Predictions for 2008

Everyone else is doing it, so what the heck...

- in November, McCain/Thompson beats Clinton/Obama by the thinnest of margins. Independent candidate Ron Paul picks up 5% of the national vote, and is never heard from again. Michael Bloomberg abandons his independent Presidential bid in early summer due to lack of interest. The Democrats make slight gains in both Houses of Congress.

- Canadians return to the polls in May, and elect another Conservative minority government. Stephane Dion resigns as Liberal leader and gets replaced by Bob Rae. Michael Ignatieff goes back to academic life. The Greens win one seat - but it's not Elizabeth May, who comes close but can't quite knock off Peter MacKay.

- the NDP wins a minority government in Nova Scotia. Halifax-based blogger Damian Penny suffers from crippling depression for several days thereafter.

- the situation in Afghanistan improves, but slowly. The Harper government decides against extending Canada's mission beyond 2009, but other NATO allies pick up the slack after the U.S. Presidential election.

- the Americans begin gradually pulling out of Iraq in mid-summer. Violence increases, but not to pre-surge levels, as the country moves toward de facto partition.

- the Canadian dollar hangs around US$1.00 all year. The American economy suffers more hiccups, but staves off recession.

- Indianapolis beats Seattle in Super Bowl XLII. Marvin Lewis, Brian Billick and Rich McKay - but not Matt Millen - are fired. Donovan MacNabb stays in Philadelphia. The Bears talk Jake Plummer out of retirement.

- Britney Spears, against all odds, pulls out of her tailspin. Amy Winehouse does not.

- Gone: Ahmadinejad. Fading: the Chinese Communists, just like previous dictatorships which hosted the Olympics. Mugabe, sadly, holds on to power. So do Hugo Chavez, who tones down his rhetoric after his humiliating referendum loss, and a barely sentient Fidel Castro, who remains Cuba's figurehead leader.

- Tata, an Indian conglomorate, beats out China's SAIC to buy the struggling Chrysler Corporation. Car companies scramble to make their smallest cars available in the United States, after the Smart Fortwo replaces the Prius as Hollywood's motor of choice. The new Chevrolet Malibu is a smash hit, but buyers' enthusiasm cools as word gets around about GM's typical first-year bugs. Ford finally starts turning it around.

...and even while adjusting to married life after May 10, I keep blogging about it all. Happy New Year.

Damian P.

Posted by damian at December 31, 2007 02:25 PM