Beijing Bling

I've been watching the Olympics off and on over these last two days. Saw the "redeem team" kick some china ass on the hardwood, and Phelps kick everyone's ass in the pool. I must admit, I enjoy watching the games. My favorite events being Track and Field.

The opening ceremony was something I've never seen before. It was the the mother of all sporting event shows. I was simply in shock and awe at what was displaying right in front of my eyes. I can't imagine what that must of been like to be there live......wow!!

And I sat there taking in all the pyro, colors, costumes, and sheer artistic display....i wondered...."I wonder how much money China spent on this? So I did a little quick research...

it is estimated that somewhere in the neighborhood of 42 Billion (US dollar) will be spent on these Olympics. China's is representin, no doubt. Of course some of that will come back in corporate sponser and much of the money was spent on improving Beijing infrastructure that will benefit the chinese for years to come......but 42 Billion ? And thats a shy estimate. China is pretty tight lip on it.

And was it not just a month or so earlier that a devastating earthquake killed several thousand chinese and much of them were children? I bet they could have used that money to improve the shoddy construction that crumbled like a house of cards.

Is this really necessary? Seems these Olympics recently have gotten out of hand, and now it will be a contest of "I can do it better than you". Meanwhile we have global poverty, famine, war torn nations, genocide, AIDS...

I love the concept of nations coming together in the spirit of goodwill. But I love the concept of sharing the wealth to those that really need even better....