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"Welcome to 2020. The world as we know it is about the same as it was three years ago on the same day. Technology has continued to advance at an alarming rate, with new concepts and devices fighting harder and harder for ad space. Global politics have not improved, with tension between nations increasing and alliances straining. Countries such as North Korea and Iraq have not yet followed up on threats of nuclear war, but public statements from both suggest that extremist nations are advancing far too fast for anyone's comfort. Global acts of terrorism and retaliation are all part of the show, with some countries showing their hand openly and others working quietly raising the stakes in the shadows.

"On the flip side, a new president has taken over the executive branch of the USA and promises of improvements have raised spirits. Government surveillance has become further invasive, though the nation has heard many a promise about protection of personal information. However, unemployment has lowered with the government offering new programs a year ago for talented computer experts to stress test security measures for a reasonable salary, effectively making white-hat hacking (called "Network Exploitation and Regional Vulnerability Elimination," or NERVE for short) a viable career. A majority of the public is now willing to trade privacy for jobs, to the extent that new legislation is calling for a NERVE Division of Homeland Security.

"None of this has directly affected you. News from far away still feels far away, and NERVE operations haven't advanced as much as they claim to have, meaning your personal life and less-than-legal career has gone untouched. As of December 26th, 2020, it's business as usual for you. For now."