Disaster Predictions

 

February 4, 2005

 

http://cainer.com/ericfrancis/feb4.html

 

Eric:

It has come to my attention that according to my husband's guides, there will be another earthquake with a resulting tsunami -- but when? THEY do not know. Is there a way of looking at the east Australian coast's chart to see whether there is a likelihood of another disaster from the cosmos?

 

Thanks

M. Klein

 

 

Dear MK,

Thank you for writing. I share your concern that the world is not in such a stable state right now, and that humanity has done some serious damage to the planet. I think that the first thing we need to do is be aware -- so that we can begin changing our minds. If we don't do that, nothing will happen.

 

In response to your question, there will always be another earthquake and tsunami, because they are natural events on Earth (even if they may have some unnatural help from humans right now). We have to live with that fact. We also have to live with -- and deal with -- the fact of climate change. For example, I read this article in the Independent today.

 

It really is time we started living like we live in one world, and not pretend that any one part of Earth Island is different than any other!

 

Much as I love astrology, I don't think that it's a particularly good place to go for information about these things. Unfortunately, neither is science, which often cannot predict such events. But shortly after the Dec. 26 disaster, I read an article about a distinguished scientist who had made a prediction about an Indonesian quake and tsunami, and nobody believed him. So he took it upon himself to go to the region late last year and hand out leaflets informing people of what to do in the event that certain conditions occurred.

 

So if we can't even have a real dialog with science, I don't think that it makes much sense to use astrology to predict disasters. However, what makes it worse is that astrology itself has a fetish for attempting catastrophe predictions. All kinds of curiosity seekers, amateurs and even top professionals want to get their dibs in, with the potential reward being fame or notoriety.

 

I think that if you're concerned about natural or terrorist disasters, the most important thing you can do is to listen to your intuition. The second thing you can do is be prepared. Emergency preparedness should be on the agenda of every well-established household, including having good smoke alarms and an exit plan; and also having the basic equipment for dealing with unexpected developments.

 

It may seem incredibly corny to have fire drills with your family, but really, it's quite practical and sensible. And while keeping an emergency preparedness kit may seem 'paranoid', it's just simply intelligent. I am not talking about duct tape and plastic sheeting. I'm talking about the basic things we need to keep a household going during an ordinary storm or other event.

 

You can probably get good lists for what to include from the Red Cross, but stuff like working flashlights, a couple of radios, a CB radio, candles, canned food and so on are very helpful if the power goes out or something else odd happens. I personally keep a flashlight, Swiss Army knife, and other basic survival equipment in my bag all the time, and I always wear solid shoes or sneakers of some kind -- including in the summer, when I sturdy wear sandals that attach to my feet (as a member of the Pisces club, I take care of my feet!).

 

It's a good idea to keep 10 or 20 gallons of drinking water in the house; if the water goes out, or if heavy rains mess up the water supply for a few days, you'll be glad you have it. Water purification tablets are also a good idea.

 

In the modern world, one's household survival bag should include regularly replaced backups of important computer files. I believe it's a good idea to keep backups off-premises as well.

 

One's car should also have basic equipment: tools, some drinking water, working flashlights, a blanket, and so on. In cold climates, it's a really good idea to keep extra gloves, boots and hat in the car. But any Boy Scout could tell you this.

 

And if you're really serious about being prepared for an emergency, every local community has some kind of committee that deals with the issue. There are always a few people who take it upon themselves to be leaders in an aspect of life that most people pretend doesn't exist, or react to with fear rather than logic. I think it's a fine idea to know your local fireguys, cops and local civic leaders, to the point where you're familiar with their faces or even on a first-name basis.

 

But as for astrology, I don't think we need to be attempting to predict when and where a certain disaster will strike, hoping for accuracy. Be prepared, pay attention, enjoy your life. What else can we really do?