« the olympics... »
Monday, February 13, 2006 at 06:34AM … so - we are now thoroughly entrenched in what may be the oldest sporting event on the planet, and it never seems to amaze me - the IDIOCY of it all now… in times being as they are, to see such excess wealth poured into something that creates no real value, and helps so little. I think what finally set me off was reading that over $400 Million was squandered on the IT infrastructure alone to support the olympics this year…. wow. That’s ALOT of electroncs, not to mention the fact that ON TOP OF THAT, vendors couldn’t GIVE away product fast enough to support it as well…
i simply am boggled by it - the time and effort and cash dumped into something that benefits so very few. and for what? Oh don’t give me the old "it’s for patriotism, it’s for national identity" bullsh*t… are you going to be more heartbroken if we only win 15 medals? as opposed to the 25 we are planning on? in March, are you really going to give one fig about who won the 5000, men’s speedskating? Imagine how far $400M would go to places where you have to jig through a minefield to get to school? Or how about I move closer to home - and dump $400M into the school system of ontario? or michigan? Imagine a university grant for every kid who’s parents make less than $40k a year? Gee - here’s something novel - how about better/more/cheaper vaccines for avian flu?
don’t even get me started on the infrastructure changes the host city has to go through now to support the venues… It’s reported that the 2004 olympics sucked $12 BILLION from the Greek economy… What is Vancouver thinking? Bidding on the olympics is simply akin to asking for repeated punches to the soft, wobbly bits of the local population of the host area… we are eons away from the vancouver olympics, and already the costs are now vastly exceeding the estimates? Now all of Canada is getting dragged into the economic olympics sludge….
are you even going to remember the olympics in June? pfft… simply a waste of time, effort and money.
the olympics goes - we forget about it - but the host city gets to painfully remember it for the next 4 years, until another sucker city and it’s inhabitants gets to feel the pointy toe brunt of the economic "honour".
Reader Comments (1)
I'm very disappointed that we (as a country) try so hard to win the olympic bids.
As ar as I'm concerned, they are a complete waste of time, and should not even be considered.
You make a valid point about how that money can be better spent.
Unfortunately, glitz has taken over.