Astonishing photos from the Opening Ceremony

[Gustav]

Zhang Yimou sure knows how to put up a show! But, having seen most of his movies, that should be a piece of cake for him.

[Bunny]

Zhang Yimou sure knows how to put up a show! But, having seen most of his movies, that should be a piece of cake for him.

Just so long as you know that it's a "show," and you don't confuse it with reality.

[greg]

They are very docile, except when they are murdering Americans and committing suicide.

hmmmmmmm what if all of them did that?

i think that would be bad.

[Anne]

For those who do not have TV, or want pictures, NBC (USA) is presenting the Olympics.  You can access NBC via your computer and see the opening ceremony, and events on delay.  We do not have TV at our house either.

[M forever]

Leni Riefenstahl would have liked to film that.

[uffeviking]

Amen! 

[springrite]

They are very docile, except when they are murdering Americans and committing suicide.

Do you know how many foreign tourists get murdered in America in an average year? Geez! Why the hatred? And why do the hatred allegedly aimed at a government always sounds like it is actually aimed at the people when it comes out?

[uffeviking]

Paul, please don't feel  insulted or hurt, always consider the source of the post! 

[scarpia]

Do you know how many foreign tourists get murdered in America in an average year? Geez! Why the hatred? And why do the hatred allegedly aimed at a government always sounds like it is actually aimed at the people when it comes out?

And at the Atlanta Olympics an American religious terrorist exploded a bomb in Olympic Park during a public concert.  How's that for hospitality?

[greg]

And at the Atlanta Olympics an American religious terrorist exploded a bomb in Olympic Park during a public concert.  How's that for hospitality?

Yeah, those stupid Americans need to stop picking on the Atlantians- they might start a war one day! 

[Bunny]

Do you know how many foreign tourists get murdered in America in an average year? Geez! Why the hatred? And why do the hatred allegedly aimed at a government always sounds like it is actually aimed at the people when it comes out?

I know that many foreign tourists are murdered everywhere.  The rest of the world just doesn't pretend that the event is totally out of the norm.

I don't hate the Chinese people, just their government which treats their people as just so many mass produced objects.

It is the manipulation of the media that I dislike, and the pretense that these games are about athletics.  That is no longer the case.

[Bunny]

Paul, please don't feel  insulted or hurt, always consider the source of the post! 

Ha ha. 

[Bunny]

Leni Riefenstahl would have liked to film that.

Her spirit is alive and well in China, and she's gone digital as well.

[Gustav]

Just so long as you know that it's a "show," and you don't confuse it with reality.

of course, but the director is also quite capable of portraying "reality", have you seen "Not one less"?

[Bunny]

Paul, please don't feel  insulted or hurt, always consider the source of the post! 

Here's some more from the "source."   

The beautiful dancer pictured below was paralyzed during the rehearsals of the Opening Ceremony.  Because the Chinese were so consumed with security during the rehearsal, she was left in agony for close to an hour before medical help was allowed in.  Apparently "Esthetic Harmony" comes at a very expensive cost.


Initially, olympic organisers downplayed the severity of Liu Yan's injury

In the words of the The Telegraph (not me):

Liu Yan, who was part of the Silk Road dance, fell more than three metres from a piece of scenery, landing on her head and back after a miscalculation by other performers who were supposed to catch her on a moving platform.  [...]  The Telegraph has learned from a separate source that the Chinese authorities had been given warnings about the need for improved safety measures at rehearsals but that these were disregarded.

From the NYTimes:

Liu said it was a dream that she could be chosen for such a role. But Wednesday, she said she was hoping for a miracle, so that she might some day walk again.

"I hope one day I can just stand up like a normal person," she said wiping away tears.

Is everyone still admiring those ceremonies?

[Gustav]

Here's some more from the "source."   

The beautiful dancer pictured below was paralyzed during the rehearsals of the Opening Ceremony.  Because the Chinese were so consumed with security during the rehearsal, she was left in agony for close to an hour before medical help was allowed in.  Apparently "Esthetic Harmony" comes at a very expensive cost.


Initially, olympic organisers downplayed the severity of Liu Yan's injury

In the words of the The Telegraph (not me):

Liu Yan, who was part of the Silk Road dance, fell more than three metres from a piece of scenery, landing on her head and back after a miscalculation by other performers who were supposed to catch her on a moving platform.  [...]  The Telegraph has learned from a separate source that the Chinese authorities had been given warnings about the need for improved safety measures at rehearsals but that these were disregarded.

From the NYTimes:

Liu said it was a dream that she could be chosen for such a role. But Wednesday, she said she was hoping for a miracle, so that she might some day walk again.

"I hope one day I can just stand up like a normal person," she said wiping away tears.

Is everyone still admiring those ceremonies?

That's a tragedy, an accident, but why does it have to tarnish the opening ceremony? Was Zhang Yimou or the Chinese Government out to get her? Or other dancers? Intentionally putting their lives in danger? How is that going to benefit the Chinese?

If you have something against China, say it, please don't hide behind these "Guilty by Association" games.

[M forever]

Maybe they weren't putting people in danger intentionally, but if this is true:

The Telegraph has learned from a separate source that the Chinese authorities had been given warnings about the need for improved safety measures at rehearsals but that these were disregarded.

then by being negligent. People who run these kinds of shows are responsible for the safety of the participants. Acidents can always happen even with the best security measures out in place, but if even those were neglected, then some people are definitely responsible there.


I have to agree with what you said in the other thread about Bunny exaggerating the severity of Chinese drinking customs, it sounded a little too clichéed to me, too, but you saying "if you have something against China, say it, please don't hide behind these "Guilty by Association" games" is equally silly. Criticizing a regime does not mean having something against a country and culture as such. Would you have said the same in 1936 to someone criticizing the host country's regime?

[Gustav]

Maybe they weren't putting people in danger intentionally, but if this is true:

The Telegraph has learned from a separate source that the Chinese authorities had been given warnings about the need for improved safety measures at rehearsals but that these were disregarded.

then by being negligent. People who run these kinds of shows are responsible for the safety of the participants. Acidents can always happen even with the best security measures out in place, but if even those were neglected, then some people are definitely responsible there.


I have to agree with what you said in the other thread about Bunny exaggerating the severity of Chinese drinking customs, it sounded a little too clichéed to me, too, but you saying "if you have something against China, say it, please don't hide behind these "Guilty by Association" games" is equally silly. Criticizing a regime does not mean having something against a country and culture as such. Would you have said the same in 1936 to someone criticizing the host country's regime?

i made that statement first after reading about the drink customs, and the Olympics, and so on.... I'm not a very smart person, but even a monkey is beginning to see what Bunny is trying to do here.

[Bunny]

Maybe they weren't putting people in danger intentionally, but if this is true:

The Telegraph has learned from a separate source that the Chinese authorities had been given warnings about the need for improved safety measures at rehearsals but that these were disregarded.

then by being negligent. People who run these kinds of shows are responsible for the safety of the participants. Acidents can always happen even with the best security measures out in place, but if even those were neglected, then some people are definitely responsible there.


I have to agree with what you said in the other thread about Bunny exaggerating the severity of Chinese drinking customs, it sounded a little too clichéed to me, too, but you saying "if you have something against China, say it, please don't hide behind these "Guilty by Association" games" is equally silly. Criticizing a regime does not mean having something against a country and culture as such. Would you have said the same in 1936 to someone criticizing the host country's regime?

I wish I had exaggerated the drinking, but I didn't.  I found it shocking that it was so much a part of the culture.

[ezodisy]

The beautiful dancer pictured below

That's awful I hope the Chinese government award her a significant annual stipend for this