Posthuman Blues

Peter A. Gersten has given me permission to post the following essay. Enjoy!

--Mac

PAG ADVISORY: 11-01-04

Along with my conviction that our reality is a cosmic computer program is my belief that within our program are messages, signs, and clues to the nature of our reality. Sometimes a message takes the form of a warning.

Thus I am particularly attracted to coincidences since I have found that certain synchronistic ones provide useful information - especially when they involve specific numbers. As readers of my commentaries already know, I have a particular attraction to numerical palindromes and anything related to 11:11 and 2012. So when, within a short period of time, a certain numerical sequence taps me on the shoulder not once, not twice, but three times, I start to notice.

For the past few weeks we have been continuously hearing that the last time the Boston Red Sox won the World Series (before their present success) was in 1918. Until last Thursday night I hadn't thought twice about the significance of that year even though earlier that day I had written a commentary for an article that appeared in Friday's E-NEWS about an influenza pandemic that had also occurred in 1918 - and even though in that commentary I referred to the numerical coincidence and stated: "Things do tend to repeat themselves over time, now don't they?" But sooner or later the Universe does ensure that you get the "message" - one way or another, right?

Thursday evening I decided to rent a video for later that night. Searching the shelves for the latest releases at the Movie Gallery in Holbrook proved disappointing. The only two that looked interesting (of the newest horror movies I hadn't yet seen) - "Frankenfish" and some foreign Dracula flick - left me feeling unsatisfied - so I decided to check out the older videos. After a few minutes I found one that I had seen there on numerous occasions but had never given it a second thought - until then. Funny how certain things can only be appreciated at certain times. I picked up the box and saw that Naomi Watts was in a starring role. That was good enough for me - so even though the plot resembled every other "technology gone wild" theme I decided to rent - "The Shaft."

"The Shaft" is a 1999 horror film (released in 2003) about a group of high-speed elevators in a skyscraper in New York City (Millennium Building) that become malevolently self-aware and start killing people. Naomi Watts appears approximately 15 minutes into the plot as a reporter for a New York City newspaper. She is first seen at her desk experiencing a computer problem when the newsroom geek offers to help her. After the typical sexual banter he informs her that her computer has a virus. Naomi's boss then tells her that he wants her to cover a story about several pregnant women giving birth while in an elevator at the Millennium Building (the most unique aspect of the movie). She tells her boss that she needs to finish her current assignment about voting rights for women and when her boss asks her the year of that story she answers - 1918.

While hearing "1918" in conjunction with both the Red Sox and Flu dramas didn't get my attention, hearing it for a third time, and in the context of such irrelevant dialogue, rang a very loud bell - a warning bell to be exact. It was now time to see what other interesting things I could find about 1918.

A search on Google of "1918 events" led me to the fascinating article
"Venus Transit: Biohazard?"
(http://www.ebicom.net/~rsf1/vel/ven-tran.htm).

The thrust of the article is that "outbreaks of new strains of influenza and influenza related illnesses" occur shortly after Venus inferior conjunctions. The reasoning behind this theory is quite intriguing and worth the time to read the article even if my "message" proves to be a false alarm. Interestingly there was a Venus transit in 1918 - and coincidentally, one on June 8th of this year. Ironically, there also will be another one in 2012 - but that's a story for a future advisory.

The Red Sox won the World Series in 1918 and they won it again in 2004. There was a Venus transit in 1918 and another in 2004. There was an influenza pandemic in 1918. Will there be another one in the winter of 2004? Are there any other clues?

As I related above, the first scene with Naomi Watts included not only a reference to 1918 but also a reference to a virus, albeit a computer virus. Later in this 1999 movie there is a scene where FBI personnel take over the Millennium Building believing that the murders are due to a terrorist attack. The next scene is of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center.

Could there be a terrorist attack involving a bio-weapon this winter? Sure - but will there be one? I don't know! Could there be a major viral pandemic this winter? Sure - but will there be one? I don't know! But isn't it better to be safe than sorry? The above-referenced URL also suggests a few preventative measures one can take - just in case.

Another coincidence and probably the most significant one for me as to the legitimacy of the "warning" is that 1918 is also the year that World War I ended - on the 11th hour of 11th day of 11th Month.

Things do tend to repeat themselves over time, now don't they?

PAG/11-1-2004

(Makes you wonder what would have happened if he'd rented "Frankenfish," huh? --Mac)