Welcome 2020!

Happy New Year!
Boy, was 2019 something or what? Glad that one is in the books. Time to move on. I wonder what 2020 will bring?

Where's my crystal ball?

:::cue glossy eyes and foggy setting as we drift around to see the future :::

Time for some prognosticating!

In the next year, we'll see some kind of something from North Korea smash into the United States, possibly hitting a big city. Or maybe some non-existent place in Alaska. At any rate, it will certainly put the kibosh on the love-letters between Kim Jong-Un and #45. Will it bring war? Stay tuned.

The economy will begin to erode, but the crash won't occur until after the 2020 elections. You've been warned. Take a look at your portfolio in the next six months and make adjustments.

Medical science will increase its research into pancreatic cancer, not because it's such a deadly cancer, but because it is striking so many public figures. Nobody cares much if it kills your mom or your husband's aunt, but they sure care if it messes with Jeopardy!

We still won't have a viable national health care plan. Things will continue to meander along as they are.

Deregulation by the EPA will increase the smog index. Cases of asthma, COPD, and other breathing-related health concerns will skyrocket.

Mass shootings will occur in 15 different states. Or maybe all of them, except for Rhode Island.

A communications satellite will fall from the sky and hit a major city. It will hit with the force of a small asteroid and level a city block.

Scotland will become independent of the United Kingdom, and join the European Union. Ireland will also attempt this, but fail, leading to bombings and terrorism plots.

A long-dormant volcano in a major metropolitan area will blow its top unexpectedly, killing and wounding thousands.

The discovery that a certain tree in the Amazon provides a cure for Parkinson's disease will cause a pause in deforestation, but only until scientists figure out how to grow the trees in a manmade groves.

Drones will make deliveries in all areas of the country, and be particularly useful in rural areas.

The year will be the hottest on record. Wildfires will reach record numbers in all areas of the world. Glaciers will continue to melt. The ocean level will rise by an inch.

And close to home:

The county will bring in another pollution-maker to its favorite industrial park.

Taxes will remain the same.

We will have three murders in my county; 12 in the nearby city.

Someone will sue the county officials over Freedom of Information Act violations.

The county will make a major land purchase to create another industrial park.

When renovations to the county's courthouse prove too expensive, a new courthouse will be planned. Historic-minded citizens will revolt.

Someone will apply to build a windmill farm on Tinker Mountain.

One of the county's remaining diary farms will shut down.

There will be a major weather event - flood? high winds?

I personally will see lots of deer and turkey, and take a great picture of a bear.

:::the fog is lifted, I can see the future no longer :::


What do you think? Is my crystal ball broken?

(I shouldn't have to say this, but this was all in fun and I have no idea what is going to happen. But everything needs a disclaimer these days. This blog post is not meant to be taken literally.)