So what are the big trends to watch out for in 2008. According to a raft of surveys that came out before Christmas, reported here, the global credit crunch, tougher economic conditions and the chase for talent in the face of skills shortages are this year's big issues.

Nothing surprising there. But what are some outlying events that might catch some off guard?

Editors of The Futurist have put together their Top 10 Forecasts for 2008 and beyond and it makes interesting reading. Despite the challenging economic conditions, there will be more billionaires, fashion will go wired as technologies and tastes converge to revolutionize the textile industry so that we might have color-changing or perfume-emitting jeans and wristwatches that work as digital wallets, there will be a significant extinction event, an increased push to a cashless society, the prospect of a new Cold War with Russia or China or both, world population will continue to boom, more of Africa will be imperiled by floods, rising prices for natural resources could see more focus on developing the Arctic, more decisions will be made by robots and other non-human entities, water will become expensive and world population will continue to boom.

You can't really expect all that to happen this year and The Futurist is obviously looking at developments well beyond 2008. Still, the forecasts tell us there might be some signs to watch out for over the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, the folks at the Future Foundation in Britain have put their own forecasts of consumer trends to watch out for. The Trends are us paper tells us to watch out for developments like "The Faberge Syndrome" where there is ordinary products are turned into luxury goods. Everything from fashion phones to cosmetics to drinks. It also talks about the growing trend of anti-consumerism, more people renting or hiring stuff instead of buying and where certain items, often expensive, take on the status of necessity. Like road tolls and university fees.