Predictions For 2014

Happy New Year! If you were partying last night you probably have already heard that expression more than you care to. If you were partying and imbibing to excess, I promised to keep my blog article quiet for your benefit. Have you ever noticed how often as we come to a year’s end that one will comment they hope next year is better? Rarely have I heard anyone say “this year was great, there is no way next year could get any better”. I hope you had pickled herring, black-eyed peas, and any other food that is going to ensure you good luck and prosperity in the year to come. If you did enjoy too much of those foods, and too much adult beverage go have an Alka -Seltzer, I will wait.

Now for the first time ever, I will post my predictions for 2014. At the end of the year we can revisit and see how well I predicted our future. I am hoping for at least 70% accuracy. Okay here goes, the beginning (and maybe the end) of my Seer Career. As I gaze into my crystal ball I see. . .

1. In January there will be five democrats, three republicans, and one independent on City Council. The democrats will not like the republicans, the republicans will not like the democrats, and the independent will not like anybody.
2. A new City Manager will be selected after a lot of political posturing by all members of City Council. After all, a sound bite is a sound bite and a photo-op is a photo-op.
3. Todd Portune will run for Governor and at least one political ad will have the word “op-PORTUNE-ity” in it. Remember, you heard it here first.
4. The Bengals will play in the Super Bowl
5. Budget talks will get serious in June with threats of layoffs of Police and Fire Personnel, but there will be no layoff offs of Police or Fire Personnel. The potential for political posturing during budget talks is too good to pass up. After all, a sound bite is still a sound bite and a photo-op is still a photo-op.
6. Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell will NOT become famous for coining the phrase “True to 52”. It loses a lot of its impact when one has to explain what it means every time the phrase is spoken.
7. Violent crime will rise in 2014 and the Police Chief will blame it on the gangs, the economy, not enough cops on the street, and cops not wearing their hats.
8. The Bengals will not play in the Super Bowl
9. Violent crime will decrease in 2014 and the Police Chief will take all the credit.
10. City Council will spend more time on debating rules, policy, procedure, and viewing pointless PowerPoints than they will spend enacting legislation.
11. Wendell Young will manage to insert the phrase “former law enforcement” into every council and committee meeting he attends.
12. In December there will be five democrats, three republicans, and one independent on City Council The democrats will still not like the republicans, the republicans will still not like the democrats, and the independent will still not like anybody.
13. The Townehouse Phoenix Blog will become your favorite blog/
14. 2014 will end at midnight, December 31, 2014.

There you have it, 14 predictions for 2014.  That is all I see in the crystal ball. Accuracy of the predictions will be the key to the furtherance of predicting the future in years to come. While waiting, may you all have a most happy and prosperous 2014!

Those are my thoughts, what are yours?