INCREASING COOPERATION
AGAINST SECURITY THREATS
At the
end of the Cold War, when the first U.S. Cooperative Threat Reduction
programs to dismantle nuclear weapons were composed, the primary security
concern among U.S. officials was the former Soviet Union and its weapons of
mass destruction. Now, threats are coming more "from groups that
are agile, networked, and adaptable," says the National Research Council, a
research association that advises the U.S. government.
In a
new report mandated by Congress, the Council recommends a bold vision for
cooperative threat reduction that encourages strategic partnerships among
agencies both within and beyond the traditional security silos.
The
“CTR 2.0” model would engage not just the defense, state, and energy
departments in security assessment and risk reduction, but would also
include departments and agencies not typically associated with global
security threats. For instance, the Agriculture Department would become more
involved, as recent threats to food safety and security have illustrated
crucial areas of vulnerability.
The
model also recommends including the nongovernmental and private sectors,
such as academia, corporations, and civil society, all of which are not only
stakeholders in national security but also boast expertise and resources
vital to threat reduction.
SOURCE:
"Global Security Engagement: A New Model for Cooperative Threat Reduction,"
National Research Council, 2009. Published by the National Academies Press
PREDICTING FREIGHT
TRAFFIC
How
many trucks will take one route through the state versus another? How much
freight will they be carrying? How much traffic will just pass through and
how much will stop for deliveries or pickups? And why do these questions
matter?
Forecasts for freight traffic matter because efficient movement of goods
supports economic growth. Knowing where the heaviest traffic will be matters
to transportation departments that must make decisions about where to build
new roads or when to schedule highway maintenance—projects that require
long-term planning.
Researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have developed a new
freight and truck traffic forecasting tool to aid metropolitan planning
teams. Their model examines changes in the sizes of populations and key
industries, thus showing where local traffic flows may change. It also
accounts for pass-through volume—i.e., traffic moving through the region
over which the planners have no control. The result is a more accurate
picture of freight traffic’s future impacts.
SOURCE:
University of Alabama in Huntsville
|
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check back for more!) at www.wfs.org
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|
BATTLES FOR OUTER SPACE
The U.S. military
has named the space environment a “special area of emphasis” due to growing
international space-based operations.
Attacks on space
assets such as satellites are a key concern, but other threats besides
weapons attacks exist, such as collisions with space debris and electronic
jamming.
“America’s way of
life is dependent on space,” notes Colonel Sean D. McClung, director of Air
University’s National Space Studies Center. “We have to think about what we
would do if our systems in space were attacked—how we determine attribution
for the attack, and respond in appropriate manner.”
By declaring the
space environment a special area of emphasis, the Defense Department will
devote more resources and attention to space in the curricula of
professional military colleges.
SOURCE: U.S. Air Force Link, Air University
CLICK OF THE MONTH: EMERGENCY CARE FOR YOU
www.EmergencyCareForYou.org
Imagine this
scenario: Your mom falls on the sidewalk, and a kind passerby calls 911.
She’s at the hospital now, but the nurses need to know if she’s allergic to
the pain medication they want to give her. And if she has diabetes. And
whether she’s on Coumadin.
Are you ready to
answer these questions on her behalf? Or is a family member ready to answer
for you? As the numbers of elderly with chronic health problems grow, the
need for caregivers to be prepared for emergencies will increase.
Emergency Care For
You, a service of the American College of Emergency Physicians, offers tips
for what you may need to know or have with you for a trip to the ER, as well
as common medical forms to download and complete, such as lists of current
medications, medical histories, advanced medical directives, and insurance
information.
Other tips for
emergency preparation: Anticipate that the patient will be admitted to the
hospital, so bring personal items and a change of clothes; keep a list of
doctors’ and specialists’ contact information handy; bring something to
read; and bring a notebook to help keep track of what happens, since you may
be responsible for conveying information between doctors and the patient.
NEWS
FOR THE FUTURIST COMMUNITY
* CALL FOR
ARTICLES: “SO YOU WANT TO TEACH THE FUTURE?” Article submissions are being
accepted for a special issue of the Journal of Futures Studies, April 2010
Issue, entitled “So You Want to Teach the Future?” Guest Editor Stephen F.
Steele of the Institute for the Future @ AACC (Http://www.aacc.edu/future ) is
looking for three types of work: (1) articles (roughly 5,000–7,000 words)
that provide descriptions, discussions, and case studies of how to “teach”
the future—all articles are refereed by two reviewers; (2) shorter (3,000
words or so) anecdotal essays with a spotlight on teaching futures and
foresight; and (3) future GIFTs—great ideas for teaching the future. Content
of essays and GIFTs will be negotiated between author and editor. The
deadline for submissions is November 30, 2009.
DETAILS:
* FUTURES RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY 3.0: Coming soon is the latest version of the Millennium
Project’s CD-ROM compilation, FUTURES RESEARCH METHODOLOGY. Version 3.0
promises to “be the most comprehensive internationally peer reviewed
collection of methods to explore the future ever assembled history,”
according to Millennium Project director and co-editor Jerome C. Glenn. With
extensively updated and improved chapters as well as new chapters, FRM 3.0
gives you all the tools you need to track, forecast, manage, and mold the
world of tomorrow. CONTACT Jerome C. Glenn
mailto:jglenn@igc.org
* FUTURES
RESEARCHER’S QUERY: As futures researchers, we are naturally interested in
the future of many different subjects, such as demography, economy, climate,
and technology. But are we looking at the future of our own discipline as
well? How will we look at the future in ten years from now? Which methods
will we use then? Which position and role will futures researchers have in
the future? I am looking for (scientific) studies that address this topic. I
am working on a literature review on the future of futures research
(studies) and I would like to find out what the common issues are throughout
these studies. CONTACT: Dr. Patrick van der Duin, Delft University of
Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management,
mailto:p.a.vanderduin@tudelft.nl
* BOB FISHER:
Longtime WFS supporter and energy specialist Bob Fisher died on March 17 at
his home after a long illness. He is survived by his wife, futurist
consultant Lauren Huddleston. Both Bob and Lauren have participated at WFS
conferences and written for THE FUTURIST. Bob’s last article for the
magazine was "The Future of Energy" (September-October 1997), which
“provided valuable insights on the need to shift our human values away from
the accumulation of wealth toward providing a higher quality of human life,”
said FUTURIST editor Edward Cornish.
****************************************************
What"s Hot @WFS.ORG
*
WORLD FUTURE REVIEW’s second issue (April-May 2009) features opposing
opinions by Ervin Laszlo and Michael Marien on whether the world is making
the quantum leap to a global brain—and whether this would be a good thing.
The featured futurist interviewed in this issue is FUTURE SAVVY author Adam
Gordon. Other articles cover “The Emerging Inner Solar System Economy” and
“Future Systems Engineering and the Role of Complexity.” And in every issue
of WFR is Future Survey: abstracts of books, articles, blogs, and reports
concerning forecasts, trends, and ideas about the future. JOIN the
Professional Membership program of the World Future Society and receive
WFR:
*
CALL FOR ABSTRACTORS: If you’re a futurist who loves books and are
interested in contributing to our field’s knowledge base, consider becoming
a Future Survey abstractor for WORLD FUTURE REVIEW. Contact editor Tim Mack
at mailto:tmack@wfs.org
*
MEMBERSHIP SALE ENDS SOON! The World Future Society is offering a
special 2-for-3 membership deal! Join (or renew) at the regular price for
two years and get your third year free! Plan ahead, save money, and never
miss a single issue of THE FUTURIST (or WORLD FUTURE REVIEW for
Professionals). This one-time offer expires on April 30.
SAVE NOW:
*
THE FUTURIST on EncyclopAedia
Britannica.com: Want to know what the World Health Organization’s
guidelines on pandemics actually say? Or what Saudi Arabia is doing to
rehabilitate terrorists? Or what is being called the newest greenhouse gas
threat? Read these stories from THE FUTURIST and others you may have missed
at
THE FUTURIST magazine’s blog spot on the Encyclopaedia Britannica Web site.
* TWEETS FROM THE
YEAR 2030, the Twitter site of THE FUTURIST magazine. Check out THE
FUTURIST
home page for
up-to-the-minute news from 2020, 2030, 2050, and beyond or sign up to follow us on
Twitter.
FUTURIST UPDATE: News & Previews from the World Future Society is an e-mail
newsletter published monthly as a supplement to THE FUTURIST magazine.
Copyright © 2008, World Future Society, 7910 7910 Woodmont Avenue, Suite 450,
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