Was that the lamest Opening Ceremony EVER?

[Richard Hakluyt]

Not much you can do about this if the IOC insists on certain numbers of tickets going to people who may or may not use them.

Yes, it is not a very democratic process. The best seats appear to go to various "dignitaries" that can't even be bothered to turn up most of the time.

[Syt]

British troops already were attending women's gymnastics Sunday morning, Coe said.

What, no Siege jokes? 

Too easy.

[CountDeMoney]

What, no Siege jokes? 

Too easy.

Way too easy. 

[garbon]

How many times have you seen Red Sorghum?  Just because you're gay and wealthy dpesn't automatically make you cultured, and just because you jerked off to McGregor in Trainspotting doesn't make it anything more than the flawed film it is.  If you spent more time trying to become a cultured asshat and less time pretending to be one you might be able to have a real conversation on this-but to be honest I'm pretty sure you've never seen a Chinese film without martial arts.

And just because you become a dairy factory over just about anything from the large continent that is Asia, doesn't make you cultured either.

[Ed Anger]

[Martinus]

 

[garbon]

*high five*

[dps]

Trainspotting was brilliant from start to finish.  Agree about 28 Days Later.

This. Dissing the author of Trainspotting, especially if you contrast him with Spielberg (who is good at making blockbusters, but there is nothing original or creative in his cinema) or some Chinese dude noone has ever heard about (not to mention, neither of them being a Brit), makes you retarded.

Hm.  I was going to go with either genetics, being dropped on his head too many times, or perhaps his mother being malnurished while pregnant with him.

[crazy canuck]

Not much you can do about this if the IOC insists on certain numbers of tickets going to people who may or may not use them.

Yes, it is not a very democratic process. The best seats appear to go to various "dignitaries" that can't even be bothered to turn up most of the time.

It was a real problem here too.  Our organizing committee quickly told them to confirm they would use them or lose them.  Most lost their tickets and those were put back on sale to the public.  The IOC may have made changes in between the two games to ensure a local organizing committee couldnt do that again - hence the empty seats.

[dps]

Not much you can do about this if the IOC insists on certain numbers of tickets going to people who may or may not use them.

Yes, it is not a very democratic process. The best seats appear to go to various "dignitaries" that can't even be bothered to turn up most of the time.

It was a real problem here too.  Our organizing committee quickly told them to confirm they would use them or lose them.  Most lost their tickets and those were put back on sale to the public.  The IOC may have made changes in between the two games to ensure a local organizing committee couldnt do that again - hence the empty seats.

While the IOC is most certainly corrupt, reserving certain blocks of tickets in-and-of itself isn't corrupt.  But insisting on reserving those tickets for people who admit that they aren't going to use them is just plain stupid.

[alfred russel]

I think the opening and closing ceremonies generally suck--conveying your country's history and culture through interpretive dance and song in an athletic stadium, while doing some athletic housekeeping stuff--it is rather awkward. I wish they would hold it to under 60 minutes, but beyond that what more could you ask for?

I'm certain these games will be remembered as a great organizational success, if only because Brazil is on deck.

[derspiess]

I think the opening and closing ceremonies generally suck--conveying your country's history and culture through interpretive dance and song in an athletic stadium, while doing some athletic housekeeping stuff--it is rather awkward. I wish they would hold it to under 60 minutes, but beyond that what more could you ask for?

I always watch the parade of nations and lighting on the torch, and then little else.  I always watch it after I've recorded it, so I can fast forward through any crap I don't like.  This year they zipped through the parade of nations, which pissed me off. 

[crazy canuck]

Not much you can do about this if the IOC insists on certain numbers of tickets going to people who may or may not use them.

Yes, it is not a very democratic process. The best seats appear to go to various "dignitaries" that can't even be bothered to turn up most of the time.

It was a real problem here too.  Our organizing committee quickly told them to confirm they would use them or lose them.  Most lost their tickets and those were put back on sale to the public.  The IOC may have made changes in between the two games to ensure a local organizing committee couldnt do that again - hence the empty seats.

While the IOC is most certainly corrupt, reserving certain blocks of tickets in-and-of itself isn't corrupt.  But insisting on reserving those tickets for people who admit that they aren't going to use them is just plain stupid.

Not sure what corruption has to do with it.

It appears that the Brits are now imposing a solution similar to what we did.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/olympics/thousands-of-unused-olympic-tickets-now-up-for-grabs/article4449140/

[Josephus]

Not much you can do about this if the IOC insists on certain numbers of tickets going to people who may or may not use them.

Yes, it is not a very democratic process. The best seats appear to go to various "dignitaries" that can't even be bothered to turn up most of the time.

Or sponsors, mostly.
the problem is that "comps" are offered to the same sponsors and dignitaries. So, all the sponsors might be at the gymnastics events, and none at the volleyball games, since they can't be at several places at the same time.

[crazy canuck]

Why do you think it mostly sponsors?

The OIC gets a big chunk of tickets.