Happy New Year!

We are starting a new year here and it is most interesting to see what has transpired since 2008 when we began this effort. Many of the Blogs that I had been following then have faded away. I guess it takes a bit of work to continue one over such a period, or perhaps you just run out of rants. Fortunately we have had the fine fortune to continually interact with folks who throw up new and enticing thoughts, thoughts to be rolled around and refined.

On the other hand I have seen the left wing blogs seem to continue their screaming-out their protests of injustice, inequality, and only God knows what. In addition they just continue to be nasty, rather rank in their dealing with people and topics. But it is a new year and it brings many challenges. Let me outline a few that should be of interest:

1. Middle East is Exploding: This is in the worst mess since I can remember. It is not just Israel and the Palestinians this time. It is the rest of the mess. The US does not seem to understand what is happening, revolutions are afoot and we seem to have not a clue.

2. Energy: This is a strange once since we no longer depend on foreign oil. Wind mills still turn but they have not been brought to a point of being a true contributor. Unlike the 70s we now can sustain an energy crisis elsewhere unless of course Washington makes it worse. Then again given what brainpower we have there it highly likely that we will see it messed up no matter what.

3. Health Care is a Debacle: One expects as this rolls out that there are so many cooks in the kitchen, and for those employed by the Government rather dullard types, that we can expect people doing the most foolish things. Just think how easy this would have been if we did it like auto insurance. Individual, no Government intervention, and portable. Just make it so it is required by all, no preexisting conditions bias, rates by age, penalties based on life style choices such as smoking and obesity. It plays into what we do in auto insurance. But no, we had to have Government control. Just watch.

4. Employment and Productivity: Productivity still increases driving out labor. The labor content of produced goods is dropping dramatically and will accelerate. What that means is that the strategic advantage of cheap labor will disappear and market location will be selected more on tax, regulation, and political stability. Perhaps this may be a God send for Ireland.

5. Nuclear Threat: I lived through the Soviet-US nuclear threats, they were real, but the parties were fundamentally rational. Mutual Assured Destruction was clear, do not go there. The current crop of crazies are not the Russians. The Russians have a culture, a love of their children, and the desire to survive an thrive. Not the same can be said for some of the current crop. This is a clear and present danger.

6. Data and Personal Security: The biggest political debate I believe will be over the heavy handed actions by the US Security apparatus. Not only do they intercept outside of the country but now they appear to be invading our very homes. One could not envision a more brutal attack on our fundamental Constitutional Rights.  Many in Congress are turning a blind eye to the effort. I have been aware of the actions of some of these folks for decades, but in the old days it was done outside the US. Now, we have seen the reverse. I continue to say that terrorists are not that dumb, they can find ways to keep below the radar. That leaves the rest of us vulnerable. This may very well become the debate of the decade.

Let us see how 2014 plays out, Happy New Year.