The cursed torch of the Sochi Olympics

Someone is sending Russia a message.

It was bad enough when the Olympic flame went out and had to be relit with a disposable lighter rather than the official backup flame, and even worse when a torchbearer managed somehow to set himself on fire in the Siberian city of Abakan.

But perhaps the low point in what has seemed less like an Olympic torch relay than an exercise in ineptitude and misfortune came earlier this week when one of the runners carrying the torch to the Sochi Games had a fatal heart attack while attempting to walk his allotted distance, about 218 yards.

OMD. A higher power seems to be sending Russia a stern message. It must be the Russian Orthodox Christian god, that Jeebus fellow. But, but...I thought Jeebus loved the Russian pogrom against gay people. Jeez!

Oh, the schadenfreude. It tickles.

More on the strange Johnny Weir

This fellow, Johnny Weir, is a real piece of work. Rather than rehash the story, I'll cede the floor to John Aravosis. G'wan over there and read his piece. And remember, Johnny Weir is going to be one of NBC's commentators at the Sochi Olympics. Ugh.

Weir is an odd combination of things: he's a mash-up of out-gay and closet-case. He tries to live the life of the former, while acting like the latter.

We need allies, not frenemies. I wish he'd get lost.