Socialism: When The Rubber Hits The Road

[Smiling Assassin27]

When government owns and controls all methods of production, people suffer.

October 21, 2010 6:38 AM
Chinese Freeze Before Gov't Turns on the Heat

Since the Communists came to power, November 15 has been circled in red on many Beijing calendars. It's not Mao Zedong's birthday. November 15 is the day when city officials dutifully flick the switch to turn on the capital's centrally-controlled heating system, supplying warmth to most of Beijing's 22 million residents.

In one of the last vestiges of collective living, Beijing's coal plants pump heat to city apartments on a strict schedule, from November 15 to March 15, every year. Since the 1950s, the schedule has rarely changed, even if temperatures plummet before the appointed day.

After enduring record heat-waves this summer, with the mercury soaring to its highest mark in 60 years, and thick pollution in the fall (which the government blamed on "fog"), Beijingers are now suffering through the early onset of bitter cold. China's state-run media reported October 18 as the city's coldest autumn day since 1986, with temperatures peaking at 48 degrees and then dropping to 44.

Many residents of the capital city are counting down the days to November 15 hunched over their computer keyboards, commiserating about the frigid weather and lack of government-provided relief.

"I can't function in Beijing's October without a hot-water bottle and an electric blanket," complains one Chinese internet user. Others employ greater creativity to stay toasty.

"I highly recommend doing slow-motion exercises while surfing the internet in order to stay warm," suggests one energetic web chatter. Most local apartments don't have thermostats, so residents have no idea whether it's warmer inside than outside. Many use electric space heaters and turn their air conditioners to the "warm" setting to thaw their icy homes.

There is one silver -- or green -- lining to weeks of goose bumps. Beijing's power plants burn through 41,000 tons of coal every day to keep the city's residents warm in winter. That energy is saved each day the government keeps the radiators turned off. Beijing officials grumble that last year, the heating was turned on a few days early but then the weather warmed up again, wasting precious resources.

Until the grim mid-November countdown is over, Beijingers have little to do but sit, shiver and, ironically, pray for extremely cold weather. Local officials have promised to turn on the heat if the mercury dips below 40 degrees for five days in a row, or if the city is blanketed in snow.

And those wishes may be answered soon; a cold front is expected to hit Beijing on October 23. Miserable meteorologists warn, however, the capital won't likely be blanketed in snowflakes... but sheets of cold rain instead. That probably won't get the heat turned on.

This story was filed by CBS News correspondent Celia Hatton in Beijing.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Smiling Assassin27

When government owns and controls all methods of production, people suffer.

Under "things you have to believe to be a republican."

Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

[Smiling Assassin27]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Under "things you have to believe to be a republican."

Wow, I made no political statement with regard to this story, I just wanted you to know what the average resident of Beijing suffers through that you and I take for granted. Leave it to LABF to go all Chris Matthews on us.

As for Cuba, the offer's always open to PM me and discuss it, dude. We don't not trade with Cuba because they're communist but I get the idea that you know zilch about this 'embargo'. I'm lucky enough to have family from there, so if you care to learn something, take the first step.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Dueling Quotes

Originally Posted by Smiling Assassin27

When government owns and controls all methods of production, people suffer.

Originally Posted by Smiling Assassin27

Wow, I made no political statement with regard to this story...

[Smiling Assassin27]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Dueling Quotes

That's an economic statement, fool.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Smiling Assassin27

That's an economic statement, fool.

No - it's an implicit condemnation of socialism, nitwit.

We already know that's your position anyway - why try to hide it now?

[barryr]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Under "things you have to believe to be a republican."

Wow, your stupidity just grows and grows each day.

[barryr]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

No - it's an implicit condemnation of socialism, nitwit.

We already know that's your position anyway - why try to hide it now?

Yeah, socialism has been such a resounding success around the world. Of course only in your demented, racist, warped sense of reality.

[shakenbake]

I am in Beijing as I type this, it isn't that cold.

But the article is correct, actually I think it is worse living in Shanghai than Beijing in the winter. Shanghai is considered a southern city and therefore off the heat grid. This despite pretty damn cold winters! I have to rely on my a/c unit for heat which sucks.

Chinese people don't seem to mind so much, they just put on more jackets.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by barryr

Wow, your stupidity just grows and grows each day.

Yet you offer no actual rebuttal to the post you quoted.

Just a little word of advice:

We already have one Rush Limbaugh - we don't need a tenth-rate copycat like you around.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by barryr

Yeah, socialism has been such a resounding success around the world. Of course only in your demented, racist, warped sense of reality.

But dumb sh*t:

I wasn't arguing the merits of socialism - just challenging the OP's claim that he wasn't making a political statement.

Why do right-wing half-wits like you have trouble with such distinctions?

[shakenbake]

Socialism doesn't work. Thats why it isn't in place in China anymore and the country has taken off. Sure there are some things like this heating in place...

All those European countries that are giving Socialism a run will be flat out broke in no time. It is already starting to happen now. We are going broke because we are following the same path.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

All those European countries that are giving Socialism a run will be flat out broke in no time. It is already starting to happen now. We are going broke because we are following the same path.

Funny how you blame socialism when, in fact, the real culprits are the purveyors of the same economic weapons of mass destruction that caused our own crisis.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Funny how you blame socialism when, in fact, the real culprits are the purveyors of the same economic weapons of mass destruction that caused our own crisis.

No it is socialism...

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Funny how you blame socialism when, in fact, the real culprits are the purveyors of the same economic weapons of mass destruction that caused our own crisis.

Yes, exactly! A society where the masses think that government owes them something just by existing. Where you can take from one group of performers and give it to the group that doesn't..... Socialism

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

Yes, exactly! A society where the masses think that government owes them something just by existing. Where you can take from one group of performers and give it to the group that doesn't..... Socialism

Wow - you really are a product of Fox News and the right-wing corporate media, aren't you?

Meanwhile, here in reality, the same Goldman Sachs crooks who caused our own crisis have been wreaking havoc on Europe with the same weapons of economic mass destruction.

Greece would be the most recent example.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

GS has not only (a) been betting against the mortgage-based securities it was selling its own clients, but (b) deeply implicated in the almost-and still-pending collapse of AIG, the largest insurance company in the world, and (c) helping to worsen the already bad crisis in the Eurozone.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Wall Street tactics akin to the ones that fostered subprime mortgages in America have worsened the financial crisis shaking Greece and undermining the euro by enabling European governments to hide their mounting debts.

As worries over Greece rattle world markets, records and interviews show that with Wall Street’s help, the nation engaged in a decade-long effort to skirt European debt limits.

One deal created by Goldman Sachs helped obscure billions in debt from the budget overseers in Brussels.

As usual, the guys from GS waste no time and do work in ingenious ways – and eerily parallel to the tricks they and their buddies on Wall Street used to help get the US in the great shape it’s in today.

In early November — three months before Athens became the epicenter of global financial anxiety — a team from Goldman Sachs arrived in the ancient city with a very modern proposition for a government struggling to pay its bills …

The bankers, led by Goldman’s president, Gary D. Cohn, held out a financing instrument that would have pushed debt from Greece’s health care system far into the future, much as when strapped homeowners take out second mortgages to pay off their credit cards.

And apparently, the same sort of sordid maneuvers that worked so well in the US also go over just as easily in Europe.

It had worked before.

In 2001, just after Greece was admitted to Europe’s monetary union, Goldman helped the government quietly borrow billions, people familiar with the transaction said.


That deal, hidden from public view because it was treated as a currency trade rather than a loan, helped Athens to meet Europe’s deficit rules, while continuing to spend beyond its means.

Hmmmm … does that sound familiar

Using accounting sleight-of-hand to help people spend beyond their means – at least for a while, until the whole house of cards comes tumbling down – where HAVE we heard this before

Once again, the main culprits are what St. Warren of Buffet has called “economic weapons of mass destruction” – DERIVATIVES.

http://www.economywatch.com/economy-...ofit-16-2.html

[epicSocialism4tw]

LABF is a tool and a moron.

Expect his posting to increase exponentially heading into the elections. He and his handlers think that he's making a difference here with his propaganda and thread derailing.

He is making a difference. He's making me more determined than ever to vote his morons out of office.

[shakenbake]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Wow - you really are a product of Fox News and the right-wing corporate media, aren't you?

Meanwhile, here in reality, the same Goldman Sachs crooks who caused our own crisis have been wreaking havoc on Europe with the same weapons of economic mass destruction.

Greece would be the most recent example.

Who is in power in Greece?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by McSkillet

LABF is a tool and a moron.

I just exposed you as a shameless liar on your latest "blame the crisis on Fannie and Freddie" thread - and now all you have left in the tank is ad hominem.

You're pathetic.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by shakenbake

Who is in power in Greece?

Wow - now that was a dodge!

No answer for anything I just posted about your GS pals?

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

I just exposed you as a shameless liar on your latest "blame the crisis on Fannie and Freddie" thread - and now all you have left in the tank is ad hominem.

You're pathetic. ::

You havent explained anything to anyone. You continue to post garbage leftist propaganda and then try to make people look bad for calling it left wing propaganda.

People are much more intelligent than you give them credit for.

Your stuff is garbage.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by McSkillet

You havent explained anything to anyone. You continue to post garbage leftist propaganda and then try to make people look bad for calling it left wing propaganda.

People are much more intelligent than you give them credit for.

Your stuff is garbage.

On the contrary - I provided FACTS that disproved your bogus contention that FM&FM were the primary culprits in the housing debacle.

In any case, it's always amusing to watch you froth at the mouth like a mental case when the shaky foundation of your ideological house of cards is rattled.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

On the contrary - I provided FACTS that disproved your bogus contention that FM&FM were the primary culprits in the housing debacle.

In any case, it's always amusing to watch you froth at the mouth like a mental case when the shaky foundation of your ideological house of cards is rattled.

"Facts", eh?

You keep talking about this stuff like nobody sees that your garbage articles and cartoons are spam.