Thanks to TPM Photo Galleries

Americans Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto are shown here executing the technique pros like to call “the partnered hammer throw.” (spin and toss)

The Winter Olympics fill our TV and computer screens with pictures of competitors in daring and dangerous situations. In the cartoon above, it seems that it is not just skiers who can take a fall. (Cartoon by Kal)

Thanks To Bing

Every two years during one of the Olympic seasons, the nations of the world get to stand up and shout “HEY LOOK AT US.”

The Olympics are great for anyone who likes sports. On show are the best athletes in the world competing for one of sports’ greatest honors. But sometimes, with all the events, it’s easy to lose track of who is winning and who is whining.

So, USDemocrazy has hit the web to update you on the progress in Vancouver.

Not surprisingly, the winter games are dominated by primarily northern counties. (It’s kinda hard to practice cross country skiing if you live in the desert… Sand dunes just don’t cut it.)

America currently stands in the lead with 18 medals, six of which are gold. (Go U.S.A.!) Germany takes the silver with 11 medals, followed by a bronzed France with seven.  (updated Feb. 19, 2010 @ 4:30 p.m.)

Gold medal notables are Shani Davis, Lindsey Vonn, Shaun White, Seth Wescott, Evan Lysacek, and Hannah Kearney.

The New York Times has diligently broken down Shaun White’s victory, digitally. (They use graphs and pictures and everything.)

There are 15 sports represented at Vancouver. Most of them are what you would expect to be at a winter sporting event. Skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and ice skating (the winter Olympics have a thing for alliteration). But other events have snuck in over the years.

A biathlon combines the endurance of cross country skiing with the precision of shooting (cause hey, it’s not full day until you’ve shot at something).

Curling is a sport of precision and strategy, and consequently is the only sport in the winter games you can participate in while drinking a beer.

Other sports have tried, but failed to make it as an Olympic sport. Such as Bandy, which is essentially hockey with a ball, and Skijoring, a sport that involves the competitor being pulled on skis, behind a horse, or a team of dogs.

The competition at the Olympics is naturally fierce, but something about the games seems to invoke competitiveness in everything around it. NBC is in a pitched battle with Fox’s “American Idol” over ratings.

“Idol,” which has remained dominant for six seasons, crushed the Olympics 23.6 million views to 19.7. NBC has reported that they’re disappointed but not discouraged and, with training, they will take the gold from Fox at the next games.

If you feel like you’re missing the action, NBC has a full schedule on their website. Check it out and cheer the U.S. on to victory! (Editor’s Note: Other countries are okay too.)

Courtesy of WikiCommons

We here at USDemocrazy are experienced in the ways of competitive sportsmanship. Like when we try to stick the most pencils into the office ceilings… but we could only dream of throwing pencils in the name of the USA!

Alright, all kidding aside, the Olympics are the epitome of cool. We’ve been keeping tabs or the competition and bring you some links to keep you in the Olympic know!

The NYTimes wants to get you in the games with their site dedicated to the Olympic Spirit!

Inside the Rings- Check out this daily NYTimes video from their reporters and editors in Vancouver.

Here is Team USA’s profile site via  NBCOlympics.com.

Sometimes, though, it just takes time to make history- Abrahamson on Johnny Spillane’s Silver Medal

Follow the Salon’s Olympic wire here!

The Daily Beast has a compilation of videos that track some of the most memorable moments in the Olympics so far.

Now for the Forecast! Slate’s Daniel Gross gives his Olympics medal predictions…

The United States is expected to tie Norway for second, with 26 medals, to be followed by the traditional European powers: Austria (25), Sweden (24), Russia (23), and Germany (20).

Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight also makes his predictions…

Thanks to the USA’s strong performance thus far, we’re now essentially in a three-way tie with Canada and Germany in the overall projections, with each country predicted to win between 31 and 33 medals.

It’s shaping up to be one heck of a winter Olympics!