The Snowy Plovers

I'm afraid this is another Gemini story.

The newspaper announced today that almost the entire beach in Lompoc, California will close tomorrow for 7 months in order to let the Snowy Plovers breed. Due to Habitat Loss, these cute little shorebirds only number about 1500 (of breeding age). They live in the sand and their only defense against dogs, crows, mean kids and their klutsy parents (who kick them either inadvertently or intentionally and step on the nests) is to turn their backs to them and disappear into the sand through the camouflaged coloring of their feathers. These nice little babies have lived on the beaches for thousands of years and have been on endangered species list since the 1970s. If you live on the California Coast you have heard of them because you can't go where they go (some of the choicest beaches of course); however, you don't have a clue what they look like, and it turns out there's only 1500 anyway. Damn, they own the beaches like some sort of Mafiosos and I don't think they intend to ever increase their numbers. The situation is just too good as it is.

Right now they're fattening up and preparing for 7 months of Boogie Nights on the Beach.

What really fascinated me at first were what appeared to be inhumane requirements set by the Parks and Rec Department that says that they can't mate between October 1 and March 1 when the beaches are opened to the public. That would have meant that an awful lot of Astrological Signs won't be able to procreate into Snowy Clovers. That could very well be the problem. It didn't sound fair and it didn't sound prudent. And I know they do this to Racehorses and I also don't like that.

Turns out it's not a big deal, this is just the way they are. They don't want to be born in the winter. They don't even start laying eggs until May. Here's a link about their lifestyle: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22262. The Mother sits on the eggs all day and the Father sits on them at night. Typical incubation period is 27 days. That's a day short of the Classical Lunar Return. How cute. Sometimes the Mother goes off with a Second Husband and leaves the eggs with the First Husband to hatch all on his lonesome. I wonder if statistical studies have been conducted to see if these babies are more or less happy than the ones who grow up in typical family nests with two parents. Maybe the psychological devastation of growing up in a single parent home is what's messing up the survival rate.

So, anyway, say you're layed (laid?) on May 5, so that means you're born on May 31 or June 1. You're a Gemini, one of one to three eggs that hatches. Like good little Geminis you are precocious, highly intelligent and adaptable and able to feed yourself within hours of being born. And, within 2 days you are completely self-sufficient. The article says that after this your survival is compromised because the next two months are perilous. They don't explain what goes wrong though. Is it adolescence? Does Vandenburg Air Force Base use them for target practice? Anyway, the whole beach is full of teenage Gemini Birds in June, sunning themselves, yakking their heads off, running around socializing and gossiping and sharing lip balm and never quite focusing on where the next meal is coming from because of they're all suffering from too much Mercury.

Then, next generation. If your Mother runs off with another guy, she will give birth to a set of little birds who are Cancers. They will never leave the nest. Oi. No wonder they get stepped on. Typical Cancers. I don't know if it goes on. If Leo, Virgo and maybe even Libra Snowy Plovers exist. But thing is: Scorpios would have grown stingers, Sagg's would have broken down into hysterical fits and joined the local clergy for protection from evil, Capricorns would have got the hell off the ground and climbed to higher turf...ah, that's where the survival goes haywire... These are the signs that have the determination to build civilizations and survive! None of that for the Snowy Plovers. Just you, me, and the nest in the sand dunes. Dudes, it's all good, no worries. Who needs survival skills when the Endangered Species will protect you? Just chill.

So, anyway, the beaches in Lompoc will be closed to predators during the entire Summer Season. Tourist Town California shuts down for these guys. That's a lot of lost revenue but they're worth it. Wish I could add a picture. Just imagine Anderson Cooper with wings (he's a Gemini).

Shocking Al Sharpton

Reverand Al Sharpton announced this week that an interesting story had been unearthed by some geneologists who were researching his Ancestry. Apparently, his great-grandfather had been owned by a cousin of Strom Thurmonds'. Strom Thurmond is most known for two things: One is that he was the longest running Senator in the history of the Senate and the Second is that he conducted the longest filibuster against the Civil Rights Act in the Senate in 1957 (along with his other segregationist idealogies)(and supposedly he mellowed on these)(and supposedly he fathered a child with his Black housekeeper).

Al Sharpton is quoted in the news today as saying that this is "perhaps the most shocking thing in my life." I had to take a look at his transits. If Astrology is valid at all, the Uranus transits would have to really stand out as Uranus rules Shocks.

Reverand Al Sharpton
b. Oct. 3, 1954 10:05 Brooklyn, NY

Sun 10 Libra; ASC 29 Scorpio; Moon at 22 Sagittarius, MC 13 Virgo; NN 10 Capricorn

This is spectacular!

The IC, or Imum Coeli, is the cusp of the 4th house. The 4th House rules Home, Genetics, Ancestry. Al Sharpton's IC is 13 Pisces. Right now the conjunction of Uranus and the North Node are conjunct this angle (Uranus at 15, NN at 17). He's received a shocking revelation about his Ancestry. Pisces rules Institutions, Jails and Bondage. I suppose it might rule Slavery as well, I left my Rex Bills book in the car_______.

Sharpton's Solar Arcs are also heavily involved as SA Mars and Chiron are conjunct his IC-t.Uranus-t.NN! Both his SA Ascendant and his Progressed Ascendant are conjunct his natal conjunction of Mars-Chiron in Capricorn in H2. Mars and Chiron together in the 2d house show a spiritual ability to fight for self-worth. It would make sense that it would be in the chart of a Civil Rights Leader. Sharpton is a Reverend and ran for the Presidency on the platform of equal rights for everyone. Sharpton also just had a Mars Return a couple of weeks ago which compounds this energy. And, also, this Mars-Chiron conjunction is squaring the ruler of the IC and opposite a natal Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. The Solar Arc Jupiter-Uranus is conjunct t. South Node and opposite t.Uranus-NN. Sorry this is so much jargon. I just want to include as much as I can.

And this all goes on affecting Sharpton's Ascendant and 1st house pictures mostly. Moon in a person's chart rules the same stuff as the IC due to Moon's rulership of Cancer. Both Sharpton's progressed Moon and Sun are conjunct his natal Ascendant. Jupiter and Pluto are both transiting Sharpton's 1st house and conjunct his natal Moon from either side. It's enough to be trying to make it in America as a descendant of an African American Slave, it's another to have risen as a major figure in the Civil Right's Movement and unbelievable to know that one's Ancestors were owned by one of the chief opponents of the Civil Rights Movement in which one has played a leading role.

Sharpton says that he met Thurmond only once in his life. In 1991 the singer James Brown introduced the two. I don't have an exact date so have looked up some basic, vague transits going on that year. Thurmond would have been going through his Saturn Return at that point and Sparpton would have been going through both a Nodal Return, Chiron opposition and Jupiter Return. There was a conjunction of Uranus (shock) and Neptune (ruler of Sharpton's IC) in Capricorn which hit his natal Node-Mars-Chiron. This has splayed out and is re-aspecting his chart on the IC-MC lines. This same conjunction would have hit Thurmond's natal Chiron and later on his Saturn. I suppose Saturn rules Slave Owners, will have to check Rex Bills________. Thurmond natally has a square between his Saturn and his Nodes and during this meeting the Nodal Axis might have been squaring or close to squaring his Natal Nodes.

Strom Thurmond
b. Dec. 5, 1902 Edgefield, South Carolina
Sun 13 Sagittarius (conjunct Mercury9; Venus15; Uranus 21; and opposite Pluto in Gemini)
North Node 24 Libra, Moon in Aquarius?

James Brown, who brought the two together for what Sharpton calls an uncomfortable meeting, had a Pisces North Node opposite SN Virgo, Mars 4 Virgo, Neptune 8 Virgo,Jupiter 14 Virgo. This stellium is conjunct Sharpton's IC.

Big Fat Hollywood Production

The Oscars.

Thought I'd look up charts and try to guess who will win but I'm too lazy.

Mark Wahlberg interests me. I had no idea he was Marky Mark the underwear Model and the guy who starred in "Boogey Nights." He's awesome in "The Departed" and on talk shows. Guess all this fragmented imagery is typical of his Sun Sign, another Gemini.

What's wild is his wayward childhood. He harassed some black children in a school playground when he was 15 and blinded a Vietnamese Guy when he was 16 for which he was convicted for aggravated assault. Later on at Age 21 he broke a neighbor's jaw. Supposedly that wasn't his fault, the neighbor must have been white. Wild Guy who has done very well for himself.

Mark Wahlberg
b. June 5, 1971 7:15am Boston, MA (from astrotheme)

Gemini Sun, Cancer Rising, Moon in Scorpio, Pisces MC

So. His Mars is conjunct his North Node in Aquarius. The aggression is part of his Fate. Hopefully he'll never go into Nuclear Physics. Mars-NN involved in a Grand Trine with Sun and Uranus (which is on his IC). This expands out to a Kite figure with Chiron opposite Uranus. Not exactly what one would figure for a bigot but maybe some self-perpetuating problems with impulse and aggressive ego. Perhaps he will eventually use his success and fame to show love for humanity on a large scale.

Most interesting is Marky's Moon. It's the Ruler of his chart and is in Scorpio unaspected. That's an indicator for strong emotional needs that can get bottled up. How fitting that he modelled underwear and starred in the role of a porn star. His troubles seem to have peaked when his Sun progressed into Cancer at age 16. When the Sun progresses into a Sign the ego and how one shines can go through a difficult adjustment period, especially when the planet that rules the new sign is afflicted. Along with his impulsive Sun-Mars-Uranus grand trine he needed to learn to control his impulses. But, also, this expresses itself as strong, virile, straight-forward energy such as the role of the good cop in "The Departed." Wahlberg's progressed Sun was still in his 12th house when it changed signs; the 12th house rules incarceration and jails, as well as music and film.

When Wahlberg cut his record as Marky Mark in 1991 his progressed Moon was passing through his 1st house, the sign that it rules.

When he began his Acting Career in 1993 his Ascendant was progressing into Leo, the sign of the performer.

Wahlberg's natal Moon is in his 5th house which is natural for a performer. His children are probably a very positive influence in his life. On Wikipedia it says that he plans to retire when he is 40 to spend time with them. With Pisces MC, a career in film is a natural, especially with ruler Neptune conjunct Jupiter also in the 5th house.

Also very interesting is that Will Smith, my personal favorite for the Oscar, also has a Scorpio Moon, possibly unaspected as well, but in his 12th house natally. Another rap artist who turned actor.

Black Sheep and Scapegoats

My Rex Bills Rulership Book has brought out my Inner-Astro-3-year-old. All the questions that I have managed to "stuff" over the years, I am rabidly asking now. What planet for this? What sign for that?

A couple of interesting rulerships I found that sort of surprised me:

Black Sheep: Jupiter
Scapegoat: Saturn

The Saturn-Scapegoat connection is pretty obvious, especially when Saturn is in aspect to Pluto, but I'm surprised by the Jupiter Black Sheep connection. Jupiter in my own Chart is pretty badly placed so I guess I was more of a Black Sheep than a Scapegoat. When Saturn passed over my Ascendant by transit and I got to experience the Scapegoat effect and that was very unpleasant.

Chiron's Discovery seems to have shifted Saturn's interpretation. First of all, Chiron's orbit moves in and out of Saturn and Uranus' orbits, and, second, because it has been going through long oppositions to first Uranus and now Saturn. Ever since it's Discovery almost, Astrologers have only been able to watch Chiron's effects in it's opposition relationship to either Uranus or Saturn so both planets are probably viewed now in terms of their inability to heal completely. Saturn is now interpreted more in terms of its relationship with Uranus than with Jupiter. It's now often read as Conservative/Traditional as opposed to Uranus' Revolutionary/Liberal ideology. Saturn's traditional Authoritarian Management style has had to give way to Uranus' chaotic, Democratic style and the Healing and Wounding style of Chiron is observed in both. In the old style interpretation, Saturn was generally interpreted in comparison with it's differences to Jupiter. Saturn was constrictive and disciplined and Jupiter was expansive and undisciplined.

Anyway, Black Sheep and ScapeGoats, what was your role in your family? Chiron is a Centaur so I guess the closest thing in the barnyard to him would be the Donkey. Beast of Burden? Uranus wants one big happy family, warts and all (not very accepting of loners, however, so need extra defense against the wolves and hyenas).

Is It Hot In Here?

In 2005 a study reported that found that Birth Month can affect when a women begins Menopause. Scientists have found that women who are born in March tend to start Menopause at Age 48 while women born in October tend to start at Age 50. Here's a link to the BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4536187.stm.

Your (Aries) Beautiful (Venus) Face (Aries)

Beauty (Venus) is in the Eye (Sun and Moon) of the Beholder (Venus).

Here are Rulerships on the Face from my Rex Bills Book along with a couple of my own interpretations which are followed by (?). Now you can see the Stars in your Mirror (Mercury and Moon).

Windows (Gemini,Neptune) to the Soul (Sun, Leo)
YOUR EYES: Aries, Sun, H1 (Uranus, Aquarius, Neptune, Moon, Mercury)
Left of a Male, Right of a Female: Moon
Left of a Female, Right of a Male: Sun
Eyesight: Mercury
Near-Sightedness: Moon
Far-Sightedness: Moon, Neptune
Defective Eyesight: Moon
Eye Afflictions and disorders: Aries, Sun
Etheric Vision: Uranus
Iris: Aries (Taurus)
Sense of Sight: Mercury (Moon, Sun, Aquarius)

YOUR NOSE: Scorpio, Mars (Aries, Jupiter)
Mucus discharges: Pisces, Moon
Kleenex (Tissue paper): Mercury (Neptune)
Sense of Smell: Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, Scorpio

YOUR MOUTH: Mercury, Aries (Venus, Taurus, Mars)
Lower Lip (along with Jaw & Gums): Taurus
Upper Lip (along with Jaw): Aries
Stiff Upper Lip: Saturn (?)
Teeth: Saturn (Aquarius, Jupiter, Cancer)
Decayed of Abcessed Teeth: Saturn
False Teeth: Neptune
Tongue: Mercury, Taurus
Sense of Taste: Mars (Jupiter, Taurus)

YOUR EARS: H2, Taurus, Mercury (Aries)
Left Ear: (Mars, Saturn)
Right Ear: (Jupiter, Saturn)
Sense of Hearing: Saturn, Mercury

YOUR SKIN: Saturn, Capricorn, Libra, Venus
Diseases of the Skin: Saturn, Capricorn
Eruptions: Mars, Aries
Sensitive Skin: Aquarius
Acne: Mars, Aries, H1 (Sun, Pluto)
Wrinkles in the Skin: Saturn
Dimples: Venus
Make-Up, Make-Up Artists: Venus, Neptune
Scars: Mars
Sense of Touch: Venus, Mercury

YOUR HAIR: Saturn, Capricorn (Mercury, Venus, Virgo)
Big Hair: Leo, Baby, Leo!!!!! (?)

YOUR SKULL: Aries, H1, Saturn
Base of the Skull: Taurus, H2
Organs within the Head and Diseases of: H1, Aries, Mars
Headaches: Mercury, Aries, Mars (Uranus)

YOUR FACE (Along with Diseases of the Face and Eruptions thereon): H1, Aries, Mars
Forehead: Mars, Aries (Mercury),
but I think those knowledge bumps on little kids are Saturn (?)
Forehead, Upper: (Jupiter)
Temples of the Head: (Jupiter)
Cheeks: Venus, Aries
Chin: Venus, Taurus
Multiple Chins and Jowels??? Maybe best not to go there... (?)

YOUR SMILE: Venus

YOUR LAUGHTER: Venus (Neptune)
Unless Looney and Out-of-Control: Moon (?)

YOUR SOUL, RELEASED: Pluto

Boys' Toys

I just picked up what looked like a wonderful Biography at a Library book sale about Leo Szilard. Well, the Librarian said it had been placed there by mistake and asked for it back, so I didn't actually read it. Szilard sounds like a really interesting guy.. He was a Hungarian born physicist who had an incredible gift for forecasting Political Events. He predicted WWI and WWII and that Germany was working on Atomic Warfare. He was also one of the Designers of the 1st Nuclear Bomb. He and Einstein together wrote a letter to Roosevelt in 1939 warning that the Germans were building an Atomic Bomb. He predicted the Cold War; but he wasn't able to predict that the U.S. would turn around and use the bomb on the Japanese.

I don't know much about what happened except that many of the Scientists who developed Nuclear theories that led up to creating The Bomb deeply regretted its uses in War; the Librarian took the book away from me after all. I did manage to write down the four names mentioned in the book as being the big creators of "The Bomb." And Szilard and Einstein were actually against what was going on at Los Alamos.

As I understand it (corrections for incorrect information appreciated):

Albert Einstein
b. March 14, 1879 11:30am Ulm, Germany

created the concept of Nuclear Chain Reactions

Leo Szilard
b. Feb.11, 1898 Budapest, Hungary

and Enrico Fermi
b. Sept. 29, 1901 7pm Rome, Italy

designed the 1st nuclear reactor.

Robert Oppenheimer
b. Apr. 22, 1904 8:15am New York, NY

managed Los Alamos where the Bomb was built.

All four expressed regrets about what they had done. This Contrarian part of Human Nature is so amazing. Here were the most intelligent people on earth, considered humanitarian and cultured to the highest degree, yet they were the creators of the most destructive warfare on earth.

I looked at their charts to see if Mars was doing something interesting. Mars rules Aggression. We all have one, we need this energy to survive, but I was wondering if anything would show up that showed that these sensitive, intelligent men were somehow bound to a Fate that was so far from their Natures. Powee! (Mars lingo) Mars c. North Node in Einstein, Szilard, and Fermi's charts! No matter how brilliant these men were, that Mars energy took off with their lives.

Boys will be boys.

Oppenheimer's Mars in Taurus was connected to his North Node through a minor aspect (Bi-Quintile, keyword: Observation?) but was unaspected to any other planet so it held a volatile position. What is exceptional is how Neptune and Pluto hang above and below his ASC and square his Nodes.

Story goes on.

The "Father of Nuclear Chemistry", Otto Hahn, had an almost similar Node Mars connection as Einstein and Szilard. He and Einstein were born within a week of each other so both had North Node at 2 Aquarius. Einstein's Mars was at 27 Capricorn. Hahn's Mars was at 23 Capricorn. Szilard had the conjunction over the cusp in the opposite direction. North Node at 27 Capricorn conjunct Mercury and Mars at 0 Aquarius. That Mercury sure does give a clue to Szilard's incredible intuitive skills. Rex Bills gives Uranus and Mars to rulership of Bombs, with Pluto ruling Atomic Bombs so it's pretty fascinating to see these connections between Mars and Uranus (and Saturn) in these charts.

Otto Hahn received the Nobel Prize for his work. Apparently many people think that he should have shared the Prize with his work partner of 30 years, Lise Meitner (b. Nov. 17, 1878 Vienna, Austria). Lise's Jupiter was conjunct her Aquarius North Node and squaring an opposition of Chiron-Neptune opposite Mars in Scorpio. When asked if she would work for the Manhattan Project, Meitner said: "I will have nothing to do with a bomb." Go Venus! Her Mars is actually more Volatile than any of the mens' Mars! It is certainly interesting to see how the energy is diffused in women. Her Venus is conjunct Sun in Scorpio in Meitner's chart and opposite Pluto in Taurus so we can see the power struggle with Otto Hahn here.

U.S. Detainee Number 002

David Hicks
b. August 7, 1975 Adelaide, Australia

Yesterday driving along listening to NPR, holding my chin very close to my chest trying to talk back to Michael Krasny in his same hushed New England voice, pronouncing all the consonants at the ends of my words, doing it perfectly. The BBC Lady comes on, I think she's talking in Gaelic, or with an Irish accent, however it goes, and with beautiful lilt she dispassionately reads her little news blip about an Australian guy who's been detained at Guantanamo Bay for the last five, or is it 6?, years. He had joined the Taliban and was caught shortly after 9/11. In Guantanamo: Tortured. Beaten. Held in isolation. Denied a trial. 5 years. Then she moves on to the News in the rest of the world. I'm American. I've never heard of this guy. But, I'm on the side that has been doing this to him, really bad things: putting stuff up his butt to make him talk (?), locking him up by himself for 8 months, denying him access to due process for more than 6 years (first year he was on a boat I think)! He's in Guantanamo after all. Ah, Fuck. Inside Edition can't handle a story that's more sensational than its graphics so it remains silent on these matters.

So, I'm going to look at David Hicks' chart with his birth date and his Wikipedia entry. And I feel otherwise helpless about his situation.

Sun 14 Leo. Moon probably Leo. Sun c. Mercury and possibly Moon in Leo. Okay, so he's probably a little Full of Himself. Opinionated, Temperamental, Dramatic, Egotistical.

North Node 28 Scorpio opposite Mars 26 Taurus and trining Saturn at 26 Cancer. Mars and Saturn are both in their Detriment. Saturn is a singleton in Water. Some dire lessons in responsibility, maybe to the point of being scapegoated. North Node in Scorpio lives a complicated existence; how do you turn your life path toward darkness? Hicks dropped out of high school, stole some cars, did some drugs. He became Muslim, left his wife and kids to go fight in Albania and then joined Al Quaida and was caught right after 9/11. He's not exactly a model citizen.

First I'll discuss his t-square and some of its transits. Apex Saturn in Cancer squaring Jupiter-Chiron in Aries which is opposite Uranus in Libra. Jupiter-Chiron opposite Uranus in Libra could have some strong religious convictions.

In 1999, Hicks had a Jupiter Return that, because of retrogrades, lasted a very long time, from May to January of 2000. He had a calling and it was religious and kind of Aries fundamentalist type religious so he wanted to fight for his God. His progressed Mars hit n. Uranus (opposite n.Chiron-Jupiter) and t. Chiron hit his natal North node opposite Mars. I've heard of Mars-Chiron oppositions as being Spiritual Warriors and here he had two of them going at the same time. It would make sense then that Hicks would join a Holy War. Also at this time t. Pluto hit his natal Neptune in Sagittarius. That'll lead to some Extreme Metaphysics for sure. And, last but not least, this was also during the time that Saturn and Pluto began to oppose each other in 2001 bringing in the Bullying/scapegoating streak. Remember what it did to Lyndie England's chart and life. Eventually Chiron would join Pluto on Hick's Neptune in Sagittarius. I certainly hope he had a little mantra to chant at that point.

Hicks was caught around November or December 2001 just as the transiting Sun was passing over these planets, first hitting the North Node then hitting Neptune (along with transiting planets mentioned above). His progressed Mars and Transiting Saturn were opposing n.Neptune-t.Pluto as well. His progressed Sun squared his natal Neptune in 2002. He was captive by then.

There's another configuration that stands out in Hicks' chart. It would be much easier to explain with a picture. It stands out mostly because Hicks' progressed Sun has been passing over his natal Venus in Virgo the whole time he's been in Prison. So, Venus isn't happy in Virgo, this is the sign of its Fall. Venus also doesn't have any positive aspects in this chart so she's really left to express her dark side. She's squaring Neptune, so also affected by all the transits that his Neptune received, i.e. the square from Pluto and Saturn.

Venus is also involved in a trapezoid shape with Neptune, Jupiter and Saturn that contains minor sesquiquadrate and semisquare aspects. (Venus square Neptune, Jupiter square Saturn, Venus sesquiquadrate (135) Jupiter, Venus semi-square Saturn, Jupiter sesquiquadrate Neptune.) The sesquiquadrate aspect is a sign of irritation and agitation and considered a bad omen when it falls between major planets. It could explain Hicks' minor criminal mentality. As Venus rules Justice (or lack of) and Neptune rules Prisons and Jupiter rules Law and Lawyers and Saturn rules Government and scapegoating and these planets were set off by transits and major progressions, I suppose I can see how being captured as a POW could happen when this figure is under a heavy transit. I couldn't find a description for this chart shape, closest is the Submarine shape described at http://jstroberg.50megs.com/starlogin_us/interp.html#config but that has a sextile in it. Unlike the Submarine, this shape offers no positive relief to balance the difficult ones. As Hicks has apparently been Suicidal for much if not all of the time that he's been imprisoned we have yet another example of a progressed Sun-natal Venus conjunction expressing suicidal feelings in a person's life. He's been forcibly medicated for something and not told what it is he's being given.

Hicks' Saturn Return while at Guantanamo is interesting to look at. In December 2004, a Documentary was made about his situation, his cell was even photographed. His progressed Mercury was conjunct his natal Pluto which is at apex of a small triangle, sextile on either side to Neptune (film) and Sun (Drama). His Father (Saturn) has been very supportive about trying to get him out. But, alas, to no avail. He was set up for a trial in 2005 and it was denied at the last minute due to changes in the laws. The transiting North Node was conjunct his n.Jupiter-Chiron and squaring his Natal Saturn-t.Saturn.

The U.S. Government apparently has finally announced this last week what David Hicks will be tried for. The charges are 5 years in the making and God can only imagine what they might be. I believe he's going to be represented by a lawyer from the U.S. Army and not an Australian.

The thing that separates Modern Society from the Ancient Barbaric Societies (which we tend to think of when we think of the Taliban) is the concept that True Justice can only be administered if accompanied by Mercy. I don't see where the U.S. is following this rule. We've ignored the rules of the Geneva Convention with regards to treatment of these prisoners. I can only quote Joseph Conrad's famous line: "The Horror! The Horror!"

Free Education!!!!

Pluto in Sagittarius, the final chapter. Top Universities are putting some of their course materials online for everyone to take advantage of. Here are some links from yesterdays' Wall St. Journal article called "Yale on $0 a Day", Feb. 15, 2007, p. D1 & D6. MIT started the Fad in 2003 with its "OpenCourseWare." It looks like they're all offering physics classes. We can take them all and maybe something will eventually sink in.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
ocw.mit.edu
(the article says that Professor Walter Lewin's Physics I, II and III are absolutely to die for)

University of Notre Dame
ocw.nd.edu
(Soul Searching? Try the Theology class.)

Tufts University
ocw.tufts.edu

Stanford University
itunes.stanford.edu

University of California, Berkeley
itunes.berkeley.edu or webcast.berkeley,edu

Yale plans to add some classes next Fall. And Bryn Mawr College will add classes this Summer.

Be Still O Fluttering Heart!

Leo rules your Heart. May your Sun shine today.

May your Moon find Emotional Fulfillment.

May your Mercury speak Sweet Nothings.

May your Venus be romanced with Flowers and Chocolates (and Diamonds if you're lucky).

May your Mars go after its every Desire (and not get caught).

May your Pluto use condoms in whatever it endeavors...

Here's a fun article on kissing: http://timesunion.com/ASPStories/Story.asp?storyID=562061&newsdate=2/13/2007&BCCode=MBTA

I haven't found out what rules the Lips. Oh, just pucker up!

HAPPY VALENTINES!

Alice Sebold - Lucky

It means so much when an author gives up her/his birthdate to online scammers, hackers, identity thefts and astrology buffs!! This is the best Valentine's gift ever! Now I get to talk about something close to my heart --- Alice Sebold's rape. I listened to the audiobook of Lucky and highly recommend it to anyone, but particularly to those who have gone through this and who need the catharsis of hearing this story told by someone who came out the other side. Sebold opens the book with a frank, open, almost brutal description of the rape and then uses the rest of thepages to fill in with what came before and what happened afterward. Her story is valid because she wasn't "asking for it" and because of the redemption she has received by prosecuting the offender and of telling others about it.

Brutally raped by a stranger on her last night at college during her Freshman year in 1981, Sebold describes the relations afterward with her friends, the police, her family. She describes what was going on in her own mind as others respond either awkwardly or valiantly. The next year, she recognized her assailant on the street, reported him and endured the trial. She describes this. The whole time she was functional; stayed in school, took classes from the top teachers in the country, and managed to make a living off of her writing. She also describes a long period after that where she struggled with drugs. Lucky was written sometime between 1995 and was published in 1999 (either January or August).

Alice Sebold
b. September 6, 1963 Madison, Wisconsin

Sun 14 Virgo; Moon Aries?; North Node 19 Cancer

The incident I suppose would have happened around end of May or beginning of June in 1981. (I'm not sure of this date.) This makes Sebold almost 18 when it happened. This is right before her Nodal Return so that seems a good place to start. In her chart, Sebold's Nodes, symbols of crisis and redemption in a person's life, as Komilla Sutton calls them, are on the Cancer-Capricorn axis, North Node in Cancer, South in Capricorn. The Give and Take signs. Her life path has to do with Control issues and allowing herself to become vulnerable, allowing herself to be cared for by others. A rape will certainly put one in a spot where one has to deal with these issues. In Sebold's chart, her nodes are squaring Jupiter in Aries and inconjunct Saturn in Aquarius to the degree. They also may be squaring her Moon in Aries and with wide orbs even make a Grand Square to Mars in Libra. You put aggression together with emotion and relate them in a stressful way to your life path and you could certainly come up with a similar story.

Rex Bills says that Mars shows rape. This seems like a good start as Mars indicates aggression and men. Mars in aspect with Moon is very volatile. Sebold's Moon disposits to Mars and may oppose it as well. Mars squares the Nodes. The rulers of her Nodes, Moon and Saturn are maybe both aspecting the Nodes. So the routing is very strong.

Astrologers have studied Rapists, it seems, more than rape victims and, of course, they have all kinds of differing ideas of what could indicate a rapists' chart. As with all astrological studies, these are the offenders who got caught, not the ones who got away. The combinations to look for seem to include: Mars-Uranus-Neptune; Mars-Jupiter; Mars-Neptune; Mars-Pluto-Nodes. Many astrologers like to point out that often Victims will have the same indicators in their charts as the perpetrators.

There are a few studies out there that explain the role of the Centaurs in the charts of rape victims. These are very interesting to study in Sebold's chart.

Bob Marks talks about how Chiron-Mars contacts can indicate a tendency to be raped; woundings with aggression (www.bobmarksastrologer.com - lessons on Chiron). Chiron in Sebold's chart is in Pisces and is opposed a big stellium of Uranus-Sun-Pluto-Venus in Virgo. This opposition is sextiled and trined by Neptune and I think might have more to do with why she has managed to find so much redemption for her experience. They say you never really recover from such an experience, but many people go through this experience and live in silences as victims for the rest of their lives. Sebold's family and friends were supportive. She has some complaints, but, considering what others go through she had it fairly nice. She was also remarkably strong. She found her perpetrator and prosecuted him. She studied and become a wonderfully talented writer. She wrote a book and is able to help others through her telling of her experience.

There's an interesting discussion on the role of another centaur, Nessus, and rape (www.expresso.co.cr/centaurs/posts/mundane/waco.html). Nessus can indicate an abuse of power. In mythology Nessus tried to rape Heracles wife, Deianira. Nessus in Sebold's chart is placed at 4 Gemini. It squares her natal Pluto and trines her Mercury. Oddly, her Mercury was receiving a lot of conjunctions in early Summer of 1981: Progressed Sun had just changed signs into Libra and was conjunct transiting Jupiter to the degree and t. Saturn by a couple of degrees (both these planets closely aspect her Nodes). Also progressed Venus was within range of conjunction. The Universe was giving her her story in a way. Kind of a Nodal Return present. Not a pretty present. And she wouldn't fully tell it until the next Nodal Return 18 years later. But, Life just works in really cruddy ways sometimes. Transiting Nessus and transiting Pluto were both within 5 degrees conjunction of Mars at the time of the rape. This hooked into the maybe Grand Square of Mars-Moon-Jupiter and is very violent.

As Jupiter rules Sagittarius which is a Centaur I wonder if there is a strong connection between Jupiter and Rape. There seems to be a connection in Sebold's chart. The Centaurs are, after all, warriors like Mars.

I also am interested to look at Vesta as she symbolizes the Vestal Virgins. Most of them managed to stay Virgins but there is an interesting story about how Rome was created when Mars raped one of the Vestal Virgins who gave birth to Romulus and Remus who were then cast off and suckled by a mother wolf. Quite interesting story compared with Sebold's as she was a virgin when she was attacked. Vesta's strong role in her chart and rape may be particular to her and her stellium in Virgo reinforces this theme. Mars is conjunct Sebold's Vesta and so may be opposite her Moon as well. Her progressed Mars and Vesta were both still in close conjunction and with natal Neptune during the time of the rape. Transiting Vesta would have been squaring her natal Nessus. She was walking at night through a tunnel and so was putting herself at risk, but, otherwise, was not "asking for it." No alcohol or drugs, no provocative dress, no bad date choice which so often keeps the victim silent.

Her North Node is in Cancer squaring her Jupiter and perhaps her Aries Moon. It's very interesting that the title of her book is called Lucky as Jupiter rules Luck. It refers to an encounter with a police officer who told her after the rape that she was lucky to be alive after the beating she had just received. The irony of having to go through such an awful ordeal but also to have the support of family and the judicial system (Jupiter) seems to show through really strong here.

Sebold also has a square to Neptune from Saturn-Pholus in Aquarius. And so, for what it matters, I'll mention the 3d Centaur, Pholus, because he is strong in Sebold's chart. There's no mention whether he could keep his hooves to himself in ancient mythology. Mostly I think Pholus' big vice was his alcohol consumption. Pholus is conjunct Saturn in Aquarius and squaring Neptune so would have also been squared by prog.Mars-Vesta in 1981. Mars-Neptune is, of course, one of the traditional indicators of Rape. Also, t. Pholus was opposite p. Sun, t.Jupiter & Saturn, and n. Mercury at the time of the attack.

I haven't found a strong Uranian connection in Sebold's chart due to its connection with sudden, shocking events. It's presence might come up strong with full birth data. Natally, of course, Sebold have Sun conjunct Uranus.

The Prince

I'm old so I remember Prince. I remember when Prince changed his name to, well, to nothing. He became a symbol that had no pronunciation, a combination of a Venus Sign and a Mars Sign to indicate that he is a, well, he is a Gemini, sign of the Hermaphrodite. I remember at the time it appeared to be a overblown publicity stunt. Instead, according to his entry on Wikipedia, it was an Abdication from Power due to squelching and controlling behaviors on the part of his Record Company. He gradually disappeared from sight.

Prince Rogers Nelson
b. June 7, 1958 6:17 pm Minneapolis, Minn.

Sun 17 Gemini; ASC 17 Scorpio; Moon 2 Pisces; MC 30 Leo

You'd expect a Gemini to have a bunch of names. He plays a bunch of instruments and performs in a bunch of different styles. Noel Tyl says that names are ruled by the Ascendant, though. They represent how you come across in the World. Prince has Scorpio Rising and there is a very strong blend of Gemini and Scorpio ruling his Sun, Rising and MC so this is very interesting the whole thing about his name, and the changing of his name, and the changing back to his old name from his non-name.

The First House is ruled by Aries and Aries is ruled by Mars and Mars in Prince's chart is extremely strong as it's in its own sign of Aries right on the Aries Point. Record Company bugs him, he bugs Record Company back, simple. What's really interesting is that his actual Ascendant has no Ptolomaic aspects in his chart. It inconjuncts the Gemini Sun from the 8th house cusp. This is really weird to say because his dress is so flamboyant and he's a Rock Star but maybe his Image isn't all that important to him. Obviously, compromising isn't important to him.

On the other hand, his MC, what he's known for, is very strongly aspected. Pluto conjuncts Regulus and MC, how appropriate for a guy named "Prince" -- doubly compounded by a Scorpio Rising that deals with Power Control Issues and a Sun that is placed on the 8th house cusp. Pluto, ruler of Prince's ascendant opposes his Chiron in H3 and his Moon in H4. Deep currents of feelings, the opposition shows a projection, maybe drawing others into the current.

"Prince" is his real name, given to him by his Mother; I would have assumed it was a Stage Name. Seem to remember that the artist Basquiat used to paint Crowns in his paintings because his mother had told him he was King. Mommies with their little boys, tsk, tsk. Women, don't you know that someday some girl is going to have to do damage control on what you've created?

Anyway I'm scattering, how Gemini.

In 1993 when Prince changed his name to (that symbol), "the Artist Formerly Known as Prince" "TAFKAP" "The Artist", whatever it was, what-ev-errrrrrrr, Pluto and the North Node would have been traveling through his First House. Chiron and Saturn were straddling his MC and IC axis. His whole public vs. private persona was in crisis. He sort of had to "kill himself off" and start over. His progressed ASC was within 3 degrees of his 2d house cusp and his Value System was also under seige. He was not in the mood to be merchandised (2d house) so he took control (Pluto-NN in Scorpio, first house) and withdrew his name from the World Stage.

Interesting that when he changed his name back to "Prince" on May 16, 2000, Jupiter and Saturn were conjunct his Descendant. This shows a change in a business relationship. He changed record labels, signed a new contract. His progressed Sun was exactly conjunct the transiting North Node in his 9th house in Cancer so he maybe felt both liberated and emotionally released. It looks as if his value system would have been in deep crisis over the next year, however, as Pluto and Chiron were conjunct on his 2d house cusp, then later on the Pluto-Saturn opposition would have occurred on his Sun-Saturn opposition in Houses 2 and 8. He stuck to his guns, followed his own set of values.

The world almost forgot about him until last week's Superbowl Game. He's going through several very important transits and progressions that look a little lighter and more in line with being an Artist. Progressed Mercury (ruler of Sun Sign) c. n.MC-Pluto (ruler of Chart); prog. Sun squaring n.Neptune-NN opposite n. Venus (His Art comes forth); prog. Moon and Transiting Jupiter conjunct 2d house cusp opposite his Natal Sun.

Natally, he has a trine between Saturn (h2) and Pluto (h10). Saturn-Pluto trines can bring intense waiting periods due to willfulness and also from a deep need to maintain a strong ethical value.

For Lisa Nowak, Girl Astronaut

For Lisa who lost her head last week and fell back down to earth...

...And also for all those fools who are about to do the same thing this week because Valentine's Day always brings out the worst in a relationship...

...A song to ease your pain, best if sung in duet by Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday. If you're really feeling bad turn on the Country Western music...

...I'm sorry Lisa, would hate to see what's happening to your Midheaven right now. Take care, I wish you well.

You Can't Lose A Broken Heart

James P. Johnson / Flournoy E. Miller

Don't lose your head
Then lose your guy
You can't lose a broken heart

If you ever break up
Then try to make up
It's tough to make a brand new start

Take a walk
Think it over
While strolling neath the moon
Don't say things in December
You'll regret in June

Ware your remark
Before you speak
Or you may be sorry soon,
Don't be erratic
Be diplomatic
To keep your heart in tune

Cruel harsh words
Often spoken
Will upset your applecart
So don't lose your head
Then lose your guy
Cus, you can't lose a broken heart
No, you can't lose a broken heart!

The Laptop Man

So many of the techies fascinate me because they've managed to make a lot of money and to spread a great love of humanity out into the world. I mostly pin this on the Neptune in Libra generation, especially when Neptune's in aspect to Uranus. They've really come into their own now that Neptune and Uranus are very powerful (well, that's not quite the proper word for it, maybe sharing a rapturous communal feeling of love and compassion for each and every little thing) in mutual reception.

I've looked at a couple of charts belonging to this crowd, Craig Newmark & Tim Berners-Lee. Here's another one.

Nicholas Negroponte
b. Dec. 1, 1943 New York City, NY

Sun at 9 Sagittarius, Moon either in Capricorn or Aquarius.

Nicholas Negroponte is trained as an architect and is the Founder/Director of the Media Lab at MIT. He decided a while back that he would figure out a way to get laptop computers to children in developing nations so that they could be connected the Internet and the rest of the world. He promised to make laptops for these kids that would cost only a hundred dollars and it looks like he will be able to get it done for a price tag of $150.00. The computers will have a hand crank and will not have to rely on an external power source for those who are off the grid. Awesome!

Negroponte's chart shows a strong Gemini-Sagittarius opposition of planets. Sun in Sagittarius is opposite Mars and Uranus in Gemini. Mars and Uranus together often show a capacity for technological innovation in the career if hooked into the MC somehow. Gemini and Sagittarius rule education, both lower grade school and higher education. Negroponte teaches at the higher levels and is working to educate young children all over the world. His North Node is in Leo, a sign for teaching and is exactly conjunct Pluto which can show a need to make changes in a big way, Globally, as a life path. His Moon may be conjunct his South Node in Aquarius, this shows a need to take care of the world. Well, this is what he's feel subconsciously compelled to do and which he must learn to balance with his own self-expression and sense of play. His Moon may be involved in a Grand Trine with Neptune in Libra and Uranus in Gemini.

The other Gemini-Sagittarius opposition in Negroponte's chart is Mercury in Sagittarius opposite Saturn in Gemini. A great mind for concentrating, fixing problems, design. This is the boundary for a Boat configuration to a string of sextiles to Venus in Libra sextile Jupiter in Leo to Saturn in Gemini. It endows either a boldness or a foolishness to one's actions (from http://jstroberg.50megs.com/starlogin_us/interp.html#config) . It takes a lot of sextiles to take on these kinds of projects.

It helps that Negroponte's planets are all in Fire and Air Signs. He has Chiron as singleton in Earth and Ceres as singleton in Water. This emphasizes his Teaching skills and desire to nurture. Ceres is in the nurturing sign of Cancer and is out-of-bounds, placing even more emphasis on nurturing. Chiron is squaring both of the Gemini-Sagittarius oppositions so it is very prominent by aspect and as squares show where a person will feel a need to grow and be challenged, this is very important to notice in interpreting his chart.

It's also fun to notice that Negroponte's Mercury is way out-of-bounds in Sagittarius at 25 3' 38". I suppose that Laptops are ruled by Mercury. Mars in Gemini is also out-of-bounds. Communications and Kids.

Cyber Attacks

Last Tuesday the backbone of the Internet, the Domain Name System, was inundated with the largest hacker attack since 2002. There are 13 root servers that link all domain names to ID addresses on the Internet around the World. 10 of these servers are in the United States and 3 are in undisclosed locations. On Tuesday there was a 40% increase in traffic which overwhelmed at least 3 of the 12 servers. 2002's attack overloaded 9 out of the 13 servers. Much of Tuesday's hacking has been tracked back to South Korea.

Looks like Hackers like to grab the Air Time (pun intended), especially Gemini. Jupiter is at 15 Sagg, the same degree that Pluto was at in 2002. Sun in major aspect to Saturn both times.

Feb. 6, 2007, starting at 2:30am Pacific Standard Time, San Jose. Lasted for about 12 hours. I guess the overloads affected mostly the California coast, Silicon Valley?

Sun 18 Aquarius H3, ASC 7 Sagittarius, Moon 5 Libra H10, MC 22 Virgo

5 planets in H3 along with the North Node: Sun-Neptune in Aquarius (opposite Saturn in H9); Mercury-Venus-Uranus-NN in Pisces squaring the ASC and Jupiter at 15 Sagittarius.

Jupiter and Pluto in H1 both trining Saturn in Leo in H9.

Mars in Capricorn, singleton, H2 and trining MC.

Oct. 21, 2002, starting at 21:00 GMT, lasted about an hour.

Sun 29 Libra; Ascendant 19 Gemini; Moon 8 Taurus; MC Aquarius.

North Node at 10 Gemini in H12.

Uranus c. MC. Pluto c. DESC.

Grand Trine: Uranus-MC 25Aquarius trine Sun H5 trine Saturn H1 at 29 Cancer.

Grand Square: Moon opposite Venus14 Scorpio squaring Jupiter H3 opposite Neptune H9.

Here's a link to a story: http://news.com.com/2100-7349_3-6156944.html

Something interesting to note is the position of one of the Centaurs, Pholus: Here's a description of his influence: http://www.kentauren.info/menu/index.htm?page=/Keythemes.htm where he is seen as an ignition, causer of a chain reaction. In the 2002 attack he was conjunct Venus in Scorpio and included in the Grand Square. Also, Scorpio's ruler, Pluto, was conjunct the Descendant in Sagittarius.

In last Tuesday's attack, he was exactly conjunct the Sagittarius Ascendant and squaring the 3d house stellium. I've never paid attention to him before and this is interesting.

Hell at the ATM

Yesterday I went to the bank to withdraw some money from the ATM and left my card in the machine. That's happened enough times before. Usually the machine sucks it back in; sometimes the guy behind me grabs it and screams "Hey Lady, your card!". But, this time, someone took advantage of the fact that I hadn't finished my transaction and took an extra $200.00 out of my account. Then, he let the card suck back into the machine. Thanks. The Bank was full of people, this wasn't even an outdoor machine, can't believe how ballsy the guy was.

I drew up an Event Chart for the theft. The lady at the 800 Help Line knew the exact time. Mars right on my Descendant and conjunct my Natal Moon! Oi, I hooked right in. Well, guess I was asking for it, I basically forgot my Money. (Makes me also wonder if I am represented by the 7th house rather than the 1st house as I assume.)

The Chart shows Cancer Ascendant, I think that rules me. Lunatic Lady, after all. The Moon, ruler of the Ascendant, is in Libra down in the 4th house apex to a t-square to the ASC-DESC-Mars. I assume that Mars describes the thief. Mars equals Men, maybe a boy.

Capricorn is on the Descendant. Its ruler, Saturn, is in the 2d House of Banks and Money opposite Neptune in the 8th House of other people's money. The Sun is conjunct Neptune, ruler of thieves, so is heavily involved in this Resource houses opposition. The Sun also rules the 2d house.

The Ascendant is apex of a Yod inconjunct Sun-Neptune on one leg and Jupiter-6th House cusp on the other leg. This 6th house connection, plus the fact that Saturn is in the 2d house of Banks and rules the 7th house cusp makes me wonder if a male employee isn't involved. Probably just somebody's kid with a sharp eye and a greedy fist who likes to take advantage of spacey women.

The bank will make me sign and send in a form and then all is well, hopefully. I guess they've got 10 million cameras aimed at the culprit, so maybe I'll get a mugshot (Neptune rules Photos and Film).

Taste

While gathering up a mean at the Whole Foods Salad Bar I picked up the February issue of Delicious Living, the little free magazine they hand out. Cool article called "The 5 Healing Tastes" on the Nutritional Value of the different types of taste. Wake Up America! Nutrition goes beyond taking your Flintstones every day!Remember that test they make you do in High Biology class where you test where on your tongue you actually perceive taste?--Don't know, just remembered that. Anyhoo, besides just playing into the pleasure side of eating, many cultures, especially the Vedic cooks, use the different tastes in order to heal themselves and others. You wouldn't know this from easting East Indian Food which generally is hot enough to burn the entire up of your body right off your spine and you wouldn't be able to tell this from most of the Vegetarian Potlucks you've been to where everything is overloaded with spice and yet still manages to taste like packing materials. Still there is an interesting Science to this and I completely believe in it. I also completely believe that Vegetarians don't care what they eat. At. All.

Having had a bad sense of smell all my life I have developed a need for textures. I don't truly feel full unless I eat a meal with 3 different textures. And color, very important.

Here's a List of the 5 Flavors and the Planets that Rex Bills lists as their rulership. Obviously I have much more research to do on this topic as there is no way that Saturn can rule that much food. Here's a nice link: http://www.astroheal.com/energetic_patterns/taste.html.

1.) Pungeant Mars (Pluto)

"Warming, encouraging ernergy to expand, move outward, promote circulation, stimulate digestion, rid the body of excess mucus, boost liver function, tonify the cardiovascular system"

2.) Salty - Saturn

"invite energy to move toward the body's core. Moistening, softening, treat stiff muscles, cataracts, sore throat, constipation"

3.) Sour - Saturn

"Astringent, Cooling, cause contraction, treat excess perspirtation, hemorrhage, diarrhea, urinary incontinence (what about verbal incontinence?), hemorrhoids"

4.) Bitter - Saturn (Mars)

"Promote energy to contract and descend. Inflammation, infection, constipation, candida, parasites, excess mucus, swelling, skin eruptions, tumors & cysts"

5.) Sweet - Venus (Jupiter)

"Nourishing & tonifying. Energize, relaxing, good for dry coughs, calm aggressiveness & impatience. Will slow an overactive heart and mind." (They don't list Snicker Bars on this list, though. These idiots idea of sweet is apples, carrots, squash and sesame seeds. Honey instead of sugar, can't list anymore as I've already probably broken copyright).

Season of Birth Effects

Last week's issue of New Scientist magazine has a really interesting article on the relationships Scientists are finding between Birth Month and various psychiatric illnesses and even personality traits. (Jan. 27-Feb. 2, 2007 issue, "Born Under a Bad Sign" by Alison Motluk. p. 40)

It all started with Moritz Tramer, a Swiss psychologist, who discovered in 1929 that people who are born in late Winter are more likely to develop schizophrenia. There are a few theories why, mostly having to do with the mother not getting enough Sun. The Sun triggers Vitamin D production which is directly linked to brain development in Fetuses.

Jayanti Chotai at Umea University in Sweden is doing studies connecting genes with tryptophan, serotonin, and dopamine receptors in the brain to Birth Month as well as recognized Mental Problems. Whew, at least I think that's what he's doing. What a run-on. Serotonin seems linked to men born in January who suffer depression and bipolar disorder. Dopamine linked to Women born in October and also to psychosis. He's also discovered that personality traits can be connected. "Novelty Seekers" are more likely to be born in April and May, for example. That truly is an Aries trait so this could be very interesting. He also studied "Reward Dependence" as well as "Early Birds" v. "Night Owls."

Here's a list of Season of Birth Effects for people born in the Northern Hemisphere. The percentage differences between these months aren't that great, well, except for the Schizophrenics (17%), so don't worry if your birth month is included.

Schizophrenia: Feb-Apr.
Suicides and Anorexics: Apr-June
Panic Disorder: Sept-Dec.
Alcoholism in Males: Sept-Nov.

Here's a link, maybe the whole article will be linked: www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mental-health.

I (Heart) Sewers

A hundred years ago the lifespan of an average European was 37; now it's 66 years Worldwide. That's a friggin miracle!! Is this due to excellent pre-natal healthcare? Can we applaud the AMA? No. The reasons you can expect to live so long are due to the innovations and care of your local Sanitation Department. That's right, the Garbage Man, the Street Sweeper and the Sewage Disposal plant are saving your life!

According to a recent poll conducted by the British Medical Journal (Jan. 19 London), the greatest Medical Advancement in the last 166 years are efforts in Sanitation and Hygiene. That's Virgo, 6th house stuff. Those hypercritical little fussbudgets who never ask for nobody's help and can't leave work until everything's done just perfect -- Who says they can't see the Forest for the Trees! "The general lesson which still holds is that passive protection against health hazards is often the best way to improve population health" -- Prof. John MacKenback of Erasmus University Medical Center.

Well, the Virgo's aren't doing it alone. Our sparkling sewer systems are most responsible for containing largest quantities of disease. Pluto and Scorpio rule Sewers along with Cancer and Moon. Pluto rules both Elimination and Medical Research and Discoveries. Cancer rules plumbing. If you've got Pluto in your 4th house, however, you can rest assured that you will have more than your fair share of backed up toilets in your lifetime.

In the Poll, 11,000 votes were counted worldwide. 15.8% voted on behalf of the Sewers and Water Supply Systems. 2d highest vote was for Antibiotics (Neptune); 3d for Anesthesia (Neptune); 4th for Discovery of Vaccines (Pluto), 5th for discovery of DNA structure (Pluto?, maybe also 4th house?).

I don't understand exactly why the Poll asked for advances in the last 166 years. Why is this the cut off date? I think the Cholera Epidemic was responsible because a guy named John Snow discovered the link between cholera and drinking water in 1854. 166 years brings us back to 1840 though. I'm too lazy to look it up but did notice that many of the outer planets were in the same spot in January, 1840 as they were at the end of Last Year. Jupiter in Scorpio, Uranus and Neptune in Mutual Reception, and North Node in Pisces. Just an interesting coincidence and a bit of Wish that History will repeat itself and brings us a whole new set of miraculous innovations.

Billie and Ella

Hopefully will do a comparison on these two Legends some day. I was initially attracted to their charts, though, because I thought they were born within a couple of weeks of each other and was hoping there would be some incredible answer for this through astrological means.

I just erased what I wrote because Ella Fitzgerald was born in 1917, not 1915, as I was using due to incorrect source matter.

But, look at Billie Holiday's chart anyway. She has Aquarius Rising with Uranus and North Node in the First House and there was a pre-natal eclipse (Solar I think, New Moon, is that right?) right on the North Node in February before she was born. I think she has a Kite configuration involving her ASC and MC, a sign of good fortune. The conjunction of Saturn and Pluto over the Gemini-Cancer cusp which is an Aries Point would account for bringing her talents and tragedies (Saturn and Pluto like to troll the lower realms after all) to the public. Especially in the entertainment field, because the conjunction is in her 5th house. The conjunction is sesquiquadrate to her Uranus, an aspect related to a feeling of agitation. These three forceful planets working together are thought to cause earthquakes if also aspected by Mars. This matches the effect that Jazz can have on a listener, the syncopation, the sophisticated harmonies that are often more like dissonances. The strong melodic line in her singing, of course, would be due to her Aries Sun and Capricorn Moon along with the Saturn-Pluto need to resonate. Well, and 5 planets in Pisces in the 2d house, as strong a signature for a singer as you can probably find. And, yes, her 12th House Capricorn Moon is out of bounds. The Drugs problem shows up all over her chart.

Billie Holiday
b. April 7, 1915 2:30am Philadelphia, PA

Sun 17 Aries, ASC 3 Aquarius, Moon 23 Capricorn, MC 25 Scorpio

Ella Fitzgerald
b. April 25, 1917 (no time) Newport News, VA

Sun 5 Taurus

Well, I'm going to give up on this unless or until I can find her birth time and since I couldn't even get her birth year straight I'm not feeling too optimistic about that. There is one fascinating point. Her Moon, may, just may, I can't be sure, be in Gemini or Cancer bridging the same Gemini-Cancer cusp in conjunction with her Pluto. That means that the Aries Point is perhaps involved. This is also where Billie Holiday's Saturn-Pluto conjunction is. Also, she has 4 planets in Taurus: Sun 5 Taurus, Venus 5 Taurus, Jupiter at 15 Taurus, Mercury at 26 Taurus. The significance of a great singer having an exact conjunction of Sun with Venus in the sign of the melodious voice is pretty nice. She also had Mars in its own sign of Aries and Uranus in its own sign of Aquarius. North Node in Capricorn trined by Jupiter, pretty nice. Saturn is in Cancer (not c. SN) and inconjunct Uranus.

Both Singers had bowl shaped charts. Billie's bounded by Moon and Neptune, boy was she doomed to have a problem with drugs or what?. Ella's bowl was bounded by Uranus and Neptune.