1 billion people playing musical chairs in a foot of snow

Chinese New Year is the most festive time of year in Hong Kong, and in China. Cherry blossoms and other colorful flowers are going up in malls, on streets, in apartment buildings, and all sorts of places here in Hong Kong. Red is the auspicious color, Christmas lights are everywhere bright, and facades of buildings on both sides of the famous Victoria Harbor are lit.

Chinese New Year takes on more sociological interest in Guangdong province, which is called the factory floor of the world because that's probably where 90% of what you're wearing and using and blogging on were manufactured. Mountains and seas of rural migrants work in Guangdong, and this is the busiest time of year for them, because they all crowd the train stations to go home.

What horrible timing!

80,000 people are stuck at Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong. That's like the size of a city! China is practically paralyzed because of a blizzard that swept through and continues to sweep through China...storms that haven't been seen in 50 years. And these are storms in the South, which are ill-prepared for these things. Think of a foot of snow in Virginia and the Carolinas. They have no equipment for this...they're sweeping the snow away with brooms.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jvk7Cm_LiUKmk09LgSM7wXayDzlwD8UG5MJG1