NUGGET (22 FEBRUARY 2021)

Hello Future Thinkers!

Here is your news and as it turns out also the weather…

I have said it many times before: ‘natural disasters, especially those linked to climate change, are going to increase in severity and frequency.’

Mother Nature might employ karma if you think that Texas (home of some of the biggest oil and gas companies) has just suffered an unprecedented cold ‘front’ forcing their local power utility to implement extraordinary load shedding. The impact on citizens has been punishing.

Families and businesses need to prepare their homes, offices, communities and government on how to deal with the Future challenges. Have you begun to think about what you will do during the next disaster? What lessons did you learn from C0vid?

A huge Thumbs up to the Shoprite Group who I learnt now generates 12300 MWh of electricity with renewable energy. In addition, they have put 649 solar panels on top of their refrigerated trucks. Even more ambitious, their intent to purchase and use 434000 MWh of renewable energy annually for the next 7 years. I challenge Pick n Pay, Woolies and Checkers to match or better this!

On the subject of electricity, Eskom is going to keep pushing for more increases, but less people are going to be using their services. Their business model is outdated, like fixed lines with Telkom or implementing wealth tax on a nation going broke. South Africa’s solution to solving the power crisis will come from responsible and innovative corporates and people who push for renewable solutions.

I have written about these ‘bots’ before, but now I can give you some of their names: Erica, Ariel, Micah and Lexi are some of the e-team offering hospitality at the Hotel Sky in Sandton and soon in their equivalent Cape Town hotel. They can dance the Jerusalema, carry bags, work out if you are a happy chappy or a miserable guest, and of course deliver room service and not expect a tip. Check out this cool little video and look out for the comment I don’t agree with. Who dares a guess what it was? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4IF4PW_u0M

The Vatican is the only place where you can use an ATM that speaks Latin.

I wanted to share some points recently published as objectives by the Trade Federation (in South Africa) and my ****comments****.

• The construction of a new economy, including a minimum wage of R12500 a month for all workers, and a moratorium on all job losses. **** a basic income scheme for all South Africans is needed for a number of reasons, one being it would ensure survival for many during the next natural disaster. Governments must stop controlling commercial and service entities and only focus on bettering the environment they need to thrive. There are not enough businesses doing well to create the jobs and salaries we need.
• The improvement of living conditions and the redistribution of land. **** Branches & entities of the South African State remain one of the primary land owners. Land distribution or ‘land gifting’, will not solve the problem we are facing today in South Africa. Land has to be cared for and if it’s a farm, it needs to offer a return, failing which, improved living conditions will never be accomplished. Education and Entrepreneurs must be our focus.
• The cutting of greenhouse gas emissions. **** I was so happy to see this one, well done. I assume this means no more support for carbon heavy airlines and costly government cars or dinosaur fuel power plants ****
• Raising the social wage and providing public healthcare finance; **** this requires an entire article to address my points on these subjects ****
• Free, decolonised and high-quality public education; ****nothing free is ever earned or fully appreciated. ‘Decolonised’ is a word often used in context and by people who seek retribution. No Government should ever dictate what information is available for a child to learn. A Governments roll is to provide an environment for access to ALL information and encourage a child to make their own decisions in life.
• An end to corruption and crime; ****Amen! Bring on early elections! I hope we see record registered voters****
• A non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, socialist society. **** I do not subscribe to the concept of a socialist society. I struggle to find leaders in South Africa who talk of solutions that will work in the future, which has no tolerance for authoritarian governments. Socialism has never worked well anywhere in the World, and certainly won’t in the coming years. We require an open society where information, resources and people have global access, freedoms, liberties and responsibilities. As for the point of ‘non-racial’, that would also be wonderful, but, in order for this to be achieved we need to focus on what unites and not what divides, in other words we need to be citizens and not a person treated in a specific way because of skin colour. # dropsmike

The ‘e5 tanker is a soon to be 60m ship which runs on lithium-ion batteries. It will be used in Japan. What blows my mind in a bad ways it this electronic innovation is being used to deliver fossil fuels. (image post) # bigfail