Taking public for a ride

In what can be termed an affront to people's intelligence, a residential housing project in Nanjing with a shaky foundation that is in high danger of collapsing, has received an "excellent residential building" award.

The prize is the most authoritative one of its kind given out by the Jiangsu local administration. In fact, the appraisal has generally been interpreted as a review of the quality of residential buildings in the province, and is officially organized by an institution attached to the local government.

Yet, ironically, residents have already been evacuated from the building and work is under way to consolidate its foundation. The building has been nicknamed lou wai wai, meaning a structure that is slanted, by residents.