If you were expecting some kind of sun sign nonsense, forget about it. This is real astrology for the real world. If it's real astrology for yourself that you want, you can get it by phone or in print. And if you need help deciphering the astrological glyphs in the graphics accompanying this article, see Astroglyphs: Astrological Symbols Guide. Please note: this forecast is expressed in terms of Universal Time (UT).

My forecast mentioned "July 11-17, under the new moon and north lunar declination peak," as a time "to be prepared as best you're able to deal with Mother Nature's brute power. If you live in, or plan to be in, a seismically active location, these are the times to brace yourself and know where the exits are. And the same currents stirring Earth's crust whip up the atmosphere too, so keep a weather eye peeled and your emergency gear handy." Japan seemed to bear the brunt of this particular geocosmic surge. First came Typhoon Man-Yi on the 13th and 14th, the most powerful storm to hit the Japanese archipelago in decades. With sustained winds of 100 mph and gusts over 130, the storm cut power and snarled transportation from Okinawa to Tokyo, killing several people, injuring dozens more and putting thousands out of their homes and into emergency shelters. And then on the 16th came the earthquakes, a pair of magnitude 6.8 temblors that rocked the island chain and set buildings swaying in downtown Tokyo. A half-dozen people were killed, a nuclear plant set afire, and hundreds of homes were wrecked.