Unforeseen Contingencies

We have been away.  But all of us at Unforeseen Contingencies wish all of our readers a happy 2026, whether such readers actually exist or not.  

There were many interesting developments in 2025, but we at UC largely refrained from commenting.  Suffice it to say we do not approve of antisemites, we enjoy seeing the bombing of dictators, terrorists, and their operations, we don't want immigration by predators and parasites, and we think communists should not have political power.  We revel in having sufficient energy to live a first-world lifestyle and in seeing government bureaucrats forced to seek productive work (we hope).

With all that in mind, here are our predictions for 2026.

1. Extra-terrestrial life discovered and announced.  One of my friends tells me he has heard rumors there will be an announcement about UFOs and aliens; I will be extremely skeptical if that does indeed happen, and don't think such an announcement should count as a hit without corroborating evidence.  Realistically this would require faster-than-light travel, and any civilization capable of FTL travel will have better things to do than play cat-and-mouse games on Earth.  Findings by SETI or discovery of life in our solar system will occur, though.

2. Tucker Carlson will announce his conversion to Islam and Candace Owen will wear a hijab, at least once.  (If she puts on a burka instead, that counts).

3. Republicans will retain both houses of Congress.  Now I am getting on shaky ground, obviously.

4. The insurrection ("resistance") will face the law.  Federal criminal charges will be brought against at least one of the following: Tim Walz, Gavin Newsom, Ilhan Omar Elmi, Nancy Pelosi, Keith Ellison, J.B. Pritzker, and Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago.  If it is the Democrat mayor of a different major hellhole city, it also will count as a hit.  

5. At least one of the world's major dictatorships will collapse.  These include Venezuela, Iran, China, Russia, and North Korea, perhaps others.  Most likely, the communist regime in Venezuela will collapse.  Maduro will leave office, and possibly existence.  Iran is also a likely candidate.  Russia and China much less so, but the regimes are dependent on strong authoritarian leaders and do not have the institutional depth and thus stability of liberal regimes.

6. Putin will not agree to an end to Russia's war on Ukraine.  Ukraine will not fall, and until Putin dies, the war will continue.

7. Putin dies.  Natural causes.*

8. The U.S. economy does not suffer recession.  (This one is easy; so long as President Trump keeps cutting regulation and holding the line on taxes, entrepreneurship will do the rest.)

9. The Montana State University Bobcats win the FCS National Championship in football (that's American football).

10. Chief Blogger and Ultrarunner Steele completes the Beaverhead 55K (his 5th) and the Le Grizz 50 Mile (his 25th).  

I don't have a Wild Card this year.  It doesn't seem necessary, since most of these predictions are pretty wild.  But you may rest assured, they will come to pass.

Happy 2026!

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* As opposed to supernatural.

// posted by Charles N. Steele @ 17:52