Longrider is scathing about the whole “corrupt junket, Lord Coe’s appalling, expensive and wasteful vanity project” but by the end, like so many others, I was in two minds about it.
On the plus side were the fantastic athletes themselves and their dedication, passion and spirit. Then came the volunteers and the camera crews who sent superb images back via relay – they made the whole thing more immediate. Then you could include the crowds themselves who were the British and many from around the world having a good time.
It was infectious and on this last night, they all poured into the stadium in order to enjoy themselves and party – heck, nothing wrong with that – they’re young people and that’s what they do. Elements of that show were OK but more on that below.
On the down side were the appalling doings of G4S, LOCOG, Them and the officious little officials who even managed a PR disaster by taking Bolt’s baton from him in front of a billion people or so. The navigation at the online Beeb was awful – there were no direct links to latest results, one had to go through a three-click process to get anything and the scores were not kept superimposed at all, leaving sometimes minutes with no one knowing who was where. The less said about the commentators the better.
On balance, a terrible opening ceremony, so heavily politicized that the Labour Party was delighted about its embracing precisely the opposite values to those of the athletes – i.e. hard work, dedication and achievement, plus competition – yet lifted by the athletes, crowds, camera work and volunteers in the days subsequent to that.
Then came the closing ceremony. Meaningless drivel in so many ways, reflecting both diseased minds and lack of artistic ability but we’ll let that pass. The entry of the athetes through the crowd was nice, the mixing of all the flags was OK. The bottom line was that the athletes were there to enjoy themselves and were totally unaware of the politicized and arcane elements.
The formal part of the presentation to the marathon runners was nice. The array of flags was nice – all the traditional parts were nice.
However, the way that flame was positioned, the dark, pagan atmosphere, the uniformity of the slaves in faceless masks – they were one thing. When the pyramid appeared in the middle of the union flag, that was one step too far but no doubt the crowd and viewers were unaware what that and the flame signified. Again, let that pass.
Then came the unforgivable element. Of those nations, I know of none which were atheist except China, many were devout for their form of the Deity. Yet this disgrace then occurred:
Young children taught to sing: “Imagine there’s no heaven; it’s easy if you try,” then going into a godless “brotherhood of man”, precisely the message of the enemy, back by its tribalistic, warlike agenda which is enslaving the world right now and which all those young people there were blissfully unaware of.
If they’d some lowlife singing that, then OK – it’s British. But to get little children to do that – the organizers should be incarcerated.
It showed utter disrespect for the underpinnings of the majority of countries there. The sad thing is that the young would be unaware, brainwashed as they are by leftist claptrap. The singing which followed it was dire and that’s where I tuned out, chagrined.
………..
Just briefly tuned back in and saw that excrescence Brand prancing around on top of a carriage pretending to sing. Who TF is Brand to the world?
People, this ceremony is awful, an utter disgrace. No one there wants that godless or pagan, arcane c**p – they just want to party and when the so-called music is finally allowed to approximate a concert, the athletes are able to relax and enjoy:
………..
OK – the formal part was all right and then came Them again – the phoenix, for goodness sake, over the flame. Half the world now knows what that symbolizes – this is worrying – they’re not even trying to hide it any more. People, we’s in big trouble, the world.
It gets worse – the Olympic flame is extinguished, a flame which at least represented hope and guess what is left burning brightly, high in the air for all to gaze on – yep, the phoenix of the global elite – and how many would be aware of what all that was about?
That has to have been one of the worst hijackings of the Olympic spirit ever, it’s getting worse and the deep-captured kids have no idea – bless them all because the baton’s in their hands now to get us out of this stranglehold, if only they could see they’re in one. Here is one commenter a few minutes ago at the Telegraph:
I enjoyed the Brazil presentation, the rest was missable. We have great orchestras, military bands and ballet but these were not much in evidence, except for a bit of Darcy Bussell. The Queen was right to stay away.
I like to think I speak for Team GB when I say: Can this finish quite soon, I’m a bit tired?
Fully agree – after the cheekiness of the Opening Ceremony, this was awful, deflating, choosing the worst of British Pop. When the Spice Girls and a dead Freddie Mercury are the best things about it all…!
Still, back to normal now. Just waiting for the whinging to start when we don’t go crazy over the Paralympics to the same degree.
Maybe they’ll open those with Pinball Wizard.
Next up: this Thursday it’s A level results, Thursday 23rd, GCSEs.
So – analysis and bigging-up the paralympics until Tuesday lunchtime. By Wednesday lunchtime – when the universities and schools have the results – turning to pre-announcement whispers about whether or not this is a record year for A* results.
Cue frantic analysis of the admissions criteria to Oxford and Cambridge and traditional leaping pictures of young ladies.
Since the children will be back at school and the students in a kerfuffle about places and university funding, this will be an interesting time for the Coalition during which we could see Nick Clegg nailed by the photo of him promising never to raise fees. About the only clever thing Cameron has done is pin the tail on this particular donkey.
Actually, it looks like this won’t be a record year for A level results. Capping of places at universities has been lifted this year for all students with A-A-B, and based upon yesterday’s data from one of the best of non-Russell Group unis, about two thirds have missed this by a grade or more. Universities can offer places to those who have previously accepted a higher offer and failed to reach it, but for those with A-B-B or A-A-C places are strictly capped by the government. Next year, the goal posts move (of course), and uncapped places can be given on the basis of A-B-B or equivalent points. Universities in this country are looking down the barrel of a massive financial deficit, not through lack of demand, but through artificial controls of the market.
Isn’t EVERY year a record year for exam results?
Maybe they’ll open those with Pinball Wizard.
LOL !!!
Sorry chaps, but I disagree, I thought the opening ceremnoy was appalling, lefty crap, and utterly emabarassing, the games themselves were by and large great, and the closing ceremony very good, with blips.
I fully agree about imagine, freddie mercury and russel brand (who, he?) but the fact is that playing to a world audience, these songs and characters, even the dead ones, are well loved, and and as music, made for a great party, which I’m sure the athletes will have enjoyed and made a great TV spectacle which will have been enjoyed the world over.
So yes, some of the details could have been improved, but overall the feel of it was dead on.
Interesting at the Guardian – I’ve just included it at the end of the text.
The whole thing was a load of rubbish and I have barely watched telly for two weeks
I am SO glad I went to bed before the unspeakable Brand appeared.
Most of the show just seemed like a pointless medley of recent pop music. Who cares about that?
But I did think the animated (literally) London bus was brilliant, of course Michael Caine’s “blowing the doors off” quote was wonderfully British. How many foreigners would have understood that? None, I hope. Just a pity he didn’t follow up with “Don’t you point those nasty spears at me”.
But Brand – no. A most unpleasant man of no discernible merit. Not welcome, not on my screen, not ever.
I think Michael Caine advising a piece of chav scum he’d failed to maintain his weapon and then shooting him might have raised a cheer of recognition around the world.
We’re famous worldwide for our Underclass and it would have provided some balance to the elitism on parade…
Can you give us fair warning next time? I nearly read that without putting on my tin foil hat.
Woohhoooo, you forgot to mention the…..and whisper it VERY quietly cus if they hear you, they will come and GET you (
) freemasons.
WHAT a lapse!
What a remarkably silly comment from an intelligent person.
Some people will never get it James.
I had to chuckle when I heard John Lennon’s anthem to One Worldism being repeatedly played at the closing ceremony, in the organisers’ determined efforts to use the games to promote a globalist agenda. After all, Lennon’s imploring of us all to ‘imagine there’s no countries’ would, if brought to bear, effectively dis-establish the Olympic Games!
Proving, yet again, that J Higham is not a Libertarian.
Theocracy is the total worst form of government, and religion, all religion is blackmail.
As for the “closing ceremony”, well, it’s over, I have not seen it, and I hope I never do.
Bear up, only another 5 weeks until the Lea path opens, and the “greenway” some time next year, if we are lucky, and the “security” fencing comes down – unless, of course gyvmint finds a convenient excuse to keep it up?
Who’s the extremist? LOL.