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Yearly Tradition: The New Year's Prediction Post, Part I

Whatup whatup.

Happy New Year (3 weeks ago). Per usual I would like to take some time now to look back on 2010 and what I predicted for last year, and then immediately in the near future serve up some incredibly accurate predictions for this year, the two-thousand eleventh after the birth of our lord and savior, Jesus Christ. So, without further Freddy Adu, here we go.

First the 2010 predictions :

The unemployment rate will hover around 10 for a couple of months then will slowly begin to creep down. It will end the year at 8.6%

Well.. let's just take a look at the data:

It did float around 10 almost the whole year, but finished the year at 9.8, not 8.6 like I predicted. Wishful thinking??

Verdict: True AND False

The Democrats will lose their Super 60 majority in the Senate, but will retain control of both chambers.

YES, the Democrats DID lose their Super 60 majority!!! Wow, how did I ever anticipate this?? And yet, NostraDATmus wasn't fully correct yet again because they did NOT retain control of the House. Sigh.

Verdict: True AND False

The Superbowl will be played between the Ravens and the Saints and the Saints will win 35 - 21!

The Superbowl was actually played between the Colts and Saints and the Saints won 31-17. I was off by 4 points on each score! I am too good!

Verdict: True AND False

The Knicks will finally make the playoffs!... but will get swept in the first round.

Yea that did not happen.

Verdict: False

LeBron will sign to the Knicks!!!

No fucking comment

Verdict: False

The NY Yankees will once again be on top. A-Rod will come through big this year - .310 with 40HRs and 120 RBIs. CC will be huge again reaching 20 wins (finally) and posting a 3.05 ERA. AJ finally breaks 16 wins. Unfortunately, Yanks finish 2nd in the AL, BUT... will win the WS for their 2nd in a row!

Actual 2010 statistics:

ARod: .270, 30 HR, 125 RBIs

CC: 21-7, 3.18ERA

AJ: 10-15

Yankees: 2nd place in AL, lost in ALCS

Hmm, well this is a mixed bag of prediction goodies. Way off on ARod's average, but close on the RBIs. CC did break 20 wins and I was close with the ERA. AJ blew the big one, Yanks finished 2nd but did not come close to that 2nd WS in a row.

Verdict: True AND False

Avatar will still be in theatres in December (and will break Titanic's record).

Avatar exited theaters August 8th, 2010

Verdict: False

The iPhone 4G will be released.

Um, does the iPhone 4 count??

Verdict: True AND False

Foursquare will fail.

Well, judging by this article, I am dead wrong.

Verdict: False

We will catch Osama Bin Laden.

This also did not happen.

Verdict: False

OVERALL RESULT: 2.5 out of 10. Yuck.

-

Stay tuned for the 2011 predictions

Up Late

I am up late right now, doing the regular procrastinating sleep thing. I guess that's what you call concrastinating, huh?

My last post was pretty depressing. Sorry about that.

I keep meaning to get to my New Year's post. That will happen soon, I promise.

I love this song:

Swizz Beatz is so good. And in many ways underrated. All of his shit is good. Also, he changes it up a good amount.

Furthermore, Diddy-Dirty Money is borderline genius. You gotta admire Puff for keeping it fresh. Who would have thought in '97 that 13 years later he would be the lead singer of a female band?? I can't hate, I love the songs they have. Not enough to purchase, but just enough to download.

Also love this song:

Please excuse the lame unofficial vid. But the song is tight. Good for the mole-less Enrique. Not to mention Luda is only spectacular on guest verses. This song got me thinking of which songs with the work "Fuck" in the chorus are the best ever. I gotta go with:

1. I'm Fucking You Tonight - Notorious B.I.G. ft. R. Kelly

2. Fuck You - Cee-Lo

3. Fucking You - Enrique Iglesias ft. Ludacris

Can you think of any others?

Thoughts

Well a Happy New Year to all. I was going to begin the new year the way I always do on this blog, with a recap of my 2010 Predictions and an unveiling of my 2011 version. But today does not warrant that.

A very much troubling thing has happened in Arizona this afternoon. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat, along with 11 other people were shot by a gunman at a grocery store townhall event.

Many things are going to happen in the next few days and weeks. Many people are going to have an opinion and many people are going to spin this in whichever way they want. But my feeling, based on my experience, is that most people in power will preach unity and standing together.

We cannot overlook the conditions that allowed this to occur.

In many unfortunate ways, didn't you see something like this coming? You remember this little innocent piece of art:

Recognize any names? Yes, the Congresswoman shot today is in that "harmless" list of Sarah's. Almost all liberals denounced this list and I did not hear many conservatives take a stand.

Well here we are. People have died and a government official has been wounded. Of course, conservatives on the defensive will in no way see a connection between this shooting and the harsh language that preceded it in our national conversation with the Tea Party. The shooter will be labeled as a "nut" who is not exemplative of the general conservative population. But let me tell you what, this "nut" is someone who, like all of us, gets swayed by emotions; is someone who obviously is unstable; is someone who is not helped when people who have a platform are literally calling people to arms because of what our government is doing.

This is horrible! For years the Republican party has tended to use Fear to drive home their points. From 9/11 until now every talking point went through the lens of Fear. From the War on Terror to now the War on Obamacare. And guess what... people are actually afraid! And this is what happens when Fear is mixed with ignorance! And our government officials have to hold responsibility for this! When you lead by the example of grouping a certain group of people and holding all of them responsible, maybe not blatantly, but definitely through your words, people will follow your lead. And yes, I am talking about the conservative war on Muslims. And what the Republicans and Tea Partiers have recently been doing is holding Democrats in total responsible for this new onslaught of "socialism" and "Marxism" and and overall responsibility for the state that everyone is in right now. And unfortunately, Ms. Giffords has been grouped into this group that has been the cause of the Fear that the conservatives propagate.

People will call on "toning down the Washington rhetoric." All officials, both Democrats and Republicans, will be participating in the conversation. But this is not a liberal issue! This is a conservative problem!

When 58% of the GOP doubts or are unsure about the fact that Obama was actually born here, this is not a liberal issue!

When 63% of the GOP truly believe that Obama is a socialist, this is not a liberal issue!

For the last couple of years many conservatives have been towing the line of heated rhetoric versus a call to violence. Today is a product of that. It needs to stop.