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ATTENTION: Proposal for a TMV Prognostication Competition

Posted by MARC PASCAL in Arts & Entertainment, At TMV, Economy, Education, Health, International, Media, Miscellaneous, Places, Politics, Religion, Science & Technology, Society, War.
Oct 15th, 2009 | Comments

I would like to invite all writers, editors, commentators and readers to make some major predictions for the future that they believe will transpire by or around certain future dates. I ran this idea by Joe Gandelman last week who told me to run with it.

These “revelations” can concern science, technology, environment, wars and militaries, climate change, healthcare, religion, politics, economics, business, finance/banking, the performing arts, style/fashion, the media and mass communications, transportation, sports, sex, space exploration, or any other subject that is of special interest to them or upon which they possess particular expertise or “clairvoyance.”

I would like each participant to provide at least 4 but not more than 9 specific prognostications for the following 4 dates (time periods):
(1) January 2, 2011
(2) December 30, 2012
(3) January 2, 2020
(4) December 30, 2030
You can also include predictions that might come true sometime between those dates but would still be in existence or relevant for historical purposes on those 4 specific dates. (For example, the U.S. dollar ceases to be a viable world currency except for Internet Monopoly Games at the same time as the DOW hits 35,000 in June of 2015. Those 2 predictions could properly be included under either subcategory 2 or 3 above.)

These predictions should reflect our hopes, fears, fancies, playfulness, and some heartfelt thought. However, submissions do not need extensive explanations or justifications based upon historical trends. You can simply jump to the various conclusions as would any clairvoyant.

I would request that everyone please avoid specific prognostications about any particular public individuals (unless provided in light-hearted jest. TMV is not designed to be an online tabloid.) We should also avoid any discussions of the untimely deaths of individuals, but predictions of widespread loss of life due to climate change, war, eathquake, disease, or other events would be appropriate. Stunning revelations about the complete demise of particular political parties, businesses, nations, and cultural trends are highly encouraged.

I personally predicted the massive financial and economic collapse of 2008 back in 2004, though I had been harping pretty continuously about these dismal subjects for several years before and since 2004 without bothering to issue any formal public pronouncement. I only told some friends and family while I was still living in Cleveland, Ohio – not a place where happy thoughts are frequently launched. Unfortunately I did not post on TMV before 2009 or elsewhere on the Internet to prove my special clairvoyant powers. I actually was not too sure exactly when the collapse was going to happen but I said in 2004 it would occur within 3 to 7 years and last about 3 to 5 years.

I would like to assemble, compare, distribute, publish and save these prognostications so everyone will be able to compare notes when these dates finally arrive. We will have to provide special recognition for those who guess the best and some friendly ridicule for those who predict the worst. I am positive enough that I hope to be around in 2020 and 2030, but I’m not too sure of much beyond that time.

Regular TMV bloggers can provide predictions in their own posts, readers can leave comments below, and everyone can send their suggestions to my email: avenir99pm@yahoo.com. Please put everything in the body of your email and please also avoid any attachments. Thanks to everyone in advance for their participation, and happy prognosticating from Marc Pascal.

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redbus

Why not? This sounds fun. : - )

2015 -- Year by which the last dead-trees newspaper in the U.S. folds
2012 -- Roe v. Wade overturned by Scotus; abortion still legal in 30 of the 50 states
2011 -- Gay marriage legal in all 50 states, by SCOTUS ruling
2020 -- Brett Favre comes out of retirement for the fourth time, but is permanently sidelined when tackled by an irate cheerleader
2013 -- FaceBook and MySpace merge, but never soon go under due to dispute over new name. Half want MyFace, half want SpaceBook

shannonlee

"You can simply jump to the various conclusions as would any clairvoyant"

As opposed to how we usually jump to our conclusions? ;)

kathykattenburg

Okay, here's one:

By 2015, scientists will have found a way to safely remove an implanted ovum, zygote, embryo, or fetus from a woman's uterus and either freeze it or implant it into the womb of a woman who can't conceive or whose partner cannot impregnate her. Abortion will remain legal for women whose reasons for needing one are not addressed by the reverse in vitro procedure (e.g., serious fetal abnormality or medical condition, possible health risks to the mother from a live removal of a fetus, etc.).

D. E.Rodriguez

January 2, 2011:

1. Our economy has recovered

2. GOP takes full credit for the recovery

3. We have sent an additional 100,000 troops to Afghanistan

4. GOP wants to do another "surge."

tidbits

March 8, 2214: Texas becomes the last state to abolish the death penalty, having executed 38,641 inmates (2612 of whom were later proven innocent).

2012: The collarless leisure suit makes a comeback in men's fashion.

2025: Major League Baseball finally gets rid of the designated hitter and the infield fly rule. Attendance soars.

2030: In foreclosure proceedings before the World Court, the US offers to turn over control of the government to China. China refuses, demanding control of a solvent country in lieu of the US.

Silhouette

*Puts on her wizard's cap and shines up the old crystal ball*..lol...

dduck12

2009: Obama will send in more troops and it's going to be "a war of necessity" again. Hopefully he wasn't influenced by the Nobel and PM Brown.

Don Quijote

January 2, 2011:
150,000 American troops are in Afghanistan, still unable to control anything other than the ground under their boots.
Unemployment hits 12%.
December 30, 2012
President Obama reelected, Democrats have 65 seats in the Senate, and 300 seats in the House.
Unemployment reaches 15%, the DOW breaks the 15,000 point, the US Dollar is worth a quarter of a Euro.
January 2, 2020
After the Military Coup of 2016 that puts General McChystal in the White House and bring in a fascist Government.
2018 USA invades Canada, due to shortage of Oil, a Civil War ensues, the Fascist Government loses to the insurgency which is based around the Great Lakes, the North East and the West coast.The South-East and the Plain States secedes after being defeated by the guerrillas.
Quebec declares independence.
Texas Declares independence.
North-American Political boundaries redrawn, Quebec, Texas (Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico), CSA ( Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri ), USA ( New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia ), Cascadia (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia ) California Republic( California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah ) New England ( New England + Maritime Provinces), Great Lakes Federation ( Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario), Buffalo Commons (Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana, Wyoming, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba ), and the Great Northern Republic ( Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut).
December 30, 2030
Race riots & ethic Cleansing in the CSA lead to the creation of New Africa in the former States of Mississippi and Alabama.

Leonidas

(1) January 2, 2011
Unemployment still in the double digits.

(2) December 30, 2012
Moderate Democrats in Congress have been reduced by 1/3rd or more and replaced mainly by by moderate Republicans in several swing states and purple districts. The far left proclaims it glad to see them gone and claims that had they been more radical they would still be in office. Republicans once again control the Senate, The House is evenly split. Mitt Romney narrowly elected President after Barack Obama'd challege in Ohio failed (Florida wasn't even close going heavily for Romney). Romney became the first President to be elected despite losing his home state. The still lagging economy was the main issue and Romney lead on this and used the Presidential debates to good advantage.

(3) January 2, 2020
Iran has its first successful test of a nuclear weapon and China places a man on the moon. Evan Bayh is President and enjoying a moderately successful presidency, inheriting an upturned economy from the Romney administration.

(4) December 30, 2030
Keynsian economics proclaimed dead. North Korea rejoins the world community after a transformation of its government following the death of Kim Jong-il.

Father_Time

The future is always in motion, hard to see the future is.....

Yoda

Based on the past as the only reference for the future, I suspect there will be plenty of wars, disasters both natural and man made , death, destruction, corruption, violent crime, poverty, famine, political upheaval, ect…ect…

Fortunately on January 2, 2011, an alien spaceship will land and take away Rush Limbaugh as a food source, ending discontent as we know it.

Silhouette

Ah father time, such a pessimist! I predict there will be uncommon acts of valor, beauty and courage that will right the sinking ship.

OK, I predict that by 2012 the internet will have educated so many worldwide users about each other that overall hate and malice towards each other will have diminished. I predict many quiet and stalwart uprisings though as a natural consequence of this as populations refuse to be duped by their leaders' propaganda anymore. Things will level out by 2050 as a new generation armed with more knowledge than any before it, strikes back at ignorance which is the only true enemy of mankind.

Being kept brainwashed and in the dark has been so costly for most but very lucrative for some..

dduck12

dduck12

2009: Obama having read about Teddy Roosevelt and his Nobel prize, sends a letter to The Nobel Prize Committee saying he would pick up the prize and the money after he leaves office.
"TR did not actually pick up the prize money (or the prize itself) until 1910, when he visited Europe after his African Safari. He did not feel right accepting the prize while he was in office."

2010: Republicans still struggling to get into the Health Care Reform game decide to dust off Nixon's old 1974 plan. It goes over like a lead balloon. Reid and Pelosi seen rolling around the floor laughing.

2011: Health Care debate still going on. Northerners, especially from Vermont and westerners, especially from Colorado, point to the high diabetes rates in the southern states and demand a new "fat panel' to replace the void left by the old death panel. Obama promises no sanctions against McDonalds and pushes for more jogging to the fast food palaces.

2012: It's here, since the mid-term elections caused a shifting in power, the dems and reps ironed it out. You will go annually to your local body inspection station (BIS) (next to the electric car charging post) and get your body checked. You earn points for weight, cholesterol, and 17 other bodily functions, which determines your next year's premium. Some seniors, since their reduced benefits kicked in to help pay for the new plan, are seen dying their hair and trying to sneak into the new BIS under assumed names, adopted from the illegal immigrant friends they know (yes they are covered too).

2013: Crystal ball in the shop for repairs.

2015/2016: Obama consulting with Chavez and Mayor Bloomberg on extending his Presidency. Chelsea Clinton protests since she managed to get the qualification age lowered to 30. Schwarzenegger miffed at no new Austrian exemption bills proposed.

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