Megaprojects & Divination Methods

• Summarized study notes

Introductory Questions

• Rip Van Winkle is a Dutch-American villager who falls asleep in the Catskill Mountains after drinking strong liquor with mysterious Dutchmen.
• He awakens 20 years later to a changed world, missing the American Revolution.
• "Slice of life" depicts mundane experiences in art and entertainment, using naturalism in theater and a narrative technique in literature that lacks plot development.
• Moore's Law observes that the number of transistors in an integrated circuit doubles about every two years, reflecting a historical trend in efficiency gains.
• "Counting up to twenty" is described as a boundless optimistic song.
• "The best is yet to be" is a poem by Robert Browning that evokes possibility and hope.
• Pessimistic age refers to some people avoiding having children to shield them from grim times.
• "A Tale of Two Cities" is a historical novel by Charles Dickens set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution, about Doctor Manette's imprisonment and release.

The Best Is Yet to Be, or Not To Be?

• In 2009, Australia announced a project for super-fast fiber internet to 93% of the population, revised in 2013 to reuse copper wire, and by 2025, many Australians still lack fast internet.
• Canada reduced the target speed of a proposed high-speed rail network, rebranding it as a high frequency network.
• The Big Dig is a major highway project in Boston, Massachusetts, rerouting the Central Artery into a tunnel to reduce traffic congestion.
• The Channel Tunnel is a rail tunnel connecting the UK and France, allowing for high-speed train travel beneath the English Channel.
• The California High-Speed Rail is a planned high-speed rail system in California aimed at connecting major cities with fast train service.
• Sejong City is a planned city in South Korea intended as a new administrative capital, promoting regional development.
• Hambantota is a port city in Sri Lanka, known for its deep-water port, serving as a trade and logistics hub.
• NEOM is a planned cross-border city in Saudi Arabia, envisioned as an innovation and technology hub, part of Vision 2030.
• Khazar Islands is a planned urban development project in Azerbaijan, aiming to create a modern city on artificial islands in the Caspian Sea.
• The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest hydroelectric dam on China's Yangtze River, designed to generate electricity and control flooding.
• The Hong Kong-Zhuhai Bridge is a major bridge-tunnel system connecting Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau, facilitating transportation and trade in the Greater Bay Area.
• The New Eurasia Land Bridge is a proposed transportation corridor linking Western China to Western Europe, enhancing trade and connectivity.
• In 2023, WHO declared loneliness a pressing global health threat.
• Some countries, especially Japan, use technology to combat loneliness.
• In 2021, UN found living conditions declined in 90% of countries for the second year, potentially affecting birth rates.
• Podcasts surged in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a source of companionship.
• Charles Guiteau, James Garfield's assassin, had a "parasocial" relationship with Garfield, highlighting how algorithms boost harmful content.

In Futurity, Someone Prophetic Sees

• Nostradamus's prophecies have been remembered for centuries.
• Horace, a Roman poet, known for lyrical poetry; his poem "Ode I. 11" reflecting on the fleeting nature of life.
• William Butler Yeats, an Irish poet and playwright, wrote "The Second Coming" (1919), addressing chaos, prophecy, and cyclical history, interpreted as WWI's response.
• Robert Frost an American poet, in "Fire and Ice" (1920), explores desire, hatred, and the world's end through elemental forces.
• Emily Dickinson, an American poet, in “The Future-never spoke” (1921), reflects on uncertainty and the limitations of human understanding.
• Anthropologists say divination is as old as Neolithic humans.
• Comparative Horoscopy involves comparing individuals' natal charts to analyze compatibility and potential relationships.
• Haruspicy is an ancient practice of divination by examining the entrails (especially the liver) of sacrificed animals. predict future events or gain insight.
• Ornithomancy divines by interpreting the behavior and flight patterns of birds. predict future events or gain insight.
• Alectryomancy divines using a rooster to determine answers by observing its pecking on grains or symbols.
• Pyro-Osteomancy divines by interpreting patterns in burnt bones or materials to gain insight.
• Oneiromancy interprets dreams to predict the future or gain insight into a person's life.
• Bibliomancy selects a random passage from a book for guidance on a specific question.
• Hydromancy uses water, observing movement or ripples to gain insight or predict future events.
• Astragalomancy casts dice or knucklebones to interpret and predict outcomes.
• Scyphomancy interprets the patterns formed by liquid in a cup.
• Astrology studies the positions and movements of celestial bodies to influence human affairs and create horoscopes.
• Palmistry interprets the lines and features of a person's palms to gain insight into their character and potential future.
• Physiognomy studies facial features and expressions to assess character or predict behavior.
• Ceromancy involves interpreting shapes and patterns formed by melted wax.
• Tasseography interprets patterns in tea leaves or coffee grounds for future guidance.
• Cartomancy uses playing cards or tarot cards to gain insight.
• Fortune Teller claims to predict the future or provide insights through various methods of divination.
• Oracle is a person or medium for a deity or supernatural force to communicate prophetic insights.
• Soothsayer claims the ability to predict the future through divination or intuition.
• Shaman is a spiritual practitioner who can communicate with the spirit world for healing, guidance, or divination.
• Witch is associated with folk magic or pagan traditions, believed to influence events through supernatural means.
• Clairvoyant can gain information about an object, person, or event through extrasensory perception or intuition.
• Ifá is a Yoruba divination system interpreting patterns made by casting sacred palm nuts.
• Jyotish, Vedic astrology, uses celestial positions to predict and analyze human affairs.
• I Ching is an ancient Chinese divination text using hexagrams for guidance.
• Bazi is a Chinese astrology system analyzing birth dates to provide insights.
• Jiaobei uses wooden blocks with the I Ching to seek guidance from deities.
• Omikuji is a fortune-telling method at Shinto shrines where individuals draw random fortunes.
• Ouija uses a board game for divination, spelling out messages believed to come from spirits.
• Crystal Ball is a spherical object used in divination practices for insights about the future.
• Fortune Cookies are crisp cookies containing fortune or advice, often served in Chinese restaurants.
• Horoscopes are forecasts based on celestial positions, providing insights on personality and predicting future events.
• Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist who predicts the future in books like Physics of the Future and The Future of Humanity.

Art

• Caravaggio's "The Fortune Teller" (c. 1595) captures the allure and skepticism of fortune-telling.
• Georges de la Tour's "The Fortune Teller" (c. 1630) emphasizes intimacy through soft lighting and contrast.
• Michael Vrubel's "The Fortune Teller" (1895) uses vibrant colors to depict a fortune teller with an ethereal quality.
• Julio Romero de Torres' "The Fortune Teller" (1922) blends realism and romanticism, focusing on sensuality.
• Helena Sofia Schjerfbeck's "The Fortune Teller (Woman in a Yellow Dress)" (1926) emphasizes simplicity and emotional depth.

Music

• Georges Bizet's "Trio des Cartes" (1875) from "Carmen" reflects chance and fate in a card game scene.
• Carl Orff's "O Fortuna” (1935) from "Carmina Burana" explores fortune and the cyclical nature of life.
• Benny Spellman’s “Fortune Teller” (1962) tells of a man seeking guidance from a fortune teller about his romantic life.
• Al Stewart’s "Nostradamus” (1973) reflects on Nostradamus’s life and prophecies and the impact of his visions.
• Suzanne Vega’s "Predictions” (1990) delves into themes of foresight and the uncertainty of the future.
• Barnum effect leads individuals to believe vague statements are highly accurate to them.
• Pygmalion effect: expectataions placed on people leading to improved performances.
• Cold reading gathers information through observation and general statements to create the illusion of special insight.
• Confirmation bias causes individuals to favor information confirming their preexisting beliefs while disregarding contradictory evidence.
• Self-fulfilling prophecy involves a belief about a person or event leading to behaviors that fulfill the belief.
• Ted Chiang's "What's expected of us" (2005) explores determinism and free will.
• C. Robert Cargill excerpt from "Sea of Rust" (2007) themes survival, identity, and the consequences of technological advancement.
• Sam Hughes’ “I don't know, Timmy, being God Is a big responsibility” (2007) blends fantasy and inquiry about power and responsibility.
• Chinese agricultural calendar predicts movements of the sun, moon, tides, and seasons, referenced by farmers.
• Aztec agricultural calendar consisted of 18 months to guide farming and religious ceremonies. Mayan cyclical calendars including the Tzolk'in and Haab', worked together in a 52 years cycle as the Calendar Round.
• Zodiac: A specific constellation to astrological signs to predict personality traits.
• Solar terms: Divide the year with 24 periods, each linked to seasonal farming changes.
• Computus is a method of calculating the date of Easter and other moveable feasts through solar cyles.
• Saros predicts eclipse, interval will occur at similar geometrical conditions.
• Metonic cycle during which the phases of the moon repeat on the same days of the year.
• Antikythera mechanism using device to predict astronomical.

The Future Wasn't Meant to Be

• Rocket mail launches packages or letters to their destination.
• Flying car operates both on the ground and in the air, envisions of urban transportation.
• Maglev uses magnetic levitation, such as trains, allowing for high-speed travel
• Zeppelin filled with gas to passenger travel and cargo transport.
• Suspension Railway trains suspended from the tracks above in urban transit in amusement parks.
• Ground-Effect Vehicle operating close to the surface of the water, improving the speed.
• Supersonic Transport type of aircraft speeds faster than Mach 1. The future could include:
• Nuclear propulsion, like nuclear reactions.
• Hyperloop that travelers through tubes, speeding city travels.
• Hydrogen Vehicle fuel from cells, seen water vapor as a byproduct.
• Mecha: A science fiction that features large, humanoid robots or machines
• Metaverse: An virtual shared space created by the convergence that promotes social interaction, gaming, etc.
• Francis Fukuyama suggested end of history, the academist.

Optimistic artwork

• "Wind of Change" is a power ballad by the German band Scorpions inspired the changes during the 1980s symbolizing hope.
• "Right Here, Right Now" is an alternative rock song emphasizes themes of immediacy associated with global awareness.
• "Heal the World" is a song by Michael Jackson encouraging to make the world a world for futures.
• "Counting Up to Twenty" is a musical song Crawford promoting learning in an education.
• Will Smith's 2k celebrations of catchy beats and optimism. The New Age movement:
• Alice Coltrane blending jazz and the mysteries in Satchidananda.
• Vangelis lyrical sounds with spirit sound of mysteriousness by composer Vangelis.
• Kitaro soundscapes of journey for inspired cultural exchange from the Silk Road.
• Enya ethereal tranquility dreamlike sound with layered nature.
• Enigma's blending elements for nostalgia with purity the Return to Innocence sound.

If At First You Fall, Try, Try Again

• Filofei, who claimed Russia to be the third Rome. Rome empire of Neo-Assyrian ancient warrior.
• Song Dynasty recognised for the advancements of chinese dynasties.
• Byzantine empire of the culture heritage with medicine contribution.
• Carolingian empire known as Western and Christian rule.
• Ottoman dynasty consolidation culture for the arts with science.
• Meiji Restoration of rapid the industrialization of Japan.
• The Neo-Sovietism state for their policies and nationalization surges.
• Alexandria for modern libraries culture.

Brands

• Radio Corporation founder had system for radios television.
• Westinghouse an engineering who developed engineering, nuclear weapons.
• Polaroid was the creator of Photography revolution for developed pictures.
• RadioShack had access the retail for services, stores and electronics.
• Nokia founded with mobile phone technologies and device.
• Sansui its high audio high quality devices.
• Eastern Air Lines development commercial in aviation.
• Handheld gaming like the PlayStation or Nintendo has the latest portable.
• Shortwaves signals with communication and ability to bounce off the ionosphere.
• AM radios communicate technology radio for broadcasts.
• Pager device for messages from phone callers.

Test your knowledge of ambitious megaprojects around the world, including their primary purposes and locations. Explore diverse divination methods, from interpreting wax patterns to dream analysis, and their associated practices.