SUNDAYS READINGS -- 12/2/01

RACING

California Counties are facing changes that for example would end 60 years of horse racing at the Pomona fairgrounds. Kern County made this decision about their fairgrounds many years ago – but went further – no more horse racing at all. It is a pity because we are the “belly button of California” and like our soccer facilities, we can be attractive to all Californians because of our central geographic location.

Few if any new horse racing facilities have been proposed recently in the United States. Maybe investors have greater interests in motorcar racetracks. At least they are bringing in more sports fans than horse racing. However like all new things the inexorable pressure of TV networks placing a better eye on reality, than sitting in stands as spectators, -- this trend will not last.

It is a pity that a TV camera has not been strapped to the head of a jockey for a better look at the track and horses hooves!

CITY OF TAFT

A most well written article of “Glitz, Cash and a Dream Lead to Trouble in Taft " was covered by the LA Times. The Bakersfield Californian has done small shrift on sharing this problem in our County.

VENTURA COUNTY AND CITIES COULD LOSE $75M

State lawmakers seeking tax shift to avoid a deficit could trigger cuts in local programs makes one wonder what programs will be nixed in Kern County and the City of Bakersfield.

LOOPHOLE LETS LANDOWNERS BUILD ON NATIVE GROUNDS.

The California Historical Resources Information System Holds records used to help determine whether Native American remains and artifacts should be removed or preserved during construction. State law gives cities and counties discretion on whether to check permits for small builders against those archeological records. To comply with state law large developers often pay archeologists and Native Americans to survey their land, reinter remain and take representative samples of artifacts before construction begins.

Kern County and the City of Bakersfield require an archeological check for a grading project like the proposed Multi-use Stadium. One hope the City Manager Tandy has budgeted for this contingency.

A compounding factor is that state archeological maps are shared only with scientists and developers on a need-to-know basis.

BY Graham Kaye-Eddie – Master Urban Designer.

Makabusi Inc. – Bakersfield – California

Email – makabusi@pacbell.net

Maglev Project

China first in Maglev -- American still discussing the merits. Political gabbing doesn't bring a future.

Maglev "Aeroplane" Will Appear in 3 Years in China.

CHINA, Nov 08, 2001 (AsiaPort via COMTEX) -- Three years later the citizens in China can see a kind of new-style maglev "aeroplane" of American model. It runs faster than common magnetic aerotrain. Now Chengdu has signed a contact with Bank of America to develop maglev traffic. The project is in process of preparation.

Magnetic "aeroplane" is not the usual plane. It runs in the railway as aerotrain. It's a kind of new-style triphibian rapid transit tackle. When running, it departs from the railway higher than aerotrain with the height for 8-15 cm. At the same time it possesses the many characters as plane, such as "tooth wings", empennage, etc. The "flight" speed is very high, which can reachmore than 500 kilometers. But that of the aerotrain of Qingchengshan of Chengdu in China is only about 100 kilometers.

The director with CAC Group, which is one of the investing side, says that the item of magnetic "aeroplane"is a cooperative item between China and USA. He forecasts that the first "magnetic aeroplane" in the world which can carry 100passengers will be produced in 2004.

http://www.magneplane.com/ http://www.magplane.com/

From Beijing Morning Post, Page 3, Tuesday, November 06, 2001 http://highmarkfunds.stockpoint.com/highmarkfunds/newspaper.asp?Mode=cac&Sto ry=20011108/312u7291.xml

Conservative leader aims to kill Amtrak

Paul Weyrich, a leader of the religious right who coined the phrase "moral majority," is leading a far different movement now. He's spearheading the effort to kill Amtrak, believing the best way to save passenger rail service is to do away with the national railway.

BREAKING GRIDLOCK

Jim Motavalli is editor of E: The Environmental Magazine, and author of Forward Drive: The Race to Build "Clean" Cars for the Future, and the forthcoming Breaking Gridlock.

ZIMBABWE WHISPERS

Concrete posts were erected around Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's office following his claim of a "terrorist threat" against him. An aide said foreign journalists were assisting a plot by opposition forces in the pay of Britain to topple Mugabe's government. etc...