Lost Futures

So, this morning on the radio, we have news of the first serious challenge for the prize for the first private spacecraft happening soon - 40 miles up this time, the 100km arbitrary boundary scheduled for the next flight. This is more space as it should have been - for many years now (really since the last manned moon landing), I've been convinced that the accident of WWII and the Cold War put us into space about 70 years early, and that the vision of space travel that I grew up with would be something for the 2040s.

Later, in the dentist's chair, having a wisdom tooth filled without anaesthetic, I think quite how little that has changed. 21^st century dentistry means latex gloves, face masks and eye protection. Where are the laser drills (promised 40 years ago at least) or the cavity dissolving gels (10 years) or immunizations against harmful oral bacteria (~5 years), eh?

[Now playing - Noir Soundtrack 1]