I'm not into

conspiracy theories—well, not too many of them—or Nostrodramatic prophecies of the world coming to an end later on this year—let me consult my appointment book; no, it's not scheduled for at least the next two years—but I do believe that sometimes unusual phenomena occuring in nature may be harbingers—love that word: just been watching reruns of BSG on cable; "You are the harbinger of death, Kara Thrace"—of forthcoming extreme events.

Thus, birds falling from the sky, on New Year's Eve. Since then.....