Opening of the Commonwealth Games

I did like him in that Dr. Who spinoff. Torchwood. It was great until the americans got their hands on it. In fact I like his acting but am not sure about him when he's being himself. Maybe he's nicer in real life.

Tunnocks teacakes were part of my childhood, but we just called them marshmallows then. And what about Tunnocks Caramel Wafers - often imitated, never surpassed.

Well, I liked it!

Have just watched it on iPlayer. Was bemused. I'm British but it was all sung at such a fast rate I only got a tenth of it! John Barrymore looked ridiculous in his purple suit.Thought it looked like a rather poor school production overall.What the rest of the world thought is anybodys guess.The female comedian, Karen someone? just looked a bit crazy.Sorry Scotland, a poor effort.

I saw only a little bit of the ceremony on the news but I did wonder where they managed to find so many dancers with two left feet, no sense of rhythm and a weight problem. Perhaps the rest of it was better - I hope so.

Apparently the sale of Tunnocks Teacakes had increased exponentially by Friday according to today's business pages so some good has come out of the reawakening of childhood memories.

Well I thought it was great. The first bit was taking the p* out of Scottish clichés and out of making too much of yourself - the Forth Bridge does not actually stand on Irn Bru cans and the standing stones in Lewis are not made of shortbread (although the Duke of Wellington does have a traffic cone on his head). Karen Dunbar is very popular (sorry, I'd never heard of John B), and so was Andy Stewart, who has indeed been dead for many years. Of course it didn't compare with London 2012. The budget didn't compare either.

We were in Glasgow, although not at the opening ceremony, on Wednesday and Thursday and the atmosphere was wonderful. So was the weather.

Why are so many people surprised that the other home nations got such a warm welcome? We saw some of the Rhythmic Gymnastics and the English and Welsh competitors were even more warmly applauded than the other teams. A marvellous experience all round.

I've noticed few of the runners are white, mostly black and a few from Singapore.

Absent The organisers did not recruit dancers. They put out a call for volunteers and wishing to be as inclusive as possible (its a Glasgow thing ) turned no one away. Hence why the crowd scenes were not peopled by professional or amateur actors or dancers but by the long, the short and the tall, young and old, including those with disabilities and special needs.

I, also found the opening sequence with Barrowman on the bus a bit cringemaking (also GN's Tam O' Shanter smilies - could we not have had a Saltire?) but the later sections with Julie Fowlis, Nicola Benedetti and the South African who sang The Freedom Come All Ye were superb. Each to their own. I loved the way the teams came on laughing and dancing - these are, after all, the Friendly Games.

As to the funding, not a single penny piece has come from the National Lottery, nor the UK Government. The Games have been funded, within budget, mainly by the City of Glasgow and the Scottish Government, with generous sponsorship from many companies such as Barr's Irn Bru and Tunnock's.

Off topic a little, but can anyone tell me why the boxers aren`t wearing headguards? I thought that all amateur boxers wore them.

I was wondering that too..... - It's because there is evidence that there are fewer concussions without them.
www.clinicalneurologynews.com/blog/headgear-comes-off-for-amateur-boxers/6cf8addfa859c54a8bc957d95e42e0c5.html

Thank you Jess

Perhaps the closing ceremony will be better?

I hope so! I will be there. Look out for me - I'll be the blonde waving the Saltire. On 2nd thoughts, there might be a few of us

Never mind the beginning & the end, I'm not too happy about TV coverage in the middle. I can't watch 3 different channels all day & the Clare Balding programme is on late & in 'celebrity' mode with lots of chat & music- nothing wrong with that in itself. But I just want a straight summary of each day without all the cocktails & chat.

Granny23. Sorry but why should the GN emoticon be a Saltire?

Quite, merlot!

I think she means one of the ones for the Commonwealth Games, which are, after all, being held in Glasgow, funded by Scottish money and Scottish business sponsorship. Adding tammies to the ordinary emoticons was probably harder work for Tech that a simple saltire would have been.

I don't think it matters where it's being held or who's financing it, GNHQ gave us an emoticon that didn't single out one part of the United Kingdom.

If the Games were being held in London I wouldn't expect the flag of St. George.

Merlot Sorry but I do not understand your point. I think it would be perfectly reasonable to have a St George's Cross if the Games were hosted by one of the English Cities. Or perhaps the Games own emblem (in Glasgow it is an animated thistle called Clyde) could be used. My objection is to GN's use of the 'See you Jimmy' tammy with red hair attached - the most crude caricature of Scottish dress every devised.

With you there granny23. I am not a fan of the emoticons at all so refrained from comment but do find these crass.

Like using an emoticon of a drunken tourist in half-mast shorts if the games were in an English city?

I never have liked these tacky, tammy 'souvenirs' of Scotland either

Anyone else sick to death of hearing Matt Baker drone on ? He never gives any in depth analysis of the gymnastics, only lots of superlatives.

Hazel Irvine has been excellent though.

He's a presenter not an expert commentator. Gaby Logan does pretty well presenting the athletics. I am really fed up with the eperession "poster girl" though.