Lots of grab-shot images to upload when time permits. Shanghai environs have changed drastically in two years. Factories of every sort of fabrication, assembly and manufacture of every item imaginable saturate the land. We’re either getting used to the frenetic manner of Chinese driving, or perhaps Chinese drivers are settling down a bit. Still lots of horns, lights, random intersection crossings, near head-on collisions between cycles and cars and various other flirtations with disaster, but the overriding traffic law here seems to be, “No harm, no foul.” The second law of the Chinese model traffic code would go something like, “Flashing lights and honking horns are simply data and do not carry an emotional message, regardless of how insistently they are employed.” Twitter and Facebook appear to be blocked at this location in Shanghai though I think they were available in Shenzhen and certainly were in Hong Kong. Google US is available though the news (CNN) said that Google will pull out of China next month. I think that refers to the Chinese language Google.cn which I’ve read that the Chinese don’t use much anyway. I hope English speakers can still access US Google though if US Google is no longer maintained for Chinese references, it would seem to become less relevant over time for English speakers over here. Conclusion: Mandarin lessons are in order. Headed to Xiamen this afternoon for a day/night then on to Kuala Lumpur. Not much time this trip to smell the roses though we’re accomplishing the mission and everyone’s healthy.
Noted item from today’s Shanghai Daily, pg. A9:
“The health care reform program would affect nearly every American and remake one-sixth of the US economy. For the first time, Americans would have health insurance.”
That sort of misinformation is just not helpful.
