Predictions for 2006

This is a pretty silly idea, since I have repeatedly been discredited as a prophet. Nonetheless, the courage born of folly will sustain us through the enterprise.

1) Five more Republican Congressmen will be indicted in 2006, together with two more members of the Bush inner circle.

2) A great black dog will haunt the Republican party through 2006, and his name won't be Snuffles or Sirius Black but something more like Abramoff, Jack.

3) The economy will sputter along, at least until Summer.

4) Television news will mutter on irrelevantly.

5) Lumo will not crack the Riemann Hypothesis (bearing in mind my track record, this prediction is actually a favorable omen, Lubos).

6) The American people will start getting upset about pensions, health care, and education.

7) 1) 3) and 6) will lead to the Republicans losing 35 House seats and 4 Senate seats in the mid-term elections, thus retaining a narrow majority in the Senate but decisively losing the House.

8) Usama bin Laden will die of natural causes.

I won't predict on Iraq, because there are a few hopeful signs (the pros seem to be running the store, the Army seems to be relearning the lessons of anti-insurgency, and there is still some hope of political compromise among the Iraqis), and I superstitiously don't want to risk disturbing these hopes.

9) 2006 will be the warmest year on record.

10) My stocks will prosper - yours - not so much;)

11) A bright young kid from the most unlikely spot imaginable will usher in the Fourth Superstring Revolution, leading to rapid progress but eventually bogging down in intractable mathematics.

13) The Pig's failing grasp on the ability to count will become more evident (added, based on a suggestion by Lumo)

12) Black holes will look slightly less so.

14) Something interesting will come out of Cosmic ray physics.

15) 5% of the population will be found to have IQs lower than those of their cell phones.

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