Can the future really be told? Personally I think there are certain events that can be predicted, which is mostly down to using common sense in your judgement of the topic in question.

    Take the current recession for instance. Without a shadow of a doubt the present recession the world is going through right now could have been predicted as early as 2007. How, you ask? Practical wisdom informs us that when prices for goods reach their highest peak, the only way they can go, is down. House prices reached their peak during 2007, and now they're dropping in value at an ever-increasing rate of speed, with more and more people losing their homes in the process. This trend can be predicted to continue throughout 2009 and well into 2010. Sadly, it appears that not a single government minister or high-ranking banking official saw it coming - but more than one investment broker did and they amassed millions in their knowledge of what was to come. Common sense, practical wisdom, call it what you will, because when "silly prices" are in place, you know it just can't last.

    I fear that Pakistan is going to experience a very violent period during 2009. The violence and destruction will not come from neighbouring India, it will come from Islamic terrorist groups. Their intent will be to strike deep and hard, and weaken and attempt to bring down the Pakistan government. The ultimate goal of this will be to create a safe haven for themselves, and a base from which to spread terror.

    The United States will encounter tornadoes of such magnitude never experienced before, with the cost of the devastation running into billions of dollars. Alas, you don't need to be a certified accountant to realise that all this extra financial burden will indeed take many years to repay. The recession for the United States will run for years to come.

    The United Kingdom will see unemployment go above the 3-million mark during November 2009. Though Alistair Darling has predicted that Britain will see an upturn in the economy in the summer of 2009, my personal prediction is that come next summer our economy will be in its worst shape for decades, and the present recession will have only just begun to bite by then. High street stores will fail and close by the hundreds. Crime will inevitably rise as a result.

    My prediction for the worldwide weather is record-breaking floods and gale-force winds. And this trend will continue as the years roll by, not due to mankind being a bad caretaker but rather - nature being nature. Common sense, practical wisdom, call it what you will ...

    To end on a lighter note, I believe 2009 will be the year when Earth will witness the first extraterrestrial visitor. And if we're fortunate enough, this may possibly be the beginning of our salvation.

    未来真能预知吗？ 在我看来，有一些事情是可以预知的，这些事情是最明显的，运用常识就可以回答标题中的问题。

    就以当前的经济衰退为例。 毫无疑问，现在全球所面临的经济衰退早在2007年初就可以预料得到。你会问，那怎么预料？ 实践经验告诉我们，当商品价格达到最高峰，再往下走，就只能下降了。 2007年房产价格达到最高峰，现在其价值却以之前的增长速度下降，越来越多的人在失去曾经拥有的住所。 可以预计这种趋势会持续到2009年，并可能延续到2010年。可悲的是，好像没有一位政府官员或银行高管预见这个趋势的到来，但是很多投资经纪却看到了这个趋势，他们知道即将发生什么，利用这一点聚敛了大笔财富。 不管是常识，还是实践经验，随你怎么定义，都说明价格到了不可理喻的程度时，就不会持久下去。

    我担心巴基斯坦会度过一个动荡的2009年。动荡和破坏不是来自邻邦印度，而是来自伊斯兰教的恐怖组织。 恐怖组织将会沉重打击巴基斯坦政府，削弱并搞垮巴基斯坦政府。 其终极目标会是为自己创造一个安全的港口，一个散播恐怖的基地。

    美国将会遇到前所未见的龙卷风，遭遇几十亿成本的灾难。 哎，就算你不是一名执业会计师，也可以意识到所有这些额外的财政负担到底要花多少年来补偿。 美国的经济衰退会持续多年。

    英国的失业人数将会在2009年超过3百万。虽然Alistair Darling曾经预言，英国的经济会在2009年第三季度回暖，但是我的个人观点是，第三季度的经济会是几十年来最恶劣的，并且眼前的经济衰退到那时只是走向恶化的开始。 闹市区的商店将会成批的倒闭关门。 犯罪率的上升是不可避免的结果。

    对于全球气候，我预计会出现打破历史记录的洪水和烈风。 而且这个趋势将会持续多年，不是因为人类不懂得珍惜，而是因为自然有着自身规律。 不管是常识，还是实践经验，随你怎么定义……

    结尾处说点乐观的。我相信地球会在2009年迎来第一次外星生物的造访。 如果我们够幸运，他们的造访可能成为拯救我们的开始。