Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies LIVE THREAD!!!

[retrokitten]

Thank you! I am glad everyone had fun. Thanks for lending me the AI ping list.

[Revenge of Sith]

Sting performed at the Salt Lake City ceremony.

[retrokitten]

What?!? That’s nuts.

Still, over 800 posts on a live thread and only 1 pulled is pretty good.

[retrokitten]

There were all sorts of big names at that one. R. Kelly sang, too.

Those were very, very good, too.

[Mr. Silverback]

Go Reno!

[anymouse]

The old Chinese tank hurdling event. ;)

[johnthebaptistmoore]

Technically, it’s actually day three, because there have already been women’s soccer games played two days ago and men’s soccer games played one day ago.

[retrokitten]

The mod added that.

[aragona]

I heard the same thing and was excited to see Sarah Brightman sing. What’s up with that? No-show?

[Jim W N]

Watching the parade of nations. Who is this noxious commentator on ABC with Bob Costas? Can he drop the politics already? There’s so many other things to talk about for each nation. For once can the MSM get off the political merry-go-round and give us all a break?

[Jim W N]

I just wish whoever’s commentating with Bob Costas would either get replaced or stop already with the constant political banter and give us all a break. (Iran and the US and China and the nuclear thing and how China’s military protects their youth...?!)

[STARWISE]

Chinese gymnastics champion Li Ning carries the Olympic flame as he is lifted to the air during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in the National Stadium in north Beijing, China, Aug. 8, 2008

Former Chinese gymnastics champion Li Ning runs towards the cauldron of the Beijing Olympic Games during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games held in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing, China, Aug. 8, 2008

The cauldron of the Beijing Olympic Games was lit by former gymnastics star Li Ning in the National Stadium in north Beijing on Friday night.

The triple gold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, who is now a successful entrepreneur, took a stunt-like and painstaking journey around the top of the stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, before setting ablaze the giant cauldron.

Lifted with computer-controlled wires around his waist, the 45-year-old Li imitated running along the 500-meter-long, 14-meter-wide brim of the bowl-shaped, roofless top of the Bird's Nest, which is also a gigantic screen.

Video of the Olympic torch's global relay, covering a record distance of some 137,000 kilometers in 129 days, was shown on the screen, closely following Li's running paces as if a painting scroll was being unfolded.

"Today, the Olympic flame lit in Olympia has come to the end of its odyssey and will be kindled to adorn the night sky of Beijing," said Liu Qi, head of the Games' organizing committee, in an earlier speech, saying the cauldron lighting would be a "dazzling historic moment."

[lainie]

heh! I’m back because I ran up to the end of the buffer. Don’t wanna watch athletes walking for 3 more hours.

You know, during the green guys dancing in lighted suits, Bob and whoever else is in the booth were saying it was meant to evoke the time when China opened itself and became enlightened. Back when the people of China became masters of their own destinies.

whuuut?

[flaglady47]

“Local news .. said it cost China $40 BILLION to prepare for these games. Gonna be compete with that, Chicago, (mo money, mo money, mo money) IL ... no financial solvency, no hope of a state budget, city, county and state about bankrupt, continuing corruption up the wazoo, growing fees and taxes ... it’s laughable. How’re you gonna pull that off, Mayor Daley ?”

By more corruption. We have an unending supply of it here in Illinois. Want some?

[lainie]

Aren’t they great? I didn’t make them.. just found them online at a blog. I agree the ceremony is nice to look at, but also gets old.

China revoking visas on protest-athletes. sheesh, they ought to just revoke everyone that challenges them for medals. Such a bunch of nonsense.

[indcons]

Yes, the ChiComs love the USA so much that they are willing to arm Iran and the terrorists in Iraq to prove it /sarc

[lainie]

[lainie]

(ahem)

[lainie]