was not a year about which to wax loquacious; certainly not if we limit our gaze to the headlines in the news. Wars and disasters dominated. Iraq, the civil war in the Sudan, the enormous famines of central Africa, the Gulf Coast hurricanes, the earthquake in Kashmir and the prospect of a true international pandemic of influenza garner the most space in the newspapers and headlines on TV. Brian McCartan, reporting for the Christian Science Monitor, looked beyond the sensational and disastrous and pointed out that the headlines obscure to some extent man's advances. On average people across the planet are living longer, healthier lives, with greater opportunities for education and political freedom than ever. It doesn't seem that way because we still have the awful worldwide problems of poverty, suffering and injustice. On the plus side, around the globe, people are living an average of seven years longer than in the 1970s. Education has advanced worldwide, childhood mortality rates have steadily declined worldwide. And as Brian writes, "Since 1960, more than a billion people have pulled themselves out of the direst poverty."
2005 was the year when, so it seemed, everything we previously expected to purchase with a "Made in Japan" label affixed to it, now reads "Made in China." And that's a trend which will continue to expand as the Chinese economic miracle assures that most populous of nations will become more and more a super-power.
Just a few months ago India and Pakistan were at the verge of warfare; two nuclear-armed states with the prospect of a full-scale nuclear conflict. One shudders at the prospect.
We've heard a great deal of rhetoric about a more peaceful world in the future. Maybe that will happen. Frankly, I think it is possible based on the lessons of the past thirty years; during that time more than 80 nations in Latin America, Central Europe and East Asia have made significant gains in civil and political rights. More than 30 military dictatorships have been replaced by civilian governments.

I think President Bush will be a real lame duck chief executive, most clearly so after the mid-term elections. I think the Republicans will manage to hold on to their majorities in both House and Senate; narrowed majorities. Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. John McCain will be candidates for the presidency. Iraq will continue to be our number one foreign commitment and lives will continue to be lost and maimed. Saddam's trial will end and he will be found guilty and sentenced to death. U.S. troop strength in Iraq will be lessened and the Iraqis will take over more of the commitment to face the insurgency. Suicide bombers will continue unabated. W's political momentum has increased slightly his standing in the polls. And the line put forth by the Democrats ( as accurate as it may be), has failed to really to take hold among the potential voters; referring to the Republican "Culture of corruption." It is my hope that the Democrats will come forth with a coherent message and somehow show unity and leadership. It could happen. Mr. Bush will continue to push for further tax cuts; he will be campaigning hard for renewal of the Patriot Act and reform of Social Security. He'll succeed with the Patriot Act and fail on Social Security. He'll probably get the unneeded tax cuts.
Prediction; Donald Rumsfeld will retire. Justice Alito will make it to the Supreme Court and the real headline news will be something absolutely unexpected. It's always that way.

Happy New Year!