Therefore I am offering it in the spirit of "things that make you go hmmm"... I have used one perspective of the strange tale of John Titor from one web page, ratatak.com. There are many other sites dealing with Titor, but I found this most concise account on ratatak. Please read:
<<Every so often I like to lurk in little-known newsgroups or web sites concerning the paranormal. You know, the "I was probed by aliens" type stuff. Obviously, like most paranormal stuff, most of it is complete an utter crap and I just read them to laugh at the Trekkies and escapists just ACHING for some asteroid, spirit or alien to come and change the fact that they have to go work in an office every day, but this REALLY caught my attention. Read on...
On November 2nd 2000, a fellow going by the name of John Titor started posting pictures of his time machine on various forums around the net. He claimed to be a time traveller from the year 2036 - I actually read some of his posts back then and, yeah I thought he was a nut case too so I ignored them.
However, as the posts progressed it became apparent that John wasn't your average nut job - in fact he was quite an enigmatic and articulate character with a story to tell that had a terrifying and uncanny ring of truth about it.
According to John Titor, he was from the year 2036 and was born in 1998. Remember that all his posts were from BEFORE 911 and the subsequent War on Terrorism. From his 2036 perspective, earth's history looked like this:
2004/5: Isolated pockets of civil unrest in America following the government's implication of The Patriot Act - people being detained without due process and curtailment of basic civil liberty all in the name of "National Security" causes the odd local riot/rebellion. These incidents become more frequent and organised and escalate to such a degree that, in 2008, people realise that their idillic society no longer exists and civil war breaks out in America and the UK.
2015: WW3. Russia launches a full scale nuclear strike against America and it's allies as a last resort in a desparate attempt to put an end to the US government's beligerent foreign policy. Ironically, the strike is not aimed at America's domestic rebels but at the extreme right wing government in power at the time (the one after next US election presumably).
Whilst the West becomes unstable and US support for Israel starts to waver, other Middle Eastern countries sieze upon the opportunity to invade Israel who, out of sheer desparation, defends herself by also using nuclear weapons.
At the same time China decides to take advantage of world intstablity and expand IT'S territory.
To summarise, World War 3 is short but oh so efficient - wiping out some 3 billion people. The US constitution is scrapped and the country is eventually divided into 5 provinces with the main emphasis being food and farming. There is little or no centralised government, welfare system or healthcare. However, in John's world everyone works hard for the community and slackers are scorned, ridiculed and ultimately starve to death.
Here are a few of John's quotes/answers to various issues put to him during the short time he posted in these forums:
QUESTION:Does the current relationship between Arabs and Jews have anything to do with the coming war?
ANSWER: Real disruptions in world events begin with the destabilization of the West as a result of degrading US foreign policy and consistency. This becomes apparent around 2004 as civil unrest develops near the next presidential election. The Jewish population in Israel is not prepared for a true offensive war. They are prepared for the ultimate defense. Wavering western support for Israel is what gives Israel's neighbors the confidence to attack. The last resort for a defensive Israel and its offensive Arab neighbors is to use weapons of mass destruction. In the grand scheme of things, the war in the Middle East is a part of what's to come, not the cause.
QUESTION: Is there anything we can do to prepare for the war you are describing?
ANSWER:
1. Do not eat or use products from any animal that is fed and eats parts of its own dead.
2. Do not kiss or have intimate relations with anyone you do not know.
3. Learn basic sanitation and water purification.
4. Be comfortable around firearms. Learn to shoot and clean a gun.
5. Get a good first aid kit and learn to use it.
6. Find 5 people within 100 miles that you trust with your life and stay in contact with them.
7. Get a copy of the US Constitution and read it.
8. Eat less.
9. Get a bicycle and two sets of spare tires. Ride it 10 miles a week.
10. Consider what you would bring with you if you had to leave your home in 10 min. and never return.
QUESTION: If you're telling the truth, the last thing you should be doing is talking about the war and the government.
ANSWER: Have you considered that your society might be better off if half of you were dead?
For full analysis of John's posts during this time go to:
http://www.johntitor.com/ I guarantee it to be a riveting read!>>