Opening Ceremony of the Olympics

[Shalot]

Amazing!

[Shalot]

And it's still on. I don't even know how much longer we have to go with the Marching of the Countries. I didn't even know that many countries existed in the world. It's been on for hours and they just keep coming. And who knows when it will be over? We went from Chile to Austria.

[djy78usa]

I've been watching bits and pieces of it tonight. The part with the performers inside the boxes (or whatever they were), and the fireworks were outstanding.

[Virgil]

Shalot beat me to this. I was going to start an Olympic thread. I love the Olympics. I'm watching the Chinese team walking in. Such a proud country. Such pride always brings water to my eyes. Everyone should have such pride in their country. All the politics that has gone on about it is so annoying. Let's put those issues aside. China has come such a long way in the last ten years. Let's build on it rather than poke fingers. I can't wait for the actual games.

[djy78usa]

That little boy that walked in with Yao Ming was adorable. He has to take five or six steps for each of Yao's steps.

[Virgil]

That little boy that walked in with Yao Ming was adorable. He has to take five or six steps for each of Yao's steps.

Yeah, he's a real cutey. ;)

[Shalot]

The drummers were intense and the dancers who painted a picture of the mountain and the sea with their dance steps were unbelievable. It was something to see. It's still on now, and it's been hours and we're just watching it...

They keep showing W and Laura in the stands.

Now how many times are they gonna run that flame around?

This is such a huge ceremony. I'm awestruck and impatient at the same time. And no those are not magnetic shoes.

[djy78usa]

The guy in the wire harness looks like he's having a good time :)

[Virgil]

I'm not sure you can get me to be moved around like that from that high up with wires. :D

Was lighting the flame cool or what!!! :eek2: :eek2:

[djy78usa]

I can't even begin to imagine how cool this must be for the athletes.

[Shalot]

I'm not sure you can get me to be moved around like that from that high up with wires. :D

Was lighting the flame cool or what!!! :eek2: :eek2:


that was really amazing!!!

[Virgil]

That little boy captured my heart. Not only is he a cutey, but check out his story.


A 10-year-old boy is being called a hero after he helped save the lives of two of his friends after China's huge earthquake.

Lin Hao was at school in Yingxiu, which was one of the areas worst hit by the powerful quake last Monday.

The building collapsed while he was walking down a corridor, trapping him and two of this classmates.

Lin was injured, but managed to free himself before carrying his two friends to safety.

He said: "The corridor collapsed as I was walking. Two of my classmates were trapped beside me.

"I tried as hard as I could to climb out, and after I had climbed out I pulled a classmate out."

Lin went back in to the collapsed building a second time to help his other friend escape.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7410000/newsid_7410800/7410881.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44673000/jpg/_44673917_chinaboy_416.jpg

[djy78usa]

That kid is awesome!!!

[motherhubbard]

that was so wonderful. They kept saying that that was one of the worlds largest LED screens. ONE of the largest? it was a 1/4 mile long!

[Dinglingzi]

And it's still on. I don't even know how much longer we have to go with the Marching of the Countries. I didn't even know that many countries existed in the world. It's been on for hours and they just keep coming. And who knows when it will be over? We went from Chile to Austria.

hhahaha ~yea~i was suprised when those names of the contries which i never heard about apeared on the screen....and acc to my rough calculation,i'll last for 'round 2 hours~:lol: but it's not boring for me~quite exciting~


Shalot beat me to this. I was going to start an Olympic thread. I love the Olympics. I'm watching the Chinese team walking in. Such a proud country. Such pride always brings water to my eyes. Everyone should have such pride in their country. All the politics that has gone on about it is so annoying. Let's put those issues aside. China has come such a long way in the last ten years. Let's build on it rather than poke fingers. I can't wait for the actual games.

thank you so much!!!!!!!!:bawling:
wish all the athlets score perfectly!


That little boy that walked in with Yao Ming was adorable. He has to take five or six steps for each of Yao's steps.

exactly!!!!!!:lol: every one loves this cute hero~


The drummers were intense and the dancers who painted a picture of the mountain and the sea with their dance steps were unbelievable. It was something to see. It's still on now, and it's been hours and we're just watching it...

They keep showing W and Laura in the stands.

Now how many times are they gonna run that flame around?

This is such a huge ceremony. I'm awestruck and impatient at the same time. And no those are not magnetic shoes.

yup~that was amazing~the dance painter~cooooolllll~


The guy in the wire harness looks like he's having a good time :)

oh...you mean the guy who was lighting the fire???named Li ning????

[Deng Xiang]

The marching seems as if it took 3 hours to end as there are literally over 200 countries.I would like to cite that the ceremony is also amazing.Calling all!Can anyone remember that Confucius?I never see that before.

[djy78usa]

oh...really~i didn't notice that~:alien:

I was talking about the man that lit the cauldron. He was hoisted up in a wire harness, and then carried all the way around the stadium... it was pretty cool!

[Dinglingzi]

I was talking about the man that lit the cauldron. He was hoisted up in a wire harness, and then carried all the way around the stadium... it was pretty cool!

yea~i got it right~his name 's Lining ~thats pretty cool, make you feel like you are in a scene of kungfu movie~:lol:

[djy78usa]

yea~i got it right~his name 's Lining ~thats pretty cool, make you feel like you are in a scene of kungfu movie~:lol:

That's exaclty what I was thinking. It reminded me of Crouching Tiger or Hero

[Dinglingzi]

That's exaclty what I was thinking. It reminded me of Crouching Tiger or Hero

hahahaha ~~~:D
and besides china representative team...American one, i think is the second bigger one~.,...:D

[djy78usa]

hahahaha ~~~:D
and besides china representative team...American one i think is the second big one~.,...:D

its funny you mention that. The olympics is the only time in sports that I try not to get caught up in "this country vs. that." I am, of course, rooting for my countrymen, but I'm really just looking for a good competition. If that means the U.S. doesn't place, so be it. There's just something about the Olympics that, while at the same time highlighting, transcends all that petty nationalism. I'm lookng forward to a great Olympiad!!!!

[Dinglingzi]

its funny you mention that. The olympics is the only time in sports that I try not to get caught up in "this country vs. that." I am, of course, rooting for my countrymen, but I'm really just looking for a good competition. If that means the U.S. doesn't place, so be it. There's just something about the Olympics that, while at the same time highlighting, transcends all that petty nationalism. I'm lookng forward to a great Olympiad!!!!

oh~sorry~there might be mizunderstanding...
actually I just wanted to make a statement that America really got a huge team, cuz, nothing suprisng for china having a big one for its position of being a host~I'm not making any comparison or something~:bawling:

[djy78usa]

oh~sorry~there might be mizunderstanding...
actually I just wanted to make a statement that America really got a huge team, cuz, nothing suprisng for china having a big one for its position of being a host~I'm not making any comparison or something~:bawling:

no, no misunderstanding! :) I knew what you were getting at. I was just saying that, despite the large U.S. (or any other country) presence, the Olympics is the time when I don't really care about national allegiance, I just want to see the the best athletes in the world doing what they do best... with a great sense of good sportsmanship and international unity. It is nice to see that, esp. in my field (U.S. Army) where we seem to focus more on our differenceses than our similarities, the citizens of countries that might have politcal differences can join together to celebrate team or individual accomplishments.

[InspireMe]

i liked the 2008 dancers that wore the green suits and sparkled white.
at least, i think i heard one of the announcers say there were 2008 of them.

[Dinglingzi]

no, no misunderstanding! :) I knew what you were getting at. I was just saying that, despite the large U.S. (or any other country) presence, the Olympics is the time when I don't really care about national allegiance, I just want to see the the best athletes in the world doing what they do best... with a great sense of good sportsmanship and international unity. It is nice to see that, esp. in my field (U.S. Army) where we seem to focus more on our differenceses than our similarities, the citizens of countries that might have politcal differences can join together to celebrate team or individual accomplishments.

:blush: the citizens of countries that might have politcal differences can join together to celebrate team or individual accomplishments.

'this's just what makes me so touched, everything at this special moment seems nothing!!!
peoples from all contries are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


i liked the 2008 dancers that wore the green suits and sparkled white.
at least, i think i heard one of the announcers say there were 2008 of them.

I think I missed this scene~:flare:

[Nossa]

It was an incredible opening ceremony!! I esp. liked the first part, when they were counting down the minutes to the beginning. I have NO idea how they did that, but it was SO cool. And the fireworkds were amazing. And the little kids, they were SO cute. It was all so great!

[Dinglingzi]

It was an incredible opening ceremony!! I esp. liked the first part, when they were counting down the minutes to the beginning. I have NO idea how they did that, but it was SO cool. And the fireworkds were amazing. And the little kids, they were SO cute. It was all so great!

absolutely~ i love the first part as you do
the counting down part really brings water to my eyes....
fabulous~:bawling: :p :lol:

[Madhuri]

I missed the beginning part of the ceremony. But, from the remaining part, I liked the presentation, the synchronization amongst the dancers was very good. One performance where girls were dressed in white flowing dress and were doing hand movements like a flying duck was also good; it was very elegant.

And, the ending, the lighting of the Olympic torch was awsome :nod: The whole theme was too good.

Loved it !

[Dinglingzi]

I missed the beginning part of the ceremony. But, from the remaining part, I liked the presentation, the synchronization amongst the dancers was very good. One performance where girls were dressed in white flowing dress and were doing hand movements like a flying duck was also good; it was very elegant.

And, the ending, the lighting of the Olympic torch was awsome :nod: The whole theme was too good.

Loved it !

:bawling: ~but the girls you mentioned in flowing white dress were trying to make themselves look like pigeon......:lol:

[kasie]

That's exaclty what I was thinking. It reminded me of Crouching Tiger or Hero

The Opening Ceremony was choreographed by the director of the film you mention - I'm ashamed to say I have forgotten his name.

Last year when I visited China we were taken to see an open air spectacular produced by this man - it was amazing, breathtaking, astounding - and all the other adjectives! We were told he was devising the Opening Ceremony and I have been looking forward to it ever since. It certainly lived up to expectations. I have to admit I slipped out from time to time during the March of the Nations (the weather was too good not to take advantage of hanging out washing - it was the middle of the afternoon here) and so managed to miss both UK and USA.

As for getting a little misty eyed, I cannot think of a more moving moment than standing on the podium with your Gold Medal, hearing your National Anthem and watching your flag being raised and I often find myself shedding a sympathetic tear or two with the athletes! (And this is the least athletic person imaginable speaking here!)


:bawling: ~but the girls you mentioned in flowing white dress were trying to make themselves look like pigeon......:lol:

Ducks! Pigeons! Doves, please, Doves - the symbol of Peace!

Apparently they didn't use real birds because at the Seoul Olympics some of the doves pitched on the edge of the cauldron and when the Flame was lit they quickly became ex-doves... (the BBC commentator's words, not mine!)

[Sweets America]

Shalot beat me to this. I was going to start an Olympic thread. I love the Olympics. I'm watching the Chinese team walking in. Such a proud country. Such pride always brings water to my eyes. Everyone should have such pride in their country. All the politics that has gone on about it is so annoying. Let's put those issues aside. China has come such a long way in the last ten years. Let's build on it rather than poke fingers. I can't wait for the actual games.

:rolleyes: :bawling: I'm not sure you realize what you're saying. Can't you all look further than the tip of your nose? Don't you see the misery that is behind the games? Pride, you say? Pride in what? In making poor guys work in miserable conditions to build this mascarade? Pride in censoring every person who wishes to give their opinion about what is going on there for so many people? Pride in excluding people from their homes just to build houses for the athletes? How can the athletes not feel sick when they think of this? I don't understand how I can be the only one here who feels disgusted.
But ok, let's put those issues aside, as usual, it's ok because we are not the ones suffering.

[PrinceMyshkin]

:rolleyes: :bawling: I'm not sure you realize what you're saying. Can't you all look further than the tip of your nose? Don't you see the misery that is behind the games? Pride, you say? Pride in what? In making poor guys work in miserable conditions to build this mascarade? Pride in censoring every person who wishes to give their opinion about what is going on there for so many people? Pride in excluding people from their homes just to build houses for the athletes? How can the athletes not feel sick when they think of this? I don't understand how I can be the only one here who feels disgusted.
But ok, let's put those issues aside, as usual, it's ok because we are not the ones suffering.

Way to go, Sweets! What is going on there is just the latest example of the Bread and Circuses perfected in the Roman Empire and practised by every empire since. Starve the people, oppress the people, throw the dissenters into jail, but give them Bread and Circuses and all will be well. Have we forgotten the Nuremberg games so beautifully filmed in Leni Riefenstall's Triumph of the Will?

[Niamh]

I am sure there are people who think the same but on that note;

I would like to remind members that this thread is dedicated to the actual Olympic Games and thats that. Any posts that stear in to the politics of China etc will be edited. Remember the "No Politics Rule"
Thank you :)

[Dinglingzi]

The Opening Ceremony was choreographed by the director of the film you mention - I'm ashamed to say I have forgotten his name.

Last year when I visited China we were taken to see an open air spectacular produced by this man - it was amazing, breathtaking, astounding - and all the other adjectives! We were told he was devising the Opening Ceremony and I have been looking forward to it ever since. It certainly lived up to expectations. I have to admit I slipped out from time to time during the March of the Nations (the weather was too good not to take advantage of hanging out washing - it was the middle of the afternoon here) and so managed to miss both UK and USA.

As for getting a little misty eyed, I cannot think of a more moving moment than standing on the podium with your Gold Medal, hearing your National Anthem and watching your flag being raised and I often find myself shedding a sympathetic tear or two with the athletes! (And this is the least athletic person imaginable speaking here!)
ahuh~i m so proud to tell everyone that he's from my city--XI'AN~one of the greatest directors in China~He directed the whole ceremony with his excellent team base on his rich knowledge of Chinese history.all the people from XI'AN are so happy for his success!!!:thumbs_up
oh~his name is Zhang Yimou~


Ducks! Pigeons! Doves, please, Doves - the symbol of Peace!

Apparently they didn't use real birds because at the Seoul Olympics some of the doves pitched on the edge of the cauldron and when the Flame was lit they quickly became ex-doves... (the BBC commentator's words, not mine!)

ex-doves
that's pretty funny!!!!!!!!!!ahahahahaha~
dove ~yea~sorry for my lousy language~that's just what i meant~
hahahahahaha ~ex-doves..........
please make me stop laughing......

[Madhuri]

Ducks! Pigeons! Doves, please, Doves - the symbol of Peace!

Apparently they didn't use real birds because at the Seoul Olympics some of the doves pitched on the edge of the cauldron and when the Flame was lit they quickly became ex-doves... (the BBC commentator's words, not mine!)

Ah, I see. You are correct.

I dont know why I was thinking of ducks :rolleyes:

[Sweets America]

I am sure there are people who think the same but on that note;

I would like to remind members that this thread is dedicated to the actual Olympic Games and thats that. Any posts that stear in to the politics of China etc will be edited. Remember the "No Politics Rule"
Thank you :)

Do not worry, I just wanted to give my honest opinion because I thought it was important to raise this point, but I will not dwell on it here... It just felt to me that it was not as much a political matter as a humanitarian one, at this point.

[SleepyWitch]

:rolleyes: :bawling: I'm not sure you realize what you're saying. Can't you all look further than the tip of your nose? Don't you see the misery that is behind the games? Pride, you say? Pride in what? In making poor guys work in miserable conditions to build this mascarade? Pride in censoring every person who wishes to give their opinion about what is going on there for so many people? Pride in excluding people from their homes just to build houses for the athletes? How can the athletes not feel sick when they think of this? I don't understand how I can be the only one here who feels disgusted.
But ok, let's put those issues aside, as usual, it's ok because we are not the ones suffering.

you're not the only one! I didn't watch the opening ceremony and will not watch the games.... ok I admit I never watch the olympics anyway. but I did think about watching the opening ceremony and then decided against it precisely because of the reasons you listed.
:thumbs_up

edit: oops, sorry Niamh, didn't see your reminder

[Dinglingzi]

With Mabrouck and Calif. Want to join?.....
are you muslim????well ~i would like to join~cuz i am~aha~

[Virgil]

:rolleyes: :bawling: I'm not sure you realize what you're saying. Can't you all look further than the tip of your nose? Don't you see the misery that is behind the games? Pride, you say? Pride in what? In making poor guys work in miserable conditions to build this mascarade? Pride in censoring every person who wishes to give their opinion about what is going on there for so many people? Pride in excluding people from their homes just to build houses for the athletes? How can the athletes not feel sick when they think of this? I don't understand how I can be the only one here who feels disgusted.
But ok, let's put those issues aside, as usual, it's ok because we are not the ones suffering.
I can look beyond the tip of my nose. Can you see the work and paychecks and rise in standard of living in China? Or do you want to condemn them to rural poverty? You don't have any idea what it really means to be really poor. Can you see beyond the tip of your nose, or are you just as near sighted as Prince?


thank you so much!!!!!!!!:bawling:
wish all the athlets score perfectly!
You're quite welcome Dingling. I assume you're from China. Your country put on such a spectaculat show. It was thrilling. :)


its funny you mention that. The olympics is the only time in sports that I try not to get caught up in "this country vs. that." I am, of course, rooting for my countrymen, but I'm really just looking for a good competition. If that means the U.S. doesn't place, so be it. There's just something about the Olympics that, while at the same time highlighting, transcends all that petty nationalism. I'm lookng forward to a great Olympiad!!!!

Absolutely DJ. That's exactly how I feel. May the comeptition be great!!

[Dori]

Oh I loved it! The countdown in the beginning was awesome! And the people in the boxes?!!! :eek: I loved the part where the children were sitting in the middle with the people doing karate or whatever outside of it.

Did anyone noticed how the Chinese run? My dad goes to University of Rochester (where Chinese people are plentiful) and he says they run like that there too. :lol:

[Virgil]

Highlights of today's (or is it yesterday given the time change? ;) ) vents:

China's first gold, Wei Pang, Men's 10m air pistol:

http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2007/12/06/4213shooting1.jpg

United States first gold, Mariel Zagunis, Women's Individual Sabre

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44406000/jpg/_44406304_final474.jpg

Edit: I guess I wasn't allowed to use that first picture. Is this one ok?

[Jueno]

The opening ceremoni was absolutely outstanding.

China really went out of their way to show that they are not human rights violators, huh?

[Shalot]

The opening ceremoni was absolutely outstanding.

China really went out of their way to show that they are not human rights violators, huh?


I don't know about all that, but it was a sight to see. I bet being there would have been intense. I've already said this, but I the painting of the mountains and the sea with the dance steps was my favorite.

[papayahed]

I am sure there are people who think the same but on that note;

I would like to remind members that this thread is dedicated to the actual Olympic Games and thats that. Any posts that stear in to the politics of China etc will be edited. Remember the "No Politics Rule"
Thank you :)

There has already been one warning which has been ignore. Thread now closed. If you wish to discuss the Olympic games please feel free to open another thread.