The master of prophecies, Nostradamus, the Latin name of Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), was born on this day in St. Remy, France. The occultist has been credited for foretelling the reign of Hitler and assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Nostradamus was thought to have predicted a 20th century air-battle with these words, "At night they will think they have seen the sun, when they see the half pig man: Noise, screams, battle seen fought in the skies. The brute beasts will be heard to speak."

A highly-educated astrologer to the Queen of France, he was also a physician who many said found remarkable cures for the bubonic plague. He battled the disease with homemade pills of rose hip and plants.

In 1555, he wrote Centuries, thousands of rhymed prophecies of quatrains, or four-lined verses. The scribe used metaphor, symbols, and anagrams so that his cryptic predictions were open to many interpretations.

His prediction of the 1666 Great Fire of London was interpreted from the following: "The blood of the just will be demanded of London burnt by fire in three times twenty plus six. The ancient lady will fall from her high position, and many of the same denomination will be killed."

Life's flavor is its unpredictability.