I don’t want to get anyone in trouble – but I found an archive of a recent Thomas Friedman article online: (Thomas Friedman: U.S.-trained high-tech workers will displace us). Usually I think you have to pay to access the articles on the NY Times so this was a Lucky Strike Extra for me!
Thomas Friedman, originally from Minnesota, has written books about how the Internet has flattened the world. One example of his theory is my plan to move to Ireland this fall and have you all think I’m still at my desk in St Paul. If I can get to the Internet, then my move should be seamless for blog readers and clients alike. Bill Coleman may have even found me a way to do free video phone calls over the Internet – so folks can even see me if they want.
Back to Friedman – he recently published an article praising the US for stellar advance tech degrees – and admonishing the US for not doing more to retain the many foreign students who take advantage of our great educational opportunities. He points out that we’re mentoring our own technical and economic replacements around the world! Now that’s not such a bad thing except that we’re forgetting to keep some of the seeds to replenish and expand the original crop.
In this case the Internet (and broadband) is a double edge sword – because suddenly geography doesn’t matter. Location, location, location isn’t the answer so long as you can access the Internet – many of us can do our jobs and run our businesses from anywhere.
I don’t want to get too political but Friedman points out that:
9/11, and the failing Iraq war, have sucked up almost all the oxygen in this country — oxygen needed to discuss seriously education, health care, climate change and competitiveness, notes Garrett Graff, an editor at Washingtonian Magazine and author of the upcoming book “The First Campaign,” which deals with this theme.
I might chime in to add broadband to the list of items that need to be addressed and won’t be until we find more oxygen. Unfortunately, while we’re busy not addressing this issue other countries are moving ahead – without us.
Brain drain nice entry ann and i wont get political on it either .
Thanks! I’m a big fan of Thomas Friedman.
he does have some good outlooks on how things work.Oh and by the way when u leave for ireland you should have broadband threw the country and guess what technology .
I know! It’s great news. I have been following the WiMax through Dublin progress. Now much as I love Dublin I have learned that “finished by end of summer” doesn’t mean summer of 2007 – but I keep my fingers crossed.
I remember a pub in Galway that had a sign on the door that said “band playing tonight”. Well, there wasn’t a band there that night – but the bartender told us that it might be true again soon and they didn’t want to have to re-hang the sign so they were keeping it up. So if WiMax isn’t ready in time I won’t blame the technology.
thats true they have a different outlook in the schedule.Clearwire is the big player over there placing wimax