Saturday, December 29, 2007

2008

Here comes the eagerly anticipated Littlefish 2008 crystal ball gazing ...

Politics
Thailand Valentine's Day Government formed - Thaksin returns to Thailand = bad news. Thai King's health ails further. But economy and social structure remains resilient though volatile (borrowed from IHT).
Zimbabwe Presidential Elections - one name: Mugabe.
Serbia Presidential Elections - yawn.
Russia Presidential whatchamightcallit - Medvedev is the new Russian word for puppet. Putin is PM. Gets paid less than our PM.
Nepal Constituent Assembly Elections - Monarchy abolished, progressive as long as Maoists stay calm.
Bhutan Elections - if Bhutanese (happy bunch of people) can differentiate between National Council and National Assembly. Question: Is democracy more suited for the educated else it ends up like a popularity contest ie. Philippines.
UK - Will Gordon Brown call for snap elections? No, time over. Will history repeat itself? Will Brown do a Major? I don't know. David Cameron looks ahead in polls. Snap elections within weeks of Brown taking over Blair would have been positive but with the piling blunders and disasters...May Day elections for Brown? My money is on Summer '09.
US Presidential Elections - Al Gore refuses to lend his name to Hilary or Obama. Three-way fight dilutes democrat votes. Rudy wins!

Only remaining troops in Iraq all have Green Card. So they pull out after proclaiming that Gen. Petraeus plan (sadly being called general betray-us, i think he is doing hell of a job, surging troops and all.) was a great success! Leaving behind local upheavals. Power vacuum attracts tyrants. So lots of opportunities for Blackwater.

More cases of Blackwater employees involved in controversial security related issues. Need to fill up power vacuum becomes a priority.

China and Japan cosy up on pretext of peaceful development road and Japan providing the support. Strengthening the East Asian Economy. Making Taiwan and America jittery. As will rest of Indo-china and South East Asia. But what the hell, we just wanna ride on the wave.

China and India avoid direct confrontation on all grounds - economic, military, politics. They both know that they are jostling for superemacy in the coming decades.

Malaysia takes a harder stance against seditious acts by HINDRAF. HINDRAF gains an uncomfortable ally in media - Al Jazeera. Achieves nothing.

Singapore politics.....government raise more prices of everything. People mumble and grumble. PM say he is all for consultative governing. Achieves nothing. Oh, wait. Higher prices for everything is achieved. Nullifying out pay increments. Rents shoot through the roof. But government assures us this is necessary. Government suggests a scrapping road tax as the full ERP plan is revealed. The LTA full review is coming up in 2008. Forumla 1 in Singapore - great success! But heartland Singapore remains uninterested and do not benefit directly.

Economy
RESILIENT, BUT VOLATILE. Whatever that means. The full extent of subprime woes are reviewed after Apr 08. Expectations are adjusted, risks are managed, aims are re-aligned. US economy says no change in fundamentals. Growth in US supercedes expectations. But really, I think people will ditch the dollar. My optimism is misguided. China and East Asian markets continues to grow within Pacific bubble. Rallying of stock markets for a rosy start to Beijing Summer Olympic Games.
Middle East becomes shit hot for investment opportunities. Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran and Iraq.

Environment
Global-warming issues remain the main topic for many regional and international forums. Especially on carbon-footprint, renewable energy resources and management of 3rd world vs 1st world development. Efficacity becomes buzzy.

Isnt' it weird that 10 years or more ago, we were talking about CFCs, then ozone, then global warming, then renewable energy....but we seemed to have moved nowhere. Perhaps it's time for environmentalists to move aside and let economists play a bigger role in environmental issues. Instead of spearheading the way with causes and effects, economists can better managed carbon credits, pollution, etc etc....using the free market and other economic tools.

Instead of organic or local produce, we are concern with the question of need. The What / Where / How / For Whom food should be produce is asked.

Fashion and Trends
Blue and Grey rules!
Girls.....More scarfs. Chunk jewelry - I dunno why, I just think so. But not scarfs + chunky necklace. Floral prints. Feminine to ultra-feminine. Knitwear vests. I really don't wish to see highwaisted jeans/skirts, it's been bubbling for much of 2007...it's on par with low waist jeans that reveal butt cracks. Wanna see high heel strappies. Like mary-janes. but with heels. And attitude. New Balance hits ladies with their inside collection. Beautiful colourways and design. Huge carryalls. I mean huge. And more people re-using shopping bags from Macy's Saks Fifth Avenue etc...
For guys....fitted clothes with details. Translucence - like how Yohji and Fendi does it. Hopefully don't see too much oversized denims or pullovers. What with the whole RUN DMC look anyway? Talking about RUN DMC, Puma Disc system makes a comeback but attracts only sneakerfreaks/fiends/pimps. Remember Puman Disc? The rival to Reebok's Pump? One button suits become office wear for the fashion forward and fashion savvy. Less colour for the readysetglo indie kids. Red jeans. Purple jeans. Yellow jeans - are we returning to the 1990s? What can get guys through 2008 and beyond? Stick with classics, it's so simple I can do it. Regular blue jeans (not tapered, not superfitting), preferably dry denim. White cotton tshirts but not the underwear type. White shirt with minute detailing. Plain black belt. Black/dark brown casual shoes/loafers/quality moccasin. Non-sports brand sunglasses. Rayban wayfarers are hot, but you might wanna avoid those. This ensemble can get you through from 1960 through to 2060. Fucking ditch the Crocs.

Snitching from Poofie, Goyard for gays and bagfiends. And I'm not sure if a peroxide short crop ala Agyness Deyn will be hot. It'll be interesting on Asians though.


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