Our thanks to CHICAGOIST for keeping us caught up on the news of our old home, especially this key Olympic item: a volunteer at the Beijing Olympics from Chicago died just before the Games started. However, no one can seem to agree how she died. We’re sure it’s not food poisoning, though.

(If only someone could get to the bottom of this…)

She seems to have fallen at some point on August 4th, leading to her death. However, the location and cause of the fall seems to be somewhat confusing for those otherwise-organized Chinese officials. Maybe it was a train? Maybe it was a roof? Or, as seems to be the case, she fell through a manhole when someone stole the cover for scrap metal.

And now we have the truth: a tragic death in Beijing caused by China’s desperate need for building materials. For which we can only blame one group: environmentalists. Why do you stand in the way of progress, environmentalists? Why do you want young women plummeting to their deaths so you can save amoebas in Nepal? Damn you, Al Gore.