2050.

[Duke87 1,070]

Okay, this thread has gone nuts.

We've got some outrageous (hopefully joking) predictions, a fight over George Bush, a guy saying evoution will be banned (as if you can ban a natural process), a guy saying the world will end in 2012 because the mayas predicted it and it jives with the bible....

 

God dammit, can't we be reasonable, people!? PLEASE!?

 

(we need a :beg: smiley...)

[Cjah 15]

Date: 1/26/2006 9:12:28 PM Author: Duke87

Okay, this thread has gone nuts.

We've got some outrageous (hopefully joking) predictions, a fight over George Bush, a guy saying evoution will be banned (as if you can ban a natural process), a guy saying the world will end in 2012 because the mayas predicted it and it jives with the bible....

God dammit, can't we be reasonable, people!? PLEASE!?

(we need a :beg: smiley...)

Hmm be reasonable eh?

 

Alright I bet many have been waiting for my predictions cause you know how unreasonable I can be....

 

Well by 2012 I see WW3 happening when the oppressed peoples of Eastern Europe rise up and say No more and tottally own West Europe....

 

Then I see Russia and the rest of the Asian nations returning to a semi Communist Union which will bring on the Marsain Space Race which will leave the US without any money by 2030 and they will be forced to turn Communist.By then the rest of Europe will be broke and by 2036 all european nations will fall under Polish or Hungarian or Slavic control(except England)....In which time they begin the quest to bring down Russia and their Asian allies which starts WW4 by 2039....by 2045 a truce will be called on WW4 and then Europe becomes Communist and the only Nation unoffected will be Austraila which has started the only peaceful Union with South American and England when the US fell to Communsim....

 

Ok now that could happen.....The treaty of Trianon screwed every East European in some way....

 

ummm.....

 

yeah right....I dought that will happen,but someone needed to have the crazy commie prediction...

 

Well its either the destruction of the world or peace....but by 2050 one of which will be apart of history...

 

Even if we acheive peace under a communist government or Democratic government there still will be a WW3....its kinda hard to miss the way things are going....

[imhurt66 0]

Well I live in Frederick MD WHOOT!!!and heres what I think Frederick will be like in 2050

1.Population will be close to 130,000
2.City Limits will have been extended
3.There will be 23 Schools in the City
4.I-70 I-270 and U.S. 15 will be 4 lane highways.
5.All dowtown buildings will have been renovated at least once by know or will have been blown away by 20 mph winds(Thats how old they will be)
6.Single family homes will only be available on the outskirts of the city.

[shasta 1]

Here's my thoughts on our future through the year 2050:

United States
2007 - After holding a 4th referendum on the topic of statehood, Puerto Rico finally votes to become the 51st state of the Union. A month later, New York City and Long Island successfully force a split from New York State to become the 52nd state.
2009 - President Bush completes his term in office, breathing a sigh of refief as he almost didn't make it to the end, due to scandals too numerous to name.
2011 - The new President succeeds in spliting the nation even further, and is forced to institure martial law to keep the Union together.
2012-13 - The sitting President secures re-election through questionable means, severely damaging ties to parts of the nation. On January 20, 2013, the city of Washington, along with the entire US Congress and the President, are vaporized by a high-yield nuclear bomb, breaking the chain of succession and descending the nation into chaos.
2014 - Out of the chaotic civil war that followed the destruction of Washington, five new nations emerge to end the violence and restore order - the Republic of Texas (considered the re-emergence of the original), the Greater California Republic, The Confederate States of America (geographically similar to the last one, but philosophically different), the Republic of the American Northwest, and the Great Lakes Federation. All five are recognized immediately by the nations of the world, and applauded for ending the violence.
2023 - The Republic of Texas sparks international controversy by annexing the Mexican border states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahulia, and Chihuahua. Greater California further adds to the conflict by annexing Sonora and all of Baja California.
2031 - Texas carries out another round of annexation, reaching within striking distance of Mexico City. Having lost more than half its land area in the past 8 years, the Mexican government desperately calls for European intervention, but collapses under internal and external pressure before help can arrive. The successor government promptly signs a peace treaty with both Texas and Greater California, finally restoring peace and balance to the continent.
2040 - The XXXVII Olympic Games are held in Houston, Republic of Texas, marking the first time the Olympics journey to America since the fall of the United States. This Olympics also marks the first time that all of the North American successor states are represented at the games. California and Texas tied for the most medals, with Mexico finishing a surprising third.
2050 - The combined population of the six successor republics (five American, one Mexican) passes 500 million.

World
2007 - Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group which took power in the parliamentary elections the year before (yesterday!), formally recognizes Israel's right to exist. Palestine's sovereignty is recognized by the nations of the world later the same year. Iran still vows to wipe Israel off the map.
2008 - The hard-liner Iranian government enrages the world by launching a low-yield nuclear missile at Israel, obliterating Jerusalem, considered a Holy City among three religions. However, before Israel can counterstrike with their own nukes, a student uprising overthrows the Iran government, and promptly begs forgiveness from the world for the actions of their foolish elders.
2009 - China begins steps to phase out communism in favor of a true democracy. Taiwan agrees to rejoin the mainland once the democratic government formally takes control.
2010 - al-Qaida attempts to seize control of the Saudi government in a coup d'etat, killing the entire royal family. However, the coup is promptly put down by a combined Saudi-American-British-Iraqi force, installing a democratically elected government in its place. Osama bin Laden, as well as all of his high-ranking subordinates, are either killed or captured as a result of the coup.
2012 - Queen Elizabeth II of England passes away, ending her reign as the longest reigning monarch in English history. With her death, the United Kingdom of Great Britain also comes to an end, peacefully dissolving into the nations of England, Scotland, and Wales (Northern Ireland chose to reunite with Ireland instead of independence).
2013 - with the dissolution of the United States, China stands alone as the sole superpower in the world.
2018 - India and Pakistan sign a peace treaty, ending decades of hostility.
2019 - The African continent experiences tremendous growth. Unfortunately, this is short-lived, as a massive earthquake on the Great Rift Valley splits the Somali peninsula off of Africa. The resulting damage sends the whole continent into depression.
2022 - South Korea (with China's secret blessing) invades North Korea. North Korea responds by launching nuclear missiles towards the South, but their guidance systems go haywire, and all the missiles target the North Korean captial by mistake. The blast literally wipes North Korea off the map, and is so powerful that it triggers the eruption of Mt. Fuji in Japan, devastating the Japanese ability to govern themselves. China and South Korea occupy Japan on a temporary basis until a new government can be formed.
2023 - The world community is enraged at the sudden annexation Mexico's border states by the republics of Texas and Greater California, and threaten sanctions against both nations if they attempt to annex more land.
2028 - The members of the European Union merge into a single nation, also called the European Union (convienent, huh?). Shortly thereafter, several of the former nations leave, citing a lack of equal representation as their reason for leaving.
2031 - A separatist group in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula takes advantage of further annexation of lands by Texas to stage a coup d'etat, overthrowing the already unstable federal government.
2032 - The European Union's lack of action in the Mexico crisis leads to some member nations questioning the wisdom of continuing the union any further. Further Nationalist sentiment leads to the union falling apart before the year ends.
2047 - The European continent reaches a total population of 850 million.

Well, that's what I see in our future. Feel free to comment. Oh, and on a side note, the Chicago Cubs STILL can't win the World Series!

[AIX 270]

I heard from someone the idea of a one-government world... My email notifications skrew up the thread order, so I can't find it again...

I do not think there will ever be a single world government. Infact, the concept of massive empires will become a thing of the past. Any government that takes over the entire world (or a large part of it such as a continent) will collapse under its own beaurocracy. Large beaurocracies and large empires will do no good, and if they even form, they will be short-lived.

There are several things that need to be reformed in America (and other nations) to ensure a more successfull 21st century:

1. Education : The standards by which students are graded are way too low. Ciriculum needs to be stepped up and the classes need to have more content. I think all students should be required to learn a second language starting in the first grade for example.

2. Welfare : Welfare needs to be totally started over and revamped. Far too many people are getting it who don't need or deserve it. It needs to be monitered more closely, and in most cases, people should be required to pay back what they got in welfare (in the form of an interest-free loan) as soon as they are back on their feet. A special payment plan could be made for each case.

3. The Government : In the US, the beaurocracy in all departments and agencies has gotten way too big. The IRS for example, costs way too much money to run. A huge portion of tax dollars go towards keeping the IRS functioning. The entire government needs to be simplified and made as small as possible. Too much money is wasted on administrative costs.

4. Social Security : What a disaster, almost in the same state that welfare is. It needs to be totally re-designed. Administrative costs need to be cut, and the people should be given more control over where their social security tax goes. The average person pays much more into social security than he will ever see in benefits. It's abysmal. A great idea is to give people the option to invest a portion of their social security tax into a private account, giving people the chance to make more money. That would mean more money for them to retire, more money for medical expenses, etc.

5. International Relations : The US and other nations need to focus more on working together both politically and economically. Out-sourcing every job and product manufacturing is NOT working together in my book. That is one-sided. People need to put their petty political differences aside and realize what can be achieved. There is great potential.

Well, I feel like I am rambling. Good night

[mcarch 15]

By 2050

Omaha, NE

 

-Omaha will merge with Lincoln (45 miles)

-There will be over 1 million people living within a 50 mile radius

-Our Interstate Systems Should be done being widened (but I doubt it - they're always behind)

-Hopefully we allow Gambling in the State to bring in some Tax Dollars (instead of taxing people to death)

-2009- Our 3rd Tallest Building will be completed (32 floors)

-Hopefully our proposed pedestrian bridge over the Missouri will be completed (hopefully)

 

 

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Yes, Europe's population will be lower, the east half of the continent is actually loosing population instead of gaining it like it's supposed to right now, but 50 years is long enough for that to completely turn around.

Immigration (whether it's legal or not), especially from Mexico, is what's keeping America's population pyramid good, and without it we'd be having population problems like Europe, from what I understand (I'll ask my professor tomorrow to get more details). And I don't think that the people who proposed the wall are specialists in any related field.

Also, like other people, I think that peoples bodies will be more technologized. It won't be anything special then either, and nothing very crazy, or very cool looking. Remember that at one point, glasses, teeth braces, and hearing aides would be considered bizzar super high tech, and whoever used them would seem like some kind of super-cyborg being or something.

[jvlm.123 0]

Date: 1/26/2006 10:22:22 PM Author: shasta Here's my thoughts on our future through the year 2050: United States 2007 - After holding a 4th referendum on the topic of statehood, Puerto Rico finally votes to become the 51st state of the Union. A month later, New York City and Long Island successfully force a split  from New York State to become the 52nd state. 2009 - President Bush completes his term in office, breathing a sigh of refief as he almost didn't make it to the end, due to scandals too numerous to name. 2011 - The new President succeeds in spliting the nation even further, and is forced to institure martial law to keep the Union together. 2012-13 - The sitting President secures re-election through questionable means, severely damaging ties to parts of the nation. On January 20, 2013, the city of Washington, along with the entire US Congress and the President, are vaporized by a high-yield nuclear bomb, breaking the chain of succession and descending the nation into chaos. 2014 - Out of the chaotic civil war that followed the destruction of Washington, five new nations emerge to end the violence and restore order - the Republic of Texas (considered the re-emergence of the original), the Greater California Republic, The Confederate States of America (geographically similar to the last one, but philosophically different), the Republic of the American Northwest, and the Great Lakes Federation. All five are recognized immediately by the nations of the world, and applauded for ending the violence. 2023 - The Republic of Texas sparks international controversy by annexing the Mexican border states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahulia, and Chihuahua. Greater California further adds to the conflict by annexing Sonora and all of Baja California. 2031 - Texas carries out another round of annexation, reaching within striking distance of Mexico City. Having lost more than half its land area in the past 8 years, the Mexican government desperately calls for European intervention, but collapses under internal and external pressure before help can arrive. The successor government promptly signs a peace treaty with both Texas and Greater California, finally restoring peace and balance to the continent. 2040 - The XXXVII Olympic Games are held in Houston, Republic of Texas, marking the first time the Olympics journey to America since the fall of the United States. This Olympics also marks the first time that all of the North American successor states are represented at the games. California and Texas tied for the most medals, with Mexico finishing a surprising third. 2050 - The combined population of the six successor republics (five American, one Mexican) passes 500 million. World 2007 - Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group which took power in the parliamentary elections the year before (yesterday!), formally recognizes Israel's right to exist. Palestine's sovereignty is recognized by the nations of the world later the same year. Iran still vows to wipe Israel off the map. 2008 - The hard-liner Iranian government enrages the world by launching a low-yield nuclear missile at Israel, obliterating Jerusalem, considered a Holy City among three religions. However, before Israel can counterstrike with their own nukes, a student uprising overthrows the Iran government, and promptly begs forgiveness from the world for the actions of their foolish elders. 2009 - China begins steps to phase out communism in favor of  a true democracy. Taiwan agrees to rejoin the mainland once the democratic government formally takes control. 2010 - al-Qaida attempts to seize control of the Saudi government in a coup d'etat, killing the entire royal family. However, the coup is promptly put down by a combined Saudi-American-British-Iraqi force, installing a democratically elected government in its place. Osama bin Laden, as well as all of his high-ranking subordinates, are either killed or captured as a result of the coup. 2012 - Queen Elizabeth II of England passes away, ending her reign as the longest reigning monarch in English history. With her death, the United Kingdom of Great Britain also comes to an end, peacefully dissolving into the nations of England, Scotland, and Wales (Northern Ireland chose to reunite with Ireland instead of independence). 2013 - with the dissolution of the United States, China stands alone as the sole superpower in the world. 2018 - India and Pakistan sign a peace treaty, ending decades of hostility. 2019 - The African continent experiences tremendous growth. Unfortunately, this is short-lived, as a massive earthquake on the Great Rift Valley splits the Somali peninsula off of Africa. The resulting damage sends the whole continent into depression. 2022 - South Korea (with China's secret blessing) invades North Korea. North Korea responds by launching nuclear missiles towards the South, but their guidance systems go haywire, and all the missiles target the North Korean captial by mistake. The blast literally wipes North Korea off the map, and is so powerful that it triggers the eruption of Mt. Fuji in Japan, devastating the Japanese ability to govern themselves. China and South Korea occupy Japan on a temporary basis until a new government can be formed. 2023 - The world community is enraged at the sudden annexation Mexico's border states by the republics of Texas and Greater California, and threaten sanctions against both nations if they attempt to annex more land. 2028 - The members of the European Union merge into a single  nation, also called the European Union (convienent, huh?). Shortly thereafter, several of the former nations leave, citing a lack of equal representation as their reason for leaving. 2031 - A separatist group in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula takes advantage of further annexation of lands by Texas to stage a coup d'etat, overthrowing the already unstable federal government. 2032 - The European Union's lack of action in the Mexico crisis leads to some member nations questioning the wisdom of continuing the union any further. Further Nationalist sentiment leads to the union falling apart before the year ends. 2047 - The European continent reaches a total population of 850 million. Well, that's what I see in our future. Feel free to comment. Oh, and on a side note, the Chicago Cubs STILL can't win the World Series!

quote>

WOW! Very interesting! Good job!

[Deathtoall 28]

Date: 1/26/2006 9:43:48 PM Author: Cjah

Europe becomes Communist and the only Nation unoffected will be Austraila which has started the only peaceful Union with South American and England when the US fell to Communsim....

 

Cjah that sounds possibly true(to some extent, the australia part.) But Howard's ass kissing to Bush(nothing against bush here) is really getting out of control, like the near abolisation of the cheap drug program if we accept bush's trade agreement. Going into Irag ( the whole countries was against it). I think Australia should move away from the USA and move it's relationships towards China+Asia whom we export and import alot of stuff to and from. We definetly should sign the Kyoto Protocol and we should Kick Howard(PM) out and most of his colleagues and get the greens or Democrats in. If not 2035, probable fall of Australia to communions or other groups who hates us for going along lbehind bush like an odedient dog on a leash.

 

Now i must say, our state government(NSW) really needs to be kicked out. OUr Premier Iemma(rhymes with dilemma!!!. He's certainly lived up to it.) Has done nothing to help us(might spend half a billion to buy out failed transport options,all no trucks or busses roads and as just sat there twidling his thunmbs  and Bob Carr before him let our rail and busse rundown to almost imposible to fix. By 2050 Sydney will go from 5million(2005) to 2million as the city strangles it selfs without no publictransport.

 

And i think Australia has a whole will see huge downturn in population(2050) with the average couple having on 1.5 babies, well below the replacement level and an aging population from a boom WW2.

 

Within  the next five years there will be a lead up to a big war in middle east as this year Iran starts selling it's oil to EU dollars instead of US dollars causing a huge debet in America

[jvlm.123 0]

I know this is pointless, but....

 

100th POST ON THIS CONVERSATION!

 

 

Anyways, heres a picture from the motion picture Blade Runner, set in Los Angeles, CA, in 2019.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//BladeRunner_Bradbury.jpg align=baseline>

 

Do you think it will be like that?

 

Other movies set in the future include;

 

1. i, Robot set in Chicago, IL, in the year 2035.

2. Minority Report, set in Washington D.C. in the year 2054.

3. Back To The Future (2), set in Hill Valley (fictional), in the year 2015.

[sir scott 0]

some of the ideas coming out of this thread are really cool (wacky , impossiable and crazy sometimes - but very funny)

 

.As for Cjahs prediction for a series of world wide communist superstates im not sure. Im a history student and ive done a considerable amount of reasearch into the communist reigemes of the 20th century (the soviet union , N.Korea , the Khemer rouge etc) and the evidence wighs against it. Whilst many of these states did stabilise after the introduction of communist governments , i have seen no case in which a communist system has been maintained without either a dictatorship or a return to some form of capitalism. Cuba and China are good examples , whilst maintaining communist governments both of these states have dictatoial reigemes and have either been forced to return to some capitalist systems (cuba) or decided to take advantage of it (china). The closest any reigeme has come to establishing a pure communist society was the Khermer rouge in cambodia , and we all know the horrific results of that dictatorship. Personally i havent got anything against communism , i think it sounds like a wonderfull perfect system. its just a shame human beings arent perfect enougth to make it work

 

in conclusion , no giant communist superstates( not without dictatorship and bloodshed anyway ...and i dont think anyone wants a repeat of the soviet union)

[Micah 16]

Please deal with me that I keep replying in this thread, but I keep thinking of my more possibilities.

 

I think by the year 2050, most of the Sahara will be farmland because of distallition (Spell check???). And I really doubt that photo in Blade Runner will happen. Most people back in the 80s thought that is how we would look like right now, and yet they were wrong.

 

[sir scott 0]

Micahs right. remember , back in the 50s they were predicting wed be on mars by now and going on holiday to the moon

[GAT-X105 3]

I like those old pictures of what people in the 30s thought the 70s would be like!

Oh, and what I think...
by 2050 the world will be well into the switchover into a hydrogen economy. By the time Bush's term runs out, it is so wracked with scandal that the only reason he wasn't impeached was that nobody wanted Dick in the Oval Office. The country is so sick of it all that, for the first time possibly since the early 1800's, they elect a leader who actually has the best interests of the people in mind. Lobbying is made illegal, the government is massively streamlined, the budget is finally balanced, and the United Nations actually has some power. The US populace realizes how amazingly botched the War on Terror was and, for awhile at least, don't let themselves be had so badly again.

Mexico actually helps bring itself into the 1st world, and illegal immigration slows down tremendously.

Millions of Back to the Future fans are dissapointed when 2015 rolls around and we don't have flying DeLoreans yet.

[Jasoncw 11,840]

Blade Runner is a cool movie, but I hope that's not what the world is like.

24 hour darkness from pollution, huge crime rates, massive poverty, insane urban sprawl on Earth in addition to new sprawl in space...

but if anyone liked the movie Bladerunner, and is looking for a book to read, Neuromancer by William Gibson is a good one. The two share alot of themes and are associated with eachother. Neuromancer is also considered to be one of the pioneers in cyber-punk.

[intensivecarebear 0]

Well I guess I'll start with my the Bay Area...my home

-Oakland and San Francisco will become a single large city of several million but will be so expensive that most common folk will be forced to relocate to the outer limits of California's massive sprawl.

- this new continous sprawl will consist of SF bay area, sacramento, LA,San Diego and tijuana and will be known as the San SacFrangeles metroplitan area...haha.

-the northern cali part will become the more cultured, sophisticated and environmentally conscious part of the region.(oh wait, that's already true!)

-a massive 9.0 quake will hit LA circa 2023, forcing the area to rebuid much of its infrastucture and eliminate freeways over the next 25 years. LA will be almost unrecognizable.

-U.S will have far less influence on the globe and will become less powerful economically and politically

-Brazil, India, and China will become 3 most powerful countries in the world

-half the U.S. population will consist of peoples from Central and South America

-most of the U.S's black population will relocate to Brazil or possibly Canada, although mixed marriages will become quite the norm in the U.S.

-Islam will become the world's largest and most powerful religion, followed by Buddhism. Sadly, religious conflict will still be perpetuated by those in power. but don't worry, Christianity will still be around

-environmental consciousness will no longer be limited to so-called tree hugging hippies as more and more people will finally wake up and start taking responsibility for our planet.

-and finally George Bush will not be president and his 8 yrs in office will become a distant memory...

that is all for now...

[Griff 0]

My prediction of now-2050:

 

My Native Metropolitian Area:

 

-2007: San Francisco breaks ground on BART extension to San Jose. 

-2008: Local Liberals celebrate end of Bush's final term in office, offending some local Moderates & Conservatives.

-2009: Bay Area starts experimental chaplain programs in public school systems, offering Christian, Jewish, and Muslim courses (funded by thier respective religious practicioners), although highly controversial, the program does wind up raising student confidence and politeness.

-2010: Oakland breaks ground on a baseball-only stadum for the A's

-2011: Gay activists demonstrate against a recent iniciative passed by a 61% majority in California that does not entitile Gay/Lesbian relationships to the same recognition as heterosexual relationships by the state (with all due respect if it didn't happen back 3 years earlier, it won't happen by then).

-2012: The year comes & goes without a hitch, leaving people who bought into the Mayan end of the world theory relieved, also the San Jose BART extension is completed.

-2013: Bay Area jolted with a 7.9 earthquake, killing approximately 800 people and resulting in nearly $60 billion dollars in damages.

-2014: In the wake of the earthquake, the Bay breaks ground on several new building projects, including a South Bay extension for BART (as well as a few others that link major airports and staduims in the Bay Area), the first stretches of underground highways, and some new buildings in SF, Oakland, & SJ.

-2017: New Bay Bridge span finished two years late, Sacramento & CalTrans come under heavy criticism of taking thier sweet time and finishing after a severe earthquake hit the Bay Area.

-2018: Oakland's baseball staduim built, A's fans celebrate.

-2019: Gas stations catering Hydrogen in compressed or cryonic forms to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles start popping up all over the Bay Area.

-2020: Bay Area home to 2 of the nation's top 10 ports (with the way Asia is growing economically, it'll happen).

-2022: Post-Quake projects completed.

-2024: Bay Area nominated for 2032 Summer Olympics.

-2025: Bay Area chosen to host 2032 Summer Olympics.

-2026-2031: Olympic fever runs high in Bay Area, as a series of building projects go underway, including turning Treasure Island back into an ameusment park, rebuilding/restoring several historical sites including Playland-At-the-Sea, affordible urban renewal, and making the Bay Area the most technologically advanced and ecologically friendly metropolitain area in the U.S.

-2032: The Bay Area hosts the summer Olympics.

-2033: All highways in the built-up Bay Area are underground, to reserve space for development and slow urban sprawl.

-2036: It is now almost impossible to find a gas station that still sells gasoline.

-2039: People watch as a NEO passes Earth, missing by about 40,000 miles, bringing relief to pessimists and providing many photo opportunities.

-2040: Hypersonic Sub-Orbital flights availible out of SF Intl' for those who can afford it.

-2043: Bay Area rattled by a series of moderate earthquakes during the year, ranging from 4.9-6.0 in intensity, 37 people die and the quakes rack up $4 billion in damages.

-2044: Oakland reports one of its quietest years for murder in its history, with 41 reported homicides.

-2047: Bay Area voted best metropolitian area to live in by 12 magazine surveys.

-2050: Bay Area rings in the turning point of the 21st century, I am in my late 50's.

 

My Country:

-2007: U.S. Dollar reaches its highest trading value against the Euro in 4 years.

-2008: President Bush's term in office ends, he is suceeded by a moderate Republican, who's political agenda is to restore many of America's ailing/out-of-control areas (social security, our education system, our courts, our healthcare system, national security, etc.).

-2009: We finally pull out of Iraq, leaving behind a fairly stable confederation of Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds.

-2011: America's national debt & trade deficit begins to be paid off.

-2013: Abortion-on-Demand is banned, however abortion is still permitted under unusual circumstances during the 1st & 2nd trimesters.

-2014: The U.S. starts to take better control of its borders.

-2015: The president begins to comply with Kyoto, not for the lessening of global warming, but to reduce U.S. dependence on foriegn oil and to promote research into alternatice fuel sources.

-2016: The Moderate president is suceeded by a Liberal Democrat, who begins to splurge money on fairly unimportant things.

-2017: A series of terrorist attacks against the mass transit systems of N.Y.C., L.A., Chicago is conducted by Al-Queda, marking thier first sucessful attack on U.S. soil in nearly 16 years. 300 people die, & the current president is forced to radically alter his political stance in order to prevent a P.R. crisis.

-2018: GM and Ford report thier strongest financial year since the mid-80's.

-2019: Hydrogen Fuel Cells find thier way into automobiles and are widely used in industrial purposes.

-2020: The Liberal president is replaced by the first female president in U.S. history (a Democratic Moderate) with similar political agendas as the president of 2008-2016.

-2021: A new law allows students to openly practice religious beliefs in U.S. schools and colleges.

-2023: Factories and refineries are now required to capture and store all environmentally harmful emissions in selected areas underground.

-2024: The U.S. takes backseat to a democratic China as #1 superpower, although still wielding incredible influence in the world.

-2025: U.S. economy endures a severe two-year recession.

-2027: Puerto Rico becomes our 51st state.

-2029: American Samoa becomes our 52nd state

-2030: Suburban sprawl creeps at a fraction of the pace it did in the early 21st century, as condos have become more popular and it is more typical for developers to redevelope underdeveloped or dilapitaded areas.

-2031: The war on terror destroys the last remnants of Al-Queda, although several of thier former affiliates continue to exist.

-2033: The Virgin Islands becomes the 53rd state and Guam and the Northern Marianas are consolidated into the 54th state.

-2035: Hydrogen Fuel Cells replace fossil fuels as predominant fuel of choice for transportation and industry, 40% of it is refined using natural gas & coal, 20% from using nuclear fission, and the remaining 40% by alternative fuel sources.

-2036: GM & Ford are once again strong, viable auto companies in the global market.

-2038: First sucessful experimental fusion reactor built in a Millitary research facility in Nevada.

-2040: First non-white president elected, the president is an African-American Conservative Republican.

-2042: U.S. buys the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla from the U.K., the islands are consolidated into the State of the Virgin Islands

-2045: U.S. loses 2nd place superpower status to India. Nevertheless, the U.S. continues to prosper and wield incredible influenece.

-2047: First commercial nuclear fusion reactor built on former site of Hanford, WA.

-2048: First non-white & female president elected, is a Hispanic Moderate Democrat.

-2050: U.S. celebrates the turning of the 21st century.

 

BTW I know this is optimistic.

[jvlm.123 0]

I'd also say that Canada's population will jump by a large amount. There will be more immigration, especially from the U.S.A.

[EnigmaticUK 1]

I'm far too overwhelmed with the strangeness of people's ideas to post my own rather mundane predictions

[GreekMan 246]

I just hope some of these predictions don't come true about distruction.

[Rymac91 15]

I love your perdiction Griff...I'd love to see more states..I'm horrible at realistic perdictions...but for some reason...I can't see movie like hover cars until the 40's.

I'll be 59 in 2050.

[summersa74 0]

Date: 1/26/2006 11:40:06 PM Author: mcarch

By 2050

Omaha, NE

-Omaha will merge with Lincoln (45 miles)

-There will be over 1 million people living within a 50 mile radius

-Our Interstate Systems Should be done being widened (but I doubt it - they're always behind)

-Hopefully we allow Gambling in the State to bring in some Tax Dollars (instead of taxing people to death)

-2009- Our 3rd Tallest Building will be completed (32 floors)

-Hopefully our proposed pedestrian bridge over the Missouri will be completed (hopefully)

quote>

 

Dammit!  I was going to say the exact same thing about Omaha and Lincoln, although I believe they will stay separate entities like Dallas/Ft. Worth or Minneapolis/St. Paul.

 

A large international airport will be built near the town of Greenwood, NE (roughly halfway between Lincoln and Omaha).

 

Tommy Frasier will have been the state's first black Governor.

 

The Unicameral will still exist and Ernie Chambers will have filibustered 75% of the bills to be heard.

 

Finally, idiotic (state) Senator-What's-Her-Name still will be trying to destroy the town of Ashland.

[your_adress_here 11]

Date: 1/24/2006 11:15:48 AM
Author: MiniMark
Tim Hortons will open a store in every small town approximately 1,500 people in Canada or where there is a busy 4 way intersection.

quote>

I say by 2050 Tim Hortons will become Canada's economy!

GreekMan

also why is everyone aganst Bush?

quote>

Well, for Canadians it's mostly just instinct.

[cpandza 1]

I hope toronto doesnt grow anymore.  THe highways are ridiculus

[SilentMage 22]

The following is something I wrote for CNN.com when they were asking people about what they thought the world would be like in the year 2016. I guess I went above and beyond the call of duty with this (they wanted 1 paragraph, I submitted a whole essay) so they never published it online or anything.

"In the year 2016, gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles finally begin to be replaced by electric vehicles as gasoline prices rise to over $10 a gallon. The Japanese car companies (Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, etc.) already were predicting this event and have provided American consumers plenty of electric vehicle options at affordable prices. There is very little American competition in the vehicle industry (Ford Motor Company was purchased by Toyota back in 2010 and General Motors finally closed its doors in 2011 when the government refused to bail them out again; their factories were parceled out to foreign competitors in order to prevent mass unemployment), so aside from the rare gas-only Ford car on the highway, almost all cars, buses, trucks, and SUVs are European or Asian in origin.

"Internet2 has reached its one-millionth user in America as the original Internet, despite 1 in 2 American internet users having broadband/DSL connection speeds, gets bogged down by decades of clutter that has never been removed -- all those websites that we made as a novelty back in 2002 is finally taking a toll on overall connection speeds. With the promise of 1GB/sec download speeds and a welcoming customer service staff, Google Online (known as "GO!" by users and advertisements) leads the competition with about 400,000 Internet2 subscribers.

"The RamBus A1, the first commercial airplane from Boeing that can travel from New York City to Tokyo in under an hour using ramjet technology, makes its maiden flight with 400 adventurous (and wealthy) passengers. Unlike the failed Ford and GM manufacturers, Boeing stays well-ahead of the competition in America and abroad, leading in aeronautical and spaceflight research.

"A new shuttle design is slated to be unveiled to the public in April. After witnessing the Chinese land on the moon in 2015, NASA finally got the funding its been begging for from the government and spent nearly $10 billion on the latest shuttle prototype -- that can take off, go into space, and land just like a regular airplane.

"Lastly, eBooks, although not too popular with the technologically conservative, have replaced textbooks in a couple of New York City elementary schools. Instead of having several textbooks throughout the day, these children now carry a textbook-sized PDA that has all of their textbooks loaded onto it, along with Microsoft Office Student Edition software installed for them to use. Many educational boards throughout America are watching these children to see if eBooks are truly more effective at getting knowledge across than traditional books.

"Our fast-paced world is a very different place in 2016, but like our parents and grandparents before us, we will manage."

quote>

As for where we will be by the year 2050, that really is far down the road. However, I will take a stab at my hometown, New York City. I have read a couple of posts here that cover the Big Apple -- and I do agree with many points made regarding NYC -- but I will make some additions to what's already been said, as well as re-state some things that most assuredly will occur by 2050:

• The MTA, after buying out all privately-owned bus lines throughout the city, the PATH system along with NJ Transit are purchased. This allowed the Metrocard to be used on all transit mediums, eliminating the need for ticket-punching on the NJ Transit, Metro-North and LIRR, and the PATH Card. Fares are now at a flat $7/ride.

• The 7 train is extended to Jersey City, from its former terminal at 12th Avenue. This extension is expected to alleviate both ferry and road traffic from NJ during rush hour.

• After many years of red tape, the R train is extended from Middle Village to Forest Hills, adding several much-needed subway stops for Queens neighborhoods that have ballooned in population as the lower and middle-class residence are forced to move eastward, away from the increasingly valuable waterfront property along the East River and the regenerated property that lines the L line.

• Downtown Brooklyn now has some of the tallest buildings in NYC, with the new Marriot Seaside Hotel topping off at 90 storeys. This is also currently the tallest hotel on the east coast of America.

• The Freedom Tower was completed back in 2012, but what is notable about this location in 2050 is that it has replaced the Port Authority as the most congested and most heavily used transit hub in NYC. With a new NJ Transit line -- the WTC Line -- now lower Manhattan sees over 4 million travelers every day.

[nissanskyline1235 0]

I actually wouldn't be suprised if there was some kind of North American Union thing going on.

[Micah 16]

I think 96% of Japan will be city (it is almost there already), all of eastern China will be city except for the Northern China Plain, and there will be a megalopolis between L.A., San Diego, and San Fransico (which there is kind of one there already), and a megalopolis between Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin.

[organicsabre 1]

In 2050 alot of the inland areas of the areas of teh Uk that are flat wills tart becoming flooded due to the sea levels rising. As for as Architecture is concerned, the change will not be too disimilar to what it is today. There will probably be more hi-rise buildings in the cities but theses will be mainly glass cladd or concrete that we see being built today, though a slightly more futuristic look may appear dependant on teh amterials technology. If the price of carbon concrete goes down alot over the next 44 years then we could well see much taller structures and more experimental shapes due to its high strength and elastic property. another area I think will icnrease in popularity is more prefabricated buildings going up. also as the coal and gas reserves will be reducing in the Uk more nuclear power stations will be built in favour of teh more expensive Green energy, though i think more people will want to put solar panels (if they lower the current cost) and their own wind turbines and more use of geothermic heating and rainwater harvesting systems. Britain will eventually loose our pound and have the euro as both the conservatives and labour governements get beaten in elections by the ever popular growing lib dems. In becoming mroe involved with the EU our economy takes a fall and we start having a major recession with a high level of unemployment and crime. The ever increasing gun crime in the Uk is combated with police finally having guns for all officers. after the demise of the NHS patients have to be rish to afford good treatment and more and more fat cat insurance CEO's are getting

[hamsterTK 93]

The freeways will STILL be under constant reconstructionquote>

lol.

Ohh, predictions are fun...

In the Texas of the year 2050:

more people will speak spanish than english

Amtrak will be long gone

the Trans Texas Corrider UberHighway 40 lanes 1 mile apart project will die and the money will go to a state-built Bullet Train system using japanese technology since the FTA will have been reformed by then. There will be a main line going from san antonio to DFW, and a branch that goes from houston thru bryan-college station and connects with the main line in Temple.

There will be a state income tax because our public schools are money pits and the current system wont work.

The whole world will be cooler because of a breakdown of ocean currents due to global warming melting the ice caps; it will snow as far south as the hill country on a regular basis during the winter.

Houston will be one of two things:

A. The Next Detroit: when the shortsighted oil companies crap out the city will lose most of its blue collar population as well as its white collar engineering jobs.

B. The Next Dubai: The oil companies will eventually pull their heads out of their asses when gas is running out and will invest in new fuels, making houston the #1 energy capital of the world.

Either way, Houston will grow from immigration, but may not be as nice as it is now

The Metroplex will be twice as big, but Dallas will not overtake houston as the largest city because its inner suburbs will continue to shrink, losing population to the sprawl, which will see more DART lines

Austin will be up to 2 million people and have 1000+ foot skyscrapers in its downtown, and perhaps some sort of other rail system such as a subway(they are currently building a light rail similiar to the one in ottawa)

San Antonio will continue on its course, however, the air force bases their may close down, and it will grow but not spectacularly. it will still be behind the other cities in texas, yet this will not phase it as its the tourism capital of texas.

Corpus Christi will be hit by a massive katrina-like hurricane eventually given the current rate of storms, and may not be able to grow any larger than it is now.

Cities like Laredo will be overrun by mexican organized crime(like it isnt already ). However, population will continue to grow as more immigrants come in.

China's bubble will burst when it becomes too wealthy and powerful making it a bad place to outsource jobs, and the world will have a recession followed by a wide-open world economy. Perhaps jobs will more to dirt poor parts of the south and appalachia... Anyways, this will also help texas, as there will then be maquillladoras on both sides of the rio grande....

The baby boomers and middle aged people will be long gone and Texas will be run by the democrats again.

Killeen and Temple will continue to grow and form a new large city in the state, maybe around 600,000 people.

Waco will be 300,000

Bryan-College Station will have grown and finally become a major agricultural biotech center of the nation, and have at least 500,000 people combined. It will also be one the new high speed rail system. Texas A&M will have 100,000 students.

East texas wont change. East Texas will never change....

Midland and Odessa will literally dry up and blow away because oil will run out...

Lubbock will continue its New Urbanism trend and become one of those relatively unknown places that has a very high standard of living.

El Paso will be twice as large and have both a rapid transit system+high rises and international mega drug rings, making it the new Medellin.

The Golden Triangle(Beaumont, Porth Arthur, Orange) will lose massive amounts of population from the loss of its only real industry, the oil industry. then it will be washed away by a massive hurricane sending tons of toxic waste into the gulf coast swamps, leaving the worlds worst enviromental crisis since chernobyl.

Texas will rise again from the pits of being republican central, and people will forget about bush, and we wont be picked on anymore.

I will be a grandpa...

In the World...

China will be the worlds new superpower econonmically, and the US will only be the worlds superpower Militarily.

Communism in China will collapse in a swift and extremely bloody coup.

North Korea will quietly fall apart sometime around 2020. The New goverment will be democratic and try to bring the 3rd world dump into the modern era.

The US will be more allied with the E.U and become more similiar to the rest of the world policy-wise sometime around 2016

The worlds largest city will Lagos, Nigeria, with 90 million Inhabitants crowded into highrise barren concrete towers with little amenities or enormous nasty shantytowns. Things will be bad there and the next Superpandemic will catch a flight to the West at that cities airport...

The Outsourcing bubble will burst as china becomes wealthy, and when things level off, jobs will be spread throughout asia and to a much smaller extent the american south.

Everyone living in towns or cities will have access to the internet, albeit thru a village computer.

There will be tollbooths on the information superhighway

The earliest of video games will pass into public domain, finally making roms legal...

People will look back and think and think that 2006 is closer to them than 2100, like how we think of the 50's as being closer to us than 2050. if you dont get it nevermind.

There will be 4,000,000 cable television channels(accesible via the internet), but there will still be nothing to watch on any given wednesday afternoon....

[topcliff 1]

hamstertk: via the internet?! you're joking! the internet will probably either become illegal(almost is in china cuz, of GOOOOOOOOOOOGLE) or in the next decade will be replaced by some thing even faster and more "un-virtual reality", as i like to call it. Tis rubbish, rubbish my lad!