Advances in transportation (mainly flying) and communications (satellite/cellular technology and the internet) have "flattened" the world. We are able to get anywhere on the planet via commercial transportation in roughly twenty-four hours, and we can contact just about anywhere on the planet whenever needed.How much are these capabilities worth? It's hard to put a value on transportation when you really need to get somewhere and communications when you really need to speak with someone. The easiest way to put this into perspective is to use a couple of simple examples.
If you've ever been away from home when a loved one has become gravely ill, you know the value of jumping the next airplane on short notice to get home. It's usually costly to do this, but at that point in time no cost is too much to get to the side of a sick loved one. The value of transportation for this example is almost infinite, because you would go to great lengths to get to where you need to be.
Likewise, if you are a business traveler with a family, you know the value of being able to pick up the phone and call home, or jump on the Internet and chat or have a web video conference with your family any time, any place. This capability, while not the same as physically being with your family, is the next best thing.
The ability to travel anywhere on the planet on short notice, and connect via cell phone and Internet have made these capabilities invaluable to many. It's hard to quantify the value of these capabilities because when you need them, there value is limitless.
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