When Mark Twain explored the Neckar in the summer of 1879, he extolled its soft, peaceful beauty. The Neckar, he wrote, was “gentle, gliding, smooth and noiseless.” One hundred 40 summers later the Neckar remains serene, a refuge from a chaotic world. We were nine cyclists, all in our 70s, from Germany, France and America. We began in Mannheim close to where the Neckar dissolves … Continue reading Cycling the Neckar in Southern Germany
GLOUCESTERSHIRE, England: During the German blitz in the Battle of Britain, correspondent Edward R. Murrow marveled at how Londoners stoically carried on amid the nightly horrors of aerial bombing. In an obviously different context, I find a similar mentality in England as the summer of 2019 ends. The message I take away from London and the countryside is, ‘we’ve had three years of continuous inconclusive … Continue reading Letter from a Relaxed England
WASHINGTON: People in mainland China don’t have a clue as to what is really happening in Hong Kong. State television lacks any semblance of balance. Its reporting emphasizes violence while downplaying the magnitude of what until recently were non-violent demonstrations against the steady erosion of democratic freedoms. CCTV gives huge play to the defacing of the government insignia on a prominent building. As is well … Continue reading Two Chinas: Hong Kong and Shanghai
SHANGHAI: As long as your visa is in order, it’s a fast passage through immigrations and customs in Shanghai. This sprawling city of 23 million has a modern, efficient international airport and it’s only a short walk to the world’s fastest train. The Siemens built maglev costs only $7 for the eight-minute, 200 mph journey to Shanghai’s outskirts. Connected to hotel Wifi, your laptop’s home … Continue reading Letter from Shanghai: A Reflection on China Rising
HONG KONG: From the moment I first laid eyes upon it, I was captivated by the east wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington. When it opened in 1978 from my work place across the National Mall I marveled at its sharp angles and irregular shapes so strikingly different from the main gallery’s neo-classical style. It was apparent that not only was IM … Continue reading Remembering the Genius of IM Pei
At the G20 in Osaka former Washington Post reporter Paul Blustein talked to Barry about why he is not optimistic that resumed US China trade talks will succeed anytime soon. Continue reading Author Paul Blustein on US China
SPARKS, NEVADA: At Tesla’s annual general meeting June 11thElon Musk observed that five years ago the Gigafactory didn’t exist. It was merely a vast expanse of rocks and dirt. Today it is a sprawling three-story red and grey building stretching across the desert. Its footprint equals a dozen football fields and is expected to become the world’s largest building. This is where half of the … Continue reading Tesla’s Future Linked to Nevada Gigafactory
