re: Could New Orleans ever host the Olympics?

Not to change subjects, but really, could any other country, U.S. included, have done an opening ceremony like that? Even with "unlimited funding?" Those firework "footsteps" were amazing. Spielberg? Jim Cameron? McG? Lucas? Kevin Smith?(I know...j/k)

Seriously, Beijing was a logical choice to host an Olympics, especially knowing that there would be no limit to funding. I DO know that the 2008 Olympics are directly responsible for the tripling and quadrupling of some construction materials (copper, steel) in the U.S. Right around the time that some of these Olympic venues would have been in the "rough--in" phase(running of plumbing pipes, electrical and communications wires, steel beams) the price of copper tripled. A 250' roll of size 12/2 romex (electrical wire) went from $35-40 to $120 almost literally overnight.