R K Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Wonder how that made it past the local council planning dept and Tory NIMBYs http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/08/china-to-flatten-700-mountains-to-build-a-city/ The so-called “mountain-moving project,” was actually launched in October, and not only is the scale gargantuan, but the costs are astronomical. As much as $3.5 billion will be used to blow up 700 mountains, the Guardian reports, to make room for a full-fledged city in a poor, mountainous province in northwestern China. The country’s state council approved the plan in August after years of preparation, according to China Economic Weekly magazine. The future city, called the Lanzhou New Area, will be built on the outskirts of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province with a population of 3.6 million. The company behind the proposal, China Pacific Construction Group, promises to build an urban paradise, 10 square miles in size and capable of generating as much as $43 billion in GDP by 2030, China Daily reports. The promotional video shows the new metropolis, which will cost another $11 billion to build, will be filled with high-rises, lakes, beaches and gardens. It sounds grand — except for the fact that Lanzhou has some of the worst pollution in China, according to World Health Organization. Factories producing textiles, fertilizer and chemicals have clogged the air with smoke and particulates, while their waste has discolored the Yellow River, which runs through the province. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 About a third of one month's trade surplpus. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0d391b9e-2b32-11e2-910c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2EUBMpL63 China trade surplus biggest in nearly four years By Simon Rabinovitch in Beijing China notched up its biggest trade surplus in nearly four years in October, giving the country’s economic recovery an extra boost but potentially adding fuel to foreign criticism of Beijing’s support for its exporters. Chinese exports increased 11.6 per cent last month, topping market expectations and pushing the trade surplus to $32bn, China’s largest since January 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 About a third of one month's trade surplpus. http://www.ft.com/cm...l#axzz2EUBMpL63 China trade surplus biggest in nearly four years By Simon Rabinovitch in Beijing China notched up its biggest trade surplus in nearly four years in October, giving the country's economic recovery an extra boost but potentially adding fuel to foreign criticism of Beijing's support for its exporters. Chinese exports increased 11.6 per cent last month, topping market expectations and pushing the trade surplus to $32bn, China's largest since January 2009 They've already 'spent' the trade surplus. That's why they have a surplus. It resides in dollar (assets) It was more the point about flattening 700 mountains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 They've already 'spent' the trade surplus. That's why they have a surplus. It resides in dollar (assets) It was more the point about flattening 700 mountains. China has been scaling back US treasury holdings - the only game in town now is the FED. Kind of my point - even flattening 700 mountains and building a city doesn't put a dent into their earnings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Purple Slug Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Wonder how that made it past the local council planning dept and Tory NIMBYs http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/08/china-to-flatten-700-mountains-to-build-a-city/ What is the point in blowing up a mountain ? Surely all the dirt and rock will fly in the air and land back down where it came from. What they need is to level the mountains or blow them away. Should have had a job in construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 When I was a young kid it used to trouble me that the outline of the United Kingdom was so uneven, higgledy, piggledy. I used to daydream about when I would run the country I would start a project to straighten all those uneven lines out with lots of concrete. Flattening mountains seems emminently sensible to me. Probably create a nice geometrically designed city too, What's not to like. What are you going to do for water? Re blasting mountains I watched Portillo's railway journey through Switzerland and I think he said 200 workers died blasting a tunnel through a mountain. Anybody got a death spread for the Chinese project? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I wonder if this is linked to the South-North water transfer project ? Soon there will be plenty of fresh water to support growth in these northern regions.. so the Chinese are pre-emptively building a brand new city for it. Makes sense. Kind of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyMe Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I wonder if this is linked to the South-North water transfer project ? Soon there will be plenty of fresh water to support growth in these northern regions.. so the Chinese are pre-emptively building a brand new city for it. Makes sense. Kind of. WOW, 2 month's trade surplus. 50% of puopulation apparently, should think it will ensure water for agriculture/sanitation as much as anything. http://construction.about.com/od/Benchmark-Projects/a/Top-10-Largest-Construction-Projects.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 No need to blast just give everyone a pick and shovel and flatten it all. Then we have a Keynesian stimulus plan. Are they going to build some new dams as well for water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonkers Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 How would this effect the climate, turning mountains to flat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 If we did this for Wales and Scotland we would have plenty more land for loads more immigrants... Ben Nevis must be worth a city or two by itself. We need some kind of giant roller project - something for BAE to start lobbying for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 (edited) China needs housing. China moves mountains to build housing. UK needs housing. Funding for lending scheme. And that's why all the factories are moving to China. Edited December 8, 2012 by RufflesTheGuineaPig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Executive Sadman Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 A good idea. We have lots of hills/mountains and not much space. We could blow up mountains and deposit the rubble in to the sea to make more islands, a two fold benefit. Of course, the UK would be ugly and flat, like the netherlands, but we'd have more land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SickofRenting Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I'd be more concerned of changing weather patterns, mountain ranges and mountains can create weather for hundreds of miles across so uh... Not a good idea destroying mountains, cos it probably will have knock on effects country wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I'd be more concerned of changing weather patterns, mountain ranges and mountains can create weather for hundreds of miles across so uh... Not a good idea destroying mountains, cos it probably will have knock on effects country wide. Yep, fully agree... but, hey, what is that compared to relentless march of capitalism. I wonder if they will find any yellow or silver stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 (edited) If we did this for Wales and Scotland we would have plenty more land for loads more immigrants... Ben Nevis must be worth a city or two by itself. We need some kind of giant roller project - something for BAE to start lobbying for. No need. Next time Kirsty (sic) is on holiday in the provinces, trip her up and give her a push. Edited December 8, 2012 by SeeYouNextTuesday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 A good idea. We have lots of hills/mountains and not much space. We could blow up mountains and deposit the rubble in to the sea to make more islands, a two fold benefit. Of course, the UK would be ugly and flat, like the netherlands, but we'd have more land. We have plenty of space. It's a resource distribution problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted December 8, 2012 Author Share Posted December 8, 2012 The Pennines are a pain in the ar5e. Can't we sort something out there? If the Chinese were really smart they'd wait until they go to war with the US and pretend their govt. were hiding in caves in said mountains. Get them to do it for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrappycocco Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 For salary of a banker China seems to be able to build skyscrapers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Looks like sim city is way too popular in China Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 (edited) Hubris leads to Nemesis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemesis_%28mythology%29 Edited December 9, 2012 by stormymonday_2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNS Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Its already been done. Hong Kong airport used to be an small mountain on the edge of an island, they removed the mountain and turned it into land reclaimation backfill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libspero Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 They're absolutely essential. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lull Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I'd be more concerned of changing weather patterns, mountain ranges and mountains can create weather for hundreds of miles across so uh... Not a good idea destroying mountains, cos it probably will have knock on effects country wide. +1 I'm sad so many people don't think of these sorts of knock on effects. Changing such a massive structure will inevitably damage the local eco-system that has been balancing itself for thousands of years. This is a very short sighted plan IMO. Humans are truly stupid to think they know better than nature. Then there's the fact that dramatic natural landscapes, waterfalls, rock formations etc all have the power to inspire awe & have unquantifiable positive effects to those who respect them. They are part of a natural resource - one of beauty & inspiration. Not to mention the more tangible resources of water, plant growth, energy storage (hydroelectric pumping system such as Dinorwig, which I like to think of as a giant natural battery), places for wild creatures, an outdoor gym for those so inclined, natural shelter, suitable for forests which produce our oxygen, enrich the soil, and the mountain rivers help carry nutrients and minerals to keep the land below fertile. Along with forests, mountains are one of the most important providers of our most precious resources. Get rid of them and they are gone forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RufflesTheGuineaPig Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 +1 I'm sad so many people don't think of these sorts of knock on effects. Changing such a massive structure will inevitably damage the local eco-system that has been balancing itself for thousands of years. This is a very short sighted plan IMO. Humans are truly stupid to think they know better than nature. Then there's the fact that dramatic natural landscapes, waterfalls, rock formations etc all have the power to inspire awe & have unquantifiable positive effects to those who respect them. They are part of a natural resource - one of beauty & inspiration. Not to mention the more tangible resources of water, plant growth, energy storage (hydroelectric pumping system such as Dinorwig, which I like to think of as a giant natural battery), places for wild creatures, an outdoor gym for those so inclined, natural shelter, suitable for forests which produce our oxygen, enrich the soil, and the mountain rivers help carry nutrients and minerals to keep the land below fertile. Along with forests, mountains are one of the most important providers of our most precious resources. Get rid of them and they are gone forever. Planet earth is several billion years old. It is expected to last another 6 billion year. During that time it has had meteorite strikes, ice ages and super volcanoes. Anything man does it but a blip. We won't kill mother nature, at worst we risk making the place less pleasant for ourselves. All this "were killing the planet" sh## makes me want to punch people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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