dealing with their own failure. You'd think they would have considered that before the end of the world, but some people just don't plan ahead, ya know?

It doesn't really sound like the end of the world is going to change anything. People are still going to be mean to each other, and ignore their own instincts in favor of convenience. Also, how can the world really end? No one really thinks the whole frickin' planet is just going to shoot out of its orbit, possibly taking out the rest of the solar system with it, do they? I don't think so. I think people are actually talking about something more aptly described as "the end of the world as we know it." (man, REM are geniuses, man). Anyway, what exactly might be so bad about that? I guess I might lose my precious internet, but I think I can live with that. Other people might lose their precious BMW's and I'd be glad if they couldn't live with that (I'm so mean, today!). Things might change drastically, or maybe we'll prove that we really are better than the rest of world and live through it when everything else dies. Maybe we'll all end up eating synthesized food-like substances and wearing all synthetic fibers. Maybe we'll get what we've been working for and we will really be the kings of the earth.

Or maybe not. Maybe every human on Earth will die and all the animals will make nests on our graves and laugh and laugh and tell stories about the foolish humans for generations to come. Maybe they'll all be able to reach their full potentials without our incessant meddling in their affairs. Maybe all the endangered species will work themselves out of danger, and the atmosphere will heal itself and the Greenhouse effect will reverse. Maybe all the bears will start living in houses and all of the projects and slums will be overrun by beautiful vines bearing grapes and roses. Maybe all the things I currently consider wrong with the world will disappear and all the animals of the Earth will live in peace and harmony, killing each other only when necessary and not exploiting each other for short-term gain. Perhaps, the ways of the universe will be set back in motion and begin to work as clock-work once again, moving gradully on into a new age of prosperity and unending beauty and happiness.

But that would have no meaning without us here, right? Well, maybe only I'll remain. Maybe all the animals will adopt me as their own and I'll be treated as a rare and beautiful bird. Maybe a group of large trees will bend and twist together to form a large throne, and maybe some vines will twist and curl around it to fill in the edges, and maybe some moss will grow at the seat to cushion my butt, and maybe they'll put me up on that wonderful throne so I can just sit and watch the way things are as long as I need to so I learn it well enough to never forget. Then I could write it all down so that future human-like species might find it and live by the strange words; the words of nature.

Or maybe they'll put me on display in a museum or in a zoo, so they can all travel great distances to witness the last human on Earth in his last days for themselves. Maybe they'll be allowed to purchase small, spiky objects that they can throw at me in an effort to help me along my way. Maybe they'll feed me snails and nails and all sorts of things I would have once thought inedible.

Or maybe they'll treat me like a slave and force me to travel the Earth, carefully watched by eagles up above, rats down below, and snakes all around, attempting to right all of the wrongs committed by my people. By us. We are the blight on the Earth. We are everything that is evil and everything that needs fixing. We are the cause of all of our own grief, and we are the supreme destroyers. Everything else is absolutely pure and absolutely beautiful. We are ugly and currupt. We are diseased and disgusting. We fear ourselves and we don't understand our own simple functions. We are absolute waste.

The Earth would be better of without us.

But most likely, some of us would live. Probably something like 10% of the total population would survive even the most horrific of world holocausts. By 2000, that might be as many as 700 million people. That's no small number. There will still be plenty of people to form a society. The internet will get put back on track pretty quick, and cable TV will still be pouring from TV sets, just not as many. We might lose a large portion of our beautiful people, though. Re-runs would have to cut it for awhile until we were able to replenish our supply.

I guess technology in general might take a bit of a hit. It is largely driven by the consumer market of today. If that market shrinks, things will slow down. Plus, technology people are not known for their great health. They (we) might be some of the first to die. We are known for our ingenuity, though. That might save us some. I suppose.

So, here we are, wondering what might happen in a year and a half. Meanwhile, India has started testing nuclear weapons, and Iran has started testing medium range missles, capable of travelling 800 miles to their target. That's plenty far enough to reach that pesky Israel, who is none too happy about that. Medium range missles are typically used to deliver nuclear warheads. Those two things happened within a couple months of each other. Coincidence? Not bloody likely. I can't even start to guess what the ramifications are. I

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