Your predictions for 2009

[feufoma]

1. Oil will rebound to $100/bbl by the end of 2009 and will likely stay above that level permanently due to peak oil. It will become evident that geology trumps the law of supply and demand.

2. Dow will toy with 4000 after the irrational exuberance period following Obama's inauguration.

3. 150k jobs lost in Houston.

4. Chrysler will fail.

5. People will begin to realize that we're at the end of the period of rampant consumerism and easy credit. Coupled with peak oil this will lead to many more home gardens to grow basic food, etc. There will be a re-evaluation of suburban life and, in many areas (not Houston per se), a move to the inner city. Inner city housing prices will improve.

[marmer]

1. The 2009 Astros will make the 2008 Astros look like the 1927 Yankees. They will have a solidly losing record by mid-season.

2. There will be another major hurricane and at least one very bad hurricane scare. People will take these seriously now.

3. Rice will discreetly put off the Baylor Med talks.

4. The 1940 Air Terminal Museum will complete its interior renovation and become a household word in Houston.

5. This one makes me sad, but Galveston won't come back. It's hurt too bad.

Here's a bonus #6: Best Buy, Lowe's, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Borders, Wendy's, Target, RadioShack, CVS, Chili's, and Sonic will all dramatically cut their number of stores or leave Houston altogether. If not them, then their too-similar-market competitors will.

[Rammer]

4) 'The Trans-Texas Corridor will get axed due to budget concerns'

Only the name has been axed. The new name is 'Innovative Connectivity Plan'. Bilderberg Perry still has a valid contract with Cintra of Spain and Zachry Construction Co. of San Antonio, for projects paralleling I-35.

[CoolBuddy06]

Not gonna happen. They are wallowing like pigs in all the cash they are raking in on fees. Fees, fees, and more fees. Even though jet fuel, like gasoline, is cheap... they keep the fees.

Oh really. I just got got a 10% off AA coupon mailer last night. When did airlines turn to department stores? Just wait till people make their choices about summer vacation this year.

3. At least one chain restaurant will file for chapter 11.

[amanda]

1. Astros will make the playoffs but lose first round to the Mets or Phillies. Texans will finish 10-6 but not make the playoffs. Rockets will lose in the conference finals to the Lakers who will lose to the Celtics in 6. People will still not care about the Dynamo.

2. One or more of the following people will die: Fidel Castro, Amy Winehouse, Dick Cheney, Gene Wilder, Gene Hackman, or Gene Simmons.

3. There will be a significant terrorist attack in Dubai, Paris, or Madrid, with a publicized failed major attack in NYC, DC, or Atlanta. Obama will catch Osama.

4. There will be another bridge collapse somewhere in the midwest, significant dam break in China, and a significant earthquake on the west coast.

5. Steve Jobs will retire and APPL stock will plummet. The to-be-announced ZunePhone and AtariPhone will both be busts and along with the G1 Android phone will still fail to outsell the Iphone.

6. Meatloaf will have a top 10 Billboard hit.

7. There will be a major UFO sighting seen by 100,000+ in the U.S.

8. Dreamworks' "Monster vs Aliens" will have a stronger opening weekend than Pixar's "Up"

9. EADO will be ridiculed, none of the hotels planned for between DG and MMP will break ground.

10. On the last day of 2009, RedScare will still be on top the Haif Financial Challenge Leaderboard.

lol, I concur with every single one of these. p.s. I will put money on Amy Winehouse.

[CoolBuddy06]

1.) The United States will officially enter into its lost decade, just like Japan.

2.) Come hell or high water, GM, Ford, and Chrysler will all remain in business, with substantial government backing.

3.) The DOW will make another dip down, below 8000, before June. It will not close above 10,000 at any point during the year.

4.) Gay marriage will be legal, in New Jersey, by legislative action.

5.) At some point, oil will touch $25/barrel. Gas will flirt with $1.00/gallon.

6.) The dollar will crash.

7.) People will die in a major airline accident.

8.) Obama will not catch Osama, despite extra attention to Afghanistan.

9.) Select, inflated inner loop property values will plummet.

10.) Interest in the Green Party will surge to historic levels.

Two already came to pass...

1) Thanks to Obama's lame CIA pick(Leon Pinetta), America WILL be attacked.

2) The truth about Goldman Sachs will finally hit the mass media. From their total control and manipulation of oil commodity prices to their takeover of our government; Niederauer, Zoellick, Paulson, Bolten, Rubin, Thain, Jeffery, & Gensler. The 'Banksters' run America.

3) The crime rate will skyrocket in the Southeastern cities: Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, & Miami.

4) Attendance at sporting events will plummet. Record low numbers for latter half of year.

5) DOW will dip below 6,500. (It's 9,015 today)

6) When oil was $33.00 three weeks ago, I predicted it would go above $50 in 2009.

Only $1.40 to go already!($48.60 today) Yeah, I'm already taking credit for this one.

7) Our summer was mild because we had a 'La Nina' in the Pacific in 2008.

I'm wishing, begging, and pleading for another one in 2009.

That also partially came true at Super Bowl.

[20thStDad]

1. There will be an assassination attempt on our president, by an american.

2. Chrysler will bomb completely and be bought out by a foreign company.

3. The Yankees will win the world series.

4. The DJIA will be back above 10000 by September

5. Comcast will raise prices

2. was close but i think the deal fell through. still time!

5. already happened. bastards.

[jerryartic2112]

Two already came to pass...

That also partially came true at Super Bowl.

I wish as a result of this that the salaries of professional athletes would be lowered dramatically. I love sports and all, but these guys get paid WAY too much.

[Rammer]

1) Thanks to Obama's lame CIA pick(Leon Pinetta), America WILL be attacked.

2) The truth about Goldman Sachs will finally hit the mass media. From their total control and manipulation of oil commodity prices to their takeover of our government; Niederauer, Zoellick, Paulson, Bolten, Rubin, Thain, Jeffery, & Gensler. The 'Banksters' run America.

3) The crime rate will skyrocket in the Southeastern cities: Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, & Miami.

4) Attendance at sporting events will plummet. Record low numbers for latter half of year.

5) DOW will dip below 6,500. (It's 9,015 today)

6) When oil was $33.00 three weeks ago, I predicted it would go above $50 in 2009.

Only $1.40 to go already!($48.60 today) Yeah, I'm already taking credit for this one.

7) Our summer was mild because we had a 'La Nina' in the Pacific in 2008.

I'm wishing, begging, and pleading for another one in 2009.

#2 Is now occurring thanks to Goldman Sachs close relationship with AIG & the '60 Minutes' expose on Goldman's oil commodity price scam.

#5 Occurred on March 9th when the DOW dipped to an embarrassing low of 6,440.08.

#6 Oil is currently at $53.41 per barrel.

Three predictions down...four predictions still pending. (By the way, prediction #1 may be a fake government orchestrated type of event)

[Montrose1100]

1. Oil will rebound to $100/bbl by the end of 2009 and will likely stay above that level permanently due to peak oil. It will become evident that geology trumps the law of supply and demand.

3. 150k jobs lost in Houston.

Oil will not be above $100 for a very long time... rasing the prices too high is a catch 22. Of course that was a little more relevent before this economic crises. But even though you predict it, why with Houston losing 150k jobs?

[CoolBuddy06]

1. The economy will get worse through December '09 and will last for at least 3 years. The govt. will continue throwing money at it to no avail

2. The Rockets will win the Western Conference Finals but lose in the Finals

3. Some of the rail lines planned to break ground in 2008 still won't be under construction by end of '09

4. The Dynamo will be looking for a new home after next season

5. Something will go drastically wrong with the new digital system the US is implement in '09

Nope.

[CoolBuddy06]

1.) The United States will officially enter into its lost decade, just like Japan.

2.) Come hell or high water, GM, Ford, and Chrysler will all remain in business, with substantial government backing.

3.) The DOW will make another dip down, below 8000, before June. It will not close above 10,000 at any point during the year.

4.) Gay marriage will be legal, in New Jersey, by legislative action.

5.) At some point, oil will touch $25/barrel. Gas will flirt with $1.00/gallon.

6.) The dollar will crash.

7.) People will die in a major airline accident.

8.) Obama will not catch Osama, despite extra attention to Afghanistan.

9.) Select, inflated inner loop property values will plummet.

10.) Interest in the Green Party will surge to historic levels.

No.

1. There will be an assassination attempt on our president, by an american.

2. Chrysler will bomb completely and be bought out by a foreign company.

3. The Yankees will win the world series.

4. The DJIA will be back above 10000 by September

5. Comcast will raise prices

True.

[CoolBuddy06]

Ahh, the weather...

Was this not the most perfect spring/summer/fall ever? Mild temps most of the time, low humidity...I am hoping for a repeat

That 'hope' is getting scorched right now.

No one even saw something close to Michael Jackson coming!

[lockmat]

Had Yao not gotten hurt, my prediction may have come true!

New prediction, Texans get blown out in the AFC championship game.

[HtownWxBoy]

1. The economy will begin to rebound... Dow above 11000 by end of year

2. President Obama will end the year with an approval rating above 60%

3. Winter '08 / '09 (once it's over) will be remembered for being abnormally cold and snowy for much of the Nation

4. Gas will be back above $2.00 a gallon but will remain below $3.00 a gallon throughout the year

5. Gay marriage will become legal in at least one more U.S. state and at least one other foreign Nation

I am not doing bad so far... #4 is on track to be correct, #5 already came true big time, as for #1 the economy is rebounding just may not see Dow as high as I predicted... will see how things turn out at the end of the year.

[Rammer]

If you didn't load up on oil when it was only $33 per barrel, then you missed the easiest money making decision you'll ever see.

Oil was over $71 today.

[BryanS]

If you didn't load up on oil when it was only $33 per barrel, then you missed the easiest money making decision you'll ever see.

Oil was over $71 today.

Not really. I loaded up on Ford at $2.88. It closed at $8.33 today. My Roth is almost back to zero in terms of gain/losses.

[barracuda]

Not really. I loaded up on Ford at $2.88. It closed at $8.33 today. My Roth is almost back to zero in terms of gain/losses.

I also bought into Ford (at $2.55, so it's up 226% at the moment). I only regret not buying a ton more shares, but I should just be glad that it's helped bring my IRA back from the abyss to break-even point.

[Rammer]

Not really. I loaded up on Ford at $2.88. It closed at $8.33 today. My Roth is almost back to zero in terms of gain/losses.

What about GM and Chrysler stock?

2.) Come hell or high water, GM, Ford, and Chrysler will all remain in business, with substantial government backing-BryanS

[BryanS]

What about GM and Chrysler stock?

2.) Come hell or high water, GM, Ford, and Chrysler will all remain in business, with substantial government backing-BryanS

They're still in business - with substantial government backing...

[Rammer]

They're still in business - with substantial government backing...

My only point was that betting on the auto stocks was risky. Ford paid off, the others didn't.

Since investing is always a risk/reward proposition, finding riskless 'no brainers' are rare.

Oil is the currency of the world...there was absolutely no way that oil would stay at $33.

Especially with Goldman Sachs running the show. (By the way, Goldman went from $47.41 to $163.60 in 5 months)

[barracuda]

My only point was that betting on the auto stocks was risky. Ford paid off, the others didn't.

Since investing is always a risk/reward proposition, finding riskless 'no brainers' are rare.

Oil is the currency of the world...there was absolutely no way that oil would stay at $33.

Especially with Goldman Sachs running the show. (By the way, Goldman went from $47.41 to $163.60 in 5 months)

Ford had the liquidity to manage it's way through the recession and benefit from it's rival's problems. I've made similar stock bets where the stock continued to crater, but in this case there wasn't much left to loose. People are still going to buy cars, and Ford is best positioned to benefit as the economy rebounds. They are working to unify their vehicle development across the globe to cut costs, and they are finally positioning their world-class European-designed cars for sale in the U.S. The positive press hasn't been hurting them either.

On the other hand, I felt Sirius was too risky, even when it dropped to 5 cents. It was possible to make 12x gains, but man, it was just too scary to think of all that money disappearing, as SIRI is incredibly unpredictable.

[20thStDad]

1. There will be an assassination attempt on our president, by an american.

2. Chrysler will bomb completely and be bought out by a foreign company.

3. The Yankees will win the world series.

4. The DJIA will be back above 10000 by September

5. Comcast will raise prices

1. Not yet

2. I think this happened

3. It's coming

4. I was a month off

5. Happened, I dumped them

[crunchtastic]

1. Not yet

2. I think this happened

3. It's coming

4. I was a month off

5. Happened, I dumped them

wow. That's an impressive record. The Astros need a manager--are you interested?