2010 and beyond?

2010 and the next decade - who knows what it will bring. Sadly Mrs R and her family are fairly sure they have a good idea what won't happen.

It's unlikely that Harriet Harman will introduce legislation that ensures all people are treated equally, especially if her latest broadside against 'middle England' is to be believed and the 'socially disadvantaged' will get better fire services than those living in leafy suburbs where more people behave themselves and don't have so many chip fires.

It's doubtful that Trevor Phillip's CRE will act on behalf of a white chap who thinks he's been discriminated against, because yet another of Harriet's Laws says it's fine to do that - it's called 'positive discrimination'.

It's unlikely that newspapers will carry reports of Muslims, Sikhs or Hindus being sacked because they want to wear something that represents their religion, and she can't imagine anything going wrong with the idea that forcing almost all adult airline passengers to pass through body scanners at airports will stop potential bombers - because of course nobody under 18 would ever want to be a terrorist and blow themselves up, and nor would a man ever pretend to be a 'modest' woman to avoid checks.

Will exam grades be a true indication of academic achievement (that is valued by employers) in either the coming year, or over the next ten years? - Probably not, not while primary school children are being taught about sexual matters instead of being taught to read, write and do a few sums.

Will our state-educated future-scientists make a difference to the world of the future? - Probably not, not whilst GCSE syllabuses are packed full of general knowledge trivia and health propaganda instead of scientific fact.

Will some bad laws, that restrict civil liberties, be repealed? - Probably not, there are likely to be more laws, that sneak onto the books without Parliament noticing, including one promulgated by police forces who think all photographers should have to carry ID, because all people who take photographs are potential terrorists.

Will the Labour Party win the coming general election? - Probably not, but Mrs R has an inkling that their defeat will not be a massive victory for only one of the other parties. She has a feeling that the BNP might actually gain more seats than thought possible, because many working people feel Labour has sadly betrayed the "labouring" man they claim to represent.

Will people regain their trust in politicians, if they ever had any? - Probably not, the last twelve years have had such a damaging effect that even law-abiding young people distrust those in positions of high authority, whilst the thugs treat them with disdain and contempt.

Will creative taxation continue? - Probably, because governments need money and with the working population dwindling it's hard to raise enough cash directly from wages. So we'll probably see green taxes snowball (snigger) to, apparently, combat climate change - because it's a politically expedient excuse supported by some of the scientific community. Detractors will probably continue to be badmouthed and subjected to ad hominem attack.

Medical science will be likely to advance, but filthy smokers will continue to be blamed for almost every ill known to mankind, from ingrowing toenails to the uptake of vitamins and scurvy. It's likely meat eaters will be next, after alcohol drinkers, because it's reported that red meat makes you blind.

Will the Rigby family be happy? - Yep! We'll continue to mumble, moan and complain at our cornflakes. We're fairly confident we'll ride the coming storm just as our parents did before us.

Good luck, and Happy New Year to anybody who may be reading.