Simon Willison’s Weblog

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4 items tagged “sports”

2020

The stampede of the affluent into grim-faced, highly competitive sports has been a tragicomedy of perverse incentives and social evolution in unequal times: a Darwinian parable of the mayhem that can ensue following the discovery of even a minor advantage. Like a peacock rendered nearly flightless by gaudy tail feathers, the overserved athlete is the product of a process that has become maladaptive, and is now harming the very blue-chip demographic it was supposed to help.

Ruth S. Barrett # 19th October 2020, 3:09 pm

2013

What are the most exciting sporting events in the world?

That’s easy... The Mongolian Golden Eagle Hunting Festival, held every October.

[... 48 words]

Does it cost tax payers when sporting events have military jets fly over the stadiums?

According to HowStuffWorks "How Military Flyovers Work the cost is mostly paid for by various branches of the US military—they approve around 850 flyovers a year, and the cost comes out of their training budget. Event organisers sometimes have to pay for lodging, meals and transportation.

[... 70 words]

2012

Why should I care about the Olympics?

The sponsors, money and so on make it easy to forget the key thing: many of the athletes competing are still teenagers who have spent most of their lives preparing for this one event. That’s pretty amazing.

[... 50 words]