"Could do better" was a constant entry on my school reports and it has summarised most of my life ever since, such that, I suspect the 'Memsahib' will have it carved onto my headstone! This, er, Duff characteristic shows nowhere so evidently as in my forecasting record. It was galling to read one of my more definitive prognostications in a piece by Daniel Korski at The Coffee House where he listed several things which did not happen in 2011 - the collapse of the euro. Well, "stick around, kid, you ain't seen nuthin' yet!" It has to go, or at least, a part of it has to go, it is only a matter of timing - and as the 'Memsahib' used to sigh, constantly, 'timing, as in sex and drumming is everything!' I give it until Easter. On this dismal subject, I also forecast that Angela would, in the end, say 'ja' and get the Bundesbank to print money. So far she keeps repeating 'nein'. Heh, typical woman! Typical German! (Well, when proven wrong my default mode is to retire into stereotyped clichés, it's so comfortable in there!)
Neither of 'my Darlings', that is, Sarah and Michele, did what they should have done, or to be precise, what I forecast them to do - and neither of them replied to my carefully written letters, either! But, hey, that's 'wimmin' for you! Far more ominous are the so far very slight improvements in Obama's poll ratings which might throw some doubt (surely not!) on my forecast for a Republican president in 2012. I am hoping that the self-inflicted wounds amongst the Republican candidates will quickly heal over once one of them is chosen and the party can close ranks. All I 'know' for sure is that another four years of Obama will be a catastrophe for America, and a catastrophe for them is a perfect storm for us. It will be mitigated slightly by a Republican-controlled Congress, if that comes about, but the thought of him picking one or even worse, two, new Justices is really quite frightening.
I hinted, rather than outrightly forecast, that Dave would dash for freedom from the 'il-Lib-non-Dems' early in 2012 but there is no sign of it, probably because, at heart, he is an 'il-Lib-non-Dem' himself. Consequently we - and that includes you! - are doomed to several more years of the insufferably smug face and utterly vacuous pronouncements of Nick Clegg who is now so far up my Hate List he has broken all previous records - and, remember, my Hate List includes, amongst others, George Galloway, the Bercows, Ken Livingstone and any and all Trade Union leaders. You see, I am an equal opportunity hater!
So, as we approach 2012, what can I say? Well, 'could do better', I suppose.
Comments