Amanda's Facebook Prediction

I was listening to NPR this morning and heard that Facebook is now the most visited website and has eclipsed Google. This is exactly what Amanda predicted. The interesting thing is that the story was not positive about Facebook.
If you want to read or listen to more on this topic visit
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/30/131700947/new-networks-target-discomfort-with-facebook

Economic Recovery in Iowa

In January, Wendy predicted that Iowa would lead the nation in economic recovery. Well she got it right.

A November 8, 2010 article in Newsweek talks about places in the nation (Iowa included) where the recession has not only been mild but are in some ways better off than they were before October 2008.

Here is an exceprt that pretty much tells it all.

Des Moines was recently rated the No. 1 spot in the country for business
and careers by Forbes magazine, thanks to a surging agricultural sector and
strength in the business-services segment.

Read the entire article at: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/08/the-top-10-places-in-america-poised-for-recovery.html

Tom and Beth's prediction on midterm elections...

In January, Tom and Beth predicted that "Midterm elections would swing to the right with 36 Congress and 8 Senate seats changing hands"

That is pretty close to what happened.

As of tonight, there were six seats in the Senate that have changed from Dem to Rep and two to be decided. They could hit that part on the nose! And although they could have gotten it a little closer, it looks like about 60 House of Representative seats changed hands.

Looks like we have some pretty savvy pundits on our hands. Look out Fox News!

Biden Swears in public predicted by Ben!

It may be a year late but Joe Biden very publicly swore last week during the health care bill press conference. Read about it here.
Here is Ben's original prediction from 2009.

Should we award him bonus points?

Local movie-goers pick Academy Awards winners

http://www.galesburg.com/lifestyles/x1013166431/Local-movie-goers-pick-Academy-Awards-winners

Anybody look familiar here?

olympics, the winners...

Ben was closest on the total medals. The US won 37 medals and Ben guessed 35. Jerry also gets some credit for predicting the total number of silver medals won by the US. He guessed 15!

CDC Panel Calls for Flu Vaccine for All

CDC Panel Calls for Flu Vaccine for All

Didn't Gail predict that school children will have the get the flu vaccine?

Olympics

I am really enjoying the Olympics this year and wondered who would get the closest to the medal count. I checked and there are 90 medal events so some of us are being unrealistically optimistic. Here are the totals of what we all guessed. A running count of the US medals to date is below.

Medal Count

Best Picture Nominations

Here is the list of Academy Awards Best Picture Nominations.... obviously some of our predictors are ruled out as their movie did not get nominated. For some of them, I wonder if the movie was even released in 2009.

"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"District 9"
"Up"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The Blind Side"
"Up in The Air,"
"A Serious Man"
"An Education"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' By Sapphire"

Ellen the Soothsayer's Prophecy

And finally, here is what our reigning champ believes will happen:

1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be an Ebook notebook computer.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include the obesity epidemic shortens expected life spans in US.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage,
etc) caused will be flooding this spring when all the snow melts.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will
be 7.9%
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Mike Huckabee.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 8 Gold, 11 Silver and 10 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about climate change occuring faster then predicted. Major crop failures and famine.

8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Invictus.

9. Major shift in how we look at food sources. More local sources used. Lessfood shipped across the world, less consumtion of meat.

Bret's picture of the future

In the year 2010 …
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be a Blackberry.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include the failure of the Obama healthcare plan.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be a volcano.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 4.5%.
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to a would be presidential assassin.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 23 Gold, 20 Silver and 15 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about global warming.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Avatar .
9. Inflation will be the highest in 40 years.

Jerry's Vaticinations

1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be MP3 portable satellite radio.

2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include EZ Tattoo remover .
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be worst springtime tornado season in history .
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 4.4%.
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Rod Blagojevich ministry.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 15 gold 15 silver 13 bronze medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about womb transplants.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Avatar.
9. Banks continue to outsmart IRS.

Parker Predicts

In the year 2010…
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be an Ebook

2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include a new infectious disease that will start spreading causing fear and panic but will eventually turn into something that’s not a big deal

3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be an earthquake in Asia,

4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 6.2%

5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Zach Galifianakis, who will become the new hottest actor of 2010

6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 10 gold, 8 silver and 8 bronze medals.

7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about global climate change and the government’s and scientific community withholding information about it and humans actual impact vs natures natural changes.

8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Shutter Island.

9. Cloud computing will become an actual reality in 2010 not just something people are talking about.

Gail's Forecast

In the year 2010…
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be the Droid Cellphone.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include the Government requiring a H1N1 vaccine for all children.

3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be if it is legal to put something that has already happened, then the earthquake in Haiti, if not a hurricane hits the Northeast .
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 5.2%.
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Pauly from Jersey Shore.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 6. 9 gold 7 silver 10 bronze medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about plastic surgery for children .
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.
9. In an effort of help the people of Haiti, too many people will go to help out, leaving the country even more desperate for the supplies they need.

Ben's Prophecies

1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be the Amazon Kindle.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include Sytropin, benefits of Marijuana, Longjack as cancer cure.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be Probably the earthquake in Haiti, but a drought in China is next.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 4.8%.
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Rush Limbaugh.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 12 gold, 9 silver, 14 bronze medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about hydrogen fuel production by way of algae.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to The Hobbit.
9. Penguins >>>
win the cup

Jill's best predictions ever

Jill tells us that this year…
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be a netbook
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include a new diet drug
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be an earthquake in China
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 7%
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Sarah Palin
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 12 Gold, 18 Silver and 16 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about genetic testing
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Up in the Air.
9. Federal court finds Blagovich guilty and he develops reality show called “The Big House”

Amanda's predictions

Amanda tells us that this year…
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be plug in drawing pads (USB adaptable) for computers. A way to make art electronic and combine editing with hand creativity.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include brain transplants, more Swine Flu panic, better HIV/AIDS vaccines.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be disastrous earthquakes (Beyond the Haitian earthquake). These earthquakes will cause general panic and disorder.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 5.3%
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Blagojevich. Rod Blagojevich’s face will smatter the news with his cast on the Celebrity Apprentice and his sentencing in the summer. He will do anything for press.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 23 Gold, 19 Silver, 33 Bronze
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about stem cell research.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Precious.
9. Facebook becomes as large as Google. You can get anywhere in the internet if you have a facebook account.

Jaimie's prognostications

In the year 2010 Jaimie predicts….
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be mobile television on your cell phone.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include a cure found for type one diabetes.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be The Haitian earthquake.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 6.0%
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Speidi--

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.

6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 7 Gold, 12 Silver and 22 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about storing light particles/ rays in frozen atoms.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Avatar.
9. Uncle Mark and Scott will have some sort of reunion.

Pete's partial predictions

In the year 2010 Pete predicts…
1. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 7.3%.
2. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 35 Gold, 20 Silver and 40 Bronze Medals.
3. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Prince of Persia; Sands of Time.
4. Vikings will not win the Super Bowl.

Wendy's guesses

In the year 2010 Wendy predicts …
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be a new gaming device.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include stem cell therapy for diabetes.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be hurricane on the Florida coast.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 5.0
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to custody battle with a surrogate mother who is actually a grandmother.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 10 Gold, 8 Silver and 12 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about global warming.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Julie and Julia.

9. Iowa will lead the country in economic recovery.

Jeff's predicitons

In the year 2010 Jeff predicts …
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be the Iphone.
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include H1N1 improves sex drive.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be too late- it’s obviously Haiti- But my FUTURE prediction is- Global Cooling freezes old farts in Florida.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84658470@N00/http://www.flickr.com/photos/84658470@N00/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 5.6
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Obama – was found partying with Tiger.
6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 16 Gold, 24 Silver and 30 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about a $1,000,000 cancer cure injection, and it’s not covered by insurance.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to… Adam Sandler (?)
9. Michael Jackson will be reported to be alive and faking his death.

Tom and Beth's predictions for 2010

Tom and Beth predict that in the year 2010…
1. The top selling electronic device under $500 will be Iphone4
2. The top 10 medical stories found on WebMD will include genetic therapy breakthroughs.
3. The worst natural disaster in terms of IMPACT (lives lost, damage, etc) caused will be flooding on the west coast.
4. In December 2010, the unemployment rate for the state of Iowa will be 8.7%
5. The longest fifteen minutes of fame will go to Paris Hilton’s dog. It is kidnapped!

6. The United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics will win 57 Gold, 38 Silver and 24 Bronze Medals.
7. The most newsworthy scientific controversy will be about global warming which becomes global cooling.
8. The winner of an Academy Award for Best Picture will go to Avatar.
9. Midterm elections will swing to the right with 36 Congress and 8 Senate seats changing hands.

2009 wrap up

Our group of prognosticators was pathetic in guessing what would happen in 2009. Once again Ellen proved to be the most correct, although only by a small margin. Here is a review of what we predicted and what actually happened:

1. We guessed the hot new electronic item of 2009 would be: subscription radio for cell phones, something involving GPS, creation of very large wireless umbrellas, a laptop for every school child, a new kind of car with alternative fuel source, a roll up or collapsible computer, a Bluetooth-like device that is implanted inside your head, a new application with electronic paper or the Blackberry storm. What actually sold well this year was the Kindle 2, portable GPS systems and flat panel TV sets. The idea of laptops for every child was nice but didn’t occur.

2. Here is what we thought might happen during Obama;'s 2009 presidency: His economic package would pass with difficulty in congress but will start to recharge the economy, VP Joe Biden would swear on National TV, a close aid would betray Obama, former Bush cabinet members would be tried for war crimes and the country would see more racially motivated hate crimes against blacks. The economic package prediction came true, if you believe that the economy was recharged. No one guessed that the President would win a Nobel or commit more troops to Afghanistan.

3. When predicting what would happen in medical news we thought that possibly that nationwide hospitals would reach crisis financially and in capacity, we might see the commercial cloning of livestock, that Autism would be in the news a lot, a breakthrough screen for pancreatic cancer would be newsworthy, that an extinct species would be cloned, that there would be a new, lifesaving diabetes treatment or that new therapies would come out of stem cell research. None of us guessed that the biggest health story of 2009 would be the flu, more trouble for Tylenol or that the AIDS vaccine finally developed would only be a very modest success. Partial points for Autism as it continued to be a major worry with 1% of children ages 3-17 diagnosed with some sort of Autism spectrum disorder.

4. Political scandals are always occurring but we didn’t get any of them correct. Here is what we thought might happen but didn’t: Hillary Clinton would be indicted for breaking campaign finance laws, Gov. Schwarzenegger exposed as having affair, or a Supreme Court justice found to be a sexual deviant.

5. 2009 had less natural disasters than previous years in this decade. Here is what didn’t happen: Another major hurricane struck the southern United States, worse flooding in the Midwest than 2008, major volcano, a meteor hit the Atlantic Ocean, major drought in US or a tidal wave hitting the East Coast. We did see a pretty significant power outage in December after the winter storm, so partial points there.

6. In 2009 the big international political story was actually Afghanistan and Iraq. Here is where we missed the mark: a new Shiite vs. Sunni conflict somewhere in the Middle East, predicting revolutions in China or Russia, an assassination attempt on the British PM, UN representative being implicated in Somalia piracy, a change in the role of UN peacekeeping or something involving Hugo Chavez. While Hugo Chavez did a lot of a lot of trouble making in 2009 with his threats towards Toyota and continued attempts to form a socialist state we didn’t find him to be very central to the news. Partial points awarded for having a name that actually made news.

7. Predictions about the economy in 2009 were all over the place. Because the economy is a somewhat vague term, it was also hard to definitively say who got it right. We can say we haven’t completely recovered from the crash of October 2008 nor has the great depression reoccurred.

8. Some of the freestyle predictions were fairly entertaining, despite their inaccuracy. We didn’t send a manned expedition to mars, Schwarzenegger did not develop a pump it up Wii game, while the biological roots of homosexuality have long been suspected, there was no new research news, nor were there supply shortages in the US. Due to the economy there was a lot of talk about living cheaper so points were awarded to the guessers of a move towards minimalist fashion and the rise in old fashioned activities, such as reading or playing cards.

In 2010 we will develope some different predictions and thus make this blogger's life a little easeir.