psychoceramics: "Earth Changes" - more earthquake predictors

[Bruce Ediger <bediger @ csn.net>]

My guess as to why predicting earth quakes is more popular than
predicting other calamities is that an earth quake is fairly tightly
defined, and there are a number of places listening for them.  Even
if it's a trembler below the threshold of human sensation, the
psychic or kook can point to it as "proof".  There's an authority
(US Coast and Geodetic Survey, for example) to say "yes, there was
an earthquake on such-and-such a date."  This adds more credence
to a prediction.  It's associated with "Science", there's a definite
time and date, and the witnesses are seismographs, not inbred hill-
billies that can renege on stories later, or accidentally admit to
being knee-walking drunk when the aliens probed their anal pores.

Speaking of kooky earth quake predictions...

The Monday, August 19, 1996 "Rocky Mountain News" had an article
on the "Earth Change" people.  Apparently, there are a certain
number of people in the USA that believe that a "series of earthquakes
and floods ...  is going to wipe out half the country, and turn
Denver and Boulder into beach front property."

The Lifestyles section of the Rocky Mtn News of that date features
a map of the continental US label "Psychic's Vision of the United
States, 2001".  The map shows what looks like one of those "what
if the water level rose 3 feet" maps, with slight additions:
California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah and parts of Arizona and Wyoming
are beneath the sea.  Small islands remain in the Sierra Nevada
region, and a large river links the Gulf of Mexico with an inland
sea composed of North America's Great Lakes and most of Michigan.

This map is based on the visions of one Gordon-Michael Scallion, who
also publishes a monthly newsletter called "Earth Changes Report".
The article claims that the map is accepted by Earth Change Believers
as an accurate map of the USA, ca 2001.  Believers who live in Colorado
seem to be based out of The Rocky Mountain Psychic Institute in Boulder,
Colorado.  Nationally, the article depicts believers as a divergent group,
some coming to the belief via dreams or premonitions, some coming as
followers of a Texas psychic named Annie Kirland who claims to channel
the Christian Virgin Mary.

To the paper's credit, they did scout out a University of Colorado
geologist named Charles Stern who says that the "Earth Changes" are
basically impossible.

I'd like to chalk the whole "Earth Changes" belief system as just another
manifestation of Millenium Fever.

The article says that Gordon-Michael Scallion's "Earth Changes Report"
and maps can be ordered by calling (USA & Canada only?) 1-800-628-7493.
The Rocky Mountain Psychic Institute is at 608 Pearl Street in Boulder
Colorado, 1-303-413-1877.  I just called the 800 number and ordered a
"Future World" map and a subscription to the newsletter, so it appears
that there is some organization backing up this nuttiness.

If someone outside the US wants to subscribe, I offer to call the 800
number or the Psychic Institute to see what can be done.  Let me know.

Also, if some curious list subscriber wants to know if they'll be submerged
in 2001, let me know.  When the "Future World Map" arrives, I'll check to
see if you're above or below future sea level.