On a Lighter Note

Saw this article on mental Floss called "7 Stories You Haven’t Heard About the Olympics"
by Mangesh & Jason - December 3, 2007. Check it out here.

My favorite part is one of the comments. In response to #7 of the article:

7. And just a word on the Games’ (harsh) origins

The ancient Olympic Games served as the basis for our modern Olympics, and fortunately the whole “competing in the nude” thing wasn’t the only custom left to history. Athletes that arrived late to compete were fined, with the only acceptable excuses being shipwreck, weather or pirates. Athletes that were caught cheating were also fined, but were allowed to keep their winnings. But married women caught watching the Games got it the worst: they were executed. Of course, that probably had something to do with the whole competing in the nude thing.

And let’s not forget three of our favorite Olympic athletes. Swede Oscar Swahn won a silver medal in a deer-shooting event at the 1920 Olympics at the age of 72! In 1904, American gymnast George Eyser won six medals (three gold) despite having a wooden left leg, which is even more amazing. But Hungarian pistol shooter Karoly Takacs taught himself how to shoot left-handed after his right (shooting) hand was shattered by a grenade, and then went on to win the rapid-fire shooting event at the 1948 Olympics. He gets our gold.

One of the readers responded:

If I ever become a teacher, my syllabus is going to read that the only acceptable excuses for being late are shipwreck, weather, or pirates.

I laughed out loud. I am so adding that to my syllabus the next time I teach.