First of all, I am sure the baristas are all properly trained and are capable of handling hot beverages while scantily clad.

Secondly, when will it stop being news that men like to look at un or underdressed women, and that they will pay to do so, and that some women will dress skimpily in exchange for (more) money?

This isn't going to change, and it shouldn't change. It's part of human nature, and studies have shown that male monkeys will trade food for the opportunity to look at pictures of hot naked female monkeys.

I think the key is to A) Make sure that any workplace with sexual overtones is safe and regulated like any other business and B) Make sure that women have plenty of work opportunities independent of their sex/sexuality.

There are plenty of men who would happily strip down to their speedos for a bump in tips or salary. It's just the way of things that there's less demand for that. I see no problem with a woman choosing to trade on her looks for cash, as long as its a legitimate choice and a safe and respectful work environment.

The Olympics are about sport and money. Nothing else. If they were about internationalism or humanity they would promote those things. If they were about a spirit of fair play the IOC wouldn't be bending over backwards to ignore anything that might cost China face.

Sports.

Money.

Nothing else.

The individual performances are still majestic and impressive.

This is the sort of person we elect, and the sort of person who shakes his head ruefully and complains that Americans are far too cynical about politics. Someone compared this to Spitzer's crime, but there is a big difference. Spitzer may have been a hypocrite, but his crime hurt only himself and his wife (Possibly the prostitute, but she was not underage or illegally trafficked from Romania or under the violent control of some criminal gang. She did it more or less willingly.) This crime hurts not only the people of Illinois but the entire U.S. government because it feeds the (apparently accurate) perception that the people in the halls of power bought their way in and are concerned with their own well-being and not that of those they are supposed to serve.

America has always had a "Me first" ethos but the current ethos seems to be "Me first, me last, me only." The old way was "You scratch my back, I scratch yours." The new way is "You deliver half a million in unmarked bills, I put you in the United States Senate." The economic collapse, our crumbling infrastructure, it can all be tied to these selfish and short-sighted behaviors. It's a cultural corruption that needs to be addressed on a cultural level.