Opinions fly now the Games have begun

While CCTV presenters seemed bemused and moved by the creativity and humor of the Olympics Opening Ceremony, one of my colleagues was knocked out by the segment when the "Queen" was pushed out of a helicopter by James Bond and parachuted into the stadium, pink bloomers exposed to the watching world's billions.

"I can't imagine that happening to any of our leaders," he commented.

The show was a nation defining itself, focusing on the average man and women's rights, with stolen lesbian kisses, folk traditions and weighty social issues like healthcare. It appeared to cause one of two reactions in the United Kingdom: knight the director, Danny Boyle; or castigate him for producing a socialist ceremony.