Here is the second installment of 20 Questions Tuesday concerning the future. I would say we were going “Back to the Furture,” but that would be hokey.
As I said previously (last week to be exact) I got an overwhelming response for this topic and therefore have had to thin the questions out mercilessly. This week thanks go to the Info Diva, Tree-Monkey, Dustin, Allrileyedup, Capt. McArmypants (Shout out to the troops in the ‘Stan! Holla Holla), Wifey, and JW.
On to the questions:
1. Will libraries cease to exist in the future?
Nope, I think there will always be an intrinsic need for people to physically hold a book and turn a page. Plus Historic records need to be kept somewhere.
2. Global warming = extinct polar bears. Your thoughts.
I think it is a shame, because I have never met a polar bear I didn’t like. Then again, I have never met a polar bear.
3. What movie-based futurist society would you want to live in?
Hmmm… While all the peace and stuff would be a bit boring, I think I would have to go with the Terra from Star Trek. Gotta love amenities.
4. In what year do you think actual stores will be eliminated and everyone buys everything over the internet, including groceries?
Much like I do not think that libraries will be eliminated, I do not think that stores will be gone either. I think stores and retail will start to be more destinations than merely chores though. Grocery stores will eventually need to start competing with more than just pricing.
5. When do you feel that offices will no longer exist and everyone will telecommute? I for one can’t wait until this day.
I think there is an absolute necessity for people to interact in person, so I do not see offices becoming a thing of the past. I do, however, see the work week becoming more fluid with the advent of telecommuting (which I think is a bad thing). By forcing people to come into an office, employers also tend to force themselves to minimize the amount of work done outside of that work week. Take away the barrier of being at the office, and you run the risk of removing the barrier that keeps most people not working when they are not in the office. Telecommuting is a double edged sword to say the least, especially in this results driven society.
6. Do you feel that “snail mail” will ever be eliminated? What will all the post men do?
Someone will need to deliver me the stuff I bought at Amazon.
7. Will the Portland Trail Blazers ever stop being the laughing stock of the NBA?
Only when the league expands with the new franchise the Louisville Laughing Stocks, but why would they choose that name? WHY?!?!?!
8. In the future, will I be able to Google search my dreams?
You already can, you already can.
9. Will Yetis and Hippos ever crossbreed making Yeppos or Hiptis?
If there is a God in heaven I hope the answer is a resounding, “NO!”
10. Do you believe that there are people who can accurately predict the future, like Nostradamus?
Short answer: Yes
Long Answer: I think that time, much like length and width can double back on itself and does not necessarily propogate linearly nor is this perception of propogation the same for each individual observer. Therefore I think that there arte people who are attuned to the moments in the time stream where time loops back on itself. If you read the quatrains that Nostradamus wrote (and I do not recommend that), it really is as if the future he could see was through watching the history channel on someone’s TV in the future. He doesn’t understand what he is seeing, and he is merely recounting the timeline that he saw on a best of History Channel show.
11. Which animal species do you expect will be the next to die out in the near future (say, under ten years)?
The hippo. I haven’t forgotten hippos. I have not forgotten at all.
12. Would you fly into outer space should the option become affordable to the every day layperson in the future?
If it were insanely affordable and as commonplace as air travel is today, sure, why not?
13. So accordind to Timbuk3 we should all be wearing shades by now. Were they viewing an even more distant future or where they Charlatans of the worst kind!
Charlatans, the lot of ‘em! Charlatans of the worst kind!
14. So which will destroy the earth/humanity? a) meteor b) nanotech c) apathy d) Supernova e) Won't be destroyed but humanity will be done in by one of the following way e1) AI type super robots e2) Space faring Neanderthals when they come back for their planet after deciding earth is as good as it gets. e3) Super virus e4) Zerg
Well, as stated in last weeks episode, the sun will eventually take us down, but that is not for many eons, so I suspect that you are more referring to humanity. A combination of B and C, favoring C.
15. Which movie template is closest to the totalitarian regime that will eventually take over the world and then the universe? 1) "Stargate (Movie)" type Totalitarian regime 2) "Star Wars" The Empire 3) The Borg from "Star Trek" 4) Ming the Merciless type monarchy 5) The Totalitarian regime in Serenity 6) Space Balls from Space Balls
6. One would be surprised how often ineptitude rises to the top...
16. Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? ........the future's not ours to see.
I will go out on a limb on this one. No and maybe.
17. My question refers to Futurama – what’s up with that show? Why did it never take off? It seems twisted but accessible enough? Please explain.
When Matt Groening made Futurama, the first season was all about character building and set-up. He lost most of the viewership by not locking them in at the beginning. The later seasons are flipping hilarious. I think people forget just how bad the Simpsons were when they started out on The Tracy Ullman Show. The animation was weak and the vignette stories really sucked, but they weren’t a happy go lucky cartoon family and that is why they worked. Furtrama needed 3 unencumbered seasons to try and make it, but by season 3 the viewers had left and FOX started the process of slowly killing it. Seeing how popular the show is on TNT and the Cartoon Network and whatever other cable channels it graces, I think FOX is now ruing the day. Ruing I say!
18. What will we be wearing in the future-say, 20 years from now? (Hopefully the cool silvery metallic shiny stuff they wore in sci-fi "b" movies... Or do you think it would be ok to wear it now?)
Even in the future, I think it will take a brave sole to put on the silvered spandex.
19. What will future archeaologists make of the world we live in today?
That most of humanity were unaware of how much they actually consumed.
20. When in the future will "Captain America" (U.S. Agent is my guess as to who bought it) return to us from the "dead"????
If/when Capt America comes back from the dead, it will be Steve Rogers coming back from the dead and not a revelation that it was US Agent who bought it. But Marvel has some time, they want to see where this story line takes them though. I am surprised that it has taken this long to kill Cap for a second time. When he comes back, bet you he will be much grittier.
To Recap:
When your boss’s boss strikes up a conversation whilst at the urinals, you are pretty much obliged to chit chat
Uncomfortably chit chat
At least she announced her hiatus… I’m looking at you Dustin!
Heat advisory today – heat index of 104°F
That’s 40°C for you metricists out there and 313.15K for you physicists
Wish I’d have known that before I went to exercise last night
It was not pretty
And by not pretty, I mean sweaty, stinky, and red-faced
And by it, I mean me
I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty when I got winded getting dressed to go work out
I was right
Not pretty at all
Little Man loves Men at Work
Unfortunately, he really enjoys their B-sides
REALLY enjoys their B-sides
And their live stuff
As I said previously (last week to be exact) I got an overwhelming response for this topic and therefore have had to thin the questions out mercilessly. This week thanks go to the Info Diva, Tree-Monkey, Dustin, Allrileyedup, Capt. McArmypants (Shout out to the troops in the ‘Stan! Holla Holla), Wifey, and JW.
On to the questions:
1. Will libraries cease to exist in the future?
Nope, I think there will always be an intrinsic need for people to physically hold a book and turn a page. Plus Historic records need to be kept somewhere.
2. Global warming = extinct polar bears. Your thoughts.
I think it is a shame, because I have never met a polar bear I didn’t like. Then again, I have never met a polar bear.
3. What movie-based futurist society would you want to live in?
Hmmm… While all the peace and stuff would be a bit boring, I think I would have to go with the Terra from Star Trek. Gotta love amenities.
4. In what year do you think actual stores will be eliminated and everyone buys everything over the internet, including groceries?
Much like I do not think that libraries will be eliminated, I do not think that stores will be gone either. I think stores and retail will start to be more destinations than merely chores though. Grocery stores will eventually need to start competing with more than just pricing.
5. When do you feel that offices will no longer exist and everyone will telecommute? I for one can’t wait until this day.
I think there is an absolute necessity for people to interact in person, so I do not see offices becoming a thing of the past. I do, however, see the work week becoming more fluid with the advent of telecommuting (which I think is a bad thing). By forcing people to come into an office, employers also tend to force themselves to minimize the amount of work done outside of that work week. Take away the barrier of being at the office, and you run the risk of removing the barrier that keeps most people not working when they are not in the office. Telecommuting is a double edged sword to say the least, especially in this results driven society.
6. Do you feel that “snail mail” will ever be eliminated? What will all the post men do?
Someone will need to deliver me the stuff I bought at Amazon.
7. Will the Portland Trail Blazers ever stop being the laughing stock of the NBA?
Only when the league expands with the new franchise the Louisville Laughing Stocks, but why would they choose that name? WHY?!?!?!
8. In the future, will I be able to Google search my dreams?
You already can, you already can.
9. Will Yetis and Hippos ever crossbreed making Yeppos or Hiptis?
If there is a God in heaven I hope the answer is a resounding, “NO!”
10. Do you believe that there are people who can accurately predict the future, like Nostradamus?
Short answer: Yes
Long Answer: I think that time, much like length and width can double back on itself and does not necessarily propogate linearly nor is this perception of propogation the same for each individual observer. Therefore I think that there arte people who are attuned to the moments in the time stream where time loops back on itself. If you read the quatrains that Nostradamus wrote (and I do not recommend that), it really is as if the future he could see was through watching the history channel on someone’s TV in the future. He doesn’t understand what he is seeing, and he is merely recounting the timeline that he saw on a best of History Channel show.
11. Which animal species do you expect will be the next to die out in the near future (say, under ten years)?
The hippo. I haven’t forgotten hippos. I have not forgotten at all.
12. Would you fly into outer space should the option become affordable to the every day layperson in the future?
If it were insanely affordable and as commonplace as air travel is today, sure, why not?
13. So accordind to Timbuk3 we should all be wearing shades by now. Were they viewing an even more distant future or where they Charlatans of the worst kind!
Charlatans, the lot of ‘em! Charlatans of the worst kind!
14. So which will destroy the earth/humanity? a) meteor b) nanotech c) apathy d) Supernova e) Won't be destroyed but humanity will be done in by one of the following way e1) AI type super robots e2) Space faring Neanderthals when they come back for their planet after deciding earth is as good as it gets. e3) Super virus e4) Zerg
Well, as stated in last weeks episode, the sun will eventually take us down, but that is not for many eons, so I suspect that you are more referring to humanity. A combination of B and C, favoring C.
15. Which movie template is closest to the totalitarian regime that will eventually take over the world and then the universe? 1) "Stargate (Movie)" type Totalitarian regime 2) "Star Wars" The Empire 3) The Borg from "Star Trek" 4) Ming the Merciless type monarchy 5) The Totalitarian regime in Serenity 6) Space Balls from Space Balls
6. One would be surprised how often ineptitude rises to the top...
16. Will I be pretty? Will I be rich? ........the future's not ours to see.
I will go out on a limb on this one. No and maybe.
17. My question refers to Futurama – what’s up with that show? Why did it never take off? It seems twisted but accessible enough? Please explain.
When Matt Groening made Futurama, the first season was all about character building and set-up. He lost most of the viewership by not locking them in at the beginning. The later seasons are flipping hilarious. I think people forget just how bad the Simpsons were when they started out on The Tracy Ullman Show. The animation was weak and the vignette stories really sucked, but they weren’t a happy go lucky cartoon family and that is why they worked. Furtrama needed 3 unencumbered seasons to try and make it, but by season 3 the viewers had left and FOX started the process of slowly killing it. Seeing how popular the show is on TNT and the Cartoon Network and whatever other cable channels it graces, I think FOX is now ruing the day. Ruing I say!
18. What will we be wearing in the future-say, 20 years from now? (Hopefully the cool silvery metallic shiny stuff they wore in sci-fi "b" movies... Or do you think it would be ok to wear it now?)
Even in the future, I think it will take a brave sole to put on the silvered spandex.
19. What will future archeaologists make of the world we live in today?
That most of humanity were unaware of how much they actually consumed.
20. When in the future will "Captain America" (U.S. Agent is my guess as to who bought it) return to us from the "dead"????
If/when Capt America comes back from the dead, it will be Steve Rogers coming back from the dead and not a revelation that it was US Agent who bought it. But Marvel has some time, they want to see where this story line takes them though. I am surprised that it has taken this long to kill Cap for a second time. When he comes back, bet you he will be much grittier.
To Recap:
When your boss’s boss strikes up a conversation whilst at the urinals, you are pretty much obliged to chit chat
Uncomfortably chit chat
At least she announced her hiatus… I’m looking at you Dustin!
Heat advisory today – heat index of 104°F
That’s 40°C for you metricists out there and 313.15K for you physicists
Wish I’d have known that before I went to exercise last night
It was not pretty
And by not pretty, I mean sweaty, stinky, and red-faced
And by it, I mean me
I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty when I got winded getting dressed to go work out
I was right
Not pretty at all
Little Man loves Men at Work
Unfortunately, he really enjoys their B-sides
REALLY enjoys their B-sides
And their live stuff