Check out the trailer for this olympics documentary, it looks really good.. Is it sad that i teared up a little?? I CANNOT wait until 8.08, i've gotten really into the trials...

I'm an Olympics junkie myself, wisconsin. I just purchased the 2008 edition of David Wallechinsky's "Complete Book of the Olympics" (I buy the new edition every four years), and I'm all set to camp out in the front of the TV for as many hours as I can carve out from my ordinary life.

Citius, Altius, Fortius!

Isnt that a Kleenex ad? Good though, I loved when Ali came out, does anybody not like that guy? Up until Athens 04 I always took two weeks off for the Olympics, I love em despite all their problems its still just people giving their all for that one shot. Well more or less, bring em on.

I'm afraid I got caught up in the Grindhouse, and Thanksgiving trailers...Scary stuff!

The Ali shot was great, though. I did see that.

I hope so. It is a bit worrying when people are deciding not to compete because of the polluted air up there.
I can go to see the dressage as it takes place just up the road, the excitement about that is mounting here in the NT.

So what sports are you all going to be paying specific attention to?

I'll probably just watch the finals of the major events. I'm a bit underawed by it this year .. each time when it becomes more and more about the money and you hear more stories about the bad things like the pollution and athletes and drugs I lose a bit of entusiasm for it. Maybe I'll get a bit more excited once it starts.

In this months reader's Digest there were ten stories about the Olympics - they were good, if you get a chance have a look and read it.

I too am eagerly looking forward to the start of the games, but I'm a tad concerned about the pollution. Bob Costas was live from Beijing on the half-time show during the Hall of Fame game -- the air looked horrendous there.

I was in Beijing two months ago, and you think ok its going to be really bad smog. But its even worse than what you prepare for. You can actually smell it as you fly in. Now I dont know how that works cos I thought the plane would be airtight but believe me you can. Mind you the rest of the city is in pretty good condition.

I dont think the pollution will be that big of a deal and dont you think they atheletes would have been training in similar conditions to get used to it?

Did anyone catch the Today Show this morning? They interviewed the gymnastic team and also that 40 year old swimmer, apparently she's swimming sunday.. Also, her trainer is apparently really sick which is sad, im sure its affecting her concentration and what not...

also quogequox, i googled the documentary and found its website, they're releasing it a week from today...

Training in pollution to get used to pollution! Seriously?
I was n Beijing a month or two ago and I promise its even worse than it looks on the tv. But really unless youre competing in an endurance event I cant see it making a bit of difference. One of the Australian shooters was all for it, he said the clay pigeons showed up better in it and they should put more cars on the road.

Ahh but apparently it is NOT pollution! It's just a natural mist that is always worse in the morning. Of course. Silly us thinking it's pollution ...

Right then .. Greece has just marched into the stadium, the first of 204 countries. THink I have enough time to go to the loo, pop out for a smoke and get a drink?

An absolutely stunning opening ceremony - dread the UK attempt in 2012. Loved that small girl singing (in the red dress)...

Wasn't it wonderful? Unique in every way I thought.So glad it was Li Ning to light the flame. He has done so much for athletics.

Li Ning, I thought he was a gymnast?
Anyway I was a little underwhelmed with it to be honest. Not that it wasnt good but...meh just another opening ceremony. I was working in the bar as it was on. Some of the suggestions for who would light the Olympic flame were Jackie Chan, a panda and Monkey from the old tv show flying in on a cloud. Plus somebody suggested the cauldron should be in the shape of a schezuan steak. Anyway bring on the sport...

That was wonderful - watched it for the entire 4 hours. Original and mesmerising. I, like Sherry, dread to think what the Brits are going to do.

Blinking heck Quogequox what does it take to impress you - that has to be the best opening ceremony ever surely?

It's totally blacked out here in the US until NBC can show it - they have the rights to it, after all, and for us on the west coast it will be delayed even more I think...it will be lunchtime Saturday in China when we finally get to see the opening ceremony!! But I'm really looking forward to it, I always roll my eyes at all the tear-jerking stories, and then I find myself crying right along with it all. Definitely looking to see the Aussies and Americans battle it out in swimming.

Quogequox, sorry I meant gymnastics. Jackie Chan is from Hong Kong. No, in my opinion it coiuld not have been better as an opening ceremony, and I really was impressed.

I thought it was really well done. China should be proud. Li Ning running around the whole Birdnest was amazing.

Yes, the opening ceremonies were certainly impressive. What bothers me though is the fact that China is still recovering from the earthquake and perhaps monies could have been better used. Somehow we have our priorities completely out of whack since all that money was spent on a show and there are millions of people throughout the Olympic world who are starving.

Much like the money we spend on internet access for example.

And what we do with the rest.......