Planeteers 2076 World Info Siberia's oil has begun to be tapped as of 2065. The United States' War on Terrorism officially ended in the year 2012 with the U.S. completely removing its presence from the Middle East. However, an ugly result of this war was a desperate rise in weapon development. Public high schools are available in China! They suck, but they're there. -Trends- Plants are in! Make your house the green house! Hydroponics is big, and people are reacting to the reduction in natural green by making their own, less natural green. Computers, video games, and such are all completely mainstream. The latest masochistic craze is complete virtual reality first person shooters and simulators, which are near-total reality up until the point where you die. It's a strange mix between environmentally beautiful and cyberpunk. Teenagers in the trendier areas wear lots of straps, buckles, laces, and pockets. As far as music goes, oldies but goodies are still there, classical instruments still exist, and top 40 radio is leaning towards a very disco feel with a healthy handful of angst thrown in. -Fuel and Travel- Planes, trains, automobiles, and boats. They're all there. In smoother areas, hovercars have become popular, though they lose something when they have to go a mountain (the fact that they can last over clear water is another bonus). Most transport is powered by hybrid technology, using any combination of hydrocarbons, electric, ethanol, and fossil fuels. Solar-powered and electric hybrids are seen in sunnier areas, but they don't tend to last long enough to make it worth it. The majority of the fossil fuels in the Middle East has been guzzled up by this point. As such, other ways of making the world work had to have been found. Gas stations are fuel stations, thanks to the wide range of options available. Fuel cells aren't typically used, but for the environmentally conscious, they can be the way to go as far as keeping pollution down. Pity they're rather expensive. "Turkey Machines" (waste to hydrocarbon or fossil fuels) are utilized in the richer countries, cutting down on landfills and increasing resources. Fusion does not exist outside of the sun and h-bombs. While efficiency and cleanliness typically go hand in hand, people are more concerned with the first, not the second. -Space Race- There are space stations and a couple moon bases, and you can go up there commercially for a rather high fee, though there's only one (small) actual space community. The rest are primarily scientists. One Mars landing has been made as an international effort on July 20, 2069. -Genetic Engineering- Genetic engineering is much more common. As far as humans go, a process is available called "tweaking", which is just for small stuff like eye/hair color and such, and is treated like plastic surgery these days, though with more caution and (in some circles) more prejudice. Most of these things were rooted in medical advancement in handling birth defects, and as such said defects are far more uncommon in first world countries. A vast majority of the food, both produce and livestock, has been genetically engineered at some point or another. This has helped feed overpopulated areas (not to mention make a better steak); however, there have been many issues with engineered livestock escaping and interbreeding with wholly natural animals. -Cyberware- Cyberware was originally developed to assist the impaired, though now it's available to the consumer at large. It's very expensive, particularly for those who don't need it. Things like small radios in ears, phones, crudely enhanced senses (though not smell or taste), implemented computers or clocks (such as one in your arm that you can type into). The hang up concerning this is, while there is the technology to take basic neural input that can be interpreted by a computer, a way to transmit information back hasn't been found yet. -India-Pakistan War and Impact- By 2030, the tension between India and Pakistan rose to the point where they declared war on each other, and after years of intense warfare, the first nuclear missiles were almost simultaneously launched on January 3, 2033, at New Delhi and Islamabad. This was followed in rapid succession by nukes from India to Nok Kundi and Bahawalpur, and ones from Pakistan to Nagpur, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. War came to a halt after that, as both regimes and cultures were thoroughly decimated. During and immediately after the war, there was a mass exodus out of both countries to escape poisoning, mostly to Iran, Afghanistan, and across the Himalayans to China. Reactions in those neighboring countries varied, from hostile (Afghanistan) to mostly indifferent (China). International relief from the North America, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand also helped in tending to the sick and just getting people out of there. Most of the radiation stayed within country boundaries or wafted over the ocean. However, some has reached Afghanistan and Iran, and its effects are found there, though more minor. Numerous rivers were poisoned, causing further long and short-term deaths. Without a clear victor, India and Pakistan look on each other with as much or more suspicion than ever, though they're not willing to throw nukes over it this time around. Probably. -North America- Canada still sticks to both French and English signs (and both are still national languages). However, its people are steadily becoming less bilingual and leaning more towards only English. Quebec was less than pleased at this trend in its own borders, and its secession is likely the least contested one in history. Other than that, it's getting along well with its United States neighbors and offers better medical plans than they do. Quebec, in a last-ditch effort to maintain their identity and heritage, seceded from Canada on July 27, 2044. They're now the smallest country in North America and receive quite a bit of prejudice (though not as much teasing as one would think). The republic put into place settled after the first year or two and seems to be going steady, though the economy struggles a bit due to the sheer amount of imports needed. The United States of America is thoroughly in party mode. There's a presidential election coming up, not to mention the Summer Olympics (in Chicago, IL). Also, it's the tercentennial. There's special coinage being minted for this, fireworks being prepared, and the entire nation is generally hopping, as the stock market is going up and the last major recession was six or seven years ago. It's still leading the world as far as economy and sheer money-grubbing capitalism goes. Both the United States and Canada are tolerant of tweaking and cyberware, and in the more liberal areas, it's become rather trendy. -South and Central America- Mexico City is even more overpopulated, to the point where living there can be truly unhealthy. The government has begun passing laws to encourage people to move out of the city, and there's been a failed effort to get people to start living underground, which has had some interesting and nasty psychological impacts (since no windows). Cuba is one of the last remaining socialist states, still under the rule of Fidel Castro. Okay, so he's probably not really Fidel Castro unless he's a vampire or something, though that's what all the tabloids say. This Fidel is about as steadily nasty as all the others, so if you mail jeans or shoes there, they'll still be stolen. Brazil's rainforests have shrunk to the degree where the UN actually stepped in and told them to stop due to environmental implications. Brazil agreed to stop as of November 12, 2058, but there's been no noticeable change. Environmentalists around the world protested and started planting in an almost haphazard fashion, and it became common and mainstream, resulting in the present popularity with green. Ecuador and Peru have become seriously industrialist, and other countries in South/Central America are more than ready to follow suit. -Asia- China has completed its transition from socialism to capitalism, and is now sitting as the second most economically powerful nation in the world, not to mention most populated. The Three Gorges Dam was a success and is now powering its vast majority. Of course, there's also a lack of water trickling down previously H2O-filled areas, but hey. It's been keeping a strict eye on its population account, and the level of education has gone up to the point where there are now public high schools. Not good public high schools, but they're there. It's also a center for genetic research, though tweaking isn't touched. While usually untouched in the mainland, cyberware has become very popular in Hong Kong. Japan has ended its last recession as of two or three years ago, and it's still recovering. Tweaking is tolerated, but cyberware's what's big arguably cheaper there than anywhere else in the world; particularly the implanted phones with teenagers. The popularity of Japan's graphic novels and cartoons have only grown with the world at large, though its live action leaves... something to be desired. South Korea is going along very well and has become rather hedonistic, with tweaking and cyberware being very popular with the upper class. Gaming has become a literal sport there, primarily real time strategy and first person shooters, complete with spectators, tickets, and prize money. North Korea is still socialist, though it has begun a major industrial revitalization and occasionally threatens to nuke its neighbors. The UN is watching them very closely. Russia has been sitting on a huge oil field for forever! But they never did anything with it, until now. In 2065, they finally got the technology and willingness to drill the frozen wasteland known as Siberia. The result is a huge and sudden cash intake over the past eleven years, as Russia has become the major exporter to industrializing nations. Like China, it's a center for genetic engineering. India can be considered a nuclear wasteland, though nobody who's actually been there would say it's all wasteland. Areas are nasty, but it's still inhabited. Tourism has opened up again, primarily for places that have been devastated by explosions and radiation. You can tour the Taj Mahal – it's still standing – though now it's done with hazmat suits and Geiger counters. Almost all water is brought in from outside sources, as many of India's rivers have been poisoned, and the quality of education has gone down to the point where nobody seems to care anymore.