Giant Mushroom Cloud Over Bejing

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

"Air pollution". 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/giant-mushroom-cloud-beijing_n_1603780.html

[Nephew Twiddleton]

"Air pollution". 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/giant-mushroom-cloud-beijing_n_1603780.html

Did North Korea miss or something?

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Not sure what happened, everybody's being all full of shit as expected.
Where's Cain?

[The Johnny]

"Air pollution". 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/giant-mushroom-cloud-beijing_n_1603780.html

Did North Korea miss or something?

If it indeed it was a nuke, it woulda been a flash, not a sustained shine (which in this case is caused by the sun being behind the clouds).

From what ive seen in my experience, garbage gives out a way darker cloud, as do gasoline or petroleum... other than those, it could be a lot of different things.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

"Air pollution". 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/17/giant-mushroom-cloud-beijing_n_1603780.html

Did North Korea miss or something?

If it indeed it was a nuke, it woulda been a flash, not a sustained shine (which in this case is caused by the sun being behind the clouds).

From what ive seen in my experience, garbage gives out a way darker cloud, as do gasoline or petroleum... other than those, it could be a lot of different things.

That was  more of a quip. North Korea would end up nuking itself if it tried to launch anything. 

[Triple Zero]

Um maybe the article wasn't yet updated when these replies were posted, but it's a really huge cumulonimbus + air pollution.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

What kind of pollution, though? Burning straw doesn't do that.
http://www.webpronews.com/beijing-mushroom-cloud-leaves-residents-concerned-2012-06

Magenta/orange clouds at sunset are normal but that bright yellow is fucked.

[Triple Zero]

What do you mean, burning straw?

It's Beijing. Look it up, big-ass cities in Asia got impressive amounts of air pollution. Very serious fucking problem, asthma rates are through the roofs over there.

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

What do you mean, burning straw?

It's Beijing. Look it up, big-ass cities in Asia got impressive amounts of air pollution. Very serious fucking problem, asthma rates are through the roofs over there.

Burning straw is what Beijing officials are blaming it on. The people saying it was consistent with a chlorine leak were arrested.

When I was visiting Beijing I hardly went out at all because the smog was so incredibly thick. I have asthma and allergies, and I was not interested in seeing what a trip to their emergency room would be like. However, they get a fair amount of wind which clears it all away quite effectively for a short time.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

It's a chlorine leak, then.

[Triple Zero]

Any reason why specifically chlorine?

While I also don't quite buy the "straw burning" excuse, it's not like they wouldn't arrest people for spreading false anti-government rumours, either.

Checking the link that mentions people getting detained for spreading rumours says "two internet users had been detained for spreading rumors that claimed that yesterday's pollution had been caused by a chlorine leak at a chemical plant or an explosion at a steel refinery."

Additionally "the bureau also emphasised that the poor atmospheric conditions were not caused by any kind of industrial accident or a dust storm from Northern China."

So that's already three different things their government is denying.

Is there any reason why you consider the chlorine story most likely?

It could even turn out to be something entirely different, still, right?

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Any reason why specifically chlorine?

While I also don't quite buy the "straw burning" excuse, it's not like they wouldn't arrest people for spreading false anti-government rumours, either.

Checking the link that mentions people getting detained for spreading rumours says "two internet users had been detained for spreading rumors that claimed that yesterday's pollution had been caused by a chlorine leak at a chemical plant or an explosion at a steel refinery."

Additionally "the bureau also emphasised that the poor atmospheric conditions were not caused by any kind of industrial accident or a dust storm from Northern China."

So that's already three different things their government is denying.

Is there any reason why you consider the chlorine story most likely?

It could even turn out to be something entirely different, still, right?

If the government arrests you for saying something, it's probably true.

[Cain]

Any reason why specifically chlorine?

While I also don't quite buy the "straw burning" excuse, it's not like they wouldn't arrest people for spreading false anti-government rumours, either.

Checking the link that mentions people getting detained for spreading rumours says "two internet users had been detained for spreading rumors that claimed that yesterday's pollution had been caused by a chlorine leak at a chemical plant or an explosion at a steel refinery."

Additionally "the bureau also emphasised that the poor atmospheric conditions were not caused by any kind of industrial accident or a dust storm from Northern China."

So that's already three different things their government is denying.

Is there any reason why you consider the chlorine story most likely?

It could even turn out to be something entirely different, still, right?

If the government arrests you for saying something, it's probably true.

According to that logic, the Holocaust probably didn't happen, and the Armenian genocide is a pernicious rumour spread to undermine the glorious Turkish Republic.

And many many poor businessman who have the cure to cancer, male baldness and infertility have been unjustly put in prison, too.

[Cain]

Not sure what happened, everybody's being all full of shit as expected.
Where's Cain?

Mostly avoiding this place so I don't have to waste my time researching spurious internet rumours.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Any reason why specifically chlorine?

While I also don't quite buy the "straw burning" excuse, it's not like they wouldn't arrest people for spreading false anti-government rumours, either.

Checking the link that mentions people getting detained for spreading rumours says "two internet users had been detained for spreading rumors that claimed that yesterday's pollution had been caused by a chlorine leak at a chemical plant or an explosion at a steel refinery."

Additionally "the bureau also emphasised that the poor atmospheric conditions were not caused by any kind of industrial accident or a dust storm from Northern China."

So that's already three different things their government is denying.

Is there any reason why you consider the chlorine story most likely?

It could even turn out to be something entirely different, still, right?

If the government arrests you for saying something, it's probably true.

According to that logic, the Holocaust probably didn't happen, and the Armenian genocide is a pernicious rumour spread to undermine the glorious Turkish Republic.

And many many poor businessman who have the cure to cancer, male baldness and infertility have been unjustly put in prison, too.

Sorry, I'll rephrase:

If the Chinese government arrests you for saying something, it's probably true.

Because China is evil, and anything that makes them look bad is therefore true and good.

(I'm pretending the last 12 years never happened and it's still permissible (if naive) to see the world like GW Bush.)