Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader spent Sunday night watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics, and he spent last night sleeping on the sofa in front of the TV (instead of watching Monday Night Football).

Your Maximum Leader loves the Olympics. At some level he’s bought into all the hoopla (and it is hoopla) about “olympic spirit” and “competition.” He likes the athetic feats he sees. He likes the “national competition” such as it is. He enjoys the spectacle. As he mentioned before, the opening ceremonies were something else. It is not likely that he will see anything like that again in his lifetime. He already is preparing himself for the London games of 2012 being a let-down… (More on this in a moment.) It is hard for free people to compete with police states when it comes to putting on an awe inspring show. From the 1936 games, to May Day parades in Moscow, to the Beijing opening of the 2008 Olympics those police states can marshal the resources to impress.

As the games went on your Maximum Leader was reminded of how he has slowly come around to the point of view that if a sporting contest is not timed or scored in a completely objective way it is annoying. After the first few days of competition you Maximum Leader found he couldn’t watch gymnastics or diving. These ratings grabbers for NBC should be put out of the Olympics. You just can’t trust the judging. The swimming and track and field were objectively measured. Those are real contests. Sports like basketball or volleyball or soccer are scored. They can stay (even if sometimes umpires/referees determine the outcome of the game).

Your Maximum Leader enjoyed the last few days of the games very much. He searched the NBC-owned (but not NBC) channels for track and field competitions. He wished that he had CBC or BBC coverage so that he could have seen more of the shooting competitions. NBC is all leftist and anti-gun by not showing the highest forms of shooting competition. The US even (gold) medaled in shooting. Ah well… Your Maximum Leader supposes that because Vincent Hancock dedicated his medal to US Servicemen and was all patriotic he didn’t get lots of coverage. Keith Olbermann is somehow to blame here…

Anyhoo…

The Closing Ceremonies were not all that spectacular. They weren’t as sharp as the opening. Your Maximum Leader is sure that this is due to the little time they had to practice in situ - as the “Bird’s Nest” was being used for competition. It was pretty impressive, in terms of people on the stage doing co-ordinated dancing and performing. But your Maximum Leader occasionally picked out performers who were slightly out-of-sync or missed a step. He hopes that the Communist Party officials in charge didn’t notice the same problems and decide to pay a post-Olympic visit to those poor souls and lecture them about “letting down the country.”

Of course, the “highlight” of the Closing Ceremonies is supposed to be the little show put on by the next venue as a 4-years-in-advance preview of things to come. The people dancing around with umbrellas and the double-decker bus weren’t a positive portent of things to come. And if that attractive girl singing (an edited version of) “Whole Lotta Love” with Jimmy Page is the best they can do… Well… We don’t have much to which to look forward.

Your Maximum Leader supposes his suggestion of having an actor portraying Charles “Chinese” Gordon lead a division of the “Ever Victorious Army” into the Bird’s Nest and slay the hordes of “rebel” performers wasn’t what the London Olympic Organizing Committee had in mind to set the mood for 2012. Ah well… (There would have been opium invovled… That would have taken the edge off…)

Anyhoo…

The Olympics ended just in time to have the Democrats get together for their own little spectacle in Denver…

Your Maximum Leader has determined that he might (might) watch Obama’s acceptance speech. (To be fair he might (might) also watch John McCain’s acceptance speech as well.) But that one speech is likely going to be the extent of his viewing of the DNC orgy of love. Of course, if it looks like Hillary’s people will misbehave and act-up; then he might reconsider his view habits this week. Afterall, he can’t be expected to watch the DNC if the Nats are on TV!

(NB to The Director: If you would like to make a gentleman’s wager on the outcome of the Nats/Dodgers series, Your Maximum Leader will entertain suggestions… With some sort of odds included… It is painfully obvious that the Dodgers are the better team than the lowly Nats…)

Your Maximum Leader feels that the recaps on the major news channels are about all he can stomach of the convention. Last night he doesn’t think he could have made it through the whole tribute to the Kennedys thingie.

May your Maximum Leader be honest for a moment here? Your Maximum Leader feels sorry for Ted Kennedy. Yes. Sorry. More than that even. Your Maximum Leader, uncharacteristically actually, seems to be worrying about Ted Kennedy. Yes. Worries. He worries about Teddy’s spiritual well-being. As the end approaches for “the lion of the Senate” - and we all know it is coming - your Maximum Leader wonders if Teddy reflects on his life and has remorse, regret or feelings that he needs to be contrite in some way. Your Maximum Leader feels that Teddy probably ought to feel the need to get some spiritual matters in order here. Don’t fret any about your Maximum Leader in this. The act of typing out these lines seems to be erasing any worry that might have existed still in your Maximum Leader’s little black heart.

Of course it is unlikely that Kennedy himself has these self-same concerns. Ah well…

So… Unless there is misbehavin’ in Denver, your Maximum Leader will be watching the Nationals tonight…

Carry on.