As one Indian exec put it to me: The Americans' self-image that this tech thing was their private preserve is over. This is a wake-up call for US workers to redouble their efforts at education and research. If they do that, he said, it will spur "a whole new cycle of innovation, and we'll both win. If we each pull down our shutters, we will both lose."

The Great Indian Dream

In one form or another, governments have been fighting these five wars for centuries. And losing them. Indeed, thanks to the changes spurred by globalization over the last decade, their losing streak has become even more pronounced. To be sure, nation-states have benefited from the information revolution, stronger political and economic linkages, and the shrinking importance of geographic distance. Unfortunately, criminal networks have benefited even more.

The Five Wars of Globalization

Generations since the 1950's have been trained for life at the touch of a button. People press away ... futilely, believing that insistence gets results. Or maybe they enjoy that sense of power that pressing seems to impart.

The LA Times has a penchant for writing random, obscure editorials. It's nice to see NY Times getting into the act. On some level, though, there is very serious depth to this notion about people and buttons -- it says a lot about people today.

Press Here to Control the Universe

There is nothing more positive than the self-confidence, dignity and optimism that comes from a society knowing it is producing wealth by tapping its own brains.

How would you like a steady, satisfying job that pays well?

Did I mention it's the graveyard shift?

Bringing Hope to Young People

The MDGs have become the international standard of reference for measuring and tracking improvements in the human condition in developing countries. The welfare of these countries is also intricately intertwined with the security of the industrialized countries, making development a truly global venture.

Science, Technology, and Innovation [PDF]

Earlier this week I logged this book.

The prologue and the first chapter are now available in PDF.

Table of Contents:

1. From Strollers to Walkers
2. Truth is Worse Than Fiction
3. Driving in LA with a Map of New York
4. Popular Tonics, Snake Oils, and Other Easy Fixes
5. Going Critical
6. Changing Course
7. Grab Your Life Jacket
8. Securing Your Future

The Coming Generational Storm | Sample Chapters

In "The Future of Work", renowned organizational theorist Thomas Malone argues that a convergence of technological and economic factors -- particularly the rapidly falling cost of communication -- is enabling a change in business organizations as profound as the shift to democracy in governments. For the first time in history, it will be possible to have the best of both worlds -- the economic and scale efficiencies of large organizations, and the human benefits of small ones: freedom, motivation, and flexibility.

This new book, published by Harvard Business School Press, is either already out (according to HBSP) or soon to arrive (Amazon).

The Future of Work

The authors analyze trends in and the implications of shifting demographic patterns, the pace of technological change, and the path of economic globalization.

If you are presently underemployed or deeply interested, it is worth spending the time to read the full 304 page report. You can also check out the research brief on the same topic; here's the abstract for the brief:

Trends in workforce size and composition and in the pace of technological change and economic globalization will have implications for the future of work. Employees will work in more decentralized, specialized firms; slower labor growth will encourage employers to recruit groups with relatively low labor force participation; greater emphasis will be placed on retraining and lifelong learning; and future productivity growth will support higher wages and may affect the wage distribution. Given this, some policies may need to be reexamined.

I recommend reading the summary, which consists of approximately 30 pages at the beginning of the full report.

The 21st Century at Work

The open society offers a vista of limitless progress.

This is Soros at his best -- an outstanding piece of work. The article is essentially a summary of his 2000 book, Open Society, a first edition hardcover copy of which sits on my book shelf.

I hope that he returns to this message in the next ten months, rather than allow himself to get wrapped up in the Democrats' anti-Bush mania. His Bubble book was conceptually interesting in parts, but rather shrill in delivery throughout.

The Capitalist Threat - George Soros

And this is precisely the problem.

David Brooks is spot-on. I, too, hope the new commission will be chartered and staffed appropriately.

One can hope, anyway. (Hope? In an election year?)

The CIA: Method and Madness