http://au.tv.yahoo.com/the-morning-show/video/-/watch/fdb905ab-24a6-30d6-b434-08797e9f4992/what-will-the-future-hold/

1. Can America adjust to higher gas prices? - Brad Plummer via The Washington Post — US gas prices are spiking above $3.50/gallon nationally, which threatens the easing economic situation. In 2011, gas prices rose and wiped out the benefits of Obama’s middle-class tax cuts. We can expect a really negative impact if prices reach $4/gallon in May, as many analysts predict. Perhaps this will hasten our slow transition to post-oil transportation.

#gas #economics

2. Get Ready for 1 Billion Smartphones by 2016, Forrester Says - Brian X. Chen via  NYTimes.com — 1B smartphone users in 2016, including 350M workers of which 200M will take their own devices to work. $56B market size, they say. Personally, I think these numbers are too timid.

#smartphones #futureofwork

3. Apple’s Tim Cook hints at something ‘larger’ in firm’s TV arsenal - David Sarno via LAtimes.com — Tim Cook says they have found something larger than plain vanilla TV, and those that have used the product love it. Apple is in the perfect position to create something that integrates the ‘second screen’ experience, since they are the market thought leader in mobile devices.

#secondscreen #appletv #imcook

4. Australia’s Newest Firefighters: Elephants? - Nidhi Subbaraman via Co.Exist — Australia is suffering from longer drought, and wildfires as a result of wild grasses that local animal populations are unable to counter. One solution being considered: importing and releasing African elephants and other large grazing animals to keep the grasses in check.

#elephants #rewilding #wildfires #australia

5. Global Risks 2012 - World Economic Forum —A very frightening assessment of the risks that confront the world, and possible approches to countering them. Includes an assessment of the 50 greatest risks, and a special report on what we can learn from the Great East Japan earthquake.

#daiichi #globalrisks2012 #worldeconomicforum

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