50 Trends 2010

As 2009 is drawing to a close, TimesOnline reviews what's going to define us in the decade ahead. Trends start, develop, and come to an end.

Useful links:
www.trendcentral.com
http://trendwatching.com
www.mintel.com

Lie-Detection

Po Bronson/Ashley Merryman's post in Newsweek about lie detection was a brilliant piece. The scientific research on lie detection will be an ongoing event. Experienced liars are brilliant actors. Observing microexpressions to catch a liar can be a Catch-22 situation. Simply put, there is no perfect, foolproof way to catch liars, period.

Useful links:
www.talwarresearch.com
www.paulekman.com
http://deception.crimepsychblog.com

FT 50

FT’s choice of the 50 people who most shaped the last 10 years was indeed a diverse group. Check it out. www.ft.com

Geoengineering Issues

Kevin Bullis's opinion piece in Technology Review about the practical modes of geoengineering was interesting. It's a controversial and complicated topic. I agree with the scientists. I think carbon capture from air is the ultimate solution, but how do you capture CO2 that is very diffuse, covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers to make a significant dent in CO2?

Useful links:
http://intellectualventureslab.com
www.technologyreview.com

Random Thoughts

In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people. They no longer can lead solely based on positional power.

- Ken Blanchard
www.kenblanchard.com

Spot on.

Power Of 2

Power of 2: How to Make the Most of Your Partnerships at Work and in Life by Rodd Wagner + Gale Muller is a wonderful book about building/improving meaninful partnerships in business/life. A must read.

Useful link:

www.gallup.com

Eva Hesse

Eva Hesse was an artist's artist. Period.

Useful links:
www.evahesse.com
www.camdenartscentre.org
www.hauserwirth.com

Commodity Of The Year

Without a doubt gold was the commodity of 2009. It still remains a hedge against inflation and a falling dollar. I guess 2010 should be good for gold.

Useful link:
www.gold.org

Timo Vuorensola

Chris Anderson's theory works. It's really amazing how Timo Vuorensola released Star Wreck in 2005 online for free, generating $430,000 on a film that only cost $21,500 to make. The rest as they say is history. Hats off to Timo!

Releasing it for free is just good marketing. Whether it's through piracy or distribution your film is out there on the Internet, so we decided to harness this.
- Timo Vuorensola

Useful links:
http://blog.starwreck.com
www.starwreck.com
www.longtail.com
www.ninapaley.com
www.sitasingstheblues.com
www.indiescreenings.net

Gabriel Orozco

A one-stop chance to catch up with Gabriel Orozco, one of the most influential artists of this decade, and probably the next one too, at the Museum of Modern Art. Don't miss.

Useful links:
www.whitecube.com/artists/orozco
www.moma.org

Art Market Update

Elliot Wilson's viewpoints in the Financial Times about the global demand for antique medals was interesting. No two collectors are the same, and the market value is in the eye of the beholder. Good story = Good value.

The market will continue to improve. You need to be careful where you invest, but it’s a good, solid bet. And there is a finite supply. Let’s face it: there won’t be any more Battle of Waterloo medals.
- John Millensted
www.bonhams.com

Useful links:
www.bonhams.com
www.spink.com
www.noble.com.au
www.iwm.org.uk

Random Thoughts

It's too hard to predict the future, but right now I don’t see myself going mad. It's easy to get obsessed with chess. That's what happened with Fischer and Morphy. I don't have the same obsession. I love the game, and I love to compete, but I am not obsessed with the struggle.

- Magnus Carlsen
http://blog.magnuschess.com

On January 1, 2010, Magnus Carlsen will officially become the youngest person in history to earn chess's No. 1 ranking. Congratulations!

Climate And Humans

Clive Finlayson's viewpoint on climate change was interesting/insightful. It will change the face of the planet even though we don't really know where, when or how, in any kind of detail. So true. I also believe our own history has been shaped by climate change and luck. At the end of the day what really matters is being in the right place at the right time, or the wrong place at the wrong time. Period.

Useful link:
www.gib.gi/museum

Chatbot Technology

The interactive story format was brilliant. I loved it.

Useful links:
www.221b.sh
www.existor.com
www.loebner.net
www.interactivestory.net
http://games.kidswb.com/scribblenauts
www.l4d.com

Jancis Robinson Viewpoint

I thought the practical advice (serving/handling wine) was useful. Thanks Jancis.

Useful links:
www.jancisrobinson.com
www.ft.com/arts/columnists/robinson

BBC Business Daily

I am a regular listener of BBC Daily Business. The coverage related to visionary entrepreneurs using their own finely-honed business skills to set up their own charities was brilliant.

Useful links:
www.charitywatch.org
http://meltwater.org
www.mayhewanimalhome.org

Top 100 Global Thinkers

Read on to see the 100 minds that mattered most in the year that was. www.foreignpolicy.com

Blood Diamonds Update

Greg Campbell's report in the Foreign Policy magazine about blood diamonds was interesting. Greg was spot on. Blood diamonds are still circulating freely and smuggling remains rampant. I have seen many parcels in the gem market and they are everywhere. I think diamonds will be difficult to regulate because of its portability. The failure is a massive blow to the credibility of Kimberley Process. Period.

Useful link:
www.foreignpolicy.com
www.kimberleyprocess.com
www.globalwitness.org
www.pacweb.org
www.hrw.org

Web Trends 2010

Check out Pete Cashmore's viewpoints on social networking and technology for 2010.

Useful link:
http://mashable.com

Art Adds

I really liked the Art Add project. Yvonne Force Villareal was spot on. Art adds to the public’s vision.

Useful links:
www.showmedia.com
www.artproductionfund.org
www.alexkatz.com