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The Word "No"
The word “no” is the most difficult word in the English language. It is the most treacherous to say and the most stressful to hear. No one likes to have limits set upon their wants, which is what “no” is really about. And no one enjoys the angry or abandoning reaction that setting those limits can engender. But those who are unable to tolerate these uncomfortable emotions have not successfully graduated to a state of true emotional maturity and psychological health. Such dysfunction extends across a broad continuum, from minor neurosis to major psychopathology. But it is inevitably this inability to tolerate the setting of limits or to set limits that is at the source of most of the problems in the world today. Whether it be the relationship between parent and child, husband and wife, or an individual and the law, the capacity to honor and respect the appropriate boundaries defines the health of the relationship. Those who manipulate and bully because they cannot tolerate a refusal, those who are frightened to stand up for themselves because they fear abandonment and anger, and those who rape or steal because the laws of society do not hold them back are all examples of the enormous dysfunction that can come from a lack of healthy boundaries and the confident inner self that maintains them. In the workings of today’s Republican-dominated government, there are numerous examples of an inability to set or tolerate limits, a pattern which has led to an increasingly massive amount of government dysfunction at the highest levels. One of the most glaring examples of this is George Bush’s inability to live within the constraints of international treaties or any other law that would stay his hand. Early into his first term, Bush unilaterally moved to end the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, pushing aside all subsequently-proven concerns that he would be launching another arms race by pushing the US to develop yet more nuclear weapons. He has also ignored the globally-accepted protections in the Geneva Conventions concerning treatment of war prisoners, leading directly to the abuses at Abu Ghraib and other US military prison facilities throughout the world. He has even threatened a veto of the entire defense spending bill to avoid any restrictions set on the treatment of detainees. But perhaps the most shameless example of Bush’s inability to live within mutually agreed upon boundaries was when the president and his henchmen refused to wait for the results of the weapons inspections or the full UN process to unfold and instead lied and bullied their way into the latest Gulf War, though they prefer to reinvent history to hide these facts. In short, George Bush is unable to tolerate any restriction on his actions, and with the power of the American presidency behind him, such inability to respect limits has had dire consequences for the whole world. Related to this inability to accept limits is Bush’s well-known intolerance for any criticism or dissent. This has led to the increasingly stagnant and insular decision-making apparatus in the White House. All of Bush’s contacts with the “public” are really well-rehearsed exercises in sycophancy. Moreover, all criticism from the media is whitewashed out of existence by his handlers. Some sources report that aides fear inflaming Bush’s raging temper in the face of disagreement or criticism and are therefore well-trained to avoid it whenever possible, a classic dysfunctional scenario. In addition to this pathetic behavior in the White House, the Republican-dominated Congress is also complicit in the dysfunctional decay pervading Washington. Constitutionally, the Congress is entrusted with the task of oversight of the Executive branch of government to assure the nation that the White House is living within the boundaries of the law. Instead, the last 5 years have been more like a scene from Lord of the Flies, with unleashed schoolboys running wild, restrained by nothing. Spending is out of control, pork is flying from the rooftops, and the Executive branch’s corporate buddies are robbing the treasury unmolested. Into this cesspool of what passes for government, in a trickle-down-from-the-top political climate unable to tolerate criticism, unwilling to live within appropriate and legal limits, drunk on a grandiosity fed by no restraints, came the White House Iraq Group and its attack on Joe Wilson for daring to disagree. Although this was far from the first vicious attack on an administration critic, the heady fumes of power made the WHIG members careless, and they outed CIA agent, Valerie Plame, with dire results for the administration, leading to indictments for at least one its top officials. In astrology, the much-maligned planet Saturn represents discipline, will, determination, and healthy boundaries. When these are not fully functioning, the acute need for them can be thrust upon the individual through the burdensome circumstances that often accompany Saturn transits and progressions. In general, the more problematic a person’s boundaries and inner discipline - the more he or she is unable to live within the laws and restrictions set by society or unable to forego personal impulses that contradict appropriate behavior - then the more difficult a Saturn transit will be. It is instructive to briefly look at the two zodiacal signs most directly related to Saturn: Capricorn, which Saturn rules, and Libra, the sign in which it is “exalted.” Each of these two signs demonstrates a different side of Saturn. Capricorn has to do with ambition and goal-setting which one accomplishes through discipline, hard work, and steady effort. Libra, on the other hand, is the sign of the Scales of Justice, which takes the meaning of Saturn to a whole new level. In Libra, we honor the boundaries set by the Rule of Law which enable us to live together in society in an ordered way. It should not be forgotten that in that great 18th Century experiment in democracy that became the America we know and love, the evolution of consciousness took a giant step forward in confirming the Rule of Law over the whim of the King. Saturn, in that July 4, 1776 chart, stands in the sign of its exaltation, Libra, and squares the Sun which symbolizes the President, effectively tying him to the sometimes uncomfortable restraint of the law. Interestingly, it is often during Saturn transits to the US Sun that the President gets into trouble for overreaching, as Nixon did in 1974 and Bush did 2003 and 2004 during the Iraq war. Currently, Patrick Fitzgerald, poised to indict an administration that has been careening out of control for years now, will be the first to say “no” to an administration that has been unable to police its own boundaries. Needless to say, in the chart of every player in this great political drama unfolding before our eyes, we find the increased activity of Saturn forcing restraint where none existed. Here is a synopsis of the characters: Emperor Bush: With the first stirrings of rage at Bush’s feeble response to Hurricane Katrina in early September, Saturn began the long odyssey across Bush’s Ascendant/Mercury/Pluto conjunction that will span from September 2005 through early July 2006. This will be followed by Saturn crossing Bush’s Venus from September 2006 through June 2007, with the final indignity of tertiary Saturn on Bush’s Venus from April 2007 through February 2008. Gone are the days of the unbridled Emperor. Gone are the days of the Charmer-in-Chief with the masses wagging their collective tail and following him anywhere. It will become increasingly apparent that the Emperor must learn to bend or he will break and that he must tread carefully amid a sea of ever-present landmines. The plague of locusts currently raining down on him from the Heavens since early September will continue mostly unabated through January 2, 2006, and briefly resume from January 25 though February 5, 2006. First Dick Svengali: Our VP is in big trouble though it is not yet as fully apparent as it will be. During this two-month period from mid-October through late December 2005, the noose will continue to tighten. If he is going to resign, it will be during this period. Transiting Saturn is stationary opposite his Sun and stationary square the Ascendant on his swearing-in chart for two unrelenting months. He is increasingly finding himself in a straightjacket of his own Mephistophelean making. Moreover, transiting Pluto is quincunx the swearing-in chart Saturn/IC conjunction from October 17 through November 20, triggering the sense of failure and despair inherent in that aspect. And for the next few days, through October 31, consummating a year-long transit that has been especially tense in the past five months, transiting Pluto is square his Moon, revving his emotions and paranoia up to a fevered pitch. Henchman Rove: The Emperor’s secret assassin may have been caught with his weapon in hand. At this late hour, reports are that he will not be indicted now, but investigations into his murky activities will continue. As with the other players in this drama, Saturn is currently the dominant theme in the Henchman’s chart, where it will increasingly enforce restraint from late 2005 through 2009. Of note in this chart is the very tight natal Sun/Saturn square, with natal Saturn in Libra, a very similar aspect to that described above in the US chart. Thus, again we find the inherent conflict between the personal will and the law of the collective. As of November 1, tertiary Mars will be square to natal Saturn through December 15, and by November 15 it will be both square natal Mars and conjunct natal Sun, the latter aspect remaining until December 25. With these aspects, Rove can be seen to pit himself quite intensively against the limitations (Saturn) imposed upon him. Another indication of the battle between Rove’s desire for action and the restraints imposed upon him is the transit of Saturn currently opposed to his natal Mars, which runs from September 2005 through mid-June 2006. Perhaps of even greater significance is the slow journey of tertiary progressed Saturn which spent much of 2005 (through July) squaring natal Mercury, the ruler of Rove’s Midheaven, as the ever-threatening Fitzgerald investigation heated up, and now is about to make an eight-month crossing of natal Neptune, beginning in early December 2005. Rove’s natal Neptune is at the “T” position in a powerful natal T-square that includes the Moon on one side and Venus and Mercury on the other. Rove, with his Machiavellian Scorpio rising square Pluto, has been able to brilliantly harness the inherent illusionist in the Neptune dominated T-square. For years, he has masterfully manipulated the image of reality in order to create the political message of choice for George Bush. Deceit and treachery without fingerprints is his forte. Now Saturn will subject Rove’s web of deceit (Neptune) to microscopic investigation over the next several months. The facts will weigh heavily on one side of the scales of justice across from a house of cards that is has already begun to implode. Watch for difficulties to intensify for Rove in November and December 2005 as he tries to without success to spin his way out of trouble, with problems continuing in this next chapter of the story through July 2006. Successive transits and progressions in late 2006 through 2009 suggest he will be intermittently dogged by limitations and difficulties during the coming years that may well render his glory days far behind him. Scooter the Bard: It is now official that Scooter Libby is in deep, deep trouble with a five-count indictment hanging over his head for various counts of perjury, false statement, and obstruction of justice. Astrologically, this is a combination of Saturn crossing Libby’s Venus and squaring his Mars from September 2005 through early June 2006 and the current Uranus station quincunx Libby’s Venus from late September to early December 2005. Saturn over Venus brings feelings of sadness, loss, and grief which surely Scooter Libby is feeling right now as his life’s work collapses around him. Uranus has added a constant flow of sudden and unexpected upsets and agitation. Of note, is that his progressed Venus is currently, exactly, conjunct his natal Neptune. Thus, the self-deception and the slippery slope of deceiving others (Neptune) has been waxing for much of the past year right up to the actual indictments. The coming year seems onerous for Libby, especially until June 2006, when Saturn begins to separate from Venus and the square to Mars. Converse Mercury will be square to natal Saturn from February through early August 2006, lending a serious, concerned, and somewhat anxious mood to his thoughts, and Pluto will be square to natal Mercury, also bringing concentration, seriousness and intensity to his thought process. One indication that events may change around June or July is that tertiary progressed Sun will be conjunct tertiary progressed Venus from June through September 2006. This will be a few months when great happiness could descend upon him, and with Saturn moving away at the same time, events could shift significantly in a way that favors Libby. Thus, it is likely that both Cheney and Rove are not yet out of the woods, though it is not clear if it is the Fitzgerald investigation or other unfolding events that will continue the pressure upon them. Cheney, in particular, may have a very difficult time through December 2005. In many ways, it seems the entire administration has gone through a metamorphosis in the past year from raging tiger to limping, sick old mutt. Events around them grow ever more difficult and intractable, with little discernable change in direction or strategy. As predicted early in this presidential term, the current Inaugural chart bears many indications of a crippled and troubled four years. It is this that we are watching unfold.
Nancy Waterman on Oct 29 | Link
Comments
Wonderful, Nancy, and got to say, "weak simmpering old mutt" sounds ok to me for this administration. For some years now I've been working on the nature of evil--obviously evil exists, but what is it? "Opposite of good" doesn't really help the definition much. Not too long ago it occurred to me what evil really is--it is tresspass. In other words, tresspass on the territory/natural space of another. Tie somebody up and mess with his/her body against his/her will (for whatever stated reason) ? That is tresspass and it is evil. (Abu Gravie) Tell somebody that they have to renounce their personal beliefs, whatever they may be, and are required to support some other beliefs? That is tresspass. Your essay is so in congruence with this idea. Posted by: Barbara on October 29, 2005 01:53 AMBarbara - Yes, it is exactly like trespass. Viiolating other people's boundaries is the source of most trouble. And these violations certainly include telling people how they should be instead of allowing them the freedom to decide themselves. That is why I linked the idea of a deeper sense of boundaries to the birth of our nation. The freedoms in our constitution and the idea of the rule of law all go back to a new respect for the healthy boundaries we must learn to respect. Posted by: Nancy on October 29, 2005 02:16 AMEditorial
Guardian What is it about American presidents during their second terms? Not since Dwight Eisenhower nearly half a century ago has a two-term occupant of the White House not been hit by some sort of criminal investigation during his second period of office. Since Ike, every second term has turned sour in this way. Richard Nixon resigned because of Watergate, Ronald Reagan was undermined by Iran-Contra, and Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury in the Monica Lewinsky affair. Now it is George Bush's turn to see his presidency take a similar hit, with the indictment yesterday of Lewis Libby on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements arising from the investigation into the leaking of the identity of a covert CIA agent, Valerie Plame. http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5321193-103682,00.html Posted by: wv on October 29, 2005 02:39 AMI like the reference to The Lord of Flies. I've had that thought myself over the last several years. Hello all The smell of fear here in DC is palpable! First DeLay, then Delay's aides (more to come on that score Believe me!) then Frist, now Libby, one by one the liars and theives and manipulators are falling. (oh pls Goddess let Rove be next!!) Behind hands, worried Repugs are harkening back to Watergate days (I remember it so well the night Nixon resigend!) For all their fine upstanding talk about morality and religeon blah blah, these lying,scheming, manipulating criminals are finally being exposed. Remember the old Watergate line, what did the president know, and when did he know it? I have heard DC commentators parpahrasing it almost exactly applying it from the Shrub on down! Enjoy your Saturn retrun Georgie! Pass the popcorn! Swamp Posted by: Swamp on October 29, 2005 03:14 AMHm! posting and the screen went away. Excellent article, Nancy! Lord of the Flies is exactly the right phrase. But did I miss something? You mention Rove's Scorpio rising. I never was able to find Rove's exact time of birth. If you have it, could you tell us? I listened to Fitzgerald's report through NPR today. Very Pluto in Virgo, and very effective in rendering the probing questions of the press totally useless. Quite an interesting interchange. He has quite a teaching streak in him. Posted by: Beasley on October 29, 2005 03:24 AMVery nice TV expose on Cnn now about the "intelligence" which led us to war. The probe is widening...as Fitzgerald mentioned...motive for obstruction of justice is definitely worthy of looking at. Rove is "person A." Posted by: Beasley on October 29, 2005 04:06 AMI think there is a certain stamp to "evil." It operates as a distortion. It has the mindset of an amoeba (SP?)only in human form. Or a humanoid bacterium. It feeds fuels by consuming others, mindless of consequences until it self-destructs. Hence the eventual sloppiness of evil. It's mindlessness is careless and arrogant. While we wouldn't ascribe these traits to an amoeba or a bacterium, we would to a human. Aw shucks! Who cares...I just think the planets are adorable these days...let them take care of "evil." Posted by: Beasley on October 29, 2005 04:18 AMSomething I have said constantly, was that Bush never won the 2004 election. It was my *very* strong gut feeling. That feeling is now justified by the GAO: ************************************************* The GAO analyses adds crucial new weight to the case that Team Bush was not elected. John Conyers asked the GAO to investigate electronic voting machines. The request came amidst widespread complaints in Ohio and elsewhere that often shocking irregularities occurred. The non-partisan GAO report has now found that, "some of [the] concerns about Diebold machines have been realized and have caused problems with recent elections, resulting in the loss and miscount of votes." The United States is the only major democracy that allows private partisan corporations to ************************************************* If taking our votes away from us doesn't cross boundaries, I don't know what does! Yes, I too am taking the popcorn out of the microwave, and sitting back and watching... Great observations Nancy. You know Barbara, "evil" impulses for all of us relate back to our "shadow" and our desire to ignore the reptilian brain residing within us all. This administration is so filled with fear and delusion, and entire 5 years of our government has been based on "marketing and spin" Fear propels them every day, it's what motivates them. Fear of people taking their money, their power, their secrets. They've petrified themselves and feed at the trough of fear. I've never been able to figure out why they singled out Joe Wilson for attack. There were several in the fall of 2002 and winter of 2003 who were vocal about the build up to the war. I remember on Nightline in the late fall of 2002 or early 2003 a group of ex CIA officers speaking out against the war. They specifically said they spoke for some inside the CIA who could not speak for themselves and they said not all the CIA was responsible for the faulty intelligence leading toward a war. I wonder if this administration (Cheney/Bush/Libby/Rove/Official A) perceived that Joe Wilson might know who forged the Niger Documents, or perhaps Joe Wilson did know and they found out he knew, or suspected he knew. It has recently been revealed that the Italian Intelligence and some neo-cons from the Department of Defense (Feith, Wurmser, Ledeen, Hadley) were part of the forgery. Did Wilson know that then? Were they afraid he knew it? Something that made them obsessed with Joe Wilson above all the other critics of the war. I think we will know the truth, I also think we will eventually know the truth of 9/11 but perhaps that is my delusion. Posted by: Sally on October 29, 2005 07:16 AMSally, I'd like to take this possible delusion of yours, wrap it in the finest velvet, place it it my favorite box and treasure it like one of the most valuable things I've ever possessed. Posted by: jm on October 29, 2005 07:53 AMThat is, if you are willing to part with maybe a piece of it. Posted by: jm on October 29, 2005 09:07 AM
The Israel/Iran feud shows hubris on both sides. In the meantime Russia warned Israel that it was posted this week on the Debka file (ie Mossad). At the moment it seems to be a standoff. Let us wv, shades of MAD (mutually assured destruction) of the Cold War Days. Well, maybe if they all have missiles they'll hold their fire. (If the dim-sighted, dim-witten NeoCons don't egg Israel on.) Swamp, your comparison of Fitzgerald with Costner's Elliot Ness is just what I was thinking watching the press conference yesterday afternoon. Maybe Fitzgerald strikes that cord with Americans all across the country. Sally, there must be more to it than this, but I think one of the reasons they went after Joe Wilson is that he is a retired ambassador and they wanted to hit the State Department a bit--show 'em who's boss--because State kept trying to take the very UnNeoCon route of advancing our goals through negotiation, boycotts, etc. So true about the reptilian brain --I read once that it is a very simple brain, i.e. if something larger than you is moving, hide. If something smaller than you is moving, grab it and eat it. This sounds like the NeoCons game plan--and they think they we are the biggest reptile on the planet. Posted by: Barbara on October 29, 2005 07:02 PM
A Struggle for Palestinian Identity
On October 20, Bill and Kathleen Christison spoke in Montpelier, Vermont at the first of several public forums scheduled in connection with an exhibition of Palestinian art, entitled Made in Palestine. Their presentations appear below. Sponsored by Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, Made in Palestine is the first survey exhibition of contemporary Palestinian art in the United States. The exhibition is on display at the T. W. Wood Gallery on the campus of Vermont College of the Union Institute and University from October 18 through November 20. Originally shown at the Station Museum in Houston during 2003, the exhibition had a brief run in San Francisco in April 2005, but curators have had trouble finding other venues for this powerful and therefore extremely controversial expression of Palestinian political and cultural identity. Further information on the exhibition can be found on the website of Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, www.vtjp.org.
Bill Christison: The exhibition of Palestinian artwork that we are honoring today is directly related to the present terrible suffering of the Palestinian people. http://www.counterpunch.org/christison10242005.html Hello Nancy, What a tremendous amount of work you did on this article! Thank you for sharing your extensive knowledge and expressive writing style with all of us. Pat C., the Tomdispatch article was good for keeping my perspective. I still don't understand why nothing was brought to bear on the crime itself. We still don't know where the crime originated and I don't believe based on Fitzgerald's news conference, that the original crime will be persued further. Am I misunderstanding. Did anyone else get a similar impression? Posted by: Beverly on October 29, 2005 07:27 PM
Monday October 24th, 2005 Ideology doesn't work in the modern world, because it is too simple to adequately address the complex realities in which we live. The president applied his 'less government' ideology to FEMA when he entered office, dismissing it as a liberal entitlement program. So he absorbed it into Homeland Security, downgraded it from a cabinet position and put it under the leadership of a man with no experience in the complex field of disaster response. http://www.unknowncountry.com/journal/?id=203
I believe "Official A" is Cheney and he authorized the leak. Libby is protecting him. Remember too, that it was Cheney who put Bolton Bush is a puppet. Nancy, Pat C., and Others....I am finding answers to some of my questions from John Dean who was interviewed by K. Olberman yesterday. wv: hi, thanks for your comments. So you think "A" is Cheney. I was thinking either Bolton or Porter Goss, who was installed after Tennent took the fall to hush things up. I think they thought they had it all "wrapped up" with the Goss installation. What about those tape transcripts of Bolton's conversations during the run-up to the war that the Whitehouse refused to open to Bolton's U.N. confirmation. Mightly suspicious. I have commented here and elsewhere that I have always felt Cheney is the one behind the whole mess and still plying his dirty, ly tricks. Posted by: Beverly on October 29, 2005 08:32 PMwv. I forgot, I did read Wilkerson's speech last week and must say that it is not getting the coverage it deserves. Posted by: Beverly on October 29, 2005 08:35 PMBeverly - My personal feeling is definitely that Libby is covering for Cheney, and has been all along. The lies were to avoid saying that he heard the name from Cheney who got it from the CIA and that cheney was up to his ears in this conspiracy. Cheney continues under tremendous pressure through most of December. Although some of these planets come back in the spring, I think this is the most vulnerable time for him. I think they are all indeed colluding in order to further their share (deluded ) vision. The question remains whether Libby will be willing to serve 30 years and pay 1/4 million $ to further that vision or not. Posted by: Nancy on October 29, 2005 09:15 PMHey all- There's a good Plame indictment aftermath analysis over at www.waynemadsenreport.com too. Posted by: Garry on October 29, 2005 09:44 PMWhy aren't these people doing their job??? http://intelligence.senate.gov/members.htm Posted by: wv on October 29, 2005 10:31 PM
Elizabeth de la Vega The grand jury supervised by U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has returned an indictment charging Vice President Dick Cheney's top aide and reputed "alter ego" I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby with perjury, obstruction of justice and false statements to the grand jury. But this indictment does not end the story; rather, a close reading suggests that these charges are most likely merely a chapter in a long and tragic story. Here, from a former federal prosecutor, are thoughts about four things we should expect, four things we shouldn't, and one question we should all be asking. We should not expect a final resolution any time soon. Complex cases usually take years to proceed through the courts. In addition, the indictment released today describes a chronology of close to two years and a complicated set of facts. Obviously, Fitzgerald is taking a "big picture" approach to this case. This mirrors his approach to previous cases. In December 2003, for example, Fitzgerald announced the indictment of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan on corruption charges in Operation Safe Road, which began in 1998. In that year, the investigation of a fatal accident revealed that truckers were purchasing commercial licenses from state officials. Indictments were announced in stages, culminating in the indictment of Ryan, who was the 66th defendant in the case. In the Libby case, the allegations suggest he was merely one of many officials—including an unnamed undersecretary of state and "Official A," a senior White House official—who were involved in revealing classified information about Joseph Wilson's wife Valerie Plame. No other individuals are named as defendants, and they should not be considered so at this point, but the complexity of the indictment suggests that the investigation may follow a pattern similar to that used by Fitzgerald in the Illinois corruption case. http://www.tompaine.com/print/what_to_expect_next.php Posted by: wv on October 29, 2005 11:05 PM THE FACE OF GREED... http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1028-01.htm Posted by: WV on October 29, 2005 11:11 PM
Published on Saturday, October 29, 2005 by the Progressive In 1992, Libby, along with Paul Wolfowitz, while both were working for then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, came up with a draft Defense Policy Guidance document. This draft was so hawkish that then-President George H.W. Bush demanded that it be withdrawn. But it basically sketched the outlines of the current Bush policy. http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1029-30.htm
"Today's indictments represent the beginning, but not the end of the process of finally holding the Bush Administration accountable for its conduct in foisting a preemptive war on this country. The prosecutor has performed his job in pursuing this case vigorously and fairly. However the charges really beg the larger question - what did the President and Vice President know about these and related matters, and when did they know it? I believe it is imperative that Congress pursue these questions and determine how these charges fit into the entire web of deception, manipulation and obfuscation laid bare by the Downing Street Minutes and Treasongate. As a result, I have directed my staff to conduct a comprehensive investigation and review of the facts concerning not only alleged efforts to misuse the White House to out a CIA operative, but misinformation concerning the run up the Iraq War, and all legal violations and breaches of trust by the Administration concerning the War." ###
"These indictments are not about a single aide, it is about an Administration that went to any length to "sell" the war in Iraq and mislead the public. "From day one, this Administration has misled the public and the Congress, manipulated intelligence, and sought to quell dissent by all means necessary when it has comes to the war in Iraq. Now, a senior aide to the President and the Vice President is charged with lying to a federal grand jury and federal investigators. "The President must come clean with the American public. Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, it was not involved in the attacks on our country on 9/11, and before the war it was not aligned with Al-Qaeda. "Many questions remain, and Congress must demand accountability. The American public still does not know who forged the Niger documents and who leaked the name of an undercover CIA operative. "Libby was a senior aide to both the President and Vice President. He also was a principal in the White House Iraq Group (WHIG), a group comprised of the President and Vice President's top aides that was instrumental in selling the Administration's case for war. "The buck does not stop with an aide. Those responsible for this colossal foreign policy misdeed must be held accountable to the American public, to the Congress and to courts of law." On October 20th, Kucinich introduced a Resolution of Inquiry to demand the White House turn over all white papers, minutes, notes, emails or other communications kept by the White House Iraq Group (WHIG) to the Congress. A Resolution of Inquiry is a rare House procedure used to obtain documents from the Executive Branch. Under House rules, Kucinich's resolution is referred to committee, and action must be taken in committee within 14 legislative days. ###
Scooter Libby was the lawyer who got the charges dropped against billionaire scamster Marc Rich back in Clintontime. But that had more to do with Rich's billions than with any legal talents Libby may have. On the evidence of the indictment brought by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald on Friday, October 28, one fact stands out: SCOOTER LIBBY IS INCREDIBLY STUPID. And this is what CounterPunch gets from the Fitzgerald indictment as a whole. Posted by: wv on October 29, 2005 11:38 PMHey WV- Beasley - According to my source ( a poster on my blog who has some access to information) Rove's birth time is 4:14 AM. His chart and Libby's (same source for the birth time) are linked in my article above. My guess about Libby before getting the time was Leo rising with Venus in the first and this birth time does confirm that. Regarding Rove , the puffiness would fit with Jupiter in Pisces opposite the MC and widely square the asc. Posted by: Nancy on October 30, 2005 02:27 AMLooking at the bigger picture, it seems that all the really serious scandals, watergate, irancontra, plamegate, etc, all revolve around the “war department,” and their incredible influence involving both big money making and political power – aka military industrial complex. Motivation behind Watergate had much to do with Vietnam war issues; Iranconta and plamegate, the middleeast. Have any of you fine astrologers looked at the overall strength and depth of this establishment as it relates to the current players? It would seem to me that if this crowd is to go down at all, the military-industrial entity must be made impotent. Otherwise, there will just be other nefarious characters that step in and the same saga for humanity will continue. And that crosses both party lines – or should I say most party lines in many countries. I have come across a couple of dates that are used for a Pentagon chart: There are 3 other dates for the Pentagon building itself, and it seems to me that they may also be worth looking at: Interestingly, I have also been unable to find any personal background information on General Brehon B. Somervell (the guy who pushed for the Pentagon to be built – and secured the contractor before the project was legally OK’d) other than he was born in Arkansas in 1892, served in WW1, and died in 1955. The whole thing was completed in an unprecedented 16months with crews working round the clock. I’d be very interested to see thoughts that any of you have on this. Dear Nancy, Thanks so much for the birth data. Will go and play now. Posted by: Beasley on October 30, 2005 05:55 AMNancy, just figured out that I could click on the names of the people you were describing and get the chart. Neptune crossing my Sun these days...sorry. But thanks for your response anyway. Super article Posted by: Beasley on October 30, 2005 06:17 AMHmmmmmm. Mr Fitzgerald's "official A" is rover-boy according to the UK publication. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article323311.ece Posted by: JoannaOregon on October 30, 2005 12:08 PMJoanna I have seen that in US papers, but I think it is Welcome home. Posted by: wv on October 30, 2005 01:41 PM
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/magazine/30wwln.html?pagewanted=print Posted by: wv on October 30, 2005 03:17 PM
http://www.uclick.com/client/nyt/jd/ Posted by: wv on October 30, 2005 03:26 PMThank you so much, wv... I had a fabulous & most interesting time in Scotland/England albeit exhausting. There long enuf, I think, to soak in the ambiance & get a more useful perspective on the US. Loved coming back to the indictment of Libby-fruit-loops. ;O) Posted by: JoannaOregon on October 30, 2005 03:57 PM
Friday 28 October 2005 The ideologues in Cheney's inner circle drummed up a war. Now their zealotry is blowing up in their faces. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/102905X.shtml Posted by: wv on October 30, 2005 04:03 PMPoll: Smirky and Snarly involved in the Plame leak case?
- Lawrence B. Wilkerson Sunday, October 30, 2005
When I first discussed this group in a speech last week at the New American Foundation in Washington, my comments caused a significant stir because I had been chief of staff to then-Secretary of State Colin Powell between 2002 and 2005. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/10/30/INGJPFG2J51.DTL&type=printable Posted by: wv on October 30, 2005 04:25 PM
The indictment of “Scooter” Libby, ONLY Scooter Libby, and ONLY on investigation- related charges (perjury, obstruction of justice, lying to investigators), is bound to be misinterpreted (read: spun), by ideologues on both sides of the political spectrum. Lefties (in addition to being disappointed that their favorite bête noire, Karl Rove, has seemingly evaded the prosecutor's net) will feel like some of the wind has been knocked out of their sails because no crime was charged in connection with the underlying revelation of Valerie Plame's identity (a key element in their assertion that such revelation was motivated by the need to discredit a vocal critic of administration's casus belli for the war--Iraq's possession or acquisition of nuclear weapons capability). And righties will revel in that same fact (i.e., since no crime was committed by the Plame outing, the outing was nothing more than a legitimate defense against the attack on the motivation for the war--in other words, politics as usual). http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2005/10/29/20254/872 Posted by: wv on October 30, 2005 06:10 PMSweet... Poll shows Bush popularity still sliding http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051030/pl_afp/usjusticepoliticsiraqbushpoll_051030105422 Posted by: Carolyn on October 30, 2005 07:56 PMMilitary shares public's declining support for bush, war More than half the North Carolina military members surveyed in the latest Elon U poll don't like the way bush is handling his job and the [assault on] Iraq. The survey results were released today. Of the 539 adults surveyed, nearly 53% of military members said they strongly disapproved or disapproved of bush's handling of his job. And 56% of that same group said they strongly disapproved or disapproved of his handling of the Iraq war.... http://www.wcnc.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8DH767G0.html Wayne Madsen and others have interesting history on Fitzgerald's investigation of Chicago's Mayor Daley. The first person indicted in that investigation seemed to be the end of it. . Also mentioned in the indictment was an Official A. Six-five indictments later Fitzgerald indicted "Official A"--it was Daley. Take Back the Media has some info on why Joe Wilson was a special target For some reason today it just now occured to me that Neptune in Aquarius is at the top (high noon) of the natural chart, and in the third house (communications) of the US Sag rising chart. Spotlight on the fog? Posted by: Barbara on October 30, 2005 10:06 PMOh, second thought. Aquarius isn't at the very top of the natural chart. That would be Capricorn. I mistook because my Sun is very early Aquarius near the top of my chart. However Neptune in Aquarius in the Aires rising (natural chart) is in the very open 11th House of organizations, society, hopes and wishes...I think that is right. Posted by: Barbara on October 30, 2005 10:58 PMNow, isn't this interesting?!! "...The flap over the Plame business pales into insignificance alongside this assassination. "...Syria was quickly blamed by both the U.S. and Israel and now let us consider what this was. IN certain exalted circles in the Bush Administration, it is known who did this. The assassination of a very popular Lebanese leader was carried out so as to find a pretext to blame Syria, which has been, and is being done, so as to enable military action against that country. "...The propaganda orchestra is wearing a bit thin in light of continuing leaks. Hariri was assassinated by a small group of professional assassins, headed by a man who calls himself either Robert H. Lewis, Robert Alan Lewis or Robert Hall Lewis. "....Both this committee and its many and close friends in the Israeli Mossad determined that Syria should be the next target of Bush’s Imperial Expansionism in the Middle East and the removal of a very close and hostile neighbor, Syria, would be of great value to Israel.....
Gary Younge Guardian Liberals called it "Fitzmas". And it was a long time coming. But even though it took almost two years for special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald to make it down the chimney, it was worth the wait. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the chief of staff of vice-president Dick Cheney, faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1.25m if found guilty of lying over his role in leaking the identity of a covert CIA agent. Meanwhile, the continuing investigation of George Bush's consiglieri, Karl Rove, holds out the possibility of further charges against a more senior White House staff member. Bush is in ethical meltdown but all the liberals can do is gloat Gary Younge Guardian Liberals called it "Fitzmas". And it was a long time coming. But even though it took almost two years for special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald to make it down the chimney, it was worth the wait. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the chief of staff of vice-president Dick Cheney, faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1.25m if found guilty of lying over his role in leaking the identity of a covert CIA agent. Meanwhile, the continuing investigation of George Bush's consiglieri, Karl Rove, holds out the possibility of further charges against a more senior White House staff member. http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5321909-103677,00.html Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 01:15 AMGreat article Nancy (as usual), thanks! From Tom Paine: With Libby indicted, that's one down, 28 to go. Here's the official guide to the Cheney-Rumsfeld cabal that sold America an unjust war.
Born April 1, 1950 Trenton, NJ Samuel Alito Jr. Nicknamed "Scalito" for views resembling those of conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito Jr. is a favorite son of the political right. Appointed in 1990 by George H.W. Bush to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Alito has earned a reputation for intellectual rigor and polite but frequent dissent in a court that has been historically liberal. His mettle, as well as a personable demeanor and ties to former Republican administrations, has long had observers buzzing about his potential rise to the high court. "Sam Alito is in my mind the strongest candidate on the list," says Pepperdine law Prof. Douglas Kmiec. "I know them all . . . but I think Sam is a standout because he's a judge's judge. He approaches cases with impartiality and open-mindedness." A New Jersey native, the 55-year-old Alito received a bachelor's degree from Princeton and graduated from Yale Law School. He worked in the solicitor general's office during the Reagan administration and was a U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey when George H.W. Bush nominated him to the Third Circuit. His 15 years on the bench have been marked by strong conservatism on a case-by-case basis that avoids sweeping opinions on constitutionality. In 1997, Alito authored the majority opinion upholding a city's right to stage a holiday display that included a Nativity scene and a menorah because the city also included secular symbols and a banner emphasizing the importance of diversity. In Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Alito was the sole dissenter on the Third Circuit, which struck a Pennsylvania law that required women seeking abortions to consult their husbands. He argued that many of the potential reasons for an abortion, such as "economic constraints, future plans, or the husbands' previously expressed opposition . . . may be obviated by discussion prior to abortion." The case went on to the Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court's decision 6 to 3. Alito's conservative stripes are equally evident in criminal law. Lawrence Lustberg, a New Jersey criminal defense lawyer who has known Alito since 1981 and tried cases before him on the Third Circuit, describes him as "an activist conservatist judge" who is tough on crime and narrowly construes prisoners' and criminals' rights. "He's very prosecutorial from the bench. He has looked to be creative in his conservatism, which is, I think, as much a Rehnquist as a Scalia trait," Lustberg says. Some observers say that Alito cannot be easily pigeon-holed. In Saxe v. State College Area School District, Alito, writing for the panel, argued that the school does not have the right to punish students for vulgar language or harassment when it doesn't disrupt the school day. "Sam struck that down as a violation of free speech," Kmiec says. "That's not a conservative outcome." Off the bench, friends and colleagues describe Alito as quiet and self-effacing with a wry sense of humor. He is a voracious reader with a particular love for biographies and history. With his wife, Martha, he has a son in college and a daughter in high school. "He's mild mannered and generous and family oriented," Lustberg says. "I don't agree with him on many issues, but I have the utmost respect for him. No one can question his intelligence or integrity."
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SamuelAlito View Full Size User Stats -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Home | About | Buzz | Help | Language | Developers | Gear | Privacy | Copyright © 1999 - 2005 Google October 31, 2005 The nomination is likely to please Mr. Bush's conservative allies, whose sharp criticism of Harriet E. Miers was instrumental in prompting her to withdraw last week. But the president is more likely to get a battle from Democrats and liberals who may believe Judge Alito's views are too extreme. Over the weekend, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, warned President Bush not to pick Judge Alito, 55. "I think it would create a lot of problems," Mr. Reid said on "Late Edition" on CNN. Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 01:28 PM
Fitzgerald Plans to call Cheney as witness.... I witnessed on CNN headline news last night....................
Last year at this time, I wrote these words just after the 2004 election, "We cannot know the why of what is now, yet we must trust that all is as it should be: Even if it brings the eventual destruction of all that we hold dear and sacred. None of us can know the totality of causation. The larger WHY remains a mystery even while working with every last breath to end the dark, systemic ignorance that plagues our nation. Though saddened and tired, I remain committed to this work." One year later, this may still seem like wishful thinking, but the New Moon in Scorpio is the perfect a time to put muscle behind an intention to break systemic delusions that exist in our personal, as well as our national lives. More and more, it seems America is starting to open its eyes to the painful truth about our country's negative and ineffectual response to global terrorism. So too shall we greet this New Moon in Scorpio with the intention to open our eyes to our own failures, negativities and self-delusions. Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 02:19 PMBe sure to read the comments below the article! http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/31/samuel-alitos-america From the "Redhead!" http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/30/magazine/30feminism.html?pagewanted=1&th&emc=th Regarding the Astrowisdom advise, the word from my spiritual teacher , Gurumayi is 'Streamline, Stregnthen and Support". From that I suggest to live with less and make it more. This time of hubris will affect the deluded who collect and believe a 'Big Daddy' will help them out if/when they get in trouble. So instead of Self-containment we've become dependant. Hopefully by living small will not be affected by the economic shifts as much as those who are livin' large. Posted by: bhakti on October 31, 2005 02:54 PMPoll: What do you think of Alito for the USSC? Go vote; this one needs all the help it can get. http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20051030220009990004&ncid=NWS00010000000001 Posted by: shylurker on October 31, 2005 03:01 PMPoll: What do you think of Alito? This one's doing better, but what's with the 29% in both polls? Posted by: shylurker on October 31, 2005 03:06 PMJust look at how our tax dollars are being put to work in Ohio: Forgive me if someone else already posted this, and love and light to everyone! (hope this excerpt isn't too long) http://www.mercola.com/display/router.aspx?docid=31090 ~snip~ In...the Wall Street Journal, Dr. Henry Miller, former director of the Office of Biotechnology at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),...[says]the bird flu virus can jump from birds to humans and produce, and is a fatal illness in 50 percent of those infected...A 50 percent fatality rate sounds pretty scary to me. What Dr. Miller...fail[s] to explain is how these numbers were derived. Did they examine everyone who contracted the bird flu and use those numbers, or did they examine the sickest of the sick who had come down with the bird flu and determine the mortality rate from there? Of course, it was the latter, and from the 60 people who have died from this in THIRD-world countries we are being told that anywhere from 200,000, AT BEST, to 2 million people at worst will die from the bird flu. This is shoddy science at best and beyond belief that any reputable scientist could get away with such nonsense." (more...)
Metrosexual man bows to red-blooded übersexuals Paul Harris in New York Observer It's good news for traditional American men. The metrosexual is dead: long live the übersexual. 'Ubersexuals are confident, masculine and stylish, and committed to uncompromising quality in all areas of life,' said Marian Salzman, co-author of a new book, The Future of Men
Well, Nancy's "NO" article couldn't come at a better time....hopefully, the dems will find their "NO" buttons soon on the Alito nomination. But probably not. I just read the DOT magazine which is the quarterly news of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena....I am a grad from its previous incarnation in Los Angeles when it was the Art Center School and trained artists for commercial work..... It has a very expanded roll in the world of design, art, and now international initiatives. Just thought I would post some good news about the fact that they are initiating so much now which will promote the 'thinking' of the next generation ..... this was initiated in 2001....they are spearheading an INVOLVEMENT in how humans actually live, how to solve problems in every phase of existence on earth, in a problem solving way. The biggest change is in the transportation design area....the philosophy being, take these students to a JUNK YARD and let them witness the mess when the thinking isn't involved on any level other than the superficial, skin level of shiny chrome. They are actively pursuing alternative fuel systems....some really lovely thinking and work. My favorite is the hippo roller designed for use in Africa; they are water barrels which are pushed like a lawn mower....instead of balancing water in jars on women's heads, they push much more on the ground! I think we all need good news...... They moved as an educational organization from the personal to the collective. good omens for the future. Posted by: judi g on October 31, 2005 05:25 PMU.S. Ranks 44th in Worldwide Press Freedom Index The report ranked the United States in 44th place, an atomic drop from a favorable position of 22nd held last year, and from a handsome 17th place in 2002. Even more reasons why "NO" is what needs to be said to the 13th century minds of the conservatives....and as usual, it is women who will bear the burdens...as usual....again and again. NO>>>>>>>> By Rob Stein
Is this another manifestation of Neptune opp. Saturn? Posted by: judi g on October 31, 2005 05:33 PMFuture of men??! When has it ever NOT been uber? Posted by: bhakti on October 31, 2005 06:02 PMIt is very clear we are in a constant war at all times and in all era between the past and the future....with progress coming as a forwards and backwards motion measuring progress in inches. We are now a century back....and erasing progress in yards and not inches. Posted by: judi g on October 31, 2005 06:26 PMMontreal GazetteUS Stocks Head for Biggest 2-Day Gain in a Year on Oil, Deals is this also a Saturn/Neptune/Jupiter cycle? Jupiter will be squaring Saturn Jupiter over the next year, right? Posted by: judi g on October 31, 2005 06:54 PMWhy are the conservatives so terrified of sex? Are they all reincarnated Puritans, looking to burn witches, which are really the projections of their repressed natural selves? What is wrong with these people? Even a vaccination that will prevent cancer becomes a social issue. Posted by: Nancy on October 31, 2005 09:08 PMThey aren't terrified of sex. They just want it done their way (by compliant women who are their wives or by women not their wives who will do kinky things as commanded). The problem is that they hate women. Their weird sexual stuff is an issue, yes, but it is a by-product of their hatred of women. Posted by: shylurker on October 31, 2005 10:16 PMPluto has three moons! Who knew? Any thing as natural as sex when repressed will find a way out in distorted form. Posted by: Beverly on October 31, 2005 10:27 PMYesterday, Sunday, I sat in my living room and felt a very bad energy 'coming in'. I didn't know if it was personal or if it was public.... I realize that it is the coming fight over the conservative agenda coming in with this Scalito nomination. This is it, this is the 'trip'.... Posted by: judi g on October 31, 2005 10:42 PM
Alas, here is the future of the press.... Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 10:57 PM
No matter how Exxon tries to spin the numbers - a 75% increase in profits, nearly $10 billion this quarter alone - and the oil giant spinned it into corporate baby talk ("'Our earnings in the third quarter reflect the impact of the relatively volatile industry environment on commodity prices and industry margins") what rings loud and clear is that the oil industry is slopping up money like monster swine whose feed troughs are Americans' wallets. In case you don't have a calculator handy, Exxon's profit was $1,250 per second, according to CNN. http://www.readingeagle.com/editor/archives/2005/10/exxons_profit_1.html Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 11:40 PM
Posted By Carpetbagger On 27th October 2005 @ 12:29 In General | 5 Comments Hearing Dick Morris trip over himself to lavish praise on the Bush White House is among the more nauseating displays in DC. And yet, as of this morning, even Morris is starting to take a closer look at the Plame scandal and look askance at Dick Cheney. Morris, up until quite recently, dismissed the controversy and defended those caught up in it. He's been on Fox News, in his words, "weeping" at the prospect of indictments. It's why it was a pleasant surprise to see, in the New York Post today, the very same Morris suggest that Cheney has some explaining to do. If Libby lied in public, it is unfortunate. If he did so before the grand jury, it could be criminal. Either way, the vice president knew that he was not telling the truth — yet did nothing in public, or presumably in private, to correct him. […] There is nothing criminal in Cheney or Libby finding out about Valerie Plame. They had security clearance and every right to know. What is wrong is for Cheney's staffer to mislead the public with the complicity of a silent veep. […] Why did the vice president choose to remain silent and keep his role from public view? Did Cheney tell the prosecutor he was the one who told Libby about Plame? Did he tell the president? Assuming the Times has its facts right, the burden of proof shifts to Cheney. It is incumbent on him to explain why he let his chief of staff mislead the public — for two years, including the entire 2004 presidential campaign. Seriously, this was written by Dick Morris. And if they're losing Morris… Regardless, Morris' point is an important one. If Libby's indicted, the pressure on the VP will be very intense and the questions about what he knew and what he said will be too loud to ignore. Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 11:45 PM
Any legislator who is publicly supporting laws which favor abortion or euthanasia may not present himself or herself for Holy Communion. -- Raymond Burke, Catholic Archbishop of St. Louis If Judge Samuel Alito is approved by the Senate, the Supreme Court will have five Catholic justices, a religious majority that is nearly without precedent in U.S. history. He would join Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. The only time this appears to have happened was 1792-1793, when four of the six justices belonged to the Episcopal church: Chief Justice John Jay and Justices James Iredell, Thomas Johnson and James Wilson. http://www.cadenhead.org/workbench/news/2800 Posted by: wv on October 31, 2005 11:52 PMYes WV, Facilitated by non other than Norm "pearly white" Coleman. GEORGE Galloway is under criminal investigation over allegations that he lied to the US Senate about his role in the Saddam Hussein oil-for-food bribery scandal, American prosecutors have disclosed. http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=2167552005 Pat QOP, just a couple of days ago I read that some rad-right nut in the Senate threatened to try Galloway for perjury and Galloway more or less responded, "Go ahead, by all means." This might be another retaliation that backfires. :-) Posted by: Barbara on November 1, 2005 01:59 AMHi folks, it's Dave. I haven't posted much since February, but I haven't gone anywhere. Some of you may recall that I managed a state rep campaign in Michigan, lost, moved home, applied to law school (got rejected from everywhere) and ended up working in retail. I'm sorry I haven't posted in a long time but I was attending to my own affairs. And in general, I am of the opinion that if you have nothing to say it is best not to speak.
The city looks like a bombed out third world country. There are piles of debris and rubble lining the streets. And in the residential areas, refrigerators line the streets as well. The smell is awful...sickening. As soon as I got out of the car, I felt like I needed to take a shower. Most of the people have not returned and the city is still basically deserted. It is quite simply unlike anything I have ever seen. I don't think our national leadership quite understands the extent of the devastation. It was a haunting experience to say the least. I cannot fathom how the city is going to be rebuilt without massive resources. It's so depressing because the whole place feels like death. In the area I saw, probably one out of every thirty buildings was completely destroyed. There are military police scattered throughout the city but there is very little in the way of basic civilization. There are no stores open, no police, no hospital services, no one there to help you if you get sick or have a flat tire. New Orleans is devastated and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to go back to such a place. At night, the place is downright creepy. There were few streetlights and no lights on in the residential neighborhoods. There is the occasional homeless person wandering through the streets and the place feels haunted. Depressing. Sickening. Devastated. That's how I would describe the place. I have more to say about the political ramifications but I will save that for another post. We all may have turned our attentions to other matters, but please do not forget what has happened to that city. Having seen it firsthand, I won't. Posted by: Dave on November 1, 2005 02:13 AMGood cheer, Dave. Just recently I was wondering where you are. Yep, it is good to know the state of New Orleans. There is damn little follow up and a short attention span with the media. How can we publicize this, do you think? Re the Alito nomination, there is some good info on Americablog Posted by: Barbara on November 1, 2005 04:01 AMDave, Thank you so much for this. What a beautiful description of something so ugly. Amazing. So moving. I am distressed as this country pretends to go on normally with this phenomenal reality, this gaping, gaping wound beckoning us to face the truth about where our country is. Don't worry about me forgetting. Again, thank you so much. Posted by: jm on November 1, 2005 04:14 AMLibby is to be arraigned Thursday morning, 10:30 a.m. Anybody have any predictions? Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 04:34 AMNo predictions, not on the arraignment it would be foolish and a waste of time because it would change at the beginning of the trial. Mercury is in the 12th house in this chart, never a good sign, something hidden there and whatever it is, it will be a surprise because Mercury squares Uranus. The Moon is in 0 Sagittarius indicating something "new" to come and by progression it would be squaring Uranus in six months (about the time the Trial would start. There is a Sun/Saturn square pointing to delay's and very slow resolution. Mars Squares Neptune, more deceit and confusion, at least until Mars turns direct after the first of the year and is out of orb of Neptune in February. It's the Mercury in the 12th square Uranus that I wonder about, could be a surprise for Libby, something he doesn't expect, could be a surprise for Fitzgerald, something he doesn't expect. It could also mean a lot of mind games by the attorneys, boy we've never had that have we? The Sun Square Saturn while it portends delays, the Sun is at 11 degrees Scorpio and Saturn will turn stationary retrograde at 11 Leo, maybe imposed frustration and karmic paybacks for the prosecution or defense (they will both fall under the arraignment and trial charts. My hope is it will be Libby who is "surprised" with new information, and it will be Libby frustrated by delays and restrictive actions. Posted by: Sally on November 1, 2005 07:20 AMThink Jupiter in Scorpio. Think avengers. The Wilsons are angry from deep within, in the seat of creative and sexual power. If there is justice, they will succeed in their efforts. I think this story with all its tentacles will be the main one now. All this political gaming will be sideshow, and the neocon syndicate will be putting all its effort into stopping its capture to no avail. With the Jupiter passage and the new moon in Scorpio we've had the first stroke in a heavy game. Saturn thrown in for good measure. It's beyond belief to me that people can really think this is going away. The criminals against the Jupiter/Pluto alliance. It's beyond popcorn. Posted by: jm on November 1, 2005 07:31 AMThis is not the important date, it will be the trial date, if it gets to trial and the Mars sq Neptune could unfortunately wipe a trial away, either though a plea agreement (still possible) or constant delays or the whole thing could be thrown out. Libby's lawyer will certainly attempt to have it thrown out. A lot depends on the Judge and we don't know for sure who that will be. The arraigning judge may not be the one for the trial. There are a lot of conflicting aspects in this chart and the Mercury in the 12th square Uranus points to a big surprise. Posted by: Sally on November 1, 2005 07:50 AMHi Dave, You captured the situation in NO very eloquently, Dave. Thank you. And do stay in touch with us. Posted by: shylurker on November 1, 2005 01:38 PM
November 1, 2005 Another Lost Opportunity The nomination of Samuel Alito Jr. to the Supreme Court raises a lot of questions about the judge's attitudes toward federalism, privacy and civil rights. But it has already answered one big question about President Bush. Anyone wondering whether the almost endless setbacks and embarrassments the White House has suffered over the last year would cause Mr. Bush to fix his style of governing should realize that the answer is: no. As a political candidate, Mr. Bush had an extremely useful ability to repeat the same few simple themes over and over. As president, he has been cramped by the same habit. The solution to almost every problem seems to be either to rely on a close personal associate or to pander to his right wing. When the first tactic failed to work with the Harriet Miers nomination, Mr. Bush resorted to the second. The Alito nomination has thrilled social conservatives, who regard the judge to be a surefire vote against abortion rights. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/01/opinion/01tues1.html?pagewanted=print Posted by: wv on November 1, 2005 02:22 PMI was told yesterday by a Texas resident that some 50,000 people are about to be evicted from apartments and motels in Texas because FEMA has not paid the rent for the NO evacuees. Thanks so much Sally and jm for the good discussion and info on the Libby astrology. I sure hope it's the kind of surprise I'm hoping for, not the kind the thugs are hoping for. They've already had way too many helping hands. Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 02:52 PMThere is an interesting article by Alex Miller-Mignone over on Daykeeper called "All the President's Enablers". It's some interesting black hole astrology. http://www.daykeeperjournal.com/alex.shtml Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 02:56 PMHas someone already posted the time of Scalito's birth? Apparently, he was born April 1, 1950 in Trenton, NJ, but I can't find the time of birth. Thnx. Posted by: shylurker on November 1, 2005 03:04 PMWhat Did Cheney Know, and When Did He Know It? By Nicholas D. Kristof Tuesday 01 November 2005 Come on, Mr. Vice President, tell us what happened. A federal indictment charges that criminality swirled around your office, and it demeans this administration and the entire country when you hide in your bunker and refuse to say whether you knew of any such activities. Five lawyers I've consulted all agree that there is no compelling legal reason why you should not discuss the situation. It's urgent that you clear the air by answering these questions in a televised news conference: Did you ask Scooter Libby to undertake his inquiries about Ambassador Joseph Wilson? Mr. Libby made such a concerted push to get information, from both the State Department and the C.I.A., that I suspect that you prodded him. Is that right? If so, why?
Alex Miller-Mignone is the leading authority on Black Holes, very few even study them and he's the only one who writes about them on a regular basis. His book on Black Holes, while small is very informative. He's done some really interesting work around black holes Posted by: Sally on November 1, 2005 03:14 PMHave been on the coast for about ten days, sans computer... just got home last night and trying to catch up with all the blogs. Haven't posted here in a while because I've been focused on the realpolitik birthed by Kissenger and now the unruly toddler in the White House, dressed in an empty suit. I lurk here often, though... just wanted to delurk long enough to make a comment: from a personal pov, I see Thursday a.m. and the arraignment of Irving Lewis Libby at 10:30 as significant. Technicalities aside, he is being charged and arrested... the first time someone in the White House has been indicted in 130 years (roughly 1/2 a Plutonian Revolution - Pluto would have been in Gemini in 1875 when the last sitting White House staff member to be indicted may have been Orville Babcock, Ulysses S. Grant's private secretary, who was charged in 1875 with a group of whiskey distillers in a conspiracy to defraud the government of taxes). Just as Watergate began with the arraignment of a couple of unknowns(to the public at least), so begins this 'gate'. There is no need to speculate on a trail date... as I don't believe he will ever go to trail. A public trial of I.L.L. (how 'bout that monogram?) would mean a public trial of the administration and their efforts to lie us into an unnecessary war... which simply won't happen. Thursday, November 3rd, 2005 - a reminder of another November 3rd, though... and perhaps a down payment on karma to come? Namaste Posted by: Jo on November 1, 2005 03:33 PMSorry, I do know how to spell trial... can only assume there is something in my psyche that insisted on the use of 'trail' twice... maybe a connection leading back to Darth Vader Cheney? A girl can dream! Posted by: Jo on November 1, 2005 03:35 PMPoll: Has your gubmint done enough to protect you from Avian Flu? Sally....The enduring heritage of the Nuremberg trials: Powerful Rockie:
Pat C., re Rockie post above. Well, yes, we are all going to hell in a Repug handbasket it seems. But, given that key members of the Smirky&Co admin have natal planets in those very same signs and near or pretty exact those degrees, dontcha think they're better candidates for cosmic retribution? Dontcha? Dontcha? Need reassurance here. Tnx. Posted by: shylurker on November 1, 2005 04:32 PMOh shy I feel assureds that they are miserable in their tiny lizard brains. Reptiles aren't suppose to sweat, so I'll bet they are mighty unhappy when they do. Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 04:54 PMPat QOP, you really ARE chopping wood and carrying water. It doesn't sound easy at all! When you say your pump died, it sounds like you've been pumping water for a while. I hope it not a manual one, and that you have the means to fix it, as going back and forth for water to someone else's spigot sounds really difficult. My thoughts and prayers are with you. You also have my admiration. You remind me of the story in Proverbs about the ant who prepares for winter (something like that). Bhakti, thanks for your great advice - Streamline, Strengthen, Support, and live small. I've thought that for a long time, since reading Thoreau's quote - "Simplify, simplify, simplify." It's not easy in the age of junk mail and telephones but, then again, mail here in New New Orleans comes once a week or so and we only have cell phone service. I'll get back to N.O. in a minute. Jo, it's so good to hear your sweet voice. Kissinger has a blog? When you get a chance, tell us more. Dave...thank you so much for your account of your visit here. It was most interesting to hear your point of view and totally understandable. If I just arrived from out of town, I'd see it the same way. You are unflichingly straightforward in your description. Maybe because I arrived here when things were a lot worse, but I see lots of normalcy, beauty, clean neighborhoods, people working all the time to clean up and repair. Lots of business and restaurants have opened and I guess you could say, we feel more cheer in our hearts each time another one opens. The smell and look of the flood exists in many area, but my feeling is that 50-60% is doing pretty well. We don't have Bell South back but we have cell phones and are trying to get Vonage. Garbage pick-up is irregular (once a week if you're lucky) and the same goes for mail delivery. And way too many people are scattered in other cities. Many renters will not return and those that were longtime residents will feel sad. Many will come back to hopefully affordable housing and areas that landlords hopefully find it within themselves to improve as they were delapidated way too long. But NO is a pretty city compared to many urban areas and it will be again. FEMA is to release the new flood elevation study that will allow the City to create a new building code. This will be an economic problem as many homes will have to be elevated (as they should be). There are many loan programs out there now. The SBA is giving 2% loans, etc. It will happen. Many of the poor people who gave NO it's special character will not come back but some will. Over 75% of the deaths, in case you guys didn't know, occured in people over 75. There were not the means to evacuate and support those that were elderly and/or ill. That part is very sad. You'd be surprised at how many refrigerators, and how much construction refuse and garbage has been picked up already. Anyway, although Dave is right in his view, I see signs of Spring (and Spring actually occuring, not just signs) everywhere and it brings me the same joy, gratitude and hope that it normally does when winter is over.
Sharon, I know that must be you. Wonderful post, and I want you to know that you've made my heart happy. Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 06:12 PMSharon it is so good to hear from you again! He did make a disclaimer that avian flue has NOT YET BEEN DISCOVERED in humans!!!!!!!! But because it MIGHT BE;.........we should all be very afraid! Unbelievable! Wow...Samhain and the Day of All Souls and everyone is showing back up again....howdy, ya'll....and of course, Mars will be getting its forward motion (kinda like a football play, huh?) going again. Lovely! Pat C...loved your post, Sharon, glad things are much better than we are getting news on, Pat QOP...that pump business .... vital organs of living always give out, it seems, when we have the least defenses....water heater, furnace, airconditioning...every outage I ever had came on XMAS eve and when I was broke or sick, or someother extreme thing. As if life says, h ey, you can take it, and here's some more! Hey Jo....glad you're back, too....hi to Dave, jm, et all the rest.... Posted by: judi g on November 1, 2005 08:17 PMfor those not following this, Harry Reid is at it again!!! same story from Daily Kos Woo-hoo, Garry! He just shut down the Senate!!!! I mean, literally. The repugs have had it shut down for five years now--in terms of actually doing business for the American people. Posted by: shylurker on November 1, 2005 09:14 PMJust got this from Pat C: http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/11/holy-shit-put-on-cnn.html
Reid's phone number: Hi all, how good it is to hear of Ried taking a stand. Bill Frist says he "feels like he has been slapped in the face".....WELL GOOD. He needs to feel more than that though. I would think he would have something more substantive to say as the Dem's are within the official proceedings to use Rule 21. Jo, It is so NICE to hear from you. Glad you haven't forgotten us. I have numerous questions for you if you have a minute to respond. I thought you were doing research for Salon. Also, you traveled to Europe??? is realpolitik part of Salon? How come you can't peep in to say hi more often. I miss you so much. Sally, may I ask you a couple dumb questions on the chart you used for Libby arraignment? Libby's chart, US chart, Washington DC? What is on the cusp of that 12th house? Could it tell us anything about the nature of the hidden information? That is why I ask. Welcome back to bakhti, Dave, and JoAnna Oregon. Posted by: Beverly on November 1, 2005 09:40 PMThe GOP are squeling like a stuck pig. At least for today the Dems can declare "Checkmate." Posted by: Sally on November 1, 2005 09:45 PMBeverly, I used the time of the arraignment (Thursday at 10:30am) in Washington DC, compared it to Libby's and to Fitzgerald's, however, the chart actually stands alone. Posted by: Sally on November 1, 2005 09:49 PMAs Nancy said, "NO" is the hardest work, and the Democrats are saying NO loudly. I think they have no other choice. G*d knows the Republicans have no problem using that word. Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 09:49 PMhttp://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20051031/space_pluto.html Two New Moons Discovered Orbiting Pluto It's lonely out there in the frozen outfield of the solar system, but perhaps not quite as lonely as previously imagined. It turns out tiny Pluto has more than just partner Charon in its clutch. Scientists have discovered two new moons circling Pluto, an ice-shrouded chunk of rock that will soon lose its status as the only unexplored planet in the solar system. A NASA spacecraft called New Horizons is being prepared for launch to Pluto in January. More... Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 09:52 PMHalleluyah!!!! In addition, Minority Leader Reid has a specific site just for Leak senate proceedings. It is very slow right now but loaded with all the on-going efforts at getting answers. Just got this from Mark Crispin Miller.... Mark: I am making allowances for all the men who say that Roe isn't 'as important'.....as anything else....because it is. Just ask some of the terrifyed women in this country of reproductive age. But not for much longer am I going to make allowances. Men just don't get it.... Posted by: judi g on November 1, 2005 10:38 PMFrom the Senate brain trust: SENATOR TRENT LOTT (R-MS): Reid is making "some sort of stink about Scooter Libby and the CIA leak." http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/001053.html Senator Harry Reid, in a motion seconded by Senator Richard Durbin, just called for a very rare closed door executive session of the Senate. This motion is called "Rule 21" so that Senators can discuss "secret matters." I'm impressed. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is currently on C-Span lambasting Reid and his leadership for this move, which Frist is calling sneaky and underhanded. Frist actually just said that he will be "unable to trust Senator Reid for the next year and half of this Congressional session." Frist said that the Democrats have gone into the gutter to fight. I think it was bold and a very constructive move by Reid. The reason that Reid and Durbin have maneuvered the Senate into executive session is that Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, has failed to move forward on "Phase Two" of a report on the use and abuse of Iraq WMD intelligence before the war. While the first phase focused on the CIA and intelligence bureaucracy's missteps on WMD intel, the second phase is supposed to focus more specifically on those in the White House and close to the President in the executive branch and how Iraq-related WMD intelligence may have been misused. Senator Roberts has delayed and delayed and delayed. And Reid said no more. More.... Posted by: Pat C on November 1, 2005 10:47 PMI think Jo is right. And Pluto has things to wrap up. This should turn into a full investigation. They won't get away with it. It's a little bigger than whiskey taxation. Here's Kerry's statement from the closed session: “For a year and a half, the Republican leadership in Congress has refused again and again to complete Phase II of their investigation into pre-war intelligence failures. All the requests I and other Senators have made of the Intelligence Committee for more information have been pushed aside. The Republican leadership has been complicit in a political cover-up of the decisions that led to war. Nothing could be more serious or more deserving of full public disclosure. The families of our troops deserve the truth, as does every American. Now that one of the chief architects of the war in Iraq has been indicted for related crimes, it is more important than ever to know how intelligence was presented to the Congress. “The country and the Congress were misled into war. It is deeply troubling that the Republicans in Washington are so afraid to share the truth with the American people. Clearly it will require an independent, outside investigation to get to the bottom of this.” The important thing is that this is trumping the SC nomination smokescreen. The urge to bring them to justice will mount and mount. We've earned this. Posted by: jm on November 1, 2005 10:53 PMHappy New Year to all you Pagans. (Today's the Lunar Samhain.) Maybe that's what has gotten so many comments today. Dave, always remember, it's the miles you've traveled and the people you've met (not the years) that make you, you! Glad you're back. Sally & Nancy, went back to archives on the 2nd inauguration and how the earlier swearing-in time changed things for dubya & dicky. (465,466) It’s been said Dec. 1 dubya would have to deal with tChiron conjunct the inaugural Sun, then on the 3rd tSaturn would conjunct it too. Shruby has to have the biggest festering, stinking wound of any dysfunctional person to show people with Chiron’s help! I shutter to think what may happen. I want the two of them to be very depressed and down during December - they deserve it. Is there anything else you might have spotted to add to your previous reports we can watch out for during November? Since Thanksgiving and Xmas are the most stressful for the alcoholic/dysfunctional types (like dubya), I'm hoping to see him hauled off in a straightjacket by Jan 1. All tied up and put safely away.:]HeeHee And judi g, A hearty 'hi' to you too! Posted by: jm on November 1, 2005 11:30 PMLou Dobb's quick vote on cnn.com(mid left side)--doing well, but make yourself heard, AW'ers! http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/ Posted by: Garry on November 1, 2005 11:55 PMBush-Cheney Traitors Deserve Prison, Impeachment By Ted Rall Don't let the Republicans distract you. Treasongate isn't just about deposed vice presidential chief of staff Scooter Libby, who has been charged with five felony counts and faces 30 years in prison, or even deputy presidential chief of staff Karl Rove, who may soon be charged as well. The Libby charges clearly point to the real culprit: Dick Cheney.
By Cindy Sheehan A sovereign nation which was no threat to the United States of America lies in ruins and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens have been slaughtered just for the hell of it. When are we going to stand up as a country and yell a collective: "bull-shit?!!" I have been screaming this until my voice is getting hoarse and people are getting sick of hearing it. Poll: Was Reid's action politically motivated or due to genuine concern? http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/ Posted by: shylurker on November 1, 2005 11:58 PMGive 'em hell, Harry!!!! Not a moment too late....no matter what, let's not make this a cake walk for these bastards anymore (greedy, hypocritical bullies). It's the Sagittarius/Scorpio factor (or something like that). And, yes, it was me writing above re New Olreans - I keep forgetting my name is not automatically listed in the box as it used to be. Pat PQ, so glad you're getting your pump fixed Hi Shylurker, Judi G, WV, Nancy, Sally, Garry, and everyone else - As Jo would say - Namaste Posted by: Sharon on November 1, 2005 11:59 PM
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said in remarks published on Tuesday he would oppose the use of Iraqi territory as a launchpad for any U.S. military strike on Syria. I don't think, Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan will Go vote Welcome back Sharon---good to hear from you. Your earlier post about NOLA gave me hope and sounded so refreshing. namaste to you too! Posted by: Garry on November 2, 2005 12:01 AM
It's happening all over again. This time Syria has received the kiss of the White House don just as laid-out in the 1996 neo-con rule book "Clean Break", conceived on the bidding of none other than the Israel far-right's chief thug Benjamin Netanyahu. http://www.counterpunch.com/heard11012005.html Posted by: wv on November 2, 2005 12:03 AM
Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper also said today in an interview with "Good Morning America," that the vice president's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, confirmed to him that Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, was a CIA operative. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=1265736 Posted by: wv on November 2, 2005 12:09 AMMyron just read what I wrote and he feels I was wrong in my estimates (actually based on prior conversations with him). He feels about 20% is ok, another 30% will need a lot of money to reconstruct, and the remaining 50% are in dire straights and we don't know what part of it can be rebuilt. So, maybe I am being a little unrealistic....I guess when the sun is ok and the temperature is 75 Farenheit, it's hard to be pessimistic. The French Quarter & all of St. Charles are fine, as is most of Uptown, so i don't know if I totally agree with Myron. We will do our best to stay positive Posted by: on November 2, 2005 12:16 AMGreetings, Sharon! Thanks for updating us. Taken together, your and Dave's reports from NOLA were very poignant and fascinating. Posted by: shylurker on November 2, 2005 12:21 AMWell bringing up the rear! Predictably the computer needed to be restarted before I could find Lou Dobbs! Sharon, You bring up such an important aspect of life. Your experience illuminates the reason we shouldn't ultimately be too afraid. You show us how a person can find a good spot wherever she is within the everchanging unpredictable flux of outside events. That we can perceive the goodness of life no matter what, is a great thing to know. Thanks. No one has been jailed for optimism yet. Posted by: jm on November 2, 2005 12:41 AMAnyone want to chart Harry's session today? It started at approx. 2:15 pm DC time. Posted by: Garry on November 2, 2005 01:20 AMyou can sign a thank you from William Rivers Pitt over at DU...to Harry Reid... Pat -- in the mid-eighties, I had the exquisite pleasure of living for 2-1/2 years in the "Garden Spot of the Garden State", "Paris on the Passaic", beautiful, downtown Newark, NJ. Ah, yes, the land where the South Jersey commuters going to NYC on New Jersey Transit trains would have their coats, briefcases, coffee cups, walkmans, newspapers, and anything else they could find, spread out on the seats next to them so the fine citizens boarding the train at Newark would miss an opportunity to sit next to them. You could actually watch this ritual from beginning to end if you boarded the train anywhere south of Elizabeth. To paraphrase that guy from Apocalypse Now, "Take a deep breath. I just love the smell of racism in the morning!" The state was corrupt as hell and segregated, segregated, segregated! And you know what was one of the best things about the place? FRANK LAUTENBERG. He was EVERYBODY'S Senator. I loved his cutie patootie! He helped me get money back from the corrupt, incompetent, Ronald Reagan IRS. When Lautenberg was selected three years ago to reprise his role as Senator to replace that creep Torricelli, I did the victory dance (a combination of the funky chicken and the moonwalk). I still enjoy Senator Lautenberg immensely. And I've been living in Minnesota for the past 14 years. Posted by: Noelle on November 2, 2005 01:58 AMNoelle...what a great story! Congrats on winning against the IRS...now pray that I do the same...next confrontation is on Nov. 22. Of course, another famous american Gemini was shot and killed on that day 42 years ago...the significance of that hasn't escaped me. 20 years this has gone on....I'll be damned if I will not win at this point....! Posted by: judi g on November 2, 2005 03:39 AMfrom Raw Story...! wow... By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Top executives of three major oil companies will be asked by senators next week why some of their industry's estimated $96 billion in record profits this year shouldn't be used to help people having trouble paying their energy bills. Posted by: judi g on November 2, 2005 03:41 AMSharon, My post wasn't very clear... no, Kissenger doesn't have a blog... at least that I'm aware of... I meant to convey that I am focused on political and as someone else said, yes I have been doing a lot of research over at Salon. Blessings on you and your hubby... my heart goes out to you --- and Dave --- and all the folks of NOLA... your voice sounds strong, and resolute... good for you! Pat QofP, how are you? moving gently through these days I hope... you sound feisty as ever! Beverly, that was Joanna who went to Europe... (sigh) I would love to go... thank you, I didn't realize I was missed! I will pop in more often! jm, I saw another of your wonderful posts over at Moon of Alabama today... good to see you again. namaste Posted by: Jo on November 2, 2005 04:52 AMNoelle, "Funky Chicken and Moonwalk?" now that's a dance that probably needs to be on the road and on stage. Would have loved to see that. Posted by: Sally on November 2, 2005 05:18 AMPoll: Should there be a debate on the reasons "we" went to war, or should we just move? Pls go vote. Posted by: shylurker on November 2, 2005 12:02 PMI am sure someone here has mentioned it before, but I'll make note of it again just because I find it facinating. The progressed moon in the 2nd innauguration chart has now moved into opposition to the mars/pluto conjunction seated in it's 8th house. It conjuncts mars and will make it to pluto around March of 2006. I am not sure what it all means. I just hope that these "secrets" or whatever see the light of day. Posted by: Shade on November 2, 2005 01:34 PMIraq theft
A born & bred Jersey girl, I left the state when I was 23 and returned only 3 times since for a visit. My home town had a very blue collar, racial-ethnic mix of blacks & whites, Italians, Jews, and Eastern Europeans. Somehow I will always think of Jersey as a Mafioso state. I guess its politicians & police were either connected or went far right in order to fight crime (probably too rarely). When you take a far right stance too long (and some of that is quite moral & necessary), you get so stuck in that persona that you only think of yourself as right (in all senses of the word), good & moral. That's the place many of the Conservatives and Religious folk find themselves today. A good many of them are trying to do the right thing for their families and the country. When you add to that a concern for business above humanity, you have a very bad mix. When you top it off with a thirst for power at any cost, cloaked in self-deluded morality and patriotism, you have the most dangerous combination of all. The funny thing about the Mafia, as my aunt liked to say, is they are so family oriented. She loved to go see Mafia movies because, as she said, they were good family pictures. This always made me laugh. As far as me being optimistic, I know it is a great trait, but I feel its a little too easy for me to be optimistic, all things considered. We have not lost our home and we live in a nice neighborhood not too far from Tulane. We also have some income coming in. It might not be that easy to be optimistic if I were struggling with the problems that others have. Luckily I have moon in Leo, Mercury in Aquarius, and Jupiter in Pisces in the 9th --- that all helps me. Posted by: sharon on November 2, 2005 03:08 PMA Jersey girl born & bred, I left the state when I was 23 and returned only 3 times since for a visit. My home town had a very blue collar, racial-ethnic mix of blacks & whites, Italians, Jews, and Eastern Europeans. Somehow I will always think of Jersey as a Mafioso state. I guess its politicians & police were either connected or went far right in order to fight crime (probably too rarely). When you take a far right stance too long (and some of that is quite moral & necessary), you get so stuck in that persona that you only think of yourself as right (in all senses of the word), good & moral. That's the place many of the Conservatives and Religious folk find themselves today. A good many of them are trying to do the right thing for their families and the country. When you add to that a concern for business above humanity, you have a very bad mix. When you top it off with a thirst for power at any cost, cloaked in self-deluded morality and patriotism, you have the most dangerous combination of all. The funny thing about the Mafia, as my aunt liked to say, is they are so family oriented. She loved to go see Mafia movies because, as she said, they were good family pictures. This always made me laugh. As far as me being optimistic, I know it is a great trait, but I feel its a little too easy for me to be optimistic, all things considered. We have not lost our home and we live in a nice neighborhood not too far from Tulane. We also have some income coming in. It might not be that easy to be optimistic if I were struggling with the problems that others have. Luckily I have moon in Leo, Mercury in Aquarius, and Jupiter in Pisces in the 9th --- that all helps me. Have a beautiful day, y'all, and, Dave, I hope to hear from you soon. I didn't mean to contradict you --- just filling in more of the picture, albeit skewed! Posted by: sharon on November 2, 2005 03:11 PMsorry about that -- thought it didn't post Posted by: Sharon on November 2, 2005 03:13 PMHey good stories deserve more than one reading! :) Posted by: Garry on November 2, 2005 04:13 PMSharon, Luckily for us your heart's firmly in the right place, whatever your astro placements. I shared your and Dave's obesrvations with a couple of friends. The full impact of the situation in NO was driven home by their reading Dave's impressions first and then, upon reading yours, realizing how much worse it was when you initially returned. In terms of communicating the enormity of the situation, the juxtaposition of y'all's observations was just perfect. Hi AW friends. I don't post often by here is I read at Huffington post that I would like to share. It confirms what is discuused here. From Capitol Hill Blue: Nov 2, 2005, 05:26
On one side are the dwindling numbers of die-hard loyalists to President George W. Bush, those who support his actions and decisions without question and remain committed to both Bush and scandal-scarred political advisor Karl Rove. On the other side are the increasing numbers of those who say Rove must go and who worry about the President's declining mental state and his ability to restore credibility with Congress, our foreign allies and the American people... Bush, whose obscenity-laced temper tantrums increase with each new setback and scandal, abruptly ended one Camp David meeting by telling everyone in the room to “go fuck yourselves” before he stalked out of the room. Senior aides describe Bush as increasingly “edgy” or “nervous” or “unfocused.” They say the President goes from apparent coherent thought one moment to aimless rambles about political enemies and those who are “out to get me. “It’s worse than the days when Ronald Reagan’s Alzheimer’s began setting in,” one longtime GOP operative told me privately this week. “You don’t know if he’s going to be coherent from one moment to the next. What scares me is if he lapses into one of those fogs during a public appearance Posted by: Dilip on November 2, 2005 06:05 PMhee hee hee haw haw haw....please don't think ill of me but I can't help but laugh when I read this kind of thing: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7606.shtml schadenfreude redux..... Posted by: Garry on November 2, 2005 06:06 PMwow, Dilip, you're my psychic twin, we posted the same thing at the exact same time.... Posted by: Garry on November 2, 2005 06:07 PMI agree with you .
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