Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Lesley Cox on July 25, 2012, 09:49:46 PM
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Do we want - or are we deliberately avoiding - an Olympic Games thread?
I wanted just to wish all of the UK a successful and trouble-free Games with good weather and goodwill among teams, the public and the men and women who are charged with keeping everything secure. OK there may have been some hiccoughs, but bad dress rehearsals usually mean outstanding first nights. Let's hope this is the case now and that everything proceeds smoothly and safely.
Well darn it, NZ lost to Great Britain in Women's football overnight but it was probably appropriate that we let the home team win on the first outing. ;D
I shall use the opening ceremony time (daytime here) to clean seeds while I watch it.
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You'll hear plenty from me if GB win gold in the cycling - road and velodrome!
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A former student has just sent me some photos of the Rapier surface-to-air missile system which is currently being deployed in London not far from where her son lives. Rather oddly, she does not feel reassured.
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Not altogether surprising, Gerry. :-X
I've just heard on the news that they managed to show the flag of South Korea on the big screen at Hampden Park when introducing the NORTH Korean team for the ladies football match.
What a gaffe!
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Yes, that wouldn't go down well with either side I should think.
I rather think NZ has some pretensions to cycling medals Maggi, though the event in which we had best hopes was cut out from the schedule. Maybe rowing.
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The bloke on the World Service called it Hampton Park, but then they can't pronounce Garnier either! ::)
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Do we want - or are we deliberately avoiding - an Olympic Games thread?
No, and yes. Will be avoiding it as much as I can. I'm even more pleased than usual that I don't live anywhere near London.
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personally I am not interested in sport but am pleased at the thought it will give a great deal of pleasure to a lot of people.
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Not altogether surprising, Gerry. :-X
I've just heard on the news that they managed to show the flag of South Korea on the big screen at Hampden Park when introducing the NORTH Korean team for the ladies football match.
What a gaffe!
Could have been the end of a Korea?
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From the comments given by a UK Univ. Korean specialist on the radio this morning, it seems that if the N. K. team had not protested visibly and thoroughly, it would have likely meant the end of more than their careers when they get home. :-X
Another thought: why is it "Team GB" - are the Northern Irish not included? ???
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Another thought: why is it "Team GB" - are the Northern Irish not included? ???
Just be thankful its not 'Team South East England'.
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I agree with Tony - there are not many things that would get me out on the streets cheering someone but we did for the Olympic Flame coming through Faversham and it was a great atmosphere. Personally I would like to compete but my hockey days are over and I only managed to play once for the Warwickshire Schools team!
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Tim, take heart, a friend of ours is still playing hockey regularly, and having great fun travelling with his team of aged allstars all over the world- and he can give you ten years at least!
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Another thought: why is it "Team GB" - are the Northern Irish not included? ???
Actually Great Britain is just the largest island, which is part of the British Isles, which does not include Ireland.
The sovereign state is called United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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Exactly..... so if the N. Irish are included in any of the "British" teams then it should be Team UK.....shouldn't it?
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It does not have the same ring to it as Team GB
Are there athletes from N. Ireland competing? :-X
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It does not have the same ring to it as Team GB
Are there athletes from N. Ireland competing? :-X
I know... I can just picture the graffitti for Team YUK
I don't know if there are N.Irish athletes competeing for the team this time- I know they can choose to affiliate to either the Irish team fromn the Republic, or the British Team, as they prefer. I'd be very surprised if there were none included.
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From this website : http://www.teamgb.com (http://www.teamgb.com)
"What is Team GB?
Team GB is the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team.
Every two years the Team represents Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the summer or winter Olympic Games. The Team is selected by the British Olympic Association, in conjunction with the governing bodies, from the best sportsmen and women to compete in 26 summer and 7 winter Olympic sports at the greatest sporting event in the world.
The sportsmen and women who are selected to participate for GB at the Olympic Games become members of the Great Britain Olympic Team, Team GB.
There is only one Olympic team from Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Team GB. There is not an Olympic swimming team or Olympic rowing team. The individual sports join to become Team GB, the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team.
How is Team GB selected?
The British Olympic Association (BOA) is responsible for selecting Team GB for the Olympic Games, in conjunction with the National Governing Bodies of each Olympic sport. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Federation agree the qualification standard for each sport at the Olympic Games. The BOA and each governing body agree any higher standard above that qualification specifically for Team GB."
From Wikipedia:
"The British Olympic Committee rejected calls for the nickname to be changed to Team UK. A spokesman said that "Team UK would not a be completely accurate description of the BOA remit." and that 'Team GB' is an effective "trading name".
At a meeting of the UK Sports Cabinet in London the Minister said it was unfortunate that the title ‘Team GB and Northern Ireland’ was so frequently shortened to ‘Team GB’, particularly in media circles."
"Team UK would not a be completely accurate description of the BOA remit."
No? How on earth could that be? ??? ::)
Wonderful what stuff these folks can come up with, I reckon! :-X
It seems there are around 540 plus members of "Team GB" ... they're listed here :
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/Team-GB/competitors/ (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/Team-GB/competitors/)
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Not altogether surprising, Gerry. :-X
I've just heard on the news that they managed to show the flag of South Korea on the big screen at Hampden Park when introducing the NORTH Korean team for the ladies football match.
What a gaffe!
Seoul destroying...
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Seoul destroying...
Jackie, that's a pun that could have come from a Forumist with years of practice.... 8) ;D
Start as you mean to go on!
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Seoul destroying...
;D ;D A star is born ;D ;D
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It's taken forty-three years, but I dare to hope I have found my spiritual home ;)
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That's good to hear, Jackie - every now and then ( though not more than twice a day, usually) there is a festival of punning around these parts that is positively Olympian in nature.
Some days I have to take extra medication to cope...... :-\ ::)
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And of course only those of very strong constitution should spend more than a minute viewing the Members Board :o :o
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It does not have the same ring to it as Team GB
We finally got to see the Ab Fab "Olympic Special" last night and June Whitfield's comment on Team GB was "Gays and Bi-sexuals? I thought they have their own games"! ;D ;D ;D
cheers
fermi
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We finally got to see the Ab Fab "Olympic Special" last night and June Whitfield's comment on Team GB was "Gays and Bi-sexuals? I thought they have their own games"! ;D ;D ;D
cheers
fermi
It's on TV here tonight! My mum went to school with June Whitfield when the latter was shipped up to Huddersfield. 8)
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My mum went to school with June Whitfield when the latter was shipped up to Huddersfield. 8)
I hope they packed her carefully for the journey!
Maggi I hope plenty of server space is reserved for the moans after the opening ceremony.
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The Whitfield family had a shop in Huddersfield so June was sent to Kays College to learn shorthand typing! My mum remembered her as one of the older girls.
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My youngest son, an art student in London, is working in the Velodrome at the moment. He started last Monday getting the refreshments for all the athlete/media/officials lounges in the park venues ready. Now he has been manning the three lounges under the velodrome while the different countries come in for their training sessions. He will not be able to see much of the live action when the racing starts next week but there are TV screens everywhere so they will know what is going on.
He did 10 9-hour days in a row before having a day off yesterday....unfortunately, that was the day that 'Team GB' came in to train :(
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The opening ceremony is on channel 4 in NZ, but I switched over to Sky as there were adverts every few minutes, even cutting out Kenneth Branagh's speech, and the NZ commentators talked through the music. ::)
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You're missing very little in my opinion. Opened well and then ..... :( :(
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Whole ceremony on Sky with no intrusive commentary and no adverts. 8)
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Prime was OK, very few ads and nothing missed. I especially enjoyed Rowan Atkinson's little bit - and the look on Sir SR's face. ;D
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I suppose it's what you are used to. One advert is too many. I generally record programmes and then skip the ads.
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Too long, too boring and most of world must have wondered what it was all about!
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Attention span getting limited David? ;D
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Anthony,
On behalf of David, who's dozed off..... "Sorry, what?"
:P
(Well you did say you were also planning to have me beaten up, David. Thought I'd get a couple of quips in before the happening!!)
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Hi Paul. ;D
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Hey Anthony. 8)
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Attention span getting limited David? ;D
You'll get to it mate, when 22.30 comes round I'm ready for bed.;D
I think it's the heavy commercial influences, and the involvement of politicians, on the Games that really puts me off. Tickets can't be paid for with any other card than Visa who are sponsors. Spectators can't take in soft drinks unless they are manufactured by another of the sponsors. It only remains for HP Sauce to decide to sponsor tiddlywinks and it will become, overnight, an Olympic sport. I get much more pleasure these days watching kids play cricket just for the love of the game. I'm only glad I don't live in London, the Londoners will be paying through the nose for it for many years to come.
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I doubt it will be only the Londoners who have to pay....... :-X :-\
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I doubt it will be only the Londoners who have to pay....... :-X :-\
Another reason to dissolve The Union? ;D
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Mercy, No need to go that far.
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Another reason to dissolve The Union? ;D
Are you really advocating that the North, South, East and West Ridings of Yorkshire really separate from each other :o :o :o
Surely the end of Civilisation as we know it?? ;D
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Are you really advocating that the North, South, East and West Ridings of Yorkshire really separate from each other :o :o :o
Surely the end of Civilisation as we know it?? ;D
Erm!! There isn't a South Riding Ron. The word "riding" comes from an Old Norse word pronounced something like "threthingr" which roughly means 3 parts. Here endeth the history lesson ;D
So we could merge the other two into the one that really counts :P
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Swot!!
However you may find that a book of 1936 by Winifred Holtby ( called South Riding ) and ..... oh to blow with it,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Riding (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Riding)
Its on the Internet so it must be true ;D :P ::)
Three Ridings and a South Yorkshire.
Merge them all into East Riding? Jolly good idea ;D ;D
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My daughter got a last minute ticket to the handball (of little interest but she gave it a go) which gave her entrance to the Olympic Park. From her numerous calls all day it has been a wonderful experience for her. In particular the floral displays,a small sample of which were shown on Gardeners World last night she said are stunning.
She watched the opening ceremony on a giant screen in a park last night picnicking with thousands of others having a really enjoyable time.
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So we could merge the other two into the one that really counts :P
No, No, No. Leave the West Riding alone. Just merge the East Riding with the South Riding.
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Sounds like your daughter is enjoying the whole experience Tony, as apparently, are thousands and thousands of others ;D. I hope everyone that participates, attends or just views enjoys it fully also. 8) 8)
Why do we need to use South African and American prairie plants though to create a legacy in the Olympic area?. Probably many local plants were bulldozed to create the 'upgrade' of the site. Surely a 'nod' to local plants would have been somewhat more sympathetic, ???
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I missed the opening ceremony because my mother bitched and moaned about missing ... Big Brother
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I too missed the opening ceremony (for different reasons) but it must have been good if it provoked an extreme right wing twerp to describe it as “leftie multicultural crap”.
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My family watched the opening ceremonies, we all agreed it was AWESOME and visually compelling, thoroughly enjoyed it all. I agree with Lesley, loved the clever Rowan Atkinson bit, the video-merged scenes from Chariots of Fire was hilarious. Stunning to see how much worked went into this event.
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No, No, No. Leave the West Riding alone. Just merge the East Riding with the South Riding.
I'm with you on that Gerry. 8)
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Wasn't there a children's TV series many years ago called "South Riding?" I seem to remember a sort of "Follyfoot" type programme, kids with horses and so on.
Olympics all day here if one wants, otherwise can be avoided altogether. The opening was all through a morning so didn't effect sleeping patterns at all. :D
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I agree with you David re sponsorship and their bullying tactics. We can't go to a rugby game and take a bottle of water. Have to buy it inside the grounds and have to use THEIR chosen credit card. No wonder the Rugby unions are whining on about fewer people attending games. Besides, hundreds of dollars (or pounds at the Olympics) for a seat? Get real!
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No, No, No. Leave the West Riding alone. Just merge the East Riding with the South Riding.
The West Riding is the one that really counts Gerry. I'll just leave Ron his literary South ;D
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I'll just leave Ron his literary South ;D
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I see from the newspaper this morning that the elements of the cauldron were knocked up in Anne Wright's backyard...these Yorkshiremen are very creative!
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The West Riding is the one that really counts Gerry.........
My point precisely David.
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Big Brother Mark. Is that still going?
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We watched the Black Sticks women beat Australia 1-0 this evening. The week before they flew to London they all (well, 11 of them) did a 2 hour coaching clinic for 50 young players at Diocesan School for Girls on the school's new blue pitch built over the underground car park. Lucy enjoyed the experience and got signatures and photographs. 8)
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I think that was the first time they've beat Australia in an olympic match isn't it? Brilliant job!! Always nice to see someone step up to the mark in this sort of competition.... even if it means defeat of my countrywomen. ;D
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Very noble of you Paul. 8)
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@ Anthony yes it is
@ Lesley I remember song that went something like on white horses snowy white horses
McDonalds do not allow any other seller on the site to sell chips unless it is accompanied with fish, chicken ...
All words associated with the London 2012 games are (C) of the Olympic committee or what ever they are called. Only sponsors can use Olympic words.
Games, Two Thousand and Twelve, 2012, Twenty-Twelve, London, Medals, Sponsors, Summer, Gold, Silver, Bronze
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Oh sh1t I just used the copyright words ;D
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Anthony,
While I barrack for the Aussies, I still ike to see good performances from people who aren't necessarily expecting to be doing it. There really are some amazing stories regarding the olympics. As an example, there's Kieren Behan in the Irish Gymnastics team. Apparently twice during his life he has been told he'll never walk again. When he was young he had a tumour in his leg that left him in a wheelchair for 15 months, then after getting back into gymnastics against the odds after that he had a fall from the high bar, resulting in brain damage and problems with his inner ear, which again resulted in wheelchair time. He's come through all that and is competing at the Olympics. How brilliant is that!!! Just goes to show that when told "you'll never walk again" it isn't necessarily correct, even if told it on more than one occasion. ;D
And if you've been watching any of the swimming they've already had.... there are a lot of names winning heats etc that are completely out of left field. So good that people really are putting on their best performances at events like these. That really is what the whole olympic ideal is supposed to be about (as opposed to commercial sponsorship! ::)).
;)
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McDonald's in New Zealand were getting into the London mind set by advertising "Filet [sic] o' Fish and Fries". That would be fish (fillet) and chips! How they can insist on a monopoly on chips I don't know. I'm quite happy they call them French Fries because they are a poor excuse for chips and should be done on the trade description act if they tried to call them chips. ;D
I saw the Irish gymnast Paul. Quite a feat just qualifying!
Extra: big row in today's NZ Herald on Sunday about the "intrusive adverts" on the NZ coverage of the opening ceremony. As well as the cuts, they must have delayed some broadcast as the Prime coverage finished at 12.10 a.m., 55 minutes later than the same ending scenes were broadcast on Sky.
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Big Brother Mark. Is that still going?
What's your point?
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As far as I am aware there were no wild flowers on the site which was a polluted industrial wasteland.
Here are some pictures of the site taken yesterday by my daughter who was quite overwhelmed by the floral display.
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I would like to be there but only to see the plants
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Quote from: Anthony Darby on Today at 11:24:09 AM
Big Brother Mark. Is that still going?
What's your point?
You've got the wrong end of the stick, Mark - "Big Brother" is a TV programme, Anthony's asking Mark Smyth if it is still shown in the UK.
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Got it, thanks Maggi... didn't see Mark S's comment.
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Here are some pictures of the site taken yesterday by my daughter who was quite overwhelmed by the floral display.
Could someone tell me what is that strange contraption/building in the pic behind the kniphofias?
??? ??? ???
Unfortunately BB is also re-starting in Oz after a change in TV stations! :(
cheers
fermi
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Could someone tell me what is that strange contraption/building in the pic behind the kniphofias?
??? ??? ???
Unfortunately BB is also re-starting in Oz after a change in TV stations! :(
cheers
fermi
That is 'The Orbit' which is London's largest piece of modern art and is meant to depict the olympic Rings. It could be described as a load of rubbish as most of it is made from reclaimed materials
http://www.london2012.com/spectators/venues/olympic-park/orbit/ (http://www.london2012.com/spectators/venues/olympic-park/orbit/)
To take your mind of it and show the natural world has more elegance a few more pictures
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The thing like a helterskelter, behind the Kniphofias is, as Tony says "The Orbit".
It began as a sculpture by Anish Kapoor but the over zealous application by the "powers that be" of "health and safety" considerations, have resulted in it looking a complete mess and not at all as the artist wanted.
The plantings are quite lovely. Thanks to Tony and his daughter for sharing these with us.
I meant to add - Ms Willis' photos are pretty darn special too!
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I love the plants. Amazing considering the summer up until a week or so ago!
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On the Olympic Park plantings, from hortweek.com :
"Palmstead planting on display for Olympic opening
By Matthew Appleby Wednesday, 25 July 2012 - quoted from HortWeek online
Olympic planting from Palmstead Nurseries will be on display to the world throughout the 2012 Games in London.
The London Olympic Park includes half a mile of naturalistic perennial planting designed by James Hitchmough, Nigel Dunnett and Sarah Price in cooperation with LDA Design/Hargreaves.
Palmstead marketing manager Nick Coslett said:
"We are very proud to have contributed plants to the Olympic Park's World Gardens. We are just a small contributor in a very large and professional team who have produced an exemplar public park in a most considered and intelligent way; the park just happens to have Olympic facilities within it too."
Two of the designers behind the project, Hitchmough and Price have been speakers at the last two Palmstead annual workshops.
Coslett added:
"As the park bursts in to colour for this superb event I sincerely hope it will be a stimulus which will shape and colour many more of our public parks for years to come. Shame on our public park managers and councillors if it does not."
Palmstead grew more than 60,000 plants, grasses, herbs and flowers from across the globe for the Olympic park project. Coslett said his "medal winning’ plants" include:
The white Shasta Daisy in the Europe garden - Leucanthemum x superbus TE Killin
The red Prairie bush mallow in the North American Garden - Callirhoe bushii
The South African Thistle in the Southern Hemisphere Garden - Berkheya purpurea
The Drackensburg Red Hot Pokers in the Southern Hemisphere Garden - Kniphofia triangularis - and
The False Gerbera - Haphlocarpa scaposa "
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Thanks for posting those lovely photos Tony - I just love that kind of planting. There were similar borders around the Floriade park too. I had asked my son to get some pictures for me but he is not allowed to have a camera with him.
My only disappointment with the opening ceremony was that I was hoping for Tom Daley to be diving off the Orbit platform into a big vat of custard.
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My only disappointment with the opening ceremony was that I was hoping for Tom Daley to be diving off the Orbit platform into a big vat of custard.
And what a magnificent spectacle that would have been, Vivien - sadly, in a secret recce of the site before the games, some un-named Scots came upon the giant vat of custard.... and ate the lot. Just as well, because I'm sure I've read somewhere that young Mr Daley is allergic to custard...... ;) ;D ;D
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That would be certain death Vivien as custard (if it contains cornflour) is a non-Newtonian liquid and if he tried to dive into it it would be like hitting concrete. BRAINIAC Science Abuse - John Tickle Walks On Custard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN2D5y-AxIY#)
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Anyone know what that lovely dark Gladiolus in the plantings is? Great pastel colour to the Kniphofia too. A lovely display.
Thanks for posting the pics, Tony. :D
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Loved the video Anthony ;D
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Tickled me too Brian. ;D
Cringed this morning listening to Radio Sport where one commentator was trying to explain to an even less enlightened colleague that the 'pants' that horse riders wear were called jogpurs! ::) The same muppet was commenting on the canoe "slaylom" earlier! I despair. :'(
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Can't excuse the "pants" but we do, in NZ, pronounce what you presumably call slahlom as slaylom. Just as we grow sikelamen rather than sicklamen. Don't despair of us because half a world away we pronounce things differently. ::) (though I would have confined slaloms to a skifield, not a rowing course.)
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Slalom is a Norwegian word. I think just means (to zigzag down) a sloping path. Originally skiing but now applies to canoeing for want of a better word?
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Slalåm: 'Sla' is sloping and 'låm' is a track. When you ski down a hill you have to avoid the trees etc hence the zigzaging ;D
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Oh sorry - seems I have missed the real content of the thread. I wasn't aware - is it some kind of games going on in the islands in Vesterhavet?
Nice plantings though ;)
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Very well done that man from Dunblane!!! No, not YOU Anthony. ;D
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Lesley, it was in my morning paper that Australian TV were only showing the first 9 in the medal table because NZ happened to be 10! They wouldn't stoop to that would they?
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David,
No, I think it would be because they can only fit 10 on the screen and we're not part of the top 10 (so they list nine, then put us at the bottom of the screen with our number alongside.
One off the morning shows did a "medals per population" type of arrangement based on populations...... New Zealand was first!! They're doing an absolutely brilliant job!! ;D Australia was still 5th in that. ::)
The home advantage really makes a difference, doesn't it? Just like Australia when it was in Sydney in 2000. So many more medals that year. Some of the GB stuff has been brilliant. I loved the C2 Men's Slalom Kayaking..... both gold and silver to GB. And some great rowing etc, and cycling, and...... Great to see some countries that traditionally don't win golds winning some as well. 8)
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That would be certain death Vivien as custard (if it contains cornflour) is a non-Newtonian liquid and if he tried to dive into it it would be like hitting concrete.
[/quote
He'd be OK if he cooked the custard first though?
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Here's Andy's post box at the Cathedral end of the high street, and the stamp. The box was being painted at 7.00 a.m. this morning. What a pity it's one of the modern ones. I've ordered some stamps from the Royal Mail. 8)
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I think it will be difficult to beat last Saturday in the Olympic Stadium for excitement - wish I had been there.
Usain Bolt was the hottest ticket with apparently 2 million people wanting tickets for Sunday evening, but it did not compare to Andy playing the most exisquite teniis to beat Roger Federer, and then nearly beating the number one seeds - vastly more experienced and a regular pairing - with Laura Robson after no practice.
Looking forward to more in the velodrome - will every event be won in world reord time!
Fingers crossed the Mo can win on Saturday.
I hope that Beth Tweddle can get the medal her dedication deserves - so sad to see Louis Smith beaten by the rules.
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Just found out that the beautiful olympic flame flower/cauldron was made in my village!
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You must have been busy Anne
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9395.msg252533#msg252533 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=9395.msg252533#msg252533)
;)
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YES David. That was TRUE! about the Aussie papers not publishing NZ's place in the medal count. They admitted it and one commentator said "of course NZ has more gold that Australia but we won't discuss that." We still have more gold though fewer overall. But what does it matter so long as everyone performs well and most of all, has a great time? We did have great hopes of Valerie Adams in the shot put but them's the breaks. I expect Australia will catch up as they usually do well in track and field. The X factor we've not seen before until 2008, is the massive entry at top level, of the Chinese, especially in things like gymnastics, swimming/diving and other things. Where, for instance in the medal table, is Russia? Not even mentioned in the top 10 so far as I can see. Of course as Russia instead of the Soviet Union, they've lost many of the smaller countries like Kazakhstan, Belarusse (sorry about the spelling) and others.
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I had forgotten about the thixotropic(?) property of custard, but I like it very runny so I reckon I could have got it to work.
After 5 Andy Murray matches in the last three days my nerves are completely shot but I am SO HAPPY.
:) :) ;D :) ;D :-* :) ;D :-* :) ;D :-* :) ;D :)
I hope the postbox has not been repainted before the next Dunblane show.
ps On Look North this lunchtime they said that if Yorkshire was a country it would be 13th in the medal table!
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There is a SRGC Summer Show in Dunblane on 18 August, Vivien. You could come up and join the pilgrimage to 'the' postbox then!
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On Look North this lunchtime they said that if Yorkshire was a country it would be 13th in the medal table!
By 'eck, that would mean we were ahead of cuba, Belarus, New Zealand, South Africa, Ukraine, Japan, Australia, Denmark ......
wonder where we'll end up!
;D ;D ;D
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What do you mean if Yorkshire was a country? ::)
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Yeah! I missed that. It's God's own.
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Another Gold for Yorkshire, well done Alistair Brownlee ;D
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and Bronze for Jonathan too! 8)
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..and not a black pudding in sight! 8)
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Read today that Scotland now accounts for a third of the GB golds and more than a quarter of the medals overall – outstripping our proportion of the population.
Reports have said our contribution is so impressive that a Scotland team would be sixth on the medal table. :o
Ulster althetes are also doing well... and Beth Tweddle got her Bronze yesterday to add to the English tally that so memorably includes Wiggo, Ennis and Farrah: heck, the whole of the UK is going like a train! ;D ;D
So much success in so many sports- sailing, equstrian, rowing..... the home crowd's roars must surely be doing the trick! ;)
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Forget the Olympic Games My Grand Daughter has her Standard grade results to day. Megan got 1's for Chemistry, Biology, French, and Graph Com. And A for Art. She did her English and Maths Last Year.
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That's an even more immediate and more heartfelt celebration in Dunblane, eh, Jean? Well done Megan! :-* :-*
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Yes, well done Megan, but what on earth is "Graph Com" (probably education speak!!)
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Wasnt that horse just fabulous. What did it do - the name. How did they train it.. was it voice coomands? I want a horse! LOL
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Graph Com. is a Design course needed to do archecture not that she wants to do that but she is very Artistic.
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Hi Jean, many thanks for the clarification. Architects these days have to be good at "pointy bits" (The Shard and the new RBGE Alpine House) lets hope that was part of the course :D
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Jean well done to your grand daughter.
here is Chorley's golden post box
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Ah, a proper post box. Ones in all those S-grades is a good spring-board for Highers, but what to choose other than English and Maths? 8)
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Higher selection is easy when you know what you want to do at Uni! and Megan does.
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I wish James was that focussed! We have a careers expo at school tonight and he still has no idea what he wants to do. In 1990 I took a group of 6th year pupils to the University Marine Biological Station Millport for our annual CSYS (now Advanced Higher) Biology course. One pupil, Lynne Sneddon, was planning to do classics at university. The 5 days at Millport changed that and she went on to do marine biology at Liverpool and now with a PhD I last heard she was working on pain in fish at the Rosslyn.
Why are some of the interpretors at the Olympics translating in the third person? It is very confusing and I don't know whether the words refer to the speaker or their opponent!" :-\ ???
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Congratulations to Sir Chris Hoy, who got his 6th gold medal in cycling (not all at this olympics), which I think is a record for a GB olympian? Definitely a great reason to get emotional at the medal ceremony. Well done!!
And a japanese equestrian rider competing in the showjumping at these games is third generation..... his father competed in 3 olympics (60s and 70s I think they said) and his grandfather competed in the 50s. All in showjumping apparently. No pressure on the current guy's kids eh? ;D
Some really brilliant stuff coming out in these olympics, and some wonderful sportsmanship from defeated competitors too, which is brilliant. And you can always see friends who compete for different countries, hugging and congratulating those who've won. Definitely the best in sport when you see that. Some epic rivalries between countries, but so often such great friendships between competitors. Really good sports (no pun intended).
8) 8)
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Your Australian woman did well winning the gold for the 100m hurdles last night Paul. I was cheering for her. She was up against some very stiff competition...
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Maybe it's not PC of me but I really can't come to terms with women's boxing. Having said that I can't consider two blokes attempting to knock nine shades out of each other as sport.
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Maybe it's not PC of me but I really can't come to terms with women's boxing. Having said that I can't consider two blokes attempting to knock nine shades out of each other as sport.
I agree about women's boxing David. I have trouble too with women's football and especially with rugby, yet as sports they're becoming very popular. I do like though, the TV clip we saw last night in which it seems the Brits and the Aussies are pushing for men's synchonized swimming to be included as an Olympic sport, even so soon as Brazil. ;D
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I too can't get my head around women's boxing. I know equality and all that, but I thought that women had more sense than that. ::)
As to synchro swimming....... what the? Such a wierd thing as a spectator sport. I've always wondered whether those watching at the venue ever actually see much. :-\ If it is regarded as a sport, then why not a men's version of it. Will they wear pretty unitards as well, or will they all be in speedos like the water polo. ;D I would imagine that, like the womens, it could be very graceful, but going to be hard on young gents who take that up as their sport of choice. Being a teenage boy is hard enough as it is. :o
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And had to laugh at some of the sailing last night...... they have all the points races in the qualifications and Australia and New Zealand were so far out in front that all they had to do was start the race to get their gold and silver respectively. That's a fine level of domination by both pairs. 8)
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My niece, who turned 18 last month, was in the Wallace High School (between Dunblane and Stirling) team that won the Scottish Schools sevens championship and the under 18 Stirling County girls team that won the bowl on the same day as NZ won the sevens at the same venue. http://www.stirlingcounty-rfc.co.uk/go/club/womens.aspx?ArticleID=961 (http://www.stirlingcounty-rfc.co.uk/go/club/womens.aspx?ArticleID=961)
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Plenty of men's syncronized swimming on youtube....some more elegant than others.
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John,
After that glowing endorsement, I don't think I'll be searching the internet. ;D
I've just been watching the womens artistic gymnastics. I've always dismissed it in the past.... someone poncing about on the floor with a ring, ball, ribbon or stick (complimentary, aren't I? :o), but after fast forwarding through a heap of it I stopped at one point and watching an amazing performance by Daria Dmitrieva of Russia with the ball. Absolulety stunning! At one point the ball was pretty much stationary and she was virturally cartwheeling around it. So NOT what I remember on seeing artistic gymnastics before. So far they're part way through the ball and hoop routines and both have been very impressive. Just seen Daria's hoop routine and that was beautiful as well. There's good reason that she's scored top in both apparatus so far. I'm amazed at just how good this has been to watch.... maybe I'm just getting old. :-\
Anyway, heading toward midnight now and I need to get some sleep. I keep staying up late to watch olympics, tape the rest of the night and watch it tomorrow. I tend to just start taping the braodcast when it starts and then watching it as I can between doing other things. Handy to be able to fast forward through the boring bits (particularly the adverts. ;))
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I'm sure its excellent entertainment Paul, but is it sport? Its the sort of thing you might expect at a Cirque du Soleil performance, so do we next have high wire walking?
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Chris,
Exactly the question I've always asked myself about it. :-\ First time I've ever actually enjoyed watching it, to be honest. :D
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The Men's 10m platform diving semi-finals have been on this evening (here, morning where they are). Some beautiful diving. I was starting to feel like I was in an old fashioned laundromat though, given the amount of washboards there were. ;D Great Diving.
Go Tom Daley!! 8) 8)
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Apologies for being parochial, but ....... C'mon u 'ull, Luke Campbell, 'essle Rd. #1 in the world. Thank you all for your indulgence.
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Another Yorkshire GOLD 8).
I must admit I was incredibly sceptical before these games began, but I was wrong. The best of people has been in evidence in all its forms. Very good. 8) 8)
Best ever sporting triumph???? ................. Mo ???
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So - it's all over now and the closing ceremony was really great, a pageant as only the Brits can do. It was wonderful that there were no hitches or real problems, certainly not to the onlookers anyway and everything went as smoothly as could be hoped for. So pleased the UK team did so very well in the medal count and as someone from somewhere said, the whole of Great Britain turned out to welcome their visitors and everyone was made to feel welcome and wanted. It seemed all of London was in party mood, and determined to enjoy themselves. Well done everyone in the UK.
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Bitter old cynic that I am. I still worry about how long it'll take for the ( undeniably fun) spectacle of these Games to be paid for. :-\
It was a spectacle, though, from the opening ceremony through to the razzamattazz ending.So many dedicated athletes from som any coiuntries, working their hearts out to compete. And yes, there is pride here for the successes of the UK team and extra pleasure about the number of Scots who added to that glorious display from our proud country.
It was especially exciting here in the North East, not only because of the medal winners from this area, but for the participation in both the opening and closing ceremonies of Emile Sande from Alford - a friend of my great chum's daughter, who really was magnificent, and of course, Annie Lennox who I went to school with in the last century! ;D
Feeling quite keen now to enjoy the Paralympic Games to see more dazzling sports stars.
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Even for a non-sporting person like me, I enjoyed the Olympics immensely and agree with everything you say Maggi. You talk about the 'last century' - in 1948 my father sent me out with a £1 note to buy him a set of commemorative Olympic stamps to put in his stamp album. As a child I though it was the height of extravagance for anyone to spend a whole pound on stamps to put in an album! I had this album until comparatively recently when it went to a charity shop, having established that there was nothing of any value in it, - not even the 'penny browns' and sets of stamps from countries like Abyssinia which no longer exist under that name.
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Only one medal for Portugal - a silver in K2 1,000 metres, but one of the medal-winners is from our town (from my son's canoeing club!). He carried the Portuguese flag at the closing ceremony last night and is arriving back home this evening to a hero's welcome - and it's his 23rd birthday. We have British style postboxes here - now where can I find some silver paint to deface one ... :):)
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Fewer medals for Portugal, than previously, yes, but one good silver won with courage.... you can't say fairer than that and I am sure Fernando Pimenta and Emanuel Silva will have a wonderful welcome on their return.
I hope the birthday cake is very large- and has silver icing!
The British post office set of Olympic stamps to commemorate British Gold medals is costing my friend's daughter a fortune- she promised her Dad a cover of each one!
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Fernando Pimenta is from our town and Emanuel Silva from about 20 km south. They missed a gold medal by 53 thousands of a second - Rio de Janeiro here we come :)
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Fernando Pimenta is from our town and Emanuel Silva from about 20 km south. They missed a gold medal by 53 thousands of a second - Rio de Janeiro here we come :)
Absolutely.... and maybe your Son will be the youngest member of the team.....
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So many Forumists with "Olympic" connections... this one is really good... and very much to the point.... think of Arnold T's avatar.... it comes from this photo of him with Brazilian soccer legend Pele.....[attachimg=1]
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It was especially exciting here in the North East, not only because of the medal winners from this area, but for the participation in both the opening and closing ceremonies of Emile Sande from Alford - a friend of my great chum's daughter, who really was magnificent, and of course, Annie Lennox who I went to school with in the last century! ;D
Feeling quite keen now to enjoy the Paralympic Games to see more dazzling sports stars.
Maggi
I must confess that I had never heard of Emile Sande before the Olympics. She was magnificent and her rendition of Imagine at the end was so fitting.
the Paralympic road cycling will be staged in my village at Brands Hatch, so I will be able to get a really close view. It will of course mean that entry to the village from one direction will be closed from Sept 3 to Septemebr 8 - a small price to pay for such an exciting event, and we did get roads resurfaced (not just potholes filled) ;)
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Which one is Arnold? ;D ;D ;D
We are particularly delighted tonight to learn that our much loved Valerie Adams has had her silver medal promoted to gold because the "winner" a Bylorussian has failed a drug test. Valerie has beaten this woman consistently in their last 20 meetings and is still improving her shot put lengths every time she competes. When the other woman won, I admit to thinking to myself, "I wonder what she's one?"
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Lesley
I did not wonder 'Whats she on?' I wondered was she female!
So glad for Valerie Adams.
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I must confess that I had never heard of Emile Sande before the Olympics. She was magnificent and her rendition of Imagine at the end was so fitting.
Not sure you've got that right Art. Imagine was sung by the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir together with the Liverpool Signing Choir (profoundly deaf children) and John Lennon's image appeared from a 'cloud' as he sang along.
I'm not sure the performance really came off as it was intended, or perhaps those who planned it were not sure what they were intending. Bits of it worked but in my view a lot didn't. I can appreciate what some said they were trying to do but I felt sorry for the athletes having to be corralled for so long. After all they must have been in a state of euphoria and after a long period of training and performance the old hormones must have been raging! They needed to PARTY.
Ray Davis was as flat as the proverbial on Waterloo Sunset and so was Liam Gallagher at the beginning of Wonderwall. The atmosphere was there though with many of the athletes, regardless of nationality singing along with him. I was disappointed with Annie Lennox; George Michael got it right with Freedom but then blew it with his second number.
What it lacked to me was a good old knees up for about a half hour from Auntie Elton John. That would have really got the athletes and the crowd going.
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Emeli sang at the beginning of the ceremony, later on in the ceremony and also later at the windup, which is when she sang 'Imagine'
Hmm. think I got her name wrong, it's Emeli ...... :-[
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both the opening and closing ceremonies of Emile Sande from Alford
Maggi, she was in Gordon's year at Alford academy. Her real name is Adele, she had to change it and use here middle name as there was already an established singer by that name. Her father was technical subjects teacher at the school. he was a very nice guy.
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I hadn't thought of that connection, Fred.... of course Gordon would be that age -- YIKES!!
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Lesley
I did not wonder 'Whats she on?' I wondered was she female!
So glad for Valerie Adams.
Our Val's a big girl, over 6 ft I think and big boned. I also think she's Tongan. We here tend to steal the best from Tonga, Samoa the Cooks etc for our own sporting teams. Not fair to them really as some would like to compete independantly, especially at rugby.
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Valerie Adams' mother is Tongan. Her Dad's an Englishman. She's 6' 5". Radio Sport here in New Zealand have been waxing lyrical about the Belarusian all day. Most of it unprintable, including suggestions as to ... well I won't go there! :-[
I'm afraid Ray Davis wasn't the only flat singer, and some of the miming was out of sync! I don't think, given his history, George Michael was an appropriate choice. I liked Del Boy and Rodney. One of the classic scenes from an 'Only Fools and Horses' Christmas special. ;D
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anyone know how the lights worked among the crowd during George Michael et al?
For the first time ever I watched the limpiks. It's amazing what people are capable of doing
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I am not sure, but I believe these were LED lights placed in the chaires.
Lina.
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Wow - didn't realise Annie Lennox was born in the year .... well best not say, ;D ;D ;D
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I've only just got around to watch the closing ceremony
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I was listening on BBC World Service to the bloke that did the Olympic stadium lights computer programme for the opening and closing ceremonies. He watched the latter from home and was was staggered by how amazing it worked, especially when Freddy was performing from beyond the grave.
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So many Forumists with "Olympic" connections... this one is really good... and very much to the point.... think of Arnold T's avatar.... it comes from this photo of him with Brazilian soccer legend Pele..... (Attachment Link)
Forgot to add this note from Arnold : " Photo taken at the Window's on the World restaurant which was at the top of the World Trade Center.
The American comedian Henny Youngman is in the background to the right." ;D ;D
Had to research the name of Henny Youngman, though it rang a distant bell.... turns out he was the chap with the pricelss line "Take my wife...... please!"
Also I learned that Henny was born in Liverpool, England..... small world, isn't it?
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Maggi:
I didn't know Henny was a Liverpudlian.
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I missed this event! ::)
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Watched the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on one of the endless repeats but cannot find any channel that is showing the events! :(
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It's on Channel 4 here Anthony.
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May be able to watch online via http://www.paralympic.org/ (http://www.paralympic.org/) ?
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Thanks Maggi. Down loaded the app, so I'm 'appy. ;D
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After watching some of the events at the Paralympics it made me think that the "ordinary" Olympics really are ordinary!
I hope you got to see what you wanted to, Anthony.
cheers
fermi
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The Sky coverage redeemed itself with plenty of highlights. Really enjoyable. Not quite the coverage as the Olympics as I didn't see any live coverage. I think we did better than other countries which seemed to have nothing.
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The Sky coverage redeemed itself with plenty of highlights. Really enjoyable. Not quite the coverage as the Olympics as I didn't see any live coverage. I think we did better than other countries which seemed to have nothing.
Australians were winning - we got lots of coverage! ;D
The Public Broadcaster (the ABC, our version of the Beeb) did a very good coverage - much better than the commercial stations did for the ordinary olympics.
cheers
fermi
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From what I saw, the Paralympics were absolutely amazing. Oscar Pistorius sums it up quite succinctly: “you're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have.” These people are athletes pure and simple.
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It was great last night to see Our Val, Valerie Adams at last receive her thoroughly deserved gold medal, from the Governor General, no less, Sir Gerry Mataparae. She is a much loved lady in New Zealand and as several remarked, her dignity and attitude in face of losing to a drugs cheat in London, were a lesson to us all. Roll on Rio. :D
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A couple of Vivienne's colleagues bumped into her in Briscoes department store in Botany. They had a chat and asked her if she could speak at the senior 'graduation' ceremony (thank goodness the students don't wear fancy dress). She passed on her manager's email address but it turns out she's out of the country then. :(