How implausible has 2011 been?

[Psychic Octopus]

Personally, I think that this year has been completely unpredictable. A year ago, could someone have imagined that:

A. A series of riots and revolutions across the Middle East would create greater instability across the world. NATO intervenes in a Libyan Civil War to overthrow Gaddafi.

B. A devastating earthquake in Japan leads to thousands of deaths, and creates fear of a nuclear meltdown.

C. Osama bin Laden is killed by Navy Seals in a mansion outside the Pakistani capital. Ironically, the Pakistani Military Academy is nearby.

D. The United States would lose its AAA credit rating.

E. Herman Cain would be close on Romney's heels, and be running ahead of Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann (two politicians who were assumed not to be candidates).

[Holmes]

You're in denial about E. He's already ahead.

[All Along The Watchtower]

So implausible that it actually happened.

[Simfan34]

Very implausible.

Add:
 F. Greece budget deficits threatens to plunge would into second recession.

[Wonkish1]

Very implausible.

Add:
 F. Greece budget deficits threatens to plunge would into second recession.

No that one was actually a lot more predictable then the rest. I was looking at sovereign default risk in late 09.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I didnt think Paul would be consistantly polling in 3rd, I didnt think Newt would make it through June, and I certainly didnt see OWS.

[Psychic Octopus]

You're in denial about E. He's already ahead.

More implausible things happen everyday!

Hmm. Furthermore, how about the fact that the only candidates in the race speculated to run in October 2010 are Mitt and Newt. No Daniels, No Barbour, No Thune, No Huckabee, No Palin...

[Mr. Taft Republican]

No one could have predicted C or E.

G. The CBC would challenge Obama.

[courts]

Personally, I think that this year has been completely unpredictable. A year ago, could someone have imagined that:

A. A series of riots and revolutions across the Middle East would create greater instability across the world. NATO intervenes in a Libyan Civil War to overthrow Gaddafi.

Actually that was incredibly predictable given what happened in Latin America a few years prior when food prices spiked. So it's not surprising at all that the Middle East would revolt with central banks and speculators driving up commodities so much. Of course the actual trigger of the Tunisian revolt (angry street merchant committing suicide in response to bitchy government bureaucrat) was a little surprising.

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Well given what we know about Fukishima a meltdown unfortunately wasn't that unlikely. It was old and not terribly well designed. It is a bit wrath of god-y to have so many disasters coinciding at once but then it wasn't exactly built in an area not-earthquake prone.

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I didn't really believe that one at first TBH, since he'd been declared 'probably' dead by intelligence before and there had been false reports about his death in the past.

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Well, I knew they'd be forced to do that eventually for political reasons. Honestly looking at it objectively they should have downgraded us under Bush.

[angus]

Personally, I think that this year has been completely unpredictable. A year ago, could someone have imagined that:

...

G.  That there would be a show on TV where country people stand around in their swimsuits, chest-deep in muddy, black river water, feeling around in the muck with their toes till they feel a catfish, then diving down and catching these fish with their hands.  And that the network manages to stretch that show out for an hour.  Every week.  And the show has lasted at least 9 months.  That's at least 36 hours of scantily-clad fat guys and tattooed women standing in filthy water digging around in the mud to catch catfish with their fingers, replete with thrash-guitar soundtrack, interviews with the participants, and narration.  ("Kristin's got a bite, and she ain't gonna give up.  Git'r'done.  Oh, hell!  I think she's got one!  Yep, she's got herself an 80-pound blue cat, and danged if she ain't excited.")  And that sponsors like TJ Maxx, Viagra, Burger King, and Chevron actually pay money to put commercials on that show.

Evolution, man.  We've come a long way since Charlie Chaplin and Clara Bow.

[Psychic Octopus]

Personally, I think that this year has been completely unpredictable. A year ago, could someone have imagined that:

A. A series of riots and revolutions across the Middle East would create greater instability across the world. NATO intervenes in a Libyan Civil War to overthrow Gaddafi.

Actually that was incredibly predictable given what happened in Latin America a few years prior when food prices spiked. So it's not surprising at all that the Middle East would revolt with central banks and speculators driving up commodities so much. Of course the actual trigger of the Tunisian revolt (angry street merchant committing suicide in response to bitchy government bureaucrat) was a little surprising.

Okay, but what about NATO intervening against Gaddafi? Libya at the time was not seen as a likely place to burst into flames. We were thinking that (until it happened) Gaddafi had muffled voices against him and that the next revolution would be Yemen or Bahrain.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Pretty sure you could do this for any year. It's hard to predict an event when you don't hear about it until it explodes, but that doesn't make it unpredictable.

[opebo]

G.  That there would be a show on TV where country people stand around in their swimsuits, chest-deep in muddy, black river water, feeling around in the muck with their toes till they feel a catfish, then diving down and catching these fish with their hands.  

'Okie noodling' was approached charmingly in the eponymous documentary a decade or two back, but what you describe does sound a horror. Not at all because of the pathos of such downtrodden people, but rather the vileness of the capitalist media consuming them (as it were a second time around.. a capitalist regurgitation).

But what I personally find implausible about 2011 is that I am still employed three quarters of the way through that year of our lord.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

No one could have predicted C or E.

Barbour biggest problem is the racist past (and present) of Mississippi.  the state's image is just too tainted.  He's smart but he is also damaged goods, just like Newt.

And you can forget the Daniels of Indiana, I doubt an arab that isn't strongly social conservative could win the GOP nominee.

Thune has a shot, but he has just disappeared off the radar.  Probably isn't running, at least not at the top of ticket.

The GOP field is simply extremely thin. 

Social conservatives aren't going to trust Romney.

Palin is toxic and a terrible poster child for the GOP.

At this point, someone like Herman Cain could swoop down and take the GOP 2012 nomination.

[You kip if you want to...]

The NDP would be Canada's opposition.

DSK would be arrested for rape.

Riots in London.

[Lief 🗽]

"Truth is stranger than fiction." - Shakespeare

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

D. The United States would lose its AAA credit rating.

It's hilarious that treasury bond interest rates have hit a record low since then.

[Marokai Backbeat]

I'm not particularly surprised we got downgraded by one of the rating agencies this year, to be honest. For the reasons they gave? Completely understandable and something lefties have been screaming about since 2009.