Calendar of the Future

2000 Al Gore becomes first President elected on internet chat campaign. This is also the lowest cost campaign in recent memory as Gore makes use of unlimited time on net for $19.95 per month. His ISP goes bust.

2001 Big celebration of new millennium. Half of Americans are confused because they thought it was last year. Most computers that crashed due to the "year 2000" software glitch are obsolete anyway so are replaced by MAC's which never had the problem and so gathered the confidence of businesses. Bill Gates buys Apple and dumps DOS/Windows OS. John Scully acquires rights to Windows.

2002 Advertising for Christmas Sales starts in time to take advantage of July 4th long weekend.

2003 Social Security benefits cut. New VAT taxes to save system instituted. Complaints from 18-35 year olds that new taxes unfairly target them.

2012 Major issue of U.S. Presidential election is lack of immigrants to work farms and the resulting rise in food costs. All four major candidates promise reforms.

2015 Social Security benefits are increased due to demand from aging voters, money to pay for increase will come from new tax on transfer of wealth from estates. Complaints from 30-50 year olds that new taxes unfairly target them.

2016 Major issue of U.S. Presidential election is lack of immigrants to work farms and the resulting rise in food costs. It seems that the program instituted by President Perot failed to increase immigration to U.S. farm jobs because most foreign workers have good jobs writing software.

2026 Harvard announces that more of its revenues come from extension and continuing ed classes than from undergraduate tuition and fees. Mean age of student: 53

2036 Newsweek publishes cover story on first week in June reporting on new Loafer Class of people who inherited large sums from parents and spend time playing. Big boom in bowling alleys and virtual-world games.

2045 Ellie Bainbridge becomes second wealthiest person in America with Reaper Investments (funeral homes, crematoria, cemeteries and freeze-drying equipment manufacturing) Bill Gates is still number one, on revenue from invention of micro-chip heart which some say he's had since 1984.