Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/51201
Where's My Cheese in 2012? by JIM JONES Making predictions about 2012 is easy in some ways and complicated in others. We are all interlaced and dependent upon one another, and we don't even realize it. In 2012, it will be the socio-economic forces that hit closest to home. Generational changes are occurring as Baby Boomers are hitting retirement age and will stress the Social Security coffers. In Spencer Johnson's book, Who Moved My Cheese, he tells the story of four mice who have had their cheese moved. Two of the mice venture out and fi nd new cheese in their maze. The remaining two do nothing and just sit there waiting for someone to bring the cheese to them. They demanded their food because they are entitled to it. The story is very much like 2011, but in 2012, the cheese will be harder to fi nd. 2012 may remind us of the year 2000, when we were told that the Y2K bug would cause catastrophic collapse of the electronic infrastructure. 2012 is the end of time according to a few sources. The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, which many say is the end of time. Some scientists believe that the magnetic poles of the Earth will actually fl ip. North will become south and south will become north. This phenomenon would cause worldwide volcanoes, hurricanes and fl ooding. Other scientists say that there is nothing to worry about. Politically, this year will be a very passionate election year. This year is no longer about foreign policy, climate change or communism or maybe even terrorists — this year is about you! Defense cuts and the reduction of troop deployments will have a huge effect on our community. For the troops returning home, this will bring many challenges. Military budget cuts will reduce these action heroes to mundane duties, causing a change of purpose to many. Families will have more stress put on them, and we could see a high rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This can lead to a higher divorce rate and cause an increase of homes on the market. As the military downsizes, commanders will start to decrease the force for major and then minor disciplinary actions. Early or forced retirements will take place. Weight and PT standards will be used to push reductions along. As the military returns from overseas, we will see more and more local contractor positions go away. As their cheese is moved, it will push these people back into the local work force, or they will be forced to move elsewhere. Many of the thousands of contractors who are abroad supporting the war effort will return home. Many of these highly skilled, hard-working folks will return to the Fayetteville area to seek employment and will add to the unemployment problem. Fayetteville will decline in income, and property values will decrease as well. The invisible hand of war that has made Fayetteville prosperous will be the same reason for her decline. Texting and driving will soon surpass the DWI death toll. Smart phones will continue to change the way we communicate and do business. Smart phones will kill the iPod and the pocket-camera business. Banks will start closing branches as phone applications and web-based banking gains the confi dence of consumers. Crime will continue to rise as a result of the social and economical forces brought by layoffs and job cuts. These people will just take your cheese. Gun sales will have a good year, as folks are worried about the political situation and the rise in crime. Security businesses will do well this year as home break-ins continue to increase. The Internet will continue to change the face of the information age. I predict the cable business will begin to suffer as customers migrate to free Internet entertainment. Home internet and phone services will begin to decline as cell-phone companies continue to improve their networks. Law enforcement will shift from a protective to reactive stance due to budget cuts. Law enforcement will spend more time going after the easy cases and traffi c violations. The courts and jails will continue to be jammed as a result. We will become immune to the Internet. People say that the printed material is a dying business, but I believe that human bodies love to touch and see printed media. Magazines and local printed materials, like Up & Coming Weekly, will start to see an increase in business. I hope that 2012 will be your best year ever, and that our country fi nds the super-glue to hold itself together. I M A Celebrate the New Year with the FireAntz! Home games Dec. 31, Jan. 1, 8, 13 & 14. Dec. 31st, Jan. 1st & 8th puck drops at 4 p.m. Jan. 13th & 14th puck drops at 7:30. 910.321.0123 www.fireantzhockey.com 8 UCW DEC. 28, 2011 - JAN. 3, 2012 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM ! t F n u e , n m A n i f a t o f All Suites Available! r e d r t n a E e b YL F , Up Your Holiday Office or Family Party With the FireAntz! Call Our Office & Set