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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
News Clipping:Minnesota Futurist Hank Lederer Speaks Out About The Future
Also see wikipedia.org/wiki/Futurist
WFS Events
WFS 2009 Annual Conference
The Annual Conference of the World Future Society was held
July 26-28, 2008, at the Hilton Washington, Washington, D.C.
The theme was "WorldFuture 2008: Seeing the Future Through New Eyes."
A compact disk summarizing the 2008 conference proceedings is expected
to be available to members through the Minnesota Chapter in early August. For further
information, contact George Kubik, Chapter President, at kubik005@umn.edu.
More Info On WFS 2008
Minnesota Chapter Coming Events
Public Tour of Excel Energy's Nuclear Power Plant at Prairie Island
The Energy Futures Committee is planning a group tour of Excel Energy's 1100-megawatt Red Wing facility as part of its research into the future of nuclear vs. other non-fossil fuels. Date, preferably on a Friday afternoon, is under negotiation. Car pooling advised. If interested, please register with Dick Saunders (dicksaun@gmail.com).
Earl Joseph Memorial Night Plans
The Minnesota Chapter is seeking volunteers from its membership and friends to help arrange a public appreciation night this fall for the late Earl Joseph, founder of the first World Future Society chapter in 1968, who died in February 2007. The evening would feature an invited guest futurist to speak on "The Future of Futurism." If able and willing, please contact Dick Saunders (dicksaun@gmail.com) by Sept 10.
Futurist News:
WFS 2008 Foresight: World Futurist Forecast
World Futurists Newsletter
World Future Society's 2007 Annual Conference
Minnesota Futures Day at WFS 2007
Business Trends To Watch - 2008
Stuff For sale:
MN Futurists Tee shirt
Exploring The Futurist World:
- What Is A Good Futurist? Futurists Tutorials
- Technology Time Line
- What Do Futurists Know?
- The Future of Minnesota Futurists (discussion page)
Weekly MFSIG Meetings ...
Special Interest Groups (SIGS defined)
NOTE: All Special Interest Groups Meet at (temporary - August, September 2008)
Como Park Pavilion
Michael Donald Glass Meeting Room,
Downstairs - take the elevator
10 am - 12:30 Saturdays
NOTE: Bring no food. Purchase at Black Bear Crossing on main floor
August 2
Future Studies and Special Presentations SIG
Title: China Futures - An Introduction and Exploration Methods
Presenter: David Keenan
Abstract: The 2008 Summer Olympics has prompted us to launch a special series of SIGs on "The Future of China." Running through November, speakers will explore the cultural, economic, education and diplomatic practices of a distant and different country projected to become the world's largest economic power in two decades. We will utilize futures methodologies to
First Special Guest: Peter Hammond, a former executive with Westinghouse, Emerson Electric and Polaris Industries who spent 20 years setting up manufacturing facilities in China. He resided there for seven years, and speaks Mandarin. As CEO of AsiaSource, he assists Chinese firms seeking export markets in the U.S. He is a member of the US-China Business Connections trade group based in Minneapolis.
Presentation & Notes: 
HO-China Intro Aug08.doc
August 9
Economics and Finance Futures SIG
Title: China Demographic and Economic Futures
Presenter: Arnie Kwong
Abstract:
The China Challenge2008.pdf
Reference Information:
The New China 2008
China - No End In Sight
New China - The Edwin Reischauer Lectures
Amazon: The Book 2008
August 16
Technology Futures SIG
Title: China: Industry, Patents, Education and more
Presenter: Professor Massoud Amin, UMN (bio http://cdtlnet.cdtl.umn.edu/amin.html)
Moderator: David Keenan
Abstract: China_Aug2008.pdf
August 23
Society, Management and Education SIG
Title: "The Global Food Crisis: Where Did It Come From and What Will The Future Bring?"
Abstract:
When grain prices reached historic highs earlier this year and food riots broke out in dozens of countries, governments and experts were quick to point fingers. How did this happen? Was it biofuels? protectionism? Climate change? or those Chinese and Indians, with their growing taste for meat? Presenter Jim Harkness explains where the crisis came from and gives his thoughts on where our food system is going.
Harkness is President of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a Minnesota-based non-profit that works to promote fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems. He lived for 16 years in China, where he worked as a Ford Foundation program officer, wildlife researcher, university instructor and Country Director for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Ref. Info: Business/Economy Exports
August 30
Peace SIG
Title: No Meeting - special speaker Aug. 31 see: Iran's Nuclear Status - Scott Ritter
Sept 13, 2008
Economics and Finance Futures SIG
Title: "Beyond The Headlines: How to Use Critical Thinking Skills to Determine the Real Story"
Presenter: James D.Zitek
Abstract:
Most people learn about the economy and the stock market from the mass media. Hours are spent reading newspapers and magazines, watching television news and searching the Internet. Once this information has been absorbed, it is filed away as knowledge. So, the more time spent reading and listening, the smarter you get, right? Not exactly.
What most people do not realize is how much media information is dramatized, mis-interpreted, over-simplified or statistically inaccurate. Surprisingly, the problem is not always political bias; sometimes the stories are just not written very accurately or clearly. Consequently, much of the information you receive about the economy and capital markets can be harmful to your business or your financial health.
This presentation outlines a six-step process used to get at the real story behind the headline (including a real time demonstration of the process as it is being explained), and concludes with examples of the most common mistakes made when trying to understand the economy and the markets.
This presentation is intended to:
1. Open minds to new opportunities and potential problems,
2. Expand the breath and depth of our knowledge in selected areas,
3. Help us become better decision makers,
4. Increase the confidence and staying power of our decisions.
Background Material:What's Happening To Our Daily Newspaper
Past Meetings July - Dec 2008
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About Wikis
**(Also see ****http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PeanutButterWiki)
Here’s how Wikipedia defines wikis, the development of which traces back in large part to the development of the collaborative online encyclopedia:
“A wiki is a website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove and otherwise edit and change available content, and typically without the need for registration. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for mass collaborative authoring.
The term wiki also can refer to the collaborative software itself (wiki engine) that facilitates the operation of such a Web site, or to certain specific wiki sites, including the computer science site (the FutureThought wiki) WikiWikiWeb and on-line encyclopedias such as Wikipedia.”
Sample of what you can do In a Wiki..
Penn State or
Take a tour and
New Wiki Info - See :
and
- How do you create a new page? see Sample above.