Welcome to 2004. It's a pleasure to have your company as we continue our adventure into the future.

I still remember in the early eighties when I was reading a comic book called 2000 AD, and wondering how close to those visions of the future we would be when we really reached 2000 AD.

They were far grander than reality turned out to be. In many respects, we have gone backwards rather than forwards. The positive visions of the future we once had are now replaced by a negative focus on the present. We don't look to the future and wonder like we once used to.

I remember when mankind reached the moon. Thirty+ years later, we've forgotten about the moon and failing to reach Mars. With all the modern technology available, they're unable to put a lander successfully onto Mars. How did they do it over 30 years ago? I wonder about that...

I remember the visions we once had of high-technology in our houses. I remember reading a book from the school library about our future, and it talked about space travel and residential living. Travel to the stars was possible twenty years ago using nuclear powered engines - until the US implemented a treaty banning the use of nuclear energy in space. It's ok to use on earth, but not in space? Hmmm...

I remember reading about the high-technology houses we'd be living in within twenty years, using a combination of solar and electrical energy, within a house that was controlled primarily by computer systems.

Twenty years later we have discussions about .Net and how it will revolutionise the future in the same way.

I see the same thing happening that was happening 20 years ago, and I wonder if somehow, technological advancement is being hampered. Our adventure into the future hasn't changed much in the past 20 years.

We've gone from the Cold War into the war against terrorism, which, to me, is even more obscure than what the Cold War ever was.

War against terrorism. Terrorist are those who are against American interests. So America invades those countries that are against American interests, classifying them as terrorist nations. The people reject the American invasion and protest, and as a result they are even worse terrorists.

Really, the worst terrorist nation in modern civilisation is America.

But I just realised I've begun to rant and rave about my feelings about what's happening in the world today. Instead of deleting and starting again, I'll just leave it as it is, 'cause it's stuff I wanted to say.

Needless to say, while this entry started as a happy new year, it turned into a reminiscence about the joys of future exploration.

Don't get me wrong. As you can tell from past entries I've made, I'm quite happy and excited about my own personal adventure. I'm just sad that the world as a whole seems to have lost some of that wonder for the future it used to have, and instead I feel a sadness for what's happening in the present.

But I'll continue to write about those adventures I have. As I've often said, it's nice to have you along for the ride.

It doesn't seem a year ago when I started this format for my journal , but a year it's been. My journal has been going since November 1998 - over 5 years now. I imagine it will be going for at least another 5 years, but I don't see why it should ever end. Except when I die. It'll end then. I wonder who will close my journal for me...

Writing down the story of my life as it happens is an interesting task I set myself. I wonder what will happen to it when I'm gone.