I've almost totally ignored topics like Donald Trump, international hotspots and the like for months.  So today, a quick look at news of the world.  Of course, the most noteworthy is still the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.   But I don't want to spoil your TV-watching, so will be mostly circumspect in my reportage.  I won't give final results of the day ( and the events today will be over by the time I release this posting ), unless it is so earth-shaking that something has to be said. With that, I can send you to the best location to see what has happened, and what you can anticipate in the future.   This is the official site of these Winter Games . While this is bringing you up to date, I will continue to include the  official medals tally.   If some of you are concerned that your country isn't doing well, there are 12 days left. To segue into the real world,  American Olympic athletes are having a hard time being honest about w...

But first,  Time  magazine  had something nice to say about the Winter Olympics in Italy: Olympic opening ceremonies can so often come off as overchoreographed, incomprehensible, or just plain weird. But others just give off a feeling. A good one, even. Especially coming off a quartet of previous ones that had their own set of challenges, from temperatures in South Korea, in 2018, so frigid that the name “PyeongChang” still generates literal chills to a fanless affair   Tokyo in 2021 , thanks to COVID: Japanese citizens sat outside the barriers of the Olympic Stadium the night of the opening ceremony, just for a glimpse. They would get no closer. Beijing in 2022 was another soulless COVID Games, marked more by frequent testing and isolation protocols than victories on the field. Paris had the fine idea to stage its ceremonies along the Seine. Too bad it   rained on that parade. The Games were opened by Italian President Sergio Mattarella. Who is that?  I as...