Richard Method

If your a regular reader of my blog, you’ll notice that this time last year I made some predictions concerning myself and the world at large. To refresh you memory, here is the post.

http://www.richardmethod.com/2009/12/30/my-2010-predictions/

Now, usually people who do the blog prediction thing wait until late December or early January, but I’m bored so I’m doing mine now.

I’m going to include each item and my reasoning on whether or not it came true or not. OK, here we go.

PERSONAL PREDICTIONS

Barring any unforeseen events, like a KFC opening next door to my apartment, I will lose around 50+ pounds this year.
Well . . nope. Didn’t happen

My Spanish studying will start to take hold and I may actually have a complete conversation with someone in Spanish.
TRUE. I can now order the following in Spanish at the local Wendy’s. Spicy chicken wrap with a large diet coke and small strawberry milkshake.

I won’t lose my job.
TRUE. I actually got a, what you could call, promotion. My own office.

By the end of the year, I’ll have most, if not all of my credit cards paid off.
PARTLY TRUE. I’m about done with the small stuff, but the big one is left to go. But, I’m using the Dave Ramsey snowball method so it shouldn’t take long to pay off.

Fighting my ADD tooth and nail, I will become more organized and will actually achieve some goals.
TRUE/FALSE. Still trying, but it’s hard.

There is at least a 50/50 chance I might actually have sex this year. Miracles do happen.
FALSE. Yep. The life of a computer programmer continues to be boring.

I will have at least one tragedy happen to me.
TRUE. Had a good friend commit suicide. Sad doesn’t describe how I feel about that.

I will go on at least one date.
FALSE. Again, my life is pretty boring.

ECONOMY PREDICTIONS

Xmas sales will be seen as being pretty bad and a small to mid size bankruptcy wave of various retails stores will occur. This will of course increase unemployment, which I don’t see going below 9 percent.
TRUE. TRUE. TRUE. Boy, did I ever nail this one.  Here are some links to prove my point.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/239897-jobs-report-proves-we-d-better-get-on-course
http://seekingalpha.com/article/239928-jobs-report-is-a-double-dip-red-alert-manufacturing-and-exports-at-risk
http://seekingalpha.com/article/239954-after-all-the-hype-jobs-up-an-anemic-39-000-unemployment-rises-to-9-8-quicksand-of-stimulus

As the year drags on, the belief that we are in a recovery will fall apart creating the distinct possibility of another recession.
TRUE. I’m marking this one true even though we are not *technically* in a recession, it sure feels that way to me.

Either California or New York, perhaps both, will declare some type of fiscal emergency. I don’t think that there is legal precedent for a state to actually file for bankruptcy, but any emergency fiscal action will be seen as such.
FALSE . . BUT.  Since the Republicans gained control of the House and increased there margins in the Senate (thank you Jesus), a bailout of California or any state is looking pretty grim. The american people are sick of bailouts. So, this could be updated to TRUE pretty soon.

Greece, Japan and maybe Britain will do the same.
TRUE. Marking this TRUE even though they haven’t technically done so. They are bankrupt. As soon as the current loans run out, things will be getting pretty bad in Europe.

Consumer spending will stay flat for most of the year.
TRUE. I have to say, I nailed this one.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-01/u-s-consumer-spending-rises-less-than-forecast-incomes-unexpectedly-drop.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/business/economy/04econ.html

THE NATION PREDICTIONS

A major terror attack will occur.
FALSE. There were some small attacks, but nothing as big as I had thought would happen. So, I’m marking this one FALSE.

The President will bow to at least 3 more people.
FALSE? I really don’t know about this, I’ve lost count.

The phrase Jimmy Carter 2.0 will begin to take hold as President Obama continues to wonder through the darkness.
TRUE. TRUE. and TRUE. Boy, I sure did nail this one. I vaguely remember Carter and this President is making Carter look like a genius.

Taxes, in one form or another, will be going up.
FALSE. The Republicans, and for that matter, many Democrats wouldn’t dare.

The Republicans will sweep the mid-terms providing some much needed balance in Washington.
TRUE. Nailed this one to.

THE WORLD PREDICTIONS

Israel and/or America will bomb the nuclear sites in Iran. Iran will then retaliate by attacking various oil wells which will send oil prices through the roof. This will occur only if Iran isn’t overthrown by it’s citizens, which is looking more and more likely everyday.
FALSE. Didn’t happen. However, I do believe that either the CIA and/or MOSSAD  created the Stuxnet worm to attack Iran’s nuclear program. See some links below.
http://venturebeat.com/2010/11/29/computer-worm-that-hit-irans-nuclear-equipment-is-also-taking-out-other-industrial-systems/
http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/how-worm-turned_520704.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/sep/26/iran-computer-bug-attcks-nuclear-plants

The fraud of climate change will begin to take hold and the nations will not pass any type of significant climate legislation.
TRUE. Seeing the liberals freak-out about Climategate was hilarious. I think that the public is finally awake to the belief that climate change is one big hoax.

Afghanistan will be brutal for a while, but will calm down towards the end of the year.
FALSE. Sorry to say it’s been bad for most of the year.

MEDIA PREDICTIONS

At least one major newspaper will go out of business.
TRUE. Actually, more than one went out of business. Here is the list.