BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR. A correspondent alerted me, some time ago, to the bath London is going to take on the 2012 Olympics. Now comes The Sports Economist with news of waste on a massive scale from China.

I've been skeptical of Chicago's Olympic bid (despite the opportunity to argue for a restoration of 75 minute Hiawathas and 150 minute On Wisconsins) and have to wonder whether the only thing worse for Chicago than not getting the 2016 Olympics will be to get them.