Nine Shift

The Fall of Rupert Murdoch

I read a book about the fall of Rupert Murdoch two years ago. Looks like it is happening now.

The book, A Certain Rich Man, by William Allen White, was actually written 100 years, in 1909, but it was a book that predicted the fate of a certain rich man then, and Mr. Murdoch now. 

And it looks like it is happening.  The phone tapping scandal in Britain, his newspapers losing money, the break up of the Murdoch empire, and last month- - the break up of his marriage.  As humorist Michael Feldstein put it, "The reason they broke up - - she's not getting any younger." 

Next up: the decline in influence of Fox News.  Fox News, unlike the Tea Party, is not going away. But its grip on media attention is already fading.

Last month we visited Vienna, the site 100 years ago of the fall of not just a rich man, but a whole 300 year reigning family of the Hapsburgs.

New Air Age Begins This Month

A new air age began this month with the successful first flight of the new Airbus A350.

Here's the story. The future of air travel:  more fuel efficiency, less polluting, and more passenger seats.

Long term, we are going to see larger planes flying between major cities, and then travellers taking high speed trains from their flight destination to their city destination.

So someone in New York going to Madison, Wisconsin, will fly on a large plane to Chicago, then get on a train to Madison.  Why not fly non-stop from New York to Madison?  You can't. No non-stop flights. 

So major cities with major airports will be hubs, not for planes, but for trains.

Flights of fewer than 500 miles will die, as people take trains for those trips.
Flights between small airports and big cities are already dying, and people will take trains from small cities.

Waiting lounge at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is packed with Gen Yers, waiting for a flight to Paris.

Why Gen Y Won't Move to the Suburbs

So older people are saying and hoping and praying that Gen Y will buy cars- - they won't- - and return to the suburbs. Here's why Gen Y will not move to the suburbs.

A primary argument of the big wish about buying cars is the rationale that Gen Y will move to the suburbs for the good schools. 

Gen Y will not be moving to suburbs.  And they don't think the suburbs have good schools.  First, Gen Y certainly wants to be a model to their children. So the idea that a Gen Y parent would destroy the environment driving cars, waste hours every day doing it, destroy the environment with lawns, waste water on lawns, etc.  is hardly plausible.

But second, the schools are NOT good in the suburbs.  Gen Y doesn't think so.  Gen Y knows all factory schools are obsolete.

And third, you can build a good public school downtown. It's just as easy as building one in the suburbs. Gen Y is already moving downtown.  Gen Y will demand good public schools downtown- - and they will get them. Photo: Another Europe photo.

 

Gender Approach All Wrong

In a pioneering seminar on gender and education and occupation, Julie Coates has found that the approach to gender in this country is all wrong. 

Julie says that we are delivering the wrong messages to females, and the wrong messages-- or no messages- - to males, in trying to create more gender diversity in occupations.

For young women, Coates says, we are using messages that appeal to young men to try to attract young women- - and that just isn't working.

Women are motivated by making a difference, having a sense of mission, doing something for people- - all people oriented motivations.  And most messages and ads directed towards females convey images and messages that resonate with males, but de-motivate females.

PHOTO: Barbara Nicol of the Ohio Board of Regents, said after LERN's pioneering seminar on gender, "It was awesome. Let's do business again." 

 

 

Next up: Good Urban Schools

Soon you will start to see schools, and then media coverage about schools, in downtown dense communities.

The Milwaukee Journal did a story about the return of condo buying in its downtown area, prompting one person to write:  "Between the lakefront, river, historical architecture and proximity to Chicago, Milwaukee has too many assets to not thrive. If we could only get a decent public school down there people could walk to, the area would really take off...."

Urban areas will soon see a resurgence of "decent public schools down there"  that children can walk to, just like their Gen Y parents walk to work, light rail, shops and stores.  A NINE SHIFT TOP PREDICTION OF 2013

Co-author Julie in downtown Ljubljana, Slovenia, last month

We're Now in Trial-and-Error Phase

Not just education is in a new trial-and-error phase when many experiments are being tried. Transportation is also in that phase.

There's flying cars. Hybrid cars. Electric cars.  Electric trains. Light rail. 110 mph trains. 220 mph trains. Last week a 330 mph train was tested.  New York City's bike-share program is being "tested," with huge ridership but tons of software problems.  

And this week a "flying bicycle" premiered in Prague. The BBC was there to cover it. And then the BBC noted the historical parallel with 100 years ago, noting:

And in the early 20th Century, among the very first "flying machines" were bicycles with wings attached to the frame - what became known as aviettes.

They did not really fly, but rather hopped above ground, or glided, having been first powered by fierce pedalling.

Photo: Window of train in Ljubljana, Slovenia, inviting passengers to take their bikes on the train. Both trains and bikes will 'win' in the 21st century.

 

Can the New Economy and Social Change Co-Exist for Gen Y?

Gen Y is into high tech and the new economy. Gen Y is into social change and causes. Can they co-exist?

Last month our friend Irena hosted a dinner for us in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and invited her son Nick and his girl friend to join us.  The conversation was fascinating.

She works for a high tech new economy company with web sites and international markets.  He works for a union advocating for political change.  Both are typical of millions of other Gen Yers their own age.
Can the entrepreneurial capitalist company of the new economy co-exist with the social change and social causes of the new society?  What do you think?

Will McDonald's Survive in the 21st Century?

Will McDonald's survive in the 21st Century? Tell us what you think.

Sears made the transition from the Agrarian Age to the Industrial Age 100 years ago. The circus, and countless businesses you've never heard of, did not.

USA Today had a great story recently about all the challenges McDonald's faces in transforming itself from the last century to the new world of this century. 

McDonald's has totally change the goods (burgers) and services (suburbia) and values (fast food, cars, factories, etc.) of the last century to the goods (healthy), services (downtown, near trains and light rail) and values (environmentally friendly, pro-charity, different ambience) of this century. 

It's not going to be easy.  Will McDonald's survive and thrive like Sears, or not-so-much like the circus? What do you think?

Our friend Irena buying fresh bread (and fresh vegetables and fresh fish) in the market in Ljubljana, Slovenia, last month.

  Here's the meal she made for us.

Will McDonald's Corporate 'Charity' Convince Gen Y?

Will corporations giving to charity convince Gen Y to like them?

Like other corporations, McDonald's has read that Gen Y likes social causes and charity (they do). And according to a great USA Today story recently, McDonald's also has realized it's entire future lies with Gen Y.

One way McDonald's and other corporations is trying to lure Gen Y is by giving to charity, or encouraging Gen Y to give to their charity. Very ironic since McDonald's and other corporations exist only for, and are legally required to think only about, profit and profit$. Will devoting a small portion of their profit$ to chairty convince Gen Y to patronize them?  What do you think?

Where Gen Y is at.  Train station in Ljubljana, Slovenia.  Gen Y is there, so is McDonad's.  Photo by Nine Shift staff photographer Doyle Darvis.

Trains Advance Even in Tea Party States

The economic, demographic and business pressure for trains is so great trains are even advancing in Tea Party states.

Last week, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced it will continue with planning for better and faster train service between the Twin Cities and Chicago. 

The route is almost entirely in Wisconsin, whose current governor opposes rail expansion. But the Twin Cities and Chicago are two powerful economic hubs of the 21st century that need trains, and are determined to get them.

More Republicans, and more Republican run states, will continue to support trains.  They know (or will find out) that without getting onboard with trains their states will be left economically standing at the station.

Train day last month with packed crowds at the recently rennovated Union Depot in St. Paul, Minnesota. Passengers in the Twin Cities will board Amtrak here starting later this year.  Empty now, the depot will look like this every day for the rest of this century.