Counterparts Abroad

I'm both impressed and a little jealous- blogs are changing the government...of Red China? Shit, I guess we've got a ways to go:

Posted on Monday, June 5, 2006. From a set of regulations issued in August to the staff of China Youth Daily, a Beijing-based newspaper. Li Datong, then editor of the paper’s weekly supplement, was fired for writing an email criticizing the regulations, which tie salaries to a system of points, saying they would “enslave and emasculate and vulgarize” the newspaper. The Chinese government announced they were abandoning the system after Li’s letter was circulated on several Chinese blogs. Translated from the Chinese. Originally from Harper's Magazine, April 2006.
(1) If the Chinese Youth Communist Party’s Central Committee praises an article, the author will receive 80 extra points.

(2) If the Central Propaganda Bureau praises an article, the author will receive 120 extra points; if it is singled out for praise in the Central Propaganda Bureau’s “News Commentary,” the author will receive 100 extra points; if it is mentioned in the “News Commentary,” the author will receive 50 extra points.

(3) If an article is praised by the national department or a provincial committee, the author will receive 100 points; if a national department or provincial committee writes a letter praising an article, the author will receive 80 points.

(4) If an article is praised by the central leadership (members of the Politburo or higher), the author will receive 300 points.

(5) With regard to items (1) through (4), if an article was praised, the corresponding editor will receive extra points equal to 30 percent of the author’s.

(6) With regard to items (1) through (4), anyone who is criticized by name will have points subtracted in the same amount.

I bet the Republican pay-for-press system is much simpler here, I don't think most of our Presstitutes could do that kind of complex math.

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