Sometimes, weeks go by I can't think of a thing worth committing even to electronic paper. Today, I've seen 3 topics already. A little free time can go a long way. Quickest topic first. Friedman's The World is Flat may be breathless and obvious, but it provides a useful common reference now. In the book, Friedman talks often of the likelihood that the same countries the western world currently frets will take all our jobs (India, Mexico, China, etc) will eventually themselves face the same problems. I offer you the headline "~~~~~~~ Admits Poor Treatment of Migrants" . Which country did you put in that blank? Any country picking up outsourced jobs is a half step from having that headline.

I have not yet run across any economic analysis of the impact of the exurb philosophical movement, but it sure seems worth exploring. Here's the latest NY Times article about the exurb phenomenon, but it says little more than the average Portland Tribune article about family exurb flight. The NY Times, no surprise, does a better job of capturing the sort of 3-day time horizon philosophy that leads to the explosive growth of exurbs: "I love Frisco to death," she said, "but it's having growing pains." Well, duh, yes, you have met the growing pains, and it's you. Like the long-term, back-to-the-USA trend I envision for outsourcing, I foresee a moment where city urban cores suddenly become more affordable than the latest 50-mile-out suburb. Much like the outsourcing problem, I wonder whether there isn't a smoother approach.