Posted on 12/31/2002 1:19:56 PM PST by Timesink
2003 is a year of a few questions only. They are large questions. And they are questions that are entirely without answers.
Cataclysm is calling. National, regional, global. The way ahead is treacherous, yet almost all paths, for us at least, are still possible. Even some paths which appear to be closed are not. And some paths that are unseen are very real possibilities.
The questions of 2003 have to do with weapons inspectors and politics, with Iraq and Iran. They have to do with shameless Democrats, political correctness and useful idiots. They have to do with money, infrastructure, and with weapons that are nuclear, biological, chemical and suicidal in nature. They have to do with war and revolution, and with cancerous evil that calls itself good. They have to do with the American homeland, with Israel and the surrounding region, with India and Pakistan.
Prepare for 1926. Prepare for 1942. Prepare for everything in between.
I'm bemused by all the democrats running for prez. Lieberman might think he really has a shot at the nomination, same with John CatchUp Kerry. Lieberman can claim New Democrat appeal to the electorate middle, Kerry has already touted his main strength..real military experience. Democrats might think that a prerequisite in going up against popular Commander In Chief Bush. ( I picked Kerry as the dems candidate long ago. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Senator Graham of Florida? I think his campaign is just a smokescreen to re-engage Florida voters' hatred of Bush. If anything, he might be a good geographical pick to run as VP with Kerrey, and throwing his hat in the presidential run is the best way to improve his national identity.
Daschle?
Let's see if I can type while ROTFLMAO. Daschle must know he wouldn't win his next senate run against Thune. He's tired, doesn't want to be minority leader again. He must hate "lost the senate" being the last entry in his official biography, so running for president might be his swan song of choice.
Edwards
Mirror Man...what can I say...he's simply charmed by his own charisma. Over eager, definitely a political premature ejaculator, and his history as a greedy lawyer will be much fun to exploit. Voters will hate him before the media can sell him.
The 2004 Presidential Election begins right now. Let's hope that while the democrats are pre-occupied with the election, make nice-nice with Al Sharpton, appease the Black Caucus, and try to squelch the far left looney fringe, that the Republicans can go to town enacting President Bush's agenda.
And in these perilous, dangerous times, may God Bless America and President Bush.
2. UBL's death confirmed (probably vaporized during the bombing of Tora Bora).
3. Bloody skirmish between armed U.S. citizens and illegal aliens will draw focus on the U.S. Mexico border problem. The 'citizen border patrols' will be painted as racist militias.
4. Iran: Brief revolution replaces current Islamist government with secular rulers.
5. Increased police funding and technology results in some high-profile drug interdiction victories.
6. No large terror attacks on the United States, but many are attempted.
7. Bush will make two Supreme Court appointments. Both will be moderates, steering the court to the left.
8. McDonalds stock stock nosedives, 2004 looks shaky.
9. 3.5ghz processors, 400gb hard drives will be commonplace
10: Dead by 2004: Pope John Paul 2, Ronald Reagan, Annette Funicello, Strom Thurmond (finally), Fidel Castro (finally).
Why not double out [reverse]?
Don't dismiss taking the otherside...their is nothing unpatriotic about shorting the market...in fact its a natural American thing to serve ones on self interest...why not borrow 1000 shares of MSFT, sell it for $50, wait two or three months, buy it back $48, give your broker back his 1000 shares and pocket the 2 large?...
Whenever you buy an equity instrument [stock], consider that someone on the otherside sold it to you...every transaction has a buyer and seller...you fulfill an element of the market when you take the otherside...
It continues to amaze me that general public is genrally ignorant to shorting: its mechanism, method and potential...
I hope the kid is far right.
Yeh, but Bob Hope will never die.
He says he does this upon prayerful consideration of his erroneous previous pro-choice position.
And when he does that, he positions himself correctly to the conservative primary voters in California for the 2006 governor election.
And because of that, Arnold becomes California governor and returns the Golden State to the GOP column.
He will make this announcement in 2003.
You heard it here first on January 1, 2003. Remember my prescience!
The Precisian
Biggest threat right now? Iraq with North Korea and confused China. A strong need to keep the three from hooking up to critical. Bush is on track with wonderful instinct. It's so accurate, it's almost like the time machine has been invented and he's seen a possible future road. He will continue to amaze, but must remember that the cost to the American people can be high and must be respected. A "billion here and a billion there and soon you're talking about real money," would be insulting to the people. A little respect for the sacrifice would be welcome.
Iraq is a potential nightmare. They'll be an easy victory, but the weapons they use against us could do great harm. This is so unclear. Folks in totalitarian countries of the middle east know how to jump to the winning side. The question is could it happen soon enough to prevent use of WMD's?
The Sauds are maintaining a system rotten to the core. The question is when it will collapse in upon itself, not "if" it will. Major reforms are in order. These folks have been supporting international terror not out of belief but because they're glutinous cowards. Reform's in order, but they'll go the shortsighted route and possible bring disaster to all.
Biggest threat right now? Iraq with North Korea and confused China. A strong need to keep the three from hooking up to critical. Bush is on track with wonderful instinct. It's so accurate, it's almost like the time machine has been invented and he's seen a possible future road. He will continue to amaze, but must remember that the cost to the American people can be high and must be respected. A "billion here and a billion there and soon you're talking about real money," would be insulting to the people. A little respect for the sacrifice would be welcome.
Iraq is a potential nightmare. They'll be an easy victory, but the weapons they use against us could do great harm. This is so unclear. Folks in totalitarian countries of the middle east know how to jump to the winning side. The question is could it happen soon enough to prevent use of WMD's?
The Sauds are maintaining a system rotten to the core. The question is when it will collapse in upon itself, not "if" it will. Major reforms are in order. These folks have been supporting international terror not out of belief but because they're glutinous cowards. Reform's in order, but they'll go the shortsighted route and possible bring disaster to all.
International predictions:
In a surprise denoument to the IRAQ crisis, Saddam will either flee into exile or be assassinated, thus making the treatened war in Iraq unnecessary. A massive humanitarian relief operation will need to be mounted in the aftermath, however, and the situation in the country will remain chaotic by the end of the year as various factions compete for control. The status of the Kurdish-majority regions in the North and the Shi'ite-majority regions in the South will result in tensions with both TURKEY and IRAN.
There will be developing consensus in ISRAEL that permanent and complete separation of the Israeli and Palestinian populations is the only practical way to deal with the ongoing terrorism problem. Construction on a wall will accellerate, and increasing numbers of Jewish settlements located deep within Palestinian areas will be abandoned and the settlers relocated to more secure areas.
A major effort to destabilize and provoke regime change will be launched by Al Qaida and allied Islamofascists in at least one ARABIAN PENNINSULA nation. The effort will not be fully successful, but increased turmoil and instability will result.
Islamofascist rebels from Chechnya will pull off at least one more major terrorist attack in RUSSIA that will result in massive destruction at a major facility and the loss of many hundreds of lives. As a consequence, the Russian government will institute new measures, rounding up all Chechens and deporting them from other areas of Russia back to Chechnya or to internment camps, and restricting movement in and out of Chechnya.
INDIA and PAKISTAN will not go to war, but instead embark on a major arms race that will be reminescent of the US/USSR cold war arms race. Each will test at least one new major weapon's system -- either a missile or a thermonuclear device.
There will be a sudden, unexpected, and violent regime change in a SOUTH EAST ASIAN (INDONESIA, MAYLASIA, THAILAND, MYANMAR, KAMPUCHEA, VIETNAM, LAOS, PHILLIPINES, BRUNEI, SINGAPORE) country following massive domestic unrest.
KOREA will not erupt in war. After considerable posturing and diplomacy, a joint effort by the US, Japan, China, and Russia will develop to strengthen security on the Korean penninsula. This settlement will invlove the US, China, and Russia jointly extending their "nuclear umbrellas" to both Koreas and Japan, the US withdrawing its forces from the ROK, the DMZ being widened considerably, and various other military and economic measures implemented. North Korea will develop just a couple of nuclear warheads, and the agreement will allow them to have just a couple, but not many, and also to eliminate its ICBMs.
CHINA and TAIWAN will start low-key exploratory discussions on defusing tensions between them and constructing a pathway toward gradually integrating the two economies and finding a formula that would preserve a very high degree of Taiwanese autonomy within mainland Chinese sovereignty.
Conditions in ZIMBABWE will become so bad that there will be a massive refugee exodus, creating a major humanitarian relief crisis in bordering nations.
After French forces in the IVORY COAST are ambushed and suffer massive casualties, the French government will recommend/insist that the Ivory Coast be partitioned into two countries. By year end, agitation will be growing in several other Aftican countries to implement a similar solution to their domestic problems.
A major Islamofascist terrorist attack will occur in EUROPE. When, in the aftermath, the victim country tries to implement strong counter-terrorism measures against its Islamic immigrant population, they will be over-ruled by the EU bureaucracy. Near contemporaneous with this will be a major upsurge of IRA terrorism in N. IRELAND, prompting BRITAIN to also attempt implementing stronger counter-terrorism measures, and also being blocked by the EU. This will trigger a major crisis within the EU, with demonstrations and counterdemonstrations and several EU member states debating whether or not to stay in.
The first "War Crimes" case against US military personnel will be filed by a coalition of several European nations, including FRANCE, GERMANY, and SWEDEN. In response, the US will completely disengage from BOSNIA and KOSOVO, turning ongoing operations over entirely to European forces. A multi-year phased reduction of US forces in other European countries will also be started.
The proposed settlement in CYPRUS will fall apart, provoking major riots in that country, TURKEY and GREECE, and creating another major crisis for the EU.
The crisis in VENEZUELA will end in the classic Latin American manner -- a military coup d'etat & rule by an authoritarian junta. However, it will happen later rather than sooner, and thus the amount of death, destruction, and deprivation suffered in that country will be more rather than less.
Similarly, ARGENTINA will end up with a military coup and junta. Because of the bad memories of the last military junta and the cries of "never again", this will only happen when a very charismatic military leader comes along and starts talking about imposing "kind, humane rule for the sake of all Argentinians."
With a new leftist-oriented leader in office, BRAZIL will start to head down the same path as Venezeuela, and the first massive demonstrations will be occuring by the end of the year.
The central government of COLUMBIA will successfully undertake a major offensive against the FARC and pacify a major portion of the country's midsection.
CUBA and the EU will sign a major new trade agreement, throwing the Castro regime yet another lifeline.
National Predictions:
In the 2004 PRESIDENTIAL RACE, Edwards will drop out, Hillary won't come in, Gephart will come in, and the Democrat race will pretty much come down to Gephart, Kerry, and Lieberman. There will be a short-lived Dean boomlet, but it won't go anywhere. There will be no challengers to Pres. Bush in the GOP, nor will any serious 3rd party challengers emerge. Speculation will begin to intensify, however, as to whether or not Cheney will be the VP candidate again, and if not, whom.
The logjam will be broken, and a large number of Bush judicial picks will be confirmed. Senate Majority Leader Frist will also successfully shepherd several other major Bush administration legislative initiatives through the Senate, including a Partial-Birth Abortion ban. There will be no privatization of Social Security, however, and tax legislation will be limited to making the 2001 cuts permanent.
The inquiry into the 9/11 intelligence failures will result in several spectacular public revelations made public (and even more reports circulating behind closed doors) of widespread incompetence and infighting within both the FBI and CIA. The outcry and witch hunt will result in a massive housecleaning of both agencies.
The Islamofascists will attempt another major terror attack against a US target, but this time they will be stopped before they can pull it off -- possibly through action not just by Homeland Security personnel, but also due to the alertness and quick, smart, brave action by one or more ordinary Americans, who will become instant media heroes. In the aftermath of the terrorist's failure and capture, a massive Islamofascist network will be busted open, and Americans will be amazed and shocked at the extensiveness of this network, and the people and organizations involved in it. While a serious public policy debates about whether or not to impose special counter-terrorism measures against Muslims, there will -- for the first time in memory -- be a major exodus of Muslims from the US back to their home countries.
At least one state government will find itself in such dire financial straits that it must default on its obligations to its creditors.
Natural Disaster Predictions:
HURRICANE activity will be more intense than in 2002, but the US coast will not be hit by anything major.
There will be at least one 7.0+ EARTHQUAKE -- I'll go out on a limb and guess somewhere in Latin America, not in the USA.
Science & Technology predictions:
Breakthrough research will be announced that could lead to semiconductors produced three-dimensionally -- perhaps in a sphere -- rather than two-dimensionally, as on a chip. The new technology, when fully developed and implemented, would enable semiconductor makers to overcome technical problems that will enable them to continue Moore's Law for at least the next twenty years.
Biotechnologists will announce the development of a new "designer enzyme" that was produced through genetic engineering, and will revolutionize an industrial process, resulting in less consumption of energy and chemicals and less toxic wastes while also saving money.
Economic/Financial predictions:
DJI: Low <6000, High >8800, Close <7000. Nikkei will also close lower.
CPI >4%, GDP growth <2.5%, Unemployment >5%
As for religion versus science, it is hopeless cases such as yourself, who--ignoring all evidence to the contrary--continue to believe that the moon landings were "a gigantic hoax".
There is no point arguing with you. The rocket equation is straightforward and provides clear proof that the reaction mass was perfectly adequate.
As to your other statements, they are simply contrafactual.
--Boris
NASA has antigravity technology, given to them by aliens.
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