The Olympic opening ceremony

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I found myself shouting "stop it Boris" at the telly and then thought you might be shouting the same thing at the same time to your cat. 

[Jaded]

So it starts at 9, and this morning on BBC Breakfast they said the cauldron would be lit at about midnight. Is it really that long? Or is that including all the teams walking in and stuff?

I must say, you're all whetting my appetite, but as I'll be a MFWHTBAB's I don't want to impose for the whole evening if he isn't bothered....

I read that the teams walk in before 9:00

[clarion]

I found myself shouting "stop it Boris" at the telly and then thought you might be shouting the same thing at the same time to your cat. 

As I walked into Epsom station yesterday, an announcement started from Boris.  Various voices were raised expressing, in different manners, their desire that Mr Johnson curtail his speech and depart.

[gordon taylor]

So it starts at 9, and this morning on BBC Breakfast they said the cauldron would be lit at about midnight. Is it really that long? Or is that including all the teams walking in and stuff?

I must say, you're all whetting my appetite, but as I'll be a MFWHTBAB's I don't want to impose for the whole evening if he isn't bothered....

I read that the teams walk in before 9:00

No. I think the show starts at 9... and goes on for an hour or more. Then the athletes come in (there would be no room for them whilst the show is running, believe me!).. then there's a last bit with the cauldron and Paul McCartney. Probably.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

The BBC opening ceremony BBC1 show is 9pm till half past midnight.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

There's a short clip of the dress rehearsal here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19003185

[Arch]

The BBC opening ceremony BBC1 show is 9pm till half past midnight.

I've just discovered that Olympic coverage takes up the entire evening on BBC1, already! Surely they only have football to talk about!?!?

[Jacomus]

....The RAF personnel staffing the point I went through were courteous, friendly and highly efficient. Just goes to show what happens when you actually put enough staff on duty at the same time.

It's not quantity, J, it's quality, and professionalism IME.
Ever since the armed forces pitched up at Stratford a couple of weeks ago to carry out key duties, the whole atmosphere changed. For the better.

EDIT: X'Lent pics 

Hehe, thanks.

The professionalism is striking indeed.

[rogerzilla]

I shall be asleep in bed.  It's on too late.  The kids really wanted to watch it, too.

[Arch]

I shall be asleep in bed.  It's on too late.  The kids really wanted to watch it, too.

It's not a school night, can't you all stay up?

(Saying that, my Mum wouldn't let me stay up to see Torville and Dean at Sarajevo, when they were delayed due to a fault in the ice rink. I'm fairly sure that was a Saturday night... I would have been 15. How sad a child was I?)

[Jaded]

Surely they can stay up? Or you can put your tent up in the living room and sleep through it?

[rower40]

I picked up a spare bike bell from the box of bits in the garage, and took it to work.
At my desk a couple of minutes ago (twelve minutes past eight), I rang it. 

I feel I've done my bit, and can now ignore the rest of the Limpics with a clear conscience.

[Exit Stage Left]

I won't be watching it, not that it makes any difference to anyone else.

Danny Boyle has lost all credibility for working for this corporate wankfest disguised as an orgy of mindless jingoistic flag waving.

I made a special trip to my local MacDonalds to check out when such services came online, as I thought that a corporate wankfest might make interesting viewing.
 I didn't see anything about it on display, and decided that it might be being kept under wraps until tonight. I'll pop in at quarter past eight and report back. I must remember to have my Union Jack the right way up for the jingoistic orgy, there are limits to my mindlessness.

[Juan Martín]

I picked up a spare bike bell from the box of bits in the garage, and took it to work.
At my desk a couple of minutes ago (twelve minutes past eight), I rang it. 

I feel I've done my bit, and can now ignore the rest of the Limpics with a clear conscience.

I've got a spare bell! I could do that! I was beginning to think I would be left out. Thanks rower40, phew!

[Jurek]

I won't be watching it, not that it makes any difference to anyone else.

Danny Boyle has lost all credibility for working for this corporate wankfest disguised as an orgy of mindless jingoistic flag waving.

C'mon Hubner!
C'mon!
Go for it!
The entire stadium's rootin' for ya!!!

[Wowbagger]

I picked up a spare bike bell from the box of bits in the garage, and took it to work.
At my desk a couple of minutes ago (twelve minutes past eight), I rang it. 

I feel I've done my bit, and can now ignore the rest of the Limpics with a clear conscience.

I've got a spare bell! I could do that! I was beginning to think I would be left out. Thanks rower40, phew!

What has twelve minutes past eight got to do with anything?

[Jurek]

I picked up a spare bike bell from the box of bits in the garage, and took it to work.
At my desk a couple of minutes ago (twelve minutes past eight), I rang it. 

I feel I've done my bit, and can now ignore the rest of the Limpics with a clear conscience.

I've got a spare bell! I could do that! I was beginning to think I would be left out. Thanks rower40, phew!

What has twelve minutes past eight got to do with anything?

*ahem* 20:12

So Rower's a bit rong really, to try this sort of thing at 08:12   

[delthebike]

What has twelve minutes past eight got to do with anything?

Nothing unless it's 2012 hrs instead of 0812 hrs. 
I would hazard a guess that the start is at 2012 today.

[Wowbagger]

That's what I thought.

And isn't Rower40 (or is that twenty to Rower+1?) the chap who makes the trains run on time?   

[Valiant]

....The RAF personnel staffing the point I went through were courteous, friendly and highly efficient. Just goes to show what happens when you actually put enough staff on duty at the same time.

It's not quantity, J, it's quality, and professionalism IME.
Ever since the armed forces pitched up at Stratford a couple of weeks ago to carry out key duties, the whole atmosphere changed. For the better.

EDIT: X'Lent pics 

Hehe, thanks.

The professionalism is striking indeed.

Lyn was subjected to a pat down because of her glasses. She offered to take them off and walk through again but they wouldn't let her stating people were only allowed to go through once. Dafuq?

[mcshroom]

What has twelve minutes past eight got to do with anything?

Nothing unless it's 2012 hrs instead of 0812 hrs. 
I would hazard a guess that the start is at 2012 today.

Daft as it seems they did ring the bells at 0812 this morning, starting with Big Ben (I bet that confused the commuters). Apparently it was 12 hrs before 2012

[Riggers]

Neighbour several houses away starting ringing bell at 8.12 this morning, so m'wife started honking our horn out the bathroom window. I was still on the loo at the time.

Why at 8.12? I would have thought they could have suspended the opening ceremony at 20.12 this evening to have everybody make a racket with whatever they have to hand.

[Notsototalnewbie]

Does it really really go on until half past midnight? There were tentative plans to go and watch this with another forummer or two, but I have to be up really early tomorrow, so staying out late is prolly not that good an idea...

[Jurek]

Does it really really go on until half past midnight? There were tentative plans to go and watch this with another forummer or two, but I have to be up really early tomorrow, so staying out late is prolly not that good an idea...

We wrapped at around 22:45 on wednesday night - But I know we weren't shown the show in it's entirety.

[Notsototalnewbie]

So it's a distinct possibility then. Feh. That does seem a bit on the late side.