The above quote is interesting because there is a comet (Lee) due around August 11th. Not much in the way of a comet so far and it will not come close enough to earth to do any damage. However, Solar Flux lately has been really awesome (M Class), the tail from Lee interacting with the CME's from the Sun could produce some dramatic problems on the planet.
An interesting speculation; let's examine it. The solar maximum is currently predicted for around March or April of next year. Since this runs on an 11 year cycle, we are near the peak. And indeed, the peak this time seems likely to be very large. You've already indicated that Lee does not approach the earth, but let's say we actually pass through the tail (this won't happen, by the way). The result will be similar to May 19, 1910, when the Earth passed through the tail of Halley -- and since we had previously learned that there were cyanide particles in the tail, many newspapers were filled with end of the world stories.
Nostradamus, however, was not much in evidence. He was yet to be "reinvented" (or disinterred, if you will) by Hitler's team of propagandists, and was not known to the general public at the time.
I'd say that we are in no danger from this comet, even if we pass on the lee side.<g>
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