HedgeFund.net’s “man on the inside” goes public with his “Sturdy 30” — 30 predictions for 2008. Here are a few to give you an idea of how hedge-fund types are viewing the political/economic/college basketball landscape:

1. The Dow will go below 10,500 led by a collapse in consumer discretionary stocks.
2. The 10-year note yields below 3%.
3. The problems in the U.S. banking sector won’t be solved by a government-sponsored program. It will only shine more light on the problems.
4. The Fed’s continued panic-easing will only exacerbate our problems, as Bernanke’s creation of real negative interest rates takes hold, laying the groundwork for more problems.
5. Inflation will rear its ugly head, making the term “stagflation” in vogue again.
6. Most economists will capitulate and admit we are in a recession by March.
7. Obama-Clinton ticket for Dems.
8. McCain-Huckabee for Republicans.
9. The Dems will win a landslide receiving a popular vote not seen since Johnson’s victory against Goldwater.
12. Giuliani will move into oblivion after he files for divorce once more.
13. Edwards is in Obama’s cabinet.
14. Housing in NYC will move down 20% as Wall Street bonuses collapse.
17. Oil prices will prove less volatile than 2007.
19. Unemployment will hit 6% by the November election.
26. Duke, Memphis, UCLA and UNC will be in the Final Four.
27. George Bush will become an environmentalist.
28. Al Gore will star in another movie.