Day: December 10, 2008
10 Worst Predictions for 2008
While we went way out on a limb yesterday and posted Pensito Review’s predictions for 2009, we want to share with you today some of the worst predictions for 2008. Foreign Policy has collected the worst prognostications by the pundits. We predict you’ll enjoy them:
1. “If [Hillary Clinton] gets a race against John Edwards and Barack Obama, she’s going to be the nominee. Gore is the only threat to her, then. … Barack Obama is not going to beat Hillary Clinton in a single Democratic primary. I’ll predict that right now.†— William Kristol, Fox News Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006
2. “Peter writes: ‘Should I be worried about Bear Stearns in terms of liquidity and get my money out of there?’ “No! No! No! Bear Stearns is fine! Do not take your money out. … Bear Stearns is not in trouble. I mean, if anything they’re more likely to be taken over. Don’t move your money from Bear! That’s just being silly! Don’t be silly!†— Jim Cramer, responding to a viewer’s e-mail on CNBC’s Mad Money, March 11, 2008
3. “[In] reality the risks to maritime flows of oil are far smaller than is commonly assumed. First, tankers are much less vulnerable than conventional wisdom holds. Second, limited regional conflicts would be unlikely to seriously upset traffic, and terrorist attacks against shipping would have even less of an economic effect. Third, only a naval power of the United States’ strength could seriously disrupt oil shipments.†— Dennis Blair and Kenneth Lieberthal, Foreign Affairs, May/June 2007
4. “[A]nyone who says we’re in a recession, or heading into one—especially the worst one since the Great Depression—is making up his own private definition of ‘recession.’†— Donald Luskin, The Washington Post, Sept. 14, 2008
5. “For all its flaws, an example to others.†— The Economist on Kenya’s presidential election, Dec. 19, 2007
6. “New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will enter the Presidential race in February, after it becomes clear which nominees will get the nod from the major parties. His multiple billions and organization will impress voters—and stun rivals. He’ll look like the most viable third-party candidate since Teddy Roosevelt. But Bloomberg will come up short, as he comes in for withering attacks from both Democrats and Republicans. He and Clinton will split more than 50% of the votes, but Arizona’s maverick senator, John McCain, will end up the country’s next President.†— BusinessWeek, Jan. 2, 2008
7. “There is a real possibility of creating destructive theoretical anomalies such as miniature black holes, strangelets and deSitter space transitions. These events have the potential to fundamentally alter matter and destroy our planet.†— Walter Wagner, LHCDefense.org
8. “The possibility of $150-$200 per barrel seems increasingly likely over the next six-24 months.†— Arjun Murti, Goldman Sachs oil analyst, in a May 5, 2008, report
9. “It starts with the taking over of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which has already happened. It goes on to the destruction of the Georgian armed forces, which is now happening. The third [development] will probably be the replacement of the elected government, which is pro-Western, with a puppet government, which will probably follow in a week or two.†— Charles Krauthammer, Fox News, Aug. 11, 2008
10. “I believe the banking system has been stabilized. No one is asking themselves anymore, is there some major institution that might fail and that we would not be able to do anything about it.†— Henry Paulson on National Public Radio, Nov. 13, 2008
Jon Stewart Makes Mike Huckabee Sweat
Here’s why we love Jon Stewart. Who else could so politely and articulately tell Mike Huckabee he’s full of voodoo crap on the subject of gay marriage?
Crist in Europe Spent Like Palin in Bloomingdale’s
Crist and Palin: “Heck, it’s not our money!”Charlie Crist’s travel bill is starting to look a lot like the tab for Sarah Palin’s wardrobe — it ain’t pretty.
You might recall us telling you last July about how the Republican Florida governor and his newly-announced fiancee jetted off to Europe under the guise of a trade mission. We thought the trip a bit of an extravagance, what with news reports at the time that Florida’s budget shortfalls would likely be much worse than previously anticipated.
We didn’t know the half of it. The bill to Florida taxpayers for Crist’s entourage was officially announced at $255,000 back then. Crist’s own travel was supposedly underwritten by business interests, not Florida residents. Now, thanks to an investigation by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the invoice has been revealed to be closer to $430,000.
First, there’s who went on the 12-day spree: the governor, his fiancee, his fiancee’s sister (who is not a Florida resident), nine bodyguards, an official photographer, a spokesperson, and numerous lawyers, business people, and realtors. The Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell puts the list at six pages and 90-odd people. Maxwell also scrutinized the hotel bills.
Crist and Palin both spend too much time in tanning beds, have never passed a mirror they didn’t like, and believe public service means the bill always goes to someone else.
First of all, I’m thinking soon-to-be Mrs. Gov. Good Times was responsible for some of the drink bills. Because “minibar” receipts show someone (or some ones) in Crist’s room imbibed 14 times in Crist’s suite on the three-day stay in London.
Maxwell also questioned the need for so many bodyguards.
The bodyguards alone, split up among the four countries, spent more than $148,000. And keep in mind: We’re talking relatively safe places such as London and Paris…where people go to celebrate their anniversary. One can only imagine the bills if Charlie had gone to Baghdad.
