Made In China Winter Wonderland

Is it just me, or is it fitting that the Olympics are being held in China this year? I mean it just seems like that's the way the world is right now.

I lived in Lake Placid during the 1980 winter Olympics.

Here's a few fun facts about those games:
There were hotels for less than 1/10th of the spectators within 50 miles of Lake Placid, which is located in small remote Adirondack town. The airport was third world all the way.

People were renting out crappy rooms for 400 dollars a night ,IN 1980. People were traveling as far as 100 miles across international borders to find accommodations, and then not being able to see events they paid hundreds of dollars for tickets for. Many who had tickets had no room at the venues to stand, much less sit.
The skiing competitions almost had to be canceled due to lack of snow.



Competitors were running out of skis to ski on after breaking them on exposed rocks, there were many injuries.



It was the worst planned Olympics in the history of the games. It literally made the USA look like a third world nation and after Nixon, Ford and Carter WE WERE for all intents and purposes. The speed skating track was OUTDOORS, and many events canceled due to snow, sleet and freezing rain. Food was scarce to not available at all, the restaurants were all packed and out of almost everything.

People were sleeping outdoors, and in doorways.

Transportation to and from the venues was totally useless. People were scalping tickets, food and even coffee. Coffee was four bucks a cup.

The best thing about the games was the privately owned Whiteface Mt ski resort. It was well supplied and organized in the beginning but ran out of HEATING OIL during the games.

The Chinese seem to have done a damned good job organizing their Olympics, give them credit where it is due.

Oh, and if you're honest and objective about it China is no where near as communist as the USA.

There's a three mile island type nuclear power plant that is the backdrop for one of the events. It's unnerving.

And more athletes are getting hurt than I can remember.

But, doesn't the olympic committee allocate millions and billions to the host country to host the games? where did the money go? I remember go on vacay there as a kid and it was beautiful up there and my parents took us to see all the olympic venues and they all seemed in good shape. So, you would think they've have just upgraded what was already there?