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

The doomsday clock probably moved up another notch this week with North Korea flexing its military might. First a nuclear detonation, then missile tests and now the world awaits more irrational action. More missile tests between June 1 - June 7 have a 48% chance of occurring, and a new war in Asia has a 36% chance.

When will North Korea launch their next missile?

Sports
The NBA final is now underway, it’s a best of seven series, and as of now Hubdubbers only slightly favor the LA Lakers over the Orlando Magic.

NBA Finals, LA Lakers - Orlando Magic, series outcome?

The NHL playoffs are also underway this week. The final is between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Red Wings are certainly the front runners to win the best of seven series.

Stanley Cup Final, Detroit Red Wings - Pittsburgh Penguins, series outcome?

Science
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins this week and the initial outlook calls for a 50% chance of a normal season, a 25% chance of an above-normal season and a 25% chance of a below-normal season. Hubdub forecasts that in June and July there’s a equal 32% probability that we have either no storms or only one.

How many hurricanes will there be in the Atlantic in June and July?

Politics
Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has evoked some criticism from the right, from questions of her sexuality to her views on abortion, but for now she seems to have weathered the storm. Abortion being the sticky issue it is, Sonia Sotomayor has a 69% chance of not specifying whether she is or isn’t pro-choice.

Will Justice Sotomayor describe herself as pro-choice?

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.

Hubdub Top 5 barack obama, detroit red wings, hurricane season, la lakers, los angeles lakers, national basketball association, national hockey league, nba, nhl, north korea, nuclear tests, orlando magic, pittsburgh penguins, playoffs, Sonia Sotomayor, south korea, supreme court, war

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.

Sports
The NBA championship’s are in two weeks, and with the playoff games coming to a end, one team is the front runner. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a 50% chance of winning the championships, while the LA Lakers have a 24%, the Orlando Magic have the lowest chance of winning at 20%.

Team to win the 2009 NBA Championship?

Science
Just one look at the Hubdub odds on where the Swine Flu pandemic alert level is going to go, and it’s easy to see no one truly knows what will happen. There’s a 35% chance the pandemic alert goes up to 6 and a 32% chance it goes down to 4 within 5 weeks.

Whats next for the Swine Flu alert level: 4 or 6?

Business
Oil has gone up to $60 a barrel, but will it continue to rise? Although there’s 39% odds the price rises above $65 a barrel, the highest odds are 47% for no change before July.

Oil- up or down? July Contract. Which comes first - $55 oil or $65 oil?

Entertainment
The MTV Movie Awards are in 6 days, and one of the most entertaining awards is sure to be ‘Best Kiss.’ This year Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson’s kiss in Twilight seems to be the no-brainer. Hubdubbers give the kiss a 71%  chance of being selected.

MTV Movie Awards: Best Kiss?

World
With North Korea’s announced nuclear test tensions are high on the Korean peninsula and throughout Asia. But will the test have any lasting repercussions on peace talks? For now it doesn’t look like it. Hubdub forecasts North Korean Nuclear disarmament talks beginning in 2009 are likely.

When will North Korean nuclear disarmament talks start again?

Uncategorized best kiss, business, Cleveland Cavaliers, diplomacy, gasoline, Kristen Stewart, la lakers, MTV movie awards, national basketball association, nba, nba playoffs, north korea, nuclear tests, oil, oil barrel prices, orlando magic, pandemic, Robert Pattinson, swine flu, twilight

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.

Politics
At Hubdub we do like predicting the outcomes of polls. So it’s no surprise that a market on the Real Clear Politics Polling Average for Obama’s approval rating is getting some action. The outcome of the G20 Summit this week is sure to affect Obama’s polling numbers, currently at 61%. Hubdub forecasts by weeks end Obama’s RCP polling is over 60.5%

RCP Poll Average: President Obama Job Approval - O/U 60.5% on Saturday, April 4th?

World
North Korea always loves being the center of attention, and now they plan to launch a ballistic missile loaded with a communications satellite, but is it actually a communications satellite? Japan has doubts and has threatened to shoot it down. According to Hubdub a Japanese shoot down is unlikely, with only a 8% chance it happens.

Will Japan shoot down North Korea’s missile?

Business
The US unemployment rate for February was 8.1%, the highest since 1983. The upwards trend isn’t forecast to stop anytime soon either. For March Hubdubbers predict the US unemployment rate will certainly trump 8.1%. How bad will it be? The most likely rate for March is 8.5%.

What will the US unemployment rate be for March 2009?

Sports
We’re finally down to the final four of March Madness this week. The most anticipated game is going to be the University of Connecticut Huskies (31-4) going up against the Michigan State Spartans (29-6). From the Hubdub market it certainly looks as if the Huskies are the front runners, with a 66% chance of defeating the Spartans.

Final Four - #1 UConn vs #2 Michigan State. Who will win?

Technology

The Conficker worm is set to get a major update on April 1st. The virus has infected thousands upon thousands of corporate networks all over the world, but it hasn’t yet been activated. Whatever happens on April fools day, the designer or designers of the Conficker worm are being hunted. Will they ever get caught? For 2009 it seems unlikely.

When will the creator of the Conficker Worm be caught?

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.

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