2009 Predictions

[wx247]

Here are a few predictions...

1. At least three of the high profile Cabinet members of Obama's administration will resign after a rather topsy-turvy year at the White House.

2. The U.S. weather will marked by a very substantial drought in the Great Plains (from Oklahoma and Kansas northward toward the Dakotas), driving prices for some foods drastically higher.

3. The Weather Channel will get visits by two meteorologists name Jeff Raineri and Bill Karins.

4. MSNBC will overtake CNN as the #2 news network in primetime.

5. The economy causes a popular fast-food chain to close up shop.

6. A strong surge in the economy makes the 2009 Christmas shopping season to be the best in the last four or five years.

7. A big ice storm grips areas from Missouri up the Ohio Valley in February, leaving many without power for over a week.

8. 2009 will be a record year for box office sales at the movies.

9. A 12 or 13 seed will make it to the Final Four in the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament.

10. I will log into Storm2K much more often.

[Brent]

A new, young, 17 year old electronic music DJ known as Evil Stereo will rock the world. (heh, I can dream)

I heard you got booed off the stage at your school talent show.

...



Are you stalking me?




o_O ...


Go away, you're creepy.

[therock1811]

My Six Predictions for 2009

1) There will be a series of earthquakes around magnitude 5.0 in California sometime midyear.
2) The midwest will see catastrophic flooding again in 2009, matching 2008.
3) A heat wave will claim at least 10 lives during summer somewhere in the eastern half of the US.
4) The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict will continue into March before an eventual relative calm is re-established.
5) Barack Obama will draw down troop strength in Iraq by 30-35 percent by December.
6) Storm2k will gain national recognition by the end of hurricane season.

[Tampa Bay Hurricane]

1)Major loss of life and carnage in the Middle East
2)Violent temperature swings and extremely potent
winter storm systems through May
3)Several Major Hurricanes in the Atlantic
4)Record Cold followed by Record Heat January-March
5)Record Heat in the Summer, numerous states
topping 110*F, especially in the West, as far north
as Utah and the Dakotas, as well as Montana
6)Tropical System will impact Florida in September with
possible storm surge along one or both of Florida's coasts
7)Heat Index will exceed 110*F in Florida and top 120*F in
some areas of Florida

[therock1811]

I have one more:

7) The communications industry will continue to suffer this year, and in Cincinnati, at least one major local name will either retire or be fired by the end of the first quarter.

[Ed Mahmoud]

1. At least three of the high profile Cabinet members of Obama's administration will resign after a rather topsy-turvy year at the White House.

One down, two to go.

[gtalum]

1. At least three of the high profile Cabinet members of Obama's administration will resign after a rather topsy-turvy year at the White House.

One down, two to go.

Well technically there was no resignation since he never was actually part of the cabinet.

[Ed Mahmoud]

1. At least three of the high profile Cabinet members of Obama's administration will resign after a rather topsy-turvy year at the White House.

One down, two to go.

Well technically there was no resignation since he never was actually part of the cabinet.

Technically.

[Stephanie]

8) One or two casinos in Atlantic City and/or Las Vegas will fail this year.

Okay, #8 looks like it's coming to fruition:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090222/casino_w ... _city.html

AP
Nothing but snake eyes for Atlantic City casinos
Sunday February 22, 12:57 pm ET
By Wayne Parry, Associated Press Writer
Seems like nothing but snake eyes and bad luck for Atlantic City's struggling casinos


ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Uncertainty has always been a way of life for casinos who make their money on games of chance. But now, Atlantic City casinos are looking at their own futures with uncertainty.
ADVERTISEMENT


Donald Trump quit as chairman of the casino company he once ran, and wants his name off the three casinos that have been synonymous with Atlantic City for decades, now that they're in bankruptcy for the third time.

The Tropicana Casino and Resort will file for bankruptcy next month, and Resorts Atlantic City -- the first casino in New Jersey -- could also become the first to be foreclosed on.

Since gambling was legalized here nearly 31 years ago, never has the country's second-largest casino market gone through this turbulent a time.

In addition to the economic slump, which leaves people with less money to gamble, Atlantic City's 11 casinos are being battered by fierce competition from slots parlors in Pennsylvania and New York. Those gambling halls are attracting people who recently had no choice but to come here unless they wanted to get on a plane to Las Vegas, or drive to faraway casinos in other states.

"We've never seen it like this," said Linda Kassekert, chairwoman of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. "This is a global recession, and the impact on discretionary income, you just see it immediately."

Last year, gambling revenue at Atlantic City's casinos fell 7.6 percent. The year before that, it was down 5.7 percent.

About 2,700 fewer people are now working in Atlantic City casinos than were employed a year ago. That's a 7 percent decline, and additional layoffs are being threatened.

"None of us could have predicted two years ago the way the world is now," said Nicholas Ribis, co-owner of Resorts, which is among the worst-performing casinos in Atlantic City. "I'm not saying this town is going to be back where it was two years ago. I wish it was.

"It's tough to get people to come," he said.

Resorts became the first casino outside Las Vegas when it opened in May 1978. But it remains one of the smallest gambling halls in town, and has not kept pace with newer, hipper casinos like the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

Resorts' parent company, an affiliate of Los Angeles-based Colony Capital, stopped making payments on a loan in November, saying they just couldn't afford it.

That prompted the lender, Column Financial, to ask the casino commission for permission to foreclose on Resorts. A decision could come in two weeks.

Ribis said taking out the $360 million mortgage was a mistake in hindsight.

"If I had a crystal ball two years ago, I would never have taken on that debt," he said. "Never, ever. But looking back, we saw growth. That's why we put up that beautiful new tower, with a plan to do extensive renovations (on the older hotel tower) next door. We're not able to do that now."

Resorts is not even able to say when it might be able to resume making loan payments. The casino's 2009 budget does not include them.

The Tropicana is expected to file for bankruptcy in late March, 14 months after its former owners were stripped of their casino license after laying off nearly 1,000 workers. That led to problems with cleanliness, service and compliance with state casino regulations.

Baltimore-based Cordish Company had been selected as a potential purchaser by the state-appointed conservator overseeing the Tropicana since then. But a deal has yet to be struck, and now a group including billionaire financier Carl Icahn may make a bid for the casino, according to his lawyer.

Still more uncertainty surrounds the three casinos owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts, which filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday, and were notified on Friday that their stock would be delisted from the NASDAQ exchange on Feb. 26. Its three casinos have now been through Chapter 11 three times as they seek some relief from debt that has suffocated the company as it tries to compete in Atlantic City.

Trump quit earlier this month after bond holders who hold an edge on the company's board of directors rebuffed his offer to buy the company and take it private.

It is far from assured that Trump will go quietly. As the holder of 28 percent of the company's stock -- even though he calls it "worthless to me now" -- Trump will still be in a position to influence the outcome of bankruptcy proceedings.

Trump points out that the casinos represent "substantially less than 1 percent of my net worth," which is mainly based in real estate.

For now, his name will stay on the three casinos under a 10-year agreement with the company that gives it the right to use the Trump name. Trump says he may sue to break that agreement.

The casinos plan to operate normally during the bankruptcy proceeding, even as questions swirl over whether Trump Entertainment will be able to complete a planned sale of Trump Marina Hotel Casino to Coastal Marina LLC, a company run by a former protege of Donald Trump.

Despite all the gloom, Ribis says Resorts -- and Atlantic City -- will survive.

"If I didn't believe it, I'd just give them (lenders) the keys, or file bankruptcy and go home," he said. "A lot of analysts say Atlantic City is yesterday's news. I don't agree with them."

Update - I forgot to mention that Station Casinos that own a lot of the older casinos in Las Vegas is bankrupt as well.

[zaqxsw75050]

Let me give this a try

1. Charlie Weis will find a way to screw up at ND next eyar, only leaidng the team to an 8-4 record

2. Dow will reach a low of about 2500 by summer

3, America will still be consumed by useless news stories instead of the upcoming war with Iran

4. Speaking of Iran, we will be at war with Iran, and NK will find yet another puppet to give us grief

5. Obama and Congress will clash repeaditly

6. -removed- will still annoy me

7. Season cancel posts will begin as soon as May 25th this season

8. Alberto Contador beats Lance Armstrong by 6 minutes at the Tour de France

9. Buffalo Sabres coach hits a new low by benching leading goal scorer Thomas Vanek when needing a goal to make the playoffs with 5 minutes remaining in the final game

10. Speaking of a new low, IMD reaches it when a cyclone with a Dvorak number of 8.0+ is called a deep depression just before striking the Ganges Delta in May

A few months back I would say that is nuts but now sadly looks like there is a chance that will happen...

[Nimbus]

2. Dow will reach a low of about 2500 by summer

Ya right and Armstrong will climb the Alpe D'huez in less than 38 minutes.

I'm looking for a rainbow

[Dionne]

2. Dow will reach a low of about 2500 by summer

Ya right and Armstrong will climb the Alpe D'huez in less than 38 minutes.

I'm looking for a rainbow

In 2004 Armstrong did the climb in 37 minutes-36 seconds.

[Stephanie]

13) There will be at least one major snow event (6" plus) for the metropolis of Washington DC through Boston this winter.

While there have been many snow instances in the various cities, especially Boston this winter, we have one heck of a major snow storm predicted for today into tomorrow morning from the Carolinas to the Northeast;

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

Looks like a foot or more everywhere there is a Winter Storm warning.

[GalvestonDuck]

5-Three well known actors die of different circunstances.

Wow!

4. Michael Jackson will get back in the news after a major quiet period since 2005.

Big time WOW!

[cycloneye]

All I can say is its stunning.

[Cyclenall]

Holy CRAP, I just looked at this thread and was searching for anyone's predictions for Michael Jackson and the first one in the thread came from my post predictions and this was it:

Here are mine for 2009:

4. Michael Jackson will get back in the news after a major quiet period since 2005

X 5 . What!?!

4. Michael Jackson will get back in the news after a major quiet period since 2005.

Big time WOW!

I agree, I almost fell off my chair when I read my own post!!!!

[Ptarmigan]

Holy CRAP, I just looked at this thread and was searching for anyone's predictions for Michael Jackson and the first one in the thread came from my post predictions and this was it:

Here are mine for 2009:

4. Michael Jackson will get back in the news after a major quiet period since 2005

X 5 . What!?!

4. Michael Jackson will get back in the news after a major quiet period since 2005.

Big time WOW!

I agree, I almost fell off my chair when I read my own post!!!!

YIKES! Creepy stuff!

[therock1811]

Wow indeed...

And so far, only this of my predictions has come to fruition:

3) A heat wave will claim at least 10 lives during summer somewhere in the eastern half of the US.

Sadly, heat is suspected in 11 deaths in the eastern half of the US.

[somethingfunny]

I'm only going to give the OP a midterm grade since there's too many predictions to go through them all:

What are your predictions for 2009? I didnt did bad with the 2008 Predictions.Lets see how the 2009 ones fare.

1-Storm2k will continue to be in the top among the best message boards around the internet.

Got that right, but traffic sure is down thanks to a slow season... right

2-Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will lose election.

Technically wrong, but in my opinion you nailed it! right

3-L.A Lakers win NBA title.

Sad, but true! right

4-San Diego Chargers win Superbowl.

This is your first miss so far. missed

5-Three well known actors die of different circunstances.

Way more than three. right

6-Obama is almost killed in a well orquestrated operation.

Not unless the Secret Service has been able to keep it quiet from us. incomplete

7-A major terrorist attack occurs in Mexico City.

Well it wasn't a terrorist attack, but there sure was a major world-changing disaster centered there this year. (H1N1) right

8-Boston Red Sox win World Series.

Too soon for a grade here. incomplete

9-North Korea president Kim Jong Ill dies of natural causes.

It could happen. He's not looking so good, and there's talk of a replacement coming soon. incomplete

10-A major hurricane makes landfall in western Florida.

It's only July. I hope you bust this prediction personally. incomplete

11-The Dow Jones will reach 14,000 in August.

Considering you're 50% correct and 40% incomplete thus far....I'm buying stock now! (If you're reading this in January 2010, the Dow is around 8200 right now ) incomplete

12-Venezuela President Hugo Chavez is assasinated in a coup operation.

.... incomplete

OH...and...

I predict no one will predict one thing right in 2009.

WRONG!

[Category 5]

1. The Flyers will win the Stanley Cup. < Wrong*
2. Florida will go back to the National Title game if Tebow comes back. < Incomplete
3. Neither the Giants or Titans will win the Super Bowl. < Correct
4. The Phillies will repeat. < Incomplete
5. North Carolina will win the NCAA basketball championship. < Correct
6. Amy Winehouse will bite the dust. < In progress
7. People will be screaming "Season Cancel" by the middle of June. < kind of, people are complaining so I'll count it
8. NJIT still won't win a basketball game. < wrong
9. Andy Reid will get fatter < this is a given
10. Bon Jovi will have Southerngale arrested for harassment. < I heard hes filing a restraining order