I’d originally written this at the end of December and thought I’d scheduled it to post on New Year’s Day. It didn’t. Then I debated posting it all and forgot about it. I came upon it again while cleaning up my desktop, made a few updates and figured why not?

… … …

Can we be optimistic about the rest of the new year? Certainly, but it’d be reckless. This year will be, in every way, the sequel to the instant horror classic that’s been 2016. Maybe you’ll claim I’m being pessimistic to which I’ll just say realist, so hear me out first. Now, who am I to make predictions? I’m not sure, but the “experts” got the entire campaign season wrong, so why not give it a shot? My predictions will also be slightly more detailed than my centuries old predecessor, the famed prognosticator Nostradamus the Vague.

Racism will get worse. There are racists out there who support and are emboldened by president Trump, like the KKK and Neo Nazis. Racist acts of aggression and vandalism will spike around inauguration day, but plateau at a rate higher than previous years.

Conversely, counter protests and demonstrations will increase. More than a few of these will turn into riots and the movement condemned as a whole by many, be it Black Lives Matter, Anti-Trump protestors, or whomever. Protestors will be beaten, pepper sprayed, maced, and the works over by law enforcement, but violence will be committed on all sides.

President Trump will shake up world stability and break it, if not it 2017, then before his term is up. His actions and even his Tweets now impact international diplomatic relations. At the very least, he’ll break whatever norms are in place and no one will know what to expect which is itself enough to put everyone on edge. There are lots of potential spots for conflict just waiting for their Franz Ferdinand moment.

Access to abortions and women’s health facilities more broadly, will be under siege and increasingly difficult to find. Millions of people will lose their healthcare, social programs will be cut, poverty and homeless will surge.

Wildfires will blaze through forests and towns in, but not limited to, the American west. There’s the increasing probability of a great Appalachian wildfire, so much so it’s destined to become the new seasonal expectation.

In connection to, and really preceding, the wildfires are extended drought. Temporary relief may come, but for California and other areas like the northern Appalachians the seasons just wont bring as much rain as they used to.

Storms and sea surges will cause massive flooding all along the east coast. There’ll be fatalities, displaced populations, and billions of dollars in damage.

It will be the hottest year ever recorded, because that happens like every year now.

There will be no northern sea ice left by the end of summer.

More famous people will die.

The beginning of another Great Recession (at best) by the beginning of 2018.

The police will kill more than 100 unarmed black men.

A mass shooting will happen every few months to every few weeks on average.

Certain rights will be threatened, specifically ones like marriage equality, voting rights, and freedom of the press.

We’ll also see more videos of police doing good things, protestors hugging cops, people saving animals, and they’ll be other good things too, probably. Just statistically speaking at least, right? But it wont be enough to turn the tide of incoming category 5 shit-storm that’s about to hit the fan.

Does any of that sound unrealistic? Or are you thinking it doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or an expert political analyst to make those predictions?

You’re right. I’ll probably post a slightly updated version of it for my predictions of 2018. But, that’s also why I’ve made a few very specific ones, so just in case they come true you an say you read it here first!

NASA will announce the discovery of an aquatic alien fossil on Mars.

A small, but powerful meteor will strike a populated area.

A devastating solar storm on par with the Carrington Event will hit the Earth.

An entire city will be swallowed the sea. Maybe a few.

And the Patriots will win the Super Bowl.

Even if only a handful, or fewer come to pass that’d still make me more accurate than most prognosticators and analysts during the entire campaign season.

~David T.K.~