[The following article, originally commissioned for another publication, has been modified slightly — mostly I chopped off the first two graphs, so it may begin abruptly. Also, bear in mind it was written at the beginning of 2002.] The trade world is flat — it has been so for some time, and by most projections will more or less remain that way — and we are waiting with increasing desperation for our Christopher Columbus to come and sail us on to an expanded world we only dream about. For now, though, the clear trend is towards cannibalization rather than exploration […]