It is this time of year again.
For 2013 my post read:
What the next year will bring is never straightforward to predict but here goes in no particular order, for 2013:
1. One British national newspaper will be no more.
2. Ostensible 'religious' tensions arising not from real religious devotion but caused by hideous political extremism, will cause even more needless deaths.
3. The USA will not reach the financial consensus required to stave off recessionary taxation.
4. Chinese middle classes will make greater impact on their national politics.
5. Natural gas fracking will become more controversial especially in Europe.
6. The Catholic Church in the UK will begin to appeal to more people.
7. Young people will continue to have fun yet become more canny.
8. The UK government will tackle internet suppliers on their tax avoidance schemes.
9. Worldwide weather patterns will worsen.
10. There will be a British winner at a Wimbledon final.
Looking back, many of those predictions seem to have been borne out by events:
1. Was thankfully not true;.2. Sadly is true eg Syria; 3. My view is that they fudged it; 4. True; 5. True 6. True partly through Polish and other European immigration but partly perhaps through Pope Francis I. 7. Given the size of youth unemployment this proved only half true. 8. They are still talking but currently sadly untrue. 9. True. 10 true - well done Andy Murray.
So for 2014 - well life is so much more uncertain now that 10 predictions are too many for 2014 but here are a few:
1. Sadly I still feel that one British national newspaper will go to the wall but in 2014.
2. The Scots will vote by a largish margin to stay in the UK.
3. Again in Scotland the Commonwealth Games will be a resounding success.
4. The world cup in Brazil sadly imho will not be a resounding success mainly because of the huge cost.
5. Attempts will be made to sort out the absurdity that gives international airlines so much tax free fuel.
6 . Italy will win the world cup (despite 4. above).
Happy New Year
Very interesting indeed, Jerry! But I CANNOT believe that Italy will win the World Cup! I don't think you need look any further than.... Scotland. Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteI found your prediction No. 2 very interesting. The Scots are a canny lot...
I just remembered that Scotland hasn't qualified!
ReplyDelete