Free radish stampede

Han Honggang, a farmer in Zhengzhou city decided to give away his 4 hectares of radishes due to low crop prices this year. Within days after the offer was publicized, over 30,000 people trampled through the farm and even took some other crops such as spinach and sweet potatoes, causing a loss of tens of thousands of yuan to the farmer.

People pick free radishes on Han Honggang's farm in Central China's Henan province, Nov 25, 2011. [Photo/CFP]

Han's suffering sparked wide sympathy online and many internet users criticized the scramblers' behavior. "How sad! Kind heart invites a scramble. It reflects the degeneration of social morality," said one.

However, others didn't agree. "If people are told they can take gold in the square freely, there must be fights and some may die, no matter in what country or region," said one critic. They attribute the chaos to lack of management when offering free things and thus they suggest government involvement in this kind of "donation". For example, set up a special organization to allocate redundant products.

Some suggest direct marketing models be built between farmers and consumers.

Commercial ban

China has recently issued a national ban on TV stations airing commercials during TV dramas.

Unsurprisingly, a majority of people are fed up with commercials and support the ban. A micro blog survey conducted by sina.com revealed 85 percent of nearly 10,000 respondents applaud the ban.

Some 11 percent of respondents oppose the ban on the grounds the market shouldn't be subject to excessive administrative regulations.

Insiders believe the ban will result in a drop in commercial income for TV, the cost of TV series production will be cut, remuneration for an actor will be decreased or other forms of commercials will be more frequently used such as embedded marketing.

Some even worry that an episode which normally lasts 45 minutes will be cut short.

Some online video websites see potential profit in this ban, saying more commercial clients may be attracted to them.

Baring all

[Chu Tong/Newscartoon]

A couple with their two kids walked nude on the streets and begged for help in Dianbai county, Guangdong province on Nov 27. The family, who live on salvage, owed a hospital 1,500 yuan ($236) in medical fee and the hospital agreed to exempt it after the police intervened.

The family's behavior soon became a hot topic. Many Internet users considered it as "extreme", "ridiculous" or "cheeky". One micro blogger wrote, "No matter how poor one is, he/she should not totally give up face."

Some show sympathy for the family and consider it as a social problem. "Why more and more weak people appeal by ways of attracting eyeballs? If the weak has no other resort but hype, isn’t it ironic or sad?"

"It's the family who lose face and it's society who is disgraced and should introspect," wrote one lawyer.