Having spent the last three weeks in Islamic countries, I missed the run-up to Christmas.  I haven’t heard Christmas songs on the radio or in shopping malls, I haven’t seen decorations on the walls,and I haven’t been doing anything Christmas-y.

I made it home after several long flights from Abu Dhabi that finally landed me in Atlanta (after three hours in the Mother Country and a twelve-hour layover in Chicago that involved drinks with Mark Caldwell and an evening with William Godwin, who took me on the true tour of Chicago–including Jesse Jackson and Louis Farrakhan’s house!) . I have been home for a couple of days. and finally realized today that Christmas is tomorrow!   Merry Christmas to all of you, near and far.

I will be back up and running after Christmas.  I will give my loyal readers a couple of things in the next week.

1. Final reflections on the UAE after a few days of separation.

2.  One regular reader asked, “Ross, you keep making insights about the campaign races, but you haven’t made any predictions!  Wha tdo you THINK is going to happen?”  With the run-up to the Iowa caucuses, I will make this prediction in the next few days.

All the best, enjoy time with your families of iends tonight, and Merry Christmas.

Much love

ERB