“IT'S CALLED GOSSIP AND OF COURSE IT'S AN OBSESSION OF MINE” -ANDY WARHOL

THE Olympics medal table is one measure of a country's global standing (or at least of its ambition). America, the world's only superpower, topped the table at Athens in 2004, winning a total of 102 gold, silver and bronze medals. China came second. This year the hosts in Beijing may lead the table for the first time. While rich countries typically win most medals, the top ten looks different if population size is taken into account, as calculated by our sister publication Intelligent Life. Do this (in this case a distinction is not made between the value of a gold, silver or a bronze medal) and only Australia survives from the total medal winners; island nations and eastern European countries zoom up the list.

-The Economist
June 3 2008