Author: RNFutureTense
In November last year we did a program on the future of space. As part of it we discussed the SKA-Pathfinder telescope. Well here’s an update from itnews on the telescope which is being built in WA.
Here’s our original program – and what a fine program it was!
Author: RNFutureTense
Anand Giridharadas welcomes us to the ‘Age of Metrics’. Mr Giridharadas is a columnist for the New York Times. Here he talks about our growing obsession with figures. He argues that human beings are now beginning to think like computers.
The full audio and text for this edition of Future Tense is available at our website.
Author: RNFutureTense
Looking for examples of alternative currencies operating in Australia. Not barter – nothing against barter, but I think that takes us into a different area.
If you have any suggestions post them here…
Author: RNFutureTense
…that’s the view of futurist Richard Watson a guest on Future Tense.
But what do you think? Do the banks have a place in social media? And if so, what are the perameters? Should the CEOs of finance institutions really be using Twitter? Or Facebook?
Here’s a preview ….
And here’s the full program.
Author: RNFutureTense
We had an idea to do a programme on the future of finance (particularly interested in virtual/complementary and localised currencies – as opposed to centrally controlled, state-based currencies).
We’ve been gathering material and it’s now looking like we will explore the subject over two parts.
Spin-off will be interview with Douglas Rushkoff (author of ‘Life Incorporated’) about new PBS documentary called ‘Digital Nation’.
Author: RNFutureTense
Shh! Don’t tell Media Watch about this one…
Correction: In the original broadcast of our program ‘A walk in the park – and so much more!’ we referred to some 900,000 square ‘hectares’ of Australian land being under some form of protected area status. Of course, that should have been 900,000 square kilometres.
Rest assured, the person responsible for this error has since been shot.
Author: RNFutureTense
We got the following email from Val Sherwell about the way the year 2010 should be pronounced…
Dear Anthony
I have got you in my sights; nothing I might say about the quality of your program which is always interesting, but because you refer to the year as ‘Two thousand and ten’. Why on earth anyone would use that long-winded expression is beyond me. Never before, ever, has the year not been expressed in a neat fashion like 1920, 1500. So why not twenty ten? I have addressed several people on RN about this, and thankfully they have dropped the ‘two thousand and blah blah’, though I am sure this is not because I was the only one who wrote about it. Thank you. Maybe next week it will be twenty ten, one can only hope.
A good question. And here was my response…
Val,
Okay, now I have some time for a decent reply. By the way, you are in fact the only person who has raised this with me.
I wasn’t actually aware that I expressed the year in the way that you described, but there we are. That said, on reflection I think it’s not a bad way to describe it.
I would argue that there was a change in the naming convention at the beginning of this century (actually in the final year of last century to be accurate, ie: the year 2000).
Throughout this first decade of the 21st Century there was near universal acceptance of the longer form of description, ie: it was commonplace to describe 2008 as ‘two-thousand and eight’, not ‘twenty-o-eight’. Even the year 2000 was described in this way, never as ‘twenty-hundred’.
This was very different (as you point out) from past centuries, where for instance 1908 was universally described as ‘nineteen-o-eight’ and the year 1900 as ‘nineteen hundred’. So in a sense my usage of ‘two-thousand and ten’ could be argued to be more consistent than ‘twenty ten’.
I am also a believer in the idea that we should, by and large, follow common discourse and I think most ordinary people say ‘two thousand and ten’. Though I stand to be corrected and certainly wouldn’t die in a ditch over it. Will also have to check what the ABC style-guide says.
Cheers Antony
And Val’s response to my response…
Sure. I think the two thousand and ….. came about because somehow twenty whatever is difficult when you have another nought in front of the 20. However, having said ,that once you get to a whole number, i.e. 10 it is much easier, neater and closer to our historical way of expressing the year.
I hear lots of people using ‘twenty ten’, and many using what I call the long-winded way. As you say, what it really matters is a row of beans. Wonder what your blog readers will think. Let me know as I do not waste time on blogs, too too busy reading silly jokes!
Your thoughts?
Author: RNFutureTense
NEWS FLASH: RN presenters now operate from outdoor BBQ tables in order to save on the expense of building new studios…
Not really - filling in as the presenter of Australia Talks (Paul Barclay did his back in on the day). I’m the one in red. This was an outside broadcast from the Cotton Tree Caravan Park in Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/stories/2010/2766080.htm
Author: RNFutureTense
Picture: KraetzschePhotography
We’ve begun a new irregular series of interviews with people whose occupation involves predicting the future.
We’re calling it ‘Only fools and marketing types’.
Our first guest is Dr Rebecca Huntley, the Director of Research for Ipsos Mackay. Her newly-released study is called ‘The Future’.
Find the interview here…
www.abc.net.au/rn/futuretense/stories/2010/2811132.htm
Some ideas for future talent:
Author: RNFutureTense
We got quite a few people tweeting us about the images they choose to represent themselves online.
An update: we’re moving ahead on the story (programme?) and intern Hannah Wickes is assisting us. So, if you volunteered to tell us about your image/images then expect a call soon from Ms Wickes.
