killing in the name of (electrical modernity)

I'm firmly in support of thermo-nuclear power. Dangerous? Not nearly so much as people believe, and it doesn't even hold a candle to coal.

China has the world's most dangerous mines, and the government has closed thousands of small mines since 2006 in an effort to reduce fatalities by consolidating the industry into larger, more efficient operations. Last year, the number of mining fatalities dropped by one-fifth to 3,786 deaths, still the highest figure in the world. [according to the IHT]

Granted, China is pretty bad from all safety aspects (if I had to bet money on the next nuclear plant disaster, "somewhere in China" would be my first choice).

What? Athletes complaining about steroids in Chinese food? Heck, I won't even touch chicken unless it's been irradiated and has at least 3 head-like growths! I think in the 2008 Olympics, what the world will see is a 2^nd-world country trying desperately (and mostly superficially) to be considered part of the traditional First World.

That's not a knock against China per se, I think they have every right to get there, but I think the speed at which they are trying is going to leave the internal workings of the country as hollow as the old Soviet attempt (and current Russian attempt) to do the same. These things take time to be done right, and even the West still has hiccups similar to the recent cold-weather-induced transportation fiasco this Lunar New Year.

Then again, how can China succeed when the crazy, left-wing, liberal, pinko-commie Western Media^TM is hell-bent on destroying their propaganda? Heck, even Adolf never had it this bad. Poor Rupert - it seems all his travails to placate the Chinese just keep falling up short - damn that villainous Grey Lady! Damn her straight to hell!