<html> Thomas: Curling here is an activity played on ice, with brooms, that serves as the prelude to the consumption of mass quantities of beer. Unfortunately it's usually the industrial strength swill churned out by the mega-breweries that's consumed. Asking for a dark/wheat/stout beer at curling game will get you the same reaction from 'the guys' that  yelling 'I'm out of the closet! Who wants to shower?' in a post-game NHL hockey locker room would get you. From my experience too, the atmosphere at curling competitions (aka 'Briers') is kind of like indoor stock car racing with kilts, with noxious/dangerous fumes too, curlers tend to be smokers . Seriously though, I can understand rocks being pushed out, and net points on a target circle. To me there's an objective measurement of an accomplishment that is better/worse than your competitor. But I defy anyone to explain to me the objective difference between a 5.7 and 5.6 in 'artistic interpretation' between two judges. Your point is taken though about the shape curlers are in as athletes, some are in great shape ('cos those friggin' rocks get heavy after a while, and sweeping is tiring, ice or no ice), however the majority of those who play look and sound like Homer Simpson with a keg of Duff. But our Homers are kicking the other Homers asses! CAN-A-DA! CAN-A-DA! PC At 13/02/2002,, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 17:10:48 -0800 (PST) From: Thomas Seay <entheogens@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: An ugly Canadian -And Curling????? - --- paul childs <npchilds@connect.ab.ca> wrote: > I don't even think figure skating belongs in the > Olympics as a sport (and don't > get me started on 'ice dancing', another cesspool) > and I was appalled at the > decision Monday night. Well, if Curling can be an Olympic sport then anything can be.  I mean, if they are going to allow Curling, this shuffleboard on ice, to be an Olympic Sport then they should allow synchronized snowball pummelling or ice melting to be competitions as well. What a dorky game! The good news, I guess, is that Canada is kicking major ass in the Curling competition...they destroyed the US team yesterday. Thomas </blockquote> <x-sigsep></x-sigsep> N Paul Childs 5967-157 Avenue Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5Y 2P3 e-fax 413-683-9725 _______________________________________________________ 'Gee thanks, your validation means oh, so much to me'. -Art 'Bones' MacDesalavo</html>