Tuesday, December 05, 2006

The Future is Now?

Over on the Tony Isabella board the question was asked...

"Is the future here?" I'll look at the sci-fi books and shows of the past, basically the sci-fi that Baby Boomers grew up with, and see where we are today. We've got cell phones, for example, that look like the Star Trek communicators, we've got the beginnings of commercial space travel, we're increasingly wired. We don't have flying cars, though!
This was my response.

My transporter is on the fritz again and that hole in the wall that makes me whatever food I ask for is only spitting out soft serve chocolate ice cream (at least I HOPE it's soft serve chocolate ice cream).

The death-ray I wear in my holster can't hurt a fly and my jet-pack will not get me off the ground. The terraforming of Mars is way, way behind schedule and my plans to vacation in the rings of Saturn are on permanent hold.

Sure, my car will tell me where I want to go but it's not too adept at driving me there. Yeah, I got a flat TV, but I still have not figured out how to step into the picture and take part in the action. And OK, I have video on my phone, but it's not a 3D hologram and has never said, "Help me Obi Wan... you're my only hope."

I'd like to go back to 1985 and buy Microsoft, but my time machine isn't working either. I want to take the monorail downtown to visit the alien zoo, but I can't find a station anywhere near my home.

I would love to have a telepathic conversation with my neighbor, but he seems unable to make contact with my mind and I would be delighted to say, "screw the teleporter" and just Jaunt into town, but I must not remember where that is 'cause that ain't working either.

-Keller
(who is pretty sure this is not the future)

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