“Earthshaking fire from the centre of the earth will cause tremors around the New City. Two great rocks will war for a long time, then Arethusa will redden a new river,” wrote famous soothsayer Nostradamus in the 16th century.

Some people today believe that he predicted Sept. 11, and claim that his usage of “New City” is synonymous with New York, “fire from the center of the earth” signifies the petroleum-based explosion after the jets hit the towers and so on and so forth.

Human beings are intensely uncomfortable with the unknown. Psychics and divinators help us gain control over our future simply by giving us knowledge about it — no matter if it is a bunch of hooey.

Skeptics, like scholar James Randi, point out that Nostradamus’ quatrain could actually refer to the eruption of a volcano near Naples, Italy. Naples, or Napoli, also means “new city,” which is conveniently located between two volcanoes, or “great rocks.”

A city sandwiched between volcanoes might possibly experience “fire from the center of the earth” and “tremors,” logically making Nostradamus’ predictions a load of fluff.

Whatever one thinks about Nostradamus, or psychics in general, there is little doubt that services specializing in prediction are popular. Finding someone who doesn’t know his or her zodiac sign is a challenge, and in most cities you can find a little house with a blinking neon sign advertising palm reading — for a price, of course.

I got my star chart done and have had my palm read.

They didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.

I believe that I chart my own future, as bleak or bright as I want it to be.

Sunny horoscopes on the back of the newspaper can be a comfort and a bit of fun. They shouldn’t be a crutch. The future is unknown. Embrace it.