The value of time has increased exponentially within the last decade. We are now in a time where the margin between when we want something (i.e. information) to when we get something (i.e. via google) is so microscopically small - that if that margin was any larger, we’d go ballistic (or at least I would anyway).

Ten years ago, I waited 10-15 minutes, sometimes up to 30, for a single download off napster. I was on a 56k modem, downloading from another 56k modem. That - in that day in time - was a treat. A gift! In comparison to going to Sam Goodie’s.

In today’s terms, that’s like two turtles meeting each other half way. Now, I can interchange between shifting gears and downloading music and podcasts while commuting (not that I do, or anything). I subconciously *expect* my music to upload to my mobile device immediately. And you know what. Immediately today will be turtle tomorrow.

Which gets me to the point of where we are now in this economy. We are in an information rich age, where knowledge dominates - yet is highly accessible. At the same time, as I mentioned in the beginning, time is clearly more valuable now than it has ever been. Which means what? That the standard of efficiency has skyrocketed. In effect, it has decrease the amount of jobs available in the market. Our economy is contracting (though there are signs of gradual improvement). What’s even tougher to realize is this contraction of educational opportunities; tuition is up, number of students is up, yet the class availability has scaled back, programs have scaled down.

Wasn’t the economy on the political agenda two years ago? Where are we now. Well - we now have cash for clunkers. Home buyer credit plan was side-stepped by a socioeconomic shift toward renting vs. home-owning. They were fix-its. But now game-plans. (But hey, I can’t blame ‘em myself; for every idea I have, I can make an argument against it). You’ve heard it before, but - we need a long-term, sustainable road-map to recovery coupled with sound fiscal policies.

But not all is doom-and-gloom (or, bah-hum-bug, for seasonality). The govn’t seems to show more enthusiasm about domestic profitability and developing/expanding  international trade relations.

(Off topic, but. It’s unfortunate how we feel sympathetic to other countries who work terrible wages - by a global standard - but once their economies start improving, they start accessing wealth and education, they end up “stealing” our jobs. Their prosperity somehow translates to our impairment. Not true. They had a generation that worked hard, long hours to drive their economies incrementally higher and “keep their engine running” so to speak. We American multinationals independently decided to invest in their countries - through simple services. Those simple services increased salary and made a whole market. Their economic growth story is testament to their hard work. I aspire to match their work ethic with the cards that I have been dealt - come to think of it… it’s time to study again. Thankfully.

Btw - in terms of long term outlook - maybe we should start teaching Mandarin in elementary/HS. ‘Cause guess whose the next US…)

Interesting to read my stream of conscious. It started from a thesis and it transpired into a Thanksgiving note. Well, wish I could write more. but.. back to studying. 再见!