The old man sat at the table, watching the couples dance. He stared into his glass of Schnapps. The taste did nothing for him. Nothing did anything for him anymore. He wasn’t sure why he’d come. The lecturers and professors got younger every year. He felt they only invited him because they knew he had nowhere else to go. He doubted they’d even notice if he slipped away before the bells rang out. He wondered if many of the...

I came the quickest way, across the glaur, when I was called, my heart almost clearing my body in my haste. Too soon, yet. The family is up-stairs, the ceiling weighted by them. I keep where they cannot tell my presence or its dread import. The Bible lies poised here, by guttering candle.  What cruelty: a month past the same Book lay joyous open on this same table. That day, heads canted over my shoulder, all watched my p...

What would you do, if you found a time-machine? Yes, that's right. You would keep it for yourself, which is exactly what Geoffrey Maitland did up in the far north of Scotland, when he was recceing a walk from Shegra to Keoldale across the rocky mountainous regions where it was easy to get lost.  Well, it wasn't exactly a machine, more of a swirling void. Trouble was, he was an experienced hiker and rambler of thirty plus...

Health Care TODAY While a number of changes have occurred, many of the issues of the early 21st century plague health care in 2101. Five things continue to drive health care in 2101. They are the attempts at governing particularly the Medical Insurance Act of 2046 and the Social Reorganization of 2082, robotics/transhumanism, genetic editing/designer DNA, AI and instanet’s impact on “drive through” health care, and pharma...

Robotics TODAY Robotics performs much of the daily maintenance of most things.  They are programmed into most life functions such as home repair and cleaning, transportation, personal items, food acquisition and preparation, etc.  One can choose to do those things or allow the programming to complete them.  Some have chosen industrial looking robotics to complete specialized tasks usually requiring more robotics while oth...

Education TODAY Most individuals and families enjoy a self directed education.  As far as academic requirements, the purpose of our 18th and 19th century education is nearly defunct.  Education programs are more designed to learn how to survive in the 22nd century with significant emphasis on socialization and appropriate means of personal interactions.  The need to prepare youth for the working world is no longer needed....

Global Warming TODAY The topic of global warming is still regular news, but the focus has changed somewhat. The LB, Lens Bank, has produced the effect of reducing warming, but the two issues surrounding its creation come up every few years. When a permanent member or two of the UN Security Council attempt to flex their muscle the LB sometimes comes up in the conversation. But more often it is the weather patterns and work...

Chapter One Finally arriving at my STOP (Short Term Overnight Place) I open my link to our weekly group cast. I joined late today, so had to join the conversation in mid stream. Steve: With both Bill and Sarah going to spend several weeks in Biloxi, Mississippi in September, I would like to stop there for a get together. Is anyone else willing to make a trip there? B^GJo#: I would like to go and September is a great time...

  This is the beginnings of a multiple chapter story of what life could become in 2101.  Brian tells the story as he looks back on life from 2101.  Chapters are usually written to cover some aspect of life providing some details of what happened historically and what it means for today (the year 2101).  The chapters will be presented in random order as I have written them or writing them.  The stories are not meant to be...

      “Hey Andrew,” Jeremy began. “You know, when you said you had exams to study for, I thought you meant you were going to study for them after our little outing.” Andrew rolled his eyes. Sarvanez knew that they were friends, or at least, they knew each other already. It was she and Esperanza who were new to the group. “One of the people here,” said Andrew, as he opened the door to the apartment building, “could give us...

Sarvanez shifted in her chair. The corset pinched into her waist and it was every bit as uncomfortable as it looked. How do the women here wear these every single day? She thought to herself, feeling irritated. Still, in being a good visitor, she had agreed to wear one, along with a dress of hundreds-or what felt like hundreds- of layers of petticoats underneath beautiful yellow taffeta. She was still surprised she had be...

  The bus ride over to the museum was as painful as a tooth extraction without the laughing gas. Kids who were nearing adulthood acted like two year olds on Red Bull, bouncing in their seats, yelling at one another, popping gum, running down the aisle playing musical seats, ignoring the shouts from the teachers. We were on our last outing of our senior year, not that anyone cared. Most complained about going because who,...

Because some meats are very dry. For centuries people just drizzled water, or Coke, on their overcooked cutlet or Grandma’s Classic Thanksgiving Sawdust Turkey, and this really just made their plates a gloppy mess. Do you really want Coca-Colo leeching into your Brussels sprouts? You're welcome.Because for a long time, no one really wanted to moisten their meat with “pan drippings.” Pan drippings really have no place outs...

He slowly walked through the crowd of people, his eyes roving everywhere. He had expected there to be more noise from the crowd, more jeers and ugly insults hurled, but they were silent and watching him, moving aside without saying a word, too scared to touch or be anywhere near him, as if he were a leper. As he ascended the stairs of the platform he had to hold the railing to stop himself from tripping over and making a...

PROLOGUE DRAGO SAW THE two Americans from yesterday up ahead. They had their backs turned to him, as they stood at the base of a large medieval wooden gate that led into Predjama Castle. His shoes shuffled upon a smoothed-by-time gravel path that led from Predjama’s only local gostilna, the Požar, all the way to the castle's front gate. The Americans turned around almost in unison to face him. He watched them with a caref...