Opening ceremony.

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marrymeflyfree
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Opening ceremony.

#1 Post by marrymeflyfree » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:28 pm

Wow!

I thought the drum segment was truly amazing, but I think it was just topped by the dancers' caligraphy.

Fantastic juxtaposition of ancient and modern. Very apropos.

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#2 Post by hermillion » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:52 pm

Best line so far: "Well, we've got the people!"
"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant a tree; if in terms of a hundred years, teach the people." - Confucious

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#3 Post by hermillion » Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:41 pm

I love the Danish flagbearer carrying the pole in one hand -- held straight out in front of himself. I wonder if he did that all the way around the track?
"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant a tree; if in terms of a hundred years, teach the people." - Confucious

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#4 Post by hermillion » Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:29 pm

The young earthquake survivor had me tearing up. Next to Yao Ming he looked about 3 yrs. old -- I was stunned to hear he was 9. What a great story, and an amazing child.
"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant a tree; if in terms of a hundred years, teach the people." - Confucious

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#5 Post by Ritterskoop » Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:53 pm

I was befuddled at the bagpipes. They played for hours, the same tune over and over. I can think of one nation who would have bagpipes, and how many athletes can Scotland be sending to the Games anyway?
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#6 Post by silvercamaro » Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:56 pm

As I just said over in the FNGD forum, this entire production raises the standards for "spectacular."
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#7 Post by hermillion » Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:57 pm

Holy Cats!! That was amazing. :shock:
"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant a tree; if in terms of a hundred years, teach the people." - Confucious

"Who dares to teach must never cease to learn." -- John Cotton Dana

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#8 Post by cindy.wellman » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:05 pm

I saw that the Egyptian men and women were in seersucker suits. :D
Last edited by cindy.wellman on Fri Aug 08, 2008 11:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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#9 Post by a1mamacat » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:53 pm

Dang, we've got only two years to top that?!?!?!?!?!?


I better start shining up the sled.....
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#10 Post by PlacentiaSoccerMom » Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:13 am

Ritterskoop wrote:I was befuddled at the bagpipes. They played for hours, the same tune over and over. I can think of one nation who would have bagpipes, and how many athletes can Scotland be sending to the Games anyway?
I thought that the presence of the bagpipes was very odd.

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#11 Post by 15QuestionsAway » Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:34 am

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I thought that the presence of the bagpipes was very odd.
I think there were 4 or 5 recorded songs representing various cultures on a continuous loop as the athletes came into the stadium. Pattern recognition kicked in for me after a while.

The artistic section of the opening ceremonies was astounding.

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#12 Post by NellyLunatic1980 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:30 am

a1mamacat wrote:Dang, we've got only two years to top that?!?!?!?!?!?


I better start shining up the sled.....
Actually, you've got only a year and a half.

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#13 Post by MarleysGh0st » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:13 am

hermillion wrote:The young earthquake survivor had me tearing up. Next to Yao Ming he looked about 3 yrs. old -- I was stunned to hear he was 9. What a great story, and an amazing child.
Yeah. My first thought was, "He's nine? He looks too small to be nine!"

And then, "Duh! He's walking next to Yao Ming!"



Did anyone else notice that the Chinese flag that boy was carrying was upside down? When the U.S. flag is flown upside down, it's a symbol of distress. I wonder if they have the same meaning for their flag and if they did that deliberately, as a reference to the earthquake, or if that little details somehow slipped by, in this magnificently choreographed ceremony?

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#14 Post by MarleysGh0st » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:17 am

Ritterskoop wrote:I was befuddled at the bagpipes. They played for hours, the same tune over and over. I can think of one nation who would have bagpipes, and how many athletes can Scotland be sending to the Games anyway?
And the bagpipe tune was "Scotland the Brave". None of the countries marching in when that was being played was anywhere close to Scotland. :P

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#15 Post by MarleysGh0st » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:20 am

Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:

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#16 Post by littlebeast13 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 6:25 am

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:

Or who wasn't watching...... :P

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#17 Post by christie1111 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:51 am

MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:
Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?
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#18 Post by T_Bone0806 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 10:00 am

I'm not usually that big on opening ceremonies, being impatient for the games to begin, but that ceremony held my attention, to say the least.

The drummers, the people inside the blocks, the 2,008 Tai Chi masters, the little boy with Yao Ming, the way the torch was lit, etc. etc. etc.

Wow.

The bar has now been set so high, even Sergei Bubka couldn't vault over it.
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#19 Post by ulysses5019 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:12 am

christie1111 wrote:
MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:
Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?

They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.
I believe in the usefulness of useless information.

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#20 Post by christie1111 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:27 am

ulysses5019 wrote:
christie1111 wrote:
MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:
Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?
They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!

:P

Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.
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#21 Post by Bob Juch » Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:15 pm

christie1111 wrote:
MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:
Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?
Paraguay has different symbols on each side. I wasn't aware Comoros has a different front and back.
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#22 Post by christie1111 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:54 pm

Bob Juch wrote:
christie1111 wrote:
MarleysGh0st wrote:Along with the magnificent ceremonies, I enjoyed all the trivia being offered by the commentators. I think I'm going to steal at least one of those nuggets for the QoD this month!

Just to see who was paying attention! :wink:
Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?
Paraguay has different symbols on each side. I wasn't aware Comoros has a different front and back.
I asked which one had this. I did not say Comoros had one.

More of the trivia mentioned during the opening ceremonies.
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#23 Post by ulysses5019 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:57 pm

christie1111 wrote:
ulysses5019 wrote:
christie1111 wrote: Could you ask where Comoros is? I had never heard of it before.

I love watching the ceremonies to see flags and obscure African nations.

Very interesting.

Only flag different on the front and back anyone?
They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!

:P

Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.
I left it for bob to answer. Actually I didn't see it. I knew Paraguay. Did not know about Moldova.
I believe in the usefulness of useless information.

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#24 Post by christie1111 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:08 pm

ulysses5019 wrote:
christie1111 wrote:
ulysses5019 wrote: They are in the Indian Ocean, roughly between Madagascar and mainland Africa.

Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!

:P

Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.
I left it for bob to answer. Actually I didn't see it. I knew Paraguay. Did not know about Moldova.
What is different about Moldova? Guess I missed that refreshing my pomegranate margarita.

Actually, I have sort of moved on to Mojitos lately. Mint is in season.
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#25 Post by ulysses5019 » Sat Aug 09, 2008 4:23 pm

christie1111 wrote:
ulysses5019 wrote:
christie1111 wrote:
Yes, but since I was paying attention, I was hoping that he would ask that. for one free point!

:P

Hey, and I hope you didn't expect points for answering the FNGD Q's AFTER everyone went to bed. Do you ever sleep?

Oh, and I noticed you didn't answer the flag Q.
I left it for bob to answer. Actually I didn't see it. I knew Paraguay. Did not know about Moldova.
What is different about Moldova? Guess I missed that refreshing my pomegranate margarita.

Actually, I have sort of moved on to Mojitos lately. Mint is in season.
Their flag is different on the reverse and obverse.
I believe in the usefulness of useless information.

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