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IT'S KARL ROVE'S FAULT
That's what Newt's telling his base. "GWB is weak and spinless, don't look for much over the next two years and rebuild the conservative base and it's all Karl Rove's fault."
http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/Gingrich3.htm
I smell rats jumping ship and well they should because eventually someone soon will tell them that the ship has sunk.
I am sitting here in the middle of a blizzard and what was a very dark sky has just deepened into a more ominous darkness, signaling the storm gathering into another intense blast of snow and wind. A perfect metaphor for the deepening darkness in Iraq and the entire Middle East with their so called changes at the DOD.
Robert Gates stepped into the shoes of Donald Rumsfeld at a private 1st ceremony held at the White House on December 18th at 7:03 AM (the public ceremony was held later that same day) And what a shift that change will bring. There are so many issues around this swearing in chart of Robert Gates, and I am sure from their perspective they have good intentions for success (whatever they call success) but the best laid plans of mice and men come to mind.
The most important transits in the Swearing In Chart are between the United States, Robert Gates chart, and the Iraq War chart, all are inter-related and all are activated by this chart.
SWEARING IN CHART
Six planets in Sagittarius plus the Ascendent. Mars at 8 degrees Sagittarius opposing the US Uranus, and Gates natal Uranus - a promise of unexpected violence. Mars is conjuncting the Royal Star Antares (The Archangel Oriel, the Watcher of the West. Spirit of adventure, obstinacy, injuries to eyes, honours, sudden loss, stubborn, suspicious, violent, several marriages) It also opposes another Royal Star in Gemini at 9 degrees, Aldebaran (A Royal Star. The archangel Michael, the Watcher of the East. Eloquence, high honours, integrity, popularity, courage, war mongering, agitation)
Mercury at 15 degrees Sagittarius opposes Robert Gates Mars in Gemini (angry words coming from him or toward him it also opposes the fixed Star Cursa (Currents of Fate, fluctuating emotions, irreversible changes to rhythm of life, sense of oblivion)
The Swearing In Ascendant at 21 Sagittarius, places the US Mars on the Decendant, as well as the Iraq War Saturn - repessive anger resulting in sudden explosive violence and conjunct the unfortunate star Bellatrix (Loquaciousness, accidents, sudden dishonour) We've certainly experienced the impact of those qualities in the US Mars and this insures the new DOD will cause more violence coming toward our troops from foreign countries as well as arguments with foreign countries.
The most dramatic aspect in the DOD Swearing In Chart is the Sun conjunct Pluto on the Galactic Center the massive Black Hole in Sagittarius at the 26th degree, (A vast Black Hole at the centre of our galaxy, discovered 1932; source of energy, motivation, aspiration; alien consciousness; crisis of faith; travel; education; philosophy; spiritual urges; single-minded dedication)
This Pluto and Sun conjunction is opposing Robert Gates Saturn, squaring the Mercury of the Iraq War Chart, in an opportunistic sextile to the US Moon and inconjunct GWB's Saturn. The last time Pluto was at the Galactic Center it became a prelude to the Revolutionary War as I wrote in "A Call to Arms" at the beginning of the year, http://www.astroworld.us/archives/000558.html#000558
Whatever they do or are planning to do in this administration's and James Baker's plan for "change" will ultimately trigger a revolution in this country and where the dust settles is anyone's guess, but it will not turn out the way the politicians envision. That's the long term vision, the short term reality will create a bigger mess than imagined. These people really need to get out of the "green zone" and find out what's really going on and how they can really make a long lasting positive difference. I think they are so mentally dried up and one sided they simply have a deficit of imagination or creativity they cannot impact any situation positively. The only thought is for more money and more power, that's it, they seem incapable of creating, healing or going forward.
Neptune is opposing Robert Gates Jupiter temporarily giving him the belief that he is and will be the Savior of this administration and this mess in the Middle East, when Neptune moves off and Saturn retrogrades back to his Jupiter, the tragic folly of that kind of thinking will be a gobsmacking thump for them all. The problem is while Nuptune is opposing Mr. Gates Jupiter giving him a "savior complex" it will be in a trine to GWB's Neptune solidifying his belief that he is the "SAVIOR." The final nail in the Gates coffin is his Natal Mercury opposes the Iraq War Chart natal Sun at 29 degrees Pisces creating a lack of balance for the outcome of the Iraq Study Group agenda.
The metaphor of this week's blizzard in Denver and the change in the Department of Defense is significant I think because the last blizzard Denver experienced was in spring of 2003, the week the Iraq War began, almost an omen of what was to come. Astrology bore out the disaster that was to come from the Iraq war and astrology bears out the continuation of this diaster as well as the ultimate downfall of the powers that be and the rise of honesty and integrity. It will be a hard won victory for the people but it will be won as inspiration spits at us from the Galactic Center.
Sally Cheyne McDonald on Dec 21 |
Link
"injuries to eyes" seems so appropriate, they just can't see.
Paul O'Neil's characterization comes to mind: GWB is like "a blind man in a room full of deaf people." Most ominous stuff there, Cap'n Sally. Brilliantly linked to the darkening storm going through Colorado. Many thanks!
I haven't posted here for quite some time, but kudos to Sally for this most insightful and (ultimately) optimistic article re our long term future.
As everyone else, I'm just wondering how much worse it has to get on the ground before 'we the people' yell "ENOUGH!!" loudly enough and in terms so certain, that even the terminally tone deaf Bushco administration finally hears (or if not, the new Congress, which will than have no choice but to belatedly (IMO) start impeachment proceedings).
Of course the ultimate wild card in all this is their intentions re bombing Iran (and recent headlines re the probability of additional carriers being deployed to the Persian Gulf certainly don't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling) so I'm wondering Sally if you would care to venture any astro predictions/intuitions in this regard.
Take care Sally. Hunker down.
Good article.
I really enjoyed the connections to the fixed stars. I always think about the War chart Sun on fixed star Sheat. Look where we're at almost 4 years later. Total Sheat! Now with Pluto on the GC I think people are starting to see the polarizations that divide. Maybe the awareness of a pitched apex of the polarization can lead to the higher vibration of the symbol of Pluto/Shiva as unity of all, or a more globally interconnected world. A real paradigm shift in conciousness where there are no Superpowers, no false saviours.
Tha would be refreshing.
I couldn't agree more Bhakti and I am "hunkered down" nothing else to do. "No more false saviors" what a refreshing thought and everyone could work toward being a true grownup. Wow, think of it.
Grizzly, I don't think there is a chance of attacking Iran until 2009. It would be crazy, whoops, I forgot about all the crazies running things. Seriously I don't think we will attack Iran but I do expect the Middle East to explode in multiple civil religious wars across borders late 2008
Sally re Gates Jupiter/Neptune contact.
Ebertin's thoughts on Jupiter/Neptune contacts
"Apparent happiness"
Hopefully this Christmas and the New Year will provide you with lots of real happiness.
And so to you and all your other admiring readers
including myself living on the other side of the globe. Here's wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year
From NY Times
December 21, 2006
White House Memo
A New Phrase Enters Washington’s War of Words Over Iraq
By JIM RUTENBERG
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20 — First there was the “mission accomplished” banner. Then, last year, there was a “plan for victory” and, just this past October, the presidential assertion, “Absolutely, we’re winning.” Now that President Bush is seeking “a new way forward” in Iraq, he is embracing a new verbal construction to describe progress there: “We’re not winning. We’re not losing.”
The latest shift in the official language of the war is begging the question: Well, which is it? A tie? A draw? Something else?
Mr. Bush essentially endorsed the not-winning-not-losing assessment in an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday by way of attributing it to Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. When asked if the United States was winning in Iraq, Mr. Bush said, “An interesting construct that General Pace uses is, ‘We’re not winning; we’re not losing.’ ” To those who closely follow the president’s rhetoric on the war, the answer was something of a dodge.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/washington/21memo.html?pagewanted=print
December 21, 2006AP: Pentagon Wants $99.7B More for Wars
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:01 a.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon wants the White House to seek an additional $99.7 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to information provided to The Associated Press.
The military's request, if embraced by President Bush and approved by Congress, would boost this year's budget for those wars to about $170 billion.
Military planners assembled the proposal at a time when Bush is developing new strategies for Iraq, such as sending thousands of more U.S. troops there, although it was put together before the president said the troop surge was under consideration.
Overall, the war in Iraq has cost about $350 billion. Combined with the conflict in Afghanistan and operations against terrorism elsewhere, the cost has topped $500 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.
The additional funds, if approved, would push this year's cost of the war in Iraq to about $50 billion over last year's record. In September, Congress approved an initial $70 billion for the current budget year, which began Oct. 1.
A description of the Pentagon request was provided by a person familiar with the proposal who asked for anonymity because the person was not authorized to release the information.
The cost of the war has risen dramatically as the security situation has deteriorated and more equipment is destroyed or worn out in harsh conditions. The Army, which has borne the brunt of the fighting, would receive about half of the request, a reflection of the wear and tear that the war has had on soldiers and their equipment.
An additional $9.8 billion is being sought for training and equipping Iraq's and Afghanistan's security forces.
The administration's request for more Iraq money will be submitted along with Bush's budget in February for the 2008 budget year, which starts next Oct. 1. The White House can add or subtract from the Pentagon request as it sees fit, and the total could grow if money is added for reconstruction costs.
In a memo several weeks ago, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England encouraged the services to include in their budget requests projects connected to the broader fight against terrorism, as opposed to costs strictly limited to Iraq and Afghanistan. Critics have said that could be interpreted to cover almost anything.
Earlier requests submitted by service branches to Pentagon brass were considerably higher, but were trimmed back after meeting resistance at the White House and from key lawmakers.
The budget request includes:
--$41.5 billion to cover the costs of ongoing military operations.
--$26.7 billion for replacing and repairing equipment damaged or destroyed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
--$10 billion for body armor and other equipment to protect U.S. troops from attack.
--$2.5 billion to combat roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices.
--$2.7 billion for intelligence activities.
Whatever request emerges from the Bush administration will go to a new Congress controlled by Democrats highly critical of the Iraq war and Bush's handling of it.
Even so, there is much sentiment among Democrats to protect troops and much fear about being portrayed as unsympathetic to men and women in uniform. These factors probably would overwhelm any efforts by anti-war Democrats to use the debate over the Iraq money to take on Bush's conduct of the war.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Iraq-Spending.html?pagewanted=print
Having a Loud Microphone, With Not Much to Say
By Dana Milbank
Thursday, December 21, 2006; A02
"The president is relevant here."
-- Bill Clinton, April 18, 1995
"The microphone of the president has never been louder."
-- George W. Bush, Dec. 19, 2006
There reaches a time in every man's presidency when he becomes defensive about the volume of his microphone.
For President Bush, that moment was Tuesday, when he answered a question from The Post's Michael Fletcher about whether he was "out of the domestic policy business." A week earlier, he had confided to People magazine that he occasionally took sleeping pills, "but I must tell you, I'm sleeping a lot better than people would assume."
Yesterday, the full White House press corps got the chance, at a presidential news conference, to get the newly introspective Bush to talk more about his microphone, his sleep and his innermost thoughts. The results were unsatisfying.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001522_pf.html
Gates Talks Over Options With U.S. Commanders in Iraq
By Thomas E. Ricks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 21, 2006; A20
BAGHDAD, Dec. 20 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates spent his third day as Pentagon chief in an intense series of discussions with top U.S. military commanders about next steps in Iraq, but said he wouldn't move toward any conclusions until he had talked with senior Iraqi officials.
"We discussed the obvious things," Gates said after meeting with Gen. John P. Abizaid, Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and other top Army generals here. "We discussed the possibility of a surge and the potential for what it might accomplish." In recent days the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the White House have debated whether to conduct such a "surge," or short-term escalation of U.S. troops in Iraq, in an effort to bring more security to the country's turbulent capital, Baghdad.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122000255_pf.html
Sally, cheer up! We've got at least 3ft of snow here in Boulder too. Hardly ever do we get a weather system from the Northeast, but this is a chance to stop everything on this solstice. No commerce, just quiet and beauty of deep snow.
But Sally I don't see a simple snowstorm as a bad omen necessarily. Usually we get our heaviest ones in March and April, but this one's actually kind of exciting so near christmas...screwing up all kinds of materialism! Got packages in the hallway that aren't going anywhere fast!
Bush is like a cake falling in on itself. The Dems are pissing me off worrying about 'image' and just not being straight about the difference between the well being of the troops and stuffing the pockets of cheney's contractors! A year ago I had a client who's guy has a contract with Halliburton until 2012. Oh, they intend to stay where the money is! That money is NOT for the wellbeing of the troops, and Halliburton is stuffing its' pockets on money meant for them. The least of which is a shockingly bad job providing clean water and decent food for them. Basic equipment.
Why aren't the dems exposing this corruption and stupidity? Why are they not being decisive and worrying about IMAGE?????????????????????
OMG we've waited 6 years for an end to madness and the dems are worried about APPEARANCES??????!!!!!
http://tinyurl.com/ycq57h
America In Black, China In Green
The world is facing a global climate crisis that threatens our security, stability, and quality of life on a massive scale. The United States remains among the world's most irresponsible environmental actors, polluting heavily and shirking multilateral carbon reduction efforts. But averting a climate crisis will require action around the globe, specifically in China. In just three years, China is expected to overtake the United States as the world's worst carbon emitter, thanks in large part to its reliance on environmentally caustic coal-fired power plants for electricity. This estimate, made last month by the International Energy Agency, was "nearly a decade ahead of previous predictions," highlighting "the unexpected speed with which China is emerging as the biggest contributor to global warming." Last week, a cabinet-level U.S. delegation led by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson traveled to China as part of a new Strategic Economic Dialogue. Though energy and the environment were two of the four planks of the dialogue, the U.S. delegation returned "nearly empty-handed." This result shows a supreme lack of diplomatic creativity. It is clear that the United States can be a global leader in the booming "green industrial revolution," but only if it acts early and aggressively. Now is the time to engage China on energy security. "This is how America gets itself back into the black, and how it helps China to get into the green."
CHINA'S TICKING TIME BOMB: China's staggering economic growth in recent years has been accompanied by a voracious and growing appetite for fossil fuels. China's energy comes mostly from coal, which is "particularly troubling to climate scientists because as a developing country, China is exempt from the Kyoto Protocol’s requirements for reductions in emissions of global warming gases." China already uses more coal than "the United States, the European Union and Japan combined." Last year, China built roughly 75 traditional coal-fired power plants "big enough to serve all the households in Dallas or San Diego," and it will continue to build new such plants "at a rate of almost one per week for years to come." Worldwide coal consumption "has risen as much in the last three years as it had in the previous 23 years," with China accounting for 90 percent of the increase. Traditional coal combustion produces some of the most dangerous and deadly pollutants, including carbon dioxide (responsible for most global warming), sulfur dioxide, and mercury. (China has not adopted a new generation of power plants that capture and sequester carbon underground.) "Unless China finds a way to clean up its coal plants and the thousands of factories that burn coal, pollution will soar both at home and abroad," the New York Times reports. "The increase in global-warming gases from China's coal use will probably exceed that for all industrialized countries combined over the next 25 years, surpassing by five times the reduction in such emissions that the Kyoto Protocol seeks."
DAMAGE DONE: The severe consequences of human mismanagement of the environment are evident in China. More than 350,000 people prematurely die each year because of air pollution. "Acid rain caused by sulfur dioxide spewed from factories and power plants affected a third of China's vast land mass last year," including one-tenth of the country's total arable land, posing a "grave threat" to food safety. More than 75 percent of China's rivers "contain so much pollution that they cannot support fish or be tapped for drinking water." Some 300 million people -- the population of the United States -- lacks access to clean water. Eleven major cities "including the capital, Beijing -- where smog often obscures buildings across the street -- were plagued by serious air pollution on more than one-third of days this year,".....
Political Wire
Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) "has relinquished his position as co-chairman of the Senate Centrist Coalition, halting talks with co-chairwoman Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) over the future of the organization in favor of creating his own bipartisan group with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)," according to Roll Call.
"Snowe, meanwhile, has begun working with Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) to refashion the Centrist Coalition into a group that includes more than just ideological centrists and which they hope will appeal to Senators from all over the political spectrum."
pat b & sally - enjoy the White Christmas beauty & peace of the freshly fallen snow for now, may you have enough food, warmth & company.
I didn't read anything about the Democrats insistance on image (which ones?), but I did read an email from CODEPINK that says Reid retracted his earlier statement about supporting a short term troup increase, and now wants the war to end and the troups to come home.
I did see a video making the rounds showing Barbara Boxer's absolute commitment to remedy global warming.
I am very heartened about Dennis Kuccinich and John Edwards running as they will speak out honestly. (Let's not forget Al Gore.)
These people, like Howard Dean, CAN speak the truth until they are elected, at which time everything changes a bit.
The Dems in political positions may have to curb some of their zeal, that's the nature of politics -- in order to get things done you give some concession, but I dont' think that will be the whole story.
I continue to see Henry Waxman, as Sally said, as the secret weapon.
I'm excited about 2007 & the new Congress. I expect to be a little disappointed but keep in mind that politicians have to reflect the baronmeter of public opinion, particularly from their district, and still get things done. As we, along with the media and other spokespeople continue to press forward and work to disclose truth, things will continue to change.
Be Ye of Good Cheer (((AWer's)))
I did see this morning where Boulder got 25 "recorded" inches to Denver's "recorded" 24 and Ft. Collins "recorded" 23. However I know my son in Ft. Collins actually got 32 and I know there are places here and in Boulder with much more and it is beautiful if one is in their home, with pleanty of food, and power. So for me, it's beautiful a friend of mine across town who is sick and has no power she isn't having such a good time.
The point of drawing omens from a blizzard or storm or accident to Iraq isn't the event, it's never the event, it's the responses to the event. Some people are seemingly thrilled over the violence in Iraq. People are not their thing, money and power and fighting for the sake of fighting are their thing so those people aren't upset about Iraq, others only see the violence. Like you Pat and myself, I see the snow as fantastic, my sick friend, without food or power isn't so happy. The point I intended to make, is you can take a simple thing like a snowstorm, or change of DOD with expanded, over the top, unintended consequences and results. In that way the change of DOD will get out of hand like this blizzard.
Sally and Sharon, got to work and just want to thank you both for your comments before I meet the usual "have to's" today.
Of course, Sally my good thoughts are with your
friend. The main thing is being without power, but think people will be gotten to fairly quickly by tomorrow.. You could call the local police to connect her to the red cross with their access to humvees and getting your friend to a warm place and chicken soup!
Sharon, heartening about Reid's changing position re the war..I didn't know that, thanks. What I'd been hearing sounded so damn besides the point re the troops and funding, wondered why can't they just separate those issues for what they are instead of pumping money to corrupt contractors and NOT the ones fighting the war. BIG difference easily explained, but so far they haven't that I've seen. If there is, sure would like to see it!
Later guys!
Sally, thank you for this article and for points to consider. My family lived in Denver for years starting in 1961. Always loved a big snow storm. In fact I love storms period (oh moon conjunct pluto). We are getting a little rain and darkness here and that seems good today.
I do feel revolution stirring. The "establishment" have gone totally off the rails forgetting that "they" rule because "we" allow "them" to. People don't usually come together but I can feel the pressures building.
Dept of Defense used to be Dept of War. The plutie/olies wanted lipstick on the ugly wargeezer so viola! Dept of Defense. As it turns out, ain't no Dept of Defense either. More correct than Dept of war OR defense would be Dept of Offense or Offensive... or better yet, Ugly LifeF*ckers.
Thinking about Iraq and Storms, I was speaking at a conference in Lansing, Michigan (Aquarian Revelation Conference - put on by Ray Merriman) years ago - early 90's, 92? and we were having a Saturday night talent show. Just as we were getting into the talent show, someone came on stage and announced that the Americans had started bombing Baghdad. *Immediately* a HUGE storm came up from the north east and swept over us. We had to run from the hall back to our lodgings as thunder and lightning and black clouds swooped in from the direction of Washington.... from the north east.
It's interesting to note that the Sun for the 4th July chart of the U.S. is on Cancer 14: A Very Old Man Looking Towards the Vast Dark Space to the Northeast.
I felt sick that night, really sick. I started to sob and couldn't stop... man's inhumanity to man goes on and on.
Target Iran: Seymour Hersh interviews Scott Ritter
SEYMOUR HERSH: [inaudible] is standing. We want to do one more question. Let me ask him one more question. One last question, which is, OK, briefly, we go to war. We begin a massive bombing campaign. Take your pick. Odds are it’s going to be systematic, at least three days of intense bombing, decapitation probably, which -- that is one of the things you do when you begin a bombing attack, like we did against Saddam twice and like the Israelis did against Hezbollah when they targeted Nasrallah. And I think we and the Israelis are now 0-for-8, almost as bad as Shrummy and his elections. But anyway, so the question then is -- we go to war -- tell us what happens next, in your view.
SCOTT RITTER: Well, it’s, you know -- it’s almost impossible to be 100% correct, but I’ll give you my best analysis. The Iranians will use the weapon that is the most effective weapon, because the key for Iran -- you know, Iran can’t afford, if this -- remember, the regime wants to stay in power, so they can’t afford a strategy that gets the American people to recognize three years in that, oops, we made a mistake. I mean, if that was Saddam’s strategy, it failed for him, because he’s out of power. Yeah, we realize we made a mistake now in Iraq, but the regime is gone. So the Iranians realize that they have to inflict pain upfront. The pain is not going to be inflicted militarily, because we're not going to commit numbers of ground forces on the ground that can cause that pain. The pain will come economically.
Our oil-based economy is operating on the margins, as we speak. We only have 1.0% to 1.5% excess production capacity. If you take the Iranian oil off the market, which is the first thing the Iranians will do, we automatically drop to around minus-4%, which means there ain’t enough oil out there to support the globe’s thirst for oil, especially America’s thirst for oil. And we're not the only ones drinking it? You think for a second the Chinese and the Indians, the world’s two largest developing economies, are going to say, “Hey, Uncle Sam, we’ll put everything on hold, so we can divert oil resources, so you can feed your oil addiction, because you attacked Iran”?
And it’s not just Iranian oil that will go off the market. Why do you think we sent minesweepers up there? We’ve got to keep the Straits of Hormuz open. The Iranians will shut it down that quick. They’ll also shut down oil production in the western oil fields of Saudi Arabia. They’ll shut down Kuwaiti oil production. They’ll shut down oil production in the United Arab Emirates. They’ll shut down whatever remaining oil production there is in Iraq. They’ll launch a massive attack using their Shia proxies in Iraq against American forces. That will cause bloodshed.
The bottom line is, within two days of our decision to initiate an attack on Iran, every single one of you is going to be feeling the consequences of that in your pocketbook. And it’s only going to get worse. This is not something that only I recognize. Ask Dick Lugar what information he’s getting from big business, who are saying, “We can’t afford to go to war with Iran.”
SEYMOUR HERSH: Final question: given all this, are we going to do it?
SCOTT RITTER: Yes, we're going to do it.
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/21/143259
"A Very Old Man Looking Towards the Vast Dark Space to the Northeast." Very apt Lynda as is Clymela's "The "establishment" have gone totally off the rails forgetting that "they" rule because "we" allow "them" Not only have they forgotten that we allow them rule, we've forgotten that we've elevated them, but "off the rails" they are.
Syria in Bush's Cross Hairs
TIME Exclusive: A classified document suggests the Administration is considering a plan to fund political opposition to the Damascus government. Some critics say it would be an unwarranted covert action
By ADAM ZAGORIN/WASHINGTON
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2006
The Bush Administration has been quietly nurturing individuals and parties opposed to the Syrian government in an effort to undermine the regime of President Bashar Assad. Parts of the scheme are outlined in a classified, two-page document that says that the U.S. already is "supporting regular meetings of internal and diaspora Syrian activists" in Europe.
.. the document proposes a secret "election monitoring" scheme, in which "internet accessible materials will be available for printing and dissemination by activists inside the country [Syria] and neighboring countries." The proposal also calls for surreptitiously giving money to at least one Syrian politician who, according to the document, intends to run in the election. The effort would also include "voter education campaigns" and public opinion polling, with the first poll "tentatively scheduled in early 2007."
"Democracy promotion" has been a focus of both Democratic and Republican administrations, but the Bush White House has been a particular booster since 9/11. Iran contra figure Elliott Abrams was put in charge of the effort at the National Security Council. Until recently, Elizabeth Cheney, daughter of the Vice President, oversaw such work at the State Department. ....
CONT'D
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1571751,00.html
The War On Toddlerism
Treating children as young as four as s-e-x-ual deviants, criminals and subversives emphasizes slip towards the police state
Steve Watson
Infowars.net
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Nothing emphasizes the decline of America into an authoritarian police state more than the treatment of children as possible enemies, deviants or criminals. A few cases, involving very young children, have caught our attention this month that indicate in the current climate any sniff of power is corrupting absolutely those who believe they have it.
The AP reported today that a five year old boy has been accused of s-e-x-ually harassing a kindergarten classmate:
Washington County school officials told Charles Vallance that his son pinched a girl's but-tocks earlier this month in a hallway at Lincolnshire Elementary School. The school says that meets the state's definition of s-e-x-ual harassment.
The father of the child insists that his son knows nothing about s-e-x and was just playing. Nevertheless the "offence" will remain on the child's file.
This is not an isolated case. The same report from the AP says that in Maryland alone, where this incident took place, 28 kindergarten students were suspended for s-e-x offenses in the last school year - 15 of those suspensions for s-e-x-ual harassment.
Earlier this month a four year old boy was accused of "improperly touching" a female school employee. The principal of La Vega Primary School sent a letter to the parents of the boy that said the pre-kindergartener demonstrated "inappropriate physical behavior interpreted as s-e-x-ual contact and/or s-e-x-ual harassment."
The school says that the boy rubbed his face in the chest of the employee. Again the parents were outraged insisting that a four year old cannot know what it means to act s-e-x-ually.
What kind of sick light does this put America into where teachers and school officials are suspending children barely beyond the age of toddlers for se-x-ual deviancy?
Just because adult culture has become saturated in s-e-x does not mean that children no longer have innocent minds and must be treated as if they are corrupted little p-e-r-v-erts.
more
http://infowars.net/articles/december2006/211206toddlerism.htm
Hi Shadowhawk
I saw the report about the 4 year old and I felt sick. I well remember my own as well as others' children rubbing their faces into my chest while I was holding them. I think at times it's a comfort thing, instinctual, perhaps they have an itchy nose and they're just scratching it that way. To infer it's sexual is beyond belief sick and, also, a demeaning of not only the child, but the parents. I would be FURIOUS if this happened to my child. How dare they!!
Next it will be children under the age of 1 who urinate with no nappy on. It's sick sick sick and, I fear, it's just going to get worse.
Yes Sally! I agree completely. Although I have to reply with the devil's advocate - we would have that if we lived in a democracy. We must remember that we don't live in a democracy.
I agree Lynda - I'm afraid they'd find out what a first house Pluto in Leo can do when angry! NO ONE gets away with harassing my child. I'll put up with a lot before I get angry unless it's one of my kids. Then, they'd better run for cover! Some people should never be given positions of authority. Wasn't it Dean's book that talked about Authoritarianism (sp?)? We seem to be solidily in the grip of it now and it's going to get worse before it gets better - just like you said.
Thank you for another good article Sally. The reminder of the fixed stars was enlightening.
Right here at home, there is a much stronger feeling of warmth compassion and sharing.
It's as if the awakening & awareness of what's really happening "OUT THERE" has sparkled a sense of "pulling together " here to weather it.
My Republican sparing peartner at the hardware store,with whom I've had some pretty heated discussions, in the past 3 years.......bought a calendar from me because I had ordered an electric screwdriver, and when it came in I didn't have the money to buy it.
When I delivered the calendar to him he was positively glowing with the joy of giving. ( Also VERY pleased to possess the 12 pretty prints.) His birthday was Dec. 19.
And the printer gave me the last 5 calendars printed for free, and invited me to their church service ( Pentacostel) Sun.
Happy Solstice all..........
QOP
Here's an Australian take on our 'beloved' Prez and it ain't any prettier than our own take ala Judith (over at Starlight). It dissects some of the Bushes pithier comments that are positively disjointed or insane. Lynda, is the prevalent view in Australia?
"A DANGEROUS HYPOTHETICAL"
Nobody in America today, it seems, likes the idea of sending more US troops into the deathstorm of Baghdad. Some of the most astounding objections are now coming from the Pentagon's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior and powerful military figures in the United States.
President Bush actually now faces a situation where he, as commander in chief, could try and order 30,000 more troops be sent into Baghdad and have the military command say, "No, Mr President, we don't be doing that." They would say this to him privately first, but if continued to push, they would then make it public, already knowing from their own polls that the decision to directly disobey commands from the president would be welcomed by most Americans.
more
http://lastdaysofpresidentbush.blogspot.com/2006/12/dangerous-hypothetical-bush-faces.html
Since the gov decided to redact an op-ed article, the NYT went in and got already published articles that were quoted and rebuilt the redacted article. Interesting in that it reveals that Iran isn't quite the boogeyman we want it to be!
The redacted Iran op-ed revealed
Ron Brynaert
Published: Friday December 22, 2006
The New York Times has taken the unusual step of publishing an op-ed in which parts of the contents have been "redacted" or blacked out by government censors, who believe that its contents would reveal "sensitive" information that the White House wants to withold. Below is RAW STORY's best guess at what might hide behind some of the redactions.
In addition to the redacted op-ed, the Times published an explanatory note from its authors, Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann. Leverett served in the Bush National Security Council under Condoleezza Rice, and is now affiliated with the Washington, DC-based Brookings Institution. Hillary Mann is an ex-foreign service officer who participated in US dialog with Iran from 2001 to 2003.
Leverett and Mann made available a set of publicly-available sources of information which they had "provided...to the board to demonstrate that all of the material the White House objected to is already in the public domain." However, as they noted, "to make sense of much of our Op-Ed article, readers will have to read the citations for themselves."
more
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/The_redacted_Iran_oped_revealed_1222.html
Well!
I just got a check in the mail from Senator Collin's Aide, for a calendar, with extra for postage!
Shylurker.......The e-mail I had for you doesn't work. If you want please e-mail me @ psharpart@hotmail.com, so I can send you a card.
Any one else on the board too
QOP
The "Australian" article certainly confirms our own views of this presidency and this president. However while Britain and Australia continually take Bush apart, they are a little more reticent to take their own Blair and Howard apart, with a few exceptions. Bush certainly did hammer Iraq and Afghanistan into this war and created a horrific situation for these countries and horrific instability in the entire region and Australia and the UK followed merrily along. They've been like "mob rule" one boy threw the rock and the others gathering strength from the head bully, picked up their own rocks and started throwing them. If Blair is George's poodle, what is Howard? I have no more respect for the Australian and British governments than these people have for the US government.
Sally, I hope you have managed to dig out a little by now.
Pat, I'd like to hear more about your calendars. Can you e-mail me direct at daisy1957@comcast.net?
Howard is just another pink supremacist--but on the bottom of evolution--poodle, Miss Sally... that's all it is.
Isn't that the God's truth. These people have well over stayed their welcome. The thing that gets me is they believe they know what the h... they are doing. Amazing, simply amazing. Money and power must give people a false sense of self-esteem and value.
I did dig out a bit Teresa and the city is digging out. My driveway is clear enough and there is a path (thanks to the fire department) for a car to drive down my street (the main arteries have been cleared) anyway I figured I could get to the store and I did. I strategically
navigated the streets I knew were mainly cleared (at least with a path down the center) I carefully steered clear of the huge drifts others were getting stuck into, I stopped and helped a couple of stuck people shovel around the drift and made it to the corner of my block feeling very smug and talented. Just as I was turning the corner a dog shot out and instead of stopping, I pulled my wheel a dangerous bit to the left and ended up in a 5 foot snow drift, 4 houses from my house. All my smug aren't I cool demeanor left immediately. I stopped congratulating myself on my superior navigating skills and helplessly looked around for someone to give me a push. Three nice young men did just that and I got home in one piece, none the worse for wear. Humility eventually comes to us all in ever so many ways for so many reasons.
Sally
Many here refer to Howard as being Bush's 'sheriff' - only with a very small gun. Howard is really disliked in this country as is Blair in England. Of course, Blair is going, so that will be him out of the picture (until the war trial starts).
Howard, on the other hand, has done an exemplary job with the economy here, although it's certainly in favour of big business and not small business or the little guy. People here are afraid to vote our Labor party in because they're a bunch of no hopers whilst Howard's government at least looks like they know what they're doing.
People are worried about their mortgages - bottom line. Some people are worried about the mortgages on their second and third and fourth houses as the property boom had people borrowing on equity and grabbing money however they could in order to grab a bigger slice of the pie. Now that interest rates have gone up somewhat there are a lot of people either hitting the wall or about to.
In terms of the economic situation, though, I'd say with my little knowledge of such things that Australia is in a far, far, far better shape than the US. For a start, we don't go broke if we have to have our gall bladder out.
A little example: There's nothing wrong with my gallbladder, I'll point out! But I went to see two different doctors (one a specialist) in the last month. In total, it cost $110 to see both (about US$80) and then I went into the Medicare office and got a $55 rebate.
We have a lot to be grateful for here in Australia - Howard is not one of them, though. Just because his government has held onto things and the economy is going so well is no reason to vote for him, but people will, I afraid. They will even though they can't stand him and HATE that they've gone into Iraq.
It should be remembered that we're closer to that region of the world (the middle east). We have a lot of immigrants from the middle east in this country and hundreds of thousands of our some 19 million population marched in the streets against the Iraq war. That was incredible - *hundreds of thousands* and the government didn't take any notice whatsoever.
More than a hundred thousand marched in Australia to get the HOward government to say 'sorry' to the Aboriginals. It was HUGE in Sydney - did he? NO. Howard would never say sorry. He's a lawyer - he's not going to admit any guilt on behalf of anyone (unless it suits his agenda).
To my mind, Howard is a piece of anglo-saxon filth. He's spread mistrust and hate for people from the middle east with his lies and manipulations. He's an *amazing* politician, though, and I think he'd outstrip GWB given half a chance.
I'd love to share the footage I saw of Bush and HOward recently where Bush was stumbling about the war in Iraq and HOward was squinting beside him. Howard was so obviously uncomfortable standing beside Bush because Bush was not getting his words right, not responding in a smart way. Howard *always* has the right line, the right comment - he is a consumate politician and would blow Bush right out of the water in a debate.
I have no respect for him just because he's an aweinspiringly good politician. I think he's a mean, horrible, small minded bastard.
That's what I think about him in a nutshell.
Something else to add to the mix: Australia will NEVER be able to have a government that it wants if the US doesn't want us to have that government. We know that the CIA was involved in the outing of a few of our governments over the years. They would never countenance a government that the people selected if it wasn't in the interests of the US... never.
Howard is a lapdog, a poodle, a sheriff running with his little pea shooter for Bush. Our forces don't make a damn of difference in Iraq compared to the size of the troops from the US and Britain, but Bush needed the support of Australia so he could have his "coalition of the willing". It's the feel good factor, not the actual contribution that's being made.
To be honest, and I'm not THAT into conspiracy theories that I think about them all the time, BUT, I'm quite worried about the future of Australia in terms of the fact that this is one hell of an amazingly wonderful country out in the middle of nowhere with enormous resources, including (I believe) half the world's uranium (perhaps more). We have enormous coal, diamonds, etc, bauxite, etc... going from memory here, but we're so rich in what we have in the ground. We have a mere 20 million people in a country the same size as the contiguous US.
BTW, I did an anagram of Australia and came up with the phrase "a trial USA" - isn't that fun? Well, it sort of is, I hope we're not taken over one day - jeez, I forgot - we are already.
The US says jump and our little sheriff says "how high?"
I have a great program: Anagram Genius 2000. I have fun with it...
John Howard anagrams:
Oh! Ha! Down Jr.
Ho Ho! Jr wand.
Oh! hadj worn.
Oh! Had own Jr.
George W. Bush:
He grew bogus.
Bush ego grew.
Where bugs go.
Whose bugger?
"W": he bugs Gore.
Donald Rumsfeld:
Muddler of lands.
Dull and deforms.
Led old arms fund?
and the one I like the most, although it's tragically true is
Slumland fodder.
Lynda - those are wonderful! There's actually a program that does that? I'll have to find it. I could get into all kinds of mischief with that! :-)
Yeah, Shadowhawk, it's great fun. Anagram Genius
Here's another for Australia:
Ultra Asia.
It's a cracker, this programme.
Condoleeza Rice:
Recolonized ace.
I concealed zero
Decolorize acne.
and Homeland Security:
Our decline's a myth. (!)
No deathly U.S. crime!
So include the army.
O, dithery Uncle Sam!
Hurts old CIA enemy?
I'm the only crusade!
Comradely in the U.S.!
Cheney'd rout Islam?
Oh nuts! Delay crime.
So directly humane.
Hey! Cruel saintdom.
I love this one: My red-hot lunacies.
and this: Shame on credulity.
One last (I promise I'll stop!)
The Sabian Symbols:
Bombs the analysis
great fun!
Sally, has your storm passed yet? I hope so.
Lynda - you didn't mention it's a FREE download! Even more fun when it's free!!! Thanks
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Saddam switched to the Euro just before we attacked him if I remember correctly. Wonder what that means in this case.
Iran turns from d-o-l-l-a-r to euro in oil s-a-l-e-s
Carl Mortished, International Business Editor
Iran is selling more of its oil for p-a-y-m-ent in euros than d-o-l-l-a-rs as it seeks to shift its foreign c-u-r-r-e-n-c-y reserves away from the depreciating c-u-r-r-e-n-c-y of its political enemy, the United States.
The world’s fourth-biggest oil exporter has inserted a clause in its oil contracts allowing it to request payment in alternative c-u-r-r-e-n-cies.
Gholanhossein Nozari, the managing director of National Iranian Oil Company, said that 57 per cent of Iran’s income from oil exports was now received in euros.
The move reflects a political desire for less reliance on the d-o-l-l-a-r, as well as a need to avoid further depreciation in c-u-r-r-e-n-c-y reserves. Iran’s d-o-l-l-a-r holdings are thought to have fallen from 40 per cent of c-u-r-r-e-n-c-y reserves to just a third.
more
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0%2C%2C16849-2514985%2C00.html
Hi Shadowhawk
Nice find! I didn't know it was free - I paid something like $100 a few years ago for it!
Well done :)
It's so much fun, one could spend hours doing it.
I said I'd stop, but I can't help myself. Here's another goodie but this time about Christmas
'Merry Christmas and Happy New Year'
anagrams to
'Starry hype. Many wrap merchandise.'
For those interested - here is the website:
http://www.anagramgenius.com/
Great post, Sally. Hope you're completely dug out by today. It reminds me of living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Several older homes were two stories. Most all had a door on the second floor so you could get outside in the winter. It probably wasn't until the 1940s that equipment was of removing the 300 plus inches of snow that fell annually. It was a beautiful part of the country, but you needed to love winter sports to love the area.
Merriman's take on what may happen in Iraq is spot on this week. That those rebuilding with our taxpayer dollars (the Halliburtons & Kellogg, Brown and Roots, et al) are threatening to get out, unless we send more protection -- more troops. http://www.stariq.com/MarketWeek.htm
Merry, Happy, Bountiful Holidays to All!
Hahahaaaa... at our expense, of course, we're s'pose to guard the hyper-demanding obscene mega-burglar-bratboyz while they burglar from the Iraqis & USians.
Yep, Joanna, just like we've been doing from the beginning. No mystery that Wolfowitz is now head of the World Bank. . .an extension of the plan begun long ago. Wonder what spot Rummy will fill now? One's got to wonder what further mayhem he'll create.
This scares the living daylights out of me.
George Orwell Was Right: Spy Cameras See Britons' Every Move
[snip]
Almost 70 years after George Orwell created the all-seeing dictator Big Brother in the novel ``1984,'' Britons are being watched as never before. About 4.2 million spy cameras film each citizen 300 times a day, and police have built the world's largest DNA database. Prime Minister Tony Blair said all Britons should carry biometric identification cards to help fight the war on terror.
``Nowhere else in the free world is this happening,'' said Helena Kennedy, a human rights lawyer who also is a member of the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament. ``The American public would find such inroads into civil liberties wholly unacceptable.''
During the past decade, the government has spent 500 million pounds ($1 billion) on spy cameras and now has one for every 14 citizens, according to a September report prepared for Information Commissioner Richard Thomas by the Surveillance Studies Network, a panel of U.K. academics.
Who's In Charge?
At a single road junction in the London borough of Hammersmith, there are 29 cameras run by police, government, private companies and transport agencies. Police officers are even trying out video cameras mounted on their heads.
[snip]
In the bowels of New Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the London police force, a windowless room contains a giant bank of TV screens where the city is monitored around the clock. At the touch of a button, officers can focus on any neighborhood and zoom in on people's faces.
Police hunting the killer of five prostitutes in Suffolk were able to gather 10,000 hours of footage from in and around Ipswich.
By 2016, there will be cameras using facial recognition technology embedded in lampposts, according to the Surveillance Studies report. Unmanned spy planes will monitor the movements of citizens, while criminals and the elderly will be implanted with microchips to track their movements, the report says.
more...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=avL4PSqZrcj4&refer=home
The surveillance madness in Britain baffles me. I don't understand the point. Is it to always be able to testify in court? The murders, so called, were so strange and the arresting of two men. What is all that? Showing that filming everyone all the time still doesn't foil evil?
Maybe the camera company is the only going British business so the goevernment bought everything just to maintain the economy.
I loved the piece on Old Europe. Seems that on this planet Cain just keeps winning.
Here's some GREAT & positive news for the New Year from our friend in Fayetteville. Myron & I visited Fayetteville a few weeks ago and saw the site of the Temple Shalom (apt name). This is wonderful news and I hope it’s widely publicized. May you ALL be Merry & Light today and May all our New Years bring Peace.
Dear Friends,
I wanted to share this story with you. The Jewish community in Fayetteville (where David and I have landed) is very small and in the process of building their first synagogue. Although the community has been in existence for over 20 years, they have had a part-time rabbi
and in the past services have been held in people's homes, the Hillel house on campus and the Unitarian Church. This year, a rabbi was hired for a two year contract and a lot was purchased to build a synagogue.
While this is a huge deal for Temple Shalom, another story has emerged that dwarfs it. This is a bare bones project and we are working hard to
raise money for the building (I'm on the fund-raising committee. If anyone feels the need to contribute, just let me know!) Sorry, had to
throw that in. : )
Anyway, back to the story. While trying to struggle to make this vision a reality, an unlikely ally has stepped up. A Palestinian general contractor (Fadil Bayyari) who lives in this area has contacted the synagogue to say that he would build the temple at cost and all his
fees would be donated. This story is too big to keep it in Northwest Arkansas. You can't stop peace and cooperation. Now if we can just
transfer it from Fayetteville to the Middle East!
Here's the story from the local newspaper:
http://www.nwaonline.com/articles/2006/12/21/news/
122206fztempleshalom.txt
sally,
hardly ever post, yet visit your site weekly. appreciate your insights and writing. one thing, i am not too excited about Hillary or Obama. however, i find John Edwards to be someone who seems to have some authenticity in his public persona, might you delve into his astrological potential? when you are all done digging out of couse!
thanks
katara
p.s. humility, yes someone who has been under hard PLUTO transits for, let's see for the last 8-9 years, yes i have definitely learned humility.
What Pluto transits did you have, Katara? Do you have planets in the mutable signs?
Merry Christmas Sally ! Happy New Year AW! 2007 here we come ready or not! Let the People rock !
Let us say some strong requests to the universe for these people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6208331.stm
Iraqi police deaths ‘hit 12,000’
Some 12,000 police officers in Iraq have died in the line of duty since the US-led invasion in 2003, Interior Minister Jawad Bolani said.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nina-burleigh/dear-santa-its-been-awh_b_36905.html
Dear Santa, It's Been Awhile
...snip...
I'll start with the easy ones first.
In L.A., please drop an Oscar down Clint Eastwood's chimney for his utterly amazing, transgressively anti-war film, Letters from Iwo Jima.
Could you please alight on the roof of the Washington office of the New York Times and hustle down the heat vent and onto Thomas L. Friedman's desk. Once there, please remove his passport and press pass and replace them with a lifetime entrance ticket to Disney World or someplace fun where he can do less harm. It's really awful, Santa, to see a pundit who claims expertise on the Middle East, slurring, as he did the other day, the entire Arab race with generalities only some overpaid, overachieving, parachuting hack would conceive. There are a lot of warring, tribal, conspiracy theorists on the Arab "street" - there are also sane, educated, decent people, Tom, who want peace and democracy. Santa, help Tom step outside the embassy parties and think tank seminars and listen to them for a change.
While you're over at the Times, Santa, drop in on the copy desk and remove the words "fight terror" from the headline copy-writers' lexicon. In fact, if you could do the same at CNN, Gannett, the AP and the rest of the mainstream media you visit, that would be great. Then we'll stop seeing headlines like this, explaining why the president wants more soldiers in Iraq: "A Long-Term Plan to Fight Terror." If headlines must contain the word "Terror" in relation to any of Mr. Bush's plans, please give them accuracy, i.e.: "A Long-Term Plan to CREATE Terror."
I'm guessing you generally bring lumps of coal to Congressional offices, at least before the anthrax scare, when a sooty fat man in a furry red suit could still get into the hallowed halls with a bulging pack on his back, but if you do feel like visiting Nancy Pelosi's office this year, could you drop off a teeny-tiny, nicely-wrapped Articles of Impeachment?
As you cross the United States, could you sweep up the X-boxes and Playstations from under all the trees and replace them with books? That would help our democracy a lot, and, I know it sounds selfish, but it also ensures a future living for me and mine.
More....
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!