May 2009, Vol 10, No. 5

In This Issue...
* Increasing Cooperation against Security Threats
* Predicting Freight Traffic
* Battles for Outer Space
* Click of the Month: Emergency Care For You
* News for the Futurist Community
* What’s Hot @WFS.ORG

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. http://www.nap.edu/

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
http://www.uah.edu/insight/insightread.php?newsID=1333

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
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123142047

CLICK OF THE MONTH: EMERGENCY CARE FOR YOU

http://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: http://www.aacc.edu/future/callforarticles.cfm

* 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.

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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.

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