Module 13

What I have learned.

            I must say this was one of the most interesting classes I have ever taken. I don’t remember a class where I got to write essays about science fiction and some of my favorite movies. I enjoyed, “A logic named Joe” for its real-life prophecies. I also enjoyed “Why the World Doesn’t Need Us.” I find a little peace of mind knowing that our own government was smart enough to cease and desist all biological and chemical weapons because they realize the possibility that it could fall into the wrong hands.

Of course I cannot forget “The world is Flat.” I will be completely honest about this. It wasn’t the easiest reading for me. Other than what I learn on the news, I have no other knowledge of economics. I felt this was a kind of a learn-on-the-fly type situation. I think I handled it pretty well. Also, I know that some of the most important things aren’t exactly the funnest to learn, but the knowledge received is well worth the time.

The opening of closed national markets in such places as China, Germany, and India surely help the world’s economy as a whole. It however put more pressure on us Americans because we Americans are extremely lazy in comparison with these countries. We have excuses for everything. Some Americans are very scandalous and try to work our own government, like it’s the Red Cross. Everyone wants something for nothing. Just watch any episode of judge judy and you can see plain as day what I am talking about.

Another outtake I took from Friedman is that we as human beings must start to learn to accept other people and their beliefs. From a business point of view, we will be working more closely and frequently with people of other countries. But even more than that, I believe that there will come a day when we as a human race will have to unite to overcome something that is bigger than ourselves. I’m not exactly sure what that is, it could be a great number of things. My point is quite simply that if we can trust and work alongside one another in unison, we’ll have the ability to overcome just about any obstacle that gets in our way. Synergy at its highest level will be what is required to save the Earth and possibly our own race.  And all of this has to begin within ourselves. 
      I cannot speak of imperfections in others until I examine my own first. I know for myself, I really don’t have a bias against any country, but there is a part of me that hates all the Mexicans in our area. I have my reasons for this, mostly because a large number of them are thugs, drug-dealers and gun-runners who come here to cause havoc, and to make money illegally, without paying taxes, and then take that money back to their homes in Mexico. Being a meth addict (in recovery),I have seen this on scales that most probably haven’t. But I have to remind myself that even though there are a lot of bad illegal Mexicans, the majority of them are just like you and me. So it’s time I work on myself and accept there is no room for that way of thinking in the future.

While this sounds all fine and dandy, I have learned from Friedman and Joy, that this is unlikely to begin with. It only takes one bad guy for every million people to change laws and make things more inconvenient for us, especially when we could be putting or efforts and resources elsewhere. About a year ago I had a conversation with one of my friends about how we American either have to choose between freedoms or securities, we cannot have both. Being raised to love our country and everything it stands for, it would be almost un-American to change laws like the Second Amendment so that it is no longer a right to bear arms, but a privilege that could be taken away. It would be un-American to try and to censor the internet and other information mediums. A year ago when I had this conversation with my friend, I ultimately found myself agreeing with him that as an American we cannot do anything that would sacrifice our freedoms. I DO NOT FEEL THIS WAY ANYMORE. Thanks to a couple of bad apples it is my position that people should not have the right to carry a gun. I am not saying take guns away, but it should not be a right. Also, in the past I  have caught myself agreeing with many Facebook posts dealing with the censorship of the internet. Being American, I of course was appalled when I first heard of this. But maybe some type of censorship is necessary. There is too much information that can land in the wrong hands if we don’t.

If I was to post this blog on Facebook, I know I would have nothing but negative feedback. People would probably think I am a lunatic and anti-American. However with everything that I have learned from this class, this is my way of thinking now. I know most of my FB friends haven’t read “the World is flat” or “Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us.” So, I feel I have an advantage on them and feel sorry that they refuse to see the things the way I do. The sad thing is that we already have started sacrificing rights for securities and most people haven’t either realized it yet, or haven’t said anything about it. Think of this, we should not have to be stripped-searched, x-rayed, and have shoes inspected like a criminal going to jail, every time we board an airplane. However, I would refuse to board unless everyone else was also strip- searched. I don’t think any American would board a plane unless that was the case. 

It’s for these same reasons that I believe the Second Amendment should be greatly amended again, and even censorship of the internet should be in place. It’s as simple as this, our freedoms and liberties mean nothing if we are dead. Also,things should remain this way until such time that there are no evil entities left in the world. What a sad and necessary situation. I don’t expect all my classmates to think the same as me either, but at least my classmates can relate as to why I would think the way I do.

Don’t get me wrong. I did learn a lot about supply-chains, outsourcing, off-shoring and things of that nature. I know that to survive in the up-coming years I’m going to have to be faster and better then the next guy, whether he is American or Chinese. I will apply these leanings in my daily life. But, I have made it perfectly clear what I got most out of this class; the bulk of this blog!

I would also like to thank all my fellow classmates for their kind words and lack of judgment, especially with my last essay. I am not ashamed of my past, it has made me the man I am. But it’s also something I don’t go blabbing to everyone. And to you Professor Jensen, I would not change anything about the class. I believe you have a great dynamic relationship between, “The World is Flat” and the rest of your readings, especially the last one. What a great way to open our eyes and end your class. You have done a great job…..

….. Good luck to everyone!!!!!

Sincerely,

Paul James Baltazar Jr.

and remember what Kyle Reese of the Terminator said,"There is no fate but what we make."
OUR FUTURE IS NOT WRITTEN.!!!!

Module 12

 Finally a reading that I can relate to! I am going to open up to all my readers and explain some of my thoughts and feelings that I process on a daily basis. I have always felt uneasy about the future. Though, I'm not the type to bite on doomsday theories. I have always thought that I think or know too much. It would be important to understand that I am a recovering meth addict of a binge that lasted the better part of ten years. During this period of my life I have began to think in teams of what I would consider 'deeper than most.' Lets get one thing straight, while it is true that I did suffer from paranoid delusions, these dilutions steamed from great truths. I have been clean almost six years, however some of my delusions still haunt me, not because I am delusional, but because I know Earth will be facing troubles of grave consequence in the future.

I have always been big into science, excelling past most of my peers in high-school, being pro-active in science and environmental groups. I have spend countless hours studying astronomy and earth sciences. I have also heavily contemplated doomsday theories, trying to collect all the supposed evidence these doomsday theorists employ, apply my own understanding of science, and think for myself about weather they are right or wrong. In the end I find most doomsday theories de-bunk themselves. However, during the most intense moments of my life, worldly thoughts would drive me insane. I even to the point where counseling and anti-anxiety pills were necessary. Though I was a meth addict and suffering from delusions and paranoia, it didn't mean that I was wrong about what was bothering me. Nor does it mean I was stupid, these problems are real, I knew it then and I know it now. And this reading only adds to my list of things to worry about. I am just grateful that I can now live a normal life. I take everything in stride despite the knowledge I posses.

My number one concern for this planet is over-population. It has always been my personal assessment that we humans can not control our sex drives, it is in our programming to reproduce and we will continue to do so at an exponential rate! In the future we will have no other choice but to move on to another planet or dimension so that we can virus off it, just as we have done to the Earth. But to accomplish such a feat would mean massive improvements in technology, which leads us to a catch 22. How can we become so technologically advanced that we can travel to another solar system and/or dimension, with out having to deal with the problems that Bill Joy describes in his article “Why the future doesn't need us?”

The only correct answers are within the article itself. First, we must agree as a species as to what we what and where we want to go. Second, we must learn to accept other's religions and ideologies, so that we are able to work together. And third, above all costs, be ethical and moral about how we advance in our technology. What I am talking about is world-peace and the end of greed. So, for all practical intents and purposes I could end this blog right now. Being that world peace is about as possible as time-travel, and greed is so very abundant and in many forms.But I won't!

Space-travel or even dimensional-travel that would solve the unstoppable problem of world over- population, might and could very well be a possibly in the future, or so lets hope. However we are not close to achieving this kind of technology and it would only make sense that to achieve higher technologies, we must advance the technologies that we have now. I could very well see an artificial-intelligence of some sort as the only possible brain that could conceive such scientific notions that might be required for our goal of space/dimensional travel. So we can not stop building on what we already know, we just have to be responsible and ethical about it. There is a difference between, being able thinking for yourself and being able to feel emotions. As far as A.I. is concerned, as long as emotions are kept out of the computer loop I think we would be OK.

I could also very well see nanotechnology (GNR) uses for materials required in such a feat as space-travel. The subject of nanotechnology is nothing new to me, however I haven't thought about it for some time. I remember reading a sci-fi book by Micheal Crichton titled “Prey.” This book was about nanotechnological, intelligent machines the size of germs that were made to cure all types of desease. Supposedly, they were to enter the body and attack just the virus, bacteria, or cancer. However these machines acquired a mind of there own and went on a killing spree. This kind of technology sound very scary, but it too must be explored for the sake of our future. But can this done safely? Being built in the private sector!

There are a lot of questions that I don't have the answers to. What I do know is that there are many things to be afraid of, but we can not live our lives in fear. If we do what's the point? I was born and raised a Christian. For the better part of my life I have always believed in God and Jesus. However, because of my great understanding of science I have began to question. This is a personal matter that I deal with on a daily basis. But I truly hope there is a loving and merciful god. I want to believe that more then anything. Besides, I can not think of anything better to intervene with the problems of our future than that of the second coming of Christ!

Module 11

The Technology of the Terminators:
Without a doubt, I knew the Terminator movies would be my movies of choice for this assignment. Not just one, but all of them as they are all apart of the same plot. Yes, I watched all four of them within the last week for the purpose of this essay. It was my pleasure! I'm sure that most of you have seen these movies before, so my writings of the plot will be minimal. My intended is to discuss the technologies used within the movies; real and science-fiction.
The terminator movies are my favorite sci-fi movies of all time. In a nutshell the plot is about an artificial intelligence, Skynet, that turns against it's own creators, humans. Skynet becomes so powerful that on Aug. 25, 2004 at 18:18 EST it takes over America's defense network and lunches nuclear assaults all cross the world leading to what is called Judgment Day. However not all humans are destroyed, and there is a mighty resistance that is lead by the movies protagonist, John Connor. Skynet builds terminators, or human like machines to deal with the survivors of Judgment Day and to terminate Connor. The premise of the first three movies is that Skynet sends three different terminators back in time, one per movie, to either try and terminate Sarah Connor, John's mother before John is born, or John himself. The resistance also sends back a human, Kyle Reese, in the first one, and two terminator T-800's in the second and third to protect Sarah and John from the other terminators. The two terminators send back by the resistance were captured  and re-programmed for the mission of saving John. The fourth movie happens after Judgment Day and as is more about the war with the machines after the catastrophic event . Of course Skynet still realizes Connor's importance and try's to take him out in this one as well.
These movies are saturated with computer technology. Everything from networking to artificial intelligence. I think the most important of these technologies would be the A.I. The idea of artificial intelligence has obviously been around for a long time. That was evident in our last assignment “A Logic Named Joe.” However since the writings of the shorty story, the idea of A.I. has made great leaps and bounds. It has been the basis of many movies, and the subject to many conspiracy theories. It has also given us something to think about as technology advances. I am not saying that I am afraid of the future of computers, however I am not unafraid either.
I was fortunate enough to have my son along side me watching and I noted one common question he asked in all of the movies, “Dad can that really happen?” Truth be told, I DONT KNOW! The more I think about it, I the more I believe that could A.I.could be possible. Maybe not probable, but possible. Look at it this way. We already have programs that type code for us. We have apps that can talk to us and do all kinds of things. Of course all of these technologies require some sort of human input. However, throw in some servomechanisms and maybe couple other technologies and bam, we have a computer system with the ability to learn. Once a computer can learn, it can become self-aware and start making decisions for themselves, leaving us humans out of the loop. That's a scary thought considering the choices, thoughts, and actions of Skynet.
Besides the terminators, laser-guns, and other machines made by Skynet, AI is really the only technology in the movies that doesn't already exist. Even at that, the military is working on Laser weaponry which will be a reality in the near future.
There is a gap of 25 years between the making of the first movie to the fourth movie and I have noticed real-life technology advancement within each of these movies. To start, the the visual effects only get better and better from the first to the fourth. In 1984 visual effects were very poor, in 1991 they are much improved. Of course the fourth installment has the best visuals, but the greatest improvements with effects is actually between the first and the second movies, 1984-1991.
Besides the visual effects there are a quite a few other advances in technology that are evident between the gaps of  the movies. In the first movie there are no computers used at all. There is a little talk about Skynet and networks. I honestly can not recall one computer that is actually used. In the second, the are many computers that are being used. I notice that John Connor uses an Atari Portfolio to hack into people's bank accounts so that he can steal money. The Portfolio was one of the very first PDA's ever made and was really advanced for 1991. I also notice that Miles Dyson, a sub-plot character who uses computers for his work. Still between the first and the second movies I note that there is no cell-phone or network technology being used. No modems or internet yet! However, less then 10 minutes into the third movie I notice the bad terminator uses a build in dial-up modem and a cell phone to connect to the L.A. School District's data base to locate the targets that she was sent back in time to kill. That a huge advancement! Finally in the last movie I notice the use of a USB drive to hold data. Also I notice that John Connor uses a Sony Vaio UX mobile phone for communication and for infiltrating Skynet's Head quarters in San Francisco. So the progress of technology in the movies advances from no use of computers to computers that are very powerful and small enough to be hand-held. Incredible!!!
I must admit that I really enjoyed this assignment and highly recommend the whole series if you have yet to see it. While all the movies are important in the plot, and they are all great, I personally think that Terminator Salvation is the best one! I am really excited for the fifth installment of the series; the story is not over!!!!

Module 10

 The prophecies in “A Logic Named Joe, “ are uncannily incredible! So incredible in fact that I had to reassure myself that this story was actually written in 1946. Admittedly, there are many phenomenons that I can not explain, but I will not give any credence to Murray Leinster as being a profit or having any psychic abilities; and since I do not believe in time travel, I have to conclude that the story to be the direct result of thorough contemplation, pure imagination, and many strange coincidences. Yet, despite my personal explanations or justifications to these prophecies, I find the coincidences so uncanny that they can not be ignored. I have taken them all and broke them down into three categories; the things that have already happened, the style of writing itself, and the suggestions of things to come.

First we have to remember the time frame that the story takes place, 1946. There were no commercial or home PC's then. According to the History of Technology Time-line (http://www.web-friend.com/help/general/tech_history.html ) the machine that most consider the first electrical computer, ENIAC, did not come out until February of '47, after the story was written.

First off, Leinster's notion about society's dependency on these computers or logics as he calls them was right on! How could someone in 1946 possibly know how important these technologies are today when they were non-existent back then. Then consider the size of the logics. The computers of the 40's were huge, the size of a room. The actual size of a logic is never mentioned in the story, however it's quit clear that they were small and portable. That in itself is a thought that is 30-40 years premature.

Then I have to account for his Carson Circuits in which we would call the internet and all the services that it provides. His idea that the logics could connect to tanks, and find the answers to practically everything from weather forecasts to how to kill your wife were incredibly accurate. The tanks represent a word search engine that would link you to data plates or web servers with the information that you are seeking. Also he mentions vision-phones and the ability to watch anything you want. That sounds very much like Skype and Netflix to me. For my last example of things that have already happened I reflect upon the pay logic he uses. Wow really? There aren't as many of these as there used to be due to the fact more people then ever have their own computers/smart-phones and internet connections can be acquired through 3G or 4G cell technologies. But still you can go into any truck stop and find a pay computer that allows you access to the net. Its very perplexing how someone in the 40's could even conceive this idea.

Another observation I had about the story was the style of writing that Leinster uses. Is it just me, or did he write this whole story using text lingo of today? Granted he doesn't uses acronyms like LOL or IDK, but I can not recall any novel or short story that uses words like kinda, coulda, or sorta. Not to mention Leinster abbreviates just about every word that ends in “ing” with “in'” These are not English words. Most writers would not write like this unless it was in parenthesis to give context to the dialect of the person speaking. So I wonder if he knew about that as well. One thing I am convinced of through the reading of this story is that the English language should stay intact. I found that Leinster style of writing made reading more difficult then it had to be.

Finally, its apparent that the lead character of the story is quit convinced that he saved the world! I take this as a reflection of Leinster's actual thoughts. Is he right? What happens when the wrong people obtain the wrong information. Friedman talks about this in his book as well. What happens when nuclear technology isn't so high-tech and top-secret?. What happens when anybody can read how to make an atom bomb? Does this sound like sci-fi to you? Maybe for now, but remember there was also a time when the internet and computers themselves were sci-fi. So is it only a matter of time until we have a bunch of terrorists with nuclear capabilities? Honestly its something I don't like to think about, but in all actuality it does need to be addressed.

Another important observation I noted is the Artificial Intelligence that Joe displayed. I believe that this is another great prophecy that has yet to happen, however I will have to leave you hanging on this as it is a major topic of my next module.....

module 9

The making of a Dell Computer is nothing more the a very complex supply chain. First an order is put in via phone or internet into “Dell's Order Management System,” which does the CC card checks and verifies other personal info. After, an email containing the order is send out is sent out to one of the six Dell Factories in the world. When this email is send out, an electronic signal is also sent to the factory's supplier logistics center (SLC) that details the parts specific to the order. The SLC's main job is to keep track of the inventory and keep up with the demand. The SLC's collaborate with many different suppliers from many different companies in many different countries. This cycle happens every 2 hours so that the manufacturing plant always has the “just in time” components it need to make the customized computer. If by chance the SLC is running low on a certain part, they let a Dell sales rep. know instantly, so they can offer a deal to the consumer for a better part. So now, not only is the consumer feeling like he/she is being well taken care of, Dell is actually helping themselves by making the transaction quicker, and making themselves look good, when in reality it is them that had a a slight glitch in the supply chain. This is pretty ingenious!!!

After the manufacturing plant has assembled the laptop, it is send down a conveyer belt were servers await to upload the consumers desired software. Then, it is packaged and sent on to its final destination, where ever that may be! That is a well orchestrated supply chain! But the lesson truly being taught by Friedman is his “Dell Theory,” which says no two countries in the same supply chain shall ever go to war, because their lives and economy has already been touched for the good, and going to war would only be a step in the wrong direction. The “Dell Theory” however only applies to countries and states, and not to terrorists groups which have no state. Al-Qaeda is a great example.

Al-Qaeda's has learned to collaborate on the internet just like any flattened country or company. However they use the internet to spread hate and fear. They use the internet to recruit their soldiers, and they use the internet use to outsource these soldiers to train them. Al-Qaeda does have a supply chain, not of goods, but of “ murder and mayhem.” This supply chain uses small networks that move their money through howalas. They recruits come from the alternative educational systems and like I mentioned through the net. This brings about the worst supply chain of all, the suicide supply chain. This chain is like any other, however instead of supplying goods, this chain supplies suicide bombers. Just as one bomber goes out and does his job, another is needed to replace him. This is sick, and thanks to the same internet that brings me my basketball scores, comes another suicide bomber that is more then willing to sacrifice his life in the name of jihad.

The the supply chains of Al-Qeada are not the only advantage they get from a flattened world, they also use the internet to research potential targets so the executions of the missions can be more precise then ever. This is a scary thought and proof that a couple of bad apples can ruin the whole bunch.

To switch gears to the curse of oil, to me it seems the people of the countries from which the oil is coming from, are the people most suffering from the curse. As long as the leaders of these countries can get rich from drilling oil they will never tapping into the talents of their own people. Most of these people are completely obvious to this because they feel they are being treated fair by their own country, when in fact they are being mis-lead; they have no representation, which leads to no or poor learning facilities. This leaves their own people out of the technological loop, and in the end when the oil does run dry ( AND THAT DAY WILL COME), they will have no other choice but to change, by then it could be to late. These conditions also cause  higher oil prices because the oil rich state is totally dependent on oil money, and where ever there is money to be made there will also be greed and corruption. Friedman theorizes that with the gas prices as high as they are, it only fuels us to arise to the challenge of renewable alternative fuel resources. I could not agree more!

For a long time now gas prices have been extremely high. I always hear people complain about it, and how inconvenient is it, typical Americans, sad but true! I on the other hand have always preached, “The high gas prices are not the problem, they are the solution.” I know that the prices are an inconvenience for us AT THE MOMENT, however we spoiled American's need to look at the bigger picture. Higher gas prices would force us to think different and do different. This is the least we can to for our mother earth; in which with out her, none of us would have life. I also agree with Friedman, that each of us has a moral price and responsibility to the air pollution that we cause, and because of this maybe gas prices should be even higher. Am I crazy?

Finally to conclude my reading of “The world is Flat,” I also have to agree with Friedman that even though the Flat World has brought us closer together, it also keeps us further a part. I am one of those people he describes as NOT SOCIALIZING. I'm that person with an MP3 player always in my ear. I am always turning down a visit or parties invites because I am at home on facebook. This part of the book really hit home because I realize how much FUN I am actually missing. I trade virtual people for real people all the time! I feel safer this way. But its more then that, facebook has a certain nature that is very addicting. I can remember when I used to make it a point to go to a friends house to watch a Jazz game. Now I stay at home and facebook that friend about the game during the game. This actually causes me to miss a lot of the game as I pay more attention to facebook then my beloved Jazz. This is a trend that didn't happen over night, this has been happening over the course of years, progressively getting worse. Thank you Friedman for pointing out one of my biggest flaws, I will work on it! Hopefully in one the the Wifi-free spots that he so enthusiastically speaks of!!!

Module 8

The Computer Education Era!!!

For the last 13 years, since I graduated high school, I have notice many trends in which computers have increasingly helped people better educate themselves. There are far too many examples to be fit into a two page essay, especially being that I am an I.T. student. I think a more appropriate question would be, “How doesn't my computer help in my education?” Since there are so many things I could write about, I will discuss what I feel to be the two biggest educational advantages that students of today have over there predecessors. The first one being the search-engine, the second being word-processing software.

Now is the time of the information era. People have so much power in the palms of their hands and most of them have yet to realize the magnitude of it. For example, in high school I had to do this huge research assignment to fulfill the needs of my senior English class. From grades 1-12 I have been taught how to use periodicals, the dewy-decimal system, and of course the infamous card catalog in which you would have to open drawers full of cards that simply referenced the books that you are seeking. The process of getting the info could take hours, especially if you had to eye scan an entire book to extract a small yet important piece of inforamtion. This type of efficiency is no longer the norm, and would not be accepted in today's world as it simply takes too long to compile a project in this manner. So forget everything that I've learned in high school! There is a simpler, quicker process to retrieve information. Of this course is the search engine.

Lets say I wanted to do a research project on the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. Before this era, I would have to go to the library and do a bunch a research just find some info. Heck, I couldn't even tell you what date it happened on unless I put 10 -15 minutes into research. But thanks to Google I can simply type “when did the challenger explode?” into the URL bar (assuming I am using Google Chrome),and bam there it is, Jan 28^th 1986! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster)! I found the answer in only the amount of time it took me to type the question!!! That is powerful! And I was excited when the card catalogs when to computers! That is nothing in comparison of today. Of course none of this is possible without the internet, another obvious educational tool.

Second, I would have to say that the word processor is another important computer tool that makes typing projects faster, and easier then ever before. Even as I am now writing, I can say that I have already used the back-space, delete, and copy n' paste options numerous times. Had I been using a typewriter I can guarantee that this essay would have been typed numerous times over before getting the final draft to perfection. Even the slightest mistake while using a type writer will cause havoc and force you to either use white-out, or even worse, you might find yourself typing the whole page over again.

Having said all that, I do find one draw-back to word processing software. It enables us to become stupid spellers as it auto-corrects or checks all your spelling errors. I consider myself to be pretty intelligent, however I am awful at spelling, and the fact that everything I type gets corrected for me does not help my spelling skills. Of course in this day and age is it really important to be a good speller? Or use correct grammar for that matter? Seems that text-lingo is taking over. I also know that English is always evolving and changing. So is this text-lingo the new evolved English? I really hope not. A part of me wants to maintain the integrity of the English language; but at the same time, I am wondering if it really matters that much. We all understand the new text-lingo, and understanding is really the only part that matters. Either way, I am constantly finding myself typing text-lingo into my essays only to have them removed (thanks to word processing software) after I proof read.

I seriously contemplate the whole text-lingo vs English dilemma all the time. So I ask all that read this blog please respond with your thoughts. Do you see the same trend happening? I would love to get a census on it, and thanks to blogs, word processing software, and the internet and am able to do so!

Module 7

Comparative Advantages are no longer defined by a country's national resources or its geographic location. This is in part due to the fact that in today's economy, ideas and innovations are just as important as trucks, apples or oil. There is no doubt that with the flatting of the world, some developing countries will tap into the worlds platform and improve its overall economy, while some will remain stagnate and suffer. Friedman gives four basic concepts in which developing countries will have to improve.

The first concept that developing countries will have to improve is infrastructure. This is the basic technology and bandwidth in which individuals and companies must have to collaborate on the worlds great platform.

The Second concept is the right educational system. One that promotes not only math and science but also arts and music. Not only is it important to be computer savvy, but it is equally important to be creative and innovative. This is especially true if a developing country lacks natural resources and relies solely on services and entertainment.

The third is the right Governance. This includes a wide array of things. It is very important that a person be able to launch a business fast and cheap. This in large as a lot to do with the local laws. How easy and expensive is it to get your business up and going? How well protect are your employees? Are they too well protected? And how friendly are your countries macroeconomic policies, or what Friedman calls “reform wholesale?” All these things need to be considered.

The fourth is the right environment. Its the countries that preserve their green spaces that will attract the best workers. I surely can relate to this. I must find my roots with mother Earth on a weekly basis or I'd go crazy.

When all is said and done, the winners will be the countries that have the right infrastructure, best people, and practice “reform wholesale.” This explains why China and Ireland have been so successful.

Shifting gears, a coupe of months ago I helped a friend buy a computer online. We went to HP's website and started looking. The thing that really surprised me (never having bought a computer online) is how customizable each laptop was. I was under the impression that after he picked his particular model, that would be the end. Well, I was wrong! That was when the fun just got started. My friend was able to customize practically every component on his machine, from his hard drive, to his ram, the size of the screen, and color of the body. To the best of my knowledge this is the only time I have ever been a self-directed costumer, and even then I wasn't the consumer my friend was. However, I thought this to be pretty cool. I understand what Friedman was talking about when he says that Big companies should make them-selves small. It almost seemed as if we were dealing with an individual who was taking our order, like at a restaurant.

Finally, will globalization mean Americanization? I will have to respectfully disagree with

Friedman and say yes! Friedman presents some good arguments of why he believes Americanization will not happen. However, I can find rebuttal within his own concepts and observations that he has made through out his book.

If I may, I will take you back to India. By Freedman's own accord, there are numerous Indians EARGLY learning to speak English just so they take part in the jobs that are offered by American outsourcing. So is that not Americanization? I believe it is. Also, Friedman puts great emphasis on free-trade and frictionless supply-chains. He teaches that in order to have frictionless supply-chains, standards have to be established, ie. computer protocols, and software. Seems to me that human language should also be standardized as well for maximum efficiency. And lets face it more people speak English then any other tongue. I can very well see English as the worlds language in the very near future, at least from a business stand point..

Basketball is yet another example of Americanization in progress. Lets not make any mistake about this, basketball is 100% American. It was invented in Massachusetts in the late 1800's and has been perfected through-out American Universities ever since. No wonder why Americans have had the edge in basketball for most of the 1900's. Not because we have better athletes, but because America has many resources to teach this wonderful sport. No wonder Friedman chose to mention Greece beating us Americans in the 2006 Basketball World Championship as an example of globalization. Suddenly Greece has great basketball resources, just as America! However I think Friedman neglected the idea that when any person who isn't American practices basketball, Americanization is taking place as they are practicing a part of our American culture. Also note that there are more international NBA players then ever before; and there are more basketball teams and leagues in Europe and across the globe then ever before. Lets take a look at the NBA's newest star who's talent is sweeping America by storm! His name is Jeremy Lin, and he is not from here, he is from China!!!!If that isn't Americanization then what is it?

Finally, Friedman symbolizes the internet as a pizza in his attempt to solidify his case that Americanization is not happenning. I find this very odd as I think to myself, “Man that's some pretty vertical thinking for someone who is trying to teach that the world is flat.” I don't buy into his symbolism. The internet is something logical and intangible. If the Japanese were to put it piece of sushi (as Friedman puts it), on the pizza that is the World Wide Web, then that piece of sushi isn't sitting on top of Japan alone, it is spread across the world. The same no matter what country you are from, or what type of food is placed upon the pizza. At the end of the day, American will have put more food on top of the pizza then any other country. Sure this casserole pizza will have a little bit of everything in it, but it will be American dominate having more hot dogs and hamburgers then anything....