Stayed in DC Friday night, the better to enjoy a long over due dinner with Steeljaw Scribe. Good food and we spent about 3+hours catching up on things.
Returning to the room, I flipped on the Olympic opening ceremonies. Looks like the Chinese got their 100 million dollars worth. It certainly was quite a show.
When I called the S.O. she said it looked to her, like videos of North Korean ceremonies that she had seen on NHK. Come to think of it, I think she may be right. Birds of a feather and all that you know……..
Some other short random observations:
-The ceremony was quite a show-but in my opinion all the artsy stuff at the front makes it way, way, too long. The heart of the ceremony is the parade of nations and the lighting of the torches. It took 3 and 1/2 hours to get to that. That’s just too long.
-Speaking of the parade of nations, its probably an apt commentary on whats wrong with the world today that 204 nations are there. About a 105 too many in my book. There are too many nations in existence today-and for the life of me I a don’t understand why Africa for example, does not unite into a United States of Africa instead of 54 different third world hell holes nations.
– I felt sorry for Taiwan. Chinese territory of Taipei? What’s up with that?
-How come Guam and Puerto Rico get to send their own delegations? Seems to me I seem to recall learning something in school about the fact that the US flag flies over their land.
-The Japanese delegation went out of its way to show good manners to the Chinese. I was astounded that they had to carry Commie Chinese flags in addition to the Japanese flag. What’s up with that?
And they made their flag bearer, Ai Fukuhara, a ping pong player who can speak Chinese and has trained in China.
The reward for trying to show some good will to the racists Chinese?
Deafening Silence.
I’m not suprised, Japan has been bending over backwards to foster good relations in China, and their reward has been very similar to this. (Which made me happy to see Kitajima san win in swimming tonight..).
– Kobe Bryant makes how many millions of dollars a year and he looked like crap walking into the stadium. Show some pride man! Hat crooked, jacket askew, he looked like he was walking through LA instead of marching as a representative of his nation.
-Speaking of the NBA, it is probably quite apt that the China’s flag bearer was Chinese citizen who has to work in the United States to realize opportunities in his chosen profession. Another American job outsourced. Kind of sums it all up doesn’t it?
-The girls in the red dresses holding the placards did it for me. So too did the girls in the white tops, skirts, and boots who had cheer all 204 nations on as they came into the stadium. I felt sorry for those girls-they looked like they were getting tired by the end. Their level of movement had slowed down considerably.
-The lighting of the torch and the fireworks were pretty cool. Bet that cost some dollars. I wonder if the guy who got lifted up to light the torch was worried that they crane may drop him?
-One thing I will say for the Chinese team, they at least showed some order and pride as they came in. I know this is not a military parade, but I like it when athletes hold their heads up high and actually show some pride in their nation. They looked much more disciplined coming in than many of the other teams did.
-NBC needs a better annoucers for the opening. I agree with Katherine Goldstein, NBC swallowed the Commie propaganda line, hook, line, and sinker..
-Probably the best thing that can be said about the opening? After all the hype, its over.
Let the playing of the Star Spangled Banner, over and over again, begin.