In rifling through decades of saved papers, I happened across two folded yellowing sheets dated 2006 that list the late self-described psychic and best-selling author Sylvia Browne's predictions for the future of our planet.
I have mixed feelings about those who seemingly have the ability to transcend membranes that may separate dimension, space and time. Perhaps like me, over the years you've seen celebrated and self-styled mystical "readers" like Browne on television. I've watched them come up with some surprisingly unique information and predictions that proved uncannily true.
Perhaps these folks do use smoke, mirrors and earpieces to achieve their feats. I don't know. But I did find what Browne forecast for our society and the world interesting.
Browne, who was born in Kansas City, Mo., passed away in 2013 at age 77. She founded a Gnostic Christian church called the Society of Novus Spiritus.
The following were included in her 2006 predictions. Make of them what you will ... or won't.
There will be no world war coming, but a lot of civil disorder and small skirmishes. No nuclear holocaust.
People will again find spirituality, not so much in organized religion, but in the spiritual brotherhood of coming together and finding their temple within.
Peace will last from 2050 until 2100 and then I see nothing beyond, which could mean the end will come like a thief in the night.
Toward the end of things, the veil separating this world from "the other side" will be thin, so much so that most people will see deceased loved ones and speak with their spirit guides.
Four more comets will pass by before the end times.
Cancer will be eradicated using sound waves, photosensitive drug therapy and "self-addicting" cells.
There will be robotic houses controlled by a computerized switchboard.
There will be electric cars that can float for water travel to bypass freeways.
Houses will be made of compressed paper with plastic coatings and interchangeable walls.
Body parts will be separately cloned for organ transplants.
Diagnostic chambers will map the body's electrical grid to predict possible health problems.
Great Earth changes will occur. The West Coast will go under in 2026. Parts of the East Coast will also get inundated. Tsunamis will wipe out a large portion of Japan.The Hawaiian Islands will have upheaval and be the site of a large new landmass.
Medicine in pill form will go away; instead we will have injected delivery through the skin.
Proteins will be developed without animal meat and will help build the immune system.
A moon base will be created for people to visit and as a stopping place for further trips.
Addictions will be a thing of the past because of brain stimulation, which eradicates them with no side effects.
A virtual reality headset will stimulate brain waves so people can learn whole libraries of information in a short time.
Giant fruits and vegetables will be grown in hothouse environments. The nutrients will be delivered via highly condensed injections.
Atomic batteries will run vehicles.
Peace in the Middle East will prevail by 2050.
What say we all sit back and see whether Mrs. Browne knew of what she predicted? Well, that is, if we live long enough.
Beware the hacker
Beware of opening intriguing photographs on Facebook and over the Internet. I fell victim last week after happening across a dramatic photo of an airplane with its roof blown off, leaving passengers exposed at 20,000 feet.
I clicked to find out more and was met by several popups warning I'd been infected with a virus and spyware and to contact the Mac help desk immediately to have my locked computer freed.
I dutifully responded, winding up with a man clearly from India or Pakistan whose English I could hardly discern. He advised me to strike this key, then that, all to no avail.
So he resorted to asking me to go to my cell phone's Play Store and open an "AnyDesk" App. Again, I did as instructed. No luck. Whereupon he told me I'd likely been hacked from somewhere in Russia or China and needed to provide him a bit of personal data in order to file a formal complaint.
He said this would ensure that if it happened again, the geeks at Mac would catch the hack in progress and alert me before I was locked up again.
He then asked how much I had in my bank account and if I could provide my driver's license number to complete the form. I didn't give him my license number and said I had a small amount in my account but was uncertain how much.
"Would you say it's more or less than $5,000?" he persisted.
"Oh far, far less than $5,000." By now I could more than smell a rat.
An hour later, he was still trying to walk me through freeing my machine to no avail. The language barrier and what I don't know about computers was too much.
Before hanging up he said, "OK, turn your computer off, then back on; it should work fine now," Which, of course, it did.
Mike Masterson is a longtime Arkansas journalist, was editor of three Arkansas dailies and headed the master's journalism program at Ohio State University. Email him at mmasterson@arkansasonline.com.