[Yogi]

Whether these changes are good or bad depends in part on how we adapt to them. But, ready or not, here they come

1. The Post Office. Get ready to imagine a world without the post office. They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term. Email, Fed Ex, and UPS have just about wiped out the minimum revenue needed to keep the post office alive. Most of your mail every day is junk mail and bills.

2. The Cheque. Britain is already laying the groundwork to do away with cheques by 2018. It costs the financial system billions of dollars a year to process cheques. Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the cheque. This plays right into the death of the post office. If you never paid your bills by mail and never received them by mail, the post office would absolutely go out of business.

3. The Newspaper. The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper. They certainly don't subscribe to a daily delivered print edition. That may go the way of the milkman and the laundry man. As for reading the paper online, get ready to pay for it. The rise in mobile Internet devices and e-readers has caused all the newspaper and magazine publishers to form an alliance. They have met with Apple, Amazon, and the major cell phone companies to develop a model for paid subscription services.

4. The Book. You say you will never give up the physical book that you hold in your hand and turn the literal pages. I said the same thing about downloading music fromiTunes. I wanted my hard copy CD. But I quickly changed my mind when I discovered that I could get albums for half the price without ever leaving home to get the latest music. The same thing will happen with books. You can browse a bookstore online and even read a preview chapter before you buy. And the price is less than half that of a real book. And think of the convenience! Once you start flicking your fingers on the screen instead of the book, you find that you are lost in the story, can't wait to see what happens next, and you forget that you're holding a gadget instead of a book.

5. The Land Line Telephone. Unless you have a large family and make a lot of local calls, you don't need it anymore. Most people keep it simply because they've always had it. But you are paying double charges for that extra service. All the cell phone companies will let you call customers using the same cell provider for no charge against your minutes

6. Music. This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading. It's the lack of innovative new music being given a chance to get to the people who would like to hear it. Greed and corruption is the problem. The record labels and the radio conglomerates are simply self-destructing. Over 40% of the music purchased today is "catalog items," meaning traditional music that the public is familiar with. Older established artists. This is also true on the live concert circuit. To explore this fascinating and disturbing topic further, check out the book, "Appetite for Self-Destruction" by Steve Knopper, and the video documentary, "Before the Music Dies."

7. Television. Revenues to the networks are down dramatically. Not just because of the economy. People are watching TV and movies streamed from their computers. And they're playing games and doing lots of other things that take up the time that used to be spent watching TV. Prime time shows have degenerated down to lower than the lowest common denominator. Cable rates are skyrocketing and commercials run about every 4 minutes and 30 seconds. I say good riddance to most of it. It's time for the cable companies to be put out of our misery.. Let the people choose what they want to watch online and through Netflix.

8. The "Things" That You Own. Many of the very possessions that we used to own are still in our lives, but we may not actually own them in the future. They may simply reside in "the cloud." Today your computer has a hard drive and you store your pictures, music, movies, and documents. Your software is on a CD or DVD, and you can always re-install it if need be. But all of that is changing. Apple, Microsoft, and Google are all finishing up their latest "cloud services." That means that when you turn on a computer, the Internet will be built into the operating system. So, Windows, Google, and the Mac OS will be tied straight into the Internet. If you click an icon, it will open something in the Internet cloud. If you save something, it will be saved to the cloud. And you may pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud provider. In this virtual world, you can access your music or your books, or your whatever from any laptop or handheld device. That's the good news. But, will you actually own any of this "stuff" or will it all be able to disappear at any moment in a big "Poof?" Will most of the things in our lives be disposable and whimsical? It makes you want to run to the closet and pull out that photo album, grab a book from the shelf, or open up a CD case and pull out the insert.

9. Privacy. If there ever was a concept that we can look back on nostalgically, it would be privacy. That's gone. It's been gone for a long time anyway. There are cameras on the street, in most of the buildings, and even built into your computer and cell phone. But you can be sure that 24/7, "They" know who you are and where you are, right down to the GPS coordinates, and the Google Street View. If you buy something, your habit is put into a zillion profiles, and your ads will change to reflect those habits. And "They" will try to get you to buy something else. Again and again.

All we will have that can't be changed are Memories.

[Brenda]

2. Cheques.
Wow, good on the UK. The Netherlands got rid of cheques 20 years or something ago...

[EyeBrock]

I think the book will live on past me.

Those Kindles et al are all very nice but a book does the job better, it's low tech and won't run out of power, can be dried out after being dunked in the pool and looks nice on a shelf.

[martin14]

Brenda Brenda:

2. Cheques.
Wow, good on the UK. The Netherlands got rid of cheques 20 years or something ago...

East Europe missed it altogether.

I was still paid in cash when I started, couldn't believe it the first time.

Went straight from cash to plastic and digital banking.

[Yogi]

The best way to enjoy reading a book will always be whilst lying comfortably in bed or by a fire.

[PostFactum]

Music will live, I can't imagine life without it. the

$1:

Internet will be built into the operating system

-Agree, but only if the last hacker will be dead. Other things, - I say - "YES".

[PostFactum]

martin14 martin14:

Brenda Brenda:

2. Cheques.
Wow, good on the UK. The Netherlands got rid of cheques 20 years or something ago...

East Europe missed it altogether.

Yeah, I've never seen it

[herbie]

Did you know that Xerox, the company that invented the modern GUI (desktop, icons,mouse) STILL does not have an online payment system?
There are others, like Purolator, that insist on sending statements, a return envelope and expect a cheque in 2011.

[PostFactum]

herbie herbie:

Did you know that Xerox, the company that invented the modern GUI (desktop, icons,mouse) STILL does not have an online payment system?
There are others, like Purolator, that insist on sending statements, a return envelope and expect a cheque in 2011.

What a drama ))

[DrCaleb]

$1:

1. The Post Office.

You can't email a physical package. I still visit the PO often for just that reason. At least once a week.

$1:

2. The Cheque.

And good riddance. I rarely use them, but only for places that can't seen to get the debit or cash thing right.

$1:

3. The Newspaper.

I wouldn't mind a subscription that downloaded to an electronic device daily, but they'd have to justify the normal physical subscription price by actually containing things people want to read. And employing an editor who knows about spelling and grammar. If they don't hop on that bandwagon soon, they will die.

$1:

4. The Book.

Never. Ebooks can have advantages, but it will never replace the look, feel and smell of a book.

$1:

5. The Land Line Telephone.

Died a long time ago. No one noticed.

$1:

6. Music. This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading.

From their own figures, downloading actually helps their sales, but the severe lack of any good music worth paying for is most likely what's killing them. And their own greed and desire to keep their archaic business model afloat.

$1:

7. Television.

The 6'oclock news is all I watch, usually. Perhaps 1-2 hours a week that I PVR. The rest is Netflix, which rocks. Every good show has been cancelled. 24, Heroes, Firefly, The Bridge . . .all shot down. Everything that tops the ratings, I've never watched. Apparently, neither have most people.

$1:

8. The "Things" That You Own.

Never will my personal data leave my computer for cloud storage. Read the terms of service - one it's on their servers, it's their data.

$1:

9. Privacy.

All of those things can be avoided, if you try. I maintain my privacy, as witnessed by my lack of junk mail, email spam, SMS spam and zero Google hits for my real name.

$1:

All we will have that can't be changed are Memories.

Only if you give in.

[Regina]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

I think the book will live on past me.

Those Kindles et al are all very nice but a book does the job better, it's low tech and won't run out of power, can be dried out after being dunked in the pool and looks nice on a shelf.

Yup!!

[andyt]

I hope not, I like all those things. We need an old farts union to demand they keep them going at least until we die.

[sandorski]

Pretty much agree with the list, but Music will live, the current Music Industry won't. Cheques will die, I only use them to Pay my Rent these days. Post Office will probably die for sure. TV will change dramatically, but not die outright, probably no longer be OTA.

[PostFactum]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

$1:

1. The Post Office.

You can't email a physical package. I still visit the PO often for just that reason. At least once a week.

$1:

2. The Cheque.

And good riddance. I rarely use them, but only for places that can't seen to get the debit or cash thing right.

$1:

3. The Newspaper.

I wouldn't mind a subscription that downloaded to an electronic device daily, but they'd have to justify the normal physical subscription price by actually containing things people want to read. And employing an editor who knows about spelling and grammar. If they don't hop on that bandwagon soon, they will die.

$1:

4. The Book.

Never. Ebooks can have advantages, but it will never replace the look, feel and smell of a book.

$1:

5. The Land Line Telephone.

Died a long time ago. No one noticed.

$1:

6. Music. This is one of the saddest parts of the change story. The music industry is dying a slow death. Not just because of illegal downloading.

From their own figures, downloading actually helps their sales, but the severe lack of any good music worth paying for is most likely what's killing them. And their own greed and desire to keep their archaic business model afloat.

$1:

7. Television.

The 6'oclock news is all I watch, usually. Perhaps 1-2 hours a week that I PVR. The rest is Netflix, which rocks. Every good show has been cancelled. 24, Heroes, Firefly, The Bridge . . .all shot down. Everything that tops the ratings, I've never watched. Apparently, neither have most people.

$1:

8. The "Things" That You Own.

Never will my personal data leave my computer for cloud storage. Read the terms of service - one it's on their servers, it's their data.

$1:

9. Privacy.

All of those things can be avoided, if you try. I maintain my privacy, as witnessed by my lack of junk mail, email spam, SMS spam and zero Google hits for my real name.

$1:

All we will have that can't be changed are Memories.

Only if you give in.

...So you are listening "Caleb's life fm Radio" stay with us to know more about Canadian way of life...

[fifeboy]

Me, I'm still waiting for these first:

$1:

Probably the most common future technology never invented is the flying car. Appearing in countless science fiction movies and soaring through the day dreams of any commuter stuck in daily bumper to bumper traffic, the flying car represents a human fantasy that hasn’t yet taken off. This is not to say that there haven’t been plenty attempts at a functional model. From the winged Pinto of 1973 (which led to the fiery death of the two pilots) to the more recent “Moller SkyCar,” the world has been searching for a cost effective way at personal air travel for decades. Dr. Paul Moller of Moller Industries (a company specializing in flying cars) has since filed for bankruptcy, and his flying cars still struggle to achieve a vertical lift of more than 25 feet.

$1:

In 1979 the buzz in the future-themed media circled around the idea of a lunar colony, and with that colony came the claim that in 2020, our Olympic Games will take place on the moon. Authors of the book, Future Cities: Homes and Living Into the 21st Century, wrote that with colonies living and reproducing in lunar cities, the climate might be perfect for the first ever interplanetary Olympic competition. The stadium for the event would be situated under a huge Plexiglas done, and Earthlings and “Moonies” (as the book refers to the lunar families) can come and watch the event take place. The book continues to predict that with lower gravity, certain events like the high-jump would be even more entertaining. Today we still hold the games here on earth, and technology does not seem ripe to hold them on the moon within the next decade. Interestingly, various space-themed websites are still reporting that Olympics on the moon are, “only a matter of time.”

and

$1:

In 1984, future predictions took a short break from space cities and focused on an equally dangerous location for a city: the ocean. Floating atop the surf, a farming city populated by humans and tended to by robots was predicted to be built in the 2000’s. The article appeared in a book entitled, The Future World of Agriculture, and was titled the “Sea City of the Future”. An excerpt from the article reads: “Robots tend crops that grow on floating platforms around a sea city of the future. Water from the ocean would evaporate, rise to the base of the platforms (leaving the salt behind), and feed the crops.” Today, this green-friendly sea city does not exist. One possible problem with such a design is what do do in case of huge rogue waves or hurricanes. Weather is quite a nasty and destructive thing out at sea, and perhaps building a city in a place where such devastating forces (hurricanes, tidal waves, tsunamis) exist might not be the best idea.