Poll: Americans see gloom, doom in 2007 (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061231/ap_on_re_us/2007_predictions_ap_poll)

WASHINGTON - Another terrorist attack, a warmer planet, death and destruction from a natural disaster. These are among Americans' grim predictions for the United States in 2007.

Only a minority of people think the U.S. will go to war with Iran or North Korea over those countries' nuclear ambitions. An overwhelming majority of those surveyed think Congress will raise the federal minimum wage. One-third see hope for a cure to cancer.

These are among the findings of an Associated Press-AOL News poll that asked people in the U.S. to contemplate what 2007 holds for the country.

Six in 10 people think the U.S. will be the victim of a terrorist attack. An identical percentage thinks it likely that a biological or nuclear weapon will be unleashed somewhere else in the world.

Seventy percent of people in the U.S. predict a major natural disaster in the country and an equal percentage expects worsening global warming. Also, 29 percent think it likely that the U.S. will withdraw its troops from Iraq.

Among other predictions for the U.S. in 2007:

_35 percent predict the military draft will be reinstated.

_35 percent predict a cure for cancer will be found.

_25 percent anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ.

_19 percent think scientists are likely to find evidence of extraterrestrial life.

With Democrats poised to take control of Congress this week, eight in 10 people predict lawmakers will raise the $5.15-an-hour federal minimum wage. It would be the first increase since 1997.

Democratic leaders have proposed raising it in stages to $7.25 an hour. President Bush has said he supports the idea, with some protections for small businesses.

Fewer than half the public think it likely the U.S. will go to war with Iran or North Korea. Should it come down to that, 40 percent think the battle will be with Iran while 26 percent said North Korea.

Higher gas prices, legalized gay marriage and the possible arrival of bird flu also are seen as being in the cards.

More than 90 percent of people think higher gas prices are likely. A gallon of self-serve regular gasoline averaged $2.29 last week, compared with $3 over the summer.

Also, 57 percent said it is likely that another state will legalize gay marriage. Same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts; four other states offer civil unions or domestic partnerships.

People were split on whether 2007 will bring the U.S. its first bird flu case. More than 150 people worldwide have died from the disease. Health officials fear a pandemic if the virus mutates into a form easily passed from person to person.

Women generally were more likely than men to expect some of the more dire predictions to come true, such as a worldwide terrorist attack and war with Iran or North Korea. Democrats and people under 35 were more likely than Republicans and older people to say global warming will worsen in 2007.

The telephone poll of 1,000 adults was conducted Dec. 12-14 by Ipsos, an international polling firm. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Do you anticipate a slew of self-fulfilling prophesies?

I'm not sure if it's gloom and doom or realism. And some of those things will bring good fortune to some as they bring tragedy to others. Many of those things are quite likely to happen. Minimum wage will go up so will gas prices. There will be an attempt at a terrorist attack...doesn't mean it will happen. Etc. etc.

Life goes on in spite of fear that bad things will happen, in spite of the certainty that bad things absolutely will happen. Life is still good.

Hard me to believe that possible to be more worst than now
Cure for cancer? i have doubts

Obviously polls are sort of meaningless . . .

Americans Optimistic (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=4895751)

Are you optimistic about the new year, 2007?
If you are, you are not alone. A new poll finds that while 2006 was a bad year for the country, it was a good year for most Americans personally.

Many point to the dire situation in Iraq and say that is a key reason they are pessimistic about the state of the nation. But 72 percent say they feel that 2007 will be a good year for America.

Eighty nine percent say they're optimistic about the new year for themselves and their families.

Hard me to believe that possible to be more worst than now
Cure for cancer? i have doubts

They'll never create a cure for cancer. The money's not in the cure, the money's in the treatment, same as AIDS.

As for minimum wage, I like Bush's general idea of help for small business, although I don't know exactly how he'd carry that out, but we will also need assistance with all the jobs that will be cut from an increase in minimum wage, I support a minimum wage increase but with that extra money comes fewer jobs, somebody will have to take up the slack, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the business owners.

They'll never create a cure for cancer. The money's not in the cure, the money's in the treatment, same as AIDS.

Yeah, sad isnt it. Stupid Pharmacudical companies.

Can someone please explain to me the "money" that came from eliminating smallpox?

Can someone please explain to me the "money" that came from eliminating smallpox?

Damn moral scientists:rant:

Originally posted by dharmabum
Another terrorist attack, a warmer planet, death and destruction from a natural disaster. These are among Americans' grim predictions for the United States in 2007.
Don't all of those happen at least once a year in the Americas anyway? Hell, death and destruction from natural disasters happens several times a year. I should know it, I live in Tornado Alley.

Pessimistic > optimistic

It always pays to be the pessimist. If something does go wrong, you can say I told you so, and if something doesnt go wrong then you can be happy nothing happened afterall.

Among other predictions for the U.S. in 2007:

_25 percent anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ.


<<<sissss squaaaaawk hsssss>>> "Houston, we have located the problem....over"

__________________________________________________ ___

Religion is the one area of discourse in America in which people are systematically protected from the requirement to provide evidence and valid arguments in defense of their strongly held beliefs. And yet these beliefs regularly determine what they live for, what they will die for and —all too often— what they will kill for. Consequently, we are living in a world in which millions of ostensibly sane men and women can rationalize the violent sacrifice of their own children by recourse to fairy tales. No wonder this country is headed over the cliff........

Life is still good.

even when it doesn't seem that way, it still beats the hell out of the alternative.http://www.htguide.com/forum/images/smilies/dancebanana.gif

Yeah, sad isnt it. Stupid Pharmacudical companies.
not true, if you can find the cure for something, you own the market. a patent on a cure, or even an effective treatment is as good as a license to print money.

not true, if you can find the cure for something, you own the market. a patent on a cure, or even an effective treatment is as good as a license to print money.

Exactly. Not every pharmaceutical company has a stake in the treatment, so obviously they'd stand to make a lot more if they find the cure.

Ok, think about cancer. Who's had family members with cancer? I have and I know all the radiation chemo, and other treatment amounted to an ass of money. The medical industry is making huge amounts of money of these treatments, u think that the guys in charge would really stand behind any cure that would allow patients to visit one time and never have to come back. They'd be losing so much money it be ridiculous. Of course an independent scientist could create a cure, but without the right marketing and backing from the medical higher ups we might never hear about it.

Ok, think about cancer. Who's had family members with cancer? I have and I know all the radiation chemo, and other treatment amounted to an ass of money. The medical industry is making huge amounts of money of these treatments, u think that the guys in charge would really stand behind any cure that would allow patients to visit one time and never have to come back. They'd be losing so much money it be ridiculous. Of course an independent scientist could create a cure, but without the right marketing and backing from the medical higher ups we might never hear about it.
you can only prolong the end. if cancer doesn't get you, a bad ticker will get you down the road...and all those years that they can treat you for other conditions, makes it a win-win for the medical industry.

not true, if you can find the cure for something, you own the market. a patent on a cure, or even an effective treatment is as good as a license to print money.

Exactly!!!

Although I doubt there is a cure for cancer other than working with our immune system. Guess that is the same as a cure though. Much is life style oriented and the rest is genetic. Something has to kill us eventually.

Something has to kill us eventually.

speak for yourself-i intend to live forever....and if you saw my pension plan, you'd understand my need to keep working.

heck, i'd be happy to be the 1st in my family to die in a bed. i come from a long line of accidental death:(

speak for yourself-i intend to live forever....and if you saw my pension plan, you'd understand my need to keep working.

heck, i'd be happy to be the 1st in my family to die in a bed. i come from a long line of accidental death:(

accidental death huh?...hehe.... accident prone much???... listen, I got a wee proposition for ya... :D we could like ... top up your insurance plan...and have a really sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet honeymoon in the local of your choice. I am old but still relatively attractive and well, ... it could be a really good time. You'll die in bed, I proooooooooomise. What da ya think? paul won't mind...

accidental death huh?...hehe.... accident prone much???... listen, I got a wee proposition for ya... :D we could like ... top up your insurance plan...and have a really sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet honeymoon in the local of your choice. I am old but still relatively attractive and well, ... it could be a really good time. You'll die in bed, I proooooooooomise. What da ya think? paul won't mind...

::giggle:: Sal, you're awesome.

Gloom and Doom in 2007????
We can only hope.

Among other predictions for the U.S. in 2007:

_35 percent predict the military draft will be reinstated.

_35 percent predict a cure for cancer will be found.

_25 percent anticipate the second coming of Jesus Christ.

_19 percent think scientists are likely to find evidence of extraterrestrial life.
"Another study indicates that at much as 35% or more Americans are out of their #$*(@!$ gourd."

accidental death huh?...hehe.... accident prone much???... listen, I got a wee proposition for ya... :D we could like ... top up your insurance plan...and have a really sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet honeymoon in the local of your choice. I am old but still relatively attractive and well, ... it could be a really good time. You'll die in bed, I proooooooooomise. What da ya think? paul won't mind...
my father's father was killed by cigarettes after smoking 3 packs a day from the time he was 10, until the ripe old age of 86, when he got hit by a truck full of them....does that tell you anything?

not that i'm accident prone, but i did have a semi-truck's back end fall on me on Dec. 13th, 2005, crush my leg after it hit me in the chest. i still have nerve damage, and am looking forward to a new knee..but if you think you can out do a 3 1/2 ton lifgate, you're more than welcome to try;)

my father's father was killed by cigarettes after smoking 3 packs a day from the time he was 10, until the ripe old age of 86, when he got hit by a truck full of them....does that tell you anything?

It tells me that dimwitted people think that anecdotal evidence has something of importance to tell us.

It tells me that dimwitted people think that anecdotal evidence has something of importance to tell us.
considering it was the subject of discussion, it just might!

do try to pay attention, would you?:slap:

Ouch. FT's mouth, meet foot.

pharmaceutical companies are VERYYY evil...

If there WAS a cure for cancer, or the common cold, or high blood pressure.. they wouldnt want you to have it.

They MAKE BILLIONS off people being sick, or overweight, or of bad health.

Most normal things you buy in the grocery store aren't so normal, they have pesticides, toxins, and ugly crap that gets in your body. Hell, even TAP WATER has lots of nasty shit in it.

The only way to dodge that is to pay double what you normally would and buy organic food. Most people aren't willing to make that sacrafice.

Plus, i heard some rumblings that the FDA is trying to eliminate many over-the-counter herbs and supplements you buy at GNC or any health food store just so they make sure people stay sick. Kind of a gross, sick thought. I heard Apple Cider Vinegar might be pulled off the shelves.. even though its very good for you.

BUT.. i guess there isn't any ties to George Bush, so FT definitely wouldnt be interested in that one...

pharmaceutical companies are VERYYY evil...

If there WAS a cure for cancer, or the common cold, or high blood pressure.. they wouldnt want you to have it.

They MAKE BILLIONS off people being sick, or overweight, or of bad health.

Most normal things you buy in the grocery store aren't so normal, they have pesticides, toxins, and ugly crap that gets in your body. Hell, even TAP WATER has lots of nasty shit in it.

The only way to dodge that is to pay double what you normally would and buy organic food. Most people aren't willing to make that sacrafice.

Plus, i heard some rumblings that the FDA is trying to eliminate many over-the-counter herbs and supplements you buy at GNC or any health food store just so they make sure people stay sick. Kind of a gross, sick thought. I heard Apple Cider Vinegar might be pulled off the shelves.. even though its very good for you.

BUT.. i guess there isn't any ties to George Bush, so FT definitely wouldnt be interested in that one...

Wow, Decka, I thought conservatives didn't go for that sort of thinking. Being critical of the FDA is like being critical of the whole government! Hehe...

That said, yes, pharmaceutical companies are a huge issue that we really never hear about. I think they've paid of government officials much more than oil companies or other big corporations.

Ouch. FT's mouth, meet foot.

:rolleyes:

That was in no way a foot-in-mouth statement.

Contrary to what was stated in the post that prompted your remark, this thread is NOT about anecdotal evidence; it is about people stating their beliefs --for whatever reason-- about certain world events that might come to pass in the next twelve months.

Stating one's prophecies about the future and giving anecdotal evidence to bolster an argument are two vastly different things.

I predict a lot of posts from freethinker that all say the same thing

Wow, Decka, I thought conservatives didn't go for that sort of thinking. Being critical of the FDA is like being critical of the whole government! Hehe...

I actually am pretty critical of the government... as a conservative that is one of the base principles... to let people do things themselves and not be controlled by the gov't.

And the FDA thing is definitely a non-partisan issue, they don't care who you are, they will rape you of your money and hope you stay sick...

since when did conservatives get the label of being pro government? Just becasue we suported the Iraq war doesnt mean we somehow think we need bigger government

Since they started spending money like a poor black man who just won the lottery.

Obviously polls are sort of meaningless . . .

Americans Optimistic (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=local&id=4895751)

Sure sounds like that one guy from WABC in New York feels like his non-scientific internet poll is pretty meaningful.

But I don't agree.

I didn't say they're for bigger government... What they do seem to be for is outlawing dissent. If you criticize the president/ruling party/congress, you're criticizing America!

I didn't say they're for bigger government... What they do seem to be for is outlawing dissent. If you criticize the president/ruling party/congress, you're criticizing America!

I have run into people who DO think that way, and i let them know that i disagree...

i'm a conservative and i dont think that just ANYONE who disagrees is "anti-america"... so i guess i'm a fluke or something.. but ive met many people like myself.

Like i said before, its not always the conservatives fault.. you have some asshole, arrogant liberals out there who make PERSONAL attacks because of their stances and OF COURSE you'll have some backlash.. get my point?

Both sides are to blame

since when did conservatives get the label of being pro government? Just becasue we suported the Iraq war doesnt mean we somehow think we need bigger government

Yea i never got that memo...

Talk about having your cake and eating it too... most liberals are all about slamming the gov't but yet advocate more of it at the same time..

Decka, what do you mean when you say "conservative"?

These "predictions" sound like astrology to me. It happens every year but hey, what's bound to happen will happen. And yeah, my money's in no cure for cancer. THat's bad for business, LOL

Decka, what do you mean when you say "conservative"?

is this a joke or do you really want to know

Yea i never got that memo...

Talk about having your cake and eating it too... most liberals are all about slamming the gov't but yet advocate more of it at the same time..

most libs slam a government with an (R) next to it. let a (D) get in there and see how thier attitude changes. Me, I dont like (R) or (D).

They should take away the (R)'s and (D)'s and just vote on their stances...

is this a joke or do you really want to know

I would not ask if I did not want to know.

They should take away the (R)'s and (D)'s and just vote on their stances...

George Washington thought so too, which is why most of his retirement speeches rail against the idea of political parties.

George Washington thought so too, which is why most of his retirement speeches rail against the idea of political parties.

It is a bit of a stupid system if you think about it.