I am not a rodent, and I don’t understand why every February 2 we turn over weather predicting to a groundhog. Is this the sign of a diseased society?

The groundhog options are limited, and the same no matter which groundhog you follow and in which country he or she resides. If the groundhog sees his shadow, we’ll have six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, we’ll have an early spring – though it will be so cold it will feel like winter.

I did think though I might jump on the bandwagon with a few predictions of my own. They are about as reliable as those coming from the various groundhogs today.

1. The Winter Olympics get underway on Friday. Many countries have opted to send their athletes but not their diplomats to sit in the audience. The Chinese won’t care – people don’t tune in on television to see diplomats.
2. There will be a COVID outbreak in the Olympic village. Some medal favorites will have to withdraw from competition as a result. There will be much wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth.
3. Russia will contnue to threaten to invade Ukraine. Other countries will continue to suggest that is a bad idea. Such suggestions haven’t stopped Russia in the past.
4. China will stop making threats against Taiwan until the Olympics end. They might even wait until the Paralympics end before the sabre-rattling starts up again.
5. The truckers protest in Ottawa, in its sixth day today, will continue at least until the weekend. Things may get ugly if the police start ticketing the rigs that are obstructing traffic. Or the protestors may figure that they made their point and go quietly home. Candian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will continue to refuse to meet with the protestors, even over Zoom, because he doesn’t want to hear their grievances. As a conciliatory gesture, he will avoid calling them misogynists and racists, depite being on record as saything those are the people opposed to vaccine mandates.
6. Some health officials will say that COVID-19 is waning and restrictions can be eased. Others will say case counts and hospitalizations are increasing and we must be vigilant. Ordinary citizens will remain confused. More small businesses will go bankrupt.
7. Sports fans in the US will pay far more attention to the Super Bowl than to the Olympics. I’d predict a winner, but I can’t remember who is playing. I just know Tom Bady isn’t playing.
8. More musicians will say they want their music removed from Spotify to protest the continued presence there of Joe Rogan. The free publicity increases Rogan’s audience and Spotify laughs all the way to the bank.
9. There will be a major snowstorm. Somewhere.
10. Lists like this will continue to be popular oin the internet becasue we all know how to count to ten. At least this one isn’t click bait.