Kevin,

you're right when you say
"The idea that you have to have something like this as a justification for getting the kind of maintenance and improvements that a city like London badly needs - isn't it just a little crazy?".

Yes, it is crazy, and not just a little either. However, this being an imperfect world, where it takes something like the Olympics for politicians to focus on improving infrastructure, and for people to accept the (inevitable) higher taxes that it takes to create such infrastructure, let's not grizzle about it too much.

I, too, would prefer the right things to be happening for the right reasons. But I will take the right things happening for the wrong reasons as an acceptable - though lamentable - second best.

People will have more jobs during the construction, and afterwards in the tourism industry. Police will focus on improving public safety and reducing crime in those areas. Kids and sports people will have better facilities. There will be road, rail etc improvements. Sure, and companies will make money - but they're supposed to. And touts will make money too. And property values will increase, perhaps out of reach for the babies of 2005 to be able to afford to live there in 2025. But let's not blame it all on the Olympics - the biggest culprit is human nature.

Let's take the good, plan for the bad, and let the people of Britain rejoice. The people of Stratford are already doing so.