Olympics, London - Beijing, and Jimmy Page

[Andy_S]

Just saw the closing ceremony. As I would have guessed, the silly little dance around the London bus was pathetic compared to the meticulous human choreography the People's Republic had just laid on, but I thought it was an inspired choice for the organizers to get Jimmy Page up there playing "Whole Lotta Love" as the anthem.

And what was Becks doing kicking a ball into the crowd? Has nobody has told him this is the Olympics were are hosting, not the World Cup.

Good news that BoJo managed to take the handover affair reasonably seriously - which must be a first.

Still - what the hell is London going to do when it comes to beating the Beijing opening ceremony? No way can modern Europeans beat Asian Communism when it comes to mass display of manpower... my suggestion would be a touch of Andrew LLoyd Webber, a bit of Grenadier Guards and plenty of knockers bouncing around.

One thing we should take from Beijing, though: Commie management methododologies. If a Tube official faced a neck shooting for every delay on the Distrct and Circle lines, we would have (a) a working subway by 2012 and (b) Several hundred thousand bodies to dispose of.

[GrahamB]

JNo way can modern Europeans beat Asian Communism when it comes to mass display of manpower...

Indeed - it's amazing what no human rights and a lack of decent working conditions can pull off when it puts its mind to it

On the English commentary to the closing ceremony the commentator read out a quote from the choregorapher of the Beijing games. He said something along the lines of "you can't get Westerns to do this sort of thing - it's impossible. They demand 2 tea breaks a day, don't work 7 days a week and you can't sack them on the spot for being lazy because they are all in unions. They're impossible to work with"

It's like the ancient Egyptians. How did they make something as amazing and beautiful as the pyramids? Answer: Slaves and whips.

London will be different - more intimate. Less huge displays of choreography, but I suspect the 'on the street' atmosphere will be a lot better because people will be allowed to celebrate.

[Andy_S]

Well maybe we should think a bit bigger and import a couple of hundred thousand North Koreans to do it for us. They'd be cheap and bloody good. We could probably get Kim JI to empty a couple of his gulags with the requisite number of Norks for a few crates of fine cognac and a couple of kgs of weapons-grade plutonium.

[GrahamB]

Are you suggesting we bring in more immigrants? Immigration? IMMIGRATION?!?!?!?!? MORE I M M I G R A T I O N? !!!!!!

A thousand Daily Mail readers simultaneously drop their cups of Earl Grey in anger and immediately write to the BBC as one to complain!

[Mike Strong]

I don't care what anyone says, ...

... You Brits have a great sene of humor!

[Mike Strong]

London 2012 here I come !

[Andy_S]

RE:
London 2012 here I come

That's four years to go, Strong. I know you are an exciteable fellow, but don't start now or you will arrive early.

....unless you are planning a novel form of locomotion to cross the pond. Swimming, perhaps?

[edededed]

...yes, knockers. I agree with knockers.

[AllanF]

Boris Johnson cracks me up! At least he didn't drop the flag or some such. It was a nice contrast to the PRC guys who i think get shot if the mearest hint of a smile is seen on their faces. At the flag handing over ceremony there was JR of the IOC in the middle and the mayor of Beijing on his left. Both of whoom were dressed impecablly with their hair slicked back and their suit jackets buttoned in the designated manner (or the PRC gov will take a finger)...and then there's Boris, hair going everywhere, jacket unbuttoned, unsure what to do with his hands, continually pointing to random stage hands (for want of a better expression) I'm sure he was just pointing and shouting "Laowai!", and barely able to keep his shirt tucked in. Bless him he just looked so pleased to be there, i actually though he was going to hold up a sign saying "Hi Mum!" on it at one point.

London will not have the huge bright show (and show is a very apt word) that China has but with Boris around it will be full of laughs!

[GrahamB]

Please don't take Boris too seriously - we only elected him as a joke. He's kind of like our version of George Bush

[AllanF]

I'm British Graham!

[steelincotton]

Jimmy Page looked great! It's good to see the rock and roll icon can still bring it, although the sound was a tad dodgy. Even still, I haven't seen a single band around today that could rival the talents of Led Zeppelin and it's originality.

Music today basically sukks if you ask me.

[yusuf]

i still reckon we should spend the money for 2012 on a 4 year piss up.... ..by that stage the recession will be over and we can all delight in knowing that China is doing a splendid job hosting he olympics twice in a row

[Andy_S]

Rumor suggests that what BoJo shouted across to that pretentious wanker Rogge during the flag handover ceremony was "Give me that flag!"

I also suggest (with pride) that he is the perfect Brit in terms of appearance: Even if he were wearing Gucchi's finest and had just had his hair done, he would look dishevelled and rumpled - in short, the eternal naughty schoolboy.

Rather odd, though, that, for a very, very white man of upper middle class sensibilities, he claims to be descended from slaves.

[GrahamB]

I'm British Graham!

Ah....