Randonneur Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Anyone watching the opening ceremony? Absolutely unbelievable, better than the previous opening ceremony IMO. I know that there is a lot of politics in China but the discipline of the performers is incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 I agree, I thought it was brilliant. My only complaint is with the camera work, often either too close or too far away. Not sure who is responsible for that. ( ..and that applied to the Olympics a couple of weeks ago as well ) Otherwise a very inspiring spectacle. Great to see all the younsters involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Yes Brilliant, also we can expect a lot mor sportmanship over the next 12 days, unfortunatly they will not receive the media coverage the other lot did. I see in todays press that the New olympic stadium being built for the 2012 games is more than likey to be demolished straight afterwards. Well that just about sums up this country especially with the current economic climate. If you can waste money lets do it on a grand scale. Rant over. Good luck to all those taking part in the Paralympics. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I think there should be a law against it not being given as much publicity . I hope they all have a wonderful time . Oh but I do think they should be discusted at what they treat their disabled people like . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROON Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I try and avoid posts on the Olympics - no-one answered my post on the Tibetan Monks now the olympics are over - and I feel really strongly that we should have boycotted the games. I KNOW how hard our athletes worked, etc, etc, etc, all the usual arguments but I also know I have tremendous empathy for the people made homeless for the sake of the stadium. As for the disabled athletes..... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/22/china.theobserver read this and am I the only one who feels that our support of the Olympics in China is going to be seen as condonation for the way they treat their people and animals - skinning cats and dogs alive to make toys, breaking their bones as they are crammed into tiny crates on top of each other to fit them in. ..... oh God, I am going to have to stop writing .. I genuinely hurt for the people whose lives must be Hell and the animals who suffer so much agony whilst the workers laugh as they carry out their atrocities..... Oh, well, another thread killed I guess. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 ROON - 2008-09-07 1:12 PM I try and avoid posts on the Olympics - no-one answered my post on the Tibetan Monks now the olympics are over - and I feel really strongly that we should have boycotted the games. I KNOW how hard our athletes worked, etc, etc, etc, all the usual arguments but I also know I have tremendous empathy for the people made homeless for the sake of the stadium. As for the disabled athletes..... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jul/22/china.theobserver read this and am I the only one who feels that our support of the Olympics in China is going to be seen as condonation for the way they treat their people and animals - skinning cats and dogs alive to make toys, breaking their bones as they are crammed into tiny crates on top of each other to fit them in. ..... oh God, I am going to have to stop writing .. I genuinely hurt for the people whose lives must be Hell and the animals who suffer so much agony whilst the workers laugh as they carry out their atrocities..... Oh, well, another thread killed I guess. :-( I respect your views Roon, but I believe that you are more likely to change peoples behaviour by talking to, and getting invloved with them than by ignoring them. I don't really believe that a boycott would have made any difference - in fact it may just lead them to an attitude of " no-one's going to tell us what to do", which would change nothing. But then - who knows ? (I don't often understand people anyway). :-( :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROON Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Hi Malc, I respect your opinion too, but I would find it difficult to talk to people who think that this is acceptable behaviour: Watch video link when connected to page. http://www.peta.org.uk/feat/dogcatfurUK.asp plus I didn't really hear America talking much about Tibet. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted September 8, 2008 Author Share Posted September 8, 2008 I see that the thread has again been hi-jacked by would-be politicians. It was supposed to be about the opening ceremony of the Paralympics not what is right and wrong with any Country. Keep politics out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 ROON - 2008-09-08 1:10 AM Hi Malc, I respect your opinion too, but I would find it difficult to talk to people who think that this is acceptable behaviour: Watch video link when connected to page. http://www.peta.org.uk/feat/dogcatfurUK.asp plus I didn't really hear America talking much about Tibet. :-( I have watched the film and found it appalling, but I don't really believe that asking them to stop would work. It might help but would take a very long time. I think it would be more effective if Europe ( and everybody else hopefully ) banned the import of furs from China. Unfortunately there is a market, so someone is buying them. In the end these 'people' do it to make money - so take away the market and the practice would stop. ..... might be an idea give away a copy of the film with every fur sold, with the question at the end " Do you know where your fur came from ?" :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROON Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Thank you Randonneur. As ever, your comments to me are abrupt and to the point and completely misled. I am NOT a would-be politician. The Olympics were held in China this year - in case you had not noticed - and whether we like it or not politics DOES come into it, albeit wrong. All the participans should be respected for what they have achieved, but at what cost to humanity. How long can we continue to turn a blind eye.... Tell the now homeless, starving old men and women and children in China how many gold medals we have won, how disabled people have shown tremendous courage and achieved so much - I bet they are really interested! So it is relevant to the thread. And in case you didn't notice, the opening post also brings politics into it as does Michele's in the way the disabled in China are treated. I will not enter any more into a verbal slinging match with you and bring myself down to the level of certain other people who used to post. Hi Malc, Thanks for your post. Yes, I have actually written several letters and been involved in several petitions to them about this, but as you say I doubt they would listen. My daughter received one reply which virtually told her to butt out of their country's affairs. We had our chance, I believe, to make our feelings on Tibet known when the country for holding the Olympics was being chosen - but we did butt out then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Hello Joy. While we all understand and sympathise with your views on human rights etc. in China/Tibet Randonneurs thread was intended to inform all of us of just how good these Paralympics are, and perhaps we should respect that. Sport/politics would make for a really interesting debate, so maybe you could start a new thread on this matter where we could all voice our views without fearing we were 'hi-jacking' someone elses subject. xxx. Still a few days to go, but Eleanor Simmonds gold medal in the 100m freestyle is going to be the highlight of these games as far as i,m concerned, not only for coming first, but the look on her face that showed all the hard work, against such adversity, that makes it all so worthwhile for not ony those participating, but for those of us watching at home. Think i'll watch it again just to cheer her on through those last 10m and make sure she still touches first. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Missed it today Howie, had a Hospital appointment in Poitiers. Have you watched any of it. Heard on the radio coming back just now that our Flag Bearer has had to pull out because of injury in training, it must be heartbreaking going all that way, the build-up and everything that goes into it and then not be able to compete. The look on the 13 yearold swimmers' face was a picture and just proves that you can do most things in the face of adversity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 That ws fantastic what a face good luck to them worked just as hard as anyone else I actually think it all should be shown i would watch it sport is sport irrelevant to whom is competing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Randonneur - 2008-09-08 9:42 AM I see that the thread has again been hi-jacked by would-be politicians. It was supposed to be about the opening ceremony of the Paralympics not what is right and wrong with any Country. Keep politics out of it. It is such a shame to take on an air of self righteous indignation when a thread expands to take in related subjects - specially as the thread is titled 'Paralympics' - not 'Paralympics Opening Ceremony'! I share Joy's concerns but have to agree with Malc that, in my view too, things can only be changed by friendship with the Chinese government and people and the building of trust with China's deeply introvert, suspicious and mistrusting government will take time. Perhaps in time when enough Chinese people are allowed to travel freely attitudes will change but it will take along time and will never happen at all if China is isolated and without external influence and experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Watched all of it so far Sylvia as i,ve had a bit of a chest infection and confined to quarters at the moment. 19 gold medals so far, mostly through cycling and swimming, with more to come hopefully. Don,t know what coverage you receive out in France, but the BBC are showing the highlights at 7pm every evening. There is also live coverage from 10am on BBC2, but you have to press the red button first. Hope everything went ok re. that hospital appointment and pass on my best wishes to your Father, and be carefull with this 'self righteous indignation'. Lot of it about at the moment. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Thanks Howie, we have Sky over here so we can watch everything, its just that we have been a bit pre-occupied and coming in late we have missed quite a lot of it. I got a 6 months reprieve at the Hospital, totally unexpected, so celebrating. Didn't know you used to know my Father or do you mean my other half (looks older than me but he is actually younger!!!!!). Anyway lets hope the Athletes have more good news to celebrate before they return. We have been to the airport at Bordeaux today to take No.1. Grandson back and all over the Airport there are posters up to say that Bordeaux is to be the Capital of Culture in 2013, that should be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I wonder if Bordeaux is more cultural than Liverpool, this year's European Capital of Culture? Hope that isn't going off thread too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 i watched a lot of the olympics, but have no interest in the paralympics. This is also reflected in the viewing figures worldwide. Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I don,t think anyone would expect the same interest or viewing figures compared to the main Olympics Ant, but there's no denying the Paralympics have long moved on from a 'bit of a novelty' tagged on to the main event to a occasion that now, rightly, stands alone on its own merit, with participants now being judged on performance rather than the extent of their disabilities. A great deal of time, effort and money has been invested in these youngsters and i,m sure you will agree that this has all been worthwhile if only as a lesson on what can be achieved through sheer guts and determination, often with a handicap you or I might think of as insurmountable, and deserves the backing and support of all of us, interested or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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