OBITUARY: Red China Passes Away In A Whimper

PREFACE: It seems the last time I pushed the publish button, this went on to publish in March, when I first save d it. So, my apologies to those who already got this. [Ed., no actually Gene.]
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I saved this one for a nice day when I didn't want sit inside. It is now April 22, 2007 and the sun is out for the second day in a row this year 5 GWE (Global Warming Era.)

I am happy to enjoy the solar flares, though a few more days of snow and ice would certainly assure that this the coldest April in recorded history for the entire U.S. I like going for records. Always good for a blog entry.

Speaking of cold, the cold war is over too. Haven't you heard? Probably not, as it is neither in the GOP or DEMS best interest to have lost a big commie country. So, thanks to China's own news service, allow me to issue this epitaph. Human nature eventually prevails:

OBITURARY: Red China Passes Away Peacefully
No one particularly upset at funeral

BEIJING, March 16 (Xinhua) -- China's parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), concluded its annual session on Friday morning with the adoption of a landmark property law and a corporate income tax law.

The two laws, granting equal protection to public and private properties and unifying corporate income tax rates for domestic and foreign companies, were adopted by an overwhelming majority vote.

The NPC adopted the corporate income tax law with 2,826 votes for and 37 against, and 22 abstentions, and the landmark property law with 2,799 votes for and 52 against, and 37 abstentions.

NPC Standing Committee Chairman Wu Bangguo hailed the session as "a great success" at the closing meeting.

Observers said the laws are the fruit of China's reform and opening up and will in turn help drive the reform and opening-up of the country.

The property law showed the spirit of reform and opening up of China, since it protects the order of the socialist market economy and grants equal protection to public and private property, said Wang Shengming, vice head of the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee.

Liu Hezhang, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, said the property law is a signal of further reform and opening up as its passage suggests China will not start a new round of "capitalism or socialism" dispute.

Meanwhile, Lu Jianzhong, NPC deputy and chairman of Shaanxi Jiaxin Group, said the corporate income tax law, which puts domestic and foreign-funded enterprises on an equal footing for income taxes for the first time since China's opening up began in 1978, brings China's economy more in line with international practice.