AX is right. Paris is the front runner, but London is fast catching up. Jacques Rogge, the International Olympics Committee president, tacitly believed to be backing London, has said: London would be ýtheý front runner if it ýtackled the challenge wellý. By all indications, London is leaving no stones unturned in ýtackling those challengesý-- of building new infrastructure (a few stadiums, mainly) and righting its traffic woes. NYC is, of course, the sentimental favorite after 911. But the chances of the games being held in America are slim, not only because the 1996 summer games were held there (Atlanta) but also because it got the 2002 winter games (Salt Lake City). BTW, Chinese are going to give the Americans a run for their money come 2008, Beijing. Their performances in Athens surpassed everyone's expectations. The Chinese government is now focusing on strengthening their traditionally weak disciplines of swimming and athletics. It will be a close race, all right.