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China Daily via Reuters
A car stops beside a house in the middle of a newly built road in Wenling, China, on Thursday. Two couples have refused to agree to allow their homes to be demolished.
BEIJING – In the “there today, gone tomorrow” world of Chinese construction, entire communities can often disappear and be replaced by high rises or other public works in a matter of weeks or months without any sign of its past residents.
Not so for the drivers on this new road in China’s eastern province of Zhejiang.
Municipal officials in Wenling had been planning a new access road that would lead to a new railway station just outside the city.To make way for the road though, city planners decided they would have to tear down a section of homes in the nearby village of Xiazhangyang that were in its path.
Through methods that range at times from fair compensation all the way down to cajoling, intimidation, beatings and forced evictions, local governments tend to get their way when they have their hearts set on projects.
However, every once in a while, even after the majority of landowners in an area are persuaded to give up their property, one or two steely owners will stand their ground either on principle or determination to squeeze out more compensation from the government.
These lone homes that stand in the way of progress have been nicknamed “nail houses,” on account of the difficulty in prying them out of the earth.
In this case, two families who occupy this five-story building have refused to hand over their property, arguing that the compensation being offered by city officials was insufficient.
One of the residents, Zhang Ling, 46, told the U.K’s Mirror newspaper: “They didn’t offer us enough compensation to leave, so we’re staying.”
More China coverage on NBC's Behind the Wall blog
The financial motivations for these nail house owners to hold out are understandable: Real estate prices in China have skyrocketed in recent years due in no small part to inflation and a lack of other financial vehicles for Chinese to invest their money here on the mainland.
Insufficient compensation from local officials then would make it extremely difficult for homeowners to buy new properties in the areas they live in now, much less closer to the cities that have swallowed up their homes.
Perhaps wary of looking like they are bullying residents, Wenling officials have gone to the building owners with offers, but have been roundly rejected each time. Nevertheless, in a sign of the times here, the government went ahead with the road, simply building around the dilapidated structure.
The road has yet to be officially opened, but homeowner Zhang seemed optimistic about his plight.
“It could be a great opportunity for us,” Zhang told the Mirror. “We could open up a drive-though shop on the ground floor.”
Leave a Comment:
For all you liberal laborers whining about the loss of jobs..I'll speak slowly.
Inflation there means cheap labor wont be available there soon.
This means that if you dropouts lower your standards an iota, *come down to like 5 times what mexicans make instead of a union-ten-times-to-lean-on-a-broom-doing-nothing... you might get the work to come back here rather than the other three B-R-I-C nations.
i know i'm kidding myself. same as i was that you would evolve with the rest of America and become useful. You keep whining because nobody will pay you 45 an hour to fix stagecoaches and telegraphs and the financial professionals like myself will continue to spend our bonuses in Manhattan.
I think this loser needs to go take his medication...
You fail economics so hard that it is unbelievable, but more than that, you fail as a man.
financial professional ?
You are wrong.
Rush Limbaugh is obese and cowardly. I would jump up and down on his belly, like it was a trampoline. Then, I would check his pulse to see if he was still alive. Then, I would force-feed him macaroni and cheese. Then, I would slap him silly, to appease his blessed Grandma.
bobg,
by your comments, I take it your Republican. Your party just took a major ass kicking because you are all out of touch with the common man/woman in this country. You all think you are better, smarter, richer and more privileged than the rest... and this will continue to be your downfall.
I am an Independent and read with dismay during the recent election cycle, similar snide comments by Conservatives that group "Liberals" as being lazy, on the dole, slackers, that want to milk the system.
While there are a some that are as previously described, they have no Party affiliation.
I for one am unemployed, now by choice. 4 years ago at 60 my employer laid me off in an Industry where I had given 40 good years. No one would hire me due to my age anywhere near what I was making. Fortunately I was able to last until 62 and collect my SS. I was prepared to work until 70, but you conservatives @!$%#ed everything up under the idiot child Bush, and the War Criminal Cheney.
It sounds like you feel pretty slick and safe there on Wall Street playing your little games with others lives. But beware and be smart with your money now so one day when the man comes in and kicks your ass to the curb your will have something to get you through. Many don't because they were trying to raise a family and enjoy just a little of life.
Until you people change your attitudes, you will be out of the running for the White House for many years.
Get off the Cocaine!
You must be the hit of every party Bob.
Troll alert. I myself found it humorous and gave it a thumbs up.
@bobg--Bumming for spare change on Wall Street does not qualify you as a "financial professional".
Bob...please put yourself out of OUR misery by finding the nearest ice pick and thrusting it into your eye socket.
Bob, I am sure if you look hard enough you can find a very tall building close by with windows that open or are easily broken. Please jump out of one, and make sure you do not land on a human being...
even though bob may not like you libs he is not asking any of you loving, caring, tolerant libs to kill yourself. maybe you morons should take a good long look at yourselves. all of you need to look up those words, of course that would be hard to do because obama hasn't told you to.
bobg-2482221
ROTFLMAO!!!!
I commend your bravado posting a simple concept on the Newsvine, but as you can see by the following comments your effort falls on deaf ears. This is common amongst the Liberal/Progressive cabal.
Realize, Liberals/Progressives evaluate and determine most of their policies and life decisions based on emotions rather than facts or realities. As much as they self-aggrandize about being so “forward” and claiming Republicans want to return everything back to the 1800’s, they incessantly ruminate about the “good ole days” when unions ruled the world and everyone, whether worthy or not, made $70k a year plus benefits and legacy costs.
Their incessant blathering about “fairness”, a “fair share”, a “level playing field”, a “living wage” and other nonsense is proof of their emotional basis for life’s problems. When Barrack Hussein claimed the Dream Act was based on the premise that it was the “right thing to do”, we realized there was no factual, economic or rational basis for it, it was pure emotion. In this case it was based even more on pandering for Latino votes, which was even more shameful.
All you have to do with Liberals/Progressives is simply ask them to define “fair” or a “living wage” and their heads start spinning. This is based on their belief in the tenet of everyone being guaranteed an equal outcome rather than equal opportunity. Their convoluted belief that regardless of qualifications everyone should be paid the same wage or live under the same standard of living is how they confuse themselves through life.
For instance, the minute you ask a Liberal if a “living wage” allows you to buy a 2,500 sq ft home or rent a 900 sq ft apartment, own a Ford Taurus or a Corvette, vacation camping or a 2 week Caribbean cruise or send your kids to an Ivy League university or a public college, their argument collapses. When you challenge them about fair taxes their argument is simply if you make more you should pay for those that don’t want to, or are incapable to, make more. I have a deadbeat Liberal ex brother-in-law that hasn’t worked for 30 years because of a “bad back” even though he can snow and water ski and play softball baseball who believes that everyone over the poverty level should pay 20% more in taxes. Is that fair? To him it is. So who is the totally unbiased, honest, arbiter of fairness? Is it Barrack Hussein? The government? Me? You? The Pope?
Liberals/Progressives live in this shrouded little world where the illiterate, untrained, unskilled should somehow make the same as someone educated or with some individual skill simply because it’s “fair”. Of course the mediator should be either the all-knowing criminal government or the corrupt
unionsgoonions. Neither of which give a rats a$$ about their constituencies or the rank-and-file, they simply want to maintain their power over the same. They have no concept that, since those “good ole days” in the 50’s-70’s, the worlds population has ballooned from 3 billion to over 7 billion and we do exist in a global economy. This threatens them and they lash out with more government controls, regulations, tariffs, isolationism and other nonsense that won’t help anything. They believe building more infrastructures instead of industry will somehow fix the economy. This is akin to remodeling the kitchen after the house burned down around it.Most Americans understand your consternation. The only thing wa can hope for is that the unwashed masses that have been so indoctrinated in Liberalism and Progressivism start to realize they are the real problem. Unfortunately deprogramming them will take a long time and a lot of work. Common sense, ambition, pride and American exceptionalism has been stripped from them and replaced with delusion, mediocrity, apathy and hopelessness.
This is the result of collectivism.
Roosterboy, not only is that a threat to someones life that is not allowed on newsvine, but not sure what Rush Limbaugh's weight has to do with anything. If that is all you have on someone is that they are overweight or lack hair, then your argument is moot.
Sounds like Bob is upset that we won again and now he can't make 10 times the profit off Americans like he used to. Now he can only make 4 times. I say we tax him 4 times as much and give it all to the poor and middle class. Funny how we Americans have to make the Bobs of the world pay their fair share.
Since this is already collapsed, I'll jump in. I refuse to work a minimum wage job for any of the major corporations because the bottom line is all the care about. What is teh difference between 3 billion a quarter in profits and say 1 billion?? Happy workers who enjoy their job and will bend over backward for the company because they are cared for and about. They have money to pay for the company offered retirement plan and healthcare. I served this country for 24 years in the military so I can afford to say no to certain jobs. I am in trade school now looking at my own business in a few years. I was making a great wage while on active duty and it was cut to a third after retirement. I never owned a corvette or "look at me" car. Geo Metros and used cars. They function and save me money. 1500 square foot home. It amazes me that people who have to luxury life always want more and can't seem to fathom getting by with less. The one lesson I learned from military service that would make this country a better place is simple, take care of your people and you will be successful. That is the bottom line and it works perfectly.
JimSpence... I actually took the time to read your critique of Liberalism and find it kinda myopic. I don't think most liberals believe or want a perfect socialist or communist workers paradise, nor do we care to live under a right-wing oligarchy, which is apparently what the Republican upper crust cabal is attempting to create in this country. We, and I think I am speaking for a lot of people, want fairness... something equitable. The "starve the beast" policy instigated by our dear Ronny Reagan is the main culprit in the American demise, and I look forward to the fiscal cliff as means of stomping that act into the dust. I'll be happy to pay a bit more in taxes as long Grover and his oath takers have something positive to do next year, but my guess is they would only see the pain of the wealthy.
Gee Jim Spence, when you asked the question of who is the totally unbiased, honest arbiter of fairness, you clearly had yourself in mind.
The only thing you haven't done yet is changed your username to "Dictator Spence" or Emperor Spence". Although you may be pleased, it wouldn't bode well with the masses you feel beneath you.
Jim...what I find amazing about you right wing zealots is how you automatically assume that anyone who disagrees with your maniacal version of reality is automatically labeled a "liberal/progressive" and you foam at the mouth with it as if it's some kind of insult.
My friend, I didn't take two bullets in combat so the 1%ers could hijack our government and Constitution for their own selfish benefit. Comments like "you keep whining because nobody will pay you 45 an hour to fix stagecoaches and telegraphs and the financial professionals like myself will continue to spend our bonuses in Manhattan" it clearly illustrates how elitist and selfish some members of our society have become.
Thanks for trying to impress us all with your editorial verbal diarrhea. Please pick up the ice pick that bob hopefully used on himself and repeat.
DSP - CAPT/USNR, Bronze Star (V) Recipient and Oil Company Executive.
wje37fcsm
Want fairness.
So I ask again, define it. Define fairness. Is it the absence of bias in specific realms, or some convoluted belief that those who are more successful, skilled or capable are demanded to pay more because the others aren’t?
Let me ask you this. If a poor man, a middleclass man and a rich man are walking down the street and they simultaneously see three $100 dollar bills on the ground, what is the fairest way of dividing the money? (This of course is after the rightful owner could not be found). Obviously the only fair and equal way is for each man to get $100. Right? Now, if the rich man so desires, he can give some or all to the poor or middle class man, the same with the other men. It is THEIR, and ONLY their, decision to give some or all of their money to someone else, not you, nor I or any government.
The same must hold true for any other redistribution of wealth. If every American citizen regardless of social status, benefits from the freedoms and opportunities that our great Federal Constitutional Republic provides, the only fair way is for everyone to pay the same amount to maintain these benefits. When we convolute this with a “progressive” tax system or redistributionist ideology, we strip the rights of those who have more. This is purely an emotional response. Taxes should NEVER be used as a system of rewards or punishments. The sole purpose of taxes is to fund the Constitutionally mandated Enumerated Powers in Article 1, Section 8. Anything above and beyond must be either Constitutionally amended or given to the States. There are no other options. Having said that, our Constitution has been trampled on for decades with unfair, and as is being evidenced, unsustainable powers.
The only other option is emotions. This is where We The People allow ourselves to be manipulated. Emotions rarely benefit anyone but they often obtund them. Fairness, a level playing field and irrational concepts such as “a living wage” are strictly driven by emotions, that’s why they are impossible to define. Everyone has different levels of emotions.
I have no problem with “social safety nets”, but when half of our population is dependent on some level of welfare, our system is broken. We have significant systemic defects, most of which falls on our criminal education system. Proof again of the damage government intrusion can do to a society. Our irrational “wars” on crime, drugs, poverty and illiteracy have been shameful embarrassments. Yet we persist in demanding they continue, this can only be based on emotions rather than results. The only thing that will improve any of these social problems is education.
Instead of concentrating our anti-poverty efforts on giving poor people more food, better shelter, health care and so forth we need to reform our criminal education system, stop unwanted pregnancies and get a job, any job, and stick with it. High school dropouts are 3 ½ times more likely to end up in poverty than those who simply complete a high school education. Wages for high school dropouts have declined over 17% in the past 30 years.
Children growing up in single parent homes are 4 times more likely to be poor than in two parent homes. About 63% of all poor children live in single parent homes. Only about 2.5% of full time workers are poor. Only 1.5% of part-time workers are poor as compared to almost 24 % of adults who don’t work. One other significant part of our culture that must change is to help eliminate poverty is to promote savings and the accumulation of wealth. Studies have shown that the path out of poverty is not through consumption but through savings, frugality and accumulation.
When is the last time any of our alleged “leaders” have promoted savings rather than consumption. When have they promoted frugality rather than envy? When have they promoted accumulation rather than redistribution? Why do Americans feel perfect strangers in Washington can spend their money better than they can?
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcomes.
Until we understand this no amount of fairness, living wages or redistribution will fix our problems.
Leave the gun, take the cannoli
First of all I thank you for your service and sacrifice.
Now, having said that, I’ll discount most of your post to the typical emotion that Liberals/Progressives exhibit when confronted with facts and reality which I mentioned in my above post.
What you, and all Liberals/Progressives, are confused about is that the 1%er’s did NOT hijack our government. Our government, and the Constitution they’re responsible to protect, allowed itself to be hijacked. There is nothing in our Constitution that allows our elected representatives in government to accept the influences from lobbyists, PAC’s or special interest groups. They do it willingly for their own benefit.
You Liberals/Progressives have been indoctrinated in the belief that the government actually gives a $hit about you or your benefit. Their only concern is maintaining their existence and retaining the power they control, no more, no less. Oh yes, they’ll promise you the universe, as long as you keep voting for them. They know they will get theirs either while in office or afterwards with a cushy Board of Directors seat or on the public speaking tours. In the meantime they will continue to throw our money away in waste, fraud, abuse and corruption (WFAC) and then turn around and tell you they need more of your hard earned money. And, as usual, you will submit. This is your shame and their shamelessness.
Our criminal government wastes hundreds of billions of dollars every year. They even admit it just as they recently did when the Institute of Medicine reported that our health care system loses over $750 billion dollars EVERY YEAR! You have been numbed into accepting this, but more embarrassingly you agree that the rich should just give them more money to waste.
Last year our government made over $120 billion in improper payments. This is enough to give 24 MILLION Americans $5,000 for their health care insurance or other needs. If you combine the $120 billion with the $750 billion of health care WFAC, you could pay for 174 MILLION Americans health care insurance. Over half of our population!
You Liberal/Progressives can whine all you want about your favorite enemies such as corporations, the Military Industrial Complex and all the other bogeymen that live under your beds, it just shows your indoctrination into the “Life of Julia” is complete. You epitomize the tenet of “Bread and Circuses”. It’s a shame so many Americans willingly submit to government statists and elitists yet demonize the real producers in our nation. You can continue your convoluted class warfare and envy meme, it’s unfortunately all you have. The fact that Barrack Hussein only wants you to achieve a middle class status should warn you of his intentions, but it won’t.
Remember, greed isn’t someone wanting to keep more of what they earn, its people demanding a greater share of money that someone else has earned. This is shamelessly how you portray yourself.
Thanks for fully convincing us of your typical Liberal/Progressive anger, hate, racism and delusional thinking. You just make yourself more insignificant than you already are.
BTW, it’s a good thing that mean nasty oil company offered you a job, isn’t it.
All republican conservatives seem to think that wage redistribution is wrong, and I agree, however, it seems perfectly ok that wage redistribution has been going on more than ever for the past 30 years with the middle class being robbed blind by the upper class(no class really). 30 years ago the average CEO made twenty times the amount of the average worker, All good. Since that time CEO wages have risen 100 times(or more) the wage of the average worker, while the average workers wage has fallen, Fair? i think not.
OMG. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here is the US the government would simply use eminent domain to take the home. They would have it appraised and the homeowner would get the appraised value, with little if any way to appeal the decision or the amount paid. Once the court says the government can take the home under eminent domain and the appraisal comes in, that is pretty much the end of it. The problem is that increasingly eminent domain is being misused to take property from one private owner and give it to another simply because the government likes the plans the new owner has for the property better than the current use. There is also a lot of under the table nonsense that goes on in determining the appraised value. More often than not the current owner gets shafted with the government and the court's blessing.
oops ;)
Yep! Definitely a drive-through situation from the first day they open the road.
JS in SD, yes, there is no way that would happen in the USA. A house in the middle of a highway is ridiculous.
You have to give credit to these people for their determination for holding out though. It looks like both sides of their town houses are bordered by completely gutted neighboring structures and barely hanging together.
I like the optimism of thinking about opening a drive through. They should call McDonalds. If they own the footprint, it could always be rebuilt into anything :)
This is in reply to JS. The only place in America that i know that can be considered Eminent Domain is here in D.C. It is NOT a state, therefore no one in D.C. owns their property. They own the buildings located on the property, but not the land itself. No other state can the federal government claim that unless it is on Federal property, or a national park.
Eminent Domain is ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE. Milwaukee had it for homes next to the I-94 widening project. It can be used by City, State and Federal authorities. And the amount they give is less than the assessed value.
Shawn- the principal of eminant domain is used all over the country. Just do some google searches. You are misunderstanding how it is used. Any city in the U.S. can seize a neighborhood with it in order to build a highway, etc. They declare eminant domain and can take private property. More recently, as the above person stated, it has also been used to sell the land to private land owners who want to build things such as strip malls, etc., netting great profits for everyone except the person it was taken from.
Backyard BBQs could be tricky!
It is extremely interesting that parts of China do not have the equivalent of the "eminent domain" powers of the local cities in the USA.
This is something the USA could learn from. There was a documentary recently released about the abuse of eminent domain abuse in small towns in the USA. A city council can seize land on the grounds of eminent domain and then sell it to someone else to fill it's coffers with cash. There are numerous accounts of this in small towns in the USA.
Of course it's ridiculous to end up with someones house in the middle of a four lane highway, that is wrong on so many levels. They should have at least diverted the road a few feet. That is very funny that they didn't.
In the US, there was a rather famous case regarding an entire neighborhood and a developer who wanted to expand an outdoor shopping area. One owner refused to move, the city bulldozed every house next to her, if I remember correctly, the owner was 84 or 86 and had lived there at least 50 years. Her children helped her battle the City of Norwood and the developer saying the developers could hold off until she died (given her age & health) and that if she were forced to a nursing home, she would unduly suffer.
For Eminent Domain - certain regulations need to be met, the area must be blighted, the area must serve "public use," which requires that the property taken to be used to benefit the public rather than specific individuals. There are more regulations bus those too are the biggies.
The fight - was that who would "benefit" from taking her house? Of course the answer was the developer, the City couldn't even claim they would benefit as they were going to give a tax break to the mall expansion.
Here are some great pics from the case: http://rookwoodrevitalization.blogspot.com/ The picture which shows the lock on a fence - if you look into the back of the area, that is the house that remained for YEARS - building has JUST started in the area.
Many public housing projects owned by HUD fall to Eminent Domain - especially if they are in a downtown area. The residents are told they will be able to move into the nice new houses (lie), HUD blights the property of purpose, if a window breaks, is doesn't get repaired it gets boarded up, etc... if a family moves out, another is not moved in and the windows are boarded for no real reason - I have seen nice communities destroyed in this manner.
We had a case of eminent domain that was being tried for a Wal-Mart. Argument being the benefit to the city with construction jobs and later, the retail jobs. The commissioner who was trying to push it through barely escaped being tarred and feathered as he fled town, and Wal-Mart spent more money in court cases trying to get the little strip of land it needed for its truck access, than if it had purchased the whole property at top dollar (which it eventually did at a price that satisfied the property owners).
Later, Wal-Mart was going to build a new super store at the north end of town, and abandon the one regular one at the south end of town. Elected officials listened to the people, and tied up the project proposal so much, that the company had to give up, and ended up remodeling the original store.
The local government provided them with a brand new driveway right up to their front door...and BACK door, too! Nice!
I say good for them!
Wow, bobbie g....That is a lot of bile and bitterness bottled up there. It seems to be directed at everyone who isn't exactly like you and your rich friends.
Get some help, the hate will eat you up.
He has friends?
I read the book, The last days of old Beijing : life in the vanishing backstreets of a city transformed by Michael Meyer, of how these neighborhoods were ruthlessly torn out, some that had existed for over a thousand years, to make way for other projects, like Wal-Marts and McDonalds, as well as apartment buildings and superhighways. I am amazed that these two couples have (so far) gotten away with it!
Good luck on the drive-through shop!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Days-Old-Beijing/dp/0802717500
Another good book on how the people of China are treated is "The Water Will Sink The Boat" Tells many different stories of local gov interaction with ordinary people, it had to be taken from China to be published.
Trashy old neighborhoods torn down to make room for modern construction projects? We need more of that here!
My town has a historic district of an old neighborhood that was built back in the early days of the city, to make sure that it wouldn't be torn out for new housing construction. To make changes to the properties, plans have to be submitted showing that the changes will not negatively affect the character of the neighborhood. (It does allow for aluminum and old single pane windows to be replaced by high-efficiency windows.)
borg-2482221 There is a huge problem with that sort of thinking. One being that unionized labor has many of the highest educated and best standards in the country with the highest expectations for their work. You obviously have never worked for a union or have seen a union work and that is a shame. Slave labor and minimum wages are criminal when you can't live on them to feed yourself and your family and keep a roof over your head. If you own a business where you can't pay a living wage for those who work for you then your business model needs serious help. We run a small business and will hire only if we can pay them enough to live. When the company makes money all wages go up and collateral insurance is invested in keeping the business running smoothly adapting to new times accordingly. Investments should be for the better of the company and wages should be a percentage paid to employees according to the work done. When the value of the work is less than a living wage then they need to find another job or educate themselves in training programs to help them do a better job. The owner and manager of the business they should get a higher percentage, but never should an employer live like kings as their employees live in squalor.~
Hostess is out of business because of a UNION!:(
Why shouldn't the owner of the business live like a king; it's his business! If you don't like the pay, leave! The employees are working there voluntarily and agreed when hired to work for "X" amount, then after hired start whining. Sure, vote in the union for union wages & benefits, then the owner must outsourse to the Orient to stay competitive. Simple logic!!!
Hostess will soon be imported from Mexico and will still be a top seller of the product.
Unions are what are destroying this country. Unions USE TO BE helpful in protecting workers from unfair labor practices..child labor, excessive hours, unsafe working conditions, etc. NOW they are nothing but greedy. They demand exceedingly higher and higher wages and benefits for less and less work. When the auto industry was having troubles..the unions refusing to accept anything less than $50 an hour (no that is not an exact amount, but being used as an example.) Making claims that people can't live on less. I, for one would have taken the job for half that amount. I know many people who would have...BUT, of course the unions would have prevented that from happening. Bleed the businesses and government dry, but stand firm. They don't really care about their members. It's nothing but GREED!!
I was married to a man that was part of a union. Every year, just about Thanksgiving time, the union would demand more money/benefits. Every year they went on strike for at least a month or more.. Every year we had to figure out how we were going to feed ourselves and have a decent Christmas. Did the union help us? No.
Then there was the other place he went to work for. Union was trying to push their way in. They nearly got him fired by coming by..UNINVITED, regularly trying to pressure us into agreeing with them. The employer, of course, (and I'm not in anyway saying this was right or legal) demanded to know the names of the other employees involved. He didn't know. They thought he was lying. The union knew they were causing us difficulties but persisted anyway. They didn't/don't understand the word NO.
As far as an employer paying wages that are so low you can't feed your family. Wow..here is a concept: Don't go to work for them. Find another job. But I've always been a firm believer...some income is better than no income. (I figured that out all on my own. I didn't need some union executive, sitting in his cushy office to tell me this.)
Here's a thought...WHAT THE HECK DO UNIONS HAVE TO DO WITH THIS ARTICLE??? Can't you people stay on topic?
Fake photoshop pic. Another ridiculous MSN story.
It's not fake & it's not the only house sitting in a right of way or roadway.
Loridresser Chute, Yes! Yes! Finally an American Capitalist company with a moral sense of fairness. Thank you for your outstanding example.
Zheng He: Because without your employees you would still be living in Mama's basement. Because you cannot earn enough money by yourself to support your lifestyle you hire employees. Those employees generate profits for your business. Without the employees you have nothing. Therefore a company with morals shares the wealth with the employees in the form of a living wage, health benefits and 401k. Strict Capitalism does not require this and many greedy business owners exploit their workers. The Waltons of Walmart are a good example but their are many others.
How about this one: Lets peg corporate taxes based on employee pay and benefits. A company that pays a living wage, healthcare and 401k will pay substantially lower corporate taxes than one that does not. The one that exploits its employees will pay a substantially higher tax pate and the government will supply the benefits. Every penny that a middle and lower income person makes is spent and the economy grows. The rich and greedy sock it away offshore to avoid taxes. Trickle down economics does not work.
Jeepgal66
Hostess is out of business because of a UNION!:(
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
@ Jeepgal66:
TRIPLING THE PAY OF UPPER MANAGEMENT AND ASSUMING AN EVEN BIGGER DEBT LOAD THROUGH VULTURE CAPITALISTS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT?
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT !!!!
This may come as a shock to you denverdude, but the vulture capitalists took ownership of the company and they own that debt, it was their money they poured in to Hostess to try to save. The company can't pay it back to those "vultures", so they (the vultures) are trying to recover all that they can through liquidation. The "vultures" took a gamble to save a sinking ship and turn a profit, they lost and will still end up in a money losing position. If you look at the numbers, they could have completely eliminated the pay of the "upper management" and it wouldn't have made a dent in the millions they were pouring in to the company to keep it afloat.
Still not sure how this relates to a house in China though...
Looks like something one would see in a T'Bagger State. By the way aren't they all leaving soon? If not why not? Anyway file this under LOL for the day.
Yes, because in the utopic world of an all powerful government, we won't have to worry about "TBagger" renegades standing their ground and demanding their individual rights. The government should have all the rights, and call all the shots. What a great land this will be when the government can take any persons land without adequate compensation, without due process. Thankfully, it is already happening in the US on local levels, I can't wait until the "T'Bagger's" all leave (or just STFU since they lost) so we don't have any more resistance to reaching utopia, and making everything fair. SOOoooo glad we don't have individuals like these chinese couples living in the US that can say "no" and block the progress of the government's plans.
The Tea Party's biggest problem, in hindsight, was that it became diluted so quickly in/by the Public Forum. What started as a fairly moderate Anti-Taxation Movement became bloated by hangers-on who had NO idea what the "Party" itself stood for... other than it sounded Patriotic as all heck.
In most of the Country, being "Tea Party" became synonymous with being "P*&&ed Off, and Not Taking it Anymore". It became more of an Attitude, rather than a Movement. The Teabaggers became individually mockable, as their individual pet peeves began dominating their Thought.
It doesn't matter to most of them WHAT the Constitution says. These goofballs have their own Prejudices, their own Morals, and their own sense of "where the Country should be heading". Happily, they Lost the Election (rather astoundingly, in fact).
Until the GOP pulls back their support from the radicalized, nut-job Fascists, loonies, and their un-American co-conspirators, the Party is doomed. The Majority of Americans will simply not put up with the cesspool of mistrust, name-calling, and outright Lies that the GOP has recently chosen to embrace.
Rush and his "Ditto-heads" should be under Advisement: "We've seen through your Plots, and we will Win".
Whatever the situation, the photo is stunning.
That house looks like prime real estate. Quick access to the freeway and the airport.
At least the demolition crew supported the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors with a nice 4x4!
That 4x4 is actually a telephone pole, and is not supporting anything but the wires going to the building.
Now, just consider adding American style Wall Street Special unsecured funding for billion dollar acquisitions and get your insurance from hedge fund to assure against loss. This may sound suspicious but when you are robbing Hostess Winkles you will have all the law and the lawyers on your side. If works for Mitt Romney, you too can be a millionaire, theft may not be moral but it can be made legal.
Yes, because everyone knows when you buy a company and sink hundreds of millions of dollars in to it, you really want it to fail so you can be "robbing Hostess Winkies". Those investors that took over Hostess are laughing all the way to the bank with their negative equity position, and their millions in losses. If they had the millions to throw at the sinking ship called Hostess they MUST have stolen it!
Over all good comments, minus the first guy. Frankly I would sell, no offence, I appreciate sentimental value and getting your fair share but that house is an eye sore.
China is more advanced than Texas, there are some laws that protect a property owners rights of ownership. In Texas a mall builder is allowed to confiscate hundreds of homes in order to "buy" them at a price the mall builder wants to pay. I am glad to see there are countries in this world, even if they are communist, that protect the most basic right of property ownership===whether to sell or not.
In my part of Oregon, we fought against Wal-Mart, and won. The commissioner who was trying to push what Wal-Mart wanted in seizing a part of private land got run out of town.
Now that the world knows about this particular 'nail house' (crappy headline), the price will be paid and then the former owners will be put in the pokey, along with their families and all their belongings. Publicity can be both good and bad. The good is that the owners will get their way and pay. The bad is what's going to happen to the owners. Remember that in a Communist State, nothing is ever privately owned, unless you happen to be one of the grand poobahs.
Harry Brand, generally called the 'agent to the stars' before his death said 'there is no such thing as good publicity or bad publicity, there's only publicity'. Publicity in this case just won't be good I don't think.
Guess they don't have terms like blight and eminent domain there. In the US if there was a McDonald's or mega mall to be built there it would have been gone long ago. Glad to see those folks stood their ground.
General Motors took out 1400 homes plus many historic churches to build its Poletown plant. The residents fought the plant for years, courts finally caved and the plant was built.
China has torn out ancient neighborhood to build McDonalds and mega-malls. See my post above. What are left of the neighborhoods are now major tourist attractions, and China is still working to destroy them.
This is actually rare. Usually, they just send thugs to forcibly remove the families and/or send them to forced labor camps paying them nothing. It is not uncommon for local communist leaders to take the payment for themselves.
They offer just compensation.
Do they still have Utilities ?
That looks like a power line in front.
I noticed no barriers to protect the house, if a truck or car plows thru and a loved one is killed; do yo think they will feel as good about their decission to stay? You have to pick your battles and know when to fold them. No amount of money or house is worth the loss of one of my family members.
At least they don't have to worry about mowing the lawn :)
There has to be more to this story than owners who won't agree to move.
If China wants to build a road, they build it. If a home is in the way, they demolish it, people in agreement or not.
The owners are stupid. They might be a news sensation at this point but this is China. I am not surprised one day these two families will disappeared completely and now one will know where they have gone. Stupid owners want to use the news to squeeze out more money from the officials. Don't do it for yourselves but for their kids. may be one day, the building will catch on fire and they will lose everything. A store ? That just to show you how stupid they are. Officials will close them down minute after they open. No water, No electricity, no plumbing. The officials will ruin their life. News media all over the world will keep reporting this and people all over will be outraged; but would this increase any value in China ? NO !! Will the officials afraid of the media ? NO !! Would they get more money with report like this ? Wrong !!! take the money now stupid people. I am chinese and know how ruthless the officials can ruin your life.
Ignorant, illiterate farmers.
Does it really look like there is any farmland around that house, Einstein?
Not any more, the other farmers took the money and moved. Now it's asphalt. Village farms here aren't huge like in other countries.
Yes, this is horrible. Yet we Americans continue to support the Chinese govt. Buy American. This is the only way to show the world and promote our economy. I am familiar with eminent domain in America. And it its wrong, as well. Basiically, as human beings? we all suck!
Do you look at the tags on everything you buy? I do. it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to buy certain items because they're only made in China. It takes me FOREVER to find dress shirts for work, because I avoid all those made in China, so all my shirts were made in Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc... there is just NO manufacturing in the US. It's TOUGH to buy American, but I do it whenever possible.
There are people who do have tailor shops in most cities, that do custom clothing. The dress shirts will cost more, but they will be tailored for you, and will be exactly how you want them. The fabric might be made in China, though, as it probably would be if the shirt was made in any other country.
J.Crew and Land's End are the only two U.S. manufactures I'm aware of. I used to work in a sewing factory that made women's clothing, but that's been shuttered ages ago, and it was a non-union shop that lost its business due to mistakes in upper management, with the work finally going to China.
I think the 2 couples left in this place should put up some gates across the roadway and charge a toll fee, Hey maybe they would make enough $$ to finally leave after that.
I'd hate to be in the house during rush hour! There's no crosswalk to leave the house..
Honestly though, I do wish them both the best and lot of luck as I think they may be needing it really soon.
I too am surprised these people haven't disappeared. I wouldn't be surprised if, after all this media attention, that they do disappear. They are embarrassing the Chinese government.
This will probably be the last you ever hear of this situation. The Chinese government will block all media reports about this from now on. If we do, by chance, hear anything in the future, it will be a picture of the now completed and beautiful highway, with comment by the government of how the families came to their senses and accepted their most reasonable offer, and have move into a most beautiful new home. Which of course we won't see.
Such a shame. I want to wish them the best. I admire them for standing up for what they believe, yet at the same time wonder if they've really given this alot of thought, and thought of the consequences to their family.
By emminent domain the state or the federal government can take any land or house or anything that stands in the way and usually you get less than if you could sell it. And you have to take what they offer. You can take it to court and ask for more but they'll have a lot of lawyers on their side and you may get a little more but not enough to pay the cost of protesting.
For any of you fools who are actually swallowing up this propaganda, let me point out something that will clear the air.
While the families might own the least on the property, the government DOES own utilities... that electrical pole in the middle of the road is your clue to the BS factor of what is being portrayed in the media.
Someone in that house has some connections, plain and simple. The government here will move you out, forcibly... The only reason this house is standing is that someone knows someone, what they call 关系 here - it rules the land.
They are not holding out for genuine compensation, they are holding out for huge sums of cash, and somewhere along the massive chain of corruption, the local leaders are allowing it, because they too will be padding their pockets.
I don't care if it is five families of 500 families, the government forces people out - physically- all the time. I've seen bulldozers and riot police used.
For anyone to think that this was simply normal, average people, fighting against the unfair practices of the government, you are really way off the mark.
Or the propagandist is you
We all know the USA funds "democracy" in China which really just means they promote civil unrest and persuade Americanized Chinese to speak badly about their homeland.
Reminds me of the house that sat for years in the middle of a Boeing parking lot. Owners refused to sell the property, so Boeing built around it. Of course, it's gone now (they died last year).
Or Las Vegas when a property owner who had a property that backed to the Golden Nugget.He wanted a million dollars and was refused.The Golden Nugget owned all the remaining,adjacent properties ,sothey just built a humungous ,multi story parking structure around his property line.I don't think he ever got the money he wanted!