January 1st 2025 Great Expectations

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 Happy New Year 2025 folks. 
 
First of all January 1st for the new year does make plenty of sense because it is based on a scientific calendar. It is based on the fixed and highly predictable movement of the earth around the sun. January 1st is the world's favorite new beginning. 
We can ignore the name January (it was the name of a two-faced, pagan Roman god) or even the number '1'.  But there are real natural occurences in the sky (with the sun) which make this day a good marker for the lapse of the earth's 365 1/4 day orbit around the sun, aka one year. The winter solstice occurs on December 21st-22nd. It is the day when the earth is at its furthest point of its tilted orbit around the sun (for the northern hemisphere). And the "new year" kicks in 10 days later. 
Wherever you are on the surface of the earth the sunrise and sunset at your location will happen at exactly the same time (down to the second) on the same day of every year. Because the orbit of the earth around the sun is fixed. But that 23.4 degree tilt of the earth from the vertical  does make things exciting. It gives us the four seasons. Plus our wonderful 'Equator'.  And it gives a good choice to start counting a new solar year - say 10 days after the winter solstice. Say on January 1st - thank you two-faced, pagan Roman god Janus. 

 
Janus was a two-faced Roman god. Janus's two faces represented the directions that doorways and archways face, and the ability to look both ways through a passageway. Janus was the god of beginnings and endings, transitions, doors, gates, and passages. He was also associated with many dualities, such as life and death, youth and adulthood, war and peace.

2025 is going to be quite eventful. First of all there is going to be massive confusion in our country. That is no rocket science. The b.s. is just going to be piling up. The same b.s. from last year will continue. Even a bulldozer will not be big enough to shovel out the b.s. they are piling up. And you my dear reader will be complicit and an accomplice to the b.s. because you will not be doing anything to fight it. You will just turn your other cheek. So "Happy" new year?? Yes it is still possible - for ostriches. Just bury the head in the sand. Or be wise 'see no evil, hear no evil bla bla". Blissful ignorance.
I like to see the big picture. The exciting big picture is in the world around us. 
There will likely be peace in Europe. That Ukraine war will come to an end. The German elections can redefine Europe and hence the world's prosperity as well. If Germany reconciles with Russia that will restore calm in Europe. The birds will sing, there will be that dainty dish set before the king etc. The stock markets are already moving up (not our stock market though - I think ours will go south).
The war around Israel will also come to an end. But there will be turmoil in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, maybe Jordan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar. There will likely be a big bang in Iran. They should stock up on toilet paper, drinking water, soap, rice. The Islamic countries are doomed - just like last year, and the year before, and the year before.

China, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan will sail through as always. China will steal the show again. Followed closely by Vietnam.
The biggest  doorway that the god Janus can present to us this year will happen on January 20th when President Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.  Mr Trump has already promised a million things - all of which he will likely deliver. One of them is for every new regulation that will be introduced the US government will abolish TEN existing regulations. They want less government. That alone will make America great again.
Mr Trumps tariffs idea may not work as well, not for too long. Tariffs are bad - they make many people poor and the few very rich. But Mr Trump is clear on 'America first'. He feels that America should mind its own business. Its about time.
But America does have a role to keep that Suez Canal open and functioning.  And rid the neighborhood of some of the more nasty recalcitrants.

China will be the star of the show. There is only one Elon Musk in the West. China has Elon Musks by the shiploads. Just that we outside China do not know them. But they are there. 
Did you know that China is the world's largest manufacturer and exporter of motor vehicles? This happened after 2012.  The world manufactures about 100 million motor vehicles a year. China is responsible for 33% or about 33 million motor vehicles a year. Number 2 is the United States which makes about 11 million motor vehicles a year. This means China makes and exports THREE times more cars than the US. This year 2025 these numbers are going to change drastically. The Chinese exports of cars may possibly jump through the charts. 
So work hard folks. Position yourselves well. When other people are falling down there is opportunity to pick up the slack. Someone has to do the job. It better be you than the next fellow. 
Have a very good new year. Go out and honestly earn somebody's trust.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.
By Syed Akbar Ali 

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