– Rise of the left/right nationally and internationally, mediated through (anti-) social networking (cf globalisation of green politics)

– Investment in nuclear technologies (programme of atomic power rebuilds and greater research/funding into fusion energy)

– Taxation crises following global meltdown, including taxation of internet

– Militarisation grows in China, played out through spats with India

– Growth of decent music again (as happens in recession, cf punk)

– Social networking gets commercial & twitter is rebuilt or collapses under creaking infrastructure – see http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/22/twitter-at-scale-will-it-work/

– The cost of being green becomes a socio-political issue (e.g. being able to afford organic and/or free-range)

– Film & DVD, console/pc game audiences increase (in relation to downturn and less leisure spending money, it’s a cheap night out)

– Crime (robberies and fraud) increase

– Obama fatigue and disillusionment sets in