"Oh, no, you mean I have to just sit there the whole time without my laptop and water bottle?

Sorry, Seth, but Tom Peters' old saw about the importance of "being there" will, at least for the next few months, take on more importance that ever. Godin's lament today (Aug. 11) about the new layer of inconveniences at airports and on airplanes, courtesy of the latest Pakistani-Brit contingent of Islamo-creeps, captures what I'm sure are the latest whiney complaints of a number of road "warriors" out there today. Quotes around "warriors" used to emphasize my contempt and ridicule. "When you need an additional 90 minutes, can't bring your laptop (or even a book on some routes) and can't have a bottle of water, the calculus for most trips is fundamentally changed. Years ago, Tom Peters argued hard and long for the value of showing up, of being there in person, of establishing a face to face relationship with the person on the other side. The prevalance of online video, constant skype connections and the multiple threads of data we get online, combined with the enormous overhead that flying now brings might just change the story for a long time to come."

I'm a major proponent of online video, videoconferencing, Skype, etc. They serve a major purpose, and always will, as technology improves and costs decline. But a genuine substitute for being there? Forget it. For starters, talk to real salespeople who know the difference between closing -- and losing -- business. My point is that in the face of inconvenience -- longer airport security lines, foregoing the trusty (and pacifier-like) laptop and, horrors, weaning oneself away from the ubiqitous water bottle (speaking of pacifiers) -- there will arise a new competitive advantage to be had in personal appearances. Expensive? Consider it an investment. Inconvenient? So is sleeping on the prospect's doorstep and using the order book as a pillow. What did people do on planes prior to laptops, cellphones, water bottles and iPods? They talked to their seat mates, maybe made a few new biz connections, watched the stupid movie to simply relax, scribbled notes, outlined remarks for delivery that evening, a whole bunch of stuff. And oh, yes, probably had to make less frequent use of the lavatories. So, road "warriors", adapt and flourish. Or whine and lose. Where there are roadblocks, there are fewer wannabes using the road. I smell an order.