In order for a sport or discipline to be in included in the Summer Olympics program (but not necessarily be contested at the Olympics), it must be widely practiced by men and women, in at least 75 and 50 countries, respectively, spread over four continents.

There was something on the local news today about trying to get Women's Canoeing established as an international/Olympic sport, and how difficult it was to get even Canoe/Kayak federations in other countries to include women's competitions in their regattas.

What always boggles me is how many athletes in other countries have lived/gone to school here. I'm waiting for an American athlete who competes for, say, Cambridge in non-Olympic years.

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate that pro athletes are competing in the Olympics?

I really don't. I hate having pros who aren't there to take it seriously as a competition (as has happened in some past years in men's basketball), because that's just shitty sportsmanship, but more broadly, people who make a living at their sports? Not a problem at all.

What I hate is the goddamn Home Depot ads about how many athletes work there. It's really nothing to brag about that we say the team is representing us and then expect them to stay in peak training and condition while they make $8 an hour at a part-time big-box retail job.

Jack Cafferty is pretty scathing about McCain and his responses at the Saddleback forum.

[link]

Throughout the evening, McCain chose to recite portions of his stump speech as answers to the questions he was being asked. Why? He has lived 71 years. Surely he has some thoughts on what it all means that go beyond canned answers culled from the same speech he delivers every day.

One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none.

I watched it, and he is right about McCain's answers. Obama treated the event like a conversation while McCain treated it like a campaign stop.

I'm kinda thinking that McCain's approach was the better one though. It was what makes Bush good in debates. He says on message and hammers the same themes over and over, which imprints his message and makes him seem very resolute. Maybe there is value in thoughtful answers and I don't give people in general enough credit.

Addy will self destruct.

Got it! I should get that in the mail this week. Probably USPS, but if it's easier for you to get it via UPS, I can do that, too. Any preference?

Would any woman wear this? The WineRack

This comfortable sports-style bra contains a special hooter-enhancing polyurethane bladder that can be filled with your drink of choice. Simply slip it on, fill up with wine or whatever and wear it under your regular clothes. You can then indulge in a spot of stealth drinking via the WineRack's adjustable drinking tube. With a rack like this, girls' nights out will never be the same again. As for boys' nights out, well, the mind boggles.

Well, it'd make sneaking booze into events where it's prohibited much easier....

Would any woman wear this? The WineRack

Maybe when I was in Marching Chiefs and we had games that were really cold but... no

Not even then. We had slim flasks that we were able to sneak in.

Ewwwwwww

I really don't. I hate having pros who aren't there to take it seriously as a competition (as has happened in some past years in men's basketball), because that's just shitty sportsmanship, but more broadly, people who make a living at their sports? Not a problem at all.

That echos my feeling about it as well. Just send the best and don't worry about if athletes are really amateur or de facto professional.

Would any woman wear this? The WineRack

Cass might.

I'll confess to having gone to a sporting event with a camelback full of wine once. I'd be concerned about visible breast shrinkage with this one.