Opening Ceremony

[Thiele]

TO high for me and that is end of me for tonight. Really liked how they lit the flame

[smac]

Looked impressive, he disappeared very quickly though, I hope he didn't explode it was quite a big flash when he initially lit the fuse.

It was not only the height JAS, he maintained that running motion the whole way around which would be quite difficult up in the air like that.

[Thiele]

Enjoyed the fireworks dispaly

[JAS]

Great show

Time for tea

Nightie night all
Regards
JAS

[Thiele]

For all those that missed it in oz it will be replayed at 8.30am s.a time

[magpie in the 80's]

Lǐ Níng is a famous Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur. He was born in a Zhuang family on September 8, 1963 in Liuzhou, Guangxi, China and gained his Bachelor of Law and EMBA degrees from Peking University.

Ning is most famous for winning 6 medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, including 3 gold medals (in floor exercise, pommel horse, and rings), 2 silver medals, and a bronze medal. In 1982, he won six of the seven medals awarded at the Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, earning him the title "Prince of gymnastics".

Ning retired from sporting competition in 1988, and in 1990 he founded the Li-Ning Company Limited, which sells footwear and sporting apparel in China. Ning remains chairman of the company's board of directors.

Li was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2000. He became the first Chinese inductee of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

In Beijing 2008 Olympics Li Ning was named to be the person to ignite the cauldron at the opening ceremony.

[magpie in the 80's]

interesting facts to who would light the cauldron:

One athlete who hasn't yet run is former gymnast Mr. Li Ning, who won three gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the Games that symbolized the People's Republic of China's emergence from almost three decades of isolation from the global sporting community. Mr. Li went on to found a $6 billion sportswear company bearing his name. He also is a philanthropist who set up an educational program for athletes and is helping rebuild schools in quake-hit Sichuan. (Mr. Li's company has said it will name these schools after athletes it sponsors who strike gold at the Games.)

Should he be picked, the choice would arguably represent a happy compromise between the past and the future, the state and the private sector. But such a choice could pose a ticklish situation because Adidas AG and not Mr. Li's company is the official sportswear sponsor. Erica Kerner, Adidas's director of Olympics marketing, said, "All torch bearers have to wear Adidas."

[BenchedEagle]

Yeah amazing show
Pros:
The percussion at the start. Never seen anything like that ever! AWESOME
The Typewriter keys thing, very well drilled those guys must have been
The Thai-Chi group, that was fckin wickid

Cons:
Channels 7s commentry. ie the background talking, the dull dumb guy and Sonia during the artistic section.
Way too tedious watching the countrys walk out
Bad camera work in parts, more aeriel shots need in the Pros section

Overall: Makes Sydney and Athens look pretty lame!

[RustyCage]

for those that are interested the Ceremony has gone over half an hour longer

That'll be because of all those athletes wandering through like a rabble...they never walk fast enough

Regards
JAS

P.S. Hope you have a fantastic trip Tassie...as long as we beat ya tomorrow/today of course

Nah, make it shorter by cutting out all the arty farty crap at the start, begin the ceremony with the players walking out, do the speaking parts, raise the flag, light the flame, have a good night and drive safely. See you tomorrow.

[Ian]

This looks like a NSW state uniform, WTF were they thinking.

[Big Phil]

WOW....... BEIJING

That was the best opening ceremony I can remember from the last 4 or 5 Olympics, certainly showed Sydney and Athens up...

WTF

Like the majority of opinion will be no doubt, but those uniforms (if you could call them that) from the Australians were bloody horrible...

Looked like they were all in their tracksuits for the local lawn bowls club. Horrible choice, had to be GREEN and GOLD SURELY...

HORRIBLE

[Big Phil]

Replay on Channel 7 now...

Well worth watching it a second time, still just as amazing...

[MagicKiwi]

Congratulations to Beijing, that was awesome.

Australians looked absolutely terrible, shiny fabric sucked. Green and gold should be worn always.

[RustyCage]

I don't think this will really shock anyone...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/4890324/olympic-child-singing-star-fake-ceremony-director

[JAS]

I don't think this will really shock anyone...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/4890324/olympic-child-singing-star-fake-ceremony-director

Not shocked at all...but considering the emphasis placed on looks by the media etc I wouldn't be shocked at any country doing exactly the same thing. Sad reflection of how shallow society is these days if a child is 'not considered attractive enough'.

Regards
JAS

[Dirko]

Bloody wish they did that in Sydney so we weren't subjected to Nicky Webster....

[Thiele]

Even some of the fireworks were fake

[JAS]

Even some of the fireworks were fake

I do wonder if it really matters that songs were mimed or fireworks faked. It was a fantastic show and it's a bit sad the way nowadays we enjoy putting people and events up on a pedestal just so we can watch them get knocked down again. CGI and stuff is used everywhere now...is it really that different to using lighting tricks etc.

I do think it's appaling that the little girl was changed and unlikely, but I hope the poor kid never gets told about it...it really could scar her for life to believe that the world would find her unattractive...very cruel imho.

Regards
JAS

[Thiele]

the guides that lead the teams around had to strip to get the job\

THE 200 female guides who led athletes into the Opening Ceremony had to strip naked to get the job, local media is reporting.
The Beijing News says thousands of young dancers and students had to strip so teachers could judge if they were good enough.

Student Zhang Fan, 20, told the paper they were put in a room and teachers measured them with a ruler for "bone measurements", the width of shoulders, waists and height.

They had to be 1.66m, have a pretty face and have energy, the report said.

[brod]

the guides that lead the teams around had to strip to get the job\

THE 200 female guides who led athletes into the Opening Ceremony had to strip naked to get the job, local media is reporting.
The Beijing News says thousands of young dancers and students had to strip so teachers could judge if they were good enough.

Student Zhang Fan, 20, told the paper they were put in a room and teachers measured them with a ruler for "bone measurements", the width of shoulders, waists and height.

They had to be 1.66m, have a pretty face and have energy, the report said.

Had to have certain body shape ratio