that should be called the temporary policy to control the traffic flow. When the game is finished, the story would be back.

i hope they wouldn't bring it back after the games..

I'm curious to see how the people adapt, and perhaps if it goes smoothly, if it will become perminent. I also wonder if the air quality will improve so quickly, even with the reduced new pollution.

CT ... that was just to buy gas and to minimize the incredibly long lines to do so ... we still drove every day of the week.

That's the fun thing about having such a massively powerful centralized government. When the CCP wants something done it gets done, just like how the Emperors would have their mandates and boom, theres a 2000 mile wall being built through some of the most rugged terrain in the Kingdom.

I may be giving the Chinese too much credit but I seriously think climate change is going to be solved by them, India, and other developing nations before the U.S. gets off its ass to implement real change. Is it too much to ask for a tax subsidy on solar technology?

reports are lots of people already have plates for both odd and even days. the other fun thing about a powerfully centralized govt is the equally powerful black market.

fallows the atlantic (http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/) has been writing from beijing on all things olympic.

Totalitarian state

hmm...it's been a long week already, but maybe i'm missing something here: you can only drive on odd or even days? what other kinds of days are there?

ones that end in Y?

u can drive twice of tuesdays

I think the most benifitial symbol Beijing can display is that of deep smog. Illusions will only mislead people about the actual cost of mass oil consumption.

Interesting link J.

well the interesting part of the situation, to me, isn't the communism vs. republic, it's simply the actual plan.

I'm curious, will this work?

Can dramatic changes really be made in only a few weeks?

Somehow I thought that even if they stopped driving altogether it wouldn't effect a significant change in so short a period of time.

If it really proves to be an effective plan, promoting car pooling and all, it wouldn't surprise me to see it return in some form in other countries in the future.

i like how china will clean its air for the rest of the world, but not for its own people

i really wouldnt take that link too seriously considering the history that paper has with the most shrill type of denialism

for a refutation (with data) of that dave evans article see:

Tim Lambert

well... that's not entirely fair, wherever the Olympics go, cities invest tremendous amounts of money into making improvements "for the rest of the world".

If any of you have ever been to Washington park, in Chicago, you'll know it's in terrible shape. If Chicago wins the Olympic bid 2016, it is certain that all kinds of investments will be made to improve the area, whether it will be cleaning up the garbage and pollution, improving the transit station, fixing the roads, sidewalks and curbs, or knocking down the numerous abandoned buildings.

China has a lot of problems, as does the US, but it is a country of people too, you know, If you have ever had a chance to speak with anyone from China, believe it or not, they don't all view their country as an oppressive police state. They hold varied views about government and their country, just as people here do about the US (my apologies to none US based readers).

have you seen pictures of the current level of smog this week? you can only see the silhouette of the bird nest.
How are athletes suppose to compete in that poison hole?