as much as i love my new hometown, the world's hometown, New York City, i'm going with San Francisco. this is not purely emotional, but logistical. in three short months, i've joined the ranks of cynical new yorkers that believe that the olympics bid is just a cover for a land grab by developers to build that brand new stadium that under different circumstances would be a non-starter. and then there is the literature that portrays the number 7 line as some magical street paved with gold, whisking atheletes and spectators alike from venue to venue. as if. and don't even get me started on the olympic village! i'm having a hard time swallowing the commitment to "sustainable development, mass transit, resource conservation and environmental technologies", alluded to on the website. san francisco's bid relies much less on new construction and transportation links, leveraging solutions already in motion, like the BART extension to san jose, to provide in the short-term what will benefit the region long after the games have come and gone.

it is not outside the realm of possibility that my fervor for the games in new york is not matched by that for san francisco because now i live here and any preparations for the games, including construction, etc, will most likely affect me somehow. the prospect of even more of the world descending on this city for the month surrounding the games makes my blood run cold. but then, it is TEN years away. a lot can change between now and then. rest assured that if new york gets the nod over san francisco, i'll be swinging my support behind our bid 110 percent. i mean, i do have the softest spot for the olympics. the pageantry, the patriotism, the up close and personal bio segments. leaves me weepy every time. guess i'll just have to keep those organizer folks on their toes and on the level to balance what is right for the games with what is right for the city.