PINEROLO, ITALY—Here's the latest from the Torino 2006 Olympic curling show:

• Cassie Johnson’s USA CurlGirls are 0-3 after their 6-5 loss to Japan

• The Danes made a late charge to subdue Italy and their fervent, screaming fans

• Norway’s Dordi Nordby went from giant-killer in the morning to a 15 per cent shooting average in the first five ends tonight (!) and lost emphatically to Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott

• Team Canada overcame the stubborn Ludmilla Privivkova of Russia to prevail 6-5.

As we observe Team Canada (men’s version) head to the ice for some late-night practice before tomorrow's next match, we're off to the NBC studios for a little calendar promotion, a live hit with CNBC, followed by some much-needed shut-eye. 

Watch for a news release on all that tomorrow.

Tonight’s first post-draw arena music choice? True Colours by the impish moppet herself, Cindy Lauper, who is—ironically—more respected now than when she was selling millions of wax records.

Ciao...