Happy New Year

Welcome back, our friends, to the show that never ends . . .

While I wait for Chris to ID that line, The Monk greets all with best wishes for a Happy New Year, unless you're a communist, terrorist (or supporter thereof), neo-Nazi, etc.

The Monk and Monkette2B returned again to the town where the Monkette2B transformed herself from Monkgirlfriend to Monkette2B a good while ago (she believes in long engagements, as does The Monk) -- Taos, New Mexico. We stayed in a nice B&B (Orinda, under new management with a chef as one of the innkeepers) and skiied (in a way, often on my butt) at Taos Ski Valley. A fine new year, and once again The Monk slept through midnight.

Here are some predictions and hopes for this year.

First, the hopes: (1) health and happiness for the Monkette2B and Monkfamily; (2) success for our friend Luskerdu in his adoption proceedings; (3) the best to Wongdoerette, now in pregnancy #3, may she have another girl; (4) health and happiness to the Wongdoer family; (5) success for Iraq's democracy; (6) a strong peace for Israel; (7) Old Testament justice for al-Qaeda; (8) Yankees World Series title #27; (9) Alito confirmation; (10) smooth transition date for Monkette2B into Monkette.

Next, predictions: (1) the NY Times will become more tendentious than it is; (2) Moderate and conservative bloggers will continue to out-work and out-research the major media and the leftwing blogosphere; (3) Alito will be confirmed; (4) John Bolton will effectively advocate for US interests at the UN; (5) the Patriots fall short of beoming the first team to win three-straight Super Bowls; (6) Duke honks against a quicker and stronger team in the NCAAs; (7) the RedSawx finally lose their remaining sanity; (8) Israel's democracy fails to address its institutional problems; (9) the Tories remain relatively irrelevant in UK politics; (10) the GOP retains Congress and no less than 53 Senate seats but still does little either (a) useful or (b) conservative; (11) the Senate bloviating reaches unprecedented heights; (12) Pres. Bush continues to withhold his veto, thereby enabling the least worst solution that the Congress creates in any given situation to become law.