A Tale of Two Erections

The city of Beijing was awarded the Olympic Games by the IOC on July 13, 2001.  Since then the government has spared no expense in revitalizing and creating a vibrant, modern environment for the world to see.  Old buildings have been torn down and new gleaming skyscrapers erected in their places.  As I have written before, until recently there was construction going on here 24 hours a day.  From my living room window I can see completed buildings which were nothing more than skeletal beams of steel when I arrived late last year.

On September 11, 2001, Islamic terrorists flew planes into the Pentagon and World Trade Center.  Here’s the Google Map, taken today, of the latter location.

The Chinese have built an entire city in roughly the same time that we have built, well, a smoking hole in the ground.  What a fucking embarrassment this is for the United States.  Despite all the pledges of building something even better, more impressive, more indicative of American resolve and determination, we still have a giant fucking dirt hole.

Disgraceful.

How well constructed are the Chinese buildings?

Without disputing the primary point that the construction at the WTC site has been a total clusterfuck, that picture of the site is not entirely up to date, as it doesn’t appear to show the PATH station, which has been constructed and is operational (though it will be replaced when all of the construction of the new buildings is finished).  Not only has the transit hub been brought back to the WTC site, the new tower at WTC7 is finished and occupied by tenants already (I think that construction was completed around early 2007).

Still, no excuse for how long it is taking for the entire area to be properly finished, but the progress, while slow, exists and the site is more than just a hole in the ground.

7 years is a long time, but, think of the politicians that need to be bribed, the egos that need to be stroked, and the endless debate on every single aspect of it’s design.

Wouldn’t be surprised if it takes another 7 years just to get the foundation finished.

If I were the head of a terrorist organization, the only building I would be interested in knocking down in the next 20 years is this one. I’m just saying…