McCain's campaign has sought to give his running mate a crash course in the sorts of issues likely to feature in the Palin-Biden debate on Thursday night.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Let Palin be Palin

But then things rose and rose and we had a great crescendo on the final day with some cracking races and, of course, the victory of Best Mate in the Gold Cup.

BBC: A Festival to remember

The sterile flies (raised in special laboratories in Guatemala and rendered sterile with gamma rays) are expected to mate with females which, of course, will be unable to reproduce.

ECONOMIST: Florida agriculture

By just tapping Palin as his running mate, McCain set forth a new course for the party away from the usual suspects and ensuring that even if the Republican ticket loses this Fall, that Palin will remain a national figure and will automatically become the leading candidate for the Republican nomination in 2012.

BBC: Republican Convention diary