Olympic Games

I just read that the latest cost estimate for the 2014 Sochi Games is $51 Billion.
So - given the economic situation in Europe, Bail outs, World Hunger, Poverty, Disaster Aid - I gotta ask - does anyone really give a toss whether an American can jump 1/2 inch higher than an Italian, whether an Aussie can swim 1000 meters in 0.1 of second faster than a Spaniard, whether a Scotsman can hurl a lump of lead 1 inch further than a Russian? Really? Does anyone give a damn? Or could we put that money to a higher use? Just askin'

Hmmm - posted that in 3 groups at once.
Group one - England - - 32 comments
Group 2 - World - - 51 comments
Group 3 - LVA - NO comments
As a world citizen - Definitely starting to get a read on what is important to the citizens in different countries - but I gotta say - this one a surprise.

I enjoy some parts of the olympics, mostly winter summer not as much. As far as how much the country's spend on them is absolutely obscene, why don't they just hold them in some of the same places and re-use the venues already in place? Fity-one billion? really? That is a staggering amount to spruce up a town.

I spent a week in Lake Placid one winter break and they've held them there a few times, not sure if two or three times. I don't know if they built all new stuff or not each time, but I do know all the facilitys were in top notch condition(olympic team practices there sometimes) that we saw. The bob sled run was great, we got tickets for a run down the chute, man what a blast!

I must say I'm a little taken aback by the response ratio there, says a lot about Americans I suppose

JOHN

DonDiego expects tonyrob will not see anyone high-jump, swim, or hurl a lump of lead at the Sochi Games.

DonDiego has spent most of his money on beer, women, and entertainment. The rest he wasted.

So he does not think himself qualified to direct other folks' money to a higher use.

The problem is it's not a "Guns or Butter" proposition...it's a business proposition. It's not like a Government has taxed its citizens an extra 52 Billion Dollars to squander on games when it could have been solving world hunger.

Where do these Olympic Costs go? Who pays them? What is the return on that investment? Many believe that hosting an olympics ultimately produces wealth for the hosts through the influx of olympians and tourists and associated investments in infrastructure. It's like saying do we really need to be spending 156 Billion Dollars a year on Apple Products when people in the world are starving. Is your I-Pad worth a childs life? It's not a valid comparison.

A more valid question in my humble opinion is does the world really need to spend so many trillions on their militaries.

"DonDiego expects tonyrob will not see anyone high-jump, swim, or hurl a lump of lead at the Sochi Games."

Because it is the Winter Olympics.

The winter games should be in Switzerland and the summer games in Greece

$51B for Winter Olympics????

https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/putin-tours-olympic-venues-warns-against-hiking-costs-for-sochi-games-construction-1.1145364