China big bang

[Gob]

Massive explosions have hit China's northern port city of Tianjin, leaving at least seven people dead and hundreds more injured.



State media said the blasts happened in a warehouse storing "dangerous and chemical goods" in an industrial area of the city.

Pictures and video on social media showed flames lighting up the sky, and buildings are said to have collapsed.

Hospitals are reported to be overwhelmed with casualties.

The editor of the BBC's Chinese Service, Raymond Li, says all indications are that it is an industrial accident.

State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) said a shipment of explosives had detonated but this was not confirmed.

The first explosion at about 23:30 (16:30 GMT) was followed by another seconds later. Shockwaves were felt several kilometres away.

The China Earthquake Networks Centre said the magnitude of the first explosion was the equivalent of detonating three tons of TNT, while the second was the equivalent of 21 tons of the explosive.

Further blasts were subsequently triggered nearby, Xinhua state news agency said.

[RayThom]

Devalue the yuan without international permission, will you? This blast will surely slow China's currency war.

That was some series of explosions. It will be interesting where President Liu Shaoqi will assign blame. Arrest has been threatened for anyone spreading "unsubstantiated rumors." I'm getting a vibe that it was somehow military related. I can't wait for the "official" explanation. Probably a shipment of polish to China Nail Salon, Inc.

[Crackpot]

What you accusing them of importing slave labor?

[Lord Jim]

What you accusing them of importing slave labor?

If there's one thing the PRC doesn't need to import it's slave labor...

Talk about "Coal to New Castle"....

[wesw]

probably a warehouse full of fireworks...,

for some reason the IAEA is investigating tho.....

[Crackpot]

Then why would they be shipping polish to china?

[wesw]

ah, the long neglected Pollock joke.....

yer gonna lose your liberal PC friendly card....

[Crackpot]

We pollacks have a great sense of humor and where did you get the idea I was PC the same place you get all the other insane ideas you spew?

[wesw]

ah..., now I get it. I ll type slower....

[Lord Jim]

We pollacks have a great sense of humor

Yeah, that's why we can tell the brides at your weddings by the fact that they're the ones wearing the clean bowling shirts...



And let's not forget about the Pollack terrorists...

They boarded a plane with 10 million dollars and demanded hostages and a gun...



I gotta million of 'em...

Actually, I think "Pollack Jokes" kind of went out of fashion in the US in the late 70's and early 80's with the rise of Solidarity and Lech Walesa, and the courageous stand the Poles took against the Soviets...(which began the crumbling of The Eastern Bloc)...

And of course the Pollack Pope...

[MajGenl.Meade]

You can usually tell a polack because they can't spell "polack"

[wesw]

me Chinese, me play joke. me put Pollock in your coke

somethin' smells fishy.....

[Lord Jim]

You can usually tell a polack because they can't spell "polack"

Well, that's what I get for accepting the spelling used by a dumb polack...

[Joe Guy]

They're now reporting that the explosion was caused by three Chinese terrorists who go by the names, Dis Bee Wong, Mee Kno That and Ting Go Boom. They are not related to any airline pilots.

Click on play button

[wesw]

there was actually a doctor in town when I was in school who was named Wang Hung

[Lord Jim]

Okay, okay, just one more...

"Didja here about the Polack Space Program?"

"No LJ, we haven't; what can you tell us about the Polack Space Program?"

"Well, they're going to send The First Manned Mission to the Sun..."

"The First Manned Mission to the Sun? Won't they get burned up?"

"Nah, they've got that all figured out..."

"Really? How's that?"

"They're gonna go at night"....

[RayThom]

What you accusing them of importing slave labor?

Perhaps you meant "Slav" labor?

[wesw]

uh..., kinda redundant there, raythom