Tuesday, December 22, 2009

2009 Predictions Reviewed

I just sent my co-bloggers a note urging them to think of their 2010 predictions so that we might have an all prediction day on the 31st. I made some predictions last year-- and here's how they stack up:

--On December 31, 2009, the Dow Jones Industrial average will be above 10,200
Yep
--On December 31, 2009, unemployment will be at 6.6%, on a downward trend
Way wrong
--The BCS will announce a playoff system to begin with the 2011 season
Wrong
--Israel will not attack Iran (directly) in 2009, Iran will not attack Israel (directly)
Yep
--Israel will be involved in another war in Southern Lebanon
Wrong
--Brad Pitt will win a "Best Actor" Oscar
Wrong
--Hillary Clinton will withdraw her name from consideration for Secretary of State after an uproar following new disclosures of her husband's post-presidential dealings with foreign powers
Wrong
At least one major newspaper (that is, one of the top ten in circulation) will cease to publish in 2009. No one will notice.

Wrong
--Ten thousand US troops will be deployed somewhere in the world in support of some humanitarian operation (not in the US)
Wrong--I was thinking Sudan here.
--The average price of unleaded regular in the US will be $2.96
Wrong--$2.58
--The US will announce unilateral reductions in its Strategic Nuclear forces to less than 1400 warheads. The nuclear triad will be disestablished, with all our strategic forces moving to submarines and manned bombers.
Wrong, but close--we will have a new deal with the Russians soon.
--Lindsay Lohan will return to a strictly heterosexual life
Apparently correct
--On 31 December 2009, there will be less than 90,000 US troops in Iraq, but there will be 45,000 in Afghanistan
Wrong on Iraq (not that low yet) and Afghanistan (higher)

7 comments:

NOTstradamus said...

2.5 for 13. At least you can keep yourself financially viable with one of your 2.5 being a correct stock market prediction.

Dan said...

Israel v. Iran.

2009 still has 8 days left.

Your PATRIOT batteries stand ready.

"The Hammer" said...

Looks like that job offer from the "Psychic Friends Network" is null and void.
Well in the interest of advancing the dark arts I'll repeat my one and only prediction of last year.
I predicted that Obama's approval numbers after one year in office would be in the mid-forties. Correctimundo!
I also predicted at the mid-term elections he will be in the low forties after having flirted with the high thirty percent range for a while.
I predicted by his third year in office even NBC will have him around 35% to 38%.
And finally, come next election I said, he will consistently poll in the thirties, occasionally lower. He will lose the election in dramatic fashion with one of the lowest popular vote totals in modern history, 42%.
Oh yeah, I predict Lindsay Lohan will continue to get drunk and high but the tabloid press will be uninterested, having seen it all before.

You heard it here first.

Smoothfur said...

I predict that the majority of political pundits will be surprised at the election outcomes due to not fully understanding the apathy of the American people that was brought on by being lied to and economically screwed by their elected officials.

Contradiction Police said...

GHD - "my one and only prediction" and "i also predicted" calls into question your veracity.

Ghost of Halloween Past said...

Smoothfur said...

"I predict that the majority of political pundits will be surprised at the election outcomes due to not fully understanding the apathy of the American people that was brought on by being lied to and economically screwed by their elected officials."

I don't know about that, we came out in droves last time that happened, why, just last year :)

Seriously, a fear the same apathy. We need the Roberts Court to do something mind-boggling that puts a burning fear of the turn of the wheel into Democrats.

"The Hammer" said...

My veracity was shot years ago.

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