Economically, we’ve groped through a dark and stormy night since 2007; but in mid-2012 the first cool, shy sunlight bathed our souls. The U.S. recovery predicted last year has begun – and should last into mid-2015, when worldwide inflation or deflation begins in earnest. The “fiscal cliff” won’t be steep.

As the U.S. goes, so Canada – to a point. Oil prices remain soft for the first six months, impacting the West. The real estate market, boosted since 2009 by Ottawa’s low interest rates, now holds these as a soft-landing parachute – until 2015. Though relative stability rules, August might bring an “early warning jolt.”

Generally, investors remain luckier than wage earners. Many advances will be made in transportation and communications.

Governments, institutions, hospitals, factories – all swell like sponges in water. Technologies will fight each other – e.g., Apple vs. Samsung. We’ll see even more severe clashes of army-v-citizens or hierarchy-v-rebels. The U.S. might enter/start a small, brief war in June/July.

Dreamers and mystics square off against logical pragmatists. This creates marijuana wars. Hospital wars. Naval expansions and confrontations. Spirituality will flourish, as will research in ocean sciences, optics and astrophysics. Everyday business will go well; large matters such as international trade will meet (legal) barriers.

On cultural fronts, the sexy, grisly, dark crime shows (Bones, CSI, etc.) will lose audience. Brighter, lighter fare will catch the ratings train. We’ll see more “Mom knows best” family value shows. Homelessness as dark comedy.