Golden Girl

[flecc]

Good to see that after a somewhat lacklustre start by our British athletes, our first gold medal came from cyclist Nicole Cooke in a gruelling road race.

As we have some other strong cyclist prospects, the eventual medal tally could end up being just the sort of extra publicity to the general public that cycling needs in this country.
.

 

[WALKERMAN]

Olympic Cycling

Good to see that after a somewhat lacklustre start by our British athletes, our first gold medal came from cyclist Nicole Cooke in a gruelling road race.

As we have some other strong cyclist prospects, the eventual medal tally could end up being just the sort of extra publicity to the general public that cycling needs in this country.
.

Maybe they should have an ebike event in London in 2012

 

[flecc]

Maybe they should have an ebike event in London in 2012

Well they have BMX and a number of other strange things, so who knows.
.

 

[Blew it]

Good to see that after a somewhat lacklustre start by our British athletes, our first gold medal came from cyclist Nicole Cooke in a gruelling road race.

As we have some other strong cyclist prospects, the eventual medal tally could end up being just the sort of extra publicity to the general public that cycling needs in this country.
.

Yes, A good start!. That same explosive final sprint as demonstrated by Mark Cavendish in the T de F, seems to be a highly developed technique by British riders.

Billy Joe Saunders proved he's just as good with gloves on when showing his Turkish opponent the way to the dressing room.

Our rowers are doing well, I would expect another good result in the "eights" tomorrow.

Archery hasn't panned out as expected, Darned Frenchies!

Now, about that opening ceremony!.

What an incredible show!

The choreography, colour, and sheer dynamic energy made it a truly awesome spectacle, I would love to have been there.

In 2012, It will be the turn of us, the British, to at least match this amazing opening ceremony. Will we be able to emulate the same wide eyed, open mouthed wonderment?.

OR.

Will our efforts be the final, ultimate humilation in the eyes of the World?.

what do you think?.

Bob

 

[WALKERMAN]

2012

Yes, A good start!. That same explosive final sprint as demonstrated by Mark Cavendish in the T de F, seems to be a highly developed technique by British riders.

Billy Joe Saunders proved he's just as good with gloves on when showing his Turkish opponent the way to the dressing room.

Our rowers are doing well, I would expect another good result in the "eights" tomorrow.

Archery hasn't panned out as expected, Darned Frenchies!

Now, about that opening ceremony!.

What an incredible show!

The choreography, colour, and sheer dynamic energy made it a truly awesome spectacle, I would love to have been there.

In 2012, It will be the turn of us, the British, to at least match this amazing opening ceremony. Will we be able to emulate the same wide eyed, open mouthed wonderment?.

OR.

Will our efforts be the final, ultimate humilation in the eyes of the World?.

what do you think?.

Bob

Can we really afford it and does the majority of the British people really want it?
With the T.V. presenters getting excited and hyped-up about it I did a little poll of people I know and know-one is particularly bothered about it. It has the same sort of response as when people are asked if they are interested in the Eurovision Song Contest.

 

[JohnInStockie]

Ive not managed to see any of it at all yet, not 1 minute, and not even on purpose either. I dont have anythin against the event at all, but I dont like the way the IOC works and I detest the sugar-filled excitement of the presenters. If I dont see any I wont be bothered. I agree about 2012, total waste of money.

John

 

[flecc]

In 2012, It will be the turn of us, the British, to at least match this amazing opening ceremony. Will we be able to emulate the same wide eyed, open mouthed wonderment?.

OR.

Will our efforts be the final, ultimate humilation in the eyes of the World?.

what do you think?.

Bob

It was indeed amazing Bob, but we won't match it, nor will we attempt to. It's in the nature of this that someone has to downgrade at some point, and in fact the Greeks did that superbly well. There had been some increasingly spectacular openings in previous Olympics like Atlanta and Sydney which Greece knew they couldn't "out-spectacle", so they opened with charm instead, one little boy in a big paper boat sailing slowly across a lake, waving a flag and smiling at everyone. Absolutely magical, the huge audience spellbound, a nation showing imagination rather than power. That was then followed by a costume procession displaying the long history of a nation which civilisation has been indebted to.

That's now how we have to downscale after China, but can we match that sort of imaginative approach? I must admit after the fiasco of the Millennium Dome, I am fearful.
.

 

[carpetbagger]

I agree it was a magical opening something that we haven't a chance of matching,,lets hope our team win lots of drug free medals then we will be the true winners......As for 2012....yes a downgraded ceremony...a team of ebikers riding around the new stadium....with exch countrys flag.....what a spectacle !!

 

[flecc]

......As for 2012....yes a downgraded ceremony...a team of ebikers riding around the new stadium....with exch countrys flag.....what a spectacle !!

But they have to be on English e-bikes of course, our very own TGA-Electrobike, one of the first ever designed and still on the market:

 

[JohnInStockie]

I agree it was a magical opening something that we haven't a chance of matching,,lets hope our team win lots of drug free medals then we will be the true winners......As for 2012....yes a downgraded ceremony...a team of ebikers riding around the new stadium....with exch countrys flag.....what a spectacle !!

Class - Lets just hope theres no mention of derestriction or cog changing lol

 

[JohnInStockie]

...a team of ebikers riding around the new stadium....

...and then agruing over who really came first, power, batteries, age and fitness - lol it'd be hilarious, what a wonderful idea

 

[halfmedley]

Britain will do well if they don't try to match the Chinese, we've never been any good at the immense spectacle. We'd do better to play to our strengths (art, fashion, pop music, humour, etc) and do something slightly off-the-wall. However, I fear a timid committee will decide and we will end up with a succession of cliches featuring pearly kings, morris dancers, Cliff Richard and Tony Blair waving from the top of a routemaster bus.

 

[flecc]

Britain will do well if they don't try to match the Chinese, we've never been any good at the immense spectacle. We'd do better to play to our strengths (art, fashion, pop music, humour, etc) and do something slightly off-the-wall. However, I fear a timid committee will decide and we will end up with a succession of cliches featuring pearly kings, morris dancers, Cliff Richard and Tony Blair waving from the top of a routemaster bus.

We have lacked imagination with this sort of spectacle, the Millennium Dome being an example, so I think we're very likely to continue with the themes that won London the Olympics, youth and multiculturalism.

Greece and China emphasised their histories with good reason, but that's an area we'd be well advised to steer clear of in an international arena like the Olympics. The Empire, centuries of exploitation, slave trading, the appalling opium trading and wars are not the most endearing of themes to other countries, and that's what many of them understand as our history.
.

 

[Blew it]

The success continues, including two brits on the podium together in the Ladies swimming.

Young Tom Daly's confidence didn't appear too dented by his eighth in the diving. As he has always maintained, 2012 will be HIS event.

The 2012 Olympics. Yes gentlemen, I agree with the idea of downsizing the opening ceremony.

FLECC: Do you recall, about 3 years ago, Londoners awoke one Sunday morning to find a space ship embedded into a London street. It contained a little girl who had travelled through space in search of "The Sultans Elephant".

Her emergence from the spaceship was accompanied by the sound of a girl singing in a strangely ethereal voice. ( A similar sound still used in successful advertising campaigns today). After travelling through the crowd lined streets, she eventually came face to face with the "elephant" in one of Londons huge parades.

This was a result of Mr.David Lammy inviting a French Puppet company to bring their show to London. Everybody, both young and old were totally enthralled, even spellbound, by the simple charm of the spectacle.

Therefore Flecc, I agree with you, A large dollop of soft centred charm can raise a lump in a few throats, even us British!.


And now I'm going to have a moan about this confounded weather we are not enjoying.

The central eyes of a fine stand of giant sunflowers, have succumbed to wet rot even before the big sunny faces appeared.

150 hardy perennials raised from seed languishing in their pots, The two borders prepared for them being too wet to venture upon.

Finally, during the weekend, no less than TWENTY THREE ants nests erupted through the back lawns. Pesky varmints!.

Bob

Damp, dreary dismal

Swindon.

 

[WALKERMAN]

Olympics

Britain will do well if they don't try to match the Chinese, we've never been any good at the immense spectacle. We'd do better to play to our strengths (art, fashion, pop music, humour, etc) and do something slightly off-the-wall. However, I fear a timid committee will decide and we will end up with a succession of cliches featuring pearly kings, morris dancers, Cliff Richard and Tony Blair waving from the top of a routemaster bus.

I don't think anyone has even mentioned the pollution caused by the thousands of fireworks which were set-off, yet almost every news bulletin has something to say about the air quality and the smog. Nearly every day someone rants on, on the T.V. or radio, about global warming yet the 'carbon footprint' of these Olympics must be massive.

By 2012 hopefully fireworks might even be banned in London!

Anyway, I'm pleased to say my own 'carbon footprint' is kind of small these days thanks to my ebike. I'm really enjoying my Pro Connect which is much better to ride than my Giant Lafree Comfort ST. I don't know why there are complaints from some of you about the weather though - it's great fun riding through the big puddles

 

[flecc]

FLECC: Do you recall, about 3 years ago, Londoners awoke one Sunday morning to find a space ship embedded into a London street. It contained a little girl who had travelled through space in search of "The Sultans Elephant".

Therefore Flecc, I agree with you, A large dollop of soft centred charm can raise a lump in a few throats, even us British!.


And now I'm going to have a moan about this confounded weather we are not enjoying.

The central eyes of a fine stand of giant sunflowers, have succumbed to wet rot even before the big sunny faces appeared.

150 hardy perennials raised from seed languishing in their pots, The two borders prepared for them being too wet to venture upon.

Finally, during the weekend, no less than TWENTY THREE ants nests erupted through the back lawns. Pesky varmints!.

Bob

Damp, dreary dismal

Swindon.

Yes, I do remember the spaceship and little girl Bob, it's the lines on which we should start thinking, rather than concentrating on spectacle.

Our weather in the eastern half isn't any better, grey, wet and generally depressing. I'd love the ants though, like all wildlife down to the tiniest, very welcome where I'm concerned. See my other website, and meanwhile, heres some yellow meadow ants.

 

[flecc]

I don't think anyone has even mentioned the pollution caused by the thousands of fireworks which were set-off, yet almost every news bulletin has something to say about the air quality and the smog. Nearly every day someone rants on, on the T.V. or radio, about global warming yet the 'carbon footprint' of these Olympics must be massive.

By 2012 hopefully fireworks might even be banned in London!

Apart from simplicity, the one unique idea I had for London to be different would be to have an opening ceremony with no fireworks, unlike every other city to date.

So yes, I completely agree.
.

 

[Saddlesore]

Oh I don't know about fireworks. I think we should do what we normally do when Johnny Foreigner hoves over the horizon - form square and give them volleyfire by rank - ahh those were the days. Where's my gunboat??

 

[jontee]

2012!

Rather than a huge display of international and political one upmanship perhaps we could show some historical highlights of the modern olympiad - from it's humble beginings in Much Wenlock in 1850 to the founding of the IOC in 1896 ( in my opinion William Penny Brooks,Evangelos Zappas and Pierre Coubertin were the main instigators ).

There has been many highpoints in the history of the olympiad from all nations - it could make it a unique opening - truly international.

Why should the opening of any event overshadow the event itself. The games were meant to be a festival of sports and recreation before politics started to get a foot in the door.

Did you know that London was proposed for the 1st modern olympic games.

And with the inclusion of events like beach volleyball and BMX perhaps one day we might see some sort of Ebike/pedelec event especially if they become more popular.

 

[carpetbagger]

And with the inclusion of events like beach volleyball and BMX perhaps one day we might see some sort of Ebike/pedelec event especially if they become more popular.

only trouble is..chinese are going to win everytime !!