2008 Beijing Olympics

[AllThingsKC]

I just watched the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympics.  It was long, but it was awesome!  I have no regrets about watching the whole thing because it was worth it.  The way they lit the torch with the 204 different countries waving their flags was JUST AWESOME!

If you missed any of it, I would highly recommend checking You Tube for video of it.

Any thoughts on the games this year?

Go Team USA!

[IraGlacialis]

Regardless of the controversy surrounding Chicom, that was one badass ceremony. 
The drums at the beginning, footprint fireworks, scroll with the moving printing blocks, all awesome.
The guys who hoised the flags up made it clear what regime was in power.

Let's just hope our atheletes don't get major respiratory problems during the games.

[DaveKCMO]

the dutch looked really hot (literally and figuratively). they also had the most digital cameras...

[AllThingsKC]

the dutch looked really hot (literally and figuratively). they also had the most digital cameras...

Speaking digitals cameras, I noticed that Team USA didn't display any as they were walking into the stadium. 

[AllThingsKC]

[KCMax]

Opening ceremony fireworks faked

Parts of the spectacular Beijing Olympics opening ceremony were faked, it has emerged.
(Advertisement)

The global television audience of more than three billion people watched in amazement as a series of giant footprints outlined in fireworks proceeded through the night sky from Tiananmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium - except they were watching a computer animation.

Even the giant television screens within the stadium itself broadcast the fake images.

Stunned viewers thought they were watching the string of fireworks filmed from above by a helicopter.

But in reality they were watching a 3D graphics sequence that took almost a year to produce.

[Ez Street]

Opening ceremony fireworks faked

Parts of the spectacular Beijing Olympics opening ceremony were faked, it has emerged.
(Advertisement)

The global television audience of more than three billion people watched in amazement as a series of giant footprints outlined in fireworks proceeded through the night sky from Tiananmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium - except they were watching a computer animation.

Even the giant television screens within the stadium itself broadcast the fake images.

Stunned viewers thought they were watching the string of fireworks filmed from above by a helicopter.

But in reality they were watching a 3D graphics sequence that took almost a year to produce.

Had they listend to the broadcast (at least the NBC one) they would have heard them say that.

Idiots.

[studentper]

Had they listend to the broadcast (at least the NBC one) they would have heard them say that.

Idiots.

You're right.  I heard the same "shocking" story on the radio this morning and clearly remembered the NBC announcer explaining that the sequence leading to the stadium was animated and lights added or "turned on."  I was more impressed watching it knowing the whole thing was "faked."

[AllThingsKC]

The story came from a British newspaper.  They probably were't watching NBC.

[shinatoo]

I also heard the torch bearer didn't really fly and that the moving scroll on the floor wasn't a scroll at all but actually some kind of magical light board.

But I'm pretty sure the guys running around that globe were actually defying gravity. 

[KCTigerFan]

Michael Phelps is also computer generated as well as the entire Swiss delegation.  &&&

I also heard the torch bearer didn't really fly and that the moving scroll on the floor wasn't a scroll at all but actually some kind of magical light board.

But I'm pretty sure the guys running around that globe were actually defying gravity. 

[scooterj]

Even if NBC hadn't told us straight up it was an animation, how could it not be?  Can you imagine how nearly impossible that shot would be otherwise?    The fireworks were still really fired... but being able to time it that precisely with a helicopter's flight path and network cutaways would just be nuts to try to pull off.

[AllThingsKC]

The United States pulls ahead of China in the medal count:

[schugg]

The gold is what matters to me.

[AllThingsKC]

The gold is what matters to me.

To be second place in gold to the Host country isn't that bad, IMO.

[KCMax]

Any Kansas Citian Olympic athletes? Seems like there's always a tae kwon do competitor or gymnast we send over.

[ComandanteCero]

apparently one of the sprinters, Muna Lee, is originally from KC.

[shaffe]

Any Kansas Citian Olympic athletes? Seems like there's always a tae kwon do competitor or gymnast we send over.

not kansas citians, but there are three olympians who are former missouri tigers.  christian cantwell is a shot putter, ben askren is wresling the 74kg freestyle division, and linas kleiza is playing for the lithuanian national team (basketball).

[AllThingsKC]

China takes the lead in the medal count...

[kcjak]

My favorite sound bites came from Bela Karoly (sp?) and his wife regarding the age controversy of the female Chinese gymnasts in saying that some of them still have their baby teeth, and at least one was still missing a tooth.  The missing tooth may be because of the Chinese dental habits, but you have to admit that some of those gymnasts clearly look under 16.