If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair. If you're going to Sochi, however, you might want to consider a flak jacket.
Many observers are still wondering why the International Olympic Committee chose Sochi to begin with. The average temperature in February is a balmy 43 degrees Fahrenheit, with daily highs hitting around 51 degrees. At nighttime, it doesn't generally drop below freezing. The Russian organizers "guarantee snow" by holding events at a ski resort in the mountains outside the city or, if all else fails, making artificial snow. The Russians even stockpiled snow from previous winters and kept it around, just in case. Maybe that's why the price tag for this Winter Olympics totals $51 billion -- more than the last three Winter Olympics combined.
Then there's the whole terrorism thing. Sochi is located on the Black Sea, near the troubled North Caucasus region that is home to many Islamic separatists. Dagestan, the region with which the Boston bombers had ties, and the city of Volgograd, which suffered a twin terrorist attack in December, are in the vicinity. (Both are roughly 600 miles away.)
As if recent events in the region weren't disturbing enough, U.S. officials yesterday announced the possibility of "toothpaste bombs" being brought on flights to Russia. And a USA Today report details how Russian intelligence isn't very good at fighting terrorism. It's no wonder that 57 percent of Americans think there will be a terrorist attack in Sochi.
For the sake of the world's athletes and fans, let's hope not.
(AP Photo)
