May 22 2008 10:00AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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During my research for this month's cover story, the Future of Remodeling, I was looking for predictions of the kind of technology we might expect to see 10 years down the road. Interestingly enough, it wasn't easy to find, but I did stumble upon some other predictions that seemed amusing, so I thought I'd share them with you.

In 1900, the Ladies Home Journal made some predictions for the next 100 years. There were some hits and some misses. My favorite: The average man will "live fifty years instead of thirty-five as at present – for he will live in the suburbs. ... The trip from suburban home to office will require a few minutes only. A penny will pay the fare." We did great on the first one ... not so much on the second one. My 45-minute commute this morning definitely cost me more than a penny!

And in 1961, Weekend Magazine asked, "Will Life Be Worth Living in 2,000 AD?" More predictions of easy commutes and excess leisure time created by technology. How about a 24-hour work week (for Dad ... Mom's still at home with the computer doing all the housework)?
 
Oh well ... maybe by 2100.