The other day I drove to nearby Palo Alto, home of Stanford University and the surrounding wealthy community in the heart of Silicon Valley. My plan that afternoon was to get hands on experience with the IPhone, which had been released the day before. After a wonderful experience using the device, I exited the store and sauntered up lovely University Avenue, a tree-lined street adorned with dozens of shops, ranging from boutiques and cafes to bookstores and technology centers. As I walked up the boulevard, I felt quite happy and relaxed. Adding to the lovely atmosphere was the perfect, cloudless, mild weather that graces the region this time of the year.