I’m a little shocked to find page 2023 missing from Dick’s Book of Prophecy.

All I can find is page 2022. A review of those prophecies reveals, if we include those which still have a high probability of coming true, a staggering 74% success rate. These are Biblical returns. But that’s History. Water under the bridge.

Let’s keep it simple. Let’s make some new predictions.

• Contrary to popular belief, the Supreme Court, in all its originalist fundamentalism, will refuse to review Colorado’s ban of Trump from the primary election ballot, effectively declaring him an insurrectionist under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

• Unfortunately, I foresee violence by MAGA enthusiasts against judges both federal and state and great consternation throughout the Republic.

• Come hell or high water, Trump will be on the election day ballot and lose to Biden in a messy election, the confusion and turmoil of which we have never before witnessed.

• Democrats will regain control of the House.

• The stock market will decline over 15% and then recover to finish the year up 15%. Buy NVIDIA and CLF.

• The rains will moderate but we will have numerous severe thunderstorms with climatic lightning.

• Russia and Ukraine will begin negotiations to end the war. Territory will be ceded by Ukraine. Ukraine will not become a member of NATO.

• After the near total destruction of Gaza, the war there will end with Hamas a thing of the past and new Palestinian leadership. Yet, the plight of West Bank Palestinians will not improve, and Israel will continue to expand illegal settlements on occupied Arab land. The whole war will be a net zero for both sides.

• The buildout around my town’s villages will be awful and begin to get on the average Joe’s nerves. But nothing good will come of this growing local subconscious dissatisfaction. (“Why is this like this? When is the best time to drive through the village? How did this happen? I don’t remember things being this bad.”)

• The Yankees will have a terrible year. The Mets will have a terrible year. The Giants go nowhere. The Jets go nowhere, the Knicks…. (This prediction has become standard boilerplate. Copy and paste.)

• A major bridge will fall down. (Also, copy and paste.)

• Solid state battery technology will see significant improvements, with major breakthroughs in cost, fewer materials needed and more power stored. (I see a cargo ship with lithium-ion batteries on board is on fire in the waters of Alaska. Solid state will eliminate this danger.)

• On the environmental front, for every step forward, there will be 1.1 steps backwards.

• The World will stagger towards an unsettled, nervous peace, while at the same time, acts of lone-wolf terrorism will increase.

• Africa will bloom in unexpected ways and begin to shine on the world stage, especially in the field of agriculture, and with unmatched increases in their standard of living. Tourism will double.

• My publisher is going to give me a nice 25% raise and keys to the company’s box seats at Yankee Stadium. (And we will enter this column in the comedy category in the Better Newspaper Contest.)

Happy New Year, everyone. Wishing you good health and hope to see you at the roadstand next spring. All the best and thank you for the encouraging comments regarding this column.