> Maybe it's just me, but watching the opening ceremonies,
>
> I kept thinking of 1938.
Were the US broadcasters that bad? I can't listen to mainstream US sportscasters these days without overhearing something malevolent and cruel, the murderous echo of Empire (MMM - the Mainstream Media of Mordor). That's why I watched the festivities via Youtube clips shot by a Colombian channel. I couldn't follow the Spanish, but the nice thing was they provided a brief description, then kept quiet and let the spectacle speak for itself.
The spectacle was pretty harmless, though. I saw a giant globe of the Earth, little kids attending school, lots of very old Chinese historical motifs cleverly spliced into video tropes, and some astounding live wire-work. Nothing creepy there, just the semi-periphery showcasing its sovereign wealth. Incidentally, the opening was choreographed by Yimou Zhang, the great Chinese film director.
-- DRR