Trend Map for 2009

Ross Dawson posted a fascinating explanation of a multi-tenacle hydra trend-map for 2009. He identifies the vital trends, risks and danger zones for 2009. Ross is Chairman of the Future Exploration Network, whose Chief Futurist - Richard Watson of What'sNext - created this Trend Map for 2009.

Ross Dawson has identified the following themes :
"SOCIETY: Search for control, enoughism
TECHNOLOGY: Simplicity, Telepresence, Gesture based computing
ECONOMY: De-leveraging, 2-speed economies, Shorter product lifecycles
ENVIRONMENT: Bio fuel backlash, Negawatts, Nuclear power
POLITICS: Virtual protests, Globalisation in retreat, Immigration backlash
BUSINESS: Networked risk, Transparency, Asset price uncertainty
FAMILY: Debt stress, Allowable luxuries, Middle class unrest
MEDIA: Flight to quality, Facebook fatigue, Skimming, Micro boredom"

You can find a larger version of the Trend Map posted on Cambodia4kids.org's photos on Flickr.

Grab a cup of tea and take the time to really explore the Trend Map and Ross Dawson's explanation.

Anthropological introduction to YouTube

A message about communication and media - an expression of the times.

This is the story of the impact of social media and what creates meaning for people - and how people choose to express that.

Book on High Speed Networks & Social Computing

The Tower & The Cloud - Higher Education in the Age of Cloud Computing is an e-book that addresses high speed networks and social computing, two powerful forces that have been shaping our economy and our lives. This is extremely relevant in the context of not only learning, but also in the scope and implications of the global financial debacle we are facing.

This industrial scale computing - consider the global financial networks - has implications that are far-reaching in their impact. Human beings have limits in their levels of competency in their standards and practices when dealing with computational environments. They do not meet the oversight practices required for such highly advanced networked technology. We tend to compartmentalize how we deal with these standards and practices.

This leads us to ask very weighted questions.
"Who is actually responsible for the oversight of this?"
"Do they really comprehend the complete dynamic of what humans are capable of understanding and what realistic compliance practices they can put into place to evaluate the implications of such a global financial network?"
Perhaps, more importantly, "Who is teaching our children the evolutionary practices they need to cope with advanced computational networks?"



The Tower & The Cloud - Higher Education in the Age of Cloud Computing awakens insight into these issues. It is available for download as an e-book - according to Common Cause agreements - or purchase of the hardback

Kids 2020 Beta Website Live!

I've been back and forth the USA quite a bit this year. We've been trying to get a prototype for the Kids 2020 Learning Programme in place. In the meantime, we've also been hard at work trying to get the website ready to open to the public.

In my role as Chairperson for the Kids 2020 Foundation, I proudly announce that today, parts of the Beta 1.0 version of the Kids 2020 website are now live.



We appreciate any feedback you would like to share with us. Of course, the site is very limited at this time. We are only a small group of volunteers making small steps forward.

Many, many thanks to Hans, Marcel, Gwyn, Sierd, and Rob. They have shared their expertise and shown their dedication to bringing Kids 2020 alive online.

Firefox Download Day is Today!

Spread the word to everyone! Firefox would like to break the Guinness world record for the most software downloads in 24 hours. Mozilla's Firefox Download Day 17 June 2008 is harnessing the power of social networking for this viral campaign.

The launch download begins at 10 am PST, which is 19:00 this evening in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

NOTE: Mozilla broke the Guinness Book of World Records record - 8 MILLION people downloaded Firefox3 within 24 hours

Periodic Table Printmaking Project

Promoting both science and the arts, The Periodic Table Printmaking Project is a collection of 118 prints. BoingBoing posted this with links to an interview with AzureGrackle, the organizer of the project, in Etsy.



The Periodic Table Printmaking Project is an international collaboration of 96 artists who produced 118 prints, each representing one element. Each print is a unique woodcut, linocut, monotype, etching, lithograph, silkscreen, or a combination of these techniques.

Check out the Flickr photo blog with additional images.
Find out more about the project in the AzureGrackle blog.

The 96 artists came from 8 countries - Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Scotland, USA (with 29 states & Puerto Rico from the USA: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin).

New Logo for Quantum Brands BV

We're starting year with a new look for the old logo - designed by my partner, Sierd Loman. With all the digital applications, he wanted something that would take the symbol into new dimensions. He's working on a "moving" version, a bit like the gyroscope from the film "Contact".

Almost Recovered

The immobilizer comes off next week - hooray!

After 6 weeks in this thing since the shoulder operation, the active me is screaming to get out. I have a renewed appreciation for the efforts that people have to make when they only have use of one arm. Simple things like putting your hair in a ponytail are impossible.

Once I get the motion back in my arm, I will return to blogging.

Thanks for all the emails and books!