But first I want to wish all the participants in Info Ink a very happy New Years.  Today is a day of zen, I will relax and reflect.

I will be making predictions of what I see as the stories of the coming year of 2009 and then review my predictions at the end of the year.

The 2009 Predictions:

1–Afghanistan will get more troops and the war will escalate to the point of becoming the newest Vietnam style war.  Afghanistan:  where empires go to die–wish I could remember who actually said that….sorry.

2–Economy will show some strengthening by the 4th quarter.

3–Pakistan will be plunged into deep turmoil.

4–Obama Administration will have limited success by the end of the year.

5–Unemployment will hit 8.5% or higher.

6–GM & Chrysler will merge.

7–Battle of the collars–blue vs white–will deepen.

8–GOP does not have a clue at how to become a national party again.

9–Without troops Iraq returns to violence.

10–Labor movement will get a shot in the arm from all the blamed placed on it by Washington.

May we all have a good year, even though it appears that it will be economically painful for most of us.