Journal

This Moment in Time The Phoenix Economy at The Value Web   Early on Wednesday, across to the Oval for the start of a two-day event entitled ‘This Moment in Time’ – organised by The Value Web, who I have worked with on a number of occasions at World Economic Forum summits.  They use a process developed by Gail and Matt Taylor of MG Taylor, founded in 1979.  Had to leave half-way through the first day, but Sam and I went back for the concluding party on Thursday evening.     Very struck to find my photo up on the white-wall, with the message ‘Still Here’.  A number of the ideas I had surfaced the previous day had also made it onto the walls, including the notion that systems adapt (so the Vatican, for example, might anoint James Lovelock as Saint James of Gaia some time around 2029), that we might build God as a supercomputer with anyone able to input (prompted by a note with ’42’ on it in one of the break-out spaces) and, no surprise this, the Phoenix Economy.     Very much liked Gail Taylor.  Among other things, we discussed Hari Seldon, the psychohistorian in Asimov’s Foundation series, and worked to collapse a 30,000 years of civilizational collapse into just 1,000 years.  Struck by the fact that the Canterbury Court business cenbtre, where the event was held, used to be a radar factory.  At its best, what we are doing is evolving a new form of radar for our societies and economies.  Came away hugely energised.   Trends Elephant in the room Paradigm shifting Which Beatle are you? Scale St James Could we build God? Sam Wordle taken by Sam Gail and orange man Still here

Today’s Financial Times carries a story on the decision of the Hearst Corporation to close the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper, which I built ties of affection with while spending time over decades with family in the Seattle area.  

The news also reminds me of a wonderful conversation I had with Frank Herbert, who recalled the time when he was a cub reporter with the Post-Intelligencer, and was sent to report on a dune stabilisation project in Oregon – indeed in exactly the place (Dune City) that Elaine, I and the children had visited just before flying back to London, landing in London just in time to get to Frank’s hotel before he flew back to Seattle.  More on Frank Herbert here. 

First Tuesday 1

First Tuesday 2First Tuesday 3

First Tuesday 4

Across to the British Library with Charmian and Sam, after sending The Phoenix Economy to the printers, for a First Tuesday debate at the British Library.  I was paired with James Cameron of Climate Change Capital, in a greentech session moderated by Rebecca Burn-Callander of Real Business. Lively session and conversations across at the Novotel afterwards.  Photos by Sam, who says since I post photos of others, what is sauce for goose is sauce for the gander, or somesuch.

Blue sky Spawn 1 Spawn 2  

Up early and as we walked I said to Elaine that this felt like spawn weather.  Sound of woodpeckers singing and hammering away in the trees.  Brilliant green cascades of parakeets.  Sly jackdaws. A biplane soaring over the deer, radio-controlled. Then we found great clumps of frog spawn, though someone – or something – had been fishing some out, since there were long skeins of eggs streaked across a log near the bank, drying out. I sluiced them all back into the water. A powerful sense of connection to what got me started in this space way back in the 1950s. Meanwhile my Uncle Paul says that all the frogs this year in his area of Cumbria are male.

Hound The hound’s Believe Kiss on the stairs Arm wrestling on the roof Shot with Duncan Another kiss on the stairs Magnolia

Started the day with Sam at Image Source, meeting Duncan Grossart – and then speaking to his team. Next, back to Bloomsbury Place – where the magnolia continues to inch into bloom – for a succession of six meetings.  My mood of depression is beginning to lift, which is no doubt a boon to the world.  Cycled home, which helped, too.  Moon last night seemed to be full, though could equally have been this evening.  Walking back into Barnes last night, very late, after my trip to Oxford, a flowering blackcurrant was in full perfume.  Delicious.