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Go to: News articles after Mar. 1, 1999

More About The New "Hypercomputer"
New computer technology: fulfillment of prophecy?
Feb. 14, 1999 - The HAL-4rW1 computer announced by Star Gate Systems (see the article below this one) uses a new reconfigurable chip called a field programmable gate array (FPGA) which can be reconfigured up to 1000 times per second, depending on the needs of the application, to act like the very-fast application specific integrated circuits (ASIC's) now used in special cards. The result is a tremendous increase in speed at a lower cost. Source: Weekend News Today (Story no longer online)
See Star Bridge Systems

The Super-Duper Hypercomputer
Feb. 11, 1999 - From an comparatively unknown company in Utah, a new computer has been announced which is only about the size of a PC, but, because of its different architecture, will be able to operate at 12.84 trillion calculations per second (60,000 times the speed of a 350 MHz PC). The new "hypercomputer" from Star Bridge systems has been named HAL, and it remains to be seen whether it will be as powerful as advertised. It is scheduled to be operable later this year. Not many PC users will rush to buy one -- the price tag is $26 million. Source: Wired News (Story no longer online)

Why the Popularity Engine Is a Natural Born Killer
Jan. 25, 1999 -ZD Net's anchor writer, Jesse Berst, explains Direct Hit's Popularity Engine: "It records which sites are visited most often after people enter a search term. You get a shortcut to the best of the best, as recommended by millions of users."

PROPHECY CENTRAL Rates High on Search Engines!
Try Direct Hit - Enter "prophecy" in the search field. Surprised?

Another type of search engine, based on reviews: Encyclopedia Brittanica's E-Blast - Enter "prophecy" in the search field.
While you're at it, try Yahoo for a conventional search - Enter "prophecy" in the search field.
Also: Infoseek, HotBot

Holograms To Store Terabyte
Jan. 21, 1999 - With the development of a new Photo Activated Polymer, it may be possible to place a terabyte of data, as much as 1600 compact discs now hold, on a single disc. The three-dimensional, holographic method will also allow very fast access time - one gigabit per second - 100 times faster than a DVD drive! Source: BBC

Innovation keeps the Internet growing, changing
Jan. 8 and 11, 1999 - This is a two-part story from Religion News today which explores the growth of Christian sites on the Internet and the phenomenon of evangelism via the web.
(Story no longer online)

Top Stories Of The Year: 1998
Dec. 21, 1998 - Internet Week lists the top Technology stories of the year:
1. AOL-Netscape Caps Year Of Mega-Mergers
2. A Dose Of Reality To Back Up The Java Hype
3. Linux: The Next Threat To Microsoft
4. Microsoft And The DOJ Go Toe To Toe
Plus more...
(Story no longer online)

PC of future mimics network computer
Nov. 25, 1998 - Faster internet connection speeds are the most important consideration to many users, so the next generation of PCs are providing built-in capabilities to provide a variety of ways to increase internet speeds. The iMac ("i" for Internet) was first in this race, but at the recent Comdex Convention, other PC manufacturers are offering similar features. (Source: C/net News)

Related story from Comdex, Nov. 16, 1998: Compaq launches Net-connection assault.
Compaq's new Presario computer is an extention of the Internet, offering options for connection speeds many times that of a standard dial-up modem.


AOL Gobbles Up Netscape
Nov. 24, 1998 - This ZDNet article asks, "Will the Pending Deal Bite Consumers, Too?"
(Story no longer online)

Building A Fiber Optic Lifeline
Oct. 30, 1998 - Project Oxygen Breathes Web Life Into Third World
Neil Tagare, president of the CTR Group, wants to provide a high speed fiber optic internet system to connect every continent except Antartica, to "bring underdeveloped countries into the global marketplace. "
Stretching more than 104,160 miles, the network will link 78 countries at 99 landing points. Its cables will be capable of carrying more than 25 million phone calls or 10,000 streaming video channels simultaneously.
Tagare, who was educated in Mumbai, India, says that Project Oxygen will have as much impact on the Internet as the creation of the Internet itself. The project, scheduled for completion in 2003, will cost $10 billion.
Source: ABC News (Story no longer online)

Gore to unveil world's fastest computer
Oct. 28, 1998 - The Energy Department now owns the fastest computer in the world, an IBM supercomputer, which is being called ''Pacific Blue,'' and has the capability of performing 3.9 trillion operations per second. It will,
...enable scientists to maintain the reliability of atomic weapons stockpiles without having to conduct nuclear tests, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The new computer runs 15,000 times faster and has 80,000 times more memory than the average desktop personal computer...
Source: USA Today (Story no longer online)

IBM's "Wearable" PC
Sept, 1998 - IBM unveiled a prototype of a small but powerful computer which can be clipped onto the user. It is about the size of a portable CD player, has all the power of a laptop, weighs 11 ounces, and has a one-inch 340MB hard disk drive, a Intel 233Mhz MMX processor, and 64MB of RAM.
(Story no longer online)

Computer Professor Has Silicon Chip Implant
Aug. 25, 1998 - Claiming to be the first human to have a computer chip implanted in his body, Professor Kevin Warwick of The University of Reading in England, is demonstrating that his location can be tracked by computers. "Sensors can be set up to pinpoint his location and even switch on lights automatically when he enters a room on campus." His purpose in the experiment is to warn about the sinister side of this emerging technology. Those who have such devices will loose their privacy. Similar external devices are already in use on newborn babies and criminals to track their location at all times. The chip is like those already in use for animal identification, but much more sensitive. It contains 64 pieces of information. In the future, similar chips may contain a great deal of information about a person, including bank records and credit history.

Internet Likely Doubled In The Past Year
Aug. 13, 1998 - Wired News reports that a recent study found 36,739,000 host computers on the Internet, compared to 19,540,000 one year ago.
Source: Yahoo
The Millionaire Middle Class - In a related story, Inter@ctive Week Magazine states that dozens of young entrepreneurs are becoming multi-millionaires because of Internet commerce.
(Story no longer online)

IBM Performance Breakthrough For Personal Computers
Aug. 3, 1998 - IBM also has big news for personal computers and battery operated hand-held computing devices. They have developed a new "silicon-on-insulator" (SOI) for producing computer chips.
IBM's unique SOI process protects the millions of tiny transistors on a chip with a "blanket" of insulation, reducing harmful electrical effects that sap energy and hinder performance. IBM engineers have manufactured SOI chips that improve performance by up to 35 percent -- translating into faster computers and communications gear. For example, a microprocessor designed to operate at 400 MHz can instead be built using SOI and can achieve speeds of over 500 MHz.
The new chips will be more energy-efficient, possibly using as little as one-third of the power presently required.
(Story no longer online)

IBM Supercomputer Power Jumps To 1.04 Billion Calculations Per Second
July 31, 1998 - IBM has regained the lead in supercomputer processing speed by producing a computer that can handle more than a billion separate calculations per second (each calculation requiring many CPU cycles) making them more than a million times as fast as today's best personal computers. In addition, up to 32 of these machines can be "clustered" together to produce speeds of almost 30,000 MIPS!
Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line.

Supercomputing Power On Your Desktop
July 17, 1998 - Java Microsystems has developed a concept called Jini which uses the Java programming language to:
weave together the collective power and capabilities of devices along a network, be they a supercomputer or the tiniest hybrid cellular phone/computer. This is the essence of distributed computing.
Each computer or device which is connected to a Jini-enabled network will be able to share computing power with others through "Java Space, a type of electronic bulletin board where devices can go to look up functions available to them along a network. "
Further information will be available on the Internet on July 20 at this site:Jini Technology from Sun Microsystems
(Story no longer online)

Compaq Offers Fingerprint ID Device
July 8, 1998 - Compaq Computer, which has recently merged with Digital, and is the second largest computer company, has announced an inexpensive biometric device, a fingerprint reader, for less than $100. They expect the device to replace conventional passwords in places where high security is necessary.
(Story no longer online)

Big Brother Is Watching
Web's Largest Database - Satellite Photos
June 24, 1998 - Terra Server, Microsoft's brand new online database offers satellite pictures from all over the earth with a resolution of about 4 to 6 feet. The website is already receiving approximately 4 million hits per day!
The prophetic significance of this development is that these pictures, which probably include your house in surprising detail, are already considered old technology to those who have access to modern spy satellite images (reportedly able to show items as small as 6 inches). With such informational power at his disposal, the coming world dictator will be able to enforce his demands and pursue those who try to flee.

Hackers Say They Could Crash The Internet In 30 Minutes
May 20, 1998 - Seven hackers from Boston (real names not revealed), speaking at a Senate committee hearing, claimed that they could stop the Internet in just 30 minutes, and it would take 2 days to get it running again. (Source: Yahoo - Story no longer on line.) Satellite Problem Disables Most Pagers
May 20, 1998 - For some unknown reason the Galaxy 4 Satellite has started spinning, disrupting up to 90% of pager service in the United States. Communications companies are working to switch service to alternate satellites, but it may take several days to finish the transfer. (Source: MSNBC - Story no longer on line.)

Lucent Lands $1 Billion Contract - Part of a World-Wide Optic Cable System
May 20, 1998 - Lucent's contract is to provide optic cable under the seas and across land to all continents except Antartica. The cable will serve the growing Internet, voice and video markets, cutting cable costs greatly, and providing data transfer at rates up to 1.92 Terabits (trillion bits) per second, the equivalent of sending nearly 25 million simultaneous phone calls over a cable.

Lucent will be the exclusive provider of land-based optical networking equipment, service and network management software, power systems, interconnect equipment, and professional services for CTR Group Ltd’s future, global undersea cable network called Project OXYGEN. Phase 1 of the OXYGEN network is scheduled to be completed at a cost of $8 billion by 2002. (Source: MSNBC - Story no longer on line.)


One Digital Day
May 19, 1998 - A new book from Fortune Magazine features an fascinating look at the all-pervasive computer chip. One hundred photojournalists were dispatched during one 24 hours period in 1997 to document the "digital age."
Excerpts from the introduction by By Brent Schlender :

While nobody knows exactly how many microchips have been made, experts estimate that there are more than 15 billion of them perking away in coffeemakers, clock radios, calculators, cash registers, cars, and yes, computers. They keep our power grids online, turn street lights off and on, tune our televisions, track most financial transactions, control airplanes and air-traffic systems, switch our phone calls, watch weather systems, and make our kids' toys talk.

Without them, Neil Armstrong would never have walked on the moon, movies would have far fewer special effects, our telephones would still have rotary dials and couldn't offer call waiting or caller ID, we wouldn't be able to get cash from ATMs, our cars would still require frequent tune-ups, we couldn't see ultrasound images of babies still in the womb, couch potatoes would get more exercise and would have only a handful of channels to choose from, Desert Storm would've had to rely on dumb bombs to subdue Saddam Hussein, and Linda Tripp couldn't have taped her conversations with Monica Lewinsky.

Virtual Jerusalem was featured in the book.
(Story no longer online)

Informational Warfare: Hackers Penetrate Pentagon
April 21, 1998 - A small group of computer hackers have apparently succeeded in penetrating the Pentagon's own computer system. This gives credence to the threat of a new kind of terrorism for our troubled times. (Source:MSNBC - Story no longer on line)

Internet Growing Faster Than Any Other Medium
April 16, 1998 - Traffic is doubling every 100 days on the Internet!
Source:MSNBC - story no longer on line

China: $42 Million Contract For Global Mobile System
April 9, 1998 - Motorola's Cellular Infrastructure Group has won a contract to expand the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network in China. They expect the system to be operational in all nine cities covered by the contract by the end of this year. (Source:Yahoo/ Reuters- story no longer online)

Global Wireless Personal Telecommunications System Almost Operational
April 7, 1998 - A Proton rocket, launched from Russia carried 7 more sattelites into orbit for Iridium LLC's network which will offer voice, data, fax and paging to handheld subscriber equipment. The news release states:
The success of today's Proton launch means that in slightly more than a week's time, 14 Iridium satellites have been sent into orbit on three rocket launches -- one from Russia, one from China and one from the United States," said Iridium LLC Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Edward F. Staiano. "This truly international effort is paving the way for Iridium to become the first global wireless telephone company when we begin commercial activation on September 23."
Source: Excite - story no longer on line

Internet hacker claims broad access to military files
Mar. 5, 1998 - In various messages which could not be traced, a hacker known as Analyzer, illustrated the reality of an underground Internet which is able to penetrate US military and research operations. (Source: Wired - Story no longer on line)

Teens Suspected as Possible Pentagon Hackers
Feb. 28, 1998 - In a shocking wake-up call for the Pentagon, two Cloverdale CA teenagers may have led the most successful attack on intrusion into military computers ever. It appears that the boys, using sophisticated hacker programs were just doing it as a game, but it sounds a serious alarm, [and reminds us of the movie "War Games" from a few years ago.] (Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line)

Face recognition technology headed for ATMs, hotels
Feb. 19, 1998 - New advances in this field may lead to a variety of sophisticated applications, including identification on personal computers. " Person Spotter is a comprehensive architecture that can visually interpret how many people are in the system's field of vision, their locations, hand gestures, and, to some degree, facial expressions. " (Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line)

IBM To Build Fastest Supercomputer
Feb. 13, 1998 - IBM has signed an $85 million contract to build the world's fastest supercomputer for the U.S. Department of Energy to be installed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California in the year 2000. The computer will be capable of 10 trillion calculations per second. (Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line)

Automation gains momentum at the checkout counter
Feb. 9, 1998 - Grocery shoppers may soon check out their own food. An NCR system which makes this possible will be shown a the MarkeTechnics '98 show in Los Angeles this month. Customers, who will complete their transaction without the aid of a checker, will be able to use coupons for savings. They will have the option of paying via credit, debit, or cash, but note this: CHECKS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. (Source: Excite - story no longer on line)

Fast Internet Access Sought
Jan. 20, 1998 - Microsoft, Compaq, and Intel are working on a new method of internet access which will be 30 times as fast as current technology allows, and will allow voice communication over the same telephone line at the same time! This could be available by the end of this year! (Source: Washington Post - story no longer on line)

U.S. Scientist Ready to Clone Humans
Jan 7, 1997 - Richard Seed, a Chicago area fertility scientist told National Public Radio that he has plans to establish a clinic to clone humans. President Clinton has already asked for legislation against human cloning, but there is no law against it at the moment. (Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line)

IBM Makes Disk-Drive Storage Breakthrough
Dec. 31, 1997 - By 2001 IBM will produce a disk drive with the capacity of 11.6 billion bits of storage per square inch. This will allow them to produce 2 1/2" hard disks for smaller portable computers with up to 6.5 gigabytes of storage. One way of visualizing this density is that one square inch of disk space will hold 1, 450 average-sized novels or more than 725,000 pages of double- spaced typewritten pages. The article says that would make a stack taller than an 18-story building. (Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line)

Time Picks Intel Chief as Man Of The Year
"Andrew Grove's Mark is everywhere."
Dec. 20, 1997 - As CEO of the company that makes most of the microprocessor chips in the world, this brilliant immigrant has had a profound influence on all of us. See earlier article on plans for future microprocessors.

Cloned Lambs Have Human Gene
Dec. 19, 1997 - This Washington Post article explains the next step in genetic engineering. Now that sheep can be cloned, they are also changing some of the genes to produce living "drug-making factories." First there was Dolly. Now, with Molly and Polly, they are hoping to provide help for hemopheliacs. (Source: Washington Post - story no longer on line)

Iris Identification Could Replace Bank Cards and PINs
IrisIdent is a biometric identification system that uses a standard video camera, to validate the individual's identity. Iris identification is said to be more reliable and less intrusive than fingerprinting or retinal scanning. (Source: Yahoo - story no longer on line)

The Internet Is The Key to Business Success
Nov. 19, 1997 - At Comdex, John Chambers, president and CEO of Cisco Systems said, "CEOs now realize the Internet will be their chief productivity tool over the next ten years, and may determine their businesses’ survivability." He also said that "Governments now recognize that the Net will determine the future of their economies. "Populations and companies will move, "as the Internet ,"brings together people in global virtual companies."
(Story no longer online)

Hand-Held Computers Become More Powerful With Built-In Video Camera
Nov. 18, 1997 - Sharp's new product offerings at this year's Comdex Convention include a hand-held computer with a 640 X 240 pixel LCD screen, digital video camera, and ability to send and receive multimedia e-mail messages. The unit "docks" with a standard PC so information may be exchanged between them.
(Story no longer online)

Headless Frog Shown on BBC's Horizon Programme
Oct. 23, 1997 - This genetically engineered clone could be the precursor to human organ harvesting and other controversies.
(Story no longer online)

Intel, HP to Unveil Major New Chip Designs
Oct. 13, 1997 - Plans for the first brand new microprocessor chip architecture in 20 years are being revealed. Processor speeds could go up to 900 MHz with the new technology which will be introduced by 1999.
Source: PC World (Story no longer online)

The Real Network - Web Broadcasting
August 4, 1997 - Progressive Networks, creator of RealAudio and RealVideo, have made strategic alliances with Microsoft, MCI and others to bring the next generation of broadcasting - "Video on demand" over the Internet. They already have more than 35 content partners delivering RealVideo programming. These partners include ABCNews.com, CBS/SportsLine USA Inc., ESPN SportsZone and Fox News.
Just last July 22, Progressive made a strategic alliance with Microsoft, who bought 10 percent non-voting investment and plans to incorporate their technology in the next release of Microsoft Explorer.
The cover article for October 1997's Wired magazine gives an in-depth review of their progress and plans.
Source: ZD Net (Story no longer online)

Coming Soon: Net Access Through Power Lines
10/8/97 - there has been a fascinating breakthrough by Northern Telecom of Canada and Norweb Communications in Great Britian which allows Internet access through powerlines at speeds up to 1 MB per second, ten times faster than ISDN!
Source: PC World - story no longer on line

Passwords and PINs replaced by Fingerprint Scanner
The BioMouse Desktop Fingerprint Scanner was released to the public in June of 1997 by American Biometric Company. The patented computer mouse was marketed as "the low-cost, high-performance biometric product the world has been waiting for. By making use of the unique, unchanging nature of fingerprints, the BioMouse scanner replaces passwords, and brings advanced user identification to computer systems. Unlike passwords and PIN's, your fingerprint can't be lost, borrowed, or forgotten."
(Story no longer online)

New Standards for Smart Cards
May 16, 1997 - Master Card International and seven high tech companies, including Mondex, Gemplus, and Motorola, released new standards for Smart Cards which they plan to release through American banks by April of 1998.
(Story no longer online)
See new section on Smart Cards.

Boeing To Build Teledesic's Internet-In-The-Sky
4/29/97 Boeing will build and launch the satellites for the Teledesic system which will provide low orbit satellite network to enable Internet connectivity anywhere on Earth. See the earlier article describing this concept.
< (Story no longer online)

Japan's latest innovation: a remote-control roach
Take a look at the picture of this bionic bug! We'll leave it to your imagination how this might fit into prophecy. At the very least it represents the increase in knowldege in our time.

FaceIt - Face Recognition System
This software is being used in a variety of security applications. All of these advances in biometrics bring us closer to the prophesied "Mark of The Beast." Learn more about this technology at the Visionics website. (Thanks Steve Rabideau - 6/2/97.)
(Story no longer online)

Card Technologies Trade Shows
CardTech SecurTech - This company offers reports of past shows and promotes new exhibitions of this array of technologies. 6/2/97.
(Story no longer online)

Programmable Tattoo
In an article entitled, "I've Got You Under My Skin," Business Week Magazine (May 19, 1997) announced the invention of a small liquid crystal display that can be implanted beneath the skin on the wrist. The display is visible through the skin, and can serve as a watch or as a monitor of biological functions. The author of the article, Catherine Arnst, says that Interval Research Corp of Palo Alto holds the patent for the device. Interval was started by a group that includes Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft Corp.
Our thanks to Dick Adams for bringing this to our attention.
Source: Business Week Online (Story no longer online)
Interval Research Corporation

Push Technology Combines Web Publishing and Broadcasting
This methodology enables news, information and even software upgrades to be automatically delivered to computers over the Internet without people having to search for them.
Web Broadcasting '97 Conference - June 9-10. Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, CA will explore the future of this technology.
Intermind Communicator brings push technology to current users of the Internet.
Prophecy Central has its own channel now. Subscribe to this exciting new way of receiving timely information!

Preview "InfoSecurity'97"
Check out the plans for this huge conference in London April 29-May 1. This conference fill focus on the lastest on internet security, data recovery, chip theft, security challenges and related topics.
(Story no longer online)

Micron Communications, Inc offers a new line of products utilizing remote intelligent communications (RIC) technology. These products, marketed under the "MicroStamp" brand name, include devices for for asset tracking, enhanced security systems, automatic vehicle identification, and remote smart card technology.
(Story no longer online)

"Possible Futures for the Global Network"
March 18, 1997 - Richard A. McGinn, President of Lucent Technologies, says, "One question is crystal clear. How can we get today's networks to operate as if they were a single entity?" He describes ATMs, the Internet, voice and video networks, and all the inter-connections between them. He explains that the newest network growth is in the area of wireless systems. This market is growing at an annual rate of 21 percent, and, some think that by the year 2010 there will be up to 1.45 billion wireless subscribers, bringing this global network to nearly a fifth of the world's population.

840 satellites will bring Internet to world beginning 2000
3/17/97 Week End News Today's summary of plans for $9 billion effort by Bill Gates and Craig McCaw to link the entire earth for high speed internet service.
Visit Teledesic Corporation where details for this "Internet In The Sky" is being planned.
(Story no longer online)
'Internet in the Sky' Boosted - Computerworld

The Year 2000 Problem
A huge problem is brewing in the world of computers. There may not be enough time left before the turn of the millennium to change the dating code for all the computer software. Business will grind to a halt. Will Antichrist take advantage of this situation? We've devoted a special page to this problem.
(Story no longer online)

The Age Of Cloning - Time Magazine, March 10, 1997
Since the announcement last week of the cloning of a lamb named Dolly, they show that biology will never be the same for people or for sheep. The article raises the question of scientific "resurrection."
(Story no longer online)
Related sites:
Genetics and Ethics

Future of Microcomputers
In a February article from Fortune Magazine, Intel reveals plans for a microprocessor with 1 billion components by the year 2011. It will run at the speed of 10 gigahertz (10,000 megahertz) compared to today's fastest- 200 megahertz).

Major Organizations Are Experimenting With Computer Chip Implants in Humans
January 31, 1997 - This review of a special two part article in the EE Times, says that funding, research and experimentation with the implatation of computer chips into humans and animals is being done by major institutions such as Stanford University, British Telecom, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and major corporations. This technology is still in its infancy, but could someday lead to the science fiction scenario of "Total Recal" thanks to a mix of electrical engineering and medical technology.
(Story no longer online)

The Next Generation of the Internet - vBHS (very high speed Backbone Network Service)
MCI is the provider for a super-fast information network mandated in 1993 by the National Science Foundation. Part of it is already in place, using speeds of 155 million bits per second. When fully functional, it will connect the Supercomputing Centers at speeds of up to 2.5 billion bits (2.5 gigabits) per second. At this speed the new network could transmit the contents of two public libraries per second. (January, 1997)
(Story no longer online)

Is "Big Brother" Watching?
Grant Jeffery has a sobering article about Surveillance cameras and other devices which can monitor your every move.
(Story no longer online)

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Excerpts from The Prophecy Puzzle

In the actual software package, many key words would appear as colored hyperlinks to other articles. These links are not shown here.

We are living in "The Information Age". In our generation science and knowledge have increased at a rate never imagined by our forefathers. Yet, this knowledge explosion was predicted by Daniel. This has been a time of unprecedented invention, space exploration, and, above all, development and use of the computer. The advent of small, inexpensive, and powerful microcomputers had caused nearly every field of science and technology to take quantum leaps forward. Here are just a few of the new and emerging tools and methods making more information available.

The ever-present, ever-improving personal computer has become the primary tool of creativity. Practically everything that was once done by pencil and paper, drafting tools, and artistry is now being done faster, easier, and better with the help of the computer. A person of average income may now own a computer which is more powerful than the million dollar main-frames of just a few years ago. Beautiful color, digital stereophonic sound, CD ROM libraries of knowledge, modem connectivity to the entire world via information services and the Internet, and an exploding source of helpful, inexpensive software all make this device a necessity for many people today. Smaller, more powerful laptop and notebook computers make it possible for people to take this essential productivity tool with them wherever they go.

Interactive Television is on its way. Many experimental programs are in place even now. This technology will allow people to view what they want, when they want to see it, and do the same with educational programs, shopping, simulated travel, and whatever else people will want in the future.

Information service companies, such as Compuserve and America On Line provide an amazing assortment of "on line" information, such as news and historical data bases, games and other entertainment, down-loadable software, literature, and art, electronic mail, special interest data bases and "chat" rooms where one may type messages to one another in real time. Shopping on-line is becoming very popular as well.

Another aspect of what is often called cyberspace is the Internet. It has been around for several decades. It is a high speed data transmission system, now often called the information "super highway". It was used by major corporations and universities to connect their main-frame computers together. It is just now becoming very popular and extremely useful. Education, businesses, government, and even churches are rapidly turning to this medium of information exchange. Easy navigation of this world-wide network is being made possible by such innovations as the "World-Wide Web." Color, sound, animation, and even video have been added to the capabilities of the "net." Connection to the Internet is one of the options on many information services. Individuals may also choose to subscribe to local Internet services which do not provide their own information, but simply connect the user's computer (via the phone lines) to the Internet. It should be noted that this technology is also potentially very dangerous because of the lack of control and monitoring of pornography ("Cyberporn"), and dangerous communications especially between children and unprincipled adults. Many of the Internet providers are now including automatic blocking of known questionable destinations, but it is virtually impossible to know all of the dangerous paths that can be taken.

There is another, even more important computer network. This is the world of financial transactions, including the ATM (Automatic Teller Machines), Credit and Debit cards, and even smart cards which are able to "store electronic money" to be used by appropriate devices such as vending machines, public telephones, and transportation services. This network now includes most retail stores, automobile service stations, and even fast food outlets in many areas. These "sellers" employ scanning devices and pay point card readers. All of this is moving us closer to a "cashless society" which may be easily controlled by a world dictator. The coming Antichrist will be such a dictator. The technology is now in place for him to accomplish his evil plan of economic control. See Economic Dictatorship. (Read about the Allcard, a smart card used by the University of Rochester in Peter and Paul Lalonde's, Racing Toward The Mark of the Beast, pp. 36-37.)

All of this is connected by telephone and cable systems which have greatly upgraded the capabilities of their systems with Fiber Optic cables replacing ordinary wires and the extensive use of communications satellites which effectively link the entire Earth together. One small Fiber Optic cable can replace 10,000 ordinary telephone lines! ("Telecommunications", New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia). Many phone services now employ the ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) system. This concept not only perfects the quality of the voice on the phone, but allows the connection of several devices to the outside world simultaneously, including television, FAX, copier, computers. It also adds the capability of "smart phones" which will transmit digital data about the users along with the voice or video connection. With such a system, the business you are calling could conceivably answer the phone using your name, and already having your account information on the screen in front of them. The potential for transmission of unwanted information is an obvious danger to this emerging technology.

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