London Olympics 2012

David Arnold followed by The Who.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsGQ8C64WlQ

Jessie J and Queen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzoyDILKlhY&feature=relmfu

Full ceremony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij3sgRG5sPY&feature=relmfu

David Arnold followed by The Who.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsGQ8C64WlQ


I felt that in Arnolds piece there was a wee bit Firestarter by the prodigy, and of course a Bit of Dances with Wolves by Barry. So once more he is totaly shyte when he has to come up with original thoughts of his own.

The Who is always welcome, but it puzzled me why the Kaiser CHiefs played the Who if they were to come themselves. I feel a song from the Stones would be better.

Overall a not very impressive show with some nice highlights.

Some article in the Mail suggested every single act had something to plug. Naturally. Even the Olympics is not exempt to this. Eric Idle...well, he always needs the money.

The closing ceremony also helped to prove that Victoria Beckham is a c***.

An ugly one, too.

Control wrote:

The closing ceremony also helped to prove that Victoria Beckham is a c***.

:) As if proof was needed. Some of it came at the Wimbledon final but...no, proof was not and never was needed.

Hilly wrote:

Some article in the Mail suggested every single act had something to plug. Naturally. Even the Olympics is not exempt to this. Eric Idle...well, he always needs the money.

Seems NBC (and the IOC?) have been pulling unauthorized recordings of MUSE's closing ceremony song off YouTube. I've had trouble finding a decent version. I've found some that kind of give a glimpse of what an awesome performance they had, with the camp chorus dressed in black looking like something out of Pat Benatar's 1985 video LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD.

Apparently NBC not only didn't want to air THE WHO and MUSE's closing ceremony songs, but doesn't want anyone else to view them after the fact. But please do feel free to plug ONE DIRECTION; I have a feeling everyone of them got plugged, repeatedly, by someone connected to the games. It's the only way to explain how they managed to get on the show and get face time while bigger, more legendary acts get shut out by NBC. If NBC thinks I'm going to watch their putrid animal comedy after what they've done to MUSE they can suck my balls.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Apparently NBC not only didn't want to air THE WHO and MUSE's closing ceremony songs, but doesn't want anyone else to view them after the fact. But please do feel free to plug ONE DIRECTION; I have a feeling everyone of them got plugged, repeatedly, by someone connected to the games. It's the only way to explain how they managed to get on the show and get face time while bigger, more legendary acts get shut out by NBC. If NBC thinks I'm going to watch their putrid animal comedy after what they've done to MUSE they can suck my balls.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Full ceremony.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij3sgRG5sPY&feature=relmfu

Go to 2:18:58.

So who do you believe?

The London Major (who has an ugly rug on his head) who says the Olympics brought tourism dollars to London

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9473206/Boris-Johnson-Olympics-were-money-well-spent-as-tourism-boosts-business.html

or the experts who said it didn't?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-hunt-told-dont-pretend-london-2012-olympics-helped-tourism-8046829.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/trade-body-says-tourism-slumped-during-london-olympics/2012/08/13/b664c0dc-e533-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.html

The Who were certainly in fine form as was their touring band with Zak on drums, Pino on bass, Simon on guitar and the new keyboard player. Looking forward to their fall tour. They've got two local dates, one in November and one in February. Both dates are circled. I was a tad worried that maybe they might have lost some punch, but no they can still bring it. No worries.

The fall tour will be loud. :cheers:

Pete looks like he's on a mission!

Largo's Shark wrote:

Go to 2:18:58.

"The uploader has not made this video available in your country yet. Sorry :("

As I was saying, NBC didn't want to broadcast MUSE and doesn't seem to want let American fans catch it on the Internet either. Screw NBC! I won't be watching any of their shows.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

"The uploader has not made this video available in your country yet. Sorry :("

As I was saying, NBC didn't want to broadcast MUSE and doesn't seem to want let American fans catch it on the Internet either. Screw NBC! I won't be watching any of their shows.

That's bizarre. I can watch those links that Shark posted, here in Canada no problem. NBC = bastards. :evil:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

[
So basically I watch more British television than someone who actually lives in Britain. I've watched COUPLING, Downton Abbey, Extras, The Office, Absolutely Fabulous, plus a couple others whose name I can't think of immediately. There was one about a quirky girl and an average guy and they meet in a small town, fall in love immediately, want to get married, and then I think they live with one of their parents. Damn! I can't remember the name. It's probably in my Netflix que still but I don't want to look it up.

Sorry I've been MIA. Family emergency. Dad rushed into hospital with suspected heart attack, which turned into suspected pneumonia, which turned into "dunno but he's responding to treatment". Anyway, he's home and clear now, so time to calm down a bit.

Not necessarily. Just not the same telly. I watch Ashes to Ashes, Life on Mars, Being Human, Doctor Who, The Professionals, Sherlock, George Gently, the occasional Miss Marple (whoever happens to be playing Miss Marple - even Margaret Rutherford). I probably don't watch much comedy, as Red Dwarf was the closest to my sense of humour - at least until the last couple of series anyway. I do make a point of watching the last two episodes of Vicar of Dibley whenever possible. But there is a very obvious reason for that.

I've no idea what the quirky girl and average guy programme was called.

Quote :

It was to me. I thought you were a staunch conservative member of the Tories,

I may never forgive you for that. Wash your mouth out with soap and water.

Y'know, the word 'Tory' originates from the Irish for a thief and a liar. Oddly appropriate term for them, in that case ;)

Quote :

Please say you'll attend my Romney-Ryan online chat/fund-raiser in the Baker Street Pub in a few weeks! I'll pencil you in as a definite maybe.

What's the rates?

Think Tory was also used for Americans loyal to the Empire in the Revolutionary War.

Still, it was a book I read long ago.

The whole damn Ceremony (Opening) was reshown on BBC2 today. Some chap I worked with, Czech fella, watched it on his lunchbreak having not seen it a fortnight back and said he had "as you call it...bumps...goose bumps".

God knows what the Closing will do to him.

Hilly wrote:

God knows what the Closing will do to him.

He does seem terribly emotional!

Hilly wrote:

Think Tory was also used for Americans loyal to the Empire in the Revolutionary War.

Still, it was a book I read long ago.

Was it this one:



I read it earlier this year. Good book. Described life in the Revolutionary War from the perspective of people who WANTED to stay with the British Empire.

Ravenstone wrote:

I've no idea what the quirky girl and average guy programme was called.

It was GAVIN AND STACEY.

Also watched a couple of seasons of SKINS, the first season of THE I.T. CROWD, and some FRENCH AND SAUNDERS episodes.

Quote :

What's the rates?

There are no rates. Just leave what you have, take what you need. Its like a commune, minus the bad hygiene and sex orgies..

Ravenstone wrote:

Hilly wrote:

God knows what the Closing will do to him.

He does seem terribly emotional!

He doesn't seem so day to day but if the Opening does that than yes, he might well be :)

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Hilly wrote:

Think Tory was also used for Americans loyal to the Empire in the Revolutionary War.

Still, it was a book I read long ago.

Was it this one:



I read it earlier this year. Good book. Described life in the Revolutionary War from the perspective of people who WANTED to stay with the British Empire.

It wasn't that book, one by Christopher Hibbert I think but that one looks interesting. I find American history quite fascinating and something from the perspective of loyalists definitely piques. Another book to add to the list.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Vesper, the people who say you have no tact or charm have no idea what they're talking about.

Of course they don't. I'm fucking delightful.

Quote :

Oscar Pistorius: Olympian and Paralympian faces murder charge

South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is facing a murder charge after his girlfriend was shot and killed at his Pretoria home.

His arrest over the death of model Reeva Steenkamp has stunned the country where he is considered a national hero.

Police said a 26-year-old man would appear in court on Friday.

Mr Pistorius, 26, made history in London last year when he became the first double-amputee track athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.

He is known as the "blade runner" because of the carbon fibre prosthetic blades he races in. He was born without a fibula in both legs and had his legs amputated below the knee before his first birthday.

Police were called to his home in the upmarket Silver Woods gated compound on the outskirts of South Africa's administrative capital in the early hours of Thursday morning.

They found paramedics treating a 29-year-old woman with four gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. She died at the scene, and officers recovered a 9mm pistol.

Early reports suggested Mr Pistorius might have mistaken his girlfriend for an intruder.

Police say neighbours heard screaming and shouting around the time of the shooting, and that they had been called to investigate incidents of a domestic nature at the same house in the past.

They also said that they would oppose any bail application.

Hours later, after being questioned by police, Mr Pistorius left a police station accompanied by officers, his face mostly covered by the hood of a grey jacket.

His court hearing was originally scheduled for Thursday afternoon but had been postponed until Friday to give forensic investigators time to carry out their work, said Medupe Simasiku, a spokesman for the prosecution.

Mr Pistorius's father, Henke, declined to comment but said: "We all pray for guidance and strength for Oscar and the lady's parents.''

Miss Steenkamp's publicist confirmed to the BBC that the 29-year-old model had died.

"Everyone who knew her is in tears. She was an absolute angel, the sweetest, sweetest human being, a kind human being," Sarit Tomlinson said.

'Day of love'

In her last Twitter messages, Miss Steenkamp had spoken about her excitement about Valentine's Day.

"What do you have up your sleeve for your love tomorrow?'' she tweeted. "It should be a day of love for everyone.''
Guns in South Africa: 5950000 guns in circulation; 3737676 registered guns. Gun homicides: 8319 per year (or rate 17 per 100000 of population) in South Africa; 9960 per year (or rate 3.2 per 100000 of population) in US.

Mr Pistorius dominated in his category at successive Paralympic Games, but in 2008 he won a legal battle over his blades - which critics said gave him an unfair advantage - with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for the right to compete in able-bodied competitions.

He reached the 400m semi-finals in the London 2012 Olympics. At the Paralympics he won silver in the T44 200m, gold in the 4x100 relay and gold in the T44 400m, setting a Paralympic record.

He was named by Time Magazine last year as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

In interviews, he had spoken about his enjoyment of target shooting with his pistol, and an online advertisement featuring him for Nike read: "I am a bullet in the chamber."

Mr Pistorius's former coach, Andrea Giannini, spoke out in favour of the athlete following his arrest.

"No matter how bad the situation was, Oscar always stayed calm and positive,'' he told the Associated Press news agency. "Whenever he was tired or nervous he was still extremely nice to people. I never saw him violent.''

South Africa has one of the highest rates of crime in the world and many residents keep weapons to protect themselves against intruders.

But gun ownership is strictly regulated and it is not easy to obtain a licence.

On Tuesday, a bill seeking to give police extra powers to arrest anyone carrying a dangerous weapon in public was tabled before parliament, following a spate of violent strikes and protests last year.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21459240

A very sad story, whether it is truly a tragic accident or murder.

Salomé wrote:

A very sad story, whether it is truly a tragic accident or murder.

Apparently she was shot four times. I'm suspicious of the "intruder" theory, but am willing to keep an open mind.

First questions that pop out at me: How did he manage to be that accurate (two shots to the head, two to the chest) with someone who he allegedly thought was an intruder in the middle of the night? That's pretty good aim. Was anything else shot in the room? Bullet holes in anything else that might support his theory? What kind of gun might he have been using that could have fired off several bullets with one shot? Four single shots against an intruder seems a bit excessive (also seems somewhat personal, which would suggest a more intimate motive for the killing than simply randomly firing off shots against an intruder).

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Four single shots against an intruder seems a bit excessive (also seems somewhat personal, which would suggest a more intimate motive for the killing than simply randomly firing off shots against an intruder).

Actually, in most home invasions that end with the invader being shot, they are shot multiple times. When you perceive a threat to you, you tend to keep pulling the trigger until you are certain that the threat no longer exists. It would be far more suspicious if Reeva Steenkamp had only been shot once, which would imply forethought from the shooter.

Quote :

They found paramedics treating a 29-year-old woman with four gunshot wounds to the head and upper body. She died at the scene, and officers recovered a 9mm pistol.

Early reports suggested Mr Pistorius might have mistaken his girlfriend for an intruder.

Four well-placed shots and he couldn't tell he was pumping his girlfriend full of lead? Unfortunately for him, all of South Africa's Jews have relocated to eastern Sydney so there's no way he'll find a lawyer clever enough to wriggle him out of this.

Guess this is what happens you get too Pistorioffed.

Pistorius is a national icon in South Africa. Perhaps the news service that started the claim that it was an accident did so because it wouldn't look as bad for them if they claimed it was an accident and were proven wrong than if they claimed it was murder and were proven wrong.

The 'tragic accident' angle has been discounted, the charge is now pre-meditated murder.