Predictions R Me?

Should I go into the prediction biz? A friend and loyal reader thinks I already consult a crystal ball.

He was impressed with my Townhall.com column prediction that gas prices would fall. Though not quite a prediction, I did advise, in my July 6th column, that folks shouldn’t panic, that the price of gas would likely fall, significantly, and soon. Five days later, crude oil hit an all-time high and the average price of gas at the pump followed, to a high of $4.11 a gallon national average.

And then, as if on cue, the price of crude fell roughly 20 percent. The pump price has dipped back below $4 a gallon and is still falling.

Of course, not all of my, er, prognostications are as rosy. Weeks ago I told you about animal rights extremists torching a van at UCLA. With the violent nature of such groups, I said people are going to get hurt.

Well, the violence has sure escalated. UC-Santa Cruz Professor David Feldheim’s house was firebombed as he, his wife and two young children slept. Thankfully, they were able to escape the burning home with relatively minor injuries.

Jerry Vlasak, a North American Animal Liberation spokesman, defended the attack, saying, “Perpetrators must be stopped using whatever means necessary, and the use of force is a morally righteous tactic. . . .”

I don’t need a crystal ball to see that these groups are the very opposite of righteous.

It only takes Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.