December 31, 2015 · 7:45 pm
Hello again. Pull up a pixel. Dismantle that podcast. Relax your weary mince pie repository. Pay heed, oh gentle reader, for Avaragado has rattled his brain to wiggle out the earwax of foretelling and is pleased to interpret the oily runes ambiguously below.
Those of you familiar with this annual nonsense will spot a new category. I’ve retired Celebrity Deathwatch as the predictions started to come true and, quite frankly, The Medusa Touch still gives me the shivers (WHIP PAN to polystyrene rubble falling onto gurning worshippers). In its place, You’re Celebrity Fired.
Here they all are. Perhaps the rain will have stopped by this time next year. Perhaps.
News
- In the thrilling Euro referendum that I hope to god happens in 2016 so we don’t have to suffer another whole year of it, the tedious British public votes 53% to 47% (±1%) to remain in the EU.
- Bacon-worrier David Cameron resigns as prime minister.
- Hillary Clinton wins the US presidential election.
- 2016 is the warmest year globally on record.
- The Bank of England leaves interest rates at 0.5% all year.
- The price of oil doesn’t go above $50 a barrel all year.
Sport
- In the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Team GB win 20±2 gold medals in total.
- In the Euro 2016 football championships, England finish in the top 4.
- Oxford win the men’s University Boat Race.
- HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein is elected the next president of FIFA.
- Wales win the Rugby Union Six Nations.
- Europe retain the Ryder Cup.
Science and technology
- The iPhone 7 (pedants: or whatever Apple calls the next major iPhone revision) has no 3.5mm headphone jack.
- Apple releases a Mac with an A-branded (ARM, not Intel) processor.
- Google buys Signal.
- A major security breach at the NHS leaks hundreds of thousands of patient details.
- Physicists confirm the first evidence for gravitational waves.
- An out-of-control drone causes a major incident (eg a collision with an aircraft).
Entertainment
- To save money, the BBC decides to close BBC Four.
- Peter Capaldi announces he is to leave Doctor Who.
- Oscar for Best Picture: The Revenant.
- Oscar for Best Director: Ridley Scott, The Martian.
- Oscar for Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl.
- Oscar for Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room.
You’re celebrity fired
- Piers Morgan leaves Good Morning Britain.
- Marissa Meyer leaves Yahoo.
- Louis van Gaal leaves Manchester United.
- Chris Evans (not that one) leaves the role of Editor of the Daily Telegraph.
- Philip Hammond leaves the role of Foreign Secretary.
- Sir Lord Alan Sugar leaves The Apprentice.
And that, my friends, is that. I wonder if I’ll post anything else on this blog before next year’s results?
Filed under Random
Tagged as 2016 predictions, alan sugar, ARM, bank of england, bbc, BBC 4, bbc four, brie larson, chris evans, crystal ball, david cameron, doctor who, drone, eddie redmayne, eu, euro 2016, euro referendum, fifa, google, gravitational waves, Hillary Clinton, Intel, iphone 7, louis van gaal, manchester united, marissa meyer, NHS, oil price, olympics, oscar predictions, oscars, peter capaldi, philip hammond, piers morgan, ridley scott, rio de janeiro, ryder cup, Signal, six nations, team gb, the apprentice, the martian, the revenant, University Boat Race, yahoo
January 1, 2013 · 9:53 am
As usual the cider-enhanced Chris Walsh has cast a rheumy eye over the predictions I made a year ago and awarded the marks as he saw fit. Adjudications and correct answers in square brackets.
News
- It will be announced that the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant. [1pt]
- Ed Miliband will be replaced as leader of the Labour party. [0pt]
- The US presidential election will be between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Obama will be re-elected. [1pt]
- At least one country will leave the euro. [0pt]
- Boris Johnson will be re-elected as Mayor of London. [1pt]
- There will be an earthquake in the UK of magnitude 4.0 or above on the Richter scale. (I’m only using this scale as it’s the one used on the Wikipedia page for UK earthquakes.) [0pt]
[Score: 3/6]
Sport
- Great Britain & Northern Ireland will win 21 gold medals at the Summer Olympics, and over 50 medals in total. [1pt: GB&NI won 29 gold and 65 in total]
- Great Britain & Northern Ireland will top the medal table at the Paralympics. [0pt: third, after China and Russia]
- Spain will win the Euro 2012 football tournament. [1pt]
- The United States will regain golf’s Ryder Cup. [0pt: Europe won in a very close finish]
- Jensen Button will regain the Formula One championship. [0pt: Sebastian Vettel]
- Manchester City will win the English Premier League. [1pt: with a last-minute goal on the last day of the season]
[Score: 3/6]
Science and technology
- Having miraculously survived 2011, Steve Ballmer will definitely be fired as Microsoft CEO. [0pt: still there!]
- CERN will announce the official discovery of the Higgs boson. [0.999pt, rounded up to 1pt]
- Apple will launch a TV. [0pt]
- At least one of the co-CEOs of RIM will be fired, and the company will be bought. [0pt: Jim Balsillie resigned but was not fired, and RIM wasn’t bought]
- The next version of the iPhone will include an NFC chip. [0pt: rumoured for the 5S]
- Amazon will release a free version of the Kindle. [0pt: but Chris wishes they would, as he sat on his and broke it]
[Score: 1/6]
Entertainment
- The 2012 season of X Factor in the UK will be the last. [0pt: nothing announced – time will tell!]
- In Doctor Who, the replacement for the Ponds will not be from Earth. [0pt: nothing to suggest she’s not from earth – time will tell!]
- Best Actress Oscar: Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady. [1pt]
- Best Actor Oscar: Jean Dujardin, The Artist. [1pt]
- Best Picture Oscar: The Artist. [1pt]
- CNN will fire Piers Morgan. [0pt: although competing petitions to deport/refuse repatriation suggest nobody wants him]
[Score: 3/6]
Celebrity Deathwatch
- Former anthropology student, US evangelist Billy Graham. [alive!]
- Former ophthalmology student, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. [alive!]
- Former chemistry student, Baroness Thatcher. [alive!]
- Former naval cadet, Prince Philip. [alive!]
- Former Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali. [alive!]
- Former Hitler Youth, Pope Benedict XVI. [alive!]
[Score: 0/6]
[Total score: 10/30]
Not as good as last year. I suspect I was a year early on most of the science and technology predictions. And my celebrity deathwatch category maintains its staggering 100% failure record.
Stay tuned for Avaragado’s 2013 predictions…
Filed under Random
Tagged as 2012, amazon, apple, barack obama, baroness thatcher, bashar al-assad, billy graham, boris johnson, cern, cnn, crystal ball, doctor who, duchess of cambridge, earthquake, ed milband, euro, euro 2012, formula 1, formula one, higgs boson, iphone, jean dujardin, jensen button, jim balsillie, kindle, london 2012, manchester city, margaret thatcher, meryl streep, microsoft, mitt romney, muhammad ali, nfc, olympics, paralympics, piers morgan, pope benedict xvi, predictions, premier league, prince philip, rim, ryder cup, spain, steve ballmer, the artist, the iron lady, x factor
January 1, 2012 · 12:59 pm
Now spelunked into the Brechtian caverns of history: the year of the Arab Spring, the deaths of several prominent nutjobs, the end of the Screws, the looting of cheap sportswear, the Royal Day Off, the Occupy tent sale, and, of course, what is believed to be Sir Paul McCartney’s 49th or 50th marriage; estimates vary. And what will 2012 bring forth? Here’s your exclusive guide.
News
- It will be announced that the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant.
- Ed Miliband will be replaced as leader of the Labour party.
- The US presidential election will be between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Obama will be re-elected.
- At least one country will leave the euro.
- Boris Johnson will be re-elected as Mayor of London.
- There will be an earthquake in the UK of magnitude 4.0 or above on the Richter scale. (I’m only using this scale as it’s the one used on the Wikipedia page for UK earthquakes.)
Sport
- Great Britain & Northern Ireland will win 21 gold medals at the Summer Olympics, and over 50 medals in total.
- Great Britain & Northern Ireland will top the medal table at the Paralympics.
- Spain will win the Euro 2012 football tournament.
- The United States will regain golf’s Ryder Cup.
- Jensen Button will regain the Formula One championship.
- Manchester City will win the English Premier League.
Science and technology
- Having miraculously survived 2011, Steve Ballmer will definitely be fired as Microsoft CEO.
- CERN will announce the official discovery of the Higgs boson.
- Apple will launch a TV.
- At least one of the co-CEOs of RIM will be fired, and the company will be bought.
- The next version of the iPhone will include an NFC chip.
- Amazon will release a free version of the Kindle.
Entertainment
- The 2012 season of X Factor in the UK will be the last.
- In Doctor Who, the replacement for the Ponds will not be from Earth.
- Best Actress Oscar: Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.
- Best Actor Oscar: Jean Dujardin, The Artist.
- Best Picture Oscar: The Artist.
- CNN will fire Piers Morgan.
Celebrity Deathwatch
- Former anthropology student, US evangelist Billy Graham.
- Former ophthalmology student, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
- Former chemistry student, Baroness Thatcher.
- Former naval cadet, Prince Philip.
- Former Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali.
- Former Hitler Youth, Pope Benedict XVI.
I look forward to your company next New Year’s Eve when all shall be judged.
Filed under Random
Tagged as amazon, apple tv, barack obama, bashar al-assad, billy graham, boris johnson, cassius clay, crystal ball, doctor who, duchess of cambridge, duke of edinburgh, earthquake, ed miliband, euro, euro 2012, formula 1, higgs boson, iphone, iron lady, jean dujardin, jensen button, kate middleton, kindle, london 2012, manchester city, margaret thatcher, meryl streep, mitt romney, muhammad ali, nfc, olympics, paralympics, piers morgan, pope benedict, predictions, prince philip, rim, ryder cup, steve ballmer, the artist, x factor
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