Electricity Cut In Shandong Province To Power Olympics: Chinese Paper

China's Shandong Province is struggling with an electricity crunch which is the "worst in a decade". Since June, electricity rationing has been introduced in the province; electricity for households is limited to designated hours, and factories only have electricity four days a week.

So far no official explanation has been given for the power shortages. Many people believe soaring coal prices are to blame while others find the Olympic Games a convenient target at which they can vent their grievance: there many rumors at the moment blaming the central government for cutting down on Shandong's electricity ration to ensure the power supply in Beijing.

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Comments

[jimdog1954]

Berlin, 1936

[TRYKER]

It is a privilege and an honor to be able to watch this International Competition in the comfort of my own home.
I'll see the very best that each country has produced, young people who have spent years perfectly their individual sports.
In the end I will see the very top-of-the-line youngsters glow with pride and achievement, I will see empowerment. It will fill my heart.

I am not afraid of being corrupted by a govt across the seas when I watch this phenomenon.

[realityczech4u]

The headline "Electricity Cut in Province to Power Olympics" with the accompanying photo of the lineman is manipulative and misleading in the extreme. It gives the clear impression that all the power has been cut and the people blacked out which, when you read the article, you see is not the case at all. Such yellow 'journalism' is shameful.

[johnbkk]

Certainly the best Olympics yet. I doubt few in the west would make such a sacrifice to build and host such a magnificent event. And with so much money going to waging wars and the protection of oil supplies perhaps we won't be able afford to host such an event in the future.

[Americatortures]

We had brown-outs with electricity cut in parts of the country-with no thanks to Bush's pal-Ken Lay-of ENRON infamy! So what's the big deal here,Huffpo???

[AmandaBC]

Did anyone remember electricity cut in California to enrich Enron?

[Destin]

I remember, and I remember how the Justice Department refused to take a dime from them to pay back the investors who were fleeced, employees who were put out on the street with no pensions nor did any go back to the State of California. But yet, Ken Lay and family were able to keep their $20+ million profits and all 5 luxury mansions he owned. He even faked his own death so he'll never have to pay taxes again. ;)

[Marlyn]

"He even faked his own death"

heh

[kitfox]

They cut power in order to run the lights at the Olympics? It was bad enough that they made people move from their homes in order to host. That's simply wrong!!!!!!!!!

I refuse to watch the Olympics this year! Hope others will follow.

[LouisianaLiberal]

Yes. Boycott. Better yet, follow Mia Farrow's trek into Darfur. She says there will be streaming video of a Darfur "Olympics" she is organizing with some locals. The opening ceremonies will be on at the same time as the Chinese opening ceremonies. Let's watch Mia instead of Bush flub and stub his way into any more embarrassing (at best) or dangerous (Maybe start a war?) international schmoozing. Ugh, i can't think of anything worse - wait, there is something worse, a third Bush presidency!

[cardineau]

I think that you are "grasping at straws" to try to find something negative about China. Why don't you people let it go and enjoy the games.

[missjulz]

Try selling that to people rotting in prisons in China. Or how about to the Tibetans. Yeah, let's just eat cake.

[JRandomPoster]

China is trying to use the games to show how wonderful their society is. This is a rather political end. Granted, all nations who host the Olympics do this; however, China has gone to far greater lengths than other nations to build up a good facade.

[bennofs]

thank you, head of Olympic propaganda for the PRC.

[Jrtrollspaceman]

china sucks

[rini]

Grasping at straws, Cardineau?

Some of these "straws" are people who are dead or in jail for speaking out. Some of them are people who have been poisoned by factory run-off and laborers who work for pennies a day and can barely afford to eat. Then, there are the people who have to breathe the air in the cities.

Oh yeah, and then there is Tibet... and Darfur.

We should not even trade with China unless there are some environmental and human rights stipulations. I will NOT watch the Olympics this year. They are an international disgrace.

[TRYKER]

Let me see, the athletes around the world that work for years on their skills...are the ones that you blame for what???

You watch the ATHLETES , not the local govt...Hello?

Politics between countries has nothing to do with the athletes in the sports. That is what the Olympics is about.
This "I won't watch the Olympics because some or many govts in many places don't behave" is head scratching befuddlement.
You're watching the ice skater...not the Dictator!

How many temperamentalists will be watching WW Raw instead? Or cars running in circles? Or playing violent video games? Probably the same crowd.

[realityczech4u]

Then don't watch it. I hope that makes you feel better.

[mimsnpips]

Now where would they get an idea like that from?

[Ray46]

Ever heard of Enron?
US company (Enron) shut down power plants and manipulated electrical grid to create artificial shortages and then make billions from desperate Californians when they were faced with rolling blackouts!

[LeftVetPatriot]

Thanks, Ray.

[poco767b]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/16/eveningnews/main623569.shtml
They have learned the lessons of the US well

[dadw5boys]

Once in China you can board trains or buses to anywhere you want to go in China. So were all this blocking off is occuring no one knows except for the person making the claims.

China wants tourist to go out and see China. They want money spent in the villages and towns. They expect some to try and wall thw whole Great Wall while they are here.

So before knocking China look at it problems. 16 Gurads were already kill by Terrorist at a Northern Border and threats keep comming in.

Would anyone want the games or the Athletes harmed?????

[ThinkLiberal]

With all the shenanigans of the Chinese regime, I can't understand why more countries and their athletes chose not to participate in China's stage show. On basic principle alone, I simply cannot allow myself to be a spectator to the charade that is the China Olympics. The entire IOC committee should be pelted with rotten eggs no less and hang their heads in utter shame for their decision to become China's lapdog, while it continues to trample the fundamental rights of their citizens to merely exist. By association, anyone who participates in the Olympics at any level, even by watching on tv, is party to the inhumanity, and only serves to embolden China. I suggest that you turn the tv off, find another channel, or better yet, engage in some of the spirited discussions on HuffPo and elsewhere.

[WasteNJ]

I agree with you on the actions of China, even the actions of the IOC, but not the athletes.

Most of these athletes are barely adults, and have trained for the better part of their lives to compete on the world stage. They don't know who's going to host the Olympics when they are working towards that goal. They only want to compete at the highest level, if only for a few moments, to try to be the best in the world at something they love.

There's no shame in that.

[SmootyBooty]

Horse Hockey...

[jood42]

No, there isn't, but doesn't the IOC then owe them the courtesy of ensuring the site they choose is in a country where the athletes feel comfortable competing, and the world's viewers don't mind watching?

It's the IOC who's let everyone down.

[LeftVetPatriot]

USA CUTS EVERYTHING TO POWER INVASION.
Nothing at 11.

[Schallvain]

Care to clarify?

[jood42]

I think the implication was that our own citizens don't get a good education, decent healthcare or a growing dollar because the powers that be are too busy sending all our money into Iraq.

Also, I'd add, lining the pockets of the oil companies.

[yankee452]

The IOC has a lot to answer for.

[jood42]

No kidding. Don't they take the power grid into consideration when they select a site? It demonstrated very poor judgment on their part, and an absolutely unconscionable lack of concern for their own people for China to not ensure they had enough power for everyone.

Tell me again why we agreed to send our athletes there? Between the roundups & arrests, agreement-violating Internet and media censorship for the foreign press and their kneejerk military reactions to everything they didn't approve themselves (US cyclists wearing smog masks OMG, detaining the entire white house press plane, etc.), they have violated the very spirit of the games.

Shame on them.