We are about to close out a year of historic changes in the computer world. The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence not only opened the door to a more complex form of computer knowledge but also created a high demand for electricity to power data centers. We are told these will have a major impact on all stages of society.

In spite of the predictions for a recession, the U.S. economy proved strong, and inflation declined. The President and the Feds managed to avoid even a soft landing, and we are better off than most of the countries in Europe. Our largest competitor, China, has not managed as well and is facing a recession.

The big event in 2024 was the election of Donald Trump for a second term as President. The Democrats ran a positive and hopeful campaign that mis-read the mood of the country. The majority are fearful, angry, and resentful of those whom they consider the elite. That appears to be anyone with more than a high school education or a good-paying job.

The Republicans convinced them that the government was at fault rather than the corporations. A handful of Billionaires control most of the wealth of the country, but they are seen as successful businessmen rather than greedy manipulators of the tax system. We face not only inequality in assets but also inequality of opportunity. The working poor have been stuck working two jobs for decades just to get by, and they’ve had enough of it.

Although I have an opinion of the near future, I won’t speculate and make a forecast. There are too many factors that will weigh in. The nation not only has a new administration determined to break things, but the world’s economy will deal with two major wars that have dragged on for years. I hope they will come to an end soon, but that hope has been dashed several times.

I feel sad that Biden faded away in the end of his term even though he had been successful in passing major legislation. His mental acuity is still better than Trump, who lives in a fantasy world. He had a long record of service in the Congress and as VP for eight years. I guess he thought that Trump was going to pardon everyone about Jan. 6th so he could pardon his son. That ended his career on a sour note.

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