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Hypiereon · Fri 20-Jan-06, 08:02 PM

Not too long ago we were talking about the Industrial Revolution - but now the Technological Revolution is in FULL SWING. Makes you realize what they must have felt like back in the Renaissance Era and the Age of Enlightenment. They really didn't know what parts of their little era would leave a lasting impression on us in the future much the same way we do not yet know how the things of our time will linger to generations 100 or 1,000 years from now.

Every once in a while I'll get on an internet binge just to get around English again. It isn't the same as face-to-face, but it does something to help preserve my sanity. I'm in China with a wife and daughter, and being the only people who speak native English means we canreally get on each other's nerves at times. Not that other foreigners aren't around, but that we rarely get the chance to have a chat.

My wife gets on video conferencing with her mother, and we recently hooked up a LINGO Box here that lets us call anywhere in the USA for a flat fee. (Not supposed to do this according to the website, but we didn't bother to ask their permission. A friend of mine help me set it up and it works great.) My wife can call ANYONE, ANYWHERE, in the USA and talk to her hearts content. It also gives us immediate access to doctors in America to ask about medical problems we're afraid to go to Chinese doctors about.

In all, technology MUST be the factor that is making the difference you mentioned. No more "Slow boats to China" anymore. Just 100 years ago a letter would take six months going from America to China, but these days my wife calls her mom to get her on the video conferencing and it's done. I remember video conferencing being something that was only done form one starship to another on Star Trek!! Kirk's little "communicator" sure looks a lot chessier than my cell-phone that I can use to call anywhere in the world. Makes me wonder how V.R. and the likes of "The Matrix" will play out in the future.

(How would we really know we're not already there?)

"Everything that happens to you takes place first in the mind." - Morpheus
(Not the exact quote, but you get the idea.)

Fri 20-Jan-06, 08:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Hypiereon ESL Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Nationality: American Occupation: General Manager www.MilestoneGC.com Location: Posts: 140	The Technological Revolution Not too long ago we were talking about the Industrial Revolution - but now the Technological Revolution is in FULL SWING. Makes you realize what they must have felt like back in the Renaissance Era and the Age of Enlightenment. They really didn't know what parts of their little era would leave a lasting impression on us in the future much the same way we do not yet know how the things of our time will linger to generations 100 or 1,000 years from now. Every once in a while I'll get on an internet binge just to get around English again. It isn't the same as face-to-face, but it does something to help preserve my sanity. I'm in China with a wife and daughter, and being the only people who speak native English means we canreally get on each other's nerves at times. Not that other foreigners aren't around, but that we rarely get the chance to have a chat. My wife gets on video conferencing with her mother, and we recently hooked up a LINGO Box here that lets us call anywhere in the USA for a flat fee. (Not supposed to do this according to the website, but we didn't bother to ask their permission. A friend of mine help me set it up and it works great.) My wife can call ANYONE, ANYWHERE, in the USA and talk to her hearts content. It also gives us immediate access to doctors in America to ask about medical problems we're afraid to go to Chinese doctors about. In all, technology MUST be the factor that is making the difference you mentioned. No more "Slow boats to China" anymore. Just 100 years ago a letter would take six months going from America to China, but these days my wife calls her mom to get her on the video conferencing and it's done. I remember video conferencing being something that was only done form one starship to another on Star Trek!! Kirk's little "communicator" sure looks a lot chessier than my cell-phone that I can use to call anywhere in the world. Makes me wonder how V.R. and the likes of "The Matrix" will play out in the future. (How would we really know we're not already there?) "Everything that happens to you takes place first in the mind." - Morpheus (Not the exact quote, but you get the idea.) __________________ Hypiereon's Maxim: "The best teacher cannot help a student who absolutely refuses to learn; the worst teacher cannot refuse the one who will not be denied."