Having already read Daniel Tammet's Born on a Blue Day, it is interesting to now watch and listen to him too, as his linguistic, numerical and visual synesthesia mean that his perception of words, numbers and colours weave together into a new way of understanding the world.
Welcome to Halcyon Week, Sunday 12 June 2011.
...such was the aim of the World Economic Forum's event in Vienna, on 8-9 June 2011.
The future of global power is likely to include more South-to-South development strategies, new issues in territory and sovereignty, and the potential for the collapse of states.
For example, imagine a world with a strong China reshaping Asia; India confidently extending its reach from Africa to Indonesia; Islam spreading its influence; a Europe replete with crises of legitimacy; sovereign city-states holding wealth and driving innovation; and private mercenary armies, religious radicals and humanitarian bodies playing by their own rules as they compete for hearts, minds and wallets.
A new study into food security called for urgent action to avert global hunger, claiming that the current system is unsustainable and will fail to end hunger unless radically redesigned.
A recent study into adapting to climate change showed that it is no longer an issue for governments to resolve alone. The private sector needs to be more involved in making decisions too. Natural resource constraints, manufacturing or logistical interruptions, and financial or economic crises mean the private sector has to take action.
As ever, Dilbert distills perfectly the essence of an increasingly serious issue, i.e. how much privacy are we willingly and unknowingly trading away in our rush towards ever more "intelligent" devices.
While traceability often deals with issues like product recalls and contaminated food, new product tracking apps aim to protect not consumers, but manufacturers: specifically, the children and adults who make the products we buy.
Leading economist and activist Jeffrey Sachs believes that there are many practical things individuals can do to make a positive difference in the world.