Saturday, December 13, 2008

Looking Back at My Crystal Ball

Well it's that time of year where I look back at my most daring of predictions that I made back at the start of the year. After doing fairly well predicting 2007 with a 9-2-2 record, I can only hope that the spirits were as kind to me this time around...

1. Obama vs. Huckabee - Well I was half right!!!! To be honest, when I made this prediction, I thought that I would be half right, but I couldn't quite figure out which half. Needless to say, I am still a little shocked at Obama's amazing rise from obscurity to celebrity. Gotta say, good on me for this one :)

I'll call it a tie...

Glen's Prediction Record: 0-0-1

2. Prolonged Strike - In reference to the Hollywood writer's strike said "I would be shocked if this is over by spring time.", and well, it was over by spring time, colour me shocked. I'll count this one as a loss.

Glen's Prediction Record: 0-1-1

3. Abrams will not Disappoint - Uhhh...did you see Cloverfield? Also, how awesome was the finale of Lost? I have high hopes for Season 5!!!

Glen's Prediction Record: 1-1-1


4. Score one more for California - Yes, I foolishly predicted that a team from Califronia would claim the Stanley Cup, and funnily enough, I thought that my Ottawa Senators had the best chance of ruining my prediction. Needless to say with both Anaheim and Ottawa winning a combined 2 games in the playoffs, and the Sharks bowing out the next round, I was wrong on that one.

Stupid Red Wings...

Glen's Prediction Record: 1-2-1

5. Another Three Countries Scratched off the List - Heck yes!!!! I sure was right on this one, or will be by next week. Back in March, I went to Laos, in October I got to Malaysia, and next week, for Christmas Holidays, I will be in Cambodia. Looks like I am up to .500!!!

Glen's Prediction Record: 2-2-1

6. The Temperature Will Continue To Rise - Yeah, an easy prediction, global temperatures continue to rise, what a surprise.

Glen's Prediction Record: 3-2-1

7. Another Conservative Minority - Perhaps truer words have never been spoken by me than "...I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were another Canadian Federal election, I just don't see much coming about it."

That was almost as obvious as the temperature thing...

Glen's Prediction Record: 4-2-1

8. More Record Label Rebellions - Hells yeah!!!! A free album by Nine Inch Nails proves me right again. While it wasn't as well-publicized, or even in the same artistic league as In Rainbows, it was still a coup against the record labels. Hopefully we have much more to follow from this.

Glen's Prediction Record: 5-2-1

9. The Patriots will Lose - As January rolled on I was really starting to doubt myself on this one, but in the end when I said "I don't know why I think this, but I have this sneaking suspicion that the New England Patriots will NOT win the Superbowl, making their 16-0 season completely worthless." I was so right, and I couldn't be happier about it.

Glen's Prediction Record: 6-2-1

10. Samoa Joe will FINALLY win the TNA World Title - March proved me right here!!! Thankfully TNA got their heads out of their asses and gave Joe the big belt. Sadly, they really messed up with it once they gave it to him. Ahh well, at least this Main Event Mafia thing is going alright. Hopefully he'll get it again soon, and they can do something great with him.

Glen's Prediction Record: 7-2-1

11. Further Republican Misdoings - Yeah, another easy prediction. The Republicans are a bunch of screw-ups right now. I don't know which ones to event point out, but the idea of investigating which Democrats are pro-America is a good place to start. Perhaps we can finish with any of Palin's bizare witch hunts or Trooper scandals.

Glen's Prediction Record: 8-2-1

12. Someone will Follow in Feist's Footsteps - Not sure I was right on this one. While there have been some breakout musicians in 2008, few can even hold a candle to Feist's massive iPod related explosion last year. What a shame...

Glen's Prediction Record: 8-3-1

13. I will have a great year - Hells yeah!!! I had a great time teaching in Canada, and now I'm in China. Thigns have been busy but pretty great over here, so no complaints!!!

Glen's Prediction Record: 9-3-1

Well not quite as solid as my record from last year, but pretty close. Tune back for my predictions for 2009! Also, while you're here. Due to my time constraints, and my plan to go on a trip next week, I will be holding off on my 2008 in review series until the New Year, it should coincide with yet another new look to the blog to debut in 2009. I hope that you enjoy it.

Until next time,

G

Monday, December 01, 2008

Christmas Shopping List

Well it is officially December, and as much as I hate to admit it, I need to start shopping. After making a list last year (And even delivering some of them!), I decided to post my shopping list here on my blog, lord knows I would find a way to lose it anyway.

So for Christmas in 2008, I would like to give...

...a taste of his own medicine...to Prime Minister (for now) Stephen Harper. After running his own party, and his own country with an iron fist for far too long, things seem to be unraveling for the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. He lucked out with Dion's trepidation during the last Parliament, and thought that he would get another free pass. I just do not see how trying to remove opposition party subsidies, and get a surplus in the face of a recession. Also, after writing a letter to the Governor General in 2004, asking her to consider allowing him to form the government after Martin's government was falling, really makes any of his points of a "power grab" by the opposition moot. But I suppose one can never expect him to remain consistent.

...Chinese Democracy...well maybe not the album, since I am pretty indifferent about the snippets I have heard over here (it is rather banned). However, I would like to give people the results of an experiment in Democracy in China as chronicled by the PBS documentary Please Vote for Me.



Although, it seemed to work when I did it back in 2007.

...maybe I'll just stick to the album, it's easier to wrap after all.



...a non-violent resolution...to protests in Bangkok. There is some rather scary stuff going on down there, as (coupled with attacks in Mumbai) it appears that South Asia is a much more volatile region than it was not so long ago. This is exceptionally terrifying for someone who has booked a flight into Bangkok at the end of January.

...untold riches and unquestioned subservience...to our future squid overlords! Check out this video of a squid found 2.5 kilometres underwater. Oddly, it looks like it has elbows, and I don't know for certain what it is doing when it's head is flapping, but I can only assume that it controlling our minds somehow.



...some justice...for everyone who voted for Proposition 8 in California. Part of me hopes that you know it is like to have rights taken away from you for no good reason other than hate. But I know that if I gave into that anger, then I would be at your same level.

Love is never wrong, and homosexual marriage has nothing to do with you. Listen to The Beatles man, and just let it be.

...decisions...made by people who have been teasing me with the Arrested Development movie for the past year and a bit. I want this movie, and I want it now!!! Make it happen, come on!!!

...this song...to all who haven't heard it. Yeah, I gave a song last year, but I like this tradition. This year I present you with "Imitosis" by Andrew Bird.



...direction...for my Ottawa Senators. What a rough, rough year this has been for my team. They need to blow up and start over again, and it pains me so much.

...the new Harry Potter trailer...for anyone who hasn't seen it, it's just plain awesome.




Hells yeah, Quiddich is back!!!

...co-operation...between Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton, as the Democratic Primary's runner up was officially named Secretary of State. Hopefully these two are able to disagree enough to keep things interesting, but able to work things out. The "Team of Rivals" is a great idea, and goes a long way to restoring partisan divides, but it does have a lot of potential to stop things from getting done. I just hope that Hilary will not try to steal the show too much.

...a happy holiday...for all who read this message. If you stumbled across this, or have been reading my blog since the beginning, I hope that you have a great, and safe holiday season.

Until next time,

G