dutch rookie musher booted from iditarod

[pianistimo]

this is so funny to me.  i haven't been following the race very close - but now i am for the humor.  www.forbes.com/businesstech/feeds/ap/2006/03/19/ap2605711.html

personally, i think they should have let him finish since he was so far along.  kind of a mean thing to do along the bering coast, if you ask me.  they let rachel scdoris finish and she was legally blind.  she had a musher right ahead of her that was a guide for her. 

anyway, i'm in favor of everyone getting a chance to finish - even if everyone wants to leave the checkpoints and there is only one person there waving a flag.  perhaps they can have 'automated flag wavers?'  'yahh.  keep it up.  you're almost there.  don't stop now.  don't look at the clock.  here's some warmed up mittens.  (hot tea/coffee is dispensed at the top / dog food at the bottom ).'  next robotic device.