Beijing Gets 'The Onion' Treatment Over Air Pollution
US humor publication The Onion gave it to Beijing with both barrels on Wednesday, with Beijing air pollution the topic.
The Onion posted to its Facebook page an image of Beijing's CBD surrounded by a transparent block, with the caption, "Beijing Air Solidifies."
In its "American Voices" satirical interview column, under the headline, "Beijing Issues First Red Alert for Smog" (which sounds a lot like something we published), it asked: "The city of Beijing issued its first smog-related red alert due to consecutive days of heavy air pollutants, urging schools to close down and restricting the number of cars on the roads. What do you think?"
The respondents said, "Who doesn't want a day off to sit inside and enjoy the fresh air?"; "Thankfully most Christmas-related production is already winding down for the year."; and "I never thought America's last remaining advantage over China would be the air quality of Pittsburgh."
Beijing's pollution has been the subject of Onion ribbing before. On October 26 of this year, it published a photo of firefighters shooting water onto flames under the headline, "Beijing Fire Department Extinguishes Massive Five-Alarm Burning Cloud Of Smog."
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Email: stevenschwankert@thebeijinger.com
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Photo: The Onion
