Nostradamus, Shatner, Chaykin...

The Discovery Channel Canada program "How William Shatner Changed The World" (coming soon to the History Channel in the U.S.) is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at how Star Trek influenced the development of real-world technology over the past forty years.

However, I still think Howard Chaykin's groundbreaking American Flagg! turned out to be an eerily prescient look at the 21st Century. Besides its savage portrayal of television consumed by sex, violence, and "reality," Chaykin’s dystopian 2030s setting had people living in malls, computers that could make devices straight from the design, a cat with mechanical hands, holographic actors replacing humans, and a corporation running the government. [Insert your own link there.]

Not enough for a History Channel spotlight, you say? I understand. Maybe when a holographic Shatner starts making new Star Trek episodes....