World Futures Fall 2021

The article talks about government subpoenas to tech companies getting your information--often without you knowing about it for years. Utlimately, it's all about a lack of transparency on the part of the USG.

The supply chain issue has been escalated to where the government is getting involved. Biden is talking with big retailers and looking for solutions as the problem seems to be getting worse and more likel to affect the economy

Is this a recipe for a social uprising fullscale class warfare revolt? Sure, maybe after the next Super Bowl/iPhone/Video Game Release. > Top 1%'s wealth jumped to a record 27% of the total: Fed data shows. > The top 1% represents about 1.3 million households who roughly make more than $500,000 a year -- out of a total of almost 130 million. > The middle 60% of U.S. households by income saw their combined assets drop to 26.6% of national wealth as of June, the lowest in Federal Reserve data going back three decades. For the first time, the super rich had a bigger share, at 27%. > The concentration of wealth in the hands of a fraction of the population is at the core of some of the country's major political battles.

Just when you thought QE (qualitative easing) was getting out of hand, the Federal Reserve is now looking to create a digital Federal Reserve Note. The language of the proposed bill is monumental. > "The bill is called the "Digital Asset Market Structure and Investor Protection Act" ("Digital Asset Bill"). And for the majority, it sets out future rules for crypto. However, hidden in this bill, changes to the foundation of the Dollar are proposed." > "...the Federal Reserve System is authorized to issue digital versions of Federal reserve notes in addition to current physical Federal reserve notes. Further, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, after consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, is authorized to use distributed ledger technology for the creation, distribution and recordation of all transactions involving digital Federal reserve notes." > BitDollars??

The growth of the shipping industry and its corresponding carbon emissions. If he shipping industry were its own country, it would be th 6th largest producer of carbon emissions. It calls on investments from private sector to governments for the maritime industry to meet its 2050 net 0 carbon emission target

Article talks about the rising sea levels if climate change goes unchecked. It touches on everything from eliminating certain species to ruining many coastal cities around the world. Mentions that there is still time to recover from the current path with the right measures.

Describes pressure on retailers (primarily the mega retailers) to reduce emissions from shipping efforts. Target/goal is ZERO emissions by 2030.

Just as there is talk of automated self driving cars, the same is for cargo ships. Only the reality is that autonomy will start with smaller ships, whith shorter hauls.

It seemed that once the pandemic ended, we would pick up where we left off when it started. Apparently not so. There have been several changes over the past year plus that have made changes more lasting than what was expected.

Describes how 1.7 billion people are still very limited financially--no bank acounts or ability to obtain credit. This limitation stifles growth in various parts of the world. Technology can change this by sharing informatoin digitally between consumers and institutions.

Article/presentation by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva where she talks about the current state of things--vaccinations, the economy, and a divergence in economic fortunes around the world is even more evident today.

A variety of factors affecting us economically that seemed to be related to the pandemic or the slow recovery from the pandemic to include shippin bottlenects, slower growth, longer recoveries, etc.

A discussion of the impact the Trump presidency had on the future of politics in America, including 4 brief go-forward scenario discussions.

A survey based on projections for the year 2050. "Majorities predict a weaker economy, a growing income divide, a degraded environment and a broken political system"

An overview of the Brookings 'States of Change' report. "In this 2020 report, we update our electoral scenarios in several important ways. First, we have produced a new set of underlying demographic projections for the nation and all 50 states plus the District of Columbia based on the latest census data. These projections trace the probable path of demographic change across the country-both for the population as a whole and, importantly, for eligible voters."

Insight into what a generation is focused on. "Issues that dominated campuses during the Vietnam War look a lot like the current social issues college students care about in 2020. Like then, students today are rallying around civil rights and racial justice as a larger cultural rift continues to divide American politics." Also interesting - "Nearly half of students report changing their political leanings during college."

A summary of the 2020 election and what issues are important to the voters that participated. "Underlying the many policy disagreements between Biden and Trump voters is a more personal feeling of distrust and disillusionment that could make compromise all the more difficult."

"In Gallup polling throughout the first quarter of 2021, an average of 49% of U.S. adults identified with the Democratic Party or said they are independents who lean toward the Democratic Party. That compares with 40% who identified as Republicans or Republican leaners. The nine-percentage-point Democratic advantage is the largest Gallup has measured since the fourth quarter of 2012." What I found to be more significant was the following: "The 44% of Americans who identify as political independents, whether they subsequently express a party leaning or not, is up from 38% in the fourth quarter of 2020 and is above 40% for the first time since 2019. This is consistent with the historical pattern whereby independent identification typically declines in presidential election years and increases in odd-numbered years. However, the percentages identifying as independent in 2020 and thus far in 2021 have been unusually high compared with prior presidential election and odd-numbered years. Thus, the current level of independent identification ranks among the highest Gallup has measured in any quarter since 1988" More people relate to neither party than to one, so why do they both continue on a trajectory of not satisfying the public? Is the message never heard that the Center is where most of America lives?

"Americans desperately want less fighting in politics and more cooperation carried out with a sense of shared purpose that is focused on the building blocks of national economic improvement and the well-being of all people." I continue to struggle with why the 'will of the people' continues to be difficult to make happen. I'll temper that with the comment that just because a 'random' poll reflects something, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is a true representation of 'the people.'

Child care costs are unrealistic even for middle-income earners