Discussion Question #2

So, a neutron walks into a bar and orders a martini.
Then looks up at the bartender and asks, "how much?"
To which the bartender replies ....
"No charge for you"

ha ha haha

Ok, that was not the DQ. 

First a few background comments, and then the actual question itself. 
A couple of days ago, Jacob commented to me that when he first looked at the book, well, to put it mildly, he was not impressed.  A big, fat, book about the shipping container!  But then as he started reading it, he apparently found it to be a neat discussion after all.  Thanks for that feedback, Jacob.  Feel free to give me your feedback at anytime, in any mode that appeals to you.  My teaching and learning depends, to quite a significant extent, on the explicit and implicit feedback from students.

I told Jacob that my only complaint with the book is that despite all the discussions on shipping routes, ports, and canals, there are no maps in the book, except that graphic on the port of NY.  And then I added that I remarked about it in my review of this book, which was published in the Professional Geographer, Volume 60, Number 2 (May 2008).  Now I am thinking that perhaps my book review will be a good reading for you--in a way to set up the overall theme of the book itself.  Click here for the PDF version of the book review; at about 1000-words or so, it is not a lengthy read at all.

Finally, to the DQ itself.  Hey, hey, wake up and read this :)

Your task is this: think about the chapters 1 through 4 that you have read by now.  Even if you have already watched the interview with the author, Levinson, I suggest re-watching it now that you have read the first four chapters.  As you think about the contents of these four chapters, I want you to read and think about Daniel Gross' piece on "logistics."
By the time you are done with all these, I bet you will be ready to engage us all in a fantastic discussion.  So, what are you waiting for? :)  Provide us your observations, and as we get a few posts, the later ones ought to try continue with the conversations.

I hope this is clear.  Let me know if otherwise.

Because of the Monday holiday, the deadline for this is NOT Tuesday, but Wednesday by 9:00 am.