Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Anyone who makes a prediction is taking a 50-50 chance.
There's a 50 percent chance a person will predict the right thing and a 50 percent chance the person won't even come close. And in that spirit, I'm going to make a few predictions for 1999. By December 31, 1999, we can all see how close I came, or didn't.
As far as President Clinton and his upcoming Senate trial in 1999, there are a million and one outcomes that could take shape. They could censure him, they could remove him from office, someone could try to assassinate him, or his attorneys could file a motion saying the impeachment by the House is unconstitutional. Since the 105th Congress impeached him, but the 106th Congress is taking over come January, there have been some national newsmen who have said the Congress may have to revote.
The House voted to impeach Clinton on two of four articles of impeachment. The White House is pushing for a censure.
I'm going to stick my neck out and say the Senate will not go for a censure. They may vote on it, but they will not approve it. Instead, we will see a Senate trial that lasts three to four months. Clinton will not be impeached, though, as only about 48 Republican senators vote to impeach him and about 11 Democrats vote to remove him from office. That's a total of 59 Senators and falls eight short of the 67 votes needed.
As for Iraq, it will become obvious to the American people that our four-day attack did not topple Hussein's empire. In fact, the only ones hurt by the attack were the Iraqi common people who are hungry, poor and in need. Hussein will continue to live like a king. UNSCOM will insist on more inspections, but Hussein won't allow it. By the end of the year, I predict the sanctions will be lifted and Iraq will still possess weapons of mass destruction.
Locally, and perhaps across the Midwest, I predict one of the worst blizzards of all time in January or early February. Temperatures will drop well below zero and snow will be at least a foot deep in some areas.
Remember, though, it's just my prediction. The National Weather Service does not endorse my prediction.
I'm predicting a horrible winter because several people told me our December weather has been like the December 1977 weather. In January 1978, an enormous blizzard hit Indiana. La Nina is sure to repeat that weather pattern again this year.
I believe we will also see a rise of cults in 1999 for several reasons. First, the end of the millennium is upon us, and many people predict only the worst at such times. Second, 1999 is a funky-looking number in its own right.
Nostradamus, a 17th-century prophet, predicted a massive object would fall from the sky in 1999. While Nostradamus was wrong in predicting a war between France and another country this year, not all of his predictions have been wrong. He foresaw the rise of Hitler and the death of Kennedy. He also had many other predictions for the years to come.
For those reasons and many others, I think the number of cults will increase and the number of people who join cults will also increase in 1999.
As for sports, look for the NBA not to have a season during the 1998-99 year. When the players and their bosses finally reach some sort of agreement in the summer of 1999, no one will care by then. As the 1999-2000 season begins, the crowds will be the smallest they have ever been. People will have lost their interest in the NBA by then like they lost their interest in Major League Baseball when the baseball players went on strike. This time, however, there is no Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa to save the NBA.
In the entertainment world, I believe folk music and hip-hop will be the best music sellers of 1999.
Hip-hop was already the best selling type of music in 1998 and its popularity will only stay in 1999. Hip-hop artists that sold large numbers of albums in 1998 included Lauryn Hill, Pras, DMX, Method Man, KC & Jo-Jo and Puff Daddy.
Folk music will become big in 1999 because of an artist by the name of Jude. Jude first appeared to the mainstream on the City of Angels soundtrack. His full-length album recently released on Maverick Records is as sharp, sarcastic and lyrically poetic as any folk singer of the 1960s. One particular song on his new album, "Rick James," may even become a No. 1 best- selling single. One has to listen to the song to understand the irony in it.
Other folk artists will make their debuts once Jude becomes more and more recognized.
In movies, Star Wars Episode One will break Titanic's box office numbers. The anticipation for the Star Wars movie has been growing since the last Star Wars was made in the early 1980s.
The trailer for the movie has only enticed the movie-going public even more. New creatures, intergalactic scenes and some very famous faces will help boost the ticket sales.
Titanic made close to $2 billion worldwide. Star Wars Episode One will perhaps double that box office number.
With that, the big toys for next Christmas will be Star Wars- related items. They are already big now and the movie hasn't even come out yet.
Buy the action figures now before they go up in price!
My last prediction is that 1999 will be a year of war, tragedy and misery for many people around the world. It sounds very pessimistic, but all it takes is a quick look around the world.
If 1998 seemed like a relatively bad year, just wait until 1999.
And if I'm incorrect about how bad 1999 will be - great!
I'd rather predict the worst and be wrong then predict the best and be wrong. Besides, as I said previously, any prediction has a 50-50 chance of being either right or being wrong.
We'll see where mine stand this time next year.
