[atomicdog]

That's why Danny Boyle did such a good job. If the British media had been in charge of the ceremony in could have very easily been a cringeworthy ordeal featuring a cast of z-list celebrities dancing about. The inclusion of Tim Berners-Lee and the NHS section were excellent ideas.

[gadders]

I thought the NHS section was stupid. You might as well as had bin men.

[pbhjpbhj]

NHS is our largest employer (5th in the world apparently, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17429786 - c.5.8% of the working population when coupled with data here http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/f...) and, despite it's failings, is an area the UK have led in (nationalised health care), and an important element of nearly everyone in the UKs life at one time or another.

Refuse collection is worthy and widespread but not really something the UK leads in I feel nor would it likely provide the visuals the designer was aiming for ...

[gadders]

I know the NHS is a huge sacred cow and is fetishised here in the UK, but I'm not sure the rest of the world would care how we pay our doctors and nurses.

[jonhendry]

If you don't think bin men are important, try living in Naples.