Technology and the Imminent Future

We are living in exponential times. Globalization and the growth of technology are setting our generation up as the guinea pigs to a new set of rules, a new set of boundaries, and the most information ever available in human history. Did you know, a week's worth of New York Times contains more information than a person living in the 18th Century was likely to have come across? There are five times as many words in the English language than existed in Shakespeare's time. 1.5 exabytes of unique information will be created this year! That's more than in the last 5,000 years. The top 10 jobs in 2010, did not exist in 2004. The United States ranks 20th in broadband penetration (just behind Luxemburg). We spent less than 70 million dollars on research and development in education last year as a country, while Nintendo spent over 140 million in product research and development alone. One eighth of couples married last year.....met online. If myspace were a country, it would be the eleventh largest country in the world. Anywhere from 2.7 to 6 billion searches are performed on Google every month. 3,000 books are published everyday in the world. Fiber optics now exist that can transmit 10 trillion bits per second down one strand (1,900 CD's or 150 million phone calls per second). All of these facts are leaning towards the demise of the "American Rule" as leader of the world. China's time is approaching as our's was in the early 20th century. The top 25% of China with the highest IQ, is greater than the total population of North America. In 2010, 90% of all science and technology graduates will be asian. These signs are obvious and with our own failing current economy, our attributes will be tested. I am a huge patriot, but our time as head honcho is coming to an end and if you can't except that, you may think of pleading ignorance.