Robs' Blog: incoherencies from an american ex-pat in exotic beijing,
  or: how i learned to stop worrying and love bureaucracy

Here's a comparison of what 40 billion dollars will get you in today's market:

• Transformation of Beijing into a modern world-class city, not to mention the most watched television event in history. (And, that was only the first run... seems like it is looping pretty regularly on some of the TV channels.) [more info]
• Twice as much as needed for the tallest building in the world and a revitalization of Downtown Dubai [more info]
• Four months of the Iraq War. [more info]

Speaking of the Burj Dubai, wouldn't it be nice to have something like it in ol' NYC? I mean this thing was started on September 21st, 2004, and is expected to be finished next year.