At Hubdub we have many markets covering all the nuisances of the potential event. We have a market asking which bible verse his bible will be opened to:

Presidential Inauguration: What verse will Barack Obama’s Bible be open to?

We are also curious if Barack Obama will use his middle name while taking the oath of office, most Hubdubbers feel he will:

Will Barack Obama use his middle name when taking the oath of office?

One of my personal favorite markets is asking about the infamous “Yes We Can” line that began in New Hampshire, swept the country with the video by Will I AM, and was chanted at the acceptance speech on election night. Currently more than half of the Hubdubbers feel he won’t use the line at all, but I think he will, it fits his style, the American people want to be told that “Yes We Can”:

Presidential Inauguration: How many times will President Obama use the phrase “Yes We Can”?

For those of you who are going to be in the crowd during this day, we have a market right up your alley, the National Weather Service measures the temperature on Inaugural Day and we have a market asking what our Hubdubbers feel it will be, you better hope they got a good bead on this one, they are calling for a very comfortable 35degrees:

Presidential Inauguration: What will be the temperature at noon as recorded by NWS?

Another market more tuned into those of you who will be braving the weather, while the rest of us watch from the comfort of our homes or offices, is this market asking How Many Words Long will the Inauguration Speech be, again here at Hubdub we seem to feel that President Obama will carry on for more than 2250 words:

Presidential Inauguration: How many words long will President Obama’s address be?

and for those of you were were wondering here are the shortest and longest speeches - George Washington’s second address was the shortest (135 words) and William Henry Harrison delivered the longest (8,495 words).
And before we let you go, we would like to ask those in attendance to help us out if at all possible. If you see someone throw a donut at Rick Warren please notify the category editor right away so we may settle this market:

Will Mega Church leader Rick Warren have a donut thrown at him before or on Inauguration Day?

and finally if you see Tom Hanks at the Inauguration and you give him your seat, you will be helping settle a very fun but silly market:

Will Tom Hanks be given a seat at Barack Obama’s inauguration?

In a note of seriousness, please be safe, have a great time, and take alot of pictures. You may send all the pictures directly to me at destry@hubdub.com and I will share them on Picasa for everyone to see. Have a great time, enjoy your moment of history, and remember this “Now is the time to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.”

Popularity: 14% [?]

Hubdub’s Hot Predictions this week, as decided by Hubdub users and staff, are selected based on their newsworthiness for the week. These stories are bound to be big news this week - and we have forecasts on how they’re likely to turn out.

The Blagojevich Problem

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich got himself into a little trouble last week after trying to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Almost everyone is calling for Blagojevich’s head on a plate, but the defiant and quite corrupt Governor is standing his ground. Hubdub gives Blagojevich resigning a over 70% chance, we also forecast resignation by December 21st.

Will Gov. Rod Blagojevich resign?

Rod Blagojevich missed his shot at naming Obama’s Senate successor. So who or what will decide who’s filling Obama’s vacant seat? By 49% Hubdub forecasts Illinois will call a special election.

Who will name Obama’s replacement?

Business

The big three Detroit auto makers failed to get a bailout fund from the Congress last week, but what should happen to those who were at the reins of the big three? General Motors CEO Richard Wagoner, seems the first likely target, especially when Congress is suggesting he get the boot. According to Hubdub though Wagoner only has a 31% chance of removal.

Will GM CEO Richard Wagoner step down or be fired before the end of 2008?

The Box Office

Kenau Reeves did quite good in the box office last weekend. Although this weekend three new movies premier, including Will Smith’s drama, Seven Pounds. For now Hubdub thinks Seven Pounds will be in the top spot this weekend, with Jim Carrey’s Yes Man only having a 33% chance of raking in the most cash.

What will be the #1 film this weekend?

The NFL

On December 21st the Panthers play the Giants. As the season ends both teams are hoping for a good showing. With home field advantage the Giants are the current favorites. What’s better is this market, dubbed ‘IN PLAY’ won’t be suspended during most of the game, so users can forecast who’ll win while the games on!

NFL - (IN PLAY) - Carolina Panthers @ NY Giants. Who will win on Dec 21st?

Trading percentages given are at time of posting and may not match up with markets after the fact due to Hubdub users forecasting on said markets.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Hubdub’s Hot Predictions this week, as decided by Hubdub users and staff, are selected based on their newsworthiness for the week. These stories are bound to be big news this week - and we have forecasts on how they’re likely to turn out.

The Auto Bailout

America’s automotive producers have found themselves in a sticky situation these past weeks, and for the past months America’s banking giants haven’t been breezing along just fine either. With the possibility of a auto bailout looming, which failed giant will get better quicker, AIG or GM? Hubdub forecasts by over 55% it’s GM.

Which stock will rise the most in the month of December, AIG or GM?

The automotive industry kind of screwed up big time. Never fear though, the American taxpayers are happy to pick up the slack, or are they? This week the House is supposed to vote on a automotive industry bailout and by large enough margins Hubdub is predicting the bill will be passed with at least 218 to 290 votes.

Congress - How many “Yes” votes will be cast in the House for the Big 3 auto bailout?

Hubdub

There’s nothing like winning a Mashable Open Web Award to bring in the Holiday season! This year it seems Santa’s got his eyes on Hubdub. Mashable nominated an Open Web Award in Social News for Hubdub and we’re steam rolling through the competition. Currently Hubdub is trading above a 65% chance of winning the award, and for a Hubdubber those are damn good odds.

Who will win Mashable’s Open Web Award for Social News?

Sport

The Heisman Trophy is due to be awarded this Saturday. Sam Bradford a QB for Oklahoma seems to be the favourite. Hubdub gives him an over 65% chance of winning. That said ESPN may have shown some weakness to Sam’s main rival Colt McCoy who’s trading at 14%.

NCAAF - Who will win this year’s Heisman Trophy?

This Weekends Box Office

Can some tell me why all the evil disasters that befall Earth seem to always be centred around New York City? First you had Godzilla who made the move from Japan to New York in 1998 and now we have The Day The Earth Stood Still. No fear though Keanu Reeves should be able to clear this whole mess up and get tons of money in the process. How much money? Hubdub forecasts 40 to 50 Million on opening weekend.

US Box Office: How Much Will The Day The Earth Stood Still Make in its Opening Weekend?

Trading percentages given are at time of posting and may not match up with markets after the fact due to Hubdub users forecasting on said markets.  

Popularity: 12% [?]

Hubdub’s Hot Predictions this week, as decided by Hubdub users and staff, are selected based on their newsworthiness for the week. These stories are bound to be big news this week - and we have forecasts on how they’re likely to turn out.

World News

The Mumbai terror attacks exacted a heavy toll on Indians and foreigners alike, but who was behind it? Initial intelligence is pointing to Pakistani ISI involvement and the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taib. Could the terror attacks though be the work of elements from Al Qaeda? Hubdub predicts the chances of Al Qaeda involvement are above 40%.

Will the Nov 26 Mumbai terrorist attacks be connected to al Qaeda by the end of 2008?

Thailand’s been in a state of political upheaval for many months and arguably years. This political unrest though only now seems to be gaining worldwide attention. Protesters have seized Thailand’s main airports effectively shutting down Thailand’s main international artery. In the last day Hubdub forecasts have spiked. We now forecast by 65% that Thailand’s main international airport won’t be reopened by Sunday 7 December.

When will Thailand’s international airport be reopened?

Entertainment

Axl Rose from Guns N’ Roses is upset. So he’s doing what all rich rock stars do when they’re upset, making ridiculous demands. Due to a snafu in advertising he’s demanding Dr. Pepper take out a full-page apology in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Likeliness that it will happen? 15%.

Will Dr Pepper apologize to Axl?

Sports

The South Eastern Conference championship kicks off this week, and it’s garnering allot of attention on Hubdub. There’s already H$22,492 on it! This year it’s the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. the Florida Gators, and Hubdub forecasts a win by the Gators, giving them a tight but healthy 54% chance.

SEC Championship Game - Alabama Crimson Tide vs Florida Gators - Who will win?

General News

Often times you hear of stampedes happening in India or other less developed areas of the world. But if you thought for any second that human nature changes when living in a developed nation, you’d be wrong. Westerner’s are just as screwed up as everyone else. Evidenced by the shocking death of Jdimytai Damour a Wal-mart employee who was trampled to death by Long Island shoppers last week. Hubdub gives Jdimytai’s family a 80% chance of filing suit against Wal-mart.

Will the family of Jdimytai Damour file a lawsuit against Wall-Mart ?

Popularity: 17% [?]

The new fall season is slowly getting underway with the CW’s second season of Gossip Girl and their 90210 remake debuting earlier this week. NBC will be premiering many of their shows early on Hulu, prior to their showing on regular broadcast TV later this month (this doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of them are quite bad).

One of my least favorite aspects of the fall season is the high mortality rate of new shows. As soon as I get interested in a show, its gets cancelled (see Firefly, Journeyman and Moonlight). This year, I thought it might be smart to be proactive and figure out which shows are going to be cut first so I don’t waste my time with them.  I figured it was time to make the wisdom of the crowds work for me, so I asked my Hubdub friends what they thought of most of the new fall line up.  So far, of my early favorites, Fringe seems to be doing well while Ex-List is languishing in 2nd for most likely to be cancelled first (I will likely ignore my good advice and watch it anyway. I can’t pass up a good Romantic Comedy so even a mediocre one will likely be entertaining to me).

Fall TV Death Watch: Which of these shows will be cancelled first?

Check out your favorites and see which ones are keepers, which ones to let the DVR hold on to for a while and which ones you can safely ignore.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Lindsay Lohan’s dad Michael has been doing his best to divert some of the media attention of his daughter’s lesbian relationship with Samantha Ronson by claiming he may have fathered a child with Kristi Kaufman.

After publicly renouncing Kristi’s credibility, Michael has (very publicly) agreed to a paternity test to confirm whether or not he is the father of 13-year old Ashley Kaufman. Oddly enough, ALL the tabloids seem to be keeping quiet as to whether Michael is the father…

This market is starting at a healthy 78% yes, based on Michael Lohan’s tabloid-whore compulsions. However, so far all the pundits have strangely been keeping their opinions to themselves on the dad issue - it seems too dicey to make a call on yet, so plenty of room for last minute surprises on this market!

Stay tuned for follow up on the one-family freak show that is the Lohans - so many questions left to ask: How much is Michael’s sperm worth? Is he the father? Will Michael sue if he is not the father? If Michael gets the money, will he give it to charity as claimed? Will Lindsay and Samantha get married and open up their loveshack to the public?

what is this?

Will Michael Lohan Sell His Paternity Test to the Highest Bidding Magazine?

% chance over time

Get this widget

Hubdub - The News Prediction Game

Popularity: 7% [?]

Avril Lavigne fans are leading the charge to have her song Girlfriend become the ‘most watched’ vid on the Tube. It is currently only 1 million hits away from overtaking the number one clip ‘Evolution of Dance‘ in which comedian Judson Laipply smoothly demonstrates some iconic dance moves of the past decade.

However, the petite Canadian’s geeky fans are copping plenty of criticism for their shady tactics. One site, the Avril Bandaids, has created a special webpage which automatically reloads the clip every 15 seconds, adding another hit to the clip. The site has advised fans to keep the browser open all day.

This has outraged many, who believe that YouTube hits should remain legitimate representations of public interest which have previously led to such clips of brilliance as ‘Dramatic Chipmunk‘ and the Laughing baby video ‘Hahaha‘. Will Lavigne make it to number one or will site admins step in? Decide for yourself by checking out the clip…or don’t!

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what is this?

Will Avril Lavigne’s YouTube clip of Girlfriend Become the Most Watched Clip of All Time?

% chance over time

    Yes, before 28 June 2008

    Yes, between 28 June and 15 July 2008

    Yes, After 15 July 2008

    None of the Above/YouTube Admins take action

Get this widget

Hubdub - The News Prediction Game

Popularity: 6% [?]

It is rumoured that Adnan Ghalib, Britney’s paparazzi ex-boyfriend, is doing the rounds with a sex tape, taken during the couple’s trip to Mexico in January. Marginally less nauseating than previous threats a sex tape of Britney and K-Fed would emerge, but still kind of gross.

The tedious details offered by the National Enquirer: “the video starts with Britney undressing…She was wearing some cheap clothes that she bought down there. The sex wasn’t particularly kinky but Britney wears a pink wig throughout.”

Hot or not?
Snore. Didn’t we see the pink bob years ago? It seems as though this story came about because Britney’s second appearance on ‘How I Met Your Mother’ was just not enough to meet the insatiable Britney quota of the tabloids.

It is totally plausible, too plausible – very easy to believe that on-again-off-again Ghalib is making one last grab for money from Brit; even easier to imagine Spears, who professed virginity until marriage while romping around in butt-skimming schoolgirl skirts, continuing to practice illicit sex on tape.

I’m starting the market at 68% due to the wide circulation of the rumours, but I predict this one will be a fizzer.

Paris v Britney: Girl on Girl
Sex tapes are celeb currency. If this rumour turns out to be true, the next market question will be “Will this sex tape outsell the classic ‘One Night in Paris’”? Sources say a Britney sex tape could go down as the highest selling porn tape of all time.

The markets are hovering with anticipation…

Popularity: 4% [?]

By Tisha (Entertainment editor)

David Archuleta has had an incredible run on American Idol, cruising through every round without threat of being voted off. He seems to have won the hearts of judges and the public.

However, Archuleta’s talent and success has been marred by his dad, Jeff, who has been a tiresome presence to contestants, producers and vocal coaches throughout the entire series. This only became public this week, when Jeff insisted that David replace some of the lyrics of his first song “Stand by Me” with a verse from Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls”. Although the producers refused permission, the lyrics were changed in David’s performance.

This caused a major stir with the song’s publishers, and American Idol had to pay up. The show’s lawyers then told Jeff that he could sit in the live audience, but he was banned from going backstage. As David is now 17, it was ruled that he doesn’t need a guardian, only a ‘teacher’. Jeff Archuleta was also banned from the set of “Star Search”, in which David competed a few years back.

Parents on reality TV: Do they make or break their children?
Pushy and deranged parents have been behind star children from Michael Jackson to Lindsay Lohan. There is a fine line between providing opportunities for a child to nurture a talent and achieve their potential, and pushing a child to emotional breaking point and creating a lot of embarrassment along the way.

Simon Cowell has often criticised parents for instilling their children with false confidence about the extent of their talents, telling the parents of an atrociously bad singer on X-Factor “You are the reason why this girl is disappointed and I have to blame you guys for encouraging her to believe she’s going to do well in something when she so obviously isn’t. You have given her false hope.”

Is David Archuleta the next American Idol?
Archuleta is the close favourite to win Season 7, according to Hubdub, the news prediction game. He would be the third male contestant to win the show.

For the winner of American Idol, winning the show is hardly the end of working hard to secure a singing career. Regardless of whether this is David Archuleta, he is stuck with Jeff Archuleta as his father, and it seems that maintaining a decent working relationship with his father will be the real battle. I hope he gets through this week’s performances successfully, and can be remembered as the cute kid with a big voice rather than the child of another crazy dad.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Paula Abdul is doing a great job at proving that she is a piece of fluff on the judging panel.

Last night, when asked to give her opinion on the contestants, she made the following comments about Jason Castro’s second song: “I felt like your usual charm was missing” and “After your two songs, I felt like you weren’t fighting hard enough to get into the top four”.

Fair comment, only problem being the contestants had only completed the first round and Castro hadn’t actually sang a second song yet.

Her response, when this was s-l-o-w-l-y pointed out to her was: “Oh my God, I thought you sang twice. You know what, this is hard”. Cowell patronisingly, but appropriately brought the judging down to her level by asking: “Paula, who was your favourite?”

I have nothing against airheads. Like, Sophie Monk greatly amuses me. But you know what is hard, is being one of the kids being judged up there in front of Mr Cowell who bluntly sorts the wheat from the chaff, not remembering what songs have been sung and coming up with an appropriate (fluffy and vague) response.

Will her gaffe affect who is voted out tonight?
How much do the judges influence who will win American Idol?

Popularity: 8% [?]