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.

Entertainment
Michael Jackson’s untimely death last week left the world in mourning or at least most of it. Bin Laden wasn’t a fan. Despite countless plastic surgery operations and possible underlying health conditions his death at 50 is still a mystery, especially to his family. Hubdubbers are predicting there’s a 42% chance Jackon’s death was due to drug use.

What was the underlying cause of Michael Jackson’s cardiac arrest?

Jackson was somewhat eccentric to say the least, so it’s quite a surprise to see Hubdub forecasting Jackson is most likely to be laid to rest the old fashion way. Although there still is a 8% chance he’s put in Cryogenic Suspension and a 3% chance he’s displayed in the same way Lenin is.

How will Michael Jackson be laid to rest?

The initial conspiratorial reports citing Michael Jackson’s doctor as a possible suspect seem to have dissipated, as there’s now only a 8% chance the doctor will be charged in relation to Jackson’s death.

Will Michael Jackson’s doctor be charged?

Business
Not much of a surprise here, but the forecast is worth a notice. International oil companies from the United States are 93% likely to be majority share holders in Iraqi oil fields. War for oil anyone?

Who will get most of the Oil fields in Iraq?

Politics

Wives of unfaithful politicians often seem to enter the same profession of their unfaithful husbands. Hillary Clinton? Despite that, don’t bet on Mark Sanford’s wife entering politics anytime soon.

Will Jenny Sanford run for public office?

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.

Uncategorized affair, america, cardiac arrest, cause, charged, death, divorce, doctor, funeral, iraq, jenny sanford, mark sanford, michael jackson, oil companies, oil fields, united states

Should we really get all paranoid about Swine Flu? Well….

There’s a 54% chance swine flu grows into a pandemic in 2009

Will the Mexican/U.S. swine flu (A/H1N1) grow into a pandemic in 2009 as feared?

62% chance swine flu is confirmed on every continent by July.

Will there be confirmed cases of swine flu on every continent by July 1?

And if you weren’t freaking out by now, there’s a 64% chance swine flu will be present in more than 31 US states by May

SWINE FLU 2009: How many states will report cases of Swine flu by the end of May?

I think it’s time to stock up on supplies and board up all the doors!

World apocalypse, bird flu, disease, epidemic, fatal, H1N1, hong kong flu, influenza, mexico, pandemic, swine flu, united states, World Health Organization

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.

Science
As if the economic meltdown wasn’t enough, now we have swine flu. The outbreak started in Mexico but in a matter of days cases in places as far away as New Zealand have popped up. The Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization haven’t yet referred to the outbreak as a pandemic, but before 2010 the chances of swine flu developing into a pandemic are a worrying 23%.

Will the Mexican/U.S. swine flu (A/H1N1) grow into a pandemic in 2009 as feared?

Entertainment
Sean Hannity is on the record saying he’d be water boarded for charity. Therefore Keith Olbermann’s offer to give $1,000 per second to charity for as long as Hannity stays under seems fair. The question is will Hannity chicken out?

How much will Keith Olbermann pay Hannity for the waterboard treatment?

It’s TV show culling time again! Although some entertainment pundits have doubts about Chuck returning for another season, Hubdubbers seem to categorically agree with Deadline Hollywood Daily forecasting Chuck has a 71% chance of renewal.

Bubble shows: Will Chuck be renewed?

Politics
This week President Barack Obama has his third prime time press conference, with so many issues on his plate though mentions of Obama’s former rival John McCain seem unlikely.

Primetime Press Conference 4/29: Will John McCains name be mentioned specifically.

Sports

“The fastest Two Minutes in Sports,” better known as the Kentucky Derby is this week and Hubdub has forecasts on which horse is most likely to win. Pioneer of the Nile with a 29% chance is the front runner followed by I Want Revenge and Quality Road with 25% and 18% chances of winning respectively.

Who will win this years Kentucky Derby?

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, Center for Disease Control, charity, Chuck, H1N1, horse racing, john mccain, Keith Olbermann, Kentucky Derby, mexico, mexico city, outbreak, pandemic, primetime press conference, renewal, Sean Hannity, swine flu, The fastest Two Minutes in Sports, united states, water board, water boarding, World Health Organization

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
Roxana Saberi the Iranian-American journalist convicted in Iran of espionage has launched an appeal in a last ditch effort to get out of an 8 year sentence handed down last week. Although the trial and conviction are seen as a farce by many in the West, Hubdubbers doubt Saberi’s appeal will work, only giving it a 36% chance of success.

Will journalist Roxana Saberi’s appeal of spying on Iran succeed?

Politics
Cuba has been dominating the news these past few weeks, but how can we measure a softening in Cuban-American relations? One thing observers and the Obama administration are looking at is whether Cuba will release any political prisoners. Hubdub forecasts by July 1st there’s a 66% chance no political prisoners have yet been released.

Will Cuba release any political prisoners before July 1st 2009?

Business
At the start of the auto bailout a merger between Italian Fiat and American Chrysler looked like a no-brainer. Recent problems with debt though have left the prospects of a merger in murky waters. Now there’s only a 50% chance the merger goes through before the start of June.

Will Chrysler and Fiat enter into any type of merger prior to June?

Sports
The NBA playoffs have arrived, and next week in the first round the Atlanta Hawks and Miami Heat face off. In the seven game series Miami currently has the highest chances of pulling off a win, but the margins are very, very close!

NBA Playoffs, Atlanta Hawks - Miami Heat, series outcome?

Entertainment

In May flurries of Blockbuster movies start hitting theaters. Unfortunately my hopes that the new Star Trek would crush any competition seem to have been dashed. Hubdub gives X-Men Origins: Wolverine a 68% chance of having the highest grossing open weekend. Honestly Spock is so much more of a money maker than Wolverine…

Which movie will own the highest opening gross during its first weekend release in May 2009?

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.

Uncategorized america, Atlanta Hawks, barack obama, chrysler, cuba, espionage, fiat, iran, merger, Miami Heat, national basketball association, nba, nba playoffs, political prisoners, Roxana Saberi, summer blockbusters, united states, X-Men Origins: Wolverine

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.

Uncategorized approval rating, april fools day, ballistic missile, barack obama, Conficker, Conficker worm, economic recovery, financial crisis, forecast, g20, hacker, hubdub, japan, job approval, march, March Madness, Michigan State Spartans, missile, north korea, predict, Prediction, rate, rcp, real clear politics, recession, shoot down, unemployment, united states, University of Connecticut Huskies, virus