Comments on: Predictions for 2008 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/ All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:18:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Stilgherrian · Hey patty! Looks like you’ll lose your bet! http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-10094 Stilgherrian · Hey patty! Looks like you’ll lose your bet! Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:47:21 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-10094 [...] I gave my predictions for 2008, I said Barack Obama would become President of the USA. patty disagreed, and we made a bet. Given [...] [...] I gave my predictions for 2008, I said Barack Obama would become President of the USA. patty disagreed, and we made a bet. Given [...]

]]> By: Stilgherrian http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9506 Stilgherrian Mon, 14 Jan 2008 11:04:09 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9506 <strong>@patty:</strong> For some reason your comment was tagged as spam, and I've only just got it online now. That sounds a perfectly reasonable wager, particularly as Obama sounded so good in the Iowa Caususes. You're on. [shakes hand] @patty: For some reason your comment was tagged as spam, and I’ve only just got it online now. That sounds a perfectly reasonable wager, particularly as Obama sounded so good in the Iowa Caususes. You’re on. [shakes hand]

]]> By: Stilgherrian · Send the wife in first, eh Thaksin? http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9428 Stilgherrian · Send the wife in first, eh Thaksin? Tue, 08 Jan 2008 21:47:45 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9428 [...] my Prediction number 6 for 2008 won’t come true. The wife of former Thai president Thaksin Shinawatra, returned to Bangkok [...] [...] my Prediction number 6 for 2008 won’t come true. The wife of former Thai president Thaksin Shinawatra, returned to Bangkok [...]

]]> By: patty http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9391 patty Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:12:03 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9391 Number 6 is wrong. Obama will NOT become the next U.S. president. Think about it carefully. He is NOT presidential material. He doesn't come across at all like a leader with his body language (especially one who can lead the most powerful nation on the face of the planet). Let's have a bet. If he wins, I will spank you with a feather duster and call you blinky all night long while rubbing your body with Four Seasons jam and olive oil. We must be playing Madonna’s “Papa don’t Preach” in the background. If he loses, you will take me out to dinner and sing the national anthem to me slowly while I lick the dirt from your toenails. We will then read kids books while drinking Fanta. Deal? Number 6 is wrong. Obama will NOT become the next U.S. president. Think about it carefully. He is NOT presidential material. He doesn’t come across at all like a leader with his body language (especially one who can lead the most powerful nation on the face of the planet).

Let’s have a bet. If he wins, I will spank you with a feather duster and call you blinky all night long while rubbing your body with Four Seasons jam and olive oil. We must be playing Madonna’s “Papa don’t Preach” in the background.

If he loses, you will take me out to dinner and sing the national anthem to me slowly while I lick the dirt from your toenails. We will then read kids books while drinking Fanta.

Deal?

]]> By: Stilgherrian http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9360 Stilgherrian Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:05:25 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9360 <strong>@Cassie ST:</strong> The US electoral process seems to have this "choose the candidates" phase before getting into the "now let the parties fight" phase -- the first being a much more public process than in Australia. Presumably it'll flip into the other mode once the numbers start becoming clearer. Perhaps something like the phase change of crystallisation? Glad you like the colour. The next step will be to move away from the light-blue links. Perhaps. @Cassie ST: The US electoral process seems to have this “choose the candidates” phase before getting into the “now let the parties fight” phase — the first being a much more public process than in Australia. Presumably it’ll flip into the other mode once the numbers start becoming clearer. Perhaps something like the phase change of crystallisation?

Glad you like the colour. The next step will be to move away from the light-blue links. Perhaps.

]]> By: Cassie ST http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9350 Cassie ST Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:03:15 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9350 Oh and BTW, like your new colour scheme. :-) Oh and BTW, like your new colour scheme. :-)

]]> By: Cassie ST http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9349 Cassie ST Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:54:36 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9349 @Stil: You don't like Howard? Gee, I never guessed ... ;-) I agree with @ Eric TF Bat. It wouldn't surprise me to see the USians elect another R POTUS, out of inertia and apathy. Not that anyone on the R side has rung my chimes yet. The Dem candidates are shooting themselves in both feet, not playing up how good it was (compared to his successors' track record) in the Clinton years, and going at each other instead of the abysmal Republican record on just about every indicator that the Rep.s use to bash the Dems over the head with, at election time. Although I saw an Iowa caucus story on SBS/PBS News Hr last night; Obama grabbed hold of Clinton's legacy and pulled it right out from under Hillary's feet. IMO, the winning Dem candidate will be the first one to say "look, it doesn't matter who you support for the Democratic nomination, we're all capable of doing a better job than any of the Republican candidates, and here's why." @Stil: You don’t like Howard? Gee, I never guessed … ;-)

I agree with @ Eric TF Bat. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the USians elect another R POTUS, out of inertia and apathy. Not that anyone on the R side has rung my chimes yet.

The Dem candidates are shooting themselves in both feet, not playing up how good it was (compared to his successors’ track record) in the Clinton years, and going at each other instead of the abysmal Republican record on just about every indicator that the Rep.s use to bash the Dems over the head with, at election time.

Although I saw an Iowa caucus story on SBS/PBS News Hr last night; Obama grabbed hold of Clinton’s legacy and pulled it right out from under Hillary’s feet.

IMO, the winning Dem candidate will be the first one to say “look, it doesn’t matter who you support for the Democratic nomination, we’re all capable of doing a better job than any of the Republican candidates, and here’s why.”

]]> By: Stilgherrian http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9348 Stilgherrian Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:00:43 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9348 <strong>@Eric TF Bat:</strong> I'll admit that I don't keep a particularly close watch on US domestic politics, but certainly the last year hasn't shown much significant difference in the way the country has been operating. You're right, the Republicans <em>do</em> have everyone scared. Still. That said, it's still 11 months out from the election and a lot can happen. But Kevin Rudd a top? Yes, he's obviously driven and a control freak. But I thought that secret sexual behaviours were usually inverted from the outwards signs -- that is, the dominant control freak really wanted to be tied up and [imagery unsuitable for minors]? @Eric TF Bat: I’ll admit that I don’t keep a particularly close watch on US domestic politics, but certainly the last year hasn’t shown much significant difference in the way the country has been operating. You’re right, the Republicans do have everyone scared. Still. That said, it’s still 11 months out from the election and a lot can happen.

But Kevin Rudd a top? Yes, he’s obviously driven and a control freak. But I thought that secret sexual behaviours were usually inverted from the outwards signs — that is, the dominant control freak really wanted to be tied up and [imagery unsuitable for minors]?

]]> By: Eric TF Bat http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9347 Eric TF Bat Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:43:11 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9347 Yep, I think they'll win because the Democrats have conclusively proven their inability to locate their own arses with a map and a rottweiller best two out of three. They've had the balance of power in the Senate for a year now and what have they done? Nothing. If the USian system had the ability to process a third party, things would be different, but I really think that the Republicans will win because they've got the idiots scared and the smart people apathetic. New Zealand's looking better all the time. At least our new PM is too much of a control freak to just bend over for the US pres. He's definitely a Top, I think. Yep, I think they’ll win because the Democrats have conclusively proven their inability to locate their own arses with a map and a rottweiller best two out of three. They’ve had the balance of power in the Senate for a year now and what have they done? Nothing. If the USian system had the ability to process a third party, things would be different, but I really think that the Republicans will win because they’ve got the idiots scared and the smart people apathetic.

New Zealand’s looking better all the time. At least our new PM is too much of a control freak to just bend over for the US pres. He’s definitely a Top, I think.

]]> By: Stilgherrian http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9344 Stilgherrian Wed, 02 Jan 2008 07:50:02 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9344 <strong>@Eric TF Bat:</strong> Wow you think the Republicans will actually win after the lame duck presidency of George W Bush? I grok your point about things taking longer than one year. However on 6 the Thais are very efficient at doing military coups (plenty of practice) so I reckon that one's a safe bet. And on 7, the privacy breach laws are already in place in many states of the US following massive problems there, so my prediction on <strong>@Cassie ST:</strong> Excellent points all. But I gather you noticed that I didn't like Mr Howard...? ;) @Eric TF Bat: Wow you think the Republicans will actually win after the lame duck presidency of George W Bush?

I grok your point about things taking longer than one year. However on 6 the Thais are very efficient at doing military coups (plenty of practice) so I reckon that one’s a safe bet. And on 7, the privacy breach laws are already in place in many states of the US following massive problems there, so my prediction on

@Cassie ST: Excellent points all. But I gather you noticed that I didn’t like Mr Howard…? ;)

]]> By: Cassie ST http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9343 Cassie ST Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:40:01 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9343 1. Yes 2. Yes 3. Conrad Black will win his appeal and use the spoils to buy Chl 9 4. Yes, makes sense. And don't be so hard on the 3 Amigos, they just did what TLR told them to do. 5. Obama, Clinton, Edwards, any of 'em is better than what the US has now, but I was impressed with a recent interview by Chris Dodd. He could canter up the middle while the front runners are tussling it out. 6. Yes, unfortunately, but that's democracy for you. They've learned well haven't they? 7. Yawn, so yesterday. Unless it's a stuff-up on the scale of the .uk tax office fiasco. 8. WT...? Nah, just the spooks diversifying their portfolio now Afghanistan is going down the toilet again. And just for your Stil ... 9. For at least the forseeable future (or until #1. comes true), we can all wake up and remember, "it's another Howard free day". Be well and happy in 2008 everyone! 1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Conrad Black will win his appeal and use the spoils to buy Chl 9
4. Yes, makes sense. And don’t be so hard on the 3 Amigos, they just did what TLR told them to do.
5. Obama, Clinton, Edwards, any of ‘em is better than what the US has now, but I was impressed with a recent interview by Chris Dodd. He could canter up the middle while the front runners are tussling it out.
6. Yes, unfortunately, but that’s democracy for you. They’ve learned well haven’t they?
7. Yawn, so yesterday. Unless it’s a stuff-up on the scale of the .uk tax office fiasco.
8. WT…? Nah, just the spooks diversifying their portfolio now Afghanistan is going down the toilet again.

And just for your Stil …

9. For at least the forseeable future (or until #1. comes true), we can all wake up and remember, “it’s another Howard free day”.

Be well and happy in 2008 everyone!

]]> By: Eric TF Bat http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9339 Eric TF Bat Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:18:14 +0000 http://stilgherrian.com/personal/predictions_for_2008/#comment-9339 Americans won't vote for a young bloke with what they consider to be limited experience. The winner will be whichever filthy-rich middle-aged white male bastard the Republicans eventually settle on. Because American voters are, without a shadow of a doubt, the stupidest mass of cretinous maggot-brained losers the world has ever seen. Individually, they're ok; en masse, they're blancmange on toast. As for the rest... I think they'll generally come true within three or four years, but not one. Things don't move all that quickly. Americans won’t vote for a young bloke with what they consider to be limited experience. The winner will be whichever filthy-rich middle-aged white male bastard the Republicans eventually settle on. Because American voters are, without a shadow of a doubt, the stupidest mass of cretinous maggot-brained losers the world has ever seen. Individually, they’re ok; en masse, they’re blancmange on toast.

As for the rest… I think they’ll generally come true within three or four years, but not one. Things don’t move all that quickly.

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