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MEGAPHONE THE B.S. Forecasts A look ahead from the realm of the paranormal by Bruce Spotleson specific forecasts in our valley, there are plenty of folks willing to prepare us for the future. Loaded with thought and analysis, these presentations generate great quotes and gee-whiz facts for media people like us. But in this more volatile economic era, many T | 30 JANUARY 2012 | prognosticators seem to have had a more difficult time predicting the economy. Seeking much more insight into what remains of the year ahead, I checked in with the paranormal world. This is uncharted territory, since many psychics and fortune-tellers have traditionally preferred glitzy pop culture over the slightly more mundane realm of commerce. Although people like Alabama clairvoyant LaMont Hamilton — known to friends as Monte — certainly seem business-minded. A minister, healing practitioner and hypnotherapist with multiple degrees, he has even branched into career assessments, contract negotiations and employment screening. After noticing that Monte did not predict the end of the world for 2012, I felt I had time to peruse other things he has envisioned, like the enactment of a carbon tax, along with a tax based on the amount of garbage an individual generates — two things that would probably affect the economy if they were to happen. He also predicted that Postal Service deficits will result in it contracting with service carriers like UPS, FedEx and DHL to deliver mail and packages. Interesting, but hardly earth-shaking. A psychic and palm reader embraced by celebrities, Anthony Carr got national attention because he's said to have predicted both 9/11 and the later attacks on the Taj Mahal. His dad was a pal of Bugsy Siegel's. The only economic-related revelation I saw from his is our last issue of January, the month of renewed optimism, energized hope, calculated predictions and sober projections. As one can tell from the number of previews, s ta t e s- o f - t h e - c i t y addresses and industry- him was that we are headed for a cashless society, and that our next currency will be "something the average citizen needs." Yawn. Matthew Fraser is a New England clairvoyant who sees 2012 as a year in which the economy will start to rebound, with a lot of new jobs being created midway through the year. "Big government projects, announced sometime around March, will help create jobs," he said. Remembering this was an election year, I found myself nodding that this could indeed happen. New Yorker Pattie Canova is what's known as a psychological intuitive. She sees some business "break-ups" this year, believes gold, silver and copper will rise in value, and envisions more high- profile fraud. Later in 2012, she sees improvement in the economy, better access to capital and lower unemployment nationally. "I know the reports say we're at 9-plus percent, but it's higher than what's reported," she said. Kala Ambrose, does a lot of work with the business and corporate worlds. She sees a migration of "We're going to have more visitors here than we know what to do with this year." — Mona Van Joseph talented employees away from unappreciative employers, continued personalization of products and increased telecommuting, which seemed like unusually safe bets. But then she also predicts two more years of unstable stock market periods, which I thought was sort of a downer. And then there's Tarot specialist Sasha Graham of Manhattan, whose photo seems positively glamorous compared with some of her peers. "The economy rebounds in a big way thanks to government incentives," she said. I liked that, but I couldn't agree with her prediction of "bonuses for consumers with low debt," even in an election year. Deciding we needed a true local perspective, I placed a call to Mona Van Joseph, currently celebrating her tenth year in business here as the psychic Mystic Mona (www.mysticmona.com). She showed up with plenty of observations, although I asked her to focus on business. "We're going to have more visitors here than we know what to do with this year," she said. She predicts a "major decision" on high-speed trains, and that McCarran Airport will get a serious boost as a result of expansion and remodeling. Then she read the Tarot cards for Las Vegas. They revealed to her that the city should accept what it is and not try to be all things to all people. The cards also told her Las Vegas needs to "tell the truth and stop lying about who we are. We actually have a lot of states that are jealous of us. We need to stay out of our own way and just be Vegas." Mona then offered to do a quick Tarot reading of me, so I took her up on it. After all, none of the psychics predicted the end of the world for 2012, so I had time to spare. 21 LEILA NAVIDI