This threw a huge spanner in the works for me. I hadn't heard of John Titor until a few hours ago but my own private unified theory was doing very nicely for the next few years even though the Multiverse theory that science is increasingly strident about has been a good house guest when factoring in transdimensional disruptions. That has all changed on first hearing of the interview below. I really need to go back and do the legwork on what John Titor actually said as so far I've just listened to two interviews of authors who have written books about him.
I could kick myself that I haven't rigorously factored in dimensional (time) travel given that the notion of time as exception to the Omniverse rule rolls off my lips quite frequently and that I'm comfortable with trans-dimensional intervention both conceptually and pragmatically. It just never occurred to me that a 21st century human would be the first credible encounter of the physics that the adolescents of exploding science at CERN are dicking around with.
Until I reconcile this anomaly with all the other stuff that I've only scratched the surface of (and there's a slim chance John Titor is THE most creative idea media-seed I've ever seen planted), I'm in that somewhat uncomfortable zone of holding powerfully conflicting ideas in my head at the same time. It's spinning me out, but there are glimpses of potential for idea reconciliation, though at this stage the sheer renegade lone ranger factor is baffling me. Just the one off? How come? How so? Whatever the outcome I like this character a lot already. Like me he despises the excesses of consumer materialism that is the myopic hallmark of the morally diminished classes. The superficial materialists. The ones wittingly unaware(sic) that the clock's ticking.
Update: The more I watch the U.S. citizens apathy on constitutional changes to their rights over the National Defence Emergency Act, the more it looks like John Titor changed the dates from 2012 to 2008 to add some urgency to his message. Fascinating.