The 999kr Hot Dog. Verdict: What the hell is this nonsense?

The United Nations has set up a hot dog stand in the center of Stockholm, selling them at the unaffordable price of 999kr a piece. That is roughly....unit converter widget...107 Euro, 130 US Dollars, 72 Pounds, or 13,234 Sri Lankan Rupee. A freaking lot. The idea here is to impress upon well-to-do Swedes that most people haven't got a lot in this world, and that the large price tag, on said hot dog, represents the equivalent cost for a large portion of the planet. (Based on the fact that they live on roughly 1 dollar or 7 kr a day.)

Now, I don't have a problem with the premise here. I think that it is important that people grasp the reality that is poverty, and that is difficult to do in a place where people are more concerned with whether or not to get the white iPod Nano or the black one. The problem is that they seem to be having just a little too much fun doing it. Not to mention spending quite a bit of money getting the word out. (There are large adverts in the subway, as well as all the papers.) And the specially built stand includies the 999 in neon. Granted the profits err...donations are quite big, neon is still a bit much. They are selling though, they apparantely sold 4 in the first 15 minutes, 2 to the same person, which negates the whole principal. Hopefully confused tourists aren't buying them, since they will get home and tell their friends that Sweden is the most expensive place in the galaxy.

I can't afford one. But if I could I would get dried onions on it for an additional 40 dollars.

K Panda