Your Predictions for 2016 and 2017

[Tsar]

What do you predict America and the world will be like in 2016 and 2017, up to 2020?

My predictions:

1. Another recession is about to begin. Either late 2015 or before the 2016 election.

2. There might be negative interest rates coming to America (although we already have real negative interests when the true inflation rate is factored in to the current near-zero interest rates). This will cause many people to save in cash, which many people already do. It will backfire and hurt the banking sector. But the more likely possibility is another QE policy that further weakens the dollar with even less of an effect, because it was a failed and flawed policy designed to transfer wealth to the richest Americans. A student loan crisis will cause many American universities to shutdown and may be the cause of the next financial crisis. Or the artificial recovery will implode creating the next recession.

3. I think Trump is most likely to take office in America. More conflicts will begin, Russia and China won't be deterred by America any longer or back down just because a US President orders them to or threatens them. His policies will be pro-Israel and pro-plutocrats and pro-corporations, anti-Russian, anti-Chinese, xenophobic, and help destroy more international relationships that America still has left in the world.

4. There will be more food-related illnesses because Congress and State Governments are criminalizing whistle-blowers that expose unsanitary conditions in factory farms. Considering most chicken, pork, and probably beef, along with milk and eggs, comes from factory farms, and most products are now from factory farms it is just another way the populace will be poisoned or contract disease. All in the name of corporate profits.

5. In 2017 I predict there will be a new conflict-zone in the world. America might try to make a move for a Color Revolution in Venezuela, Belarus, or possibly Armenia.

6. By 2020 the dollar should have lost one-third of its purchasing power in the world.

7. Silver will once again be around $45 an ounce and Gold will be around $1,850 an ounce.

8. There will be severe water shortages across the American southwest and Midwest as the aquifers are depleted even further and reach critical levels.

9. Russia will make a move in the next five years to invade most or all of Ukraine after they buffered themselves from sanctions and formed further relationships. They will not allow Ukraine to join NATO and set a precedent to all remaining countries in their sphere of influence that haven't joined NATO.

10. Assad will remain in power and be an effective Russian ally. There will be a heightened Russian military presence in the Middle East.

11. By 2020 the BRICS should have a lot more power in the world and challenge US hegemony.

12. The EU will continue to fracture on issues like Russian relations, bailouts, and member countries wanting more control over their sovereignty.

[Ghost]

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[fschmidt]

Of course Tsar is looking for big-picture predictions. I usually don't like making these since the future is so hard predict. But I feel comfortable making one prediction; by 2017 we have had an economic crisis worse than 1929. Trying to predict the details is hopeless. I don't know which year it will happen or whether it will be a depression or hyperinflation. What I do know is that never has the world had a financial system so completely run on bullshit, and this will come to an end soon.

[S_Parc]

S-Parc will probably get married to his lesbian soulmate in the year 2016. They will live happily ever after with their inflatable doll.

It's completely solid, not inflatable Aside from that, everything else is on schedule

[zboy1]

Well, supposedly the current Pope is the last Pope before Armageddon (according to Father Malachi) and the beginning of the events in the Book of Revelations, so I predict all hell will break loose after 2017. Or, I could be full of dung. Haha...

Anyway, I just try to live my life regardless of all the crazy events happening in the world. It's a waste of time to not to live your life to the fullest, even if Armageddon is around the corner. ...

[xiongmao]

Winston will still not be getting any eye contact, and he will still be writing those lists of 10 reasons why we should quit the countries we are currently living in.

[Balmung]

I predict I'll spend the first day of 2016 on a beach in Guimaras, a tropical drink in one hand, the other holding the hand (or something else!) of a sweet, lovely young woman--my girlfriend. I'll drink a cold one in memory of all my homies that are too clueless, stubborn, or jaded to realize this is one of the easiest paths to happiness.

[Tsar]

I predict I'll spend the first day of 2016 on a beach in Guimaras, a tropical drink in one hand, the other holding the hand (or something else!) of a sweet, lovely young woman--my girlfriend. I'll drink a cold one in memory of all my homies that are too clueless, stubborn, or jaded to realize this is one of the easiest paths to happiness.

Do you already have a girlfriend from Guimaras?

[Balmung]

I predict I'll spend the first day of 2016 on a beach in Guimaras, a tropical drink in one hand, the other holding the hand (or something else!) of a sweet, lovely young woman--my girlfriend. I'll drink a cold one in memory of all my homies that are too clueless, stubborn, or jaded to realize this is one of the easiest paths to happiness.

Do you already have a girlfriend from Guimaras?

Yes, I have a Filipina girlfriend, but she's not from Guimaras. I don't get a ton of vacation time, but I get a few weeks off around the holidays, and I'm using it to visit her. We've talked about going to a beach somewhere, and she's said Guimaras has some of the nicest, least crowded beaches in the area.

[pete98146]

Tiring of Asian women, I predict Winston Wu will invest in a very nice backpack and the sweetest hiking boots money can buy. He'll hop a plane and land in Egypt. From there he'll start meandering aimlessly while going on a soul searching journey.

He'll make it as far as the country Chad. There he'll rent a small apartment, make his way to the local "bar" and eventually meet and marry a local lass named Ernestine. With Ernestine's pension for getting pregnant, they'll rear 5-6 children together which will pretty much zap Winston's ability to do any "free thinking". Instead, he'll turn to politics and after gaining full citizenship will run and win a high seat in the Chadian Government. He'll eventually recruit Rock, Ladislav and Cornfed as his cabinet members.

[Ghost]

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[Teal Lantern]

What do you predict America and the world will be like in 2016 and 2017, up to 2020?

My predictions:

4. There will be more food-related illnesses because Congress and State Governments are criminalizing whistle-blowers that expose unsanitary conditions in factory farms. Considering most chicken, pork, and probably beef, along with milk and eggs, comes from factory farms, and most products are now from factory farms it is just another way the populace will be poisoned or contract disease. All in the name of corporate profits.

For meat & dairy, I predict more people will buy shares of specific animals on non-factory farms.
For plants, and building on 2014-2015 successes, I predict a 2016-17 expansion in scale and variety of my own garden.

8. There will be severe water shortages across the American southwest and Midwest as the aquifers are depleted even further and reach critical levels.

More people will rediscover rain catchment.

2020?

Out with fractional acre, in with full acres.

[Tsar]

8. There will be severe water shortages across the American southwest and Midwest as the aquifers are depleted even further and reach critical levels.

More people will rediscover rain catchment.

Many U.S. States have made rain catchment illegal making it crime.

[Teal Lantern]

8. There will be severe water shortages across the American southwest and Midwest as the aquifers are depleted even further and reach critical levels.

More people will rediscover rain catchment.

Many U.S. States have made rain catchment illegal making it crime.

There's still time to move, or get the laws changed.
http://harvesth2o.com/statues_regulations.shtml
http://www.enlight-inc.com/blog/?p=1036

[Ghost]

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