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2012 London Olympics

SGM
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Post by SGM » Tue July 31st, 2012, 8:26 am

[quote=""LoveHistory""]Is McCartney's voice really gone or was he just very choked up about the honor and the spectacle of it all? I'm not a huge fan or anything, but I think that's possibly part of it.[/quote]

Given that we only paid £1 for his services at the event, i don't think we can ask for it back.

McCartney was the link across the generations and as such there were very few people still with us who joined the divide from the 60s to present day and given the importance of that sequence in the event, it was essential. John Lennon if he were available could have done it but would probably have had the same problem. Mick Jagger probably wouldn't have worked in quite the same way, unfortunately.

Here, the discussion is about what got left out rather than who was included. It's a shame the PTB nixed the idea of The Clangers because Oliver Postgate definitely crossed the generation gap. But it was alll so very cleverly done, I had to go back and watch it again because I knew I had missed more than a few of the references.
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Madeleine
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Post by Madeleine » Tue July 31st, 2012, 8:58 am

What's that about the Clangers? I'm intrigued. Some people were surprised there was no Dickens - unless I missed it - but then he has had a lot of attention this year anyway. Difficult to know what to leave in I suppose, and the history wasn't exactly in chronological order! But it was meant to be entertainment after all. Could have done without the Arctic Monkeys though, they seemed to be a filler. Apparently there was loads more going on that wasn't shown on TV.
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Post by Vanessa » Tue July 31st, 2012, 9:20 am

Actually, I think it may well be worthwhile watching it again as I'm sure there are loads of things I missed.

I like the Arctic Monkeys - Sheffield lads which means they're from Yorkshire. :D
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Post by SonjaMarie » Wed August 1st, 2012, 1:59 am

Women's Gymnastics:
Men's Swimming
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Post by annis » Wed August 1st, 2012, 3:36 am

It's been royal-watchers paradise as members of The Firm turn out in force to watch fellow royal Zara Phillips compete in the equestrian events.
http://m.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2 ... -Firm.html

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Post by SonjaMarie » Wed August 1st, 2012, 3:38 am

[quote=""annis""]It's been royal-watchers paradise as members of The Firm turn out in force to watch fellow royal Zara Phillips compete in the equestrian events.
http://m.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2 ... -Firm.html[/quote]

And she added a silver to her father's gold (72) and silver (88).

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Post by annis » Wed August 1st, 2012, 3:45 am

Of course I'm also delighted to see the New Zealand Equestrian Team score a bronze medal
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Post by EC2 » Wed August 1st, 2012, 4:43 pm

Late to this - love aspects of the opening ceremony (the 'doves' on bicycles), the forging of the Olympic rings, the Queen, Mr Bean and 'Abide with me.' Hated the whole NHS sequence, was unimpressed by the music sequence and I don't rate The Arctic Monkeys. Paul McCartney is waaaay past his sell by date and the ending should have been at the lighting of that glorious, stupendous Olympic flame.

Thoughts after the evens. It's the Lord of the Rings isn't it? First we had the Hobbity British rural folks in The Shire, then everything went to Mordor along with the symbolic uprooting of the tree and the forging of the 5 rings among the belching chimmney stacks. Then the cauldron at the end and the Olympic torch looking nothing so much as the Eye of Sauron glowing over everything at night.

A friend's son is part of the British army drafted in to take up the shortfall in the security staff. There are 2,000 troops sleeping in a multi story car park and as of yesterday they had 60 (overflowing) portaloos between all of them.

But on the plus side. Yay for a British gold today in the rowing! :) and I'm enjoying the coverage.
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Vanessa
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Post by Vanessa » Wed August 1st, 2012, 4:49 pm

Don't forget Bradley Wiggins' Gold! We're now 10th which is great. A good day for Team GB!!
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Post by EC2 » Wed August 1st, 2012, 7:41 pm

Yes, since I posted that, I heard about Bradley Wiggins' gold, and what a great guy into the bargain. My 84yr old dad will have been loudly cheering him on as he used to do long distance time trials in his heyday.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

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