Bureaucracy! Can’t we get rid of it? Of course there need to be rules and guidelines for actions and decisions in a government department. You can’t have arbitrary decision-making as the standard process. The problem is that, even if the … Read More
Maggie Smith’s classic line in Downton Abbey, the aristocratically innocent “What is a weekend?”, conveys the idea of the rich who are so idle that they have no concept of the need for a day off from work. They have … Read More
We all know the world is changing, and that the speed of change is increasing. Or at least, we say we do. But not everyone embraces change. If you are already at the top of the heap, you might prefer … Read More
Google didn’t just make news this week, it made the front cover of Time magazine with the provocative story “Can Google Solve Death?” It is a demonstration of the speed of change that the question can be asked seriously by … Read More
As of September 20, Hewlett Packard, Alcoa and the Bank of America leave the Dow Jones Industrial Average to be replaced by Nike, Visa and Goldman Sachs. There is nothing particularly scientific about the Dow or its make up, but … Read More
Christchurch, New Zealand, was hit very hard by an earthquake in February 2011, with 185 deaths. Its cathedral was damaged so badly that it had to be replaced. The beauty of towering stone is not always a good thing. So … Read More
One of the current technological innovations which will have the greatest social impact is the introduction of driverless cars. Change will occur in stages. The first driverless cars will be more aware of their immediate environment than a human driver … Read More
For those who feel that the technological marvels foreseen in the 1950s have failed to materialize, the heartfelt cry is “Where’s my flying car?” Well, yes, the Terrafugia Transition is here. They’ll cost around $300,000 when they’re in regular production. … Read More
I’m a business owner. I value stability, but I also value improvements. I value low taxes, but I also value a well-educated populace and well-maintained transportation systems. I value freedom from unnecessary bureaucracy, but I also value beneficial controls and … Read More
The idea of the 3D printer is now becoming familiar, and home kits are available for hobbyists and entrepreneurs who have $350 to $2,000 to spend for printing out projects and prototypes on their kitchen tables. The Wikipedia article on … Read More