Monthly Archives: December 2010

Carbon neutral cement

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Richard

I’m still sifting stuff for What’s Next, so here’s another little something that I think is interesting but didn’t quite make the final cut. Cement is responsible for around 5% of carbon dioxide emissions globally. So why not create a … Continue reading →

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Watson my mind?

Posted on December 29, 2010 by Richard

I’m working on the next issue of my What’s Next report (nowandnext.com), so I don’t have time to post anything long. Here, then, is something that I read the Nikkei Weekly (Japan) this morning. NEC Corp in Japan is working … Continue reading →

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Surveillance society

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Richard

This is brilliant. There are now 32 CCTV cameras within 200 yards of the building in which George Orwell wrote “1984.” * But even if we remove these fixed cameras  there’s still the fact that 4 billion people are roaming … Continue reading →

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Couple of quotes

Posted on December 27, 2010 by Richard

“Facebook is amazing because it feels like you are doing something and you’re not doing anything. It’s the absence of doing something, but you feel gratified anyway” – Sam Crocker, American Student, quoted in the New York Times. “ I … Continue reading →

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What if the Internet Disappeared?

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Richard

What would happen if the internet disappeared tomorrow? Would we really care? They’d be panic initially, of course. But would anything of real substance disappear? People would initially argue that they couldn’t “do anything.” Commerce, democracy and liberty itself would … Continue reading →

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Quote of the day

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Richard

“Ghost of the Future”, he exclaimed, “I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I … Continue reading →

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Trends for 2011

Posted on December 24, 2010 by Richard

Trend #10 – No Trend My final trend for 2011 is that there is no trend. There are certain uncertainties, but beyond this it’s impossible to see what lies ahead. Is the Euro finished? Will Portugal go the same way … Continue reading →

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Trends for 2010

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Richard

#9 Digital disenchantment Are you sinking in a sea of scurrilous spam? How about drowning in deluge of digital dross? The internet, and Web 2.0 in particular, are wonderful things, but there are digital downsides, notably the fact that people … Continue reading →

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Trends for 2011

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Richard

#8 “Long land” According to the World Bank, agricultural production must increase by 70% by the year 2050. Why? The primary reason is demographic – there will be more people in the future and they will want something to eat. … Continue reading →

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Top Trends for 2011

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Richard

#7. Food inflation Food has been cheap in many countries for a long time and people now view ingredients that were once considered luxuries as necessities. But this situation is about to change. The primary problem is population. There are … Continue reading →

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