About two months ago, I purchased a new laptop from Apple. Since I wanted more memory than their default, I could not just get one from the store so I had to order it online. Slightly delayed gratification.
Although trivial on some levels, the overall fulfillment experience totally amazed me. I got a new system, configured for me to my specifications, built and shipped from China! which arrived at my house only days after my order.
Most people probably take an experience like this for granted but as someone who has worked in manufacturing and studied the concepts of "built to order" production systems, the logistics involved here are simple amazing. My laptop from China got her faster than the software in the same order which came from California and from the East Coast.
This one small example shows that the global economy really is surging ahead into new areas for humankind.
