Tag: future

The Future Minute

By Micah Horncraft, Director of Coma Futurist Society

Every week, Micah Horncraft, Director of the Coma Futurist Society and renowned futurist will answer questions regarding future trends and the impact the future will have on society. See this week’s questions and answers below.

Q: I’m fascinated by business card technology. Is it feasible to think that in a hundred years, business cards could be slightly larger? 

A: I don’t know. It’s possible.


Q: Will humans still be placing cucumbers on the floor to freak out their cats in the future?

A: As long as farming continues to be a viable industry and cats continue to be domesticated, there is no reason to think this trend will stop anytime in the future.


Q: I’ve always wondered why we didn’t just make years longer and that way, we can live for longer. Like, if a years was 50 months, think how much more time you’d live if you lived to 80 years old? That’s like four times more living. Do you think something like that is possible in the future?

A: Maybe.

“Disappointing” Future of Fences Exhibit Opens this Week

by Coma News Staff

The Coma Futurist Society’s latest exhibit, The Future of Fences, opened this week to a luke-warm reception by many visitors. The exhibit features a number of conceptual drawings about how fences might look and be made over the course of the next several hundred years.

According to curator and society director, Micah Horncraft, the exhibit provides a “critical examination of what a fence may represent in the future.” Critics noted an overall lack of “substantive content” and creativity in the exhibit. Horncraft maintains the exhibit is not only founded in a spirit of innovation but prides the exhibit on the wildly imaginative speculations.

“It is very likely that in several hundred years, we would not be able to recognize the fence of today,” Horncraft said. “I think that’s hard for people to understand sometimes. It takes a leap of imagination.”

fence-2

ABOVE: The “Jet Rocket Super Fence” suggests that fences of the future may be very different than those of today

The collection of drawings and sketches includes more than two dozen designs that Horncraft said were rooted firmly in science and technological advances expected to occur in coming centuries.

But skeptics have dismissed much of the exhibit’s pieces as “simple-minded” and “inherently misguided.”

“It seems like the only thing that makes these fences futuristic is that they float or fly,” one visitor, who wished to remain anonymous, said. “Like, who would build a small section of fence and put it on a cloud way up in the sky? Where is the utility?”

One of the most popular pieces includes a fence with what appears to be fixed wings and jet engines. Horncraft defended the liberal use of flying or floating fences.

“Why wouldn’t fences of the future be able to fly?” Horncraft asked. “I mean, lots of things are going to be flying around the sky in a couple hundred years so, I think we’re going to need fences in the sky too.”

fence-1

ABOVE: A section of fence sits on a billowy cloud up in the sky. Apparently in the future, we will need to place fences on clouds

The exhibit, which opened earlier this week, is scheduled to run through the end of February. While Horncraft is optimistic the interest and turnout will be strong he is concerned some of the early word-of-mouth reviews could deter some visitors. Some of the exhibit’s other highlights include:

– A floating fence on a cloud. Although Horncraft could not explain the physics behind this possibility, he did state “they’ll figure something out.”

– A fence made entirely from animal teeth. According to Horncraft, Animal teeth are going to be a primary building material in years to come.

– A fence made from a yet-to-be-discovered substance that is both a solid and a liquid and combines “elements of fire, electricity and is really elastic.”

fence 3

ABOVE: A fence made entirely from a yet-to-be-discovered material that somehow is an elastic combination of fire and electricity that is both in solid and liquid form

“It was just bad,” another unidentified critic offered. “Like last year’s ‘Casserole’s of the Future’ it just relies too heavily on things flying. Like you can’t just draw a picture of a tuna casserole surrounded by clouds and say that’s the future of a tuna casserole! I mean, I don’t even understand the context in which you would want a casserole of any kind to float or fly.”

Horncraft said the exhibit will be open Thursday through Sunday from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children.

 

The Future Minute

By Micah Horncraft, Director of Coma Futurist Society

Every week, Micah Horncraft, Director of the Coma Futurist Society and renowned futurist will answer questions regarding future trends and the impact the future will have on society. See this week’s questions and answers below.

Q: Do you think people hundreds of years from now will still be talking about animal rights?

A: I don’t know. It’s possible.


Q: I’m worried cursive writing will be completely extinct in several thousand years. Like, I’m really, really concerned about this. I’ve spent a lot of time writing in this style. Should I be concerned?

A: Yes. It will likely be completely obsolete as a writing style within your lifetime (assuming you’re not over the age of 80 or 85)


Q: Do you think there will be any cool advances in candy bar technology in the next 50 years? I can’t wait to see if there is going to be some super cool new kind of PayDay bar or KitKat! I’m really jacked about candy bar evolution!!

A: There will probably be some advancements. But I have no idea what those would be. Maybe chewier? I’m not sure.

The Future Minute

By Micah Horncraft, Director of Coma Futurist Society

Every week, Micah Horncraft, Director of the Coma Futurist Society and renowned futurist will answer questions regarding future trends and the impact the future will have on society. See this week’s questions and answers below.

Q: What time will it be at this precise moment on this day in the year 2350?

A: 11:56 a.m. EST


Q: I like cake. A lot! Should I be worried that cake will somehow be extinct in the next 300 – 500 years?

A: Cake is expected to last into the foreseeable future. It may be very different from the cake you enjoy now, however. But if you have an open mind, enjoy root-based vegetables and can adequately digest some types of animal bones, you should be able to continue to enjoy cake for years to come.


Q: Will there ever be a professional hockey player named Lucas Shinewall? I think that would be a cool name for a hockey player.

A: Maybe.

The Future Minute

By Micah Horncraft, Director of Coma Futurist Society

Every week, Micah Horncraft, Director of the Coma Futurist Society and renowned futurist will answer questions regarding future trends and the impact the future will have on society. See this week’s questions and answers below.

Q: What’s the deal with shoes? Will we still need them in the future?

A: Maybe.


 

Q: Are guitars still going to be a thing in the future? Or will humans find other ways to perform music?

A: I don’t know but that’s a really good question.


 

Q: How many years do you think it will take until humans can breathe under water?

A: About 229. Give or take a few years either way. But some of us will be long-dead by that time.

Mayor Forgets Where He Put Copy of Budget

The town of Coma’s planned budget review was derailed last night when Coma mayor Dave Anderson admitted to council members he had misplaced copies of the proposed annual budget.

Claiming he may have accidentally used it to sketch pictures of futuristic car designs during a recent meeting,  Anderson stopped short of offering a full-blown apology and suggested the budget review continue based on “odds and ends” he remembered from the nearly 400-page document.

“I like to sketch flying cars,” the mayor told the council during the three-hour meeting.  “If that makes me a bad person, then…I guess I’m a bad person.”

While several council members grilled the mayor repeatedly about the incident, Anderson deflected the criticism and focused instead on his conceptual drawings.

“I’m doing designs that are probably 20 to 30 years ahead of their time,” Anderson told a confused-looking council.  “I’m conceptualizing four-door sedans that can fly.  Nobody else is doing sketches like that. Last week I sketched a flying 1998 Kia Concord! People don’t have the balls to sketch the types of flying cars I do.  And all you guys care about is where the stupid budget went? Priorities much?”

09-08-16-car-sketch

ABOVE: Mayor Anderson’s conceptual drawing of 1998 Kia Concord

One council member, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed immense frustration at the irresponsible behavior of the town’s elected leader.  “He is betraying his fiduciary responsibilities in favor of child-like musings and poorly-crafted aircraft designs,” the council member said. “From strictly an engineering standpoint, most of those craft could not safely take flight or stay air-born for very long.  Maybe 20 seconds.  Maybe.”

Anderson told council members he recalled “pieces” from the proposed budget, including “a few hundo” for small equipment purchases by the parks department.  Ultimately, the budget review was postponed until next week to give Anderson time to find the budget.

“It’s probably buried somewhere in my ‘dream locker’, which is where I keep my sketches and drawings and predictions about stuff,” Anderson said.

 

 

Coma Futurist Society Opens “Future of the Moustache” Exhibit

Coma Futurist Society Curator, Micah Horncraft, stands beside one of the exhibits at "The Future of the Moustache"

By: Coma News Staff

The Coma Futurist Society opened its first public exhibit this week at the Suds & Suds on Fourth Avenue. Titled, “Future of the Moustache”, the exhibit features more than a dozen hand-drawn illustrations depicting the moustaches of 2114.

The exhibits aims to revolutionize the way people consider the future and–in this case–facial hair, according to Micah Horncraft, founder and curator of the Coma Futurist Society.

“A lot of people don’t really stop and think about what things might look like in the future,” said Horncraft.  “We’re sharing a vision with people and asking them to come along for the ride. Maybe this will give people less anxiety and more to look forwad to.”

According to Horncraft, there is no reason to think that in one-hundred years, humans would not be capable of growing feather moustaches

According to Horncraft, there is no reason to think that in one-hundred years, humans would not be capable of growing feather moustaches

If the illustrations in the moustache exhibit are any indication, the future moustache will bare little resemblence to its current form and functionality. The many forms of the future moustache shocked and confused attendees.

“I’ve read a lot on the internet, like Wikipedia, and feather moustaches are just not biologically possible for human beings to grow,” Coma Councilman Bob Smith-Smith said. “Of course, people who lived a couple thousand years ago couldn’t have imagined that humans would one day be able to heat up burritos in thirty seconds so maybe technology will get us there.”

The exhibit is hosted by Suds & Suds, the popular bar and laundromat located in downtown Coma. Suds & Suds owner, Mark Pelfry, said any chance to draw attention and traffic to his business is worth a shot.

“I like a good moustache as much as the next guy,” Pelfry said. “I was in as soon as they said the word ‘public.’ People have a hunger to see the future, especially when it comes to facial hair.”

Artist depiction of the "nosestache".  Horncraft said in the future, people will grow moustaches on the bridge of their nose

Artist depiction of the “nosestache”. Horncraft said in the future, people will grow moustaches on the bridge of their nose

Horncraft said his favorite piece in the exhibit features the “above the nose” moustache or, as he likes to call it, the “nosestache”.

“I grow wild with anticpation when I consider that sometime in the future people will grow moustaches on the bridge of their noses,” an excited Horncraft said.  “I just pray that day isn’t too far off in the future.  What a fun world this will be whence that day doth arrive.”

Horncraft said in the future, moustaches will be used as a form of simple communication

Horncraft said in the future, moustaches will be used as a form of simple communication

“This is the only place in Coma where you can see–and not just read about–the future today,” Horncraft said.

The exhibit is scheduled to run through March.

Coma Futurist Society Created

futurist society floating cloud city

According to Horncraft, future cities may be perched upon clouds as depicted in this hand-drawn illustration

Citing a general apathy regarding “olden days” and an “insatiable thirst” for the future, Coma town historian Micah Horncraft resigned from his post as the curator of the Coma Historical Society on Wednesday and immediately accepted a similar position at the new Coma Futurist Society.

“The future is full of wonderment and uncertainty,” Horncraft said in a prepared speech to the city council.  “Did you ever stop and think what buttons might look like in ten or twenty or even a thousand years?  They might not resemble in any way what we’ve come to expect from a button.  This is the type of thing that gets people excited.”

Horncraft said the decision had nothing to do with the recent resignation of Coma historian, Jeff Smithery, who announced last month he would turn his focus from the past to the future.

“My decision had nothing to do with the recent resignation of Coma historian, Jeff Smithery, who announced last month he would turn his focus from the past to the future,” Horncraft said.

Horncraft shared several exhibits that will be part of the Society’s grand opening next month including what appeared to be hand-drawn illustrations of futuristic concepts.

futurists society coffee cup on wheels

“Imagine a robot coffee cup,” Horncraft told the city council.  “It can move around on your table using a remote control.  Isn’t that amazing?  We are going to be sharing cutting-edge technology with citizens of Coma everyday.”

futurists society moustache style ideas

Horncraft said the “Moustache of the Future” will be part of an upcoming exhibit

The Coma Futurist Society is set to open next month.  According to Horncraft, there will be a variety of original, hand-drawn illustrations and diagrams depicting a “fantastic, futuristic world of possibilities,” as well as a magic exhibition and a collection of vintage TV Guides on display.