Nostradamus hell, Melville's the man!

[The Great Quail]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet, but a small excerpt from the 
beginning of Moby-Dick has an eerie ring given the last two weeks:

"And, doubtless, my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the 
grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago. It 
came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive 
performances. I take it that this part of the bill may have run 
something like this:

Grand Contested Election for the Presidency of the United States
WHALING VOYAGE BY ONE ISHMAEL
BLOODY BATTLE IN AFGHANISTAN."

Hmmm....

--Quail