America, You're Getting Old

Not in the antiquated, old school European way. More in the, you're no long a world leader in everything, so get over it, okay? kind of way. The more I read the more I truly believe that America was the country of the 19th and 20th centuries, but we will not be the driving force of innovation or the mecca of world culture in the 21st.

Architecture: A new 80-story skyscraper to be constructed in Dubai, designed by an Italian, with 79 wind turnbines between the floors (so that not only is it energy efficient, it ADDS to the power grid)... THAT MOVES! You have to read the article from BBC and watch the video.

Technology: Indian-born developer's technology for cellphones is being widely adopted in Japan... not the US where his company is based. An example: using your phone as an e-wallet:

"Instead of printing out online coupons, movie tickets, and boarding passes - and toting around credit cards and gift cards - consumers will son be able to store bar codes in their phones."

Want that soda from the machine? Point your cellphone at it and it will deduct the money from your account. Oh man, can you imagine how much easier it would be to have a tab at the bar? You could point your cell phone, text your drink choices, and voila, no jostling for the bitchy bartender's attention. (Only downside, imagine the problems if you LOSE your phone.)

(I'm going to look for some more examples perhaps, I'll be back)