Art Bell opens the traditional Annual Predictions Show for 2004, inviting listeners to share their visions of major events that will unfold in the coming year. This special open lines program assigns numerical values to each prediction for future verification, creating a permanent record of prophetic insights from the listening audience. Callers contribute predictions covering everything from natural disasters and political upheavals to technological breakthroughs and social changes expected to shape 2004. The show emphasizes the importance of thoughtful consideration before making predictions, encouraging listeners to clear their minds and focus on genuine intuitive insights about future events. Art Bell explains the prediction tracking system and reviews the limited number of predictions made for 2003 due to his retirement activities during the previous year's show. The conversation covers the methodology for recording and later evaluating prediction accuracy, creating an ongoing experiment in collective precognition. This first night of the annual tradition sets the stage for the following evening's continuation of 2004 predictions.