Predictions, 2008

[leroy]

Wouldn't it be fantastic to live in the Shire - good, honest labour, Rosie Cotton, Wednesday night down at the Green Dragon and up to at the Ivy Bush (Hobbiton way) for a few shots with Daddy Twofoot and the Gaffer for afterwards...

[bobthebaker]

Wouldn't it be fantastic to live in the Shire - good, honest labour, Rosie Cotton, Wednesday night down at the Green Dragon and up to at the Ivy Bush (Hobbiton way) for a few shots with Daddy Twofoot and the Gaffer for afterwards...

Lovely apart from that sodding ring around my neck.....

[oilslick]

Well, it's that time of year and someone on another forum had the bright idea of dragging up last year's predictions....so here's mine for me to laugh at in 12 months time.

- Credit crunch to go up several notches in the 1st quarter
- Some big brands to go bust or have serious problems (Woolies, Boots?). Lots of people and companies going bust
- Serious banking problems, probably more Northern Rocks will pop up. Barclays in trouble?
- More talk of sovereign wealth funds as they buy up 'our' crown jewels. The Sun will complain loudly
- House prices to fall 25%, 50% in some places. Financial panic everywhere.
- Gordon Brown to fall on his sword in the 2nd half of the year, possible nervous break down
- The first rumblings of social unrest as the government tries to increase taxes
- Pound to sink to $1.50 or 60, 1.20 euros, 170 yen. Gold to hit ?600 an ounce.
- Interest rates cut like mad but inflation to roar ahead with raises or talk of later in the year
- Mass reposessions, new laws left right and centre to try and keep people in their houses
- Growing blame aimed at immigrants...thankfully a lot may go home which might help cut down on unemployment
- Petrol to stay over ?1 although oil might fall into the $70 range as the US and Europe go into reverse
- Peak oil...might slip off the radar a bit as we worry about paying the bills and demand slows
- A bloke from Birmingham wins X Factor and Paris Hilton gets arrested for something

The worrying thing is I like to think of myself as a realist! Maybe I need to review that

Anyway, I think they call it 'creative destruction'. At least (non-dead-animal) farmers should have a good year...

Who's next?

Seeing Snow Hope's predictions for the future reminded me of mine from December so I thought I'd resurrect them.

Reckon the Euro one might have been too optimistic - it's April and we're already nearly there.

Still waiting for big brands to get into trouble...can only be a matter of time.

Looks like Gordie might muddle through the year but be rushed off to a mental hospital at some point

As for X-Factor, is it still showing?

[danza]

We'll all be a year older.

[Andy Hunt]

Nah, that's 2009.

[skeptik]

I said '68, not '67

hmm... 2008 looks more like 1928 to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression

[biffvernon]

Ooooh no. In 1928 civilization was fundamentally more resilient. It was before much of globalization, just-in-time and close interdepence of vulnerable systems.

[oilslick]

Well, it's that time of year and someone on another forum had the bright idea of dragging up last year's predictions....so here's mine for me to laugh at in 12 months time.

- Credit crunch to go up several notches in the 1st quarter
- Some big brands to go bust or have serious problems (Woolies, Boots?). Lots of people and companies going bust
- Serious banking problems, probably more Northern Rocks will pop up. Barclays in trouble?
- More talk of sovereign wealth funds as they buy up 'our' crown jewels. The Sun will complain loudly
- House prices to fall 25%, 50% in some places. Financial panic everywhere.
- Gordon Brown to fall on his sword in the 2nd half of the year, possible nervous break down
- The first rumblings of social unrest as the government tries to increase taxes
- Pound to sink to $1.50 or 60, 1.20 euros, 170 yen. Gold to hit ?600 an ounce.
- Interest rates cut like mad but inflation to roar ahead with raises or talk of later in the year
- Mass reposessions, new laws left right and centre to try and keep people in their houses
- Growing blame aimed at immigrants...thankfully a lot may go home which might help cut down on unemployment
- Petrol to stay over ?1 although oil might fall into the $70 range as the US and Europe go into reverse
- Peak oil...might slip off the radar a bit as we worry about paying the bills and demand slows
- A bloke from Birmingham wins X Factor and Paris Hilton gets arrested for something

The worrying thing is I like to think of myself as a realist! Maybe I need to review that

Anyway, I think they call it 'creative destruction'. At least (non-dead-animal) farmers should have a good year...

Who's next?

Just being sad and checking back in on my 2008 predictions.

Oh dear, seems I wasn't doomerish enough

Pretty close though considering house prices had hardly fallen (or had they?) in the UK back then.

[Bedrock Barney]

Well, it's that time of year and someone on another forum had the bright idea of dragging up last year's predictions....so here's mine for me to laugh at in 12 months time.

- Credit crunch to go up several notches in the 1st quarter
- Some big brands to go bust or have serious problems (Woolies, Boots?). Lots of people and companies going bust
- Serious banking problems, probably more Northern Rocks will pop up. Barclays in trouble?
- More talk of sovereign wealth funds as they buy up 'our' crown jewels. The Sun will complain loudly
- House prices to fall 25%, 50% in some places. Financial panic everywhere.
- Gordon Brown to fall on his sword in the 2nd half of the year, possible nervous break down
- The first rumblings of social unrest as the government tries to increase taxes
- Pound to sink to $1.50 or 60, 1.20 euros, 170 yen. Gold to hit ?600 an ounce.
- Interest rates cut like mad but inflation to roar ahead with raises or talk of later in the year
- Mass reposessions, new laws left right and centre to try and keep people in their houses
- Growing blame aimed at immigrants...thankfully a lot may go home which might help cut down on unemployment
- Petrol to stay over ?1 although oil might fall into the $70 range as the US and Europe go into reverse
- Peak oil...might slip off the radar a bit as we worry about paying the bills and demand slows
- A bloke from Birmingham wins X Factor and Paris Hilton gets arrested for something

The worrying thing is I like to think of myself as a realist! Maybe I need to review that

Anyway, I think they call it 'creative destruction'. At least (non-dead-animal) farmers should have a good year...

Who's next?

Just being sad and checking back in on my 2008 predictions.

Oh dear, seems I wasn't doomerish enough

Pretty close though considering house prices had hardly fallen (or had they?) in the UK back then.

and if you'd written in to the Daily Express with this list you'd have been laughed off the letters page.

[Budgie]

Well, it's that time of year and someone on another forum had the bright idea of dragging up last year's predictions....so here's mine for me to laugh at in 12 months time.

- Credit crunch to go up several notches in the 1st quarter
- Some big brands to go bust or have serious problems (Woolies, Boots?). Lots of people and companies going bust
- Serious banking problems, probably more Northern Rocks will pop up. Barclays in trouble?
- More talk of sovereign wealth funds as they buy up 'our' crown jewels. The Sun will complain loudly
- House prices to fall 25%, 50% in some places. Financial panic everywhere.
- Gordon Brown to fall on his sword in the 2nd half of the year, possible nervous break down
- The first rumblings of social unrest as the government tries to increase taxes
- Pound to sink to $1.50 or 60, 1.20 euros, 170 yen. Gold to hit ?600 an ounce.
- Interest rates cut like mad but inflation to roar ahead with raises or talk of later in the year
- Mass reposessions, new laws left right and centre to try and keep people in their houses
- Growing blame aimed at immigrants...thankfully a lot may go home which might help cut down on unemployment
- Petrol to stay over ?1 although oil might fall into the $70 range as the US and Europe go into reverse
- Peak oil...might slip off the radar a bit as we worry about paying the bills and demand slows
- A bloke from Birmingham wins X Factor and Paris Hilton gets arrested for something

The worrying thing is I like to think of myself as a realist! Maybe I need to review that

Anyway, I think they call it 'creative destruction'. At least (non-dead-animal) farmers should have a good year...

Who's next?

amazing. I remember looking at this list of yours last year thinking nah probably not that bad. Now that we're approaching the end of 08, I have to say, not a bad set of predictions at all!

[Mitch]

Yea Oilslick, that was pretty darned good! Do it again now till July '09 - let's see how close you are. I won't be putting any money on you being too far off though!

[Aurora]

I think we all know what 2009 has in store.

[oilslick]

Well, it's that time of year and someone on another forum had the bright idea of dragging up last year's predictions....so here's mine for me to laugh at in 12 months time.

- Credit crunch to go up several notches in the 1st quarter
- Some big brands to go bust or have serious problems (Woolies, Boots?). Lots of people and companies going bust
- Serious banking problems, probably more Northern Rocks will pop up. Barclays in trouble?
- More talk of sovereign wealth funds as they buy up 'our' crown jewels. The Sun will complain loudly
- House prices to fall 25%, 50% in some places. Financial panic everywhere.
- Gordon Brown to fall on his sword in the 2nd half of the year, possible nervous break down
- The first rumblings of social unrest as the government tries to increase taxes
- Pound to sink to $1.50 or 60, 1.20 euros, 170 yen. Gold to hit ?600 an ounce.
- Interest rates cut like mad but inflation to roar ahead with raises or talk of later in the year
- Mass reposessions, new laws left right and centre to try and keep people in their houses
- Growing blame aimed at immigrants...thankfully a lot may go home which might help cut down on unemployment
- Petrol to stay over ?1 although oil might fall into the $70 range as the US and Europe go into reverse
- Peak oil...might slip off the radar a bit as we worry about paying the bills and demand slows
- A bloke from Birmingham wins X Factor and Paris Hilton gets arrested for something

The worrying thing is I like to think of myself as a realist! Maybe I need to review that

Anyway, I think they call it 'creative destruction'. At least (non-dead-animal) farmers should have a good year...

Who's next?

Shame Gordie didn't make it to the mental hospital...still time I'm sure! Can't believe the social unrest has taken so long...but think it's here to stay.

[snow hope]

Hey Oilslick. How are things down under? No drought this year, I imagine.....

[oilslick]

Hey Oilslick. How are things down under? No drought this year, I imagine.....

Hi Snow...yep, I was under the impression Sydney was going to be a desert in 20 years before we came over. Never seen so much rain...and we've not had that much here!

How are things over there?