Since this is my
last column of the year, I will use this space to give you my trusty
predictions for 2005. While none of these are guaranteed and any
predictions are always fraught with risks, I'm reasonably sure the
majority of them will prove to be quite accurate. They are based on my
analysis of the personalities involved and the outcomes of similar
situations from the past.(1) The Iraqi elections will go on as
scheduled. This is the one I'm the most sure of. Barring some kind of
cataclysmic event,Iraqis will go to the polls on January 30. Because of
terrorist activity, which will only intensify as that date draws closer,
it is anyone's guess as to how many Iraqis will actually go to the
polls. However, President Bush is bound and determined that these
elections
will take place on schedule, come hell or high water. I doubt if
anyone, other than God Himself, would be capable of changing the
President's mind on this issue.
(2) Michael Jackson will be
acquitted. Despite how bad Jackson might look, there's just not enough
evidence linking him to the crime he's be accused of. Most of the stuff
that makes him look so bad has nothing to do with this case. If he is
acquitted, he should then do the "moonwalk" on the courtroom steps to
rub Jane
Velez-Mitchell's nose in it.
(3) Gas prices will
continue to drop. This is simply a matter of supply and demand. Oil and
gas prices were way too high for way too long. This caused oil producing
nations to cheat on their quotas and export more crude. Refiners
increased their output as well to take advantage of the higher prices.
As a result, there's now an oil glut, despite OPEC's announced cut in
production. This will
continue to put heavy downward pressure on oil
prices. I expect the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in
the U.S. to dip to $1.30 sometime in 2005 before recovering a little.
(4)
Al Gore will re-emerge onto the political scene. He will start making
more high visibility speeches as well as more appearances on the TV talk
show circuit, in preparation for his run for the presidency in 2008.
Gore will once again become a formidable candidate for the highest
office in the land.
(5) Progress will be made in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel's withdrawal from Gaza will go on
as planned. The new Palestinian Authority leader not be anywhere near
the hard-liner that Arafat was. In response, Ariel Sharon will take less
of a hard line toward the Palestinians. I'm not saying that 2005 will
bring
peace between Israel and the PLO, but a step in the right
direction will be taken. However, given their history, any progress
could be just temporary.
(6) Bush will tackle tax reform, but
chicken out on Social Security reform. Social Security reform, at least
for 2005, will prove to be too much of a hot potato for the President
and for Congress. Tax reform, although difficult itself, is the path of
least resistance. I don't foresee a major overhaul, though. Look for
some kind of simplification of the current tax code, along with some
version of
the Lifetime Savings Account. The Roth 401(k) might finally become a reality as well.
(7)
VoIP will start to take off. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
technology allows consumers to make phone calls over their broadband
internet connections. It is much cheaper and less restrictive that
standard phone service. Most people are still not familiar with it but
the major phone companies, along with some smaller companies which
specialize in that technology, will start to change that in 2005. They
are already heavily advertising it on the internet. I expect a major TV,
radio, and newspaper ad blitz to begin in early 2005.
(8) The
Florida Marlins will stay put, but the Oakland A's and Minnesota Twins
will start looking elsewhere. The Marlins will finalize their deal with
the city of Miami for a new baseball stadium. They will then change
their name to the Miami Marlins. However, the A's and the Twins won't be
so fortunate. The A's will start serious negotiations with San Jose.
The Twins will start looking at Las Vegas, Portland, Norfolk, or
Monterrey, Mexico as a possible new venue. The Expos' relocation to
Washington was Major
League Baseball's first relocation in 33 years.
Now that the genie is out of the bottle, there could be several more in
the next five years.
(9) The NHL season will be partially saved.
There is no way the NHL wants to become the first major North American
sports league to lose an entire season due to a labor dispute.
Commissioner Gary Bettman and the owners will temporarily drop their
demands for a salary cap and accept a modified version of the players'
latest offer. This will allow the last 35-40% of the season, along with
the playoffs, to proceed as scheduled. However, this will just be a
short-term deal that will only take the league through the end of the
2005-06 season. Then they'll be right back to the drawing board.
(10)
Next season's flu shot supply will be plentiful by October. I expect
that everyone has learned their lesson from this year's fiasco. There
will be at least one company, possibly two, producing the vaccine in the
United States. Congress will pass legislation to ensure that the
production and distribution of the vaccine will be
less risky for
American companies. Also, the FDA will probably do a better job of
monitoring worldwide supplies. Enough will be available for anyone in
the U.S who wants one.
About the Author
Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and
trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist
for American Daily and operates his own website -
http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various
subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being,
personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of
view that is not often found in mainstream media. |
0 comments:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !