A friend sent me a link to this video www.youtube.com/watch.  As you watch this, several interesting facts jump off the screen that elicit a huge range of emotions.

What the speed of technology has done to our small business has forced us to react much quicker than we use to in order to stay ahead of the curve.  It seems like every day there is a new medium, new angle to capitalize on a market and/or a mixture of both that stirs an already confusing pot of circumstances.

My Take:  As much as things are changing, one thing about the US won't change: our ideas and our respect for ideas.  Because of our Intellectual Property laws, the US (or other countries with strong IP laws) has/have established an ethical guidepost for the rest of the world to follow.  In other words, if I invent something (e.g. iPod) or create something (e.g. Dave Matthews album) it can't be copied or stolen and sold for less than what the creator deems is a fair price. "But Tony, people have been selling knock off Gucci watches for 30 years...how have IP laws stopped them?" True, every good idea is copied, but how many "copied" ideas ever eventually outsell the Real McCoy?

Which leads me to my point. Because the current "civilized" system that respects someones creation as his/hers, the nations with these laws always seem to rise above those without.  So if India and China plan on "taking over the world" economy, it better get in line with "the rules".

告 别 (Good bye in Chinese)