In 1896, the European imperial powers governed a large portion of the planet, and the Games were a tribute to their success in spreading their way of life from the idea that life is essentially competition right down to the unit of measurement throughout the world.

NEWYORKER: Glory Days

Other likely candidates for stock tickers: Zipcar (a car rental service), Nielsen (media measurement firm) and NXP Semiconductors, a unit of Royal Philips Electronics.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The decision to bring the shuttle down came after one of the orbiter's three key navigation tools -- an inertial measurement unit -- stopped working.

CNN: NASA to shuttle: Come home