This is the way I heard it.

When the technology was first demonstrated for the president of the United States,

he was astonished, amazing.

He said, simply amazing.

Would you like to try it, sir?

Yes, he said, I believe I would.

Flanked by his security detail, the president selected a target at random and

activated the device, the technology, to a care of the rest.

Amazing.

He murmured, simply amazing.

It was an understandable reaction to a technological breakthrough that would

impact millions of people and transform the global economy.

Perhaps if the president knew his reaction would destroy his bid for re-election

and make, you know who a household name, he'd have been less effusive.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Let's go back to where the technology was born.

Miami Beach, 1949, where a young engineer named Norman Woodland

lounged in the warm sand, waiting for inspiration to wash over him.

Like most professional problem solvers, Norman knew that solutions often came

when he allowed his mind to wander.

So on this particular day at the beach, he wasn't trying to change the world.

He was simply relaxing in the sand, watching the girls go by and recalling his

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