(Thanks, Jerry!)

Washington Post reports (video available on Washington Post site) on protests, organized among primarily middle-class citizens, using text messaging, blogs, and BBSs to organize and spread the word:

Thousands of Shanghai homeowners protest against a proposed extension of the high-speed magnetic levitation train on Jan. 12. The proposed extension has angered thousands of residents who fear noise, vibration, radiation and wind from the train. They are shouting ” Reject the Maglev” and “Protect Our Homes.” These unofficial protests, which often start as short text mobile phone messages, are the latest chapter in a quiet middle class battle against local government officials who fail to give adequate public notice for ill-concieved projects often designed to promote GDP growth at the expense of the environment. The video was taken by an anonymous protester.