2011 Prognostication Quiz: Question 7, Olympics

Question 7. Olympics

Only three cities have bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. Which city will deliver the winning presentation to the International Olympic Committee?
a. Annency, France
b. Munich, Germany
c. Pyeongchang, South Korea

The Olympic committee went with South Korea, putting in great jeopardy Tokyo's bid for the summer Olympics in 2020. That means that the answer to Question 7 in the 2011 Prognostication Quiz c. Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Nine people correctly predicted that the Olympic Committee would avoid the tired old cities of Western Europe this time around. The just-outside-of-Seoul-mates:

Cherie
Russell
Ryan
Michael
Adrian
Matthew
Grant
Katie
Megan

Seventeen people in the Quiz rooted for France, while twenty-three pulled for Germany. The nine of us who went with Pyeongchang are feeling rather smug right now and move strongly up the pack.

Ted was alone in thinking the answer would be D. Sadly for him, no country felt safe in submitting a dark horse application so far past the deadline.

Question 13-15. Death

Which of these celebrities will pass on in 2011?

On Friday, a family friend confirmed that seven people in the Quiz are one point richer, as l. Betty Ford, Former US First Lady passed away. Betty Ford was a remarkable woman, very outspoken and refreshingly frank in talking about many topics that were all too taboo at the time that she was first lady. She will certainly be missed, but a little less so by these recovering alcoholics:

Paul
Jo
Cameron L.
Valerie
Jeff
Collette
Eric

It's actually been a slow year for obituary writers. We made it half the year without any deaths on Question 13-15. It feels like the second death, though, since the neutralization of Osama bin Laden was predicted by five people in the Quiz.

It really was a phenomenal prediction for the five who saw the attack of the Navy Seals coming from 8000 miles away. I thought I'd give them a little more space than I did in last month's post to toot their own horns. Here are their (mostly) unedited reactions:

I think that there should be a special prize for the five of us who picked the Osama question right. I mean, that's HUGE! In any case, I feel like a winner for finally having some points.

-Liz

I'm so proud I predicted the "neutralization" of bin Laden! I've literally been telling people that I predicted it...and then they say "no you didn't" and then I say, "no really, I'm in a prognostication quiz, and I literally predicted it". It's quite fun. Now if Zsa Zsa would just stop messing around and actually kick it.

-Russell

I have to admit, that the first thing that crossed my mind on the Sunday night when I heard the rumors was, "hey, it looks like I'm going to get a point on the Prognostication Quiz!" I'm not sure what that says about my priorities in the world.

-Marcus

I AM SOOO PLEASED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE WAS EVIL WE HAVE BEEN CHASING!!!!!!!! I KNEW WE WOULD FIND HIM!!!!!! 25 OF US NAVY SEALS DROPPED DOWN ON HIM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SHOT HIM DEAD!! NO INJURIES FOR US!!!!!!!!!

-Cherie (my mother, in her usual emphatic way)

All events seemed low probability (though the Japan quake sure shut my
mouth). But this was one that had really serious resources behind it
trying to make it happen. Follow the money, that's my motto!

-Jan

Follow the money, indeed! A clever guiding principle in prognostication.

Leader Board

We now have a SIX-way tie for first place, topped by my mother, Cherie, who is currently winning the tie-break. Another seven (including, unusually, me) are just one point behind. It's still anyone's game! No one has been mathematically eliminated!

4 Cherie
4 Jo
4 Russell
4 Marcus
4 Paul
4 Ekrem
3 Valerie
3 Ryan
3 Michael
3 Lorraine
3 Adrian
3 Cameron L.
3 Pete C.
2 Collette
2 Ron
2 Jeff
2 Rich
2 Jan
2 Zoe
2 Matthew
2 Dave
2 Grant
2 Katie
2 Claire&Craig
2 Kevin
2 Ellen
2 Megan
2 Liz
2 Chris M.
1 Ted
1 Sarah
1 Chris C.
1 Tina
1 Rachel H.
1 Beth
1 Eric
1 Janet
1 Todd
1 Cameron M.
1 Rachel F.
1 Zhiqi
1 Missy
1 Larry
1 Craig
1 Stacey
1 Ben
1 Leanne
0 Peter B.
0 Nadir
0 Gloria
0 Keila

Again if you've read this far, you're probably searching for your name at the bottom of the list. Eric managed to drag himself away from the agony of the basement by correctly predicting Betty Ford's demise. Good luck to the final four still at the bottom!