Years of Poems and Spirits

I took the Maglev train to Shanghai PuDong International Airport on 9/11/2005.

Here are some facts:
1. Designed and built by a consortium of German companies, it is the only commercial implementation of this kind in the world today.
2. It covers about 31km in slightly less than 8 minutes (7′50″ in my case), reaching the highest speed of 431km/hr or 269mph.
3. It is a direct link between airport and a station just outside of the PuDong Development Zone. No other stops along the way.
4. It operates between 8am and 5:30pm. Runs every 15min.
5. It costs RMB40 with airline ticket of that day to ride but 100+ (forgot to ask) without one.
6. At both ends of the car/carriage, there are closets for large luggages. All seats facing foward but there is no seatbelts.

Here are some impressions:
1. When I rode it, it was almost empty going to the airport. There was quite a crowd, however, waiting at the airport.
2. When the train reaching peak speed, it sways just enough to remind you of that.
3. You certainly will feel it when the train banks. There are 3 bends along the way.
4. It is a sleek looking piece of machine and very clean and tidy inside.

Links: Shanghai Maglev

July 25 issue, Seymour Hersh

Read the article online.

Nancy Pelosi: “Did we have eleven hundred Americans die so they could have a rigged election?”
George W Bush: “We will not put our thumb on the scale.”

In this article SH claimed that:
1. There are strong circumstantial evidences (a hallmark of SH’s reporting) to suggest US materially altered the outcome of the Jan 2005 Iraqi election:
a. America favored a secular Shiite, Iyad Allawi
b. His standing in the opinion poll was between 2-9 percent before the election but his block won 14% of the votes.
c. Visible benefit from outsiders: campaign, media savvy-ness. Others: comminication hardware, etc.
2. Tom Warrick, a State Department consultant initiated an agenda of active American role in the election. It was met with mixed reactions.
3. Initial sponsors included: Pentagon, State Dept. deputies, CIA. Opponents included: NGOs, Academics, Congressional Democrates.
4. After the official channel was closed by Pres. Bush, Pentagon still went ahead with its covert op, contractors and alternative funding but with little CIA involvement, which would have triggered Congressional oversight or review.