New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has come to the conclusion that Christopher Columbus had it all wrong. He says the world isn't round, at least not anymore. In his new book, "The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st Century," Friedman argues that communication technology has leveled the international economic playing field, allowing people from Brainerd to Bangalore to compete on a more or less even footing. Thomas Friedman is a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, a bestselling author and a native of St. Louis Park, Minn.