Commonwealth Games

krizon

krizon

At the Start
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Wow! Now that was a bit different! I just loved all those rollerskaters hurtling into the main arena, blasting off different firework displays from their backpacks! The singer disappeared entirely - at first I thought they'd combusted her, but back she came, in a shower of lovely golden stars and sparks.

The endless pontoons, each one representing one of the entry countries, looked serene, if slightly precarious, mounted by a giant, luminous fish - a bit trippy, but again quite different and very artistic.

Thank God, Her Madge managed a smile when Kiri Te Kanawa trilled 'Happy Birthday' for her (she's 80 this year), and Prince Pip alternated by looking hard of hearing ("Eh? What? What'd y'say, dear?") and pleased. I should think so, too - quite a nice little beano to enjoy.

So, Chelters will thrill us, and the gallant athletes will provide some human thrills, too. Looking forward to seeing the marvellous Dame Tani wheeling in to victory.
 
It was actually a fantastic display, I was a bit skeptical at first Krizon, but overall an 8 out of 10. In my eyes better than the Opening Ceremony that Torino held for the Winter Games.

There were parts of it of course that I am highly critical of. The 12yo boy getting lost in the eucalypt forest and being saved by flying koalas. For me this was plain right embarrassing, and stereotyped Australia into something it isn't. Then there were the ballerinas dancing with the motorcyclists, am still trying to find the meaning to that one.

I did however like the way the fireworks lit up the entire Melbourne skyline and the Yarra River. Also thought the surf life savers in their boats, rowing the baton was an important representation of Australia's beach culture.

The best part for me was the end, when Delta Goodrem performed a brilliant ballad composed by her irish boyfriend, Brian McFadden. It was brilliant, and she was all class. A lot of positive talk about her performance last night, and hopefully now she can break it on to the international stage based on last night.

The baton being carried by the 16 AFL captains was also symbolic to Melbourne. As AFL originated in Melbourne.

Overall outstanding night, and cannot wait for the next 10 days of competition.
The highlight for me, will definitely be the 100m sprint in the athletics. The world's best are in this race.

And 7 gold medals on offer today, weightlifting, cycling, swimming.
 
I'm sorry to say I missed the flying koalas! :lol: Though there was a quick shot on the news of a flying tramcar - we could do with that sort of service in the UK, to help get our railways moving faster than a speeding tortoise!
 
Yes. ;) You sure your last name isn't Calvin?

If you want to take a worthy stance on fun (and personally, I can't imagine why one would), you have to think that all razzmatazz keeps people in jobs - even the Chinese under Mao, poor as church mice that they were, kept having monster extravaganza parades, and hours and hours of forced concerts 'in gratitude' for having the Dear Leader. That kept thousands in work making banners, clothes, props, flags, and out of the rice line. Think of the other thousands making the shiny boots and the uniforms for their miles-long military displays, too - jobs for the boys!

No matter how poor certain lives are (and God knows there are enough, worldwide), just think of Brazil's, Cuba's, most of Africa's, China's (not so poor any more), penchant for dancing, music-making, colour and noise. Sometimes, a good old blast does the human soul a bit of good - even when its body isn't in such good shape.
 
Totally agree with Colin, each venue trying to outdo the previous one :huh:

I thought of how many african orphans could have their lives improved with the money :huh:
 
The ' devils advocaat' can neutralise anything, I only saw the ending and it looked like someone had bought a job lot of catherine wheels :angry:
 
Originally posted by Colin Phillips@Mar 16 2006, 07:07 AM
Don't you think it was a terrible waste of money?................or am I being a miserable bastard, AGAIN!!???
Click to expand...
Not at all. The only people who seem to be bothered about the Commonwealth Games are the BBC.

No doubt they could have paid for a seasons worth of live racing or cricket for the amount they spent on both this white elephant, and the other staff jolly-up, the Winter Olympics.

Humbug !
 
Why are African orphans always pulled out as an example of how to spend money, when there are Games athletes from all of the African members of the Commonwealth, who continue to get aid from the UK to spend on not only orphans, but on a variety of projects? Maybe handing out free condoms to HIV-infected African men, the main reason why there are so many African orphans, would be a little more useful!
 
Because it has been a news item for the past 3 days with that Irish actor called Nesbitt ( maybe James ) who has been highlighting the plight of the orphans who are born with the virus.
I suspect we are too cacooned in our cossetted world Krizon to relate to the suffering.

Must dash, I think there are some highlights of the underwater cross stitch finals on BBC 2 :angry:
 
African men - well, most sub-Saharan African men, anyway, since the North African countries are mostly Muslim, and therefore have less access to casual sexual experiences - think it is unmanly to slip on a rubber, but don't mind having multiple sexual partners as well as a wife. They are solely to blame for the rampant spread of HIV infections and the millions of Africans dying, being orphaned, or being born to die quickly with the virus.

There are loads of AIDS, rather than aids, programmes going on in schools now, but in spite of not being particularly coy about sexual activity, Africans don't really like to TALK about it - overcoming this cultural reticence, and addressing the cultural aversion to condoms, is an uphill battle for the educators.

It's a cruel business, and the future of some countries, where the adults are too sick to work, or can only just about manage in societies where being physically fit is paramount, isn't looking great.
 
I have spent some time in Africa Krizon, mostly Kenya and the usual answer when I asked why they wanted more than one wife was, there would always be one available when the other was menstruating :(

Apparently the life expectancy is now 37 years which is unbelievable and even though they are born with AIDS, to those afflicted, it remains a stigma.

To see very young children who are totally innocent and have no idea that they have a terminal illness makes for uncomfortable viewing.

Back to the thread, nice to see individual countries competing rather that Great Britain which gives many more competitors a chance to rep their country when otherwise they would not be selected for A GB team.
 
I lived in neighbouring Zambia for 12+ years, Lee, probably some of the most happy days of my life, so it saddens me terribly to think of its charming people being decimated by this scourge. Sadly, most Africans know there's corruption in all of their governments from the top down, so I wouldn't trust AIDS aid money getting spent on the sufferers any more than they do.

Yes, I was thrilled to see the two smashing young Scottish swimmers absolutely blast their way to their wins - really engaging young people. I know it's pie in the sky to hope that sport does 'bring us together', but when I see gatherings of open, welcoming, cheerful and all-embracing youngsters (she says, sounding like her own Granny), I get so dispirited by the governance of the world, with all of its self-seeking cynicism and venality. Sigh...
 
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