ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR

» Camicat - the best of both worlds

Gay, that young Dutch swimmer is wonderful and seems very popular here. Your family has the best of both nations.

I am not a great Limpicks fan and would have been just as happy if they were held somewhere- anywhere- else. BUT the decision was made 7 years ago and we are stuck with it. It makes me made to see so much money spent on sport when universities, schools and hospitals need all the funds they can get. At least we will be left with the buildings, though I question whether we needed most of them in the first place.

The Olympic village will be recycled, the tourist $ is a welcome boost to the local economy, the improvements to roads and transport generally are most welcome and the city looks terrific. No TV coverage of South or West Australia? Well of course not- the Limpicks are here in NSW with some events in Canberra and Melbourne. When the Games were in Atlanta we didn't see anything of Minnesota or Utah.

I think the real question is whether the whole extravganza is worth it any more when Opening and Closing ceremonies cost far more to attend than any of the sporting events. What's the point of all that? There were no such ceremonies prior to Hitler, and the only point seems to be to make more and more $ out of the athletes and provide a gravy train for the IOC members.

The World championships seem to manage without all this nonsense.

-- posted by Camicat

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» Gay_Klok - Camicat

For once, I cannot quite agree with you :-]

Most Australians love, games and sports people, whatever their nationality. Many of us do think that the money should be spent on our hospitals, research amd schools.

But it is an unfortunate thing that if the money hadn't been spent on the Games, with our present Federal Govt it would have not been spent of these "clever country" things. The games are a unifying and enjoyable pursuit for the mass population of Australia. Any heroes held in awe are sports folk - Sir Donald Bradman etc, not politicians!

I agree that it is a pity that the Opening Ceremony seems to have grown into a one upmanship competition. On the flip size, it gives a lot of employment to artists and the building industry. I also think that it goes on too long and their are too many spots now included - eg beach volley ball which is apparently just a "perv" session

I do enjoy the "mateship" that forms during this period and the national pride in a nation of knockers

-- posted by Gay_Klok

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» mime - Gay Klok & Camicat

As I mentioned before to jo36,I am sure your take on the Olympics in Australia is correct, you view it from a different prospective than mine of course. When we had the games here in Canada in 1967 for instance a huge controversy arose over the price we were paying for the stadium which has since come to be known as the Big 0 (zero).We have been pouring millions of dollars into that stinker for years and still do because the architect who designed it seemed not to know that it snows here in the winter, as a result the flimsy roof of the thing collapsed under the weight. The mayor of the city at the time had proclaimed that this stadium could no more cost us higher taxes than a man could have a baby. Well all these years after the famous proclamation we are still paying and I do believe that a man could become impregnated if all the conditions are right! The pompous politician has been dead many years.
But every time I pass by the stadium I can still hear the roar of the crowds.I remember how proud we all were to have the world visit us, how happy the city was, how happy I was, and younger too!:-)
So I guess what I expected when I started the discussion was not so much the negative things about hosting the games as to hear all the positive, fun and happy things happening.
I gladly read everything and anything though, I am that keen on your beautiful country and its people. I do gain incite from all your comments,it appears that no matter where one lives, politicians somehow manage to screw up our lives but if it will allow me to witness the wonders and the glories of another country then
selfishly I have to say, so be it.

-- posted by mime

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» Classicalmuse_k - Thoughts of a Proud Half-Breed

I'm not usually one for opening or closing ceremonies. I don't much like halftimes at football games either(actually, I don't like the games themselves). But when the Olympics are held in my hometown, I gotta watch it all!

My thoughts on the Opening Ceremony:

The horse routine was pretty good.....but I loved the Barrier
Reef--especially the jellyfish and the fish groups. I was proud of myself
for recognizing that weird mess as the Barrier Reef before it was announced.
I never saw it on dry land before but I had spent a week on the real Reef.

I enjoyed the aboriginal part--I think it was a necessary part of the
ceremony. That was a great touch of having that giant of a man lead little
Nikky what's-her-name by the hand later on.

The "immigration", influx of cultures, or whatever it was called--NAH!
Too showy and not enough meaning--at least, to me. I DID like the forming
of Australia at the end though.

I didn't like the "workers" in their sloppy clothes. They might have been
costumes but they looked like sloppy dressers to me....and totally out of place.

The Parade of Nations: I always love this part even though it takes forever
to have them all march in. 199 countries together...WOW!
And I loved it when they were all covered by the peace flag. How
appropriate! Too bad it can't last.

The all-woman torch lighting was terrific! Didn't know Dawn Fraser was that
old. I liked their choice of the last torch bearer. She did a great job.
Who'd want to stand in that ring of fire? Well, maybe....but I'd never get
up all those steps. The guy who designed that torch should get a medal!

All in all, it beat Atlanta's ceremonies. No contest. A little prejudice
on my part? Yeah!

It's difficult to tear myself away from my computer to watch the Olympics...but I
will. And, even if I don't especially like some of the events, I absolutely love the background!

Good on ya, Sydney!

-- posted by Classicalmuse_k

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» Camicat - Three cheers for Cathy

And didn't we all love watching Cathy Freeman win tonight. I had friends to dinner so we could watch together and share the experience. We all cheered like absolutely anything, even shed a few tears.
Great stuff- and not a sign of our wretched Prime Minister thank God.

-- posted by Camicat

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» Gay_Klok - It was

wonderful to see Cathy Freeman win, I think it brought tears to every Australian's eyes. The pressure we have put on that woman was relentless. She said she was relieved and I think that was my first reaction too - relief that the pressure was gone for her! I think she wore the body suit as a kind of protection, to close off the rest of the world as she raced

What I find the most interesting as far as the Aussie sports people are concerned - we are really doing exceptionally well and are winning medals [we have umpteen silver] in practically all the sports [not weight lifting!] and the sports we are getting gold for seem to be coming from the team sports - I think that the Oz sportperson finds that little bit extra when he or she doesn't want to let the mates down

-- posted by Gay_Klok

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» portobellebelle - jo36, you are the ignorant one

Hello Jo, catchy isn't it. You are obviously from WA or SA, and so am I, Adelaide in fact. The difference that is evident to me is that I went to Sydney and witnessed it first hand. I am not sure if you did, but from your tone I don't believe so. Now let me point this out to you: #1- The disabled Olympians do not have to pay to stay in the Olympic village, which if you were up with the day to day events of our country half as much as you claim to be, you would have heard on the news. #2 maybe you could spare your obvious disapproval of the Olympics for a minute and ask around a bit. We are putting on a hell of a show and if the facilities were in SA or WA, then we probably would have won the Olympics (SA can't even win the Commonwealth Games.) Have a bit of patriotism for a second and realise that this is fantastic for our economy.

-- posted by portobellebelle

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» Camicat - The carnival is over....

Well the Games are almost over but if the rumours are correct, the closing ceremony will be something really spectacular.

-- posted by Camicat

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» edel - Rumours were correct

The closing ceremonies were spectacular and then some. Thank you Australia, you proved twice in the same year that you are a class act.
Atlanta could not hold a candle to you and Athens will be hard pressed to do so.

-- posted by edel

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» Gay_Klok - What about the Greek godesses?

What did you think of the Greek godesses, Edel?

-- posted by Gay_Klok

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