Short Burst Series- Olympics 2016

The IOC (International Olympic Committee) is hitting town this weekend for a little "performance review" of our fair city.

Ok, our not-necessarily-fair city.

The 13-member panel, according to today's Sun-Times, will "examine everything from proposed sporting venues to the city's public transit system to the financing for the city's $4.8 billion bid."

In my neighborhood, which is Roscoe Village on the North Side, it looks like a war-zone with all of the potholes that the city hasn't fixed yet. There are literally thousands of them. There are also numerous empty storefronts/condos/houses available (sale or lease) that nobody can seem to afford. Lot's and lot's and lot's of apartments are currently for rent with the prices dropping by the hour (you still think you'll get 5 grand for your place during the games?)

The IOC panelists, none of whom are from the States (lucky), will stay at the swanky Fairmont hotel, downtown. They'll be sampling the uber-fine cuisine from 3 of the city's top chefs. And then, to finish it off, there will be some sort of "cultural event" at the now-$18-a-pop Art Institute.

They'll be here for 6 glorious days, seeing the city's best and brightest facade (kinda like homeland security- all show, no substance), doing things most Chicagoans don't or can't do.

And you know, you KNOW, that we, the taxpayers, will certainly and inevitably foot the $4.8 billion bill at the end of the day.

So it goes...