Oh this sounds wonderful, Sally. Sneaky guy, that Pluto. Transforming us while we're not looking.Well, I've seen enough of what's in the transformation pot, anyway. Just want to see what comes out.
I keep thinking of Aesop's fable where the dog goes after the bone reflected in his mouth in the water. When the Bush gang go after the judicial system, they might lose the legislative. And the judicial system is proving pretty stubborn.
This so called King we have is nothing but a two bit huckster doing a cheap comedy roadshow.

jm, I love it "a two-bit huckster doing a cheap comedy road show" perfect, wonderful analogy. Gave me a huge laugh to go to bed. Thank you

sally, excellent article. wow, that series of events correlated with this eclipse is quite an eye opener. i had pluto on jupiter for quite a while, up and back, up and back, etc. it was pretty exhausting but i enjoyed the 'learning' and will now try to get some energy back. i think our 'learning' as a nation is long over due. the 'dumbing down' of america is very real and there is also a real price for that. well, live and learn.

oh, btw, did you catch the article in the guardian today. "two thirds of the world's resources eaten up"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/science/story/0,12996,1447921,00.html

JUST OUTSTANDING, HUMANS. IT'S WAKE UP TIME. TIME FOR

go here: http://www.elftrance.com/multimedia.htm

click on "Monkeky World" and start with "Monkey Cosmos" by clicking on the blimp to the right of the frame. take a ride you won't forget then explore the other items in "Monkey World."

so that's it from your nation's capitol,

signing off, it's mike 'takes a licking, keeps on ticking' from AW or, as i like to paraphrase the great journalist "gannon" leave marks, no lasting impressions. if you can't join me, beat me (in the figurative sense...haha)

Thank you, Captain Sally! Hope springs eternal--and it needs to be backed up by action. Struggle seems about the only thing assured at this moment in time on this beleaguered planet. As the Buddha reportedly said before he dropped his body, "All things in this world are subject to constant change. Be mindful, and strive on."

Sally,
Thanks for the reality check... tPluto is indeed throwing up the dirt, maybe more folks will wake and see it... it finishes its station tomorrow I believe (April Fools Day), and begins moving back. I've watched the transits of the outer planets closely in my own chart... they usually hit exact twice (direct and retro) and sometimes three times --- my view of events in retrospect has been if I didn't get the message the first time, I had another opportunity or perhaps two more... by the time the transit was over my life was changed whether I liked it or not!

Shylurker, you're right about the struggle ahead. Reading liberal bloggers one gets the constant message that our party has no leaders... even Dean has gone "in"... The Black Commentator says today that ours is becoming a "Failed State" --- true to the agenda of the Pirates... who seek to disenfranchise the public, especially the Blacks, and allow the Corporations to govern... something a few of us have alluded to...
http://www.blackcommentator.com/131/131_cover_failed.html

"Some of us may not live to see that day, some of us will live in fear, some of us will whine every step of the way, and some of us will pick up the ball of the future and run with it, but we will make it that's for sure."

Amen to this! We all must have signed on to live in "interesting" times. There is no substitute for experiencing Pluto.

Thank you once again for Astroworld!

Email on Nostradamus, prophecies, and water in the Middle East from the 1994 book, "Millennium Book of Prophecy"

---

In nearly a dozen river regions of the Earth, nations disputing water diversion or reduced water flow, or suffering the salinization of streams and industrial pollution by their neighbors, could go to war. The most sensitive of these regions being the political and religious tinderbox of the Middle East.

--Libya's Muammar Qaddafi has begun a $24-billion project of man-made rivers to pump deep ground water beneath the Sahara desert for his desiccating croplands on the Mediterranean. This water resource is unreplenishable and will most likely run out shortly after the project is finished early in the twenty-first century.

--Both Israel and Jordan use their known water reserves 15 percent faster every year. Forty percent of Israel's water supply comes from underground aquifers beneath the occupied West Bank. Amman is pessimistic about the outcome of negotiations with Jerusalem over the Jordan River. A Western diplomat in the regions says, "Water is like a gun to the Israelis' heads, and this particular problem may be unsolvable."

--Ethiopia is studying ways to harness the headwaters of the Blue Nile. Egyptian politicians break out in a cold sweat about it. Already, Ethiopia and the Sudan are demanding greater volume from the only life-giving river that irrigates the crops and quenches the thirst of over sixty million Egyptians. Egypt nearly shut down the Aswan High Dam in the late 1980s because of low water levels. If the Nile is tapped the Ethiopians will draw 20 percent of Egypt's water supply. "Egypt will go to war to protect its Nile waters, if it has to. There's absolutely no doubt about it," declares a Western diplomat in Cairo.

--Turkey's ambitious Ataturk dam project might greatly diminish water flow down the Euphrates. Syrian cotton farmers could see their ration cut by 40 percent, and the rice, wheat and fruit crops of Iraq could experience a cut of 80 to 90 percent. In 1990 a Syrian farmer standing before a string of stagnant pools - all that remained of the Euphrates - said, [the Turks] have told us the water will come back. But maybe it won't. We are desperate and angry."

"The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East [those destined to fight Israel in the battle of Armageddon]. " St. John of Patmos (A.D. 81-96), Rev 16:12

"Mars, Mercury and the Moon in conjunction [on 29 March 1998, and again at the turn of the millennium around 2 July and 1 August 2000]. Toward the South [the Southern bloc?], there will be great drought....Both Corinth [Greece] and Ephesus [Turkey] will then be in a troubled state." Nostradamus (1555), C3 Q3

"In the year Saturn and Mars are equally fiery [1997 or 1998 and several more times between 2000 and 2030], the air is very dry, a long meteor [missile?]. From hidden fires a great place burns with heat. Little rain, hot wind, wars and raids." Nostradamus (1555), C4 Q 67

"Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.� And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind." St. John of Patmos (A.D. 81-96), Rev 9:14-15

Love the "keep walking" quote. Of course, that is the only recourse open to us at this point. The confident tone in your article was uplifting. And yes, it has been a lloooooog time coming. For the mess we're in may have been greatly exaserbated by ***H, but to my mind the whole thing started with Raygun.

Hopefully people are already beginning to wake up. In one of the NY rags yesterday, the Post, a paper who usually favors the like of Guiliani and ambush, had a big headline on the front page in reference to Terri Schaivo. It said, ENOUGH! and went on to say what a circus her family had turned the whole situation into.

Thank you for a wonderful read.

by golly Sally, my mind opening- expectations shattering- life altering event was the same as yours. Gosh knows it wasn't "fun", but I wouldn't undo any of it (does that make me a glutton for punishment?) Thanks for considering the message board idea, it was just a thought. Here's my favorite line from this article: "If we don't attach our emotions to events the unraveling could be fascinating and we might permit ourselves a little chuckle and the "gods of amusement" ride the sky." Kind of like a roller coaster ride- some people get all freaked out about what could happen and refuse to even try it, but for others it's the thrill of a lifetime. Perspective is everything.

It has been announced that Wolfowitz will be confirmed as the head of the world bank today. My question is: will the unraveling of ambush over the next four months, extend itself to his "circle"? Will it spill over onto Cheney, Wolfowitz and the lot of them?

Terri just passed away according to breaking news on CNN . . . . I am happy for her now, to be free and out of her prison.

I am too, Laurie, although I really hope her soul was freed years ago.

Will the fanatics allow her family time to grieve and heal themselves or will they continue fanning the flames?

Teresa, yes, I hope she skipped this planet years ago, but how can an entity not be compelled to hover around her physical body as it is alive?

The following is an e-mail I received from Joyce Hoen, astrologer in Denmark (I think) . . . I thought I would post it as it brings up some things Sally brought up in her article.

Mercury will remain retrograde for another week and at the end of next week a new eclipse season is upon us!

April 8th it is New Moon with a solar eclipse on 19.06 Aries, (square Saturn and conjunct Venus), at 20.33 hrs pm GMT time. The square between Saturn and Venus is decisive for its quality and could well lead to some alienations in partnerships. A solar eclipse can let emotions on the loose, with lost control for a while. Or what is also likely: we will say goodbye for definite to Pope John Paul II. It is quite natural for leaders to leave through the cosmic portal created by a solar eclipse (where the light of the Sun withdraws for a while). Leaders in the past were considered to be representatives of God on the planet, and the Sun in astrology represents our Source of Light (God) as well. If the Light withdraws.. and of course Pope John Paul II carries the function of God's representative on earth for many. He OUGHT to leave the planet during an eclipse season.

His data are from the database of Pathfinder (Ed Steinbrecher) May 18, 1920, 12:30 pm EET, Wadowice, Poland, 49N53, 19E30. The chart is depicted on the website version of this weekahead: http://www.astrologie.ws/weekahead.htm

Mars is on 22 degrees of Libra and rules his 8th house. With Saturn t square Mars at this stage of someone already having lost quite a lot of
resistance, it says that there will be even less resistance, less energy and vitality, so...

This chart is exceedingly accurate of his life by the way. A small quote translated from the chapter on Neptune in my transitbook -
On the outside Pope John Paul II shows an enormous almost dogmatic need for security in old fashioned norms and values, with a polarization between renewal (Uranus) and the known (Saturn), as a dominant factor (conjunct the horizon). Uranus is "on the side of the Other" (7th house) and the Pope himself is the authority (Saturn). On the inside there is the talent to quite easily (Jupiter) be receptive to God (Neptune - 12th house) and live a life of contemplation and prayer (12th house). His imagery of the Divine
for sure is the Male God, the Father in the heavens (Leo/12th), with this religious Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in the male sign of Leo. The ruler, Sun, is in the 10th, so the content of this 12th house is projected as safe an secure (Taurus) to the outside on a personal basis, and as a rather conservative (Taurus) leader in this area.

The Pope's view on extending life....

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050331/2005-03-31T070636Z_01_L30149579_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-POPE-DC.html

Astrologers: I just heard on Air America that Terri passed away at 9:05 a.m. EST which was witnessed by her husband, Michael.

"Pluto does that, turns your attention to one thing while it transforms you when you aren't looking. Pluto is doing that to America now (Pluto in the 1st house of the US Chart) It's because of my experience that I trust this process even while I hate it and am as obsessed with what's happening as everyone else. I do know that one day we will awaken and take back our power, our faith, our confidence, develop new skills to survive, become more authentic, more real."

Powerful stuff here, Captain Sally. Thank YOU again and again for voicing what so many of us know either on an intuitive level or by following the trail of scat left by the self-appointed elite.

And yes, we are each self appointed -- our "karmic" date with a destiny we wrote. That we are all here at this time is significant on several levels. Cayce alluded to some of the reasons in several different readings. Too many reasons to list here. For some, however, i suspect that this passage (this curriculum) may allow passage to the next level (dimension) of learning. In this i have great faith -- that no matter how divisive -- events are unfolding as they should. That each of us must rise to our finer selves in an effort to fully learn how our acts impact the s-elf, others and the planet.

karen

DeLay's Disgrace
by Nick Penniman, TomPaine.com
     Why are Republicans gearing up to defend someone who is an embarrassment to their party?
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/delays_disgrace.php?dateid=20050331

Raiding The Earth's Trust Fund
by Janet Ranganathan, TomPaine.com
     A major new study confirms the worst: We've depleted the Earth's resources beyond any simple cure.
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/raiding_the_earths_trust_fund.php?dateid=20050331

Wal-Mart's Culture Of Crime And Greed
by Jonathan Tasini, TomPaine.com
     Are the recent management dismissals at Wal-Mart a few bad apples or signs of a rotten tree?
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/walmarts_culture_of_crime_and_greed.php?dateid=20050331

Consumer Versus Community
by Mark Winston Griffith, TomPaine.com
      A community development expert explains the dangers of Bush's obsession with ownership.
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/consumer_versus_community.php?dateid=20050331

http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/3/31/94949/7464

snip...

Where is all this heading? This isolation of the President from the world, from his own people, from any information that does not jibe with his pre-formed opinions? Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower from the Nixon scandals, has some thoughts on the matter he shared in an interview with CommonDreams.org:

I think our democracy is going to be tested to the breaking point by some very dark days ahead and before long. I do expect there to be another major terrorist event. Ports, the nuclear power plants and the chemical factories are extremely vulnerable to an attack. To a considerable event, the war against terrorism has been a hoax because the president has not only spent so much money on the war in Iraq, but because the war in Iraq virtually subverts the war on terror. You cannot reduce the appeal and the strength of Al Qaeda while we occupy Iraq. You can only strengthen it, and strengthening it is what we've been doing steadily for the last couple of years. This is the worst public policy decision making, most antidemocratic and most inclined to be authoritarian, I would say, since the Nixon administration, but Nixon was confronting a Democratic House and Senate and a relatively liberal population in media 40 years ago. John Mitchell and John Connolly and Nixon himself had quite authoritarian instincts, but they weren't allowed to act on them, and to the extent that they did act on them -- it brought them down.

Virtually all the things Nixon did against me that were illegal to keep me from exposing his secret policy are now legal under the Patriot Act. Going into my doctor's office to get information to blackmail me with, wiretaps without warrants, overhearing me--all legal now. The CIA supplied the burglars in my doctor's office with disguises and with cameras and they did a psychological profile on me. That was illegal then, legal now.

I would have said that one thing that Nixon did against me was not yet legal and that was to bring a squad of a dozen Cuban-American assets of the CIA up from Miami to beat me up or kill me on May 3rd, 1973 on the steps of the Capitol. Right now there's at least one Special Forces team under control of the White House operating in this country to take 'extra legal actions'. Now, that sounds to me like a White House-controlled death squad. And that is what the White House sent against me. It's not clear whether the intention was to kill me then, the words were to 'incapacitate Daniel Ellsberg totally'. When I asked their prosecutor, 'does that mean to kill me?'. He said, 'The words were 'to incapacitate you totally.' But he said, 'You have to understand these guys that were CIA assets never use the words 'kill'.'

I think that's the kind of thing we do have in our future, especially when there's another terrorist attack. In that case, I think we'll see enacted very quickly a new Patriot Act, which I'm sure has already been drafted which will make the first Patriot Act look like the Bill of Rights, and the Bill of Rights will be a historical memory.

It is not terrorism that motivates George, or patriotism, or even profiteering. It is fear, pure and simple: Fear of the truth, fear of the world, fear of any data that collides with his faith-based bubble-encapsuled worldview, and fear most of all of the people he would represent.

You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you. Now we know, and the knowledge is deeply and profoundly disturbing.

My understanding of Karma from my yoga lessons is we aquire karmas (like glue it sticks to us for all lifetimes) for many lifetimes. Think of a big karma sandwich. In our current incarnation we are working off but a bite out of the sandwich. We live in the World of Karma I think it's called Karma Bhumi. We live inside the Karma movie. Yet with self-inquiry and discrimination we can make choices within the movie in the moment. Do we choose the pleasurable for the moment or choose the beneficial for the long term. This is yoga, the choices we make in the moment inside of our Karma movie called our incarnation on Earth.

OJ. I have no knowledge of JC's other history. But will say it annoyed me that a case that started off as a man/woman issue was changed to a racial issue. And it cause more division and a man beating his wife (to death) went into the background.

A sanskrit chant says, 'those who think they know, know not' . So I cannot presume what his Karma was. But it was a part of his Karma movie to leave.Exit stage left. RIP JC.

Another good one Sally; thanks.
A chance for the "rabid dogs" in charge to be caught in a Cosmic Search Light because of the April 8th solar eclispe! I can't wait to see how the "sheep" will react when they can clearly see what has been "herding" them around all these years! Yeah!

I don't recall who posted it, but I finally got to watch that creepy WM video of the general's wife who is explaining the connection between Gannon, BushCo and everything else wrong with our government since WWII. I had one of my gut reactions that makes me think it's probably true. I hate it, but have to say it explains a lot. Did anybody else watch both parts? It's mind boggaling to think how the public would react if pictures of their criminal habits came out.
http://www.erichufschmid.net/Griggs_part_1.wmv
http://www.erichufschmid.net/Griggs_part_2.wmv

It's been 5 months since the election and there
have been no alerts.

Don't forget that time is simultaneous, so as we do good work or think good thoughts in our "now" we help the karmic situations in both past lives and future lives. Boggles the mind.

Sally.....it is true that astro data works along the 'vibes' - and like you, I also had that abusive relationship with Pluto crossing my asc. and squaring my Venus/MC in Leo. But one day I heard a little "click" in my mind....I was on the phone with B. after a long drought of no communication, and we 'started in' on the same communication level, and I said...Wait. Wait. We haven't changed....Now is the time to stop. I did....he never called again. That click was a new door opening to a new way to live....

I checked the astro for death time of "Terri S....Will someone be able to confirm that it appears that the north node of the Moon was in the 12th house? Imprisonment and hospitals, how appropos....

Perhaps we could all do a long distance healing for her....?

Sally, I also appreciate the continuing eclipse data....the current one is quite momentous, I believe.....from this description and historical context...

Well....Mercury retro continues as I have to take a forced break now....while on deadline! The client is rethinking the boards, and I have to stop drawing until they are revised....oops!

Sally....in the very near future I will be able to contribute to the web upkeep....as I finally have gotten work...after a big 4 month drought.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/filmmore/ps_energy.html

Primary Sources: The President's Proposed Energy Policy
?

Jimmy Carter delivered this televised speech on April 18, 1977.

Tonight I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem unprecedented in our history. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes. The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us, but it will if we do not act quickly.

It is a problem we will not solve in the next few years, and it is likely to get progressively worse through the rest of this century.

We must not be selfish or timid if we hope to have a decent world for our children and grandchildren.

We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. By acting now, we can control our future instead of letting the future control us.

Two days from now, I will present my energy proposals to the Congress. Its members will be my partners and they have already given me a great deal of valuable advice. Many of these proposals will be unpopular. Some will cause you to put up with inconveniences and to make sacrifices.

The most important thing about these proposals is that the alternative may be a national catastrophe. Further delay can affect our strength and our power as a nation.

Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people and the ability of the President and the Congress to govern. This difficult effort will be the "moral equivalent of war" -- except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not destroy.

I know that some of you may doubt that we face real energy shortages. The 1973 gasoline lines are gone, and our homes are warm again. But our energy problem is worse tonight than it was in 1973 or a few weeks ago in the dead of winter. It is worse because more waste has occurred, and more time has passed by without our planning for the future. And it will get worse every day until we act.

More...

The Xian right and conservatives declare war on the Judiciary.

What does it mean?

It's not just Roe v Wade.

It's kiss the separation of church and state, and religious freedom in this country good-bye.

It's the end of any rational science being taught in schools that is not in compliance with the word of the bible.

Wolfowitz CONFIRMED as WB prez. Oh boy, oh boy....let the dismantling begin....
CTVPaul Wolfowitz approved as World Bank president
Reuters - 23 minutes ago
WASHINGTON, March 31 (Reuters) - Paul Wolfowitz, known worldwide as an architect of the US invasion of Iraq, was approved as the World Bank's new president on Thursday. His nomination by US President George ...
World Bank board approves Wolfowitz

From "The Golddigger" article above.

"George Bush’s MC in Washington DC is 19 Aries."

"The eclipse of April 8, 2005 is at 19 Aries,on his MC accompanied by Venus conjunct the North Node at 21 and 22 Aries respectively. While he personally and publicly appears to be riding a moment of triumph,(on edit: with the European acquiescence to Wolfowitz being named as head of The World Bank) behind the scenes Saturn is transiting the midpoint of his natal Sun/Saturn in his 12th house."

George Bush has just added the World Bank to the US Treasury as another source for mining.

George W Bush: A Very Frightened Man...

http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/3/31/94949/7464

Jill G.

I posted those links several threads back. I
assume some of it is right, but it seems a little
too out front for my satisfaction. I would think
more of her info if there was proof or the showed
her diary on camera. I noticed that she didn't
wear any wedding rings. It was interesting if a
little quirky. Nothing would surprise me anymore.

Here I am, beating another issue into the ground, but it is important to counteract the negative impressions which people are getting about 'karma'.....well, this is the real Johnny Cochran....

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/11274728.htm
EDITORIAL
Recall real Cochran

SADLY JOHNNIE COCHRAN, WHO died Tuesday of an inoperable brain tumor, was best known as the attorney who got O.J. Simpson acquitted. Many believe his charm, acumen and talent with words confused a jury and led to a guilty man being set free. He also represented other celebrities, winning their cases, and making a name as lawyer for the rich and famous.

But there is much more to Cochran than the Simpson case and the famous people. He is the lawyer who spent 27 years seeking justice for Elmer "Geronimo Ji Jaga" Pratt. Pratt, a former Black Panther, was convicted in 1972 of a murder he did not commit. He won a wrongful death judgment for the family of Ron Settles, a black college football player who died in police custody. He represented Abner Louima, the Haitian immigrant tortured by police officers in the bathroom of a Brooklyn station house in 1997, eventually helping settle Louima's civil case for $8.75 million.

It was these kinds of cases, championing civil rights, on which Cochran built his career. He was most proud of these type of cases, but he appreciated the fame and money achieved in the others. He said that they allowed him to take cases where he knew he was unlikely to get paid. He went after police departments suspected of abusing black suspects. He represented immigrants and the poor and was lauded for his strong support of marginalized communities.

Cochran will be recalled for chanting, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit," but there's another phrase he said would better fit his life's intention toward righting wrongs: "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Jill G, wv:
re: The woman you speak of talking about Gannon and Bushco, the general's wife.

There's a thread on DU ( I'm a non member) on the Astrology Forum wondering about a women who's going to blow Bushco's cover. Could this be her?

Pallas where are you? Pass this info.
BTW, just hearing about it now on AW. Did not see any tapes.

Elizabeth Kubler Ross was a giant, and I'd like to put her name back out there for all at this time.

http://www.elisabethkublerross.com/

Found this message posted over at Eschaton:

OT: Just received this excerpt from a review of an Indigo Girls' concert in St. Louis earlier this week, and I thought it was funny and so appropriate:

LET IT BE ME (by request) Emily Saliers dedicated it to George W. and stuck up her middle finger and gestured profoundly several times to the audience.

In the verse that says, "...and the president has no idea who the masses are," She changed it to "...George Bush, you have no idea who the masses are." Then she sang in a very loud voice, almost angrily, "I'm one of them!"

Sally, thanks for another great article.

I heard that today was the 29th anniversary of Karen Quinlan's plug being pulled.

The question that creeps into my mind that I'd love to hear addressed by the fundies with their sanctity of life meme is: WHERE WAS YOUR DESIRE FOR SANCTITY OF LIFE WHILE WE'VE SHOCKED AND AWED OVER 100,000 INNOCENT IRAQ'S?

I just received an email from a reader that felt my article was cheering the death of Johnnie Cochran and if I conveyed that in my article I want to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. Johnnie Cochran did a great service for a very poor family who had experienced a huge injustice here in Colorado and I think everyone here knew what a giving person he was.

I have read and re-read my recent article looking for anything I said that would indicate I was happy about his death or any death and I don't see it. Perhaps I don't see it because I didn't intend it.

I was in Southern California when JFK was killed and there were people who had parties, people who so hated him. I was sickened and shocked, I would not cheer the death of anyone because that person has a family and friends, people who would miss them and feel the loss of the person.

I am not going to apologize if someone thinks I was "cheering" Mr. Cochran's death because I wasn't but I will say if someone believes I was, they missed the intent of the article.

Sally, I'm puzzled as to how anyone could have gotten that impression. I certainly did not.

Just heard on CNN that the Pope has been given the last rights.

Woops! Make that "Last Rites". He is said to have a urinary tract infection and a high fever, along with breathing problems and a feeding tube.

I came here to post about the last rites but wow, people on this thread are efficient!!

Sally, I certainly never got that impression about your article, quite the opposite actually. He WAS a good man, no doubt. I really liked him.

http://planetwaves.net/

There's been plenty of discussion about the recent earthquake in Indonesia.  Some are saying this is a rare and unusual event for there to be another quake in the same place so soon, a harbinger of the ‘end times’. Quite the contrary, it is quite common. This is not to demean the grace and power of our lovely Mother Earth, but rather the religious zealots and fear mongers.  
 
So what causes an earthquake?  Well, our beautiful planet Earth is quite alive, she is all warm inside with different layers (mantle and core) and the continents literally float around on the surface (the crust) as lightweight plates.  What causes them to move is hot magma coming up from near the core (like a lava lamp) and erupting along fissures in the sea floors.  This forms new sea floors, heavy dense plates, which get pushed away from the new stuff coming up, like sliding a piece of paper across a desk.  When the sea floor plate, which is heavy, bumps into a continental plate, which is much lighter, it gets slowly forced UNDER the continental plate, this is known as subduction.  As you can imagine this is a very slow and difficult process.  Near plate boundaries are what geologists called faults (the San Andreas fault in California is a very well known fault). Faults accommodate the pressures of such interactions by relieving the built up stress.   A fault starts releasing stress along a line, "unzipping" like a zipper (quakes are an expression of this release of stress- like cracking your back) stress released in one place (like the big one that caused the Tsunami in December) will result in stress likely being released along the fault, or in this case the subduction zone (in Indonesia one sea floor plate is being forced under another plate-that’s a LOT of stress).

If you look at a map of each successive quake in Indonesia lately, you can see that each one happens a bit southward of the previous one.  Click on Indonesia to zoom in to see this: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Maps/region/Australia.html   
 
What causes a tsunami?  When there is a release of tension in the sea floor which results in a change in the bottom of the sea floor (suddenly becoming deeper or shallower along a fault that has popped up or down on one side) it causes really big waves, like dropping an ice cube into an glass of water, things slosh around until it all settles.  The quake on Monday caused some smaller tsunamis, but why was there no really big tsunami this time?  There is lots of speculation, but really, there is a lot we don’t know about how things work.  Earth scientists are still trying to figure it out to put more efficient tsunami warning systems in place.  These events will give folks more pieces of the puzzle to work with.
 
Three days later Indonesia is still experiencing aftershocks  http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/  and the earth is ringing inside like a great gong with the seismic waves bouncing around the inside of the globe.  I imagine that it feels good.   I like to think that the Earth is waking up and becoming a conscious being, stretching and yawning.  
 
Take a look at this really cool map:  http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/qed/    This shows the locations of every earthquake on earth for the last 8 to 30 days.  Notice how the earthquakes all happen along very defined lines, these are the plate boundaries. Also notice how many there are in 3 weeks!  This wonderful being, the planet we call Earth, is quite alive and doing her yoga daily to relieve stress.  Perhaps I should follow her example…

Thanks for a pretty hardcore article Sally! Straight and to the point!
all my best,
Dommael

Captain Sally, I certainly detected no animosity toward Johnny Cochran in your article. Not one whit! How very odd.

It's a Mercury retro misreading, I'm sure.

Now, on to March 9th!!!!!

Oh, fer %$#@&&*!! Sally, you were ,of course, not cheering Cochran's death. In fact, I thought is was one of the most clear, factual, and unbiased analyses I heard. I was relieved and impressed. Especially the mention of the Virgo traits. People confuse themselves with others.

I think Wolfowitz may have been sent to the World Bank to get him out of the way. There is a lot of trouble in the Executive right now.

The Pope dying I think will mean the Death of the Catholic Church as we knew it. This Pluto retrograde is really working. There is more to come, and we have front row seats.

I don't think death is a punishment, so I don't see it as karmic retribution. People die when it is the exact right time.

I am celebrating Terri's death. I am also glad that the cruelty of the religious zealots was exposed. It was covered by the media, and it got through on an emotional, visceral level. All that shrieking and selling hot dogs when people were trying to die with dignity.

The idea of continuing to walk on when in Hell is a good one. I always remind myself that in Greek and Roman mythology, the paradise of Elysian Fields was deep down in Hades, not up in Heaven, as in Christian thinking.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7032024/site/newsweek/

snip...

NEWSWEEK: The pope made changes to the papal succession procedures. What will that mean if he dies?
John-Peter Pham: The basic tradition of the conclave [the assembly where a papal successor is picked] is to lock the cardinals up in a manner to expedite the election. John Paul II created and built a controversial palace, for all intents and purposes—though they eschew the term—inside the Vatican. It contains 120 suites—just enough for the cardinals—with a study, bedroom, bathroom and thermostat. It’s a much more comfortable and humane way to treat men who are in their 60s and 70s. On the other hand, they don’t have to be in such a hurry.

But John Paul II also changed the voting mechanism. Traditionally, a two-thirds majority is required to elect the pope. But, now, he’s changed the rules so that, essentially, after a little over a week’s time staying at this hotel in relative comfort, if they haven’t elected someone, they can change the rules to elect by simple majority after they have gone through the whole procedure.

How many cardinals will choose the next pope?
There are now 119 electoral cardinals. So someone who gets 60 votes can change the rules. The current pope has appointed all but three of the electors. But this way, a determined majority can elect someone who is not a consensus figure.

Why did the pope make these changes?
He never explained it himself. But there are two possibilities. In a worst-case scenario, the church wouldn’t be without a pope for more than a month, since the conclave opens about 20 days after the pope’s death. Another, more sinister, interpretation is that it is a mechanism to allow more doctrinaire hard-liners to push through someone who would have run aground if they’d had to achieve a two-thirds majority.

More....

...............................

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7276850/site/newsweek/

A Jesuit bioethicist believes the religious right is exploiting Terri Schiavo and that there is no moral or legal obligation to keep her alive.

More...

......................................

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/B716870.htm

DeLay vows judiciary changes after Schiavo case

The attempted takeover of the Judiciary will probably begin now with Jupiter retrograde on the USA Saturn. I think the Judicial branch is the most respected and trusted. The transiting South Node in Libra disturbs me, but in the end, maybe nothing will change. Our Saturn elevated in Libra in the Sibley chart is a rock solid placement.
We'll see when Jupiter goes direct and passes over again.

It just occurred to me, that Jupiter ruling religions coming to the 10th house Saturn in Libra makes total sense in this seperation of church and state issue. Our sneaky Pluto will have something to say on this.

Sally....I certainly didn't see anything in your article detrimental to J. Cochrane either. I posted the article from the Contra Costa Times on him to counteract the perception that he had "bad karma"....as that was coming up.

This does seem to be an Arian period of time....things are developing fast!

March 31st, 2005
Scientific Analysis Suggests Presidential Vote Counts May Have Been Altered
Group of University Professors Urges Investigation of 2004 Election
Officially, President Bush won November's election by 2.5%, yet exit polls showed Kerry winning by 3%. According to a report to be released today by a group of university statisticians, the odds of a discrepancy this large between the national exit poll and election results happening by accident are close to 1 in a million.
In other words, by random chance alone, it could not have happened. But it did.
Two alternatives remain. Either something was wrong with the exit polling, or something was wrong with the vote count.
Exit polls have been used to verify the integrity of elections in the Ukraine, in Latin America, in Germany, and elsewhere. Yet in November 2004, the U.S. exit poll discrepancy was much more than normal exit poll error (and similar to that of the invalid Ukraine election.)
(snip)
The report is available on-line:
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_20...
An executive summary of the report by is available at:
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/Exit_Polls_su...

I'll second that judi. I think the retrograde in Aries will be changing our whole direction.

Oh, and BTW....

Our friend, the big old grinning Moon, just passed a conjunction with the Pluto going retro.
Pope's dying, religions dying, etc.

And if God were really willing....truth emerging.

jm....yes, I certainly feel the difference from Pisces, which is always a difficult energy for me, as is Sag and Virgo. But with an Aries Mars, everything shifts and starts to move...it isn't that I dislike the other energies, it is just that I don't function as well as I do with the Arian energy.

I just keep getting that these bozo brigades, like the crew in front of Terri S's hospice (have you SEEN some of those pictures - it is old time revival stuff) will wake up with a really bad hangover....and hopefully the toxic politicians will do the same... but I'm with Beasley on the last thread...."Book 'em, Dan-o".....

jeez louise, people are SO sensitive these days, ya just gotta shake your head sometimes. I guess I'll re-read what you said about J.C. Sally (I kinda skipped through it 'cause he has no meaning in my life), but anyone who "knows" you/your writings would never say that. Just laugh at the ignorance (maybe it was Roxanne? lol)

I am also of the Martian persuasian.

Annie Oakley was one of my favorites.

Sally, I like and respect JC work, especially regarding Pratt's release, and what I gained from this recent article, as in all your articles, is compassion, along with a statement of fact: when it's our time, it's our time.

Folks, let's all take a deep breath.

From The Wall St. Journal daily e-mail:

A major U.S. investment bank today suggested that oil prices were at risk of a "super-spike" above $100 a barrel. Is this "Dow 36,000" all over again?

Goldman Sachs energy analysts said in a research note that the oil market looks a lot like it did in the 1970s, when supply disruptions led to a "super-spike" in prices to $90 a barrel in today's dollars. Oil stayed well above its historical average for about six years, slashing demand for crude and triggering over-investment in production, ushering in a period, from 1986 to 1998, when a "supply cushion" kept oil prices below average. Goldman analysts believe that, with global supplies tight and demand and the risk of supply disruption high, the market needs another upward correction, creating another supply cushion. But it will also take oil prices a lot higher than they are now, and a lot higher than in the 1970s and early 1980s, because the U.S. economy is less dependent on oil now.

"Perhaps the ultimate answer to how high oil prices need to go … is derived from knowing when American consumers will stop buying gas guzzling SUVs and instead seek fuel efficient alternatives," the analysts wrote. According to their estimate, it would take gasoline prices above $4 a gallon, which could correspond to oil prices above $135 a barrel. Ouch.

Many oil companies would be in the money, obviously; Goldman's favorites include Exxon-Mobil, Amerada Hess, Devon Energy, EnCana and SunCor Energy. One analyst, though, sniffed that Goldman's note was an effort to make some money of its own right away. "Goldman has huge speculative energy positions, and they have no interest in watching it go down right now," Kevin Kerr of Kerr Trading International told MarketWatch.

And most analysts think a "super-spike" unlikely. "Of course we could go to $105, if Saudi Arabia's reserves were destroyed," said Wachovia Securities analyst Jason Schenker, who has long been fairly bullish on the oil sector. "But the probability of that is so low, it's not worth publishing on the front page of a report."

Like Goldman, Mr. Schenker agrees that oil will average about $50 a barrel this year and doubts it's at risk of falling far below $40. But he also agrees with some critics who see the oil frenzy as looking a little bubbly. "This is Dow 20,000," he said, referring to some forecasts made during the stock market's "super-spike" of the late 1990s (one book predicted "Dow 36,000"). "This is comparable to that."

You thought this was going to be over. It isn't.

I'm interested in the extremists including * calling for " a culture of life" when in fact
what they have promoted for the last 2000 years is a culture of death.

Jesus chose "the sign of the fishes" - but his followers, long after he was gone, chose the sign of his death, the sign of crucifixion to represent their group. And what is that about. A culture of death.

From the long view, I find it interesting that for the last month or more - the media, the country- and the world have been involved in the culture of death - a death watch.

And then, from the long view, detached as if one was out of body looking down from a great distance - what is this about? Pluto. Death.

Today the media went into what was being experienced in the last hours, and how death to the body is met in a hospice.

Interesting. Preparation ?

This has done more than advise everyone to obtain a living will and a health care proxy.

The ancients thought the eclipses affected Kings.

I think eclipses in Aries would affect leaders.
Aries is a leader and a warrior.

On the evening news we learn that Kissinger was hospitalized yesterday and has had some sort of heart treatment.

Really???? Another one??

Man, this is getting really interesting.

Excellent point, Pallas... about Aries and leaders.
And we are in the fire cycle of retrogrades, so the next one is in LEO, with Saturn just entering. Keep the popcorn popping.

Putting it together with the Aries eclipse, the retrograde, and Pluto death, I would say it's the death of leadership going in the wrong direction.

And with all their phony goddamned bravado with their guns and bombs and GOD, when cosmic forces show their might, these cowards are the first to run for cover!

my primary thought all along has been WHY the big push to get people to sign living wills? You know darn well it isn't because "they" actually care that a person's wishes are respected. It's just weird to me, and morbid as hell.

http://www.pnac.info/

PNAC.info - Exposing the Project for the New American Century

..................................

http://tinyurl.com/6fcsq

UN rights expert charges US using food access as military tactic

GENEVA, March 31, 2005 (AFP) - A UN human rights expert sharply condemned the invasion of Iraq and the global anti-terror drive, accusing the US-led coalition of using food deprivation as a military tactic and of sapping efforts to fight hunger in the world.

"The situation of the right to food in Iraq is of serious concern," the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, said in a report to the UN human rights commission.The report also highlighted "widespread concerns about the continued lack of access to clean drinking water" and allegations by British campaigners that water sources were deliberately cut off by coalition forces.

"Those are the allegations, but what is proven is that at Fallujah, denial, the blockade imposed on food and the destruction of water reservoirs was used as weapon of war," Ziegler told journalists. He insisted that the practice was a "clear violation" of the Geneva Conventions and delivered a firm condemnation of any attempt to deny food or water supplies.

More.....

http://tinyurl.com/5p4j2

U.S. Stocks Fall on Oil; S&P 500 Has Worst Quarter in 2 Years

March 31 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks dropped as oil prices rose and American International Group Inc., the world's largest insurer, lost its top credit ratings. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index closed out its worst quarter in two years.

``The impact of oil at this price is a negative'' for stocks, said Gail Seneca, who oversees $14.6 billion as chief investment officer of Seneca Capital Management LLC in San Francisco. ``It's one of the reasons folks should feel a bit concerned about a coming economic slowdown.''

Speculation that tomorrow's employment report for March may give the Federal Reserve a reason to accelerate interest-rate increases also weighed on share prices, even as reports today signaled inflation was in check.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.82, or 0.1 percent, to 1180.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 37.17, or 0.4 percent, to 10,503.76, as shares of Johnson & Johnson declined. The Nasdaq Composite Index decreased 6.44, or 0.3 percent, to 1999.23.

Five stocks rose for every four that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Some 1.7 billion shares changed hands on the Big Board, 8.6 percent more than the three-month daily average.

All three benchmarks had quarterly declines. The S&P 500 dropped 2.6 percent for its steepest quarterly retreat since the period ended in March 2003. A gauge of energy stocks surged 17 percent, the best performance among 24 groups, while a slump in General Motors Corp. paced a 20 percent plunge in auto-related shares.

More...

Leading US journalist Ted Koppel, who has presented ABC's Nightline news show for the last 25 years, is due to leave his post at the station in December.
Mr Koppel was offered other work at the network after his contract expired but he chose to retire, ABC said.

The presenter's departure comes as US television stations face heavy pressure from the internet and cable channels.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4399213.stm

------------

Veterans Group Calls on Congress to Impeach George W. Bush and Richard Cheney
SOURCE: Veterans For Peace, Inc.

"It is clear that George Bush does not intend to change course in an effort to right this great wrong," said Veterans For Peace president David Cline. "He has had enough time in his second term to begin a shift and he has not. It is time to remove him from office."

ST. LOUIS--On March 30, a national veterans’ organization called for the removal of President George W. Bush and Vice-President Richard Cheney for crimes the group charges were committed during the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/033005VeteransForPeace.html

Well, Peg, it may be "morbid as hell", but the last thing I want is my family (and I use that term loosely) making decisions for me should I go much earlier than expected. I have very close friends who know me much better than my family who I trust with those after-death decisions that, although gruesome and uncomfortable for some, are one of the unavoidable necessities in life.

When my first partner passed away (I was 22 at the time), he gave me in writing Power of Attorney to handle medical decisions and such. And, knowing the condition he was in and his chances of recovery, I knew that he would want to go peacefully, with grace.

His family, on the other hand, ordered the Doctors to do anything and everything they could do to "save him" ... and were -- how shall I put this? -- not pleased that I, this little baby of a boy, was in charge of Their Son!

But, despite their vitriol, threats of violence and emotional grandstanding, my parnter, his Doctors and I "won" and he was allowed to slip away quietly just as he wanted.

Without that piece of paper detailing his wishes, though, he'd probably still be hooked up to millions of machines. I'm still grateful he had the foresight to plan ahead.

So, it may seem weird or morbid, but just consider it an opportunity to specify how you want to spend your last moments. :-)

Jonathan

P.S. Astrologically, my SP Sun was at 22 Aries approaching my natal Saturn at 24 Aries and SP Saturn was at 27 Aries having just left my Natal Venus at 26 Aries during the time my parnter passed. And the SP Moon was in it's Balsamic Phase in my 7th House indicating, of course, "release". Just thought y'all like to know that.

Good on you, Jonathan! A very moving and love-affirming account of your partner's passing. Thank you ever so much for sharing it with us. Your bravery and compassion during that awful time are inspiring indeed.

So tragic Jonathan, to lose someone you love at such at young age... one should not then also have to deal with family members who are threatening and violent.

I agree with you about the importance of making one's wishes known... it is not morbid, it is practical.

of course I am only speaking my opinion, and I applaud you all for your opinions as well. Jonathon, I'm sure that was very difficult & painful for you. I just know that I really don't care what happens to my body. My kids can do whatever's easiest for them as far as I'm concerned, and if someone else enters into the picture, then I figure whatever decisions that are made by them, are fine with me. If they want to fight over my body, then that's their own silly waste of time. Life is for the living, and I can't see why "death" needs to be a great big ritual ceremony. But, that's just me I guess.

Jonathan, how awful for you, what a tortured time for you to live in, but how wonderful that you were there to fulfil his wishes! : -- )

Being the Spring baby you are, you are a ray of sunshine!! Thank you Gods and Goddesses for souls such as this.

Thank you all for your generous compliments.

Peg, I agree with you. I really don't care what happens after I die, except that any services they have to remember me be joyous parties with great food and lots of laughter. But, in my partner's case, I was concerned that -- with him being kept alive through machines -- his Soul would hang around and not be allowed to continue it's journey. Might as well just let him go completely so he can take his next step.

That was my reasoning at 22 and now, at 36, it remains the same. :-) My family believes differently, hence, the explicit instructions left in care of those who really know me.

After reading Sally's article, the article posted by Judi G. and thinking about Jo's comments and those of others, I realize my comment on Johnnie Cochran and karma was simplistic, based only on one incident (which I still find distasteful) and little else. I really knew very little of Jonny Cochran, but now know more about his good deeds and hardwork and I want to express my apologies for misjudging him.

Also, to Jonathan, that was quite an experience for you to go through at a relatively young age and it sounds like you handled it with grace, love, compassion, loyalty and maturity. Good for you!

Also, to Jonathan, that was quite an experience for you to go through at a relatively young age and it sounds like you handled it with grace, love, compassion, loyalty and maturity. for you!

At the risk of sounding "incorrect" in terms of not having a generous, forgiving attitude to even the very worst of my fellow human beings,I must confess that I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT to view the continued and hopefully quickly accelerating downfall of W, Jeb,Blair,Cheney,Sharon,Rumsfeld,
DeLay,Frist, et al. for the following reasons:

1/ They are bad, bad people who deserve to be once and for all held accountable in this life for their heinous crimes against both America, and all of humanity

2/ Until they begin to go down in some meaningful way, the situation for every thinking non-sociopathic human being will continue to rapidly deteriorate

So with a bit of Leo optimism and hope that the "forces of light" will indeed prevail, I say (to paraphrase many of you fine posters on this board) "pass the popcorn, take a front row seat, and let the games now begin!"

Sorry, folks, but I forgot to sign my name in the last post (Mercury retrograde or what!!) Love to you all for helping to keep me semi-sane in beautiful downtown Warsaw, Poland. xxx Grizzly

Heloo?

Hello?

are we still an astrology blog?

yes? oh. good. For a moment I thought I missed the announcement of the change-over.

Either I'm being too obscure, or there's a lot of Neptune floating around here. smile.

"my primary thought all along has been WHY the big push to get people to sign living wills? You know darn well it isn't because "they" actually care that a person's wishes are respected. It's just weird to me, and morbid as hell."

Peg. What I spoke of does not have to do with
"they". Nothing to do with a push to sign living wills.

YES. It does have to do with "morbid as hell".

The country and a great deal of the world has been on a death watch for more than a month...and I suppose with the Pope's illness added, the weight of the death watch is increased.

Morbid. YES Morbid

And what does morbid have to do with, planetarily speaking..that is.

PLUTO !!!

PLUTO !!!

this is all PLUTO. living wills and death watches,

Either the universe or Pluto is sending a message.

We are watching what Pluto does,. and I think Pluto is saying PAY ATTENTION.

It's not "they".

It's Pluto and Pluto approaching the Galactic Center of 25/26 Sagittarius. (But the way things are going, maybe there was a miscalculation way back, and the Center is 24/25 Sagittarius.

Anyway the message is from the universe, not from
"they".

The Universe and Pluto are sending a message - now I think I might be getting some of that message.

What do you think Pluto and the Universe are saying? (and please, don't tell me what the republicans or democrats are saying - it has nothing to do with them).

"

Comment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mythology of people power
The glamour of street protests should not blind us to the reality of US-backed coups in the former USSR

John Laughland
Friday April 1, 2005

Guardian

Before his denunciation yesterday of the "prevailing influence" of the US in the "anti-constitutional coup" which overthrew him last week, President Askar Akayev of Kyrgyzstan had used an interesting phrase to attack those who were stirring up trouble in the drug-ridden Ferghana Valley. A criminal "third force", linked to the drug mafia, was struggling to gain power.
Originally used as a label for covert operatives shoring up apartheid in South Africa, before being adopted by the US-backed "pro-democracy" movement in Iran in November 2001, the third force is also the title of a book published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which details how western-backed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can promote regime and policy change all over the world. The formulaic repetition of a third "people power" revolution in the former Soviet Union in just over one year - after the similar events in Georgia in November 2003 and in Ukraine last Christmas - means that the post-Soviet space now resembles Central America in the 1970s and 1980s, when a series of US-backed coups consolidated that country's control over the western hemisphere.

Many of the same US government operatives in Latin America have plied their trade in eastern Europe under George Bush, most notably Michael Kozak, former US ambassador to Belarus, who boasted in these pages in 2001 that he was doing in Belarus exactly what he had been doing in Nicaragua: "supporting democracy".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5160610-103677,00.html

Bhakti,

you called? :)

the person who mentioned "some woman having to do with the downfall of * " was someone practicing if they were psychic - and made that prediction.

The BEST psychics in the world are said to be 80% right - so I don't pay much attention to a novice practicing - eh?

Hey, maybe Condi will spill the beans, or Babs might open her big mouth and say something else stupid...

there's a lot of women in DC and a lot of women around dimbot...and so far they're batting 0 -
whatsherface who came back from Texas to do PR for dimbot...made a very bad call on pushing him into this Florida thing.

And today, on Mercury Rx, and with an eclipse hitting his Sun - delay dehammer - opened his big mouth and threatened that the justices " are going to pay" - (some judge in Texas must be ruling against him )....I would say on Mercury rx
he will regret saying that - on the other hand -
dimbot has also declared war on the judges...and if things continue as they are - it would seem to be open hunting season on the judiciary.

dimbot has the army, secret service, marshalls (marshalls are those who are assigned to protect judges) and national guard under his purview - and since "they"=dimbot & delay & the conservatives are (agin 'em) - it looks like the judges are on their way out. Odd. This judge who let dimbot and Congress have it, Judge Birch, was appointed by dimbot's father.

But dimbot is following Hitler's script - so you can expect to see the Judiciary de-balled.

If this was 1776 we could have a good old fashioned revolution, but it isn't - and unless someone is taking a poll - you never hear a peep out of the American public. What we need is some Ukranian blood in our veins I suppose.

Speaking of Uranian events, if you draw the New Moon eclipse of April 8 at DC, sun, Moon, Venus and the North Node are in the 8th house: all squared by Saturn. Uranus is at 9 Pisces conjunct the descendant cusp of 12 Pisces...(whenever you see Pisces or Neptune in the 7th - some nefarious enemy is skulking about - now that particular transiting Uranus in Pisces is square within minutes of the 9 Gemini MC of the chart at Washington DC. 9 Gemini is known as the nuclear degree.

Somehow I doubt there's going to be an earthquake in DC, not the kind that moves the earth anyway, but there is going to be something earthshaking.

9/10 Gemini is known as the nuclear degree because the discovery and testing of the atomic bomb was at those degrees.

P.S.

Funny how things changed.

In 2000 dimbot and delay loved the Florida courts.
This year they want to have a kangaroo court-hanging of the Florida judges.

What goes around comes around, eh Florida judges?

Now, THAT's karma....and for the way karma goes, pretty instant at that. :)))) chucling to self.

WV, that reminds me, with regard to the article about NGO's you just posted.

Today, dimbot squarely placed the blame for all the misinformation about WMD on the CIA's door.
Posted it, tacked it up, right on their door.

Of course over the last year a lot of high major CIA mucky mucks have been leaving rather than work under dimbot and the Florida Cuban handler.

And today, it was announced more had resigned.

And these are the people who arranged coups and for governments to change..

hmmmmm.

What is the Chinese saying: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" ?

If, we the people, are lucky - they'll be plying their trade to save this country.

CNN is interviewing the Cardinals on the issue of keeping the Pope alive and his personal chambers have been equipped with everything needed to keep him alive. Breathing and feeding tubes, he is now breathing and eating through a tube now they said. He has a lot of Taurus in his chart and he loves this earth, don't think he is too anxious to meet his maker, I haven't heard anything from the Vatican or the right wing Christians about "eternal life" recently.

Transiting Pluto is retrograding back to oppose the US Natal Mars in the 7th (ruling the 12th) and square the US Neptune in the 9th house.(natural ruler of the 12th.) Pluto and Mars are all about death, and Neptune with the Sag influence (religion) will elavate the conversation about Death all the way to the Pope's chambers. Death never takes a holiday when Pluto is around. By the way I went to ebay to see if there were any Terri Schiavo articles up and there are. Vigil candles, Terri crosses, Terri prayers, Terri pictures, etc. it would make you sick. It is always about money.

Sally,

Somehow I hadn't realized before that the Pope's
MC is 25 Taurus. ( Don;t remember where I saw the chart yesterday and whether it was relocated to Italy - probably not, which would make a difference)

But a 25 Taurus MC, Caput Algol for that Pope is surprising. Losing his voice - in more ways than one - now is understandable.

And it's likely the infection was caused by the tube they put in his neck while visiting the hospital last time - Taurus - always a neck-related/throat problem.

Perhpas he had really wanted a career as a singer,
and his actual career caused him the loss of what he really wanted - or maybe somehow he considers
being Pope something he didn't really want to do.
But Caput Algol as your career point is definitely not a picnic.
****

Dd you notice that in DC the eclipse planets are in the 8th house and square Saturn in the 11th ruling the 6th (which contains Mars conj Neptune in Aquarius: Health, Death, and Congress

Theh spirit of Pallas commands you: "What do you think Pluto and the Universe are saying? (and please, don't tell me what the republicans or democrats are saying - it has nothing to do with them)."

-------------------------
http://www.horary.com/hhcrl/galact.html

The Center of our Milky Way Galaxy is proving to be a fascinating and practical addition to my clients' charts. Having studied it for 12 years now, my observations would indicate that it is probably the second strongest spot in any astrology chart, following the Sun. It is a stunning source of energy, motivation, and aspiration. The Galactic Center is the Sun of our Sun. It is the source of most of the gravitational energy present in our galaxy, and probably the source of most of the energy in any chart, transformed through our own Sun.

President George W Bush, Saturn 26 degrees Cancer, 12th house...Quincunx The Galactic Center, 26 Sagitarius, 5th house. T.Pluto approaching a conjunction with his Galactic Center. T.Pluto activates the Galactic Center, which in turn, activates the 12th house 26 degree Saturn in Cancer.

-------------------------
http://www.cafeastrology.com/articles/inconjunctaspects.html

"Some keywords that describe quincunxes are: redirecting, challenging, requiring adjustments, diverting.

What I have found is that people with quincunxes tend to compartmentalize the two areas of life indicated by the planets and points involved."

-------------------------
http://www.myastrologybook.com/fifth-house-of-astrology-houses.htm

"The fifth house shows our needs in love and where we release fourth house energies and emotions. The more emotional we are, the greater the need for constructive channels of expression. All forms of self-expression, anything we create or do purely for its own sake, children of the mind and the body, love affairs (insofar as they represent fun and self-expression) or their lack, theater, dramatics, hobbies, speculation, play and amusement, are all indicated by this house. The more planets we have in the fifth, the more abundant the energy we have to release, with perhaps some disinterest in receiving the same from others.

(((This is also the house of hidden karma resulting from the misuse of the will or love principle in past lives.)))"
-------------------------

Well Pallas, there you have it, and the rest of you brainiacs too, wuz up w/dis?

As for me, in my cat-mind behavior, I diverted myself to my own chart. Who cares about the universe or even th eplanet. It's ME time. Wow, T-Pluto will soon oppose my 12th House 27Venus/28Uranus in Gemini Conjunction; it will sextile my 26 Libra Part of Fortune in the 4th; and it will trine my 26 Aires Moon in the 10th. Oh yea, and it will "supersize" these transits because they are either exact or 1-2 degree orbs when Pluto hits the 26 degree Galactic Center.

Can't wait...oh, damn, Pluto retrogrades for months and doesn't hit the G-Center until 2/2006. I can wait. Can you?

His midheaven is 25 Taurus and relocated to Rome
it's 10 Taurus. The absolutely best astrologer I ever knew, and taught Robert Hand and Liz Greene as well as a ton of others, began studying astrology since she was 10 and is now 80 says nothing, absolutely nothing takes the place of the natal birth chart and I've found that to be true. Anyway his SA Uranus and Saturn are squaring his Sun/Midheaven midpoint and that pretty much tells this story. He will not make it past May 17 and if he makes it that long it will be on life support.

The most important thing about that eclipse chart is the square from T Saturn to the US Natal Chiron and this time the eclipse is visable in this country. Bad news for the would be kings throughout the world

Thank you again Sally for an excellent article on karma. Karma has been on my mind quite a bit lately. I think it is easy to perceive karma as a kind of cosmic justice. But it is not quite that simple. To call something "justice" is to apply human standards of fairness...of right an wrong...to the workings of the universe. I would ask that we all consider that things are not so simple.

There is some dispute in the scientific community as to whether the Galactic Center is the birth place of trillions of stars or a huge black hole. The largest black hole falls at 1 degree Libra and it is huge. The Galactic Center "forms a primal polarity with quasar Gaia at 26 Gemini and the Pole Star Polaris at 27 Gemini" (The Black Hole Book) Polaris is the star closest in alignment to our North Pole and represents our highest aspirations and drive to be different. (also from the Black Hole Book)

I have a great many clients with their Suns on the Galactic including my mother, sister and best friend. Everyone of my clients with the Sun or personal planet on that point have had very difficult lives, even painful for some, but they are gifted with great joy, faith and enthusiasm. I have found them to be inspiring and truly amazing people.

You Mike will have some incredible career moves, perhaps a change or slight change. The Venus/Uranus is going to bring in a "new" person or group, possible related to a partnership ultimately impacting your career in a positive manner. That opposition to the Galatic Center would indicate a "star" shining when Pluto opposes. With the 4th and 10h axis involved, perhaps an opportunity to move.

sally, pallas18, dave, mike: the AW late-nite crew!

i just had a fun thought, it is truly fun.

bush/delay and co. went ballistic on this terry s thing. i'll bet you a franklin that they thought the judiciary would fall in line on this and give them a win. well, guess what, the judiciary is not totally insane so they followed the law. this wasn't a disputed election (which WAS stolen), it was black and white, clear decision time.

now the bush/delay crowd has declared a jihad on the judiciary by calling them murderers. awful charge and one that is characterized by the word incitement.

i believe that this attack on judges might just get a counter attack. judges are first and formost, lawyers. they like a good shoving match and especially like getting even. this incident, the bush/delay attack on judges, may just open the minds of enough judges

***to get us a fair hearing in one of the election fraud cases, hopefully Ohio.***

we don't need a favor, just one judge to allow discovery and hear the facts of the case.

i suspect that we may be seeing some truly enlightened (aka, simple fairness) justice in Ohio or some other election fraud venue.

all praise cobb-arnebeck-& the libertarian pres. guy.

Dave, I'm with you Karma seem to be some kind of "universal" justice but it really isn't, although it does balance things out from time to time. I think it might be just a collection of experiences. The absolutely worst things I've experienced in life have led me into the most wonderful things. And you are right we apply our limited understanding of good and bad to our experiences. I've also noticed that we seem to only accept the negative as Karmic, but the positive is Karmic as well, maybe just the opportunity to be born and see what we can do with our life is Karma in and of itself. Of course most of us think we may have screwed our lives up somehow and didn't do enough but that's incorrect too, or too simple.

I try to practice throwing out my desire to experience my "good karma" for a while when things are going badly. And now it's almost 1 AM and I am feeling that tired kind of loopy. I do tell my clients "karma is a b...., and I feel for anyone who might be experiencing an icy blast of Karma" Night

But Mike, don't you think this is an attempt to show the people how badly the country needs even more conservative judges in an effort to shut down the Dems on their opposition to some of the nut cases they want to put on the bench

Mike, I mentioned earlier that Ohio has a Moon in Gemini at 24 degrees, where Pluto is making its three month station.
There is a lot of heat there now.

Great article Sally. This is an awesome site with terrific astrologers. I've only just found it and am very impressed. As an aside, when t Pluto went conjunct my Jupiter, it was one of the most rewarding times in my life. Jupiter is in my 4th house and it brought a sale of our home in the city and a move to land in the country and a new home built on the land. We purchased 2 acres, then decided to sell one acre. We sold it for more than we paid for the 2...which meant our acre was free to us.. so it's been very financially rewarding but the most important part of moving here was the total love for the land through the peace and serenity we experienced here. That was 15 years ago. My husband passed in 95 but I'm still here on this beautiful island in the PNW.

Keep up the great work Sally

Sal

May it always be so for you Sally H. :-)

Mike, and JM, it is still developing in Ohio. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0504/S00001.htm

OFFENSIVE... and yet... wow!  Read: http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/27/Columns/Living_will_is_the_be.shtml via Atrios.

 ...........................

James Dobson was on CNN complaining about the courts going against "the will of the people" (ignoring the fact that, in this situation, the courts are clearly with the people). And, after his basic culture of life whine, he brought up the example of how people are overwhelmingly in support of "executing minors" and those dastardly courts won't let it happen. " http://atrios.blogspot.com/2005_03_27_atrios_archive.html#111228949630598709

Here is the link again for the "offensive" piece.

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/27/Columns/Living_will_is_the_be.shtml

The largest Black Hole is at 1 Libra? You mean right where my N. Jupiter (1 Libra) is and opposite my N. Sun (00 Aries), N. North Node (00 Aries) and N. Chiron (02 Aries)? You mean conjunct my N. Uranus at 2 Libra? Guess I'll have to scour my Astrology books to figure THIS one out, eh? LOL :-)

Rez signals what it really thinks of its fellow beings. ;O) http://www.yourchristianpresident.com/

Re: The coming battle between the juduciary and the other 2 branches. I saw a constitutuional scholar interviewed and he said if history is any guage, the judiciary will win. Congress/resident has tried to take the judiciary on, 2-3 times in the past, and have lost every time.

* Judge Blocks Rule Allowing Companies to Cut Benefits When Retirees Reach Medicare Age

WASHINGTON, March 30 - A federal district judge on Wed blocked a [rez regime] rule that would have allowed employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they reach age 65 and become eligible for Medicare.

Ten million retirees could have had benefits cut under the rule, which was adopted last April by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/31/politics/31retire.html?th&emc=th

[The insults come fast & furious...}

That column was right on. What I find offensive
is the Priest to the Shindler family badmouthing
Michael Shiavo. If I knew how to reach him I would
call and tell him the Catholic Church is in enough
trouble without him making an idiot of himself.

Threee opportunities to take action:

From John Kerry,

Within a matter of days, the Senate could face a truly momentous decision - one with consequences that will reverberate across America for decades to come.

Senator Frist, the Republican Majority Leader, has a plan to make President Bush's judicial nominations immune to a Senate filibuster. If he can convince enough Republican Senators to go along, the nomination and confirmation of judges will become a tightly-controlled, one-party affair.

We're working hard to make sure the Senate doesn't cross this dangerous line. Here's how you can help.

Please Call Your Republican Senator Now!

Please contact Senator ______ now. In polite and respectful language, make it clear that as one of his constituents you are counting on him to oppose Senator Frist's dangerous plan to deny millions of Americans any meaningful voice in decisions vital to America's future.

There is so much on the line in this debate. And, I am convinced that if we mobilize as quickly and effectively as possible, we can prevent the Senate from taking the dangerous course that Republican leaders have called for. Remember, we're fighting for the strength and vibrancy of democracy itself.

Sincerely,
John Kerry

P.S. If you need extra incentive for making those calls:

Imagine a world in which every appointment to the federal judiciary is a tightly-controlled, one-party exercise.
Imagine the kinds of judges that will sit on the federal bench - even on the Supreme Court -- if George W. Bush never needs a single Democratic vote.
Imagine the kind of decisions those judges will make that will directly affect your life and your constitutional rights.

don't have exact link - go to www.johnkerry.com

AND -

Dear PDA Activists,

Any day now, your Representative in Congress will vote on a very important "Debt Slavery" Bankruptcy Bill (HR 685) that could literally change your life. The bill was written by credit card companies, which made $30 billion in profits in 2004, and are hungry for more.

The bill will prevent many families from declaring bankruptcy under Chapter 7. Rather than being able to cancel some debts and make a difficult new start, families and individuals will be placed on long-term payment plans to credit card companies, companies that can take their houses, their cars, their child-support payments, and their paychecks. If this bill becomes law, an unexpected medical expense or job loss could leave you a slave to debt.

Tell your congress member to vote against the "Debt Slavery" Bankruptcy Bill.

http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=7319731&type=CO

AND

To sign the petition again Tom DeLay (who has said in response to the campaign to clean up Congress "bring it on")

http://ga3.org/campaign/withoutdelay/w8ixdxwzr5jx7bm

The Middleman

Asher Karni was “a genius” in South Africa’s military electronics trade. Now he's in jail in Brooklyn, accused of orchestrating a nuclear black market deal.

[...]

According to Justice Department spokesman Channing Phillips, the U.S. government is now pursuing leads “in several countries” as it attempts to track the extent and nature of Karni’s business dealings. But in March, anonymous law enforcement officials complained to the Los Angeles Times that the State Department—afraid of offending Pakistan, its partner in the war on terror—had blocked agents from the Commerce and Homeland Security departments from pursuing those leads and going to Pakistan to interview Khan and others. A federal judge sealed records in the Karni case last September. But legal documents obtained before then indicate that his transactions reached, tentaclelike, in two directions from the headquarters of his company, Top-Cape Technologies. One tentacle extended from Cape Town through a broker in Secaucus, New Jersey, to the Salem, Massachusetts, laboratories of PerkinElmer Optoelectronics, a high-technology ?rm that is one of the world’s few manufacturers of triggered spark gaps. The other tentacle extended from Cape Town through Dubai to Islamabad, into the recesses of one of the world’s most dangerous black markets, the international traf?c in “dual-use” nuclear technology.

Lots more...

I'd say some of the ( Indigo?) youth are getting fed up!

Pat Buchanan doused with salad dressing

http://www.heraldonline.com/24hour/politics/story/2275875p-10457946c.html

Pat QOP

Pat C.....

Looks like the real slogan of this illegal admin is 'It's the arms market, stupid"...........

Jonathan....speaking of KARMA! LOL....the karma of black holes!!!!!
PS...my Part of Fortune is 26'44: Sagittarius, right there on the Center of the Galactic....should be finding out very shortly what THAT means...

M...you posted:
Re: The coming battle between the juduciary and the other 2 branches. I saw a constitutuional scholar interviewed and he said if history is any guage, the judiciary will win. Congress/resident has tried to take the judiciary on, 2-3 times in the past, and have lost every time.

THINK IT IS BECAUSE JUDGES ARE SMARTER, BETTER EDUCATED THAN PRESIDENTS AND CONGRESS PEOPLE? (Clinton excepted)

A little something to break the ice....

The Linda Show: The Gay Agenda....(sound up)

http://www.ebolaworld.com/movies/linda/02.html

I do believe they are about to announce that the Pope is passed on.

http://breakingnewsblog.com/pope/archives/cardinal_francis_arinze_tipped_to_succeed_pope/

Cardinal Francis Arinze tipped to succeed Pope

‘The fourth-ranking cardinal in the Vatican and the African with the best chance of succeeding Pope John Paul II began his stellar church career as a child of poor pagan parents in a mud-brick bungalow in the forests of southern Nigeria.

As the current pope clings to life in a Roman hospital, Cardinal Francis Arinze, the 72-year-old Prefect of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, is seen by many as a credible candidate to become the first African to rule the Holy See since the death of Gelasius I in 496 AD.

And if the college of cardinals sitting in the Sistine Chapel does decide that the Holy Spirit has chosen Arinze to lead the Church, the tiny Nigerian farming village of Eziowelle might well become a place of pilgrimage for the world’s hundreds of millions of Catholics.’

More...

...........................

Judi, there are sooooo many hight crimes and misemeanors from this administration, we could fill our own thead.

http://atrios.blogspot.com/

They Write Letters

Senator Lautenberg writes a letter:

April 1, 2005

Tom DeLay
Majority Leader
House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Majority Leader DeLay,

I was stunned to read the threatening comments you made yesterday against Federal judges and our nation’s courts of law in general. In reference to certain Federal judges, you stated: “The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior.”

As you are surely aware, the family of Federal Judge Joan H. Lefkow of Illinois was recently murdered in their home. And at the state level, Judge Rowland W. Barnes and others in his courtroom were gunned down in Georgia.

Our nation’s judges must be concerned for their safety and security when they are asked to make difficult decisions every day. That’s why comments like those you made are not only irresponsible, but downright dangerous. To make matters worse, is it appropriate to make threats directed at specific Federal and state judges?

You should be aware that your comments yesterday may violate a Federal criminal statute, 18 U.S.C. §115 (a)(1)(B). That law states:

“Whoever threatens to assault…. or murder, a United States judge… with intent to retaliate against such… judge…. on account of the performance of official duties, shall be punished [by up to six years in prison]”

Threats against specific Federal judges are not only a serious crime, but also beneath a Member of Congress. In my view, the true measure of democracy is how it dispenses justice. Your attempt to intimidate judges in America not only threatens our courts, but our fundamental democracy as well.

Federal judges, as well as state and local judges in our nation, are honorable public servants who make difficult decisions every day. You owe them – and all Americans – an apology for your reckless statements.

Sincerely,

Frank R. Lautenberg

It stigmatizes chimps.

Bush-Chimp Comparison in Bad Taste


Mar 31, 8:22 AM (ET)

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian trainers helping police to understand body language have caused a controversy by likening George Bush's facial expressions to a chimpanzee's.

Interior Minister Patrick Dewael said he was unaware of the pictures when he signed a letter promoting the training package for police dealing with unruly soccer fans, and said the idea was "in bad taste," Het Laatste Nieuws daily reported.

The training presentation pictured the U.S. president's face in various expressions beside photographs of a chimpanzee, the paper showed on its front page, in what was meant to be a humorous introduction to the subject of reading expressions.

Dewael's office was not immediately available for comment

Political crackup
By intervening in the Schiavo case, Bush moved the religious right into the heart of the GOP. Now there will be hell to pay.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Sidney Blumenthal

March 31, 2005 | The Bush administration doesn't have a faith-based initiative; it is a faith-based initiative. When President Bush rushed back to the White House from his Crawford, Texas, ranch to show his urgency to sign the congressional bill on Terri Schiavo, who died Thursday at 41, he demonstrated his faith in the infallibility of his political strategy. Just months earlier in the 2004 presidential election he had proven its efficacy. By joining the flag to the cross, Bush's campaign linked the war on terrorism to the culture war. Under these banners Bush marched as the crusader king against barbarian hordes without and within.

In unprecedented numbers evangelical Protestants and conservative "faithful" Catholics flocked to the polls to vote for him. Ballot initiatives in 11 swing states against gay marriage helped magnetize these constituencies. By a simple symbolic gesture in the Schiavo case he would become the transcendent holy warrior again, suddenly lifted by "values" from the slough of despond he had found himself in over his Social Security privatization scheme. It never dawned on him or his Cardinal Richelieu (Karl Rove) that the polls, like the heavens, would come crashing in on him.

The entry of a host of political actors transformed the private tragedy into a public drama. Its grotesque unfolding has revealed scenes of ambition and hypocrisy, the inner politics of religious fanaticism, and the limits of the Republican strategy that was launched by Richard Nixon and has now reached its apotheosis under George W. Bush.

It was almost inevitable that the biographies of the politicians using the Schiavo case as a platform would be examined for their own decisions about the medical care of their family members or patients. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, bedeviled by ethical scandals, forced the bill through the House, while issuing medical bulletins that Schiavo "talks [and] laughs [and] expresses likes and discomforts," and comparing his political embattlement to the effort to reattach her feeding tube. In 1988, according to the Los Angeles Times, DeLay decided along with other members of his family to pull the plug on his father, Charles Ray DeLay. There was no chance he would recover from a tram accident and would "basically be a vegetable," according to DeLay's aunt. The instruction posted on his chart read: "Do not resuscitate." DeLay filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the tram manufacturer and settled for $250,000, after which he became a leading opponent of such lawsuits.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, M.D., who offered a positive diagnosis of Schiavo's recovery on the basis of having viewed clips of videotape and called for her "rescue," had as a doctor pulled the plug on a "regular basis," his staff acknowledged. And in 1989, Frist published a book, "Transplant," in which he stated that anencephalic infants, suffering the same condition as the cortex-dead Schiavo, should be classified as "brain-dead."

Even the Franciscan Brothers of Peace, a ministry numbering only 10 monks, two of whom have appeared as personal counselors to the Schindlers, Schiavo's parents, confronted a crisis when the founder of their group suffered a heart attack and severe brain damage. He was kept alive through a feeding tube, but in 2003, after a dozen years, the monks decided to withdraw his life support. Their inconsistency in doing one thing while encouraging others to do another is best left for them to explain. More important, their presence is a small indicator of a larger political crackup.

Bush believes that he won his reelection in great part on "values" and that all he needs to do to refresh his power is to invoke them. But in signing a private bill by Congress that could not stand constitutional scrutiny for the sake of gratifying a faction of the Republican base, he has exposed and inverted the raw politics of the culture war. Instead of being blinded by the light of his shining faith, the public was repelled by what it saw as crass exploitation.

After a week of damage, the White House was quietly leaking to the press that Bush had not wanted to return from Crawford after all. His effort to distance himself from the corrosive Schiavo issue had the effect of depicting him as ambivalent and indecisive -- the negative image he had sought to project of John Kerry.

Bush had no instinct that he was overreaching. He did not grasp that the case would become for the Republican Party something like what the gay marriage decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has been for the Democratic Party. In both incidents the parties have been pushed to their marginal bases. Bush's problem is that he has helped move the religious right to the heart of his party.

Bush's strategy was early formulated by Nixon, who sought to absorb discontented Southern Democrats and urban ethnic Roman Catholics into the Republican Party. Both traditional Democratic constituencies were alienated by the civil rights movement and the liberalization of social mores, including demands for women's rights, among the younger generation. (Former Alabama Gov. George Wallace had initially gathered support from these disaffected groups with a classic pseudo-populist appeal tinged with racism.)

A year after Nixon's election, one of his political strategists, Kevin Phillips, published "The Emerging Republican Majority," laying out the details of how to realign the coming cycle of American politics. In the South, the Republicans should not oppose civil rights but enforce them, which would prove "essential if southern conservatives are to be pressured into switching to the Republican Party." In the North, as the Democratic Party became "a vehicle for Negro advancement," Republicans should build "a new populist coalition" around law and order and against "experimental residential, welfare and educational programming."

Thus Nixon's "silent majority" strategy used what was euphemistically called the "social issue" to unite Southern Baptists and conservatives with Northern Catholics. The 1972 election appeared to fulfill his plan. While Nixon carefully assimilated these constituencies, the Democratic candidate, George McGovern, was overwhelmed by raucous minorities, women's liberationists and antiwar protesters, whose chaotic behavior only illustrated the points Nixon was making. (According to Vice President Spiro Agnew, the Democratic Party was the party of "acid, amnesty and abortion.") But Watergate short-circuited Nixon's strategy. And his successor, Gerald Ford, was a rock-ribbed Republican who believed in the Equal Rights Amendment and was pro-choice on abortion. It was hardly surprising that he drew a primary challenge in 1976 from the right and its new champion, Ronald Reagan, that he barely managed to survive.

In 1980, Reagan anointed the religious right as ministers of the "social issue." "You can't endorse me, but I endorse you," he told the Religious Roundtable. The Reagan White House helped direct the conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention, radically altering its theological positions. The SBC had previously upheld the right of abortion and the strict separation of church and state, and was against mandatory prayer in schools. By 1982, all these tenets had been reversed.

In 2004, evangelical Protestant churches and conservative Catholic bishops were crucial in mobilizing voters on Bush's behalf. Ohio, Iowa and New Mexico were among at least three states that tipped to him under their influence. For the Catholic bishops, Kerry represented their worst nightmare -- a liberal Catholic as the most powerful man in the world -- and they donned inquisitors' robes to issue maledictions that he should not receive Communion.

In the beginning of his involvement in the Schiavo case, Bush acted on faith that it was a political gift. Why not? The politics of "values" had always enabled him to gain the offensive. For Reagan it had been morning again in America. Now it would be deathwatch in America. But Bush miscalculated the public response and lost control. Bush isn't using the religious right; it is using him.

The culture war has imploded inside the Republican Party. The religious fanatics and political freebooters who have flocked to the Schiavo deathwatch can never lose, no matter how extreme their pronouncements. Schiavo has given the religious right an invaluable lever with which to pressure Bush and the Republicans, who can never fully satisfy its demands if they are to sustain a national majority. The inviolability of marriage, states' rights, limited government, respect for the law -- these conservative principles must be cast aside in the struggle for power. Moreover, the Catholic right, a minority within both the American church and the religious right, has used this event to flex its muscles at evangelical Protestants as never before.

The battle over Schiavo is only proximately about Schiavo. The more spectacularly ghoulish the antics surrounding the Florida hospice, the more threatening the message being sent to Bush. A bigger prize looms. The shadow of political blackmail hangs over Bush's Supreme Court nominations. Bush's appointment of justices who meet the approval of the religious right, even if he had intended to appoint them all along, must be interpreted as its triumph in the Schiavo struggle. If he flouts its will, there will be hell for Republicans to pay. Bush has set himself up for appearing terrorized.

Re...living wills, etc.....I don't know why the need for living wills....basically, one only needs a "DNR" or "Do Not Resusitate"....which means, no tubes, etc....

I only know this because my mom had to agree to have one designating yes or no....before going into the rest home...hospital...etc....

if we all had one of those stashed in a prominent place you wouldn't need a living will...at least I think that is correct.

OMG!!! OMG!!!!! EEEEEEEEOOOOWWWWWWWEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
Holy cow!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was my dream come true and never in a million years did I think it was possible.

OH MY GODDDDD!!!!! OH MY GOD!

An African Pope!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been thinking about this for a year. Thinking what a great thing for Pluto in Sagittarius to do . This great diverese, multi-racial, multi-ethnic Family of Man.

Oh my god.

jm, it's so good to see such happiness!

I am so happy, Pat. What a wonderful thing for the black part of our population. Especially after the return to Jim Crow in our country in this pathetic time. For shame. Let the world show us what a family we are.

Another brick in the wall for Delay.

http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle_new.asp?ArticleID=10

TRMPAC in Its Own Words

Exhibits from a civil trial reveal potential illegality and influence peddling

Unlike other organizations, your corporate contributions to TRMPAC will be put to productive use,” reads the document subpoenaed from Texans for a Republican Majority Executive Director John Colyandro. It’s one of hundreds of exhibits offered into evidence for a recent civil trial—and presumedly, presented to the Travis County grand jury for its ongoing criminal investigation as well. The political brochure—paid for with corporate money—was aimed at donors to the Tom DeLay-founded PAC, and titled “TRMPAC GOALS.”

What, you may ask, made TRMPAC so “productive” that it could accomplish what “other” political organizations had been unable to do in a century of political campaigning?

It continues: “Rather than just paying for overhead, your support will fund a series of productive and innovative activities designed to increase our level of engagement in the political arena.”

More...

jm, it would also be so good for Africa, who has suffered so much. It would be a very loud statement.

Now if it were another very conservative Pope who was black, it could be damaging.

Yes, yes, yes. So loud and clear. And so forward looking. So futuristic. Such a transformation of the Catholic Church.
It's real.(If it really comes down).
I will be proud of the human race if it does, and renewed in faith.

I do think, however, that he will be cautious, if not conservative. And he may even be an SOB, but I'll deal with that later.
For now, I am celebrating Pluto through Sag.

Oh, and BTW, I think I recall that he has a beautiful voice, with that African sing song lilt.

Whew! Events are fast unfolding. Will have to put the coffee down ;-)i'm hyped from the above most excellent posts/links from all you AWers!

Why it hasn't sunk in yet until today could very well have to do with all the galatic center discussion which oppositions my sun by degree when it reaches the "critical?" 26 degree Sag mark. Where do i look for an explanation/enlightment on this one?

karen

jm, so what was that opposition like? 24 degrees, that was dead on. just wondering and preparing for my 12th house adventure.

re the African Pope, that is a wonderful idea conceptually. however, i read some things this candidate had to say. he sounds like a hard edged version of the current political line now. he was particularly disparaging of american catholics who don't follow the party line.

i'm not Cathollic so it doesn't matter to me with regard to any institutional investment. it will be interesting to see how the remaining moderate to liberal catholics in this country react to any attacks on their 'worthiness.'

the other candidate is from honduras and he's pretty hard edged also.

will be interesting.

Yes, Mike, I'm sure a new Pope will be as disappointing as leaders usually are. It's the sybolism for me.

Well, I have Venus at 24 Gemini and it's too soon to tell, but with our North nodes in Taurus, the pleasure factor is really it. And it is in my 3rd house, so naturally, I am communicating torrentially. Pluto is plumbing my mind and releasing it in words. I also sing, which I have yet to deal with. Pluto will get around to it.
Venus rules my second, so I lost a lot of money, but I didn't argue with that. I knew it was best. It is all about release and making way for the new to enter. I think Pluto teaches us the great satisfaction in letting go... the relief of burden, the lightness if you can do it, the renewal, the purification in getting rid of waste, and the understanding that pain might not be as bad as you would have thought. I am learning to let it in, go through, and exit.
There is always a fair exchange.
NN Taureans love money, and have a lot of enjoyment in its give and take when they let go of the Pluto trauma and crisis, and revel in pleasure and cash flow. This is a large part of what I am dealing with in this transit, as you probably will be too. That elf site you posted is an example. Pure pleasure. Totally delightful and very trippy. Your 12th house love of fantasy, relationships that are out of the ordinary and made up of dreams, the 12th house Venus love of the Bohemian artist's free existence, the fulfillment of creative desire and the Leo/Taurus NN/Venus dilemma of turning creativity into productivity are just a few of the things that might come up.
Pluto rules wealth and the underworld so he really wants you to dig deep and find the hidden treasure. You have to pay the boatman, but it is worth it.
There is so, so, so much, but we should get back to the action and current events.

So far, the only online news I've seen that states the Pope died, is Drudge. My mother, the faithful follower of Fox News, said they initially reported he died but they backed off and are now saying that his heart and brain are still functioning. Sounds like the MSM might have jumped the gun a teensy weensy bit.

Forgive me for a second post so soon, but I just checked Sludge again and they are now parroting Fox. Before, all of their other news links were gone and there was only a pic of the Pope with the word "Died".

For example...Guido.... your delightful 12th house Venus. He(?) will be talking, I'm sure. Maybe telling you some amazing new secrets.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/03/31/978117-cp.html

Canada, EU hit U.S. with duties

Canada has turned up the pressure on its largest trading partner, slapping rarely used sanctions on the United States to force an end to an internationally condemned trade law.

The stakes are high: if Ottawa fails in this fight against the U.S. law known as the Byrd amendment, Canadian softwood lumber producers stand to lose more than $4 billion in duties paid so far in the longrunning trade dispute.

Even worse, the Byrd amendment would then hand all those Canadian payments over to their American lumber competitors.

To pressure Washington, Ottawa announced Thursday it will slap a 15 per cent surtax on cigarettes, oysters, live swine and some fish imports from the U.S., effective May 1.

More....

http://www.comics.com/editoons/lamerica/archive/images/lamerica2005036620401.gif

...................................

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=34925

A Pinellas Circuit Court judge ruled Friday that summaries of state Department of Children & Families investigations into the treatment Terri Schiavo cannot be released to the media.

Judge George Greer denied a request from the St. Petersburg Times to obtain summaries of dozens of complaints investigated by the agency that Schiavo was being mistreated. None of the
allegations were substantiated.

Terri Schiavo, 41, died Thursday after a heated court battle between her husband and parents over whether she would have wanted to live in a persistent vegetative state.

Greer ruled the records are the records belong to DCF, and although her husband, Michael Schiavo, can have access to them the records cannot be distributed publicly. DCF did not want the
records released, saying it would hamper an ongoing investigation.

A separate, similar motion filed by Media General, parent company of The Tampa Tribune, is scheduled for Monday.

More....

.........................................

From Elanor Clift
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7357718/site/newsweek/

While the country watched Terri Schiavo, I watched my husband. He was in a hospital bed in our living room battling the ravages of kidney cancer that had spread to his bones and his brain. As I wrote about and commented on the Schiavo situation, I kept quiet about the end of life process I was overseeing in our home for the person I have been closest to for more than 20 years. 

advertisement
Tom died on Wednesday, just a day before Terri Schiavo passed away, and this is my tribute to him, and to the struggle about how and when to end life that many of us face. What Tom called “the endgame” began when we visited the oncologist’s office together shortly after Thanksgiving last year. The doctor presented the choice before us in such positive terms that Tom at first thought it was good news. It was only when he saw me crying that he realized the recommendation to take a break from chemotherapy and regain his strength in the healing community of a home hospice was not another stop on the road to recovery. 

Hospice means end-of-life care. The admission ticket is a diagnosis from a doctor that you have six months or less to live. Tom had been fighting cancer since June of ’99 when a nurse called to say that tests had revealed a mass on his kidney. “I’d rather use the word nodule,” Tom replied with his signature sense of humor. A year later tests showed the cancer had spread to his lungs, a diagnosis that would flatten many people. He reacted like a journalist who had just been handed a new assignment. He researched his disease, plugging in “lung metastases” and “prognosis” on Google. When the search results were gloomy, he would find a philosophical way to dismiss the statistics. He tracked down the latest clinical trials and submitted to treatment regimens that left him so feverish he had to be wrapped in ice.

More....

Am wondering if anyone here would be willing to exchange readings. I'm no astrologer, but a life-long clairvoyant [who uses basic astrology for "increased focus"]...

Is it the 12th house mars/25 sag and the creamy galactic center? Is it jupiter? The coming saturn transits already being felt? A pars fortunae activation? Whatever, the possibility of being able to get the hell out of Florida just arose. Like, JUST!

No easy trick making such a move with our "rescue shelter" in tow. We'd be going with 56 animals. I don't mind "suffering the consequences of having made the wrong decision." But the very LAST thing I'd ever want would be to have THEM suffer the consequences of my having made the wrong decision. Or the right decision at the wrong time.

Any takers? Please feel free to email me. Just in case [because sometimes charts speak to us and sometimes they don't], will leave birth data. Bro & partner in crime: 8th November 1961 approx 8:30am, Damascus moi: 29th july 1954 17:55 93w38 32n30 Now in Palm Beach County, opportunity beckons in Atlanta. Do you need the animals' charts? lol

Thank you SO much to any [and/or all] willing to toss in their 2 cents. Got skype? More than happy to return the favour...vcz

I was sent this quote by a friend. Wonder how psychic Mr Wilson is?

From Political Wire:
Bonus Quote of the Day

"If you've seen a chicken in the barnyard get a peck on his head so a little blood is showing, then the other chickens all rush in and peck
him to death, that is the danger for Tom DeLay right now."

-- Former Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-TX), quoted by the Houston Chronicle, on the ethical issues surrounding House Majority Leader
Tom DeLay (R-TX).

vcz, I think you would be unhappy.

.........................

http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/04/brief-history-of-right-wing-threats.html

A Brief History of Right-Wing Threats 

In light of the GOP's recent behavior, let's not forget the history of the conservative movement's willingness to threaten people. The DeLay threats and the White House dissent suppression are only the latest in a long line of threatening outbursts.

For instance, Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) essentially threatened the President of the United States in 1994 when he said, "Mr. Clinton better watch out if he comes down here. He'd better have a bodyguard."

And the Associated Press reported on 4/25/95 how that comment was commonplace on the right. "A senator says the president had better not visit his state without a bodyguard," the newsservice wrote. "An anti-abortion leader describes shooting abortion doctors as 'justifiable homicide.' A radio talk-show host advises listeners to shoot at the head if attacked by federal agents wearing bulletproof vests." It's all part of the conservative movement's belief that physically threatening and intimidating its political opposition is OK. I'd wager to guess most Americans disagree. 

Sources:  Helms threatens the President: http://www.bartleby.com/66/41/27741.html Other right wing quotes: Associated Press report by James Rosen, 4/25/95

.........................

OK, I have probably overinformed everyone today. I'm off.

How retrograde of me. Okay, NOW my id is set to send me an email. lol

Thanks for your take, PatC! Am hoping you'll be in the minority, as the move would virtually erase the $50k debt for the animals [years of emergency vets, meds, etc.], and get them some outside rumpus room. Here they're all stuck inside [and on my skirts, 24/7. lol]. But if it looks like a Big Mistake to everyone, the advice will most definitely be heeded [not that I believe "the correct decision" always leads to nothin' but net. We tend to think that "following our intuition" proves the wisest move when we enjoy what happens next, and assume that if "what happened next" was (perceived as) negative, our intuition was "wrong." Lessons can be very uncomfortable, and intuition often leads us to difficult lessons, quite correctly]. Thanks, again!

P.S. Regarding the judiciary "standing up to" * et cie -- I find it hilarious. To me, what's happening is that they don't mind when they AND * are running roughshod over everyone else, but they are OUTraged that he would try to pull such a stunt with THEM! lolol Oh, those boys...

vcz

Just saw a headline in which Missouri Sen. Kit Bond blames the intelligence failures in IRAQ on .....ta da.....

CLINTON!!!!
http://www.ky3.com/newsdetailed.asp?id=7852

These people in the GOP, the radical right and neocons need Dr. Phil to straighten them out....they are really shameless.

VCZ....saw the post of your birth info and didn't get it...you are using a shorthand thing which I am having trouble with....bro and partner? which dates? You were born in Damascus? VA or Syria? inquiring minds want to know. Now I also can't find your post....
Merc still retro, and I'm still a Gemini...

Informational Clearing House Newsletter...

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/04-01-05.htm

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206~11851~2791890,00.html

Maureen Dowd: I Smell a Screw-UP

wow...she is not mincing any words here....

VCZ....also wanted to mention that I loved your signature line about Dems (Liberals) not funding the left, unlike how goppers fund their own cause....took it to heart.

I sent Sally money to support the site.

MEa Culpa, I am guilty of shining on the need to tithe. Although I also give $10 bucks a month to the Mother Jones Investigative Fund, this site is much more personal. The other one is the' collective' tithe.....I just suddenly got the concept of putting ones resources where one's mouth is!

Please excuse my continuation of the personal in here, everyone!?

JG: saw the post of your birth info and didn't get it...you are using a shorthand thing which I am having trouble with....bro and partner? which dates? You were born in Damascus? VA or Syria?

My brother and I are pretty much joined at the hip. He wants this move -- from West Palm Beach, FL to the outskirts of Atlanta, GA -- WAY more than I do [and I have certainly had enough of Florida]. He's Dad to all of the animals [Mom, here], and the bastard child of Michaelangelo and McGuyver, so we work well, together. But he's also deaf and dyslexic and never mastered a written language, so resists heading out on his own. This move must be okay for, first, the "kids" [56 cats], second, him, and lastly, me.

He was born in Damascus [Syria] at around 8:30am on 8th November 1961. I was born on Barksdale AFB, just outside of Bossier City, LA, at 17:55 [5:55pm] on 29th July 1954.

I can never see for myself as I see for others. God loves to keep me in suspense. lol This forum is overflowing with talented astrologers [and I've noticed others asking for assistance, so hope this isn't a faux pas]. Any and all advice greatly appreciated.

JG: Merc still retro, and I'm still a Gemini...

vcz: What's my excuse!? Still didn't manage to get my email address working. Anyone who wishes to contact me privately is welcome to do so using vcz at noncommen dot com. Grazzi mille per tutti! vcz

JG: ...also wanted to mention that I loved your signature line about Dems (Liberals) not funding the left, unlike how goppers fund their own cause.

vcz: never forget that it was actually about Truth, and acknowledged the seeming and unfortunate fact that "those who are interested in the Truth don't have any money."

JG: ...took it to heart. I sent Sally money to support the site. MEa Culpa, I am guilty of shining on the need to tithe. Although I also give $10 bucks a month to the Mother Jones Investigative Fund...I just suddenly got the concept of putting ones resources where one's mouth is!

vcz: lol If you "just suddenly got the concept" you wouldn't have been sending money to Mother Jones [and God only knows where else]. Statistics show that the less money people have the more money [and time!] they give. I'm guessing this 10 bucks a month wasn't coming out of your 100-thou per month trust fund check.

Poor people who bring animals always ask, "what can I do to help?" Rich people [and they bring the most. It's all about their busy schedules and "property values" (and hiding the fact that their sons are serial-killers in training)] simply say, "I wish there were something I could do to help" [and then they jump into their 120 thousand dollar cars and speed away before one can say anything at all]. Thank God I'm so easily amused [or things could get fugly]...

vcz

another good one below

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/knuckles.html

Scott Ritter makes some very revealing comments:

"So you believe the neocons are elitist parasites?

Yes, elitism is the perfect term.

Do you consider it localized or global elitism?

The neocons believe in what they think is a noble truth, power of the few, the select few. These are godless people who want power, nothing more. They do not have a country or an allegiance, they have an agenda. These people might hold American passports, but they are not Americans because they do not believe in the Constitution. They believe in the power of the few, not a government for or by the people. They are a few and their agenda is global. "

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/040105J.shtml

The occupation and new US threats could spark neighbouring uprisings

Jawad al-Khalisi
Friday April 1, 2005
The Guardian

The US-British occupation of Iraq is poisoning all political processes in my country and across the Middle East. The elections held under the control of the occupying forces in January were neither free nor fair. Instead of being a step towards solving Iraq's problems, they have been used to prolong foreign rule over the Iraqi people.
Only when the occupiers withdraw from the country can Iraq take the first secure steps towards peace and stability. Once a strict timetable for withdrawal is set, Iraq's political forces could freely agree and set in motion a process of genuinely free and fair democratic elections, a permanent constitution, and a programme that meets the demands of all the Iraqi people.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1449864,00.html

VCZ:

Can you e-mail me as I'm having trouble accessing yours.

Thanks for your comment (below) in a post from a few days ago -- as it gave me a good laugh, which one can ALWAYS use! It's good to someone on your side to pull that plug -- even if it's en spiritu! I'll take all the backup I can get!

vcz: And, finally. to KATHLEEN! I saw your post in another thread, and I don't know how you do it. Hats off and on and back off again [a few times]. It's not just the surgeries. It's the still being sane when surrounded by people who will simply never Get It. Let's you and I make a pact! I'll pull yours if you'll pull mine. lol Please consider me with you en spiritu. And may you never have reason to need my services...

Excellent explanation of the Housing bubble and its coming implosion...

http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/033105Cederholm.shtml

No home fit for heroes
Around 130,000 veterans of the Iraqi conflict have already returned to the US. For some, all that awaits is a life of virtual destitution. So far, the numbers are small, but the fear is that they are just the start of a chronic problem that America will be dealing with for years to come. Gary Younge reports

Gary Younge
Saturday April 2, 2005

Guardian

Like Martin Luther King, Herold Noel had a dream that was "deeply rooted in the American dream". It did not involve anything as lofty as racial harmony or the brotherhood of man. Herold was after something far more basic. "I wanted to have a white house with a picket fence, without drugs and all that," he says. "That was my dream. I grew up in the ghetto, and in the ghetto you will see a 10-year-old smoking weed. That's what I was raised around, and I wanted a better life for me and my kids. I didn't want to be like Puffy and pour $1,000 bottles of Cristal on the floor. I just wanted to throw a barbecue in my own backyard."
So Herold joined the army. "The army offered me a better life," he says. It was his passport out of the ghetto. He signed up in September 2000, "to check it out". "I didn't really expect to be in a war before I joined, but when Bush came to office, I knew there would be one."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5159728-110878,00.html

The best and worst of times
So Pope John Paul II's reign is over. It was magnificent - but was it really Christianity?

Clifford Longley
Saturday April 2, 2005

Guardian

The death of Pope John Paul II will end a papal reign that really does live up to Charles Dickens's famous oxymoron: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." People will rush to praise or condemn the man before he is cold in his coffin, but the historians' verdict may well be that both sides are right. It was indeed one of the best and one of the worst papacies in history.
The ambivalence even many in the Catholic church felt about Pope John Paul II is illustrated by a story circulating in Rome some years ago. Pope John Paul II was walking one day in the gardens of the Vatican, deep in prayer. Suddenly there appeared before him a vision of Jesus Christ. The Pope fell to his knees and wept. Christ comforted him, and offered to deal with whatever was causing him such anguish.

"Will there ever," asked the Pope, "be women priests in the Catholic church?"

"Not in your lifetime," answered Jesus. Somewhat encouraged, the Pope tried another question.

"Will there ever," he asked, "be another Polish pope?"

"Not in my lifetime," answered the immortal one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5161546-103677,00.html

Jo.....interesting that you posted:

Excellent explanation of the Housing bubble and its coming implosion...

Had my friend who is a real estate pro over for echinacea tea this afternoon ..... she mentioned the fact that the housing bubble will crash. It is inevitable...

What will do everyone in is the lack of integrity coming from the top, in business, in banking, on Wall Street, etc....as Ritter says, these people (neocons) have no allegiance to our country or any country...it is all their agenda....and in the end, it pulls the rug out from under all of us. Weak dollar, no equity....Neo Cons have formed the game....

Being there for Ram Das - a letter from Wayne Drier
http://www.lightworks.com/MonthlyAspectarian/2005/April/Ram%20Dass.html

WOLFOWITZ TURNS DOWN WORLD BANK POST
NEOCONSERVATIVE ACCEPTS BLAME FOR INTELLIGENCE ERRORS
Friday Apr 1, 2005
by Greg Palast

[Brussels] In a unexpected turn of events, controversial US Pentagon
official Paul Wolfowitz has turned down the post of President of the World
Bank. The Deputy Defense Secretary had won unanimous support of World Bank
trustees in a vote Thursday despite widespread objections to the appointment
in the European press.

In a statement issued today by the Deputy Secretary before departing
Brussels, Mr. Wolfowitz cited the release of the Silberman-Robb Commission
report to the President on failures of US intelligence in Iraq.

Mr. Wolfowitz noted that on March 27, 2003, he had testified before the US
Congress that the post-war reconstruction of that nation would not cost any
"US taxpayer money." Rather, Iraq's oil would pay the tab for the
post-conquest rebuilding.

The price tag is now inching toward $200 billion. Mr. Wolfowitz, long
associated with neo-conservative factions in the Bush Administration,
angrily responded to the Silberman-Robb Commission's accusation that his
intelligence on Iraq was flawed or deficient.

"That's just plain wrong. In fact, the Pentagon had incontrovertible
evidence that my projections were as phony as a three-dollar bill. Don't
blame the CIA. We saw their intelligence and preferred an alternative reality."

A World Bank spokesman reached in Washington, when asked about the Wolfowitz
rejection of the institution's presidency, said, "It's sounds like another
cheap April Fool's Day trick by Greg Palast to call attention to his
investigative report on the Bush Administration's secret plans for Iraq's
oil -- out in this month's Harper's Magazine."

View Greg Palast's BBC Television Newsnight report, "US Secret Plans for
Iraq's Oil," at www.GregPalast.com - and read the exposé ... in the April
edition of Harper's Magazine.

vcz, being easily amused is about the best place to be, I think. My hat's off too..... 'cause it's just all "stuff".

Peg: it's just all "stuff".

vcz: truer word has ne'er been typed. And when the "stuff" gets hard, I concentrate on the knowledge that we're never given anything we can't handle. While trying to appreciate the fact that God must think I'm freakin' SUPERwoman! lolol

Try this at home. It works! Especially "in these times." Go ahead. Start with, "wow. God thought I could handle being a progressive during the reign of bush et cie. That I could maintain my sanity, dignity, and equilibrium through the caterwauling of the influential Moron-American community..." Feels so good you'll want to use it for all your trials and tribulations! lol

Juan Cole has several good comments...

"It turns out that anti-abortionism is not about life at all. It is about social control. It helps establish a hierarchical society in which men are at the pinnacle and women kept barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. Likewise, the Schiavo case was in part about the religious Right dictating to Michael Schiavo how he must lead his private life.

This campaign is not really about life at all, as the examples of the raped woman or the woman whose pregnancy puts her life in danger demonstrate. It is about control, and the imposition of a minority's values on others.

And that is why the Iraq war is the perfect symbol for the anti-abortionists. Colonial conquest is always a kind of rape, but now the conquered country must bear the fetus of Bush-imposed "liberty" to term. The hierarchy is thus established. Washington is superior to Baghdad, and Iraq is feminized and deprived of certain kinds of choices.

And that is also how the Schiavo case makes sense in the end, because the religious Right feminized Michael Schiavo, made him into the pregnant woman seeking an "abortion," and wished to therefore deprive him of choice in the matter. If hierarchy is gendered, then the persons over which control is sought are always in some sense imagined as powerless women. Powerful non-fundamentalist men and uppity Third World countries that won't do as they are told are ultimately no different from feminist women seeking an abortion. All must be subdued, in the view of the Christian Right.

It is about hierarchy, power and control. It is not about life. "

http://www.juancole.com/2005/04/tragic-death-and-other-tragic-deaths-i.html

These comments from Juan Cole are in Salon this a.m. and worth the day pass:

In gods we trust
Evangelicals insist that the U.S. is a Christian country. An increasing number of Americans beg to differ. (So does the Constitution.)

By Juan Cole

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2005/04/01/non_christian/index.html

Men, too, are "aborted material" in the olie's endless "wars" or "abortion mills." On some level, they know that.

Took the grands to the movies yesterday, birthday boy's choice --- "Robots" --- which appears to this entity to be a wonderful parody of our 'life' on planet earth at the moment... Robin Williams does the voice for a neat character that looks exactly an old fashioned oil can and he sings while the can dances to "I'm singing in the oil, just singing in the oil"! The villian is a slick shiny robot driven to control the world by his mother, the shrew of all shrews!!

Maybe I just see this '*co' fascism everywhere and need a respite! Anyway, if anyone else makes the connection great --- esp. the kids... mine did, but then, we talk about the mess 'out there' all the time!

Namaste

You're a good grandma Jo. ;-)

http://www.stariq.com/MarketWeek.HTM

This is an interesting Market Week from Star IQ

I thought Ray Merriman did a pretty good job this week too, Pat C. And Jo, happy b-day to your grandson, he's very fortunate to have you for a grandma.

It has been announced on tv that Pope John Paul ll died at 9:47 PM Rome time

however I heard the priest announce treinta seis

9:36 PM

Just off the Pluto station.

And it looks like a Moon/Saturn opposition.

"The villian is a slick shiny robot driven to control the world by his mother, the shrew of all shrews!!"

Am I the ONLY one who tired, long ago, of the never-ending: the "obvious villain" may've been male, but he would've been an ANgel were it not for that BITCH!?

When I was a kid, I hated going to the movies. Every time there was a female character I REALly liked...funny, smart, independent, etc...I knew she'd be dead or dying by the time the credits rolled. Oh, once in a GREAT while she'd be "reformed." But that always seemed even worse than dead or dying...

And I was about 6 when I noticed that the only time I ever saw "women in business" was when they were sent to lie to the public on behalf of major corporations. Things people would never believe when coming from a man, they'd believe from a woman. And corporations figured that out long before I did. They still use that particular shtick, all these decades later.

It's probably a good thing I never had kids. No television, no video games, no malls, few movies, and lots and LOTS of books and art supplies and pets and chores. They'd be taken by the state and I'd wind up in prison for abuse! lololol vcz

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7357501/

Photo marks milestone in planet search
Confirmed image shows hot planet near distant star

After a few close calls, astronomers have finally obtained the first photograph of a planet beyond our solar system, Space.com has learned.

And this time they say they're sure — alhough some doubt lingers about the mass of the object.

The planet is thought to be one to two times as massive as Jupiter, according to the scientists who imaged it. It orbits a star similar to a young version of our sun.

The star, GQ Lupi, has been observed by a team of European astronomers since 1999. They have made three images using the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory in Chile. The Hubble Space Telescope and the Japanese Subaru Telescope each contributed an image, too.

The work was led by Ralph Neuhaeuser of the Astrophysical Institute & University Observatory.

"The detection of the faint object near the bright star is certain," Neuhaeuser told Space.com on Friday.

The system is young, so the planet is rather warm, like a bun fresh out of the oven. That warmth made it comparatively easier to see in the glare of its host star compared with more mature planets. Also, the planet is very far from the star — about 100 times the distance between Earth and the sun, another factor in helping to separate the light between the two objects.

The discovery will be detailed in an upcoming issue of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Neuhaeuser's co-authors include Ph.D. student Markus Mugrauer, who performed the observations, and Guenther Wuchterl.

More...

Jo....great description of the film....made me want to rush out and see it....which undoubtedly I won't see until it is on CD and my daughter buys it for the kids....hopefully by then there will be a different administration!

I guess no one is posting because the pope died? I went to see my mom, and while I was visiting, could hardly hear because of the tvs blaring with the news (all turned up for the deaf ones)...I looked up and someone from the coronors office was wheeling a gurney out with what looked like a dead body in a bag. I am hoping it was just pillows....then drove out on the main drag, and half a block away was a scene with ambulance/police, etc....and a bicycle lying in the street in front of a car. But I didn't get any psychic reading of death...just accident. I HOPE it was only pillows and minor scrapes.

VCZ....I think Jo was sort of hinting at (re the movie) that the slick shiny robot was the Rez, and the mom robot was BB?...the Rez's mother...am I right JO? If there is one thing you can be sure of, artists can be really plant wonderful at hidden messages....Dr. Suess was a real champion of THAT.

Of course I haven't seen it yet....

You're right Judi Gemini ---

I think that's what the writers wanted to suggest also... the shrew is Barbara, the 'beautiful mind'

This is definitly a weird day....my daughter just called from inside a store...she was shopping with her 3 year old daughter and there were 2 guys asking to sign petitions for the CA lemon law....and she didn't reply fast enough, so the guy yells at her...."What, are you a f**King REPUBLICAN?" She was so appalled and so angry that she complained to the store manager (and she wasn't the first complaint apparently). by the time she was thru shopping, they had moved to the store across the street. She was so angry she drove over there and confronted the 2 young, good looking guys....she said people were staring at her, and she was shaking all over with angry. She asked them what they were thinking using language like that in front of kids, let along people on the street....she said she was going to report them, and they said they worked for themselves (these guys get paid for each signature.)

This is a really bad vibe!!!!!

Just heart former ambassador Ray Flynn condeming the Democrats because they are run by Liberal Elites....and don't support the pro life agenda.....

Geez....

Among the many things that keep happening are the man who ripped off MCI is in jail. I wonder why I feel absolutely nothing about this good job and retirement being stolen by WorldCom so that I followed another plan and began teaching in China.I think some justice has been done but it is not really important to me.
My mother died and then the Terri Shiavo thing took over and I was not involeved and I hope my daughter could see the pain and harm that would have happened if I had followed her wishes. Mother's death at 86 was much more like the Pope's at 84.
I really believe that OJ did not kill his wife and her drug dealing boyfriend. But everyone was aware of the guilt OJ actually felt and acted out it was a guilt for a life time of harmful living not for the crime he was accused of. The boyfriend bought drugs and then started off for her house where she was waiting on the porch. He was followed and they were killed. It fits all of the real evidence and then you find out which police officer sold the drugs to the boyfriend. He was on the stand.
So I think that OJ's general guilt for his living style was apparant but face it the glove did not fit and neither did any of the other evidence used against him. The evidence used in the trial was faked by the guilty police and DA's office and they were not even on the same team. Some policemen did not want the DA to win political office and some did.

Well Pluto has passed my Mercury at 18 Sag and approaches my ascendant at 29 Sag and then my sun at 6-7 Cap. Is there any more fun out there?

((((Judi)))) ((((Betsy))))

Those are hugs.

Malachy's Prophecies - The Last 10 Popes
1. The Burning Fire. PIUS X. 1903-1914. This Pope showed a burning passion for spiritual renewal in the Church.

2. Religion Laid Waste. BENEDICT XV. 1914-1922. During this Pope's reign saw Communism move into Russia where religious life was laid waste, and World War I with the death of millions of Christians who were carnage in Flanders Field and elsewhere.

3. Unshaken Faith. PIUS XI. 1922-1939. This Pope faced tremendous pressure from fascist and sinister powers in Germany and Italy, but he was an outspoken critic of Communism and Fascism which enraged Hitler.

4. An Angelic Shepherd. PIUS XII. 1939-1958. This Pope had an affinity for the spiritual world and received visions which have not been made public. Peter Bander says Pius XII "has emerged as one of the great Popes of all time," and he "was in the truest sense of the word an Angelic Pastor to the flock..."

5. Pastor and Mariner. JOHN XXIII. 1958-1963. John was a pastor to the world, much beloved, and the Patriarch of Venice. The connection to "mariner" is thus remarkable.

6. Flower of Flowers. PAUL VI. 1963-1978. Paul's coat-of-arms depicts three fleurs-de-lis, corresponding to Malachay's prophecy. His coat of arms included three fleurs-de-lis (iris blossoms).

7. Of the Half Moon. JOHN PAUL I. 1978-1978. John Paul I was elected Pope on August 26, 1978, when there was a half moon. He reigned 33 days, that is, about one month, when he died, although many think he was murdered. He was the 109th Pope - is "De Medietate Lunae" (Of the Half Moon). The corresponding pope was John Paul I (1978-78), who was born in the diocese of Belluno (beautiful moon) and was baptized Albino Luciani (white light). He became pope on August 26, 1978, when the moon appeared exactly half full. It was in its waning phase. He died the following month, soon after an eclipse of the moon.

8. The Labor of the Son. JOHN PAUL II. 1978-Present. John Paul II is the most travelled Pope in history. He has circled the globe numerous times, preaching to huge audiences everywhere he goes. Even though he was once shot, he has not seemed to slow down. He has recently written a book which has enjoyed a large circulation. Like the sun which never ceases to labor and provides light daily, this Pope has been incessant. John Paul II was born on May 18, 1920. On that date in the morning there was a near total eclipse of the sun over Europe. TProphecy - The 110th Pope is "De Labore Solis" (Of the Solar Eclipse, or, From the Toil of the Sun). The corresponding pope is John Paul II (1978-present). John Paul II was born on May 8, 1920 during an eclipse of the sun. Like the sun he came out of the East (Poland). Like the sun he has visited countries all around the globe while doing his work (he is the most-traveled pope in history).

9. The Glory of the Olive. The Order of St. Benedict has said this Pope will come from their order. It is interesting that Jesus gave his apocalyptic prophecy about the end of time from the Mount of Olives. This Pope will reign during the beginning of the tribulation Jesus spoke of. The 111th prophesy is "Gloria Olivae" (The Glory of the Olive). The Order of Saint Benedict has claimed that this pope will come from their ranks. Saint Benedict himself prophesied that before the end of the world his Order, known also as the Olivetans, will triumphantly lead the Catholic Church in its fight against evil.

10. PETER THE ROMAN - This final Pope will likely be Satan, taking the form of a man named Peter who will gain a worldwide allegiance and adoration. He will be the final antichrist which prophecy students have long foretold. If it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. The 112th prophesy states: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

Malachy's final words:

In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock among many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city (Rome, the seat of the Vatican) will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people.

The Washington Monthly:

"The investigation of Franklin is now shining a bright light on a shadowy struggle within the Bush administration over the direction of U.S. policy toward Iran. In particular, the FBI is looking with renewed interest at an unauthorized back-channel between Iranian dissidents and advisers in Feith's office, which more-senior administration officials first tried in vain to shut down and then later attempted to cover up.

"Franklin, along with another colleague from Feith's office, a polyglot Middle East expert named Harold Rhode, were the two officials involved in the back-channel, which involved on-going meetings and contacts with Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar and other Iranian exiles, dissidents and government officials. Ghorbanifar is a storied figure who played a key role in embroiling the Reagan administration in the Iran-Contra affair. The meetings were both a conduit for intelligence about Iran and Iraq and part of a bitter administration power-struggle pitting officials at DoD who have been pushing for a hard-line policy of 'regime change' in Iran, against other officials at the State Department and the CIA who have been counseling a more cautious approach."

If and when the Franklin case finally comes to trial, the courtroom deliberations could shed new light on the question of how and why we were lied into war. It will prove in a court of law what I have long contended: that the only way to understand this shameful episode in the history of American wars is to look at the series of "mistakes" and "miscalculations" as a covert operation carried out by agents of a foreign power. Contra the WMD report, it wasn't "tunnel vision" that led to a monumental "intelligence failure" – it was treason.

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=5423

.......................

http://salon.com/news/wire/2005/04/02/iraqi_general/print.html

U.S. forces may have beaten Iraqi general

Previously secret court testimony indicates an Iraqi general imprisoned by U.S. forces was badly bruised and may have been severely beaten two days before he died of suffocation during interrogation.

References to the alleged beating appear in a transcript, released under court order, from a military preliminary hearing for three soldiers charged with murder and dereliction of duty in the death of Maj. Gen. Abed Mowhoush on Nov. 26, 2003. A fourth soldier faces the same charges but waived a hearing.

During the interrogation, Army prosecutors claim Mowhoush was put headfirst into a sleeping bag, wrapped with electrical cord and knocked down before the soldiers sat and stood on him, prosecutors said. The cause of death was determined to be suffocation.

The defendants -- Chief Warrant Officers Lewis Welshofer and Jefferson Williams, Sgt. 1st Class William Sommer and Spc. Jerry Loper -- have all denied wrongdoing, saying commanders had sanctioned their actions.

According to the transcript, witnesses said others had also beaten Mowhoush days before the Army interrogation. Their names and agencies were blacked out.

Col. David A. Teeples, the men's commander, said during the closed hearing: "My thought was that the death of Mowhoush was brought about by .... (blacked out) and then it was unfortunate and accidental, what had happened under an interrogation by our people."

According to the transcript, Army special investigator Curtis Ryan testified that he found extensive bruising when he examined Mowhoush shortly after he died. "So, at some point prior to the 26th, he had been beaten," Ryan said.

An autopsy revealed that Mowhoush had also suffered broken ribs, testimony showed.

The military closed the hearing to the public shortly after it began in December, but The Denver Post successfully sued to open it, and the proceeding concluded this past week in open court. The transcript was released Thursday and posted on the Internet.

Fort Carson's commander, Maj. Gen. Robert Mixon, will decide whether the soldiers are court-martialed, after he receives a recommendation from the investigating officer, Capt. Robert Ayers. No timetable was set.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/4/2/20285/95736

Montana Legislature Bucks Patriot Act

i'll tell ya what... this is damn interesting NEWS... i could speculate on why it hasn't hit the msm but we all know what a waste of time and brainpower THAT is...

first we hear about gov. schweitzer giving the metaphorical finger to bush by requesting montana's nat'l guardsmen be returned from iraq in time to help with the forest fire season and now the legislature decides it has a few things to say too... strong stuff and so very, very cool...

2005 Montana Legislature

----------------

2005 Montana Legislature
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19

(more past the fold)

Diaries :: profmarcus's diary :: :: Trackback ::

A JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA SUPPORTING THE MONTANA CONSTITUTION, THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS; ENCOURAGING VARIOUS ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF FIGHTING TERRORISM AND PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES; REQUESTING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MONTANA TO COMPILE AND DISSEMINATE RELEVANT INFORMATION REGARDING ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE USA PATRIOT ACT; AND ENCOURAGING MONTANA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO SUPPORT AND ENSURE THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF ALL MONTANANS AND CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES, WHICH INCLUDES ALLOWING THE USA PATRIOT ACT TO EXPIRE.

 WHEREAS, the citizens of Montana recognize the Constitution of the United States as our charter of liberty and that the Bill of Rights enshrines the fundamental and inalienable rights of Americans, including the freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and privacy; and

     WHEREAS, each of Montana's duly elected public servants has sworn to defend and uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Montana; and

     WHEREAS, the citizens of Montana denounce and condemn all acts of terrorism by any entity, wherever the acts occur; and

     WHEREAS, terrorist attacks against Americans, such as those that occurred on September 11, 2001, have necessitated the crafting of effective laws to protect citizens of the United States and others from terrorist attacks; and

     WHEREAS, any new security measures of federal, state, and local governments should be carefully designed and employed to enhance public safety without infringing on the civil liberties and rights of innocent citizens of Montana and the United States; and

     WHEREAS, certain provisions of the "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001", also known as the USA PATRIOT Act, allow the federal government to more liberally detain and investigate citizens and to engage in surveillance activities that may violate or offend the rights and liberties guaranteed by our state and federal constitutions.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

     That the 59th Montana Legislature supports the government of the United States in its campaign against terrorism and affirms the commitment of the United States that the campaign not be waged at the expense of essential civil rights and liberties of citizens of this country that are protected in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that it is the policy of the citizens of Montana to oppose any portion of the USA PATRIOT Act that violates the rights and liberties guaranteed under the Montana Constitution or the United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.

 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in accordance with Montana state policy, in the absence of reasonable suspicion of criminal activity under Montana law, the 59th Montana Legislature exhorts agents and instrumentalities of this state to not:

     (1) initiate or participate in or assist or cooperate with an inquiry, investigation, surveillance, or detention under the USA PATRIOT Act if the action violates constitutionally guaranteed civil rights or civil liberties;

     (2) record, file, or share intelligence information concerning a person or organization, including library lending and research records, book and video store sales and rental records, medical records, financial records, student records, and other personal data, even if authorized under the USA PATRIOT Act, if the action violates constitutionally guaranteed civil rights or civil liberties; or

     (3) retain any of the intelligence information described in subsections (1) and (2) of this clause if the information violates constitutionally guaranteed civil rights or civil liberties.

holy shit, folks... i am awestruck at their clarity and courage... hats off...

Montana is looking like the place to live.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/print/wake_up/

Wake Up!

Washington's alarming foreign policy

The Rubicon is a small stream in northern Italy just south of the city of Ravenna. During the prime of the Roman Republic, roughly the last two centuries B.C., it served as a northern boundary protecting the heartland of Italy and the city of Rome from its own imperial armies. An ancient Roman law made it treason for any general to cross the Rubicon and enter Italy proper with a standing army. In 49 B.C., Julius Caesar, Rome’s most brilliant and successful general, stopped with his army at the Rubicon, contemplated what he was about to do, and then plunged south. The Republic exploded in civil war, Caesar became dictator and then in 44 B.C. was assassinated in the Roman Senate by politicians who saw themselves as ridding the Republic of a tyrant. However, Caesar’s death generated even more civil war, which ended only in 27 B.C. when his grand nephew, Octavian, took the title Augustus Caesar, abolished the Republic and established a military dictatorship with himself as “emperor” for life. Thus ended the great Roman experiment with democracy. Ever since, the phrase “to cross the Rubicon” has been a metaphor for starting on a course of action from which there is no turning back. It refers to the taking of an irrevocable step.

I believe that on November 2, 2004, the United States crossed its own Rubicon. Until last year’s presidential election, ordinary citizens could claim that our foreign policy, including the invasion of Iraq, was George Bush’s doing and that we had not voted for him. In 2000, Bush lost the popular vote and was appointed president by the Supreme Court. In 2004, he garnered 3.5 million more votes than John Kerry. The result is that Bush’s war changed into America’s war and his conduct of international relations became our own.

This is important because it raises the question of whether restoring sanity and prudence to American foreign policy is still possible. During the Watergate scandal of the early ’70s, the president’s chief of staff, H. R. Haldeman, once reproved White House counsel John Dean for speaking too frankly to Congress about the felonies President Nixon had ordered. “John,” he said, “once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it’s very hard to get it back in.” This homely warning by a former advertising executive who was to spend 18 months in prison for his own role in Watergate fairly accurately describes the situation of the United States after the reelection of George W. Bush.

More....

According to Astrodatabank.com Pope John Paul II was born at 5:30 pm in Wadowice, Poland. May 18 1920. I think Stariq has the time at 12:30 pm. The 5:30 chart works very well. 27Libra on the ascendent (placidus houses) and 5Leo on the MC. Neptune and Jupiter conjunct at 8 and 11 Leo respectively.
It's soggy out here tonight. I am weary. I tuned in to find some rest. I got some. Thanks.

Thank you Beasley. Did you see the cart for Vatican II. Wow.

http://www.astrodatabank.com/NM/VaticanII.htm

Just a wonderful reflection on your own experience coinciding with the current transformation Sally, thanks for sharing.

"10. PETER THE ROMAN - This final Pope will likely be Satan, taking the form of a man named Peter who will gain a worldwide allegiance and adoration. He will be the final antichrist which prophecy students have long foretold. If it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. The 112th prophesy states: "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The End."

Don't quite see how the source quoted above arrives at the conclusion that the final pope will be AntiChrist. I get quite the opposite from Malachi's statement, which, by the way, was probably added long after.

Mars...just heard on MSNBC on Chris Matthews (I can't stand him) that Juan Pablo II modeled himself on St. Peter. The Rock of the Ages. He was steadfast in his faith, which ALSO is fairly consistent for a Taurus.

So much good - and not good.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050402/D897FNB80.html

Pat C....great stuff again...thanks for the (((( )))) and to you too...
MONTANA....rocks!
What a day!
WV....thanks for posting the prophecies....I was going to go look for them but couldn't remember who made them....and I believe there was another guy, Irish, 9th century who made same prophecies, or do I have them confused?

I think I remember reading that Rome would be a ball of fire....might have been Nostradamus, though.

Pat C, I have always felt that about Montana, and I am floored.
For years I've been telling everyone that I am going to die in Montana.
I'm sure now that it is a very special spot in the universe. And it is beautiful.

jm, THANK YOU so much for your insight on the 12th house, etc. i clipped and saved it for future reference. it was very insightful!

and wv, thanks for scaring the s*$# out of me with those prophesies. well, if the next pope is not a benedictine, we're ok.

i'm tire of this stupid mercury retrograde. for years, i'd contact my astrologer during these fun periods...just like clockwork. now, thanks to AW, i just log on here and whine (and yes i'd like some cheese).

happy equinox and joyeux daylight savings time.

On a lighter, more trivial level: "Are Charles & Camilla really going to be married on the 8th, she a cancer, he a scorpio? What were they thinking? Didn't anyone think about consulting an astrologer for crying out loud? Charles' father uses one so it's not an alien concept!

Hey Ho, Brother Mike!

I am hoping that your big, bright magnificent Sun in Leo will help us through our second Saturn return. We've got a stage to get on.

I'm counting on you.

There's still common sense at work in Amerika.
Remember when breaking news of Mark Thatcher's African coup plot was posted here!
Now that he has been convicted..he's been denied a visa to enter this country!
He had planned to settle in Dallas Texas. ( with the rest of the rattlers?) and now will have to import his family from Dallas to Europe!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4405755.stm

Pat QOP

I was trying to catch some zzzz's but was aroused by some thoughts.

I feel good about the Pope's death. It was clean, fast, graceful, and dignified.
It is so strange, juxtaposed with Terri Schiavo's death which was so ugly, frightening, and haunting with all that sleazy Jesus behavior around it.

And lo, Saturn....

Bush looks bad. He was just slapped hard by the judges of his very own country. And he will now be associated with Terri's death in stark contrast to the Pope's. He is trying to capitalize on the class of the Pope's exit and quickly cover up his boorish, brutal, cheap and sickening behavior, but how can it work?

The truth is staring at us.

We'll see.

I also think with the death of the Pope there is a dearth of spiritual leadership, and it might emerge from us, the common folk, so close to the end of Pluto in Sag.
The Moon/Saturn opposition at his death, in mutual reception, will hopefully help us grow up and take some responsibilty for our spiritual well-being. Our Daddies are going on trips.

There certainly seems to be a dearth of corpo-religious leadership at this time, jm... TaHA!! Good riddance, I say!!

Yeah, Joanna.

DEARTH TO THEM ALL!!!!!

according to Nostradamus: there will be 2 more popes. The final pope will be the TOOL of the antichrist. His reign is an omen of the final downfall of the church.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congress generous with pensions -- their own
Social Security debate puts public eye on politicians' guaranteed retirement plans
- Stewart M. Powell, Hearst Newspapers
Sunday, April 3, 2005

Washington -- While the White House and Congress explore ways to fix Social Security -- whether to cut benefits, raise taxes or impose a higher retirement age -- one segment of the 52 million Americans who get retirement benefits is likely to remain untouched: the lawmakers themselves.

There are no serious proposals for Congress to cut its own pension plan or raise the retirement age or years of service required for senators and representatives to qualify for benefits that are beyond the reach of most working Americans.

Members of the House and Senate, who earn $162,100 a year, haven't taken a hard look at their own pension program since 1983, when Congress brought lawmakers into the Social Security system for the first time.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/04/03/MNGK1C2HA71.DTL&type=printable

My friend and I were just saying that it is the strong leadership of very spiritual individuals like the Pope and the Lubavitch Rebbe who can be credited with keeping something alive that is worth preserving. Without them, the origins of these religions would become even more adulterated and organized religion would have even more variation than it does. There is something about commitment and adherence to standards that works on many levels, particularly when bringing up children, but, really, in all relationships. The people who are clear and true give the rest of us the freedom to play around, so to speak, but without them, something important might be lost, probably to come back in different clothing. Is that a good thing? Will it happen anyway? One of the main reasons we have religion/morality is to keep society at a certain level so it doesn't disintigrate into lawlessness and criminal behavior. And, religion has the added spiritual element, as opposed to having a pure police state without spirituality. Yes, we all need to become our own spiritual leaders, as well as part of a spiritual circle, but, human nature being what it is, I think it will always be helpful to have leaders. Many in society just don't have the discipline and inner resources.

This is from Norma Gentile's newsletter, and, in contrast to what I said above, she feels that the lesson associated with the pope's death is to, of course, be able to create a direct relationship, not through another. All of this is good, and many indigenous people's practice it, but it still doesn't solve the problem that I see of an organized, spiritual, group of standars, morals, rules, what have you, being needed to control this huge population on earth so that there is order and civilization :-) I'm not saying that organized religion should stay in its present form, but it does have an important place in society. Here's Norma's newsletter (sorry if it is taking up too much bandwidth, Sally, but I think it's good stuff:-)

April Newsletter
THE NEW

Things that should have finished long ago are ending now. Whether or not we are ready to let go of them. Death reflects the need to release the old in order to make room for the new. As one who has stewarded souls at death, I know there is great joy in the soul at the moment of crossing into spirit.

In this Newsletter:
1. THE NEW - an article about the energy of today and tomorrow, March 31-April 1
2. THE RIPENING FRIUT - a channeled message from Mary
3. Events - April 10th Home Gathering in Michigan
- May 7 and May 10 in Tampa, Florida

Notice old cycles and patterns from months or years ago cropping up this past week or so? You aren't alone. This is part of how we experience patterns as they release; we see the 'backside' of the pattern. If we hold onto the pattern, it gets stuck. If we acknowledge that it is old, and there might be a little bit left, we keep it moving.

At this moment in time (8pm EST, Thursday, March 31, 2005) the three realities that have been coexisting in our world are collapsing into one single reality. This will take a day or a few days. During this process we experience the sensation of past issues arising as we choose what to take into the new single reality, and what to discard.

For many weeks we as a planet have been dragging our collective feet about discarding certain issues. Some of these collective issues come to focus in people who have, at a soul level, agreed to give them a face. People who give external focus to these issues serve to remind us to look inward for what within ourselves is awakened, and ready to change.

When I look at the US national newscasts, I see these patterns in the top stories. For more than a week, there has been an obsession with Terri Schiavo, the Pope, and Michael Jackson.

What do they all have in common? Each represents an aspect of collective consciousness that we are discarding as we move into a single reality.

They are all out of time. Each one reflects a reality that no longer exists in the new singular reality. It is as if each one has been pulled forward into this time line. In the case of the Pope, it feels as if he died a few months ago. In the case of Terri Schiavo, it is as if she died 5 or 6 years ago, and in the case of Michael Jackson as if he disappeared from public view two or three years ago.

Everyone perceives psychic energy in his or her unique way. There is no one explanation. When I watch the newscasts, I feel like I am watching a review of past news. And then I feel the distance from my current time to the time that the news show is talking about.

In all three cases, there is a sense of a stretching out of energy. It's like a rubber band, with one end held in the time period of origin, and the other stretched tightly to reach into this moment of time.

I wonder what this is showing us about the rest of our world? What else doesn't belong here?

My own learning and knowing about energy rules says that what I give my attention to grows. So as we all give attention to these stories, they grow. I wonder then, from what is our attention being diverted?

This is not a 'super secret plot' sort of wondering. It is merely an observation. If I am, for example, transfixed upon an external event, how able am I to notice the similar inner event in myself?

The energy currents that are pulling these people into the spotlight are also pulling past currents of our own lives forward. If we look at what is surfacing from the past in ourselves, then the public figures will have done their work.

In the Pope I see our own ability to stand and know ourselves as sacred. He represents the old way - to get to God you worship another. Where in myself am I putting another person or institution before my own inner knowing and prescience? The Pope gifts me by bringing up the old pattern externally, so I can feel it and readjust my own internal world. As he passes, I bless him for helping me see this in myself.

Michael Jackson brings denial to the stage. How blinded by the spotlight of our own lives are we that we do not see? Where in my life can I learn about myself, by deeply listening to other's consul? What do I not want to see, that my close friends can see so clearly?

Terri Schiavo brings issues of fundamental trust. Do we trust in life and death enough to let go and let those around us behave according to their own journey? As we judge others, we feel the pressure of their energies against us, pushing us to behave as they do. As we notice the judgments we have towards others, and laugh about how silly we are to live another's life for them, the pressure subsides. They focus on their life; we focus on our own lives.

If this isn't clear, try this analogy - if energy moves in one direction, then it moves equally in the opposite direction. This is a simplified version of Einstein's “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. When I think someone is not doing something right, that thought becomes energy. That energy arrives at their body, and voila, a wave of equal energy comes back at me, saying that I am not doing the right thing. If one of us catches it, it stops. It not, we continue to hit the energy ball back and forth, adding to it with each pass. In time even the mention of the person's name brings up the energy. What to do but avoid the person and situation! Or start to dismantle the beliefs that have been built about how the other person should live, should behave, should do things. It only takes one person to dismantle the energy ball, piece-by-piece, belief-by-belief.

This is the gift that Terri Schiavo has offered - trust. Trust that the decisions you make for yourself reflect yourself. Trust that others are making the decisions that fit their own soul's journey, even if the decision is simply where to have lunch. Let them be. This is an act of love; to allow others to create and dis-create their own lives, even if we believe they are creating pain in the process.

We each have the right to create pain as well as joy in our life's journey. How often Lahiri has reminded me that my heart opens through joy or sorrow, and it is my choice which to create. Trusting that each person can choose for themselves empowers them to choose the finest path available to them in the moment.

Let the past current come up to your awareness. If they are kicking and screaming, it is time to ask someone in your life to empower you to change them. They are only visible because you are indeed ready to let them go, and step into this new single reality.

My best to each of you, and blessings to all who read this,
-Norma Gentile
with Atamira (Hathor)
___________________________
-from Mary
THE RIPENING FRUIT

You know the one road that leads to singular annihilation. Your path is to find your own compassion in your heart. When you do this, you build another road.

You, and many other humans, join together to build this other pathway.

There is a fruit on the vine, the vine of humanity. There is a fruit of love. The fruit of love is indeed the fruit from which all creation feeds. As each fruit comes to full ripeness, as each heart within physical form learns to sing the Creator's song, there is a joy in gathering each of these fruits into the Creator's basket.

Returning home in this form is, for some, not the soul's journey at this time. Returning home is not yet a reality for many. The soul, all portions of it, rests very gently into the earth plane, and yet finds its home, finds its glory, finds its growth in all those things that it most denied and detested in the earth plane.

We would suggest that the restful ease that comes with our energy might be one to lean back into. The restful ease might be energy to take a bit of respite within. Know this restful ease. Allow it to enfold you, and feel the smoothness.

You are not used to feeling your own energy. You feel that clarity, that ease and lightness that would let you spring up and leap, and yet you feel empty. You wear so many overcoats; you are not yet accustomed to simply wearing your energy alone.

Being naked in the sun is equivalent to wearing merely your energy. You cover and clothe yourselves in the energies of others, even our energies. This is not needed. Become aware of the clarity of just your energy. This is you, each of you, in your own glory. Still and clear and light, this is your energy in tune with who you are. There is no vibration, no shaking, and no heaviness. Clear and still. Be.

Mary
-through Norma Gentile

i just realized something. there was only one world leader who actually spoke out against and worked against violence as a tool of foreign policy. it was the pope! he was quite consistent about this and really put in on the line, particularly with the iraq war. this message was obscrured by the shrill american right to "life" mivement and the deplorable sex scandal (which brought deserved bad publicity). nevertheless, the pope was 'walkin tall' his entire career saying war is an abomination!

who else says that, violence is unacceptable! period! it is a sin against god/universe! nobody right now. that's what we need in a leader, ADVOCATE PEACE, deplore violence.

--
re: Saturn Return, mine, bring..it..on..i figure if * can get re elected president under his, mine will be refreshing.

from a cousin of mine in ORegon:

In the Oregonian Commentary Section they have a column named "Short and Sweet".
Today's favorite is:

.....Other than telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest,
educate our children, and now, how to die, I think the Republicans
have done a fine job of getting government out of our personal lives..........

and from the letters to the editor in SF Chronicle this morning:

Pope's paradox

Editor -- The dying/dead pope's failures speak volumes.

He spoke out against consumerism and materialism and lived and dressed in magnificent splendor. He spoke out against homosexuals, and millions agreed with him continuing the rancorous prejudice that persists in the world against gays and lesbians. He spoke out against poverty, hunger and homelessness, yet he condemned birth control and abortion, so that the poorest people in Africa and India continue to suffer from overpopulation.

He prayed for peace but received warmly heads of state whose governments continually killed others to exercise their will. He called for the rights of women so long as they did not want to become priests and bishops. He is called a symbol of unity in a church sliding down in numbers of clergy and fleeing, disillusioned lay people.

Whatever good he stood for is diminished by the pain and suffering caused by his obdurate pronouncements.

ROBERT WARREN CROMEY
Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church San Francisco

Some people NEED organized religion. Some people need to find grace within themselves. Some people are just plain unevolved and need discipline. (Why must people say it has to be just ONE way?)
Since people are apparently using earth to evolve, I keep thinking of what Sally said about horrifying experiences leading to a good outcome (while we are led kicking and screaming to that end - mostly because of FEAR).....our earth experiences help us evolve. We need the pain! Looks to me like people in power are trying their best to provide it, too....even while professing a reverence for LIFE.

Blessed Be, Sharon, I don't share your optimistic view of religious leaders... & there's a universe of diff between "religious" & "spiritual" in my reckoning. The catholic church, & their derivatives, have practiced throughout the centuries the very same behaviors as US/UK dominators at Abu Ghraib & Guantanamo & really, countless others. The pope, who has just passed over, had plenty of opportunities to address the rape of children by his priests for example, but did not until the victims hollored loud & clear thru the courts... even then it was tepid.

But he's not the only one by any stretch of the imagination. I see people as intrinsically whole with unlimited capacity for loving creativity & joy... not seen for a long, long time on this Planet... but they are certainly worked over into "little dumb children" in need of holy men to tell them what to do, & so they give up their power, always hoping that what they experience & see is not really the truth. Most times, it seems that fantasy is the only thing People have left on which to get by, so injury & insult is heaped upon the previous injury & insult.

I might add I have some experience of what I speak having spend ten years in a catholic religious order. For the most part, Good riddance. ;O)

Joanna OR....I had to laugh about your post....I once did a week workshop in Tucson at a dude ranch...one of my roomates in the cabin (4 of us, very diverse backgrounds) was ex - nun also. We asked what she did when she got out of the convent and she said she "f**ked her way through LA"....

Just to prove that suppressing ALL for ONE way of living leads to the pendulumn swinging the other way. At least, in a few souls!

Recall his ominous response to "Liberation Theology"?

http://www.questia.com/library/religion/theology/liberation-theology.jsp

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/005/449gjzam.asp

A Great Christian
John Paul II was beloved by Protestants, too, because he was the world's greatest defender of orthodox, Bible-based Christianity.

EVANGELICAL PROTESTANTS loved Pope John Paul II. Many felt more in harmony with him than with the leaders of their own denomination. I attend an Episcopal church and I certainly preferred the Pope. He was the world's greatest defender of orthodox, Bible-based Christianity. The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church and possibly a majority of its bishops are among the great diluters of classical Christianity.

The truth is evangelicals could admire the Pope without wanting to convert to Catholicism. Sure, important differences remained between Protestants and Catholics, but John Paul II made them seem small. He was pro-life, pro-family, anti-totalitarian, and quite a lot more that conservative evangelicals identified with. Richard Land, a prominent Southern Baptist leader, once told a Catholic friend that Pope John Paul II was a "Pope who really knows how to pope." I suspect what Land meant in using "pope" as a verb was that John Paul was bold and unswerving in proclaiming salvation through belief in Jesus Christ. He did this all over the world, despite declining health and personal risk.

During John Paul's 27 years as Pope, evangelical Protestants and conservative Catholics grew closer together in America's culture wars. There was a kind of "ecumenism of the trenches," said scholar Timothy George. They agreed on the need to protect--or in some cases, to revive--traditional values and to insist on a place for people of faith, particularly Christians, in public life.

After the Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion in 1973, Catholics provided most of the energy and the

troops for the pro-life movement. But by the late 1970s and early 1980s, conservative Protestants were joining in large numbers. They not only were welcomed, but they felt comfortable being allied with Catholics in the era of Pope John Paul II.

More...

remember, kids, DO NOT FEED THE BEAST!!!

:-)

In the strong belief that everything happens for a reason and that those in your life who challenge you are there to help you recognize something, I feel compelled to Thank You, "Joe", for posting again.

I was feeling a bit down today, but, after seeing you once again insert yourself and your views into our OnLine Community, I suddenly realized I have a great deal to be grateful for.

Thankfully my life is full, my sense of self and my place in the lives of those who love me is strong, my doubts and concerns about belonging or getting attention are few and, all in all, I absolutely love my life. No need for me to kick up dust to get noticed.

So, thank you, Joe, for popping up again. You helped me to see that my life isn't as pathetic as I had momentarily feared it was.

And, yes, I have fed a lot of beasts. But, surprisingly, most of them turned out to have teeny-tiny appetites and eventually turned tail and ran. :-)

Bless you and may you find happiness and contentment.

'Nuff said.

who else says violence is unacceptable?

The Daili Lama!

Who has traveled the world spreading the message of Peace and Forgiveness?

The Dalai Lama!

When asked his feelings for the Chinese he
replies, "Compassion".

He is a true Holy man who can't get invited to
the White House as no President has ever had the
balls to invite him to dinner. He visits this country time and time again and rarely gets any
news coverage. The Pope comes and closes down cities and leaves them with huge debts for police
and other civic overtime. The media break their
behinds to cover him, and then try to figure out
out theyt can get awards for their coverage.(This
I know from personal experience.)

Further, the Dalai Lama doesn think he is infallible.

And, to our wonderful regulars, please forgive me for breaking my own imposed "rule" re: feeding and all. But it was such a wonderful moment of clarity I had and really helped to negate the sadness of that Being's energy that I had to share it.

As you were ...

"I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness...." -- Dalai Lama

"Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0403-25.htm
Why Media Ownership Matters

George Bush must have been delighted to learn from a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll that 56 percent of Americans still think Iraq had weapons of mass destruction before the start of the war, while six in 10 said they believe Iraq provided direct support to the al-Qaida terrorist network — notions that have long since been thoroughly debunked by everyone from the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee to both of Bush's handpicked weapons inspectors, Charles Duelfer and David Kay.

Americans believe these lies not because they are stupid, but because they are good media consumers. Our media have become an echo chamber for those in power. Rather than challenge the fraudulent claims of the Bush administration, we've had a media acting as a conveyor belt for the government's lies.

As the Pentagon has learned, deploying the American media is more powerful than any bomb. The explosive effect is amplified as a few pro-war, pro-government media moguls consolidate their grip over the majority of news outlets. Media monopoly and militarism go hand in hand.

When it comes to issues of war and peace, the results of having a compliant media are as deadly to our democracy as they are to our soldiers. Why do the corporate media cheerlead for war? One answer lies in the corporations themselves — the ones that own the major news outlets.

At the time of the first Persian Gulf War, CBS was owned by Westinghouse and NBC by General Electric. Two of the major nuclear weapons manufacturers owned two of the major networks. Westinghouse and GE made most of the parts for many of the weapons in the Persian Gulf War. It was no surprise, then, that much of the coverage on those networks looked like a military hardware show.

We see reporters in the cockpits of war planes, interviewing pilots about how it feels to be at the controls. We almost never see journalists at the target end, asking people huddled in their homes what it feels like not to know what the next moment will bring.
The media have a responsibility to show the true face of war. It is bloody. It is brutal. Real people die. Women and children are killed. Families are wiped out; villages are razed. If the media would show for one week the same unsanitized images of war that the rest of the world sees, people in the U.S. would say no, that war is not an answer to conflict in the 21st century.

More....

Ah, life is good.

Heavens, Joanna! I celebrate your release from bondage! You really DO know.

Mike, you have not failed me. What a good point about the S. Return. I knew I could count on you.

Whatever is said, the Pope was another icon. And I am, and probably always will be, an iconoclast. Somebody's got to do it.

Leaders are one thing. They are like scouts who look ahead and plot the path according to the terrain. We give them too much power. Then complain when we feel stripped. If they just stuck to their job description, it might be OK.

And absolutely anyone who claims to have divine power is suspect. Something always bothers me about the way they raise their arms over the people in some sort of simulated blessing.

But God love'em all.

I appreciate what's been said in the last number of posts about peace and love. I especially appreciate Joanna O's perspective, even more so knowing your experiene, Joanna. And, of course, dear Jonathan's. And, Joe's also. (Hmmm...lot's of names beginning with J participate. I had heard it was a Sagittarian letter).

I was just talking with my sister-in-law yesterday who's been studying the Kaballah a bit and the message was the same. She has learned there that happiness is our divine purpose. We are created for happiness, delight, love, joy.

When we are happy, we can really love, we want to love, and we spread love, gentleness, delight, humor, caring, compassion (my elaboration here).

You may or may not know that the Dali Lama had a meeting with 7 Rabbis from all denominations about 10-15 years ago to find out how Jews survived in exile. I think I remember hearing that he came to the conclusion that there was a lot in common there. It was a wonderful, wonderful occasion and one of my neighbors both filmed it and wrote a book about it ("The Jew in the Lotus")

Each world religion began with a message from G-d and has that truth at its core. There still is so much beauty in our religions. Unfortunately, religion has been used as a basis for moralistic rightousness and even murder by man, when we established earlier that as humans, are we really qualified to dispense G-d's justice? We have evolved a legal system that has had much thought, blood, sweat and tears put into it. It is imperfect. But, does man have any right to say he knows G-d's will at all times, particularly since much of the old and new Testament was filtered through the minds of humans. I feel only certain parts of it are G-d's truth. And we all know that the old testament was written many, many years after Jesus. Same goes for the old testament. I am just beginning to read "Who Wrote the Bible?"

The Pope was a celebrity but he used his celebrity to do good and spread good. Yes, the Catholic Church seems to have a lot of wealth, etc., but it is not for one man to overhaul everything. It would have been nice if he were more like St. Francis of Assisi, but, in his own special way, this Pope was a great, great soul.

Namaste.

Of course, I meant to say the New Testament was written many, many years after Jesus walked the earth. It was not written by him. And various church activists and rulers changed Christianity as they so desired. I'm sure that's true of all our religions. Yet something wonderful still survives.

If anyone has ever been in the presence of a truly
holy spiritual person, they know it. There is a peace, a serenity, a holiness, an aura around them.

It is apparent that Karol Woytila (sp) Pope John Paul ll was one of these people.

Was he wrong on many matters? yes. Did he do the right thing on many matters? yes. After all, he was still human.

I'm not Catholic and not Christian - but I admire the good things he has done, the corrections to wrongs done by the church for 2000 years and his apology in the name of the Church for them; his respect for other religions, his apology for the wickedness of the Church for the Crusades against Muslims killing thousands, his apology for the wickedness of the Church for the Inquisition and the killing of Jews and the Church falsely blaming Jews for the death of Jesus; his declaration that offenses against these other religions were an offense and sin against God.

These are the important things he did.

Abortion? Abortion is legal in all the rest of the world including Italy; it has only been in the last century in America that it has become a major topic of controversy.

TO JOE - how unchristian of you. how judgmental of you - not in the footsteps of the Pope or any
legitimate Christianity. You spout the extremist christianity of hate, the hijacked cultist American extremists - the christian jihadists in America. You need to take a good look at your beliefs. Shame. And apparently you hate women. That's a sickness.

I don;t agree with the Catholic church's thought on abortion. If one has to go along with that belief JOE, everytime you, JOE, have a wet dream, or masturbate you JOE are killing a potential human being. Since you are so jihadist holy and so judgmental on the subject of abortion I assume you don;t participate in those acivities.

You need to look at the things you post to others
you don;t agree with. Attacking and hate don't leave room for understanding or discussion.
You have repeatedly posted with hate and insult here- is it any wonder no one pays attention to you.

Go and seek your level of christianity with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, JOE. Your level of spirituality, or rather the lack of it, has no place here.

Sharon,

As usual, we're pretty much on the same page.

Maybe if one took away the gold, the jewels, the expensive costumes and all the indulgences that have stripped the earth of her resources, we might find a holy man. It's hard to say.

In the end, he is just a man.
A man who did some good things.
We can applaud those, and also remember the faults.
Another human being.

Interesting.

A High Jewish Rabbi (in the tradition of Kaballah or Lebovitch - the mystic sects) just said on tv that "their belief is that there are 36 righteous indiviuals who keep the world going - and we have just lost one."

This is the first time I've ever heard of this and find it really interesting.

Just came from the first Sunday of the month astrology meeting of the Princeton Astrological Society. Naturally, the Pope's chart was up. Also T. Schiavo. The lone Repbulican of the group to whom I have referred before, who says he's not a Republican, but a independent says that the potassium level in Shiavo's blood was due to a heart attack. And that he thinks Michael Shiavo is trying to occlude evidence by having the body creamated. (sp?) I silently disagree. I saw pictures of her right before she had the heart attack. I personally feel she was anorectic/bulemic, and just because her husband and parents saw no evidence of this doesn't not make it so. Hidden behaviours can be hidden for a long time.
Jacob Schwartz was also there ( you know, the guy who predicted Shrub would win due to certain asteroids) and he thinks Shrub will die in office, that Cheney will be impeached around 2006, and that the Republicans are splitting because many don't like they way the money is going, nor the separation of church and state.
Already, Senator Danforth is already making noises about the latter. I did notice Uranus in the 11th house of this administration, and I also thought that Shrub would lose his congress. Not being an expert in astrology, I am never sure of what I see.
The lecture was on the Astrology of weather. Interesting. Carolyn Kelly. The prediction for New Jersey, WET.
Thought I would throw this out here for comment if anybody is interested.
Best to all,

Beasley,

There are some pretty famous astrologers down Princeton way.

One of them, who along with his wife, now deceased has written many books, can't think of his/her name right now, is a Professor at Princeton. And allowed someone to write his thesis for a doctorate at Princeton on astrology.

Can't think of his name either.

But the school put a stop to it after that. There's one person walking around in this world with a doctorate in astrology from Princeton.

LOL.

I hadn't seen your previous posts about this person, but was he giving the info about the Schiavos from his reading of astrology charts
or from personal opinion? And is he a good astrologer?

Boy...frustrating that Joe's comments have been removed....I mean, were they that juicy or different from previous times? I remember telling him off a few times...

Look what happens when you step out for a moment....and miss all the brouhaha....

Beasley...thos astro predictions are similar to what I received in psychic form. Without looking at any charts. Can't find my books since I moved!

I am still looking for other prophecies on how many popes are left to serve...and WHY.

Sally started a new thread.

And as long as prophecies are being placed, here are:
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/pandora.htm
John of the Cleft Rock (14th Century)
Towards the end of the world, tyrants and hostile mobs will rob the Church and the clergy of all their possessions and will afflict and martyr them. Those who heap the most abuse upon them will be held in high esteem.

At that time, the Pope with his cardinals will have to flee Rome in tragic circumstances to a place where they will be unknown. The Pope will die a cruel death in his exile. The sufferings of the Church will be much greater than at any previous time in her history. But God will raise a holy Pope, and the Angels will rejoice. Enlightened by God, this man will rebuild almost the whole world through his holiness. He will lead everyone to the true Faith. (Yves Dupont, Catholic Prophecy, Tan Books and Publishers, 1973)

Maria Laach Monastery (16th Century)
The twentieth century will bring death and destruction, apostasy from the Church, discord in families, cities and governments; it will be the century of three great wars with intervals of a few decades. They will become ever more devastating and bloody and will lay in ruins not only Germany, but finally all countries of East and West.

After a terrible defeat of Germany will follow the next great war. There will be no bread for people anymore and no fodder for animals. Poisonous clouds, manufactured by human hands, will sink down and exterminate everything. The human mind will be seized by insanity.

Don't remember whether it was a prophecy or an extrapolation of fact, I read somewhere recently that the Muslims were going to and are overriding Southern Europe - over 6 million in France alone, now, so the first prophecy makes sense.

"John of the Cleft Rock (14th Century)
Towards the end of the world, tyrants and hostile mobs will rob the Church and the clergy of all their possessions and will afflict and martyr them. Those who heap the most abuse upon them will be held in high esteem.
At that time, the Pope with his cardinals will have to flee Rome in tragic circumstances to a place where they will be unknown. "

And this one could be still referring (hopefully)to the war against Japan which has already happened.

"After a terrible defeat of Germany will follow the next great war. There will be no bread for people anymore and no fodder for animals. Poisonous clouds, manufactured by human hands, will sink down and exterminate everything. The human mind will be seized by insanity. "

Unfortunately, on the other hand with the major planetary aspects coming up in the next 15 years it could yet be to come.

I don't think we have to worry about Muslims. I don't what percentage are actively seeking jihad but I'd be surprised if it were a large one. Even if *'s invasion of Iraq caused it to increase, it may not be all that high.

Much of the reading I do say that many predictions were already avoided - that we are on a different track. May that be so.

Beasley,
You make me homesick! I heard Robert Hand lecture at that Princeton meeting years ago. Jacob was my teacher.
I sure hope he is right on with his prediction!!!!

I have copied off the Montana Legislature's Senate Joint Resolution. And the Veterns for Peace post from the Baltimore Chronicle.Thanks for those posts Pat C & Jo.
The Veterans for Peace, Peace & Justice, Work for Peace,and assorted Dems & Progressives have planned for Town meetings in the offices of Senators Snow, Collins And Congressman Michaud's offices in Bangor, mid April. In their trial run last week, the group discovered, that we out here at a distance are actually more aware of the big picture, than those intimately involved, in the Wash. scene. The aids they met with were suprised at some of the info imparted, and very receptive to learning more! ( that was Collins aides,) Michaud is right on top of it! We met with him last Fri. on SS. What a savy man! But then he IS a DEMOCRAT!
One more observation. Last week on the McLaughlin Group, Eleanor Clift at last talked louder than the others and got to finish what she wanted to say. I've always been annoyed that the menon that show, outshouted her.
How tragic that the imminent death of her husband was the catylist!
Pat QOP

From Sally's opening... "If you are walking through hell, just keep on walking." (Winston Churchill)

I just read this in the local paper.... "Sometimes the only way home is through hell."

Profound indeed!

I agree with you .
http://www.gugu.pl/ wyszukiwarka cenowa
http://www.agdrtv.com/, wow ale nie waw
http://www.agdrtv.com/notebooki/ , camisony nexoo
http://www.lg.agdrtv.com/ , który nie ten lienergee
http://www.toshiba.agdrtv.com/ laptop ale ktomenistecoon
http://www.sony.agdrtv.com/ , a gdzie nim
http://www.samsung.agdrtv.com/ , tam ale nie tu
http://www.siemens.agdrtv.com/ niemiecka marka lae takimotoe
http://www.panasonic.agdrtv.com/ , kiedy kolwiek
http://www.agdrtv.com/kamery_cyfrowe/ , sony whirlpool
http://www.gugu.pl/5/ wózki dziecięce
http://www.agdrtv.com/telewizory_lcd/ , telewizory plazmowe jvc
http://www.agdrtv.com/telewizory_plazmowe/ , hoover pralki
http://www.agdrtv.com/pralki/ , zmywarki promocje
http://www.agdrtv.com/lodowki/ , kuchnie amica
http://www.hp.agdrtv.com/ , a gdzie nim
http://www.eeeby.pl/ wyszukiwarka cenowa
http://www.camcoo.com/ lcd dvd i inne
http://www.gugu.pl/8/ dla dziecka foteliki
http://www.kancelaria.prawna.info/ oki doki mocki pocki
http://www.gugu.pl/5/ wózki dziecięce
http://www.acer.agdrtv.com/ acer notebooki
http://www.fujitsu-siemens.agdrtv.com/ sklep fujitsu siemens laptopy
http://www.gugu.pl/12/ łóżeczka dla dzieci
http://www.whirlpool.agdrtv.com/ pralki i piekarniki whirlpool
http://www.camcoo.net/ camcoo katalogo stonico