(OFF Topic for Y2K; ON Topic for Everything Else In Our Civilization): Tom Friedman's Presentation to the Governors' Conference in DC, on CSPAN2 yesterday.

I never watch TV -- wifey was twiddling the dial Sunday AM & all of a sudden I saw/heard this electrifying sequence of ideas from a Tom Friedman, invited to present his ideas to the assembled governors. Tom is the long-time Foreign Affairs editor of the NYTimes (ordinarily enough to make me want to ignore anything further by one of its editors.) BUT THIS GUY IS DIFFERENT. He wrote a book in '99 called "The Lexus And The Olive Tree*." And he was presenting the ideas in that book. He was giving straight-from-the-shoulder advice to the assembled leaders. And you could see their eyes pop open at some of things being said.

In brief: Tom is BEYOND Capitalism vs Central Planning, Democrats vs Republicans, Liberals vs Conservatives, Globalists (WTO) vs Ecomomic Isolationists, The Supremacy of Technocracy vs Traditional Human and Spiritual Values, Smoke Stack Economies vs Information Economies, and beyond several more of our popular pet polarities. He's a once in a generaton (lifetime?) phenomenon folks. Go get a copy of the CSPAN tape! Buy a copy of his book on Amazon! (I'm waiting for my copy now.) Read it. Then come back here and let's talk about it.

* - It's a hardback. I'm cheap -- I always like to buy the paperback versions. However, the paperback isn't coming out till May 2. I can't wait. You'd better not either!

Bill

P.S. For the hollow-souled sceptics that abound on our forum here, YES, I'M MAKING A PROFIT ON THIS DEAL, AS I DID WITH MY Y2K RECOMMENDATIONS, AS I DID WHEN I RECOMMENDED COLLOIDAL SILVER. I'M MAKING A FORTUNE. DON'T YOU WISH YOU WERE SO WELL-CONNECTED? B.

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000

Answers

There's ALWAYS an angle, Doc!!

Thanks for coming clean. ;^)

>"<

-- Squirrel Hunter (nuts@upina.cellrelaytower), February 28, 2000.

Hi Bill this sounds VERY interesting. There is nothing like a new paradigm in a slum of poverty of ideas. I'm going to check the library 1st. I have 3 libraries available.....Bill I wish you would email me. I have some new and exciting medical info for you involving quantum mechanics. My CFS is so under control now, I'm working 1/2 time.....Tim

-- Tim Johnson (timca@webtv.net), February 28, 2000.

KILLER OF MY FAVORITE RODENT SPECIES:

Hey, you want I should cut you a deal? Suggest a percentage and maybe we'll talk.

TIM JOHNSON:

Hello, old friend from GN's original forum!! Glad to hear your CFS is now manageable ... that's great news. Will email you,

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000.

*-Hey, don't forget about the public library...

-- winter wondering (winterwondring@yahoo.com), February 28, 2000.

WINTER WONDERING:

Hey, we don't got no liberries here in Silver Ridge. I hear tell we got some likker stills tho.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000.

Hey William, don't forget to let the computer do the work for you. Use www.mysimon.com to shop for you. It came up with 22 book dealers, the prices and the cost of shipping for the book BUT you will always, ALWAYS find it cheaper on eBAY. I just placed a bid for the hardback for $3.50. As a general rule, you can get like new stuff for half price on eBay but generally less. Books don't sell well I know, I've sold enough of them on eBay. Only rare books do well. I tried to sell a pristine hardback copy of Scarlett the sequel to Gone with the Wind and I couldn't sell it for $3.50!! So if you're really cheap like you say you are, then you'll heed my words. Nobody else bid on my copy, its mine I say!

-- Guy Daley (guydaley@bwn.net), February 28, 2000.

GUY:

You have to get up early in the morning to beat this guy -- I couldn't wait to order, and it's already on the way. As a result of your tardiness I spent probably an extra $15, which you owe me (Isn't that the way The New Paradigm thinks?)

Tnx for the lead -- will use it next time.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000.

I heard portions of his talk, it was great! Wish he had a board handy (which he looked around for) to illustrate his topics. Terrific speaker. Wonder if they will rerun this?

-- Sammie (sammiex0@yahoo.com), February 28, 2000.

Do a search on "The Lexus and the Olive Tree." Lots of hits returned when I did it. Now I can find out what the fuss is all about.

-- Ceemeister (ceemeister@hotmail.com), February 28, 2000.

ADDENDUM TO LEAD POST

It's hard for me to believe that ANY book can capture what Tom Friedman was doing with his body language: speech tempo, speech rhythms, significant pauses, his eye focus, his finger and hand movements, his upper body positions. Can anyone here suggest the protocol for trying to buy a tape from CSPAN2 of the shindig? FM, are you there?

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ts/book-customer-reviews/0374192030/ 102-4924880-4636050

Reviewer: Arne Kolfenbach from Hamburg, Germany February 15, 2000

The book is offering an interesting insight into the current development of globalization, giving the reader various examples. Unfortunately, most of the examples seem to be the authors' thoughts or interview-results that are manipulated by him (at least the style), causing severe damage to the quality of the book as such. Starting from a "quasi-analytical" perspective, Friedman leads into a political campaign at the end of the book, revealing a biast american point of view and failing to maintain global understanding. One is shocked to hold such a low quality report, written by a man in Friedman's position, meant to be a guideline to globalisation, into one's hands.

Reviewer: amberalicia from New York February 16, 2000

I've read about half of this book, and although I know I should finish it before I pass judgement, I'm not sure I'll be able to take another page of Friedman's smug tone, and constant analogies. Before I read this book I thought that analogies were a really good way to explain complex things so they are easily understood. Friedman goes too far! He over uses his analogies to the extent that you forget what the hell he was talking about in the first place. There's also something obnoxious about his tone. The title of the first chapter "Tourist with an Attitue" gives you a hint. This line, on page 86: "So,idelologically speaking, there is no more mint chocolate chip, there is no more strawberry swirl,and there is no more lemon-lime. Today there is only free-market vanilla and North Korea." really made me need a drink. I am consoled by the fact that this book will end . I hope I can stick with it.

Reviewer: A reader from Washington, DC February 19, 2000

Not always accurate, and not comprehesive: Friedman tries to pack too much information into the book without adequate explanation.

-- alan (foo@bar.com), February 28, 2000.

Geeze, Bill S. loves the talk and the posted reviews pan the book.

Gotta be interesting.

-- Dean -- from (almost) Duh Moyn (dtmiller@midiowa.net), February 28, 2000.

DEANO FROM DESMOINSO:

Yep, when I started reading the review list I said 'What the hey -- this doesn't sound like the book's anywhere near where Tom Friedman's coming from 'in the flesh!'

Then I kept reading down the list (I think there's 95+ reviews), past where the private purchasers' opinions were posited -- to the reviews from the press and magazines. That's when the rave reviews started complementing what I saw on the tube. Hope I'm not disappointed.

Wifey yelled out, "He should run for president!" I reminded wifey tha t the two occupations tend to be mutually exclusive (i.e., digging out deep, revolutionary truths vs somebody making a living at being a politician.) Do I believe in miracles? Yes, but when I talked to Heavenly Father, He told me, "Billy, you want me to create new solar systems, even new galaxies? Sure, piece of cake. But give you an electable politician who is a real Thinker? Hey, give me a break!"

Redneck Bill from 'Bama

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000.

Forget the snotty reviews - read the book and judge for yourself. I thought it was fascinating. Sure, he uses lots of anecdotes - it gives the concepts, which could have easily been dry and pedantic, a nice human touch. I thought his stories were really interesting, sort of like snapshots from all over the world on how globalization is changing people's cultural, economic, political, and physical environment. If you're interested at all in how the information/communication revolution is reshaping our world, I highly recommend this book.

Linda S.

-- Linda S. (swartout@swva.net), February 28, 2000.

LINDA S:

Can you tell me, Madam, why is it that there's such a preponderance of smart ladies compared to smart Joes on this forum?

Thank you for pointing out that, in spite of those who worship academics/scholars, most people learn much faster and more accurately from anecdotes than from yards and yards of facts. The major advantage I see to the latter type of information is that with judicious use it can radically cut the number of prescriptions written for sleeping pills.

Tom Friedman knows the value of anecdotal material. You know. I know. Working on the rest of the world. Check back with me in about 100k years or so.

Bill, who loves to hear and tell stories.

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), February 28, 2000.

ATTENTION:

Since this forum is closing down, go to the new TimeBomb2000 forum to read the subsequent post (IMPORTANT one -- it's got the info needed to view the video clip using RealPlayer7 and/or buying the tape from CSPAN for $39+.)

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), March 02, 2000.

EVERYBODY:

There are 4 ways to read/see/hear Tom Friedman -----

1) buy the book on Amazon ($19+)

2) buy the audio tape on Amazon ($14+)

3) watch it on your computer screen for free (C-Span saves it in the archives for about a month,) or

4) buy the video tape.

Here's how to do #3 or 4 -----

You can watch/listen to the event at www.c-span.org; click on VIDEO AND AUDIO; CLICK on ARCHIVE; Click on OTHER EVENTS; Scroll down to National Governors Association. In order to see it you need to download an audio/video viewer -- the C-Span website's home page let's you click on an icon for RealPlayer7; I chose the 'basic' version -- it's for free. Takes 15 minutes to download at 28k. Tom's talk starts about 20% in from the beginning.

To order videotapes call C-SPAN's archives at 1-877-662-7726. Here's the specs:

Forum; Technology and the Global Economy; National Governors' Association; Washington, District of Columbia (United States); ID: 155653 - 02/27/2000 - 2:03 - $39.95

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), March 03, 2000.

EVERYBODY:

OK, the pattern is clear: I'll be following this thread, NOT on the previous hotlinked URL, but here:

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=TB2K%20 spinoff%20uncensored.

Bill

-- William J. Schenker, MD (wjs@linkfast.net), March 04, 2000.