There was the Olympic torch being jogged through south London, en route to the Globe Theatre, through a mass of the populace who had crowded the footways to see it pass. Hundreds, if not a thousand or more, were saluting it - with nazi salutes! I was horrified.
Then I realised.....mobile phone cameras.
Stand down the stewards - what stewards? The G4S stewards. They didn't turn up, hence the police. "Alas, poor Buckles, I knew him".
Still, at least I didn't brand south Londoners as a bunch of nazis on purpose.
(by the way, did G4S bid to run the stadium big screen video package job, by any chance?)
There was some sad news this morning. A Greek javelin thrower failed a `dope` test and was withdrawn. Putting a positive spin on it, does that meant he actually passed a `stupid` test?
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Then there was the Greek athlete kicked out for a racist Tweet -
I was reading that for the '48 London Olympics they used virtually all existing facilities - cost them $15 million.
This one, I suspect, is a bit more ;-)
And right after the Jubilee celebrations they are building a "sandbox" by the Queens "house" (Buckingham Palace) - for beach volleyball.
With all the silliness and faux splendor there is still something magical about the Olympics.
Usually takes me a few days to really start to get into them then I am watching nearly every night (I said "nearly" as synchronized swimming does absolutely nothing for me).
For 8 years Sacramento CA used to hold the US Olympic trials - and I'd get right up to the fence to see runners like Jackie Joyner - 10 feet away.
But alas, big money from Nike lured them to Eugene OR 500 miles north.
My neighbor was in the '52 Helsinki Olympics - and while he is getting up there in hears now I still see him each morning during my walk -
Let the games begin!
Bill B: You know, that's what's the saving grace; the Olympic games is a splendid, noble thing, so it is.
Isn't over yet?
I lost interest when professional 'sports persons' were allowed to compete.
TonyF - I think - going back to the ancient Greeks - there were always "professionals" competing -
Hogday - the fever is building. Was talking to a friend just now who will be watching the opening ceremony - she has a friendly pool going about who will light the flame - she thinks the Queen - I mentioned that "The Queen doesn't do stuff like that" - now I did mention that if they really want to out do Beijing - have a hologram of Diana coming out of the clouds - the clouds are opening in the heavens - the sound of thunder - and Diana descends to run up the steps and light the flame -
(As I have read about her she had a wicked sense of humour - would hope that she would laugh at that suggestion!)
Brilliant, Bill.
And after the incredible opening ceremony (a history lesson for the soundbite generation, some of the symbolism perhaps lost on many?)with our beloved Queen skydiving into the arena before 007 could strap his `chute on, I'm now wondering if you and your friend had some amazing premonition!? I can honestly say I was left almost speechless at the spectacle.
"Hundreds, if not a thousand or more, were saluting it - with nazi salutes! I was horrified.
Then I realised.....mobile phone cameras."
Heh! You had to wait for the opening ceremony for a 'real' one.... ;)
JuliaM: Ha! I think that's Eva Braun next to him. She's aged well.
Umm, I think the original Globe caught fire and burned down because of a squib, an overly-energetic squib which was fired to simulate cannon fire in a play, set fire to the place. Gunpowder is fun to play with, but you do have to be careful. (I had some amazing powder burns on my face when I was about 13 years old.)
P.s. That reminds me, that boys and girls are not the same. What I did was a stupid boy trick. I mind a woman I know who did a stupid girl trick, when she was maybe 14. She became a pen pal with a prisoner in the Atlanta Federal Prison, and somehow got onto his visitor list. She told me how weird it felt walking into that place and hearing the steel doors slam behind her.
Her parents found out about that, and pretty much made head-shaped holes in the ceiling of their house.
She turned out OK in the end, and makes a good living as a draftsman and website designer, but her example and mine show that kids need adult supervision when playing with fire, so to speak.
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