Hi my name is Sam. How can I help you?

I was calling a support line for my Proxima Ultralight s520 LCD projector and man who was obviously based out of India answered the phone. Being a world citizen I did not balk at an inconvenience of trying to decipher his meaning through a thick accent. Instead, I welcomed the opportunity in deciding for myself if globalization produces more proficient support for products. Although at one point the man had to spell out a question he was asking, and actually got a bit discouraged by raising his voice, this gentleman and I got along just fine, though I still didn't have much faith that anything could be achieved through this process. After putting me on hold to consult the support inroads on the product, he returned to tell me "thank you for you being on hold" and that they weren't supporting this product any longer. I wasn't surprised in the least. He did tell me I could "trade-up" my product for a new InFocus projector and then left the phone by wishing me to "Have a nice day." I just did have a nice day. Talking with a gentleman from India about an old LCD projector just made me realize how small the world really is insomuch that I am able to communicate, albeit not entirely well, with a person living halfway around the world as if he was down the street. And knowing that Technical Support positions pay well in India and not in America, I would rather talk with an employee enthusiastic about his job than a disgruntled one . Thanks Sam.

March Madness 2007

As predicted, March Madness and "Bracket Watching" consumes the sports fan these days. The perfect amount of games to offset the blowouts and nailbiters. Duke getting upset by a hungry Virginia Commonwealth squad just put icing on the already-sweet cake. Winthrop comes through for me big time with a defeat of Notre Dame. Another victory would vindicate my faith placing them in the Sweet 16.

Best in Sport?

I have always wondered what the pinnacle moment in sports is, and what sport that moment comes from. I am not talking about actual events that have taken place, there are certainly many moments that cannot be compared. Here I am focusing on a specific play that occurs in a particular sport (i.e Touchdown from a Hail Mary, Bottom-of-the-ninth scenario, soccer goal late in the second half to tie the game etc.). Buzzerbeaters form perhaps there own category, as some sports are controlled by the clock and once that clock hits zero there is no more play. Basketball, soccer and hockey, among others, are in this category. Other sports have time restrictions but play is not dead when the official clock hits 0:00. Time is suspended at 0:00 when the game clock runs out and the play is allowed to be concluded before the game is over. This leaves the characteristic "last play" where there is a definitive conclusion to a game on the field. The game does not finish in the middle of an action. With sports that are not run by a clock, but controlled by game criteria, the result is that there is always a last play. In fact, the game cannot end without the last play. Baseball is the best example of this type of contest and unless there is a pre-mature conclusion due to inclement weather, the game must end with two-outs in the ninth inning with either the away team behind in the top of the inning or the home team losing in the bottom. Can there be a better ending than in a sport where the game's outcome is decided by the last play? Is there anything better than the prototype game-winning-homerun-in-the-bottom-of-the-ninth? Perhaps, but it would be hard to out-do it.

Illegal Immigrants [in America] III. Cultural Identity

CULTURAL IDENTITY

Before this recent mass migration of latin workers, young men and families from Europe and Asia had come to America looking for work to improve their lot. They migrated to America to start again. Many had the dream of simply work hard and my kids will have better opportunity than I. They dreamed of their sons and daughters having the chance at an education and being somebody important, successful or even just rich. These opportunities were not available for them in their native countries. Latino workers do just the same, however, the close proximity to America allows them to go home for good when they get enough to survive on. This is probably the biggest fear and the reason many Americans support anti illegal immigration legislation...They don't want to become us, they just want to make money off of us. This is not to say that many don't want to move here for good, it's just that so many are here with no intention on becoming citizens and with their families elsewhere, there is no community to pledge allegiance to. There is no desire to keep neighborhoods clean and healthy, no reason to report crimes, no reason to become part of a greater community. They also make it harder for latino immigrants to assimilate here. With so many illegals in such small enclaves, the latino culture is difficult to lose. Spanish is not broken and it is possible to live entirely in spanish speaking communities without ever having to learn English. That's fine, except that because this country is a predominantly English-speaking country, in order to be successful, it is completely necessary to speak English, and by that I don't mean pidgeon English. What incentive is their for foreign workers to learn the language if they don't plan on staying?