Thanks for the thoughtful and heartfelt comments on my last Post. As I read them, I as usual enjoyed the content—nodding, smiling, and scowling as I proceeded. But I was also, maybe mostly, thrilled (right word) anew at the global reach of the Web and Blogging. After 63+ years as a U.S. citizen, I obviously write with and cannot conceal, even if I wished to, a distinct U.S. bias that I’m not even aware of much of the time. (Not so much “pro-U.S.” as, “Hey this is the only thing I know at a deep cultural level.”) Nonetheless, it was a thrill (that word again) back in 1982 to see that so many from so many places took a shine to In Search of Excellence—a 100% American book. The reason, in retrospect, was obvious and not nationalistic—the book was “just” about people, people treated as intelligent + creative + worthy of the utmost respect, people contributing/capable of contributing to a greater goal that was fulfilling, even uplifting, to their enterprise and themselves, and hopefully a larger community beyond their/our immediate environs. (And to re-state the obvious, these obvious ideas that obviously led to better-sustaining performance were largely unobvious in all nooks and crannies around the world.) Likewise today in the Blogosphere, here at your-our site, tompeters.com, we are all humble and connected servants of matchless (exactly the right word!!) opportunities to engage in and contribute to this carnival called GlobalLife.2005, GlobalLife.2006. “Flat world,” “global village,” whatever … we are indeed full-scale participants in a borderless (overused word—but the right one nonetheless) conversation (overused word—but the right one nonetheless) of utterly unheard of proportion—just 5 years ago. I love it, outrageous problems notwithstanding, outrageous opportunities considered—and as I said when I began these remarks, I am so heartened by the contributions/comments that appear here at all hours of the day from all corners of the globe. May our modest community continue to thrive and needle and contend about some very important (and unimportant!) stuff in 2006. I guess I should close with a homily about a “fulfilling,” “uplifting” New Year. Instead I’ll stick with the tried—and still true: Happy New Year! (While—to stay on message—readily acknowledging as a striving Yankee globalist that even new year’s at the end of this week is very un-global. Among other things, Anglo-Saxon Moi, as usual, looks forward to traipsing to San Francisco in a couple of months for the sole purpose of enjoying an annual highlight—the Chinese New Year’s parade!) (Hmmmmm … maybe “start Mandarin lessons” ought to be on my upcoming Resolutions list.) (And, yes, I do know that Cantonese—Guangzhou-ese?—is the S.F. Chinese-American community principal non-English language, not Mandarin or simplified Mandarin.)