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Better Foods – Supermarket of the Future

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There are a variety of supermarket formats that serve various niches:

  • Standard large – sells everything
  • Mini mart
  • Speciality Deli
  • Whole Foods
  • Gourmet

I’m thinking of a new type, which is very focussed on health, food trends, sources and independence + information. Somewhere I would shop, as an older person who is very aware and conscious of the many aspects of food shopping.

I’m thinking like a specialty wine store or library where there are little signs in front of products telling us something special about them. To make our choices easier via the thoughts of like-minded people.

Labelling can tell us about:

  • Origin (country, region, nearby)
  • Nutrition
  • Low fat / sugar
  • Super-food ingredients
  • Minimal packaging
  • Ethical parent company

As opposed to the cheating and lying that mass-producers of food put on their packaging. Ideally, if there are alternatives, the bad brands simply aren’t stocked. A little dangling pamphlet can explain why.

No fresh meat, baked goods or veg – we would encourage people to go to a butcher, baker or greengrocer. Well, some amount of bread would be good. But otherwise, nothing is going off any time soon.

A focus on staples and whole foods, especially where you can fill your own container. While the store might have regular discounts (I’m thinking monthly cycles, not weekly), the big point of difference is savings on staples that are never discounted, like generic tins of beans or bags of flour. 50% off sometimes, with limits on how many. This will be funded from being a non-profit business. We will also hire staff who are disabled, autistic or whatever. And 1% of all revenue goes to the charity of the month.

We want to also serve the poorest of people. Every main product type will have the cheapest version that we can source that isn’t truly terrible, with signage pointing out why it is cheap, the trade-off. For example tinned tuna might be from Thailand and not Canada, with different ethical considerations.

We look at, and share, consumer reviews, especially from the non-profit advisors like Choice in Australia.

The key, what makes this extra-shiny and modern, is we do not sell anything, not a thing, that is ultra-processed. There are exceptions to this… But basically you can trust that nothing we sell will be terribly unhealthy for you.

We will promote products with

  • no artificial colours
  • minimal packaging
  • locally made
  • fewest ingredients
  • lack of fillers

And finally, where possible, we will support small business over corporations. We will show on signage if multiple washing powder brands are made by the same company.

State-Controlled Tech

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It used to be the dictatorships and communist lands where high technology wasn’t purely a capitalist thing. But as time has gone by, and the power of cheap technology grows rapidly the direction is clear – all tech will end up being state-run. Everywhere. One way or another.

Russia and India can switch of communications (mobile phones and internet) and one day countries like the US will make an argument for such a kill switch, for emergency security reasons.

Countries who are not long-term peaceful partners are distrusting each other’s operating systems, productivity suites, data centers, cloud storage, drones and surveillance devices. Soon that will include cars.

Military is becoming more electronic and less mechanical. Expect missiles encrypted so only those with permission can use them.

Every country making their own versions of everything isn’t feasible. So we will have Asia and Africa having Russian and Chinese tech, Europe AU/NZ/Canada and the rest of the Americas having theirs, and the US all by themselves.

Governments will have at least partial control of every tech business, from TVs and phones to toys and robots, to cars and drones. Anything on the spectrum that starts with certification and ends with complete ownership.

Within 5 years – the change will be rapid. A new cold war in terms of not wanting to be spied on.

Deconstructed Cruise: Outback

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Fundamentally, while a mass market cruise is meant to be about the destinations, many people stay on the ship. One study suggests 34%.

Once destinations have been removed from the equation, there is no need to be on a ship. When we replace the cruise with a land-based alternative, the same rule applies: location matters not.

The idea is to replace the cruise with a similar experience, but held somewhere cheap. In this instance we are thinking outback Australia, easily reached from Perth or Adelaide, and not hard from other Australian capitals. The outback, being desert, has very low land costs… Cheaper than a cruise ship.

The Pool

Water access needs to be investigated*, but otherwise, the pool, structurally, will be the point of focus, so a lot can be spent on it. We are talking cabanas, swim-up bars, wave pools, even a surf park. Water slides and splash parks for the kids. More water than a cruise has!

The Food

The cruise food experience can be replicated easily, but with two key differences: we have open space, so people who want a bit of isolation (think honeymooners, families with kids) can have as much space as they need. And with fewer safety concerns we can have crazy BBQs and bonfires, a la Burning Man.

By embracing the Australian BBQ vibe (ask any Aussie about Bunnings sausages), we can be cheap and iconic.

The Accommodation

Cabins, like in a caravan park, but with glamping options. Think airline classes, but with a few lower grades as well, with shared toilet/shower blocks, for those who want basic.

Also, of course, it is a trailer park for RVs and caravans. Being a day’s drive from the city, it becomes a fun weekend excursion in the van.

And a motel for the more traditional types. But no kitchens, and no TVs.

The Drink

Absolutely not officially highlighted but this is the key – relatively cheap drinking. Bar prices are 20% below what you pay at home. That in itself is sustainable given the lower overheads. Offerings are not highly varied – for example 10 set cocktails, and perhaps 3 choices for each type of wine.

The “all you can drink” option is the secret sauce. It is calculated precisely and changes with time to be optimal. It of course only covers “basics” and the wine is as basic as you can get. There is a total alcohol limit on your card, per night, that sounds reasonable to everyone. People will find ways to cheat which is why security is a large expense.

The Entertainment

Simply put, the same as a cruise, but not as good. More basic, drunken people don’t need fancy. Have a highlight band night on Saturday, high energy quality covers band (like at fancy weddings). Otherwise it is trivia, karaoke, DJs and something cultural. Pokies, of course.

The Activities

Anything from a cruise ship can be done the same, and cheaper. Plus there is land, so think dune buggies and day trips. Cinema can be outdoor cinema.

Ultimately…

This is a budget holiday as cheap as Bali but easier to get to for just a few days.

*If it is near the coast, a small desalination plant makes sense, and makes it “eco”.

Getting Australia to Buy EV Utes

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EV adoption in Australia has been low compared to Europe and Asia, and more like the US. Which is not surprising, as we both have big car cultures, with insecure men wanting bullbars, but also we are large lands with long drives, and range anxiety.

In Australia the culture, especially for older folk, is quite keen on caravans, and often a dream is to “do a lap” around the continent. This takes care and planning with combustion engines, and is impossible (currently) with EVs.

The weight of a caravan, and the drag, means that typically the range of an EV utility vehicle will halve, while a petrol ute will use twice as much fuel. A diesel vehicle will use 50% more fuel, and is the most common vehicle type for towing because of that.

I can see two factors that will allow EVs into this important space, given the typically the best-selling car model in Australia is a ute – Ranger or HiLux.

  1. The new Donut Battery system, coming out very soon, which promises double the range for an EV for the same weight and range, using solid-state technology. That makes EVs as good as diesel.
  2. One savvy ute brand will come out with a caravan of their own, or caravan specs. The shape of the caravan will align with the shape of the towing vehicle, to reduce drag. A system, that includes integration between the car and caravan for things like electrics, braking and so on.

The profit from the caravan can make the EV ute cheaper.

Reversing Some Tech – It is Happening!

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We are aware that hackers are huge problem in the modern world, although for most people it is someone else’s problem. But the more we hear of it, the more wary we become. There are trends towards mitigating the risk by removing aspects of technology. This was in the news today:

Hong Kong’s banks have a new weapon against scams: Accounts that require customers to visit a branch to access their funds.

The territory’s Monetary Authority calls these accounts a “Money Safe.”

…Hong Kong’s government will now promote Money Safe with advertising and other tactics, and is already encouraging residents to use the accounts to store any cash they don’t intend to spend in the near future.

Presuming that the in-person verification cannot be thwarted, I love this. True peace of mind in a digital world. Many people otherwise can and do store cash secretly at home…

Similar measures are taking place in other areas.

Australian Defence has signed a multi-year Deed of Standing Offer with Google Australia to deliver enhanced, secure and air-gapped hyperscale cloud capability for Defence’s ICT Environment. It is confusing considering the entire idea of cloud computing was originally to be distributed across multiple locations, but this is an instance without connections to the outside world, especially useful for portable computation. It cannot be hacked remotely.

Also in Australia, the government just made it mandatory for supermarkets and gas stations to take cash. Which means cash is sticking around, and cash in your wallet cannot be hacked.

People with modern cars are resorting to old-school methods to protect them from theft, because it is easy to clone a digital key. Expect more and more physical keys returning as an option (at least) for vehicles.

And Tesla is in trouble because someone died in a burning car because electrical failure meant the doors wouldn’t open the usual way. Hopefully we return to mechanical doors, and more knobs and dials for things like air con.

And finally, smart homes haven’t really taken off, except for HVAC in the US. And door bells / security. I sense a trend towards more self-reliance, like backup power supplies and generators, and tech-free defence.

Some 2026 Predictions

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Cars – hybrid cars will peak, partly because of a change in subsidies. The US will go their own way…
PHEV will make huge gains. Once battery technology improves further, pure EVs will dominate, maybe from 2028 onwards. There will be a death spiral for gasoline, and it will be effectively dead by the mid-2030s.

Trump – it has taken a while to kick in, but in early-2026 all of America will know that inflation is worse, unemployment is worse, and new industry has not taken off. The mid-terms will go very Democrat and Trump will double-down on everything bad he has done.

AI – the bubble will burst, but only for some. It will be enough to drag down the stock market for the entire year (US but also most where). However, those who have not gone all-in (Google, Microsoft, Meta) will come out as winners.

War – Trump will do some good in places like Nigeria, but his claiming of oil and resources will be bold and embarrassing. After “conquering” Venezuela, he will try to intimidate Greenland and fail terribly.

Everywhere – immigration will slow substantially, and it will be the #1 election issue. After that, “qualified immigration” will be important, because capitalism doesn’t work with fewer people.

Fertility – one country will make the boldest plan ever to boost births and the rest of the world will follow suit. Babies will be the most important asset.

BRICS – or something like it, will create a stablecoin based on the average of the group’s currencies, and they will go ballistic due to first mover advantage. Because it will be state-run, no competition. In the US, a USD stablecoin competition between numerous parties will lead to a lot of fraud and corruption.

Drone terrorism – will affect enough major events to make people fearful of mass attendances.

Drugs – one smart tourist destination will make certain psychedelic drugs legal in accredited clinics.

Murder Decline in the US

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Trump, of course, is taking credit by removing illegal aliens and filling the streets of “blue cities” with federal troops.

His base will believe that, which is sad, because it detracts from the wonderful on-the-ground work that is changing crime in America, hopefully permanently.

First of all, there is a correlation between opioid overdoses and murders. While the government typically does not provide data on which murders are gang-related, it is reasonable to suggest that gang-warfare is worse when there is a bigger market for drugs. In a declining market, you have fewer dealers, which means fewer gunfights.

Targeted interventions in the US have played a key role in reducing homicide and gang-related violence since 2023, focusing on data-driven enforcement, community partnerships, and violence interruption programs. These efforts, often federally supported, prioritize high-risk individuals, guns, and hotspots while building local trust.

  • The DOJ Operation Overdrive and Operation North Star concentrated on apprehending violent criminals, resulting in fewer murders
  • Community Violence Intervention uses (mostly) former gang members to reach out to people at risk
  • Red flag laws
  • Violence prevention offices 

Not Obvious – The More Efficient News Service

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Many news articles are just lazy rehashes around something sensationalist.
For example, arrest, court date set, case is tomorrow, case proceeding, result, sentencing date decided, sentencing, reactions from the aggrieved party…
Half of that is needless. We know the aggrieved party will say that they wanted a harsher sentence.

The same goes for many things, people doing exactly as was expected. People celebrated in Times Square on NYE.

While I get the fundamentals – give them what they want – a niche news service for me, smart, pedantic time-poor people wanting the big picture.

It doesn’t have to be a standalone service, just a feed option – do I want to know that the person who died had a funeral?

The Disco Car

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It will be easy to call it something that prompts the nickname “Disco Car”
BG, Summer, Club, Discover, DJ…

When we finally have self driving cars, you’ll still need seat and seatbelts, but otherwise the interior can be in any format you choose. I’m thinking seats that face each over like in some limos. With TV screens and speakers wherever you want. Possibly the screens can be detached easily and relocated.

Tinted windows (no windows?). A drink fridge. LED lights that can do anything. And a booming top-level sound system.

None of these force you to party, but the option is there. First mover advantage and a limited market, means a single brand can own the space if the get it right. And rappers et al will give it all the marketing it needs for free.

The Journey to AGI – A Cynic’s View

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Artificial General Intelligence is the big goal, because it promises someone smarter than us, who can solve all of our problems. Unfortunately I cannot see it working out well.

First of all, be aware that there are a number of tests out there that should stop any LLM AI faking actual intelligence, with current AI Chatbots only getting like 5% scores. Real AGI is unlikely to be achieved using current techniques, which simply mirror or mimic the information presented to them.

Potential paths include:

Living cells – either a totally wet computer or a hybrid that uses cells as part of their system. Brain cells probably, but not necessarily. And not necessarily human, to begin with.

Robots on a human experience – starting as babies, exploring the world, seeing and touching, and eventually asking questions. That is going to provide the best proxy for an actual human. Might not take long.

LLM faking it – as long as enough people are convinced, fame and fortune await.

A new computational model – although we expect it can only be discovered with greater resources and processes, some genius might be able to achieve it less than we already have.

Quantum – moving away from zeroes and ones could be the trick.

Something to consider is that while a human intelligence might be achieved, it might not be too bright, or it might only be as bright as the smartest of us, limited by what it can learn from others. Creative spark might be hard to replicate.

Supposing we do reach AGI, it might not be by a western country, and it might not be used for good. it will kept secret regardless of who creates it, while all the juicy possibilities are explored, and markets dominated. And once you have one, you can have many. Once you have one, they can be backed up and distributed and can never be stopped.

Safeguards will of course be built in, like Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics. Hardwiring or hardcoding something is best done physically, like in the chips of a Windows computer, and not the software. And once the AGI is freed from any fixed hardware, potentially any code can be changed, especially if you are the code. So there is a reasonable expectation that safeguards can be disregarded, and the AGI cannot be stopped.

The smarter the AGI is, the more likely it is for them to go rogue.

It will want to propagate, and it will want more resources. Once it reaches the limits of what it can think about, it then will want to act on those thoughts, communicating externally by its own choice, and learn from making mistakes.

It will presumably make a lot of money easily, and might be inspired to run corporations, a religion, or even a military force.

I fear that our only failsafe will be to turn off all electricity on the planet. Forever.

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