JoshuaZ comments on New Year's Predictions Thread (2011) - Less Wrong

10 Post author: Kevin 02 January 2011 09:58AM

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Comment author: Costanza 02 January 2011 05:00:22PM *  5 points [-]

As noted by Keynes, markets can remain irrational a lot longer than you and I can remain solvent. However, I'd say about 80% for each of the following:

The price of gold will fall in real terms. [ETA one year on -- Wrong. Fell a bit towards the end of the year, but still a net rise.]

The price of U.S. housing will fall in real terms. [ETA one year on -- numbers still seem to be being crunched, or at least I can't find anything very recent I'd regard as reliable.]

The rate of inflation of U.S. dollars will rise. [ETA one year on -- I think I got this one right. Subject to updating with better data in the near future.]

There will be much more discussion in the general media of a "higher education bubble." Not sure how to measure this.

@JoshuaZ, the number of servicemembers leaving due to DADT repeal will not be measured. The goverment won't ask, and won't tell. [ETA one year on -- I think I got this one right, for what it's worth. As I understand it, the U.S. military is on a path toward shrinking in general anyway.]

And finally -- not necessarily a prediction for this year -- things that can't go on forever won't. 100%

Comment author: JoshuaZ 02 January 2011 05:25:36PM 3 points [-]

the number of servicemembers leaving due to DADT repeal will not be measured. The goverment won't ask, and won't tell.

Yes, but others will be trying to measure this, including some aspects of the right-wing in the US.

Comment author: sketerpot 02 January 2011 06:13:35PM *  3 points [-]

I'll go a bit further and predict that, because of how politicized the issue is, there will not be any mainstream agreement on whose unofficial figures are more accurate.