World's Worst Predictions - Famously Wrong Predictions

[Rapunzel]

World's Worst Predictions - Famously Wrong Predictions



Theoretically, television may be feasible, but I consider it an impossibility--a development which we should waste little time dreaming about.

- Lee de Forest, 1926, inventor of the cathode ray tube

I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.

- Thomas J. Watson, 1943, Chairman of the Board of IBM

It doesn't matter what he does, he will never amount to anything.

- Albert Einstein's teacher to his father, 1895

It will be years - not in my time - before a woman will become Prime Minister.

- Margaret Thatcher, 1974

This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.

- Western Union internal memo, 1876

We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.

- Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962

Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?

- H. M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

640K ought to be enough for anybody.

- Bill Gates, 1981

Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.

- Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872

Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.

- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

We don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.

- Hewlett-Packard's rejection of Steve Jobs, who went on to found Apple Computers

King George II said in 1773 that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution.

An official of the White Star Line, speaking of the firm's newly built flagship, the Titanic, launched in 1912, declared that the ship was unsinkable.

In 1939 The New York Times said the problem of TV was that people had to glue their eyes to a screen, and that the average American wouldn't have time for it.

An English astronomy professor said in the early 19th century that air travel at high speed would be impossible because passengers would suffocate.

Airplanes are interesting toys, but they have no military value.

- Marshal Ferdinand Foch in 1911

With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here, the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market.

- Business Week, 1958

Whatever happens, the U.S. Navy is not going to be caught napping.

- Frank Knox, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, on December 4, 1941

Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.

- Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, October 16, 1929.

[chonsigirl]

Some of those make you laugh, thinking of what came afterwards.

I predict I will not have to wash any dishes today!

*disclaimer-do not go to Vegas to bet on this one*

[Rapunzel]

George W Bush quotes, Bush Blunders, Bush Gaffes

Yes, believe it or not, these are all genuine quotes from the man the people elected as the 43rd US President:

I'm sorry, but these really amused me so I had to share them. :wah:

Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.

I admit it, I am not one of the great linguists.

For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it.

I am a person who recognizes the fallacy of humans.

I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them.

I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.

I know how hard it is to put food on your family.

I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right.

I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here.

I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp of finances.

I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating.

I think war is a dangerous place.

I understand small business growth. I was one.

I wish I wasn't the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don't.

I'm not a very good novelist. But it'd make a pretty interesting novel.

If the terriers and bariffs are torn down, this economy will grow.

If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier - so long as I'm the dictator.

I'm also not very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.

I'm the master of low expectations.

I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain - I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being President.

It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber.

Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people and neither do we.

The problem with the French is that they don't have a word for entrepreneur.

There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably Tennessee, that says 'Fool me once [pause], shame on…shame on you. [Long pause] Fool me. [Pause] You can't get fooled again.'

They have miscalculated me as a leader.

They misunderestimated me.

This foreign policy stuff is a little frustrating.

We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.

We need an energy bill that encourages consumption.

We ought to make the pie higher.

We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House - make no mistake about it.

Will the highways on the Internet become more few?

Do you have blacks, too? (To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso)

When I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible.

You're free. And freedom is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order - order out of chaos. But we will.

This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses.

I think there is a Trojan horse lurking in the weeds trying to pull a fast one on the American people.

This is a world that is much more uncertain than the past. In the past we were certain, we were certain it was us versus the Russians in the past. We were certain, and therefore we had huge nuclear arsenals aimed at each other to keep the peace. That's what we were certain of…You see, even though it's an uncertain world, we're certain of some things.

It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas.

I think we agree, the past is over.

And there's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail.

The important question is, how many hands have I shaked.

General…I can't name the general.(When asked to name President of Pakistan)

We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease.

The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein, and his willingness to terrorize himself.

When I was a kid I remember that they used to put out there in the Old West a wanted poster. It said, Wanted: Dead or Alive.

My answer is to bring them on. (On Iraqi militants attacking US forces)

Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. -- May 1, 2003

[qsducks]

chonsigirl;1232434 wrote: Some of those make you laugh, thinking of what came afterwards.

I predict I will not have to wash any dishes today!

*disclaimer-do not go to Vegas to bet on this one*


I predict that you shouldn't have to wash the dishes today but I do.

[Rapunzel]

I bung 'em in the dishwasher. God Bless the chap who invented 'em. :-4 Life's too short.

[qsducks]

Rapunzel;1232437 wrote: George W Bush quotes, Bush Blunders, Bush Gaffes

Yes, believe it or not, these are all genuine quotes from the man the people elected as the 43rd US President:

I'm sorry, but these really amused me so I had to share them. :wah:

Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.

I admit it, I am not one of the great linguists.

For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it.

I am a person who recognizes the fallacy of humans.

I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them.

I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.

I know how hard it is to put food on your family.

I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right.

I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here.

I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp of finances.

I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating.

I think war is a dangerous place.

I understand small business growth. I was one.

I wish I wasn't the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don't.

I'm not a very good novelist. But it'd make a pretty interesting novel.

If the terriers and bariffs are torn down, this economy will grow.

If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier - so long as I'm the dictator.

I'm also not very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.

I'm the master of low expectations.

I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain - I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being President.

It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber.

Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people and neither do we.

The problem with the French is that they don't have a word for entrepreneur.

There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably Tennessee, that says 'Fool me once [pause], shame on¦shame on you. [Long pause] Fool me. [Pause] You can't get fooled again.'

They have miscalculated me as a leader.

They misunderestimated me.

This foreign policy stuff is a little frustrating.

We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.

We need an energy bill that encourages consumption.

We ought to make the pie higher.

We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House - make no mistake about it.

Will the highways on the Internet become more few?

Do you have blacks, too? (To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso)

When I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible.

You're free. And freedom is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order - order out of chaos. But we will.

This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses.

I think there is a Trojan horse lurking in the weeds trying to pull a fast one on the American people.

This is a world that is much more uncertain than the past. In the past we were certain, we were certain it was us versus the Russians in the past. We were certain, and therefore we had huge nuclear arsenals aimed at each other to keep the peace. That's what we were certain of¦You see, even though it's an uncertain world, we're certain of some things.

It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas.

I think we agree, the past is over.

And there's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail.

The important question is, how many hands have I shaked.

General¦I can't name the general.(When asked to name President of Pakistan)

We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease.

The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein, and his willingness to terrorize himself.

When I was a kid I remember that they used to put out there in the Old West a wanted poster. It said, Wanted: Dead or Alive.

My answer is to bring them on. (On Iraqi militants attacking US forces)

Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. -- May 1, 2003


Shameful that peeps in this country voted for him twice...8 years of mangled speech, messed up policies, etc.

[along-for-the-ride]

Fred Astaire:

The evaluation of Astaire's first screen test: "Can't act. Can't sing. Balding. Can dance a little."

[cigar898]

Rapunzel;1232437 wrote: George W Bush quotes, Bush Blunders, Bush Gaffes

Yes, believe it or not, these are all genuine quotes from the man the people elected as the 43rd US President:

I'm sorry, but these really amused me so I had to share them. :wah:

Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.

I admit it, I am not one of the great linguists.

For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings. And, folks, this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable. And we're going to do something about it.

I am a person who recognizes the fallacy of humans.

I have opinions of my own, strong opinions, but I don't always agree with them.

I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.

I know how hard it is to put food on your family.

I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is right.

I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here.

I recently met with the finance minister of the Palestinian Authority, was very impressed by his grasp of finances.

I think anybody who doesn't think I'm smart enough to handle the job is underestimating.

I think war is a dangerous place.

I understand small business growth. I was one.

I wish I wasn't the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don't.

I'm not a very good novelist. But it'd make a pretty interesting novel.

If the terriers and bariffs are torn down, this economy will grow.

If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier - so long as I'm the dictator.

I'm also not very analytical. You know I don't spend a lot of time thinking about myself, about why I do things.

I'm the master of low expectations.

I'm the commander - see, I don't need to explain - I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being President.

It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber.

Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?

Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people and neither do we.

The problem with the French is that they don't have a word for entrepreneur.

There's an old saying in Tennessee, I know it's in Texas, probably Tennessee, that says 'Fool me once [pause], shame on¦shame on you. [Long pause] Fool me. [Pause] You can't get fooled again.'

They have miscalculated me as a leader.

They misunderestimated me.

This foreign policy stuff is a little frustrating.

We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.

We need an energy bill that encourages consumption.

We ought to make the pie higher.

We're concerned about AIDS inside our White House - make no mistake about it.

Will the highways on the Internet become more few?

Do you have blacks, too? (To Brazilian President Fernando Cardoso)

When I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible.

You're free. And freedom is beautiful. And, you know, it'll take time to restore chaos and order - order out of chaos. But we will.

This is still a dangerous world. It's a world of madmen and uncertainty and potential mential losses.

I think there is a Trojan horse lurking in the weeds trying to pull a fast one on the American people.

This is a world that is much more uncertain than the past. In the past we were certain, we were certain it was us versus the Russians in the past. We were certain, and therefore we had huge nuclear arsenals aimed at each other to keep the peace. That's what we were certain of¦You see, even though it's an uncertain world, we're certain of some things.

It is clear our nation is reliant upon big foreign oil. More and more of our imports come from overseas.

I think we agree, the past is over.

And there's no doubt in my mind, not one doubt in my mind, that we will fail.

The important question is, how many hands have I shaked.

General¦I can't name the general.(When asked to name President of Pakistan)

We spent a lot of time talking about Africa, as we should. Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease.

The war on terror involves Saddam Hussein because of the nature of Saddam Hussein, the history of Saddam Hussein, and his willingness to terrorize himself.

When I was a kid I remember that they used to put out there in the Old West a wanted poster. It said, Wanted: Dead or Alive.

My answer is to bring them on. (On Iraqi militants attacking US forces)

Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. -- May 1, 2003


And don't forget when President Obama said:

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

That just craked me up!