First Day of '09

So what else is new??

You obviously survived all the revelry, indulgence, and frivolity, or you would not be logging on to 'terryography'. Well, I survived too. I guess it is not too risky going to bed early with a glass of warm milk. I am required to be in fine fettle for the in law gathering later today. Bags under the eyes (bigger than usual) and staring inattentively into the distance when being spoken to would not impress anyone. I will report on this event tomorrow. I know. You can hardly wait.

So here are my predictions for the New Year, first, on the serious matters mentioned yesterday.
1. Barak Obama will surprise everyone by proving that he too is only human. He will stumble and fumble almost as badly as the outgoing Bush, but with more style and decorum. His ethnic supporters will be disappointed that he will not give them the nation's wealth on a platter, not that he wouldn't want to, but because America is broke. Period. He will find that the system is too entrenched in the old ways and the change he wants to implement will not be easy, or even possible.
2. Mr. Harper will do all the right things to appear to be compromising including implementing all the huge bail outs that the Liberals and the media are crying out for. It will be the undoing of Canada. Until. Yes, until he sees that Ignatieff is falling in the polls, if indeed that will happen. If it does, he will start once again pushing buttons and then call an election. His craving for a majority is almost as powerful as my craving for chocolate. But certainly, the economic meltdown will predominate most debate in the legislature.
3. "We aint seen nothin' yet" in terms of economic woes. There will be a rally in the markets, like we saw on the 29th and 30th, and when that has run its course, possibly in the next few months, look out. Also, because we are inching toward deflation, the tinkering governments will find a great way to convince us to spend our money and thus stimulate the economy. They will force inflation. They will do this by printing more money and sending cheques to all of us to help us in our economic hard times. More money circulating translates to the dollar being worth less and we will want to spend our saving before they are worthless. This is long term disaster. I could go on, but do watch for foreclosures across the country, both business and personal. Why do I say this? I do not wish it, but statistically, the average family in all of North America is 3 pay cheques away from insolvency. When double digit unemployment hits this year, it follows that the debts will become due, but cannot be serviced. I am sorry for those with heavy debt, but it is a consequence of our societal pressure to appear to be rich when in fact we are all living on credit.
4. The Arab (Muslim)/Israeli conflict has its origins in Old Testament times and is in the DNA of both people groups. It will not go away. I repeat. It will not go away. Israel has its Biblical right to exist in its 'Promised Land' and the Muslims will never rest until every "Israeli dog" is dead. This all sounds primitive because it is. It is primal. It is in the genetic code of the world. It will eventually play itself out just as the Bible prophesies, in spite of attempts by the UN or Barak Obama, or by anybody else and it will result in the end of the world as we know it.
Points 1-3 are opinion, but this is fact.

And now for a few inconsequential predictions for '09.
Oprah will continue to have body weight fluctuations, and will continue to know more than God.
Rick Mercer will continue to not be funny.
Mats Sundin will be one year older and not the man he once was.
Gordon Campbell will continue to believe in Global warming and carbon taxes even though the brass monkey's balls froze off this winter.
David Suzuki will be calling Al Gore to plan new strategies.
Chickens will remain in cages, at least until 2010.
The price of gas will be too high, no matter what the price of gas is.

If any of these predictions do not come to pass, you can call me on it, but do not expect me to pay any attention to you. :-)