Gas Prices? What Alternatives?

Just saw a special on PBS' NOVA Car of the Future. This is just a teaser ad for NOVA, but you'll get the idea. Does America have alternatives? Sun and wind can power our homes and businesses, but cars? Driving through Kansas, there are many windmills being installed to farm the wind energy. So much talk is about cars, what about trucking? Would Colani's truck designs be an option? I have heard up to 70% more efficient than current day?

Airline Seats

SOLUTION:
After traveling in a economy class seat this month, I once again state that something must improve about airline seating. For my graduate thesis project, I presented a concept that would certainly raise my fare, but would be worth it!! My project intent: to define an individual space for a person traveling in 'economy plus' on an airplane.

Pssst! Can You Hear Me?

I'm a bit concerned. Apparently, as a way to market an upcoming show, the use of hypersonic sound makes it sound like you have someone whispering in your ear. Without your permission. It's covered in an article in Wired Magazine called "It's All in

Your Head" which also talks about TMS. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation...a process where parts of your brain are stimulated and your behavior and motor skills are effected. Now in the case of epilepsy, TMS seems like a great development. But my question is: Is impending mind control on the horizon? Could the experiments in the book I recommended (The Brain That Changes Itself) become commercial...like learning to play the piano? Let's see, how can we market THAT?!

I don't know about you, but I don't want people poking around in my brain unless I ask them to. As a creative person, what happens to say, proprietary ideas and information? Recent movies like Minority Report, Paycheck, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind have ventured into the realms of digging around in our brains, as well as numerous other media. That notwithstanding, our basic privacy is at stake here if the view is only 'mind/people control.' What if instead, a collective group of people all agreed to have their brains connected to create solutions for the world? I stand for possibility. I have been often called idealistic, but I am not afraid of dreaming...even if someone might be listening. Hey wait, maybe they're not MY dreams!?

At the Conference on World Affairs I attended recently, I genuinely got the message that it's up to "WE THE PEOPLE" to take a stand for our rights and liberties. The article in Wired says the same thing in its closing. Our civll liberties sound like they are increasingly at risk. How did we get here? By being apathetic...and feeling powerless. I've heard over and over again that the greater percentage of wealth is controlled by the smallest percentage and while that may be a fact, that very statement stunts possibility. I say it's time for the growing 'middle class' to take a stand. If we are growing and we unite, we are the majority!

60th Conference on World Affairs

In the foothills of the Flatirons at CU Boulder today, I went to a couple of panels at a conference discussing world affairs (click on name above for the link). Super interesting and it was great to hear various concerns. The two panels I attended were the "Advice for the Next President" and "Third Party Spoilers". If you click on the link, go to Fridays schedule and you can find out more about the topics and panelists.

Off the top of my head, some of the advice consisted of keeping on the current secretary of state for one more year with the new president to help navigate the Middle East; get clear about the role the US has in the world--one all about power vs part of a global community; nuclear power; and really, really, really consider how global warming effects jobs. We ID people that attended the national IDSA conference in San Fran got a big earful about how our industry needs to be uncompromising about the topic of sustainability and green manufacturing. And on another note, interestingly, when the democratic candidates were mentioned, curiously, Clinton's name was omitted on several occasions... Hmmm?! Do they know something we don't?

Anyway, I digress.
The second panel was very entertaining and informative to say the least. Overall there was great discussion about 'Third Party Spoilers' like Ralph Nader and the like. The very opinionated and most eloquent of the bunch there was Jello Biafra. I enjoyed him because his rhetoric was buoyed with what actually made sense backed by facts. He blew the other panelists away.

There is hope for us all yet, the consensus was, as long as we at the grassroots level stand for what we believe in. In any event, the sessions were recorded and there might be access to them somehow, somewhere. If I hear of anything, I will post!

Cars...I Love Them, Now and in the Future

Some sketches I did a while ago...have you seen the movie Minority Report? Strangely, my sketch looks similar.

Transumerism

This is one reason I love www.trendwatching.com: The term Transumerism. Did you know that you can 'borrow' almost anything? Quick and easy and without the full price? Okay, so cars and houses are a given, but the latest jewelry designs, electronics and practical stuff? Stuff that you want right now and hesitate to jump at because it 'costs too much,' 'will be out of date before you can afford it,' or 'will break before I pay it off.'
Here's a quote:

What's to like, for TRANSUMERS? A mix of:
:: Avoiding hassle: the more stuff you permanently own, the more you have to worry about: repairs, going out of style, theft and so on.
:: The latest and greatest: with ever shorter product development cycles, leasing ensures consumers can always enjoy the latest and the greatest.
:: Multiple experiences: TRANSUMERS with a limited budget can now, instead of owning one single expensive object, rent, enjoy, then dispose of many different objects, maximizing the number of experiences.
:: Climbing the ladder (MASSCLUSIVITY and UBER PREMIUM): status-conscious consumers resort to luxury fractional ownership because it's the only way for them to be able to flaunt (both established and new) status symbols.

Now, I recognize this is not a new idea...and might explain why there appear to be knock-off products in almost every category. For me, the experience is the lure. And the real beauty of the idea is that it fits every consumer segment (self-expressive, careful indulgers, impulsives, conflicteds, and bargain hunters)! Beautiful. Here's what I'd like to experience:

Watch Rendering in Illustrator

This is a watch rendering I did today in Illustrator and Photoshop. Fun exercise. More to come.