I HAD the chance to watch the opening ceremony of the 29th Olympic Games live on television while attending a function in Kuala Lumpur. Despite the official nature of the function, the host set up two huge TV screens to allow guests to witness and enjoy one of the best shows on earth - even the official speech was delayed for an hour.

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Kwek - China produces too many fake goods and the West is hitting her for it. Fake climaxes in bed also have the highest entertainment value.
"If artists had acted within the parameters set by society, great names like Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci would never have been recognised and Hollywood would have been stillborn" - so what Kwek is implying that it is alright in the name of art to be hoodwink the audience?

If Spielberg or some western cities were to do exactly the same thing or even have the whole opening ceremony done by animation ..... the world will applaud.
If a less pretty girl is to sing the Ode to the Motherland, the world will react perhaps in an even more negative way.
Critics continue to be coloured views.

Aiya, this is not news anymore. China has lots of fake virgins you know? Tell me what is not fake in China?

The greatest magicians do that all the time! Trick the audiences into believing something else. C'mon, Kwek has a point...dun simply put put words in his mouth.

With magicians, you enter into the show knowing that it is trickery you are watching. Somethings still ok - like the giant footsteps across Beijing. But then doing a "see how harmonious our 56 races are" with all Han Chinese kids dressing and then claiming to represent the others is, in my opinion, not the same level of taste.

Try doing that in our National Day (say have 4 representatives from the different major races to say the pledge when in reality all Chinese pretending to be Malays, Eurasians etc) and see what impact it will have.

I have been in Australia for 4 years now and I have witness the way their media surpressess Asian in general and Asian talents in particuler.Be it a talent show or games.Yes, asians are free to participate and even progress to second or final rounds. But when it comes to first placing, they will always create some dramas and give all sorts of reason for the poor guy to be second. China will be no different. They can show the world how well they have progressed, but if they want to be the best, the Western media will always find faults to bring them down. I think we asian should do the same to them. From what I observed, the quality of their younger generations are decreasing. In another 10-15 years, we will dominate them in all areas. Well done China and keep up the good work!!!!

I tend to agree that the intentions of the critics are less than honourable. I tend to agree that it was a show meant to entertain and to enthrall.

Has everyone forgotten that Steven Speilberg pulled out at the eleventh hour ostensibly over the Tibet affair? But there was not a whimper from anyone from the west!

Can you believe that SS did it out of a genuine support for Tibet? I don't think so. The Tibet issue is not something new, its been around for years. So what made SS do what he did? My guess is he was obliged/pressured to do so - probably by his financial backers - "if you don't pull out, Steven, sorry no more megabucks for any of your future cinematic spectaculars!" Also, the fact that China enlisted SS services showed precisely its intention - to go us all a spectacular treat! Would it be possible that the CG footprints was SS's idea? Think about it.

IMO, the only thing the organisers had slipped up on is not to credit the actual girl who sang the song. As another poster has suggested, it is not too late to include her and in the Olympic Games closing ceremony, and by way of amends, let her sing her song!

#7 - you think this brilliant performance by China will somehow make the Aussies suppress Asians less? Or more? Or less suppression but deep down inside resent even more?

When you can't do it in reality, you pretend to do it..