The New York Times op-ed page is like a high school lunchroom. There's Maureen Dowd, the icy, gossiping smart girl; David Brooks, polishing up for debate practice; Paul Krugman, the seething math nerd. And, finally, Thomas L. Friedman, the kiss-ass student government liaison. Friedman is in town (well, close enough, anyway) to pimp his latest book The World Is Flat — his overview of the economic trends of the past few years — by speaking at the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice's annual luncheon. His books and columns are littered with worthless bromides and rah-rah encomia to the global economy, but he is one of the most influential voices around. Please go and argue with him. Jan. 19, noon-1:30 p.m., The Chelsea Center, 2506 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota, $50, 941-486-4600, www.gulfcoastcf.org.
This article appears in Jan 18-24, 2006.