David Zach, futurist

Augmented reality demo by Sony

Sony Demonstrates Life-Altering SmartAR (augmented reality) Technology http://bit.ly/kQN3hc

This is the way it will start. Pretty soon reality will look naked without it, and just as rude and socially unacceptable. 

Modern Times Poem by David Zach, Futurist

I keep getting request for this poem that comes near the end of my talk. I did not know it was a poem, but if they're going to call it that, who am I to resist? (Find a handout poster of this here.)

This is about the world that we give to our children. They are not fooled (like we are) and they see the world for what it is. Just as children are often not fooled by magicians, too often we are. The magicians of today are everywhere, constantly distracting us from what we once knew to be vital. 

Why do we treat unhappiness in children as the most frightening of diseases and must be treated with medications?

When everything is possible, is that a sign of a world that is vital, optimistic and hopeful - or is it a sign of a world that is tired and wants to sleep? 

We are modern, we are distracted, we are clever. 

Children are the message we send to the future. What are we trying to say?

Modern times

  Nothing can wait.

Nothing can satisfy. 

Nothing can last.  

No one can be unhappy.

No one can be judged.

No one can be trusted.

Nothing is hidden.

Nothing is forbidden. 

Nothing is certain.

Everything is a need.

Everything is a choice. 

Everything is possible. 

Worth Remembering: New Book by Futurist David Zach

Here's my new book, Worth Remembering: the future value of old ideas. It's a selection of about 300 from my database of quotations about the future along with about 70 pithy comments from me about the value of the quotation right about now.

This is intended mostly for my audiences, to presell it to the meeting planner so everyone in the audience can have their own little means by which to become a futurist in the privacy of their own home, but if you want a copy, it's available here from amazon.com

It's also available through the American Chesterton Society.  They can also be reached through those old-fangled things called telephones: 952-831-3096

Here's a sampler:

To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it more fit for its prime function of looking forward. Margaret Fairless Barber

Men invent new ideals because they dare not attempt old ideals. They look forward with enthusiasm, because they are afraid to look back. G. K. Chesterton

To be prepared against surprise is to be trained. To be prepared for surprise is to be educated. 
James P. Carse

History is a vast early-warning system. Norman Cousins

If the very old will remember, the very young will listen. Chief Dan George

Maybe we’re about to radically change the operating system of the human condition. If so, then this would be a really good time to make backups of our civilization. Bruce Sterling

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 
Matthew 7:15

The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper. Eden Phillpotts

The 2007 Bulwer-Lynton Winners announced!

Here's the list. It is delightful as there's absolutely no other word to describe it. None.

Of course the grand prize winner is from Wisconsin, where we teach them to write the bestest English.

My earlier entry on this topic.

The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest

Update: the 2007 winners are in.

Heard this on NPR this morning The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest - for the best bad first line to a novel. Of course, the novel can exist only in your mind, the point is to do really bad writing, so bad that it's good and memorable. I absolutely love this sort of abuse of the English language and really admire people who can do it intentionally.

Here you'll find many previous winning entries, including last year's winner:

Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open to reveal a woman whose body said you've had your last burrito for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean. Submitted by Jim Guigli, Carmichael, CA

The 2006 runner up:

"I know what you're thinking, punk," hissed Wordy Harry to his new editor, "you're thinking, 'Did he use six superfluous adjectives or only five?' - and to tell the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement; but being as this is English, the most powerful language in the world, whose subtle nuances will blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' - well do you, punk?" Submitted by Stuart Vasepuru, Edinburgh, Scotland