5 Years' Review

I recently uncovered a notebook containing some of my predictions for the future that I penned in High School, around the year 2000 or so. I set out a number of scenarios for the intermediate-term (2010 time period), organised along the lines of "good," "probable," and "bad."
Upon looking at this list, I found that most of my pessimistic predictions are the ones coming true. If I'd been in a coma since 2000 and woke up now, I'd have been in a most unfortunate state. Let's examine some of these predictions, to see how much things have changed.
The geopolitical stage was the first subject, as it is now. Given India and Pakistan's publicised nuclear tests, I predicted a worst-case scenario of 2010 would involve a nuclear-armed Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. Iraq went a bit different than what I predicted, but as the song says, "Two out of three ain't bad."
Regarding war, I was mostly worried about a renewed Korean conflict. I optimistically assumed I'd be an F-22 pilot in this war, though it seems in retrospect that my sight was lacking. Another scenario involved a Taiwan conflict, which is my current favourite dooms-day scenario. It seems to me a Taiwan conflict is likely in the 2008-2010 time frame.
Another key thing was computers, and I shall write about this to-morrow.
To close, here's a lovely speech by infamous propagandist Lord Haw-Haw, who properly danced from a gibbet for his treason on 3 January, 1946. He did his last propaganda broadcast on behalf of the German Reich on 30 April 1945, which you can listen to on RealPlayer. Enjoy his eloquent delivery of the sobering truth about Deutschland.