To summarise the history of Britain for those who missed last night’s Olympic opening ceremony: the island shire is populated by sheep, ducks and happy peasants inventing cricket, when Isambard Kingdom Brunel kicks off the industrial revolution, forging five rings to rule over all. The peasants protest, winning democracy, equal rights for women (such as to compete in the Olympics) and men (to wear brightly coloured Sergeant Pepper uniforms).
Then the heroic, jiving medical professionals (played by themselves, including 37 from Guy’s and St Thomas – some pictured below – more from Barts Health, pictured a bit further down, yet more from London Ambulance and around 50 from UCLH)* form Great Ormond Street Hospital (which itself contributed three staff and nine patients – pictured further down again in front of the Olympic stadium) and the NHS to look after Britain’s children, and get reinforcement fictional childcare professionals flown in by umbrella to thwart Voldemort and the Child Catcher. Job done, so the Queen and James Bond drop in and everyone watches some films and dances to the Arctic Monkeys. Continue reading “London 2012: NHS confirmed as national religion”