12 Things to Look Forward to in 2009

[GG]

http://www.kiplinger.com/businessresource/forecast/archive/a_dozen_good_things_in_2009_081224.html

Get the &*$^% out of here, 2008 -- and take your stinkin' credit crisis, gas price spikes, financial scandals, lax regulators and failing auto companies with you. It's been a long, long time since Americans have wanted to say good riddance to a year so badly, and the chance is finally here. Unfortunately, the economic climate in 2009 is unlikely to be much better than 2008 -- and in some ways could be worse.

But it won't be all bad.

1) 2009 Will Be a Great Time to Buy or Refinance a Home.

2) It'll Be a Good Time to Buy Equities. (that's stocks for those of you who don't know)

3)The Debt Binge Is Over.

4)There'll Be Less Sticker Shock for Consumers

5)Costs for Some Medical Procedures Will Drop. (LASIK eye surgeries are down 40%, and many eye centers are knocking 25% off.)

6) More Tax Cuts Are Coming. (It will be aimed at lower- and middle-income workers)

7) It's a Good Time to Travel.

8)There's Plenty to Make Retirees Smile. (Social Security beneficiaries get a 5.8% cost-of-living increase in 2009, the largest in more than 25 years, boosting the average monthly retirement benefit from $1,090 to $1,153.)

9) Relief Is Coming for the College-Bound and Their Parents.

10) The Green Revolution Will Continue.

11) There's Relief at the Pump -- And on the Lot.

12)The Stars Are Aligning for Health Care Reform.

[Gaspar]

LOL!  
We shall refer back to this post as the year progresses.

Great opportunity for a lesson in economics.
[}:)]


POST BOOKMARKED

[cannon_fodder]

I actually just read an article called "2008: The Year Global Warming was Debunked."  It was one of the coldest years on record, with some of the most snow, highest ice levels, coolest oceans, and least Hurricanes on record.  Capping off a 5 year cold snap by getting still colder.  Coupled with troubled economic times, the "green" revolution will probably continue - but without Global Warming over tone IMHO.  (note: short term whether patterns to not disprove, OR prove global warming.  But if it was a 5 year trend in the other way and 2008 was the hottest year in a long time with MORE hurricanes and less ice... we'd be hearing about it on CNN every hour, on the hour.).

And what relief for college bound do you speak of?  Is Obama going to assume my student loans?  I'd consume a hell of a lot more if he did!

My 12 things to look forward to in 2009:

1) New President.  Out with the old ineffective tax wasting politician, and in with the new.

2) Economic turnaround.  The US free-market system is better poised for a turn around than most of the world.  Whenever the economy is fully compressed, we will spring back the fastest.  Since prosperity is perception, this will be a huge boost.

3) Learning from the past - when the market turns around, I hope consumers learned something.  Keep a cash reserve (CD, money market) good enough to survive a rough patch on some level, you don't NEED half the crap you think you do (that includes a 4,000 sq foot house), and try to live off of a single income as much as possible and use any second income as gravy.

4) US troop reductions in Iraq.

5) 2009 college football season. Never too early [].

6) Osama Bin Laden dies, I have a hunch.

7) Serious conflict followed by a relative return to peace in Israel/Palestine.  The conflict has been simmering with weekly rocket attacks, it needed to boil over sooner rather than later or Hamas would have continued to be embolden.   If Israel follows their normal course of severe violent followed by detente things will calm down in 2009.

Resolution to the Big 3.  Good, bad, or in the middle... at this point I just want to see how the soap opera unfolds.  

9) Castro dies, the Dear Leader dies/goes totally bat ****, or Chavez really screws up and is ousted, one of the three is likely to happen.  And when it does, good things will follow.  Personally, I'd love a Cuban vacation or to see Korea unified.

10) Federal laws changed to allow stem cell research, drug policy research (better way to handle the war on drugs), and energy research (my kingdom for real alternative energy policy, not P.C. stop-gap crap that really doesn't help.  It doesn't even have to be "alternative energy" but we need a plan).  A cohesive  immigration policy would be nice too.

11) New discoveries.  The research curve is still accelerating, we learn more each year that we never would have imagined the last.

12) Around Tulsa:
a) Something substantive in the Centennial Botanical Gardens gets done (anyone?).
b) New Ballpark!
c) Tallons win another AF2, with no Arena Football this gets more attention!
d) I-44 Expansion continues
e) Some major new employer comes to town or existing employer announces an expansion (1000+ jobs)
f) U of Tulsa begins work on the New Engineering building and finishes fund raising for the new PAC
g) Downtown Tulsa continues to slowly, but surely pick up.  New Hotel in 2009?
h) SemGroup turns it around in a BIG way
g) The legislature wakes up and:
i - Legalizes craps and roulette, why pretend that less used better odds gambling is more evil than all the other gambling?  May as well help tourism as much as we can.
ii - Blue laws die a painful death.  Three tier distribution, sales on Sunday, and 3.2 laws go away.  Grocery stores sell alcohol like 45 other states.
iii - Workers comp reform so manufacturing comes back strong in Oklahoma
iv - funds the provinces
I) long forgotten/delayed projects get finished:
i) The giant naked Indian
ii) downtown movie production studio (anyone?)
iii) Various loft projects downtown
iv) West bank redevelopment
j) River parks projects done

[RecycleMichael]

My twelve predictions for 2009 include...

At least two of the current city councilors will run for Mayor and at least one Bigfoot, bicycling Santa or car commercial babe will be a candidate as well.

The switch to digital televison causes a revolution in new cosmetic surgeries for TV anchors.

The interstate highway system will be blamed for an increase in tornadoes and this will force a law that makes trucks drive on the left side of the road.

The newly funded street improvements will include curbs made of sponges to reduce rainwater runoff.

Wearing fur will become fashionable again, but real socialites will start wearing live animals draped over their necks.

The new Target store will open at 101st and Memorial and the stormwater issue will be resolved by a large bullseye shaped drain.

Fancy restaurants around town will offer a dollar menu, but all you will get is those little crackers wrapped in plastic.

Incoming TulsaNow President Scott Grizzle will begin dressing like President Obama and start saying things like "yes we can".

The Union and Jenks high school football teams will merge and win an exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The city will sell naming rights to the new ballpark, the new city hall and all police cars will have advertising signs that say, "follow me to Daylight Donuts".

The sheriff will continue to send bills to the city for holding prisoners, but Tulsa will counter by housing prisoners at Expo Square where the Drillers used to play.

President Bush will leave the White House to becomea rancher in Crawford, Texas, but become bored and guest star as a judge on American Idol.

[cannon_fodder]

Perhaps the high schools could NOT merge, and play Detroit instead.

[Townsend]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

My twelve predictions for 2009 include...

The switch to digital televison causes a revolution in new cosmetic surgeries for TV anchors.

Is that what's up with the morning news team on local Fox network?