The electronic crystal ball has shown me two words: "Athens environment". I see the Olympic flame. I see a police officer. I see a duck. The future becomes clear.

To allay any fears that a police officer might use the Olympic flame to roast a duck, let me first say that I do not foresee that happening. What I do see is the Greek government putting significant emphasis on creating a secure environment for the Olympic Games. Police officers and other security personnel will be out in force.

I also foresee environmentalists using the Games as a forum to protest the failure of certain nations to ratify the Kyoto protocol. I see them marching around Athens with duck head replicas mounted on poles made to look like the Olympic torch. The ducks will look sickly, like they are choking on pollution. They will chant slogans about how we need to provide a good environment for ducks, just as we do for athletes. When accused of acting in bad taste with the duck torches, they will respond, "how can you expect a duck to taste good when he's breathing such foul air?"

Numerous fans will be late to competitions because of traffic congestion caused by the protestors.

Can this future be avoided? Yes. If the Greek government will, a week before the games, pass a law prohibiting the use of likenesses of birds in environmental protests, the police will be able to arrest the protestors before they cause traffic problems.