What's in the News

The republicans didn't do it so they want it cancelled. 

AND,  Big business might suffer if it isn't cancelled. 

Poor people and sick people with pre-existing conditions shouldn't be allowed to have health care.   

Well, now, again, I am about as useful in a political discussion as an elephant at a ballet recital but that just sounds silly. I would assume that the people most in need of health care would be sick people. 不明白。。

. . . but that just sounds silly. I would assume that the people most in need of health care would be sick people. 不明白。。

Not if you're an insurance company. You want to provide for healthy long living folks so that they don't dip into the coffers yet continuously pay into it

Giving health care to sick people makes no one any profit.

Giving health care to sick people makes no one any profit.

Yeah. You sell healthy people insurance, and deny coverage if they become sick. It's the American way.

Having a healthy workforce is good for the economy, but not the companies who have power to lobby...

What I've read, when they did this in the Clinton years it backfired because people (specially in America) like hating the 'big government' bullying them, but then when the government actually closes down people realise that they are using it all the time

What I don't understand is why noone did this to George Bush II? The healthcare is a big deal, but the wars and tax breaks were much more expensive

I am no political mastermind, so can anyone please explain this to me? Why is this health care proposal so troublesome?

Me neither, but I think it comes down to ideology.  Socialized Health Care smacks of socialism, (a very bad word in The U.S.).  The government making you do something is "Un-Constitutional" in many pea-brained minds, (despite the fact that they accept gov't's ability to send teenagers to die in non-declared wars).

Peripheral arguments such as "Liberalism = Atheism" and Obama is a black man also come into play.  A LOT of money is spent to keep these slanders alive and the great majority comes from the business-right.

The real problem is that a minority, (The Tea Party), have an inordinate amount of power over the Republican Party and that Party, (through gerrey-mandering), has a majority in one House of Congress.  And with our system of government, that's enough to create gridlock.

Then I must admit I am ever so happy to be from a socialist country.
So, the Republicans, the idiotically named Tea Party (dumbest political name since the Know-Nothing Party) are causing 800.000 people to be sent home with no pay because they don't like the idea of a nationalized health insurance? They actually think there is something wrong with people being able to get affordable and good health care? There are right now 800.000 people who can't make money over this. I do wonder how this will play out where there is a Senate of House of Representatives election:
"Vote for me! I am a Republican! I will..."
"Err...weren't you the guys who shut down the government because you had a problem with lower income people getting government subsidized good health care?"
"Well...err...I...err...It's not that simple..."
"Do members of Congress get a good health plan, with dental and such?"
"Umm...ummm...yees...but..."
"Tell ya what, I saw a dead skunk on the road a while back, I'm gonna head back and get it and then I think  am gonna keep it in my fridge. So, when you are not re-elected, I am gonna find ya, tie you up and force-feed ya undercooked skunk roadkill and then I will take you to a free clinic because, obviously, you don't think people need good doctors who are not over-worked."
A nationalized welfare system for everyone is neither socialist or atheist or dangerous, it is a very good idea. Again, not a political wiz, but the Republicans and Co. seem just a wee bit silly to me. 

Yeah, you got it.  Now, was that so hard?!

Cave discovered in Chongqing so large it has it's own weather system

Pretty cool.

I do love how places are 'discovered'. Local people never count.

Meh, this is Hunan. I've seen bigger

And of course it was eaten.

辣椒炒老鼠肉

Caves were awesome. We're doing caves in one class, so I could use that article

As for the rats, gotta agree with Stil, no big deal. I've also seen bigger. But damn, that thing is huge. Glad it's dead

One of the reporters was obviously pretty gullible.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20131001000004&cid=1103&MainCatID=0

A 5 KG animal with bones so big than 2 knives were broken cutting it up.

I wonder what filet of rat tastes like?

I wonder what filet of rat tastes like?

what else? tastes like chicken

I love how every story involving animals in China ends up with a bunch of yokels eating it