The Brazillian Olympic disaster

[DigitalDrifter]

For the first time ever, the Olympics are to be held in South America. Brazil specifically.
As we are now finding out, it seems they are simply not up to the task, and it looks like it was a mistake to hand them the responsibility.

Brazilian soccer star's Olympic warning: 'Stay home'

RIO DE JANEIRO – Some tourists gathered along a winding path here on a Thursday in early May, watching the waves from the Atlantic, hoping for a big one. The surf was so high that red flags were planted on the beach below, so even the cariocas – the locals – stayed on the sand. It was only a couple of weeks ago that one of the waves leapt up to a newly built portion of this path, and crumpled it like a wet cracker. At least two people died; their bodies were fished out of the surf by helicopters and laid onto the beach below.

The tourists hung out near a food cart with a bright umbrella, and the owner stepped outside and got a visitor's attention. He gestured with his hand in an up-and-over motion. It was clear what he meant: every now and then a wave crashed over the ledge, and where the tourists were standing wasn't quite safe. He returned to work; the tourists stayed where they were. The waves kept coming, higher and higher.

Brazil is a precarious place these days.

"Things are getting uglier here every day," Brazilian soccer star Rivaldo wrote on his Instagram account Sunday. "I advise everyone with plans to visit Brazil for the Olympics in Rio – to stay home. You'll be putting your life at risk here. ... Only God can change the situation in our Brazil."

The situation in Brazil right now looks like this: The economy is crashing and no one knows quite what to do about it. The Zika virus has caused paralysis and harrowing birth defects. The Olympics are less than three months away and that will bring security concerns. It will also bring some embarrassment, as the local Guanabara Bay is filthy and rancid. The beach surrounding it has no people, but rather empty cans and vials and diapers. It was supposed to be cleaned; it might never be cleaned.

Perhaps most troubling of all: an impeachment process in the midst of a corruption crisis leaves Brazil's political future completely uncertain. Plan A has failed and there is no Plan B. When the Olympic flame arrived here on May 3, it was met by dueling protests – one side against a "coup" and another in favor of impeachment. A schoolteacher who watched the torch relay voiced a common wish: new elections. But who is worthy to win? No one has inspired any trust. The most popular politician is someone nicknamed "Tiririca." He's a professional clown. His campaign slogan was, "It can't get any worse."

It feels like it will only get worse.

Brazilian soccer star's Olympic warning: 'Stay home'

 

[waltky]

An' den dey got dat zika thing on top of it.

 

[Alex.]

Scary place on multiple fronts, I did want to go not for the Olympics just for vacation, not now.

 

[JoeB131]

Actually, Olympics are becoming increasingly a boondoggle for anyone who gets them. I'm glad Chicago managed to dodge the bullet.

Greece's bankruptcy can be directly linked to the overspending they did with the 2004 Olympics. London lost a huge amount of money in 2012. I'm sure Tokyo is going to regret it.

 

[mudwhistle]

Actually, Olympics are becoming increasingly a boondoggle for anyone who gets them. I'm glad Chicago managed to dodge the bullet.

Greece's bankruptcy can be directly linked to the overspending they did with the 2004 Olympics. London lost a huge amount of money in 2012. I'm sure Tokyo is going to regret it.

I guess it had nothing to do with 40% unemployment in Greece.

 

[DigitalDrifter]

Actually, Olympics are becoming increasingly a boondoggle for anyone who gets them. I'm glad Chicago managed to dodge the bullet.

Greece's bankruptcy can be directly linked to the overspending they did with the 2004 Olympics. London lost a huge amount of money in 2012. I'm sure Tokyo is going to regret it.

Chicago didn't try to dodge it though, they wanted it.

 

[Godboy]

Brazil is a fucking shit hole. It turns out that inferior cultures produce awful people. What a shocker!

 

[blastoff]

Actually, Olympics are becoming increasingly a boondoggle for anyone who gets them. I'm glad Chicago managed to dodge the bullet.

Greece's bankruptcy can be directly linked to the overspending they did with the 2004 Olympics. London lost a huge amount of money in 2012. I'm sure Tokyo is going to regret it.

Chicago didn't try to dodge it though, they wanted it.

Didn't Barry make an in-person plea to the decision makers on behalf of Chicago? Guess he should have used the old trusty Teleprompter, but it's good they snubbed him as Chicago's dimocrat machine has the place in no financial position to support even a midwest tiddlywinks tournament. Plus those assholes probably would have desecrated my beloved Wrigley Field with friggin' soccer matches!

 

[Lewdog]

If I were on the U.S. Olympic team I wouldn't go, especially any of the sports that has to be done out in the water. From the article I read awhile back, the water is so polluted that the native people there won't go in. It's just full of trash... then throw in the Zika virus, the crime, and all other factors, hell no!

 

[JoeB131]

Didn't Barry make an in-person plea to the decision makers on behalf of Chicago? Guess he should have used the old trusty Teleprompter, but it's good they snubbed him as Chicago's dimocrat machine has the place in no financial position to support even a midwest tiddlywinks tournament. Plus those assholes probably would have desecrated my beloved Wrigley Field with friggin' soccer matches!

Only reason why Chicago is having a problem is because our fuckwad of a governor is throwing a temper tantrum. Sadly, he's hurting students, the disabled, the ill and all those other little people.

 

[blastoff]

Didn't Barry make an in-person plea to the decision makers on behalf of Chicago? Guess he should have used the old trusty Teleprompter, but it's good they snubbed him as Chicago's dimocrat machine has the place in no financial position to support even a midwest tiddlywinks tournament. Plus those assholes probably would have desecrated my beloved Wrigley Field with friggin' soccer matches!

Only reason why Chicago is having a problem is because our fuckwad of a governor is throwing a temper tantrum. Sadly, he's hurting students, the disabled, the ill and all those other little people.

Oh, it's the governor's fault, huh? Welcome to the Fuckwad Club. They've reserved you a small room in the prestigious Liars and Stupid People wing.

Just last year Moody's downgraded Chicago's debt to junk status in large part due to the city's $30 BILLION in unfunded pension obligations, among other things. The city's in a financial shithole due to decades of liberal dimocrat machine rule kicking their ever-growing debt can down the road. Now however, in the words of Barry's minister pal's words, the chickens have come home to roost on the Toddlin' Town.

 

[there4eyeM]

The Olympics and 'mega-sports' in general are at such an inflated level of overblown that how anyone remains interested is a mystery.
The money involved is beyond ludicrous. Professional 'wrestling' is at least clearly and genuinely fake (oxymoron?).
The city 'winning' the competition for the Olympics is only setting itself up for big regrets.

 

[JoeB131]

Oh, it's the governor's fault, huh? Welcome to the Fuckwad Club. They've reserved you a small room in the prestigious Liars and Stupid People wing.

Just last year Moody's downgraded Chicago's debt to junk status in large part due to the city's $30 BILLION in unfunded pension obligations, among other things. The city's in a financial shithole due to decades of liberal dimocrat machine rule kicking their ever-growing debt can down the road. Now however, in the words of Barry's minister pal's words, the chickens have come home to roost on the Toddlin' Town.

I think the fact we haven't had a budget to cover those debts for over a year because your boy Rauner is throwing a hissy because he can't get his unrelated anti-union laws has a lot more to do with that than "pension obligations".

We have disabled people who can't get medical care because Rauner won't pay for it. We have universities laying people off. Rauner has been an absolute disaster for this state.

 

[blastoff]

Oh, it's the governor's fault, huh? Welcome to the Fuckwad Club. They've reserved you a small room in the prestigious Liars and Stupid People wing.

Just last year Moody's downgraded Chicago's debt to junk status in large part due to the city's $30 BILLION in unfunded pension obligations, among other things. The city's in a financial shithole due to decades of liberal dimocrat machine rule kicking their ever-growing debt can down the road. Now however, in the words of Barry's minister pal's words, the chickens have come home to roost on the Toddlin' Town.

I think the fact we haven't had a budget to cover those debts for over a year because your boy Rauner is throwing a hissy because he can't get his unrelated anti-union laws has a lot more to do with that than "pension obligations".

We have disabled people who can't get medical care because Rauner won't pay for it. We have universities laying people off. Rauner has been an absolute disaster for this state.

LOL...make that the Liars and Super Stupid People wing.

 

[HenryBHough]

Over the years I made probably ten trips to Rio and Sao Paulo and never felt unsafe. Porto Alegre....now that was a fish of a different aroma. Of course one was, even then, foolish to rely on any sort of public infrastructure to function in other than rudimentary fashion.

 

[longknife]

Fear on the streets of Rio as security deteriorates ahead of Olympics

I've been watching the Olympic trials on NBC and find myself wondering how any of those marvelous athletes could possible place themselves in harms way by going to Rio. It's a mess down there and even first responders are telling people they can't guarantee their safety.

However, police unions have said the current crisis is the worst they have seen for years with unpaid officers even having to resort to paying for food for detainees.

Rio's civil police and firefighters drew attention to their plight with a banner at the city's international airport this week, reading: "Welcome to hell" and warning tourists that they were not safe.

Full story @ Fear on the streets of Rio as security deteriorates ahead of Olympics | Americas | DW.COM | 01.07.2016

 

[Ame®icano]

 

[DigitalDrifter]

They should have never been awarded the Olympics to host.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Actually, Olympics are becoming increasingly a boondoggle for anyone who gets them. I'm glad Chicago managed to dodge the bullet.

Greece's bankruptcy can be directly linked to the overspending they did with the 2004 Olympics. London lost a huge amount of money in 2012. I'm sure Tokyo is going to regret it.

I guess it had nothing to do with 40% unemployment in Greece.

Booooooooooooooooooooooooooosh

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Thanks, Obama