How the internet will transform governments

This is quite thought-provoking, and will require some concentration in order to fully grasp what Clay Shirky is saying in the TED-talk here under. Basically, Clay argues that society -and more specifically the relationship between governments and citizens- can be better organized through an open, distributed model, rather than the 'command and control' model that is currently in place.

Take the open source movement as an example, with the source code Linux as its showcase. The code has been written by thousands of anonymous contributors, without any central co-ordination or guiding rules. Its chaotic, but thanks to the unique signature that is provided with each contribution, a certain logic or system can be attached to each contribution, and ultimately lead to something robust and use-able.

And now apply the same logic to how society is organized, like -for instance- how law is being written. Couldn't this be done with the help of thousands of anonymous contributors? Welcome in the true meaning of 'open government'...

4 ways to use long-term trend assessments to ensure your future success

4 ways to use long term trend assessments for your business from Frederic De Meyer

Why vertical farming is such a good idea

Glad to have stumbled on Dickson Despommier's blog - an authority with regard of Vertical Farming. His main argument in favor of vertical farming is that it would diminish the food price volatility we will likely face due to he changing climate, though vertical farming definitely holds other advantages as well.

(from his blog:) "Dare I remind us all that climate change issues will continue confound and disrupt this already seriously flawed system of outdoor food production. What a different world this would be if we could produce most of what we needed year round in vertical farms located inside cities. I know this sounds a bit preachy, but I think the concept of the vertical farm is the only viable option we have to a long-term solution to the world food crisis. Why, I'll bet we could even work out a way to produce animal feed this way, too."

His blog is already packed with loads of valuable info, but for a short overview of his main thoughts see the two video's below:

4 ways to spot long-term trends

Since so many people asked, hereby some thought about how to spot long-term trends...

4 ways to spot long term trends from Frederic De Meyer