Friedman casts his vote

Friedman wants Fat Albert in the White House ... no not Gore, but Bill Cosby. Not to worry, Friedman, you can "vote for anyone" you want ... it's called "write in" voting, so knock yourself out.

Often, Friedman reminds me of Dickens' Pecksniff. Today, we're told we have "three baby booms bearing down at us ... in this increasingly flat world." A rather artless reference to his newest, unpublished book.

Ironically, a history student is telling us America needs more engineers and scientists. Friedman tells us young Indians, Chinese, and East Europeans want to build things and "dominate" markets.

It's clear Friedman doesn't understand Scientists and Engineers discover and build things in the Real World, not in the etheral world of the Internet. Generally speaking, their work occupies space and consists of matter. Only journalists and politicians can build "bridges to the 21st century." Here's a hint, Friedman: John Galt is only a character in a story.

Things are built where people want them, not necessarily where people are that can build them. It's quite true the NY Times could easily find another Thomas L. Pecksniff in China or India, but it's not true that the NY Times will start printing their paper in India or China to serve their American readers. In the Real World, space matters.

For me, I hope the NY Times "outsources" their entire editorial page.