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 Economic Crisis

Let’s be frank our economy isn’t doing that great. All financial indicators point to things getting worse before they get better.  The first attempt at passing a bailout bill left the financial markets in tailspin, but Congress gets another chance to make things right. Thankfully Hubdub forecasts there’s an 84% chance Congress will pass a bailout package by the end of October.

Will the US Congress pass a bailout package by the end of October

The financial crisis widens everyday, but how does that translate into cold numbers?  The highest Dow opening was 13,198.10 in 2007, since then the markets have dropped significantly. We’re now in sight of passing through the 10,000.00 mark on our slippery downwards slope. For now over 60% of users predict we won’t have to deal with the Dow closing below 10,000.00, but in this tough economic climate that forecast could change rapidly.

When will the Dow close below 10,000?

Some say we’re in recession, some say we ain’t. What might not be a technical recession though sure feels like one. A recession is measured on GDP values, and successive quarters of negative GDP growth equal a recession. We have four quarters in a year and so far our 3rd quarter is looking quite dismal with estimates of only 2.8% growth. Happily though Hubdubber’s don’t forecast negative growth in the third quarter.

hird querterWill the US economy have negative growth in the third quarter 2008?

Vice Presidential Debate - Palin and Biden duke it out

The Vice Presidential Debate is this week and although some might want to talk about important issues like energy security and health care, the majority of people are a bit more vane. The important issue for us Hubdubber’s is whether Palin wears a Skirt or Pants.

VP debate Oct 2: Will Sarah Palin wear a skirt or pants?

World News

The coast off Somalia has been host to brazen Pirate attacks in the past month. Recently though some pirates have gotten sick. Is the reason WMD’s? When the pirates commandeered an Iranian vessel they encountered more then they bargained for, and some died due to toxic chemicals stored on the ship. What those chemicals are though still remains a mystery?

Will it be determined that a Iranian ship overtaken by pirates contains chemical weapons?

Science

This years Nobel Prize in Medicine is shoring up to be quite interesting, over 190 names have been submitted for the prize, but where will the winner come from? Most Hubdub users predict North America’s got dibs, but the Europeans and Asians have contributed much to medical science in the past decade. Where will the winner come from?

To which world region will this year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine go?

MLB Playoffs

We’re nearing the world series now, but first we have to get through the tough stuff. First up we have the LA Angels facing the Boston Red Sox in the American League divisions series. Hubdubbers think the likely winner of the series will be the Angels. In the National League division series it’s the Milwaukee Brewers versus the Philadelphia Phillies. For that match up Hubdubbers are forecasting the Phillies win the series in 4 games by only 23%! This is gonna be close!

MLB - Who will win the AL divisional series between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels?

MLB - Who will win the NL divisional series between Milwaukee Brewers and the Philadelphia Phillies?

Odd Stuff

David Blane’s a nutter! There’s no getting around that simple point, but at least we get some enjoyment out of his crazy frolicking. Hubdubber’s currently think he’ll stage another wacky and some might say stupid stunt next year. The real question should be will he be alive to perform his next stunt?

Will David Blane stage another large scale stunt in the next year?

TV Shows

Some shows should just die! Prime example being the new Knight Rider. Let’s face it, it’s not great, it’s got bad actors and it’s a drama featuring a talking car. Need any more be said? Apparently not as over 50% of Hubdub users forecast that Knight Rider will get the axe before January 1st.

Fall TV Preview: How will NBC’s Knight Rider do this season?

Popularity: 16% [?]