you'll just never understand what it's like to be on the receiving end of America's bullshit

@victorhugo

I dont hate ALL americans. I have lots of american 'friends' ( people i have met through xbox live )

If you voted for bush, i hate you,
If your voting for McCain, i hate you.
If you work for the US Govt ( excluding public servants ) I hate you.

If you are not a right-winged imperialist patriot then i have no beef with you.

Thank you Jenni and newswrangler for helping in clarifying settlement. Hopefully, a tie-breaker will not be needed. However, having a tie-breaker in place makes more sense than voiding a question which has so much activity.

As for the other comments...please comment appropriately and relative to the question.
hubdub does have guidelines about this:

http://www.hubdub.com/public/help#commenting

Commenting 1. What are the guidelines on commenting?We welcome your opinions and discussions on the comments pages. However you should not (1) abuse, harass, threaten, impersonate or intimidate other users, (2) post any content that is infringing, defamatory, libelous, obscene, pornographic, abusive, offensive or otherwise violates any law, or (3) use the site for any illegal or unauthorized purpose.

well, fair enough then. appreciate the feedback

autotom, Where are you from? and don't be an idiot I've never know any American that didn't want to change something about the way America is. I understand that you may hate a type of American but what you described was about %10 percent of the American population.

@ autotom

Good afternoon, Your comments have reminded me of one of my favorite quotations from a famous American, Mark Twain..."Travel is fatal to pride, prejudice and bigotry." It's just eight little words, but very profound. During my life I've had the good fortune to visit dozens of countries around the world and live in several as well. In every case I've seen examples of what is ubiquitously referred to as "the proud people of X". I'm reading your comments carefully and surmising that your actual, literal exposure to American's is likely somewhat limited, certainly a visit to Hawaii and LA is a start, but hardly sufficient exposure to condemn such a large portion of this country. Further, friends that you've made on Xbox would give you only a limited frame of reference as well. Although I find your comments to be volatile, I suspect that your intent was not benign. I notice that you've been with this site for about two months now and I can assure you that unlike some other sites, the HD community largely respects each other and our variety of opinions about news predictions help us all to learn new things and gain new perspectives frequently. I'm going to take a chance and reach out to you with a friend request for your consideration, not because you are presenting yourself as an overtly gregarious personality, but rather to engage you so that you may learn that Americans are not as troublesome as you seem to believe. Here's hoping that you continue to enjoy and benefit from the world-wide assortment of opinions and frames of mind on this site. Regards, V&H

@skins I am from Australia
As stated, i have no issue with the majority of you, but that comment by ironman really ticked me off and seemed very a-typical of an American..

@valornhonour
Thank you, I've accepted your friend request.

Don't think I'm a hater, just understand that for the rest of the civilized english speaking world we have to watch your TV shows, and often your news programs too.
It all gets a bit much after that crap seeps onto the relatively American-pride free internet. ( I'd like it to stay that way )

@autotom...who forces you to watch "our" tv shows? australia does have any news/tv shows? even if they don't your not forced to watch tv..turn it off. whats wrong with an american being proud of america? hope you converse with valorhonor, he's a good guy. have a nice day.

*doesn't

@autotom: If national pride is a problem for you, I recommend that you don't go near any World Cup Football matches. On the other hand, that is what I love about them. The spectators are brimming full of national pride - it is a good thing, and I would not begrudge that from anyone!

I feel that I know Americans pretty well, and in fact I am disappointed with the number of Americans who do not openly display their national pride. When I see it, I encourage it - they have good reasons to feel national pride, like every other country. If you don't like their TV, just watch Al Jezerra or BBC. Their announcers are un-avoidable for comment. (And I like BBC)

@autotom

1. If you don't like American television don't watch it.
2. Don't judge America based off of the Xbox live community, LA, and/or Hawaii. There is much more diversity here and we are all different. I think the same can be said about your country. I'll try not to judge all of Australia based on your ignorant remarks.
3. Shame on you for hating an American because he has pride in his Olympic athletes. We've earned that pride.
4. You are a hater to me. I voted for President Bush (twice proudly), I am probably not voting for McCain though (not that it is any of your business how somebody in another country votes), and I dislike alot of people in our government but that is life. Somebody elected them. And I am a patriot.
5. Don't forget about the one million plus American GI's that passed through/were based in your country in WWII from 1942 on to deter the Japanese from trying to invade.

@jake

1. Come on now, your TV is plastered all over the internet and cable here is 100% american tv even the free channels show clips

@notablenotices
@dieseldog
3. there's a difference between pride and cockyness

4. Ignorance is bliss Bush is bad news.

5. Yes, Australia and its allies will never forget your countries assistance.
The top 1/3 of Australia would be Japanese right now had you not attacked them ( Let's leave the nuclear argument for another day )

@autotom

It's always a pleasure, and laugh, to read the spouting ignorance of another progeny of British criminals, convicts, malcontents, and other assorted losers and misfits.

After all, that anyone would form an opinion based on, as you said, "... we have to watch your TV shows, and often your news programs too...' is a complete and unadulterated moron of the first kind.

Forming your impression of 300M people by watching TV shows, one, that you spend too much time watching TV (you're an idiot); two, that you don't understand logic (how are a handful of TV shows representative of 300M people); and three, you must not travel much, least of all USA, and visited places like Silicon Valley or lower Manhattan (where people like us let ignorant idiots like you connect to the rest of the world using technology developed here, financed here, and marketed here).

But worst of all is that, as any reasonably intelligent American knows, only idiots watch TV. But, only flaming morons watch American TV in foreign countries and subsequently form their opinions of Americans through this medium.

@usa
you are not helping autotom to form the "right" opinion, when you yourself stereotype, and then go on a verbal assault here online, on Hubdub for god's sake.

@all
This is not the place to share your vile words. My son and many other sons and daughters are here on this site. I want them, like all, to learn, and to enjoy the value of this website, without bringing it down with your personal smears.

what is all this recent meanness and nastiness on hubdub...very discouraging....this is a great site with great people and great questions and give and take...these new verbal assaults suck and do not belong here imho

Cognos and coolkraft, you are correct.
This is not the forum for this conversation.

As I tried to clarify in comment #21 above, hubdub does have rules about commenting. While we try to create an environment which is open to differing opinions and free dialogue, this discussion is irrelevant to this question.

So, either refrain from personal attacks or take this "outside."
Consider this a warning.

How about sticking to the spirit of the Olympics, where even those countries who are in conflict are able to put aside their differences and compete and enjoy the games in a peaceful way?

way to go mrperfkt and coolkraft, as the joker says in batman movie :“Why so serious?”
Let's all lighten up.

World Commentary: synopsis
Teh Bushie: Worst US President EVER.
Micheal Phelps: effing Brilliant.
<dusts hands off>