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Showing posts with label Mark Twain quote. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark Twain quote. Show all posts

May 6, 2018

On Donald Trump as Clumsy Liar

Well, planet Neptune flowing through its own sign of Pisces is busy veiling the truth on a daily basis! And now that the tally of Donald Trump's lies has surpassed 3,000 since January 20, 2017, the serial lies of the demagogue-in-chief are, at times, unbelievable and sometimes only petty yet his fans can't seem to muster a care. Linked below is a May 5th segment from CNN's Anderson Cooper which asks, does anyone care when Trump lies?

And an accompanying analysis by CNN's Gregory Krieg chimes in with How can Trump lie so much and be 'authentic' at the same time? Here's an explanation which in title alone attempts to mush together two antithetical elements for any astrologer: Saturnian authenticity with Neptunian deception. Meanwhile, I've always been told that truth mixed with a little falsehood is a lie, not a truth, yet we know that in the practice of Politics, a half-truth is very often a useful tool, even before Mr. Trump grabbed the Oval Office spotlight and coup'd the bully pulpit.

Well, all this fact vs fiction turmoil has brought on a quote from my all-time favorite journalist and one of my favorite writers, Mark Twain, whose following words are from his On The Decay of the Art of Lying, a tongue-in-cheek affair...or is it? In it Mr. Twain bemoans "the growing prevalence of the brutal truth" so see what you think but do not fret--for we may safely assume that Mr. Trump has never bothered to read such words as these, and besides--he never needed to since he comes by his lying talent naturally as seen by the square (blockage) between his natal Mercury (communications; thinking processes; news) and natal Neptune (lies, deceit; obfuscation; cheating; fakery). Yes, his 'carnival barker' and 'snake oil salesman' personas come from deep within, are applauded by his brash and rising Mars in dramatic Leo, sign of the showman, and are cheerfully supported by his bright Sun-NN-Uranus trio in duplicitous Gemini, Mercurial sign of the trickster.

Now here's Samuel Clemons, aka, Mark Twain:

Lying is universal--we all do it. Therefore, the wise thing is for us diligently to train ourselves to lie thoughtfully, judiciously; to lie with a good object, and not an evil one; to lie for others' advantage, and not our own; to lie healingly, charitably, humanely, not cruelly, hurtfully, maliciously; to lie gracefully and graciously, not awkwardly and clumsily; to lie firmly, frankly, squarely, with head erect, not haltingly, tortuously, with pusillanimous mien, as being ashamed of our high calling. Then shall we be rid of the rank and pestilent truth that is rotting the land; then shall we be great and good and beautiful, and worthy dwellers in a world where even benign Nature habitually lies, except when she promises execrable weather. (My italics.)

Rotting the land? Then maybe Donald Trump has read Twain's words and internalized them as 'authentic' with a spirit of Saturnian seriousness for rotting the land of America seems to be part of Trump's mission--with a lot of help from complicit, overly compromised Republicans.

Related: do you know that 'Mark Twain' shares a double Fire personality blend with recent Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ronan Farrow? And if you've never seen it, here's a view of Samuel Clemons' C-Rated natal horoscope for the curious.


Jun 30, 2013

Heard the one from Mark Twain? (Sun Sag-Moon Aries)

Astro-Notes on the Double Fire of Mark Twain

by Jude Cowell

"There are many humorous things in the world; among them, the white man's notion that he is less savage than the other savages." - Mark Twain (Nov 30, 1835--Apr 21, 1910)

Click for a bio and a view of his natal horoscope where you'll find natal Sun @7Sag34, Moon @15Ari37, and natal Ascendant @9Sco44. This double Fire Sun-Moon combo 'marks' Twain (nee Samuel Langhorne Clemens) as volatile, dramatic, hopeful, and creative, for as you know, his 'creative fire' burned brighter than most contemporaries of his day.

Yet upon our dualistic Earth, double Fire signatures set up a darker side for him to explore--the 'black dog' of depression (as Churchill called it) that howled whenever his passion for 'the vision' waned--or, brooded as he struggled to develop that inner level upon which the embers of high inspiration and wider perspective had to be stirred and banked when necessary in order to recapture a debilitating loss of meaning. And thus, after lifting himself out of the doldrums, he began again to creatively express himself in the outer world. His Mercury in intense Scorpio aided and abetted him in his work, and for this creative output he grew accustomed to being rewarded quite handsomely though finances were always an issue in his grand-scale life that lived beyond its means.

However, Sun Sag-Moon Ari denotes frankness, sincerity, courageous idealism, and restless adventurism. A vivid imagination and a certain missionary streak are notable, along with a bighearted demeanor and an irreverent attitude toward the outdated and the classic. (See above quotation for an example of his irreverence for that quaint, distorted notion long-held--still held--by white men of a haughty persuasion.)

It would seem that Mr. Twain, the writer, speaker, and journalist, preferred lots of freedom to 'do his own thing' though in the 19th century he may not have addressed his desire in so many words! Feelings of real dejection could take over if the applause wasn't loud enough--and dark moods swept in when appreciation and reward were not forthcoming. Of course, family disasters will oppress anyone if they come and for the Clemens family, come they did.

And yet with a Sun Sag-Moon Ari personality blend, Twain's zeal never waned for very long (though illness eventually weakens us all) because a natural devotion to principles supported an admirable inner belief in himself. His tendency toward impatience and an insensitivity within close relationships aside, Mr. Twain exhibited exemplary moral integrity for the most part and I allege that the issue of moral integrity peeks out of the following quote from one of his more famous novels:

"There was things which he stretched but mainly he told the truth."

His kind of "stretching' was the storytelling! Now let's close with some good advice from the American Bard that applies even more closely to We the People's truth-challenged Federal Government (its clandestine panties of frilliness so recently yanked down for all to see) than it applies to you, me, or the dog catcher down the block:

"Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

~:~

More Sag-Aries info is available from Sun Sign-Moon Sign by Charles & Suzi Harvey.

1835 - 1910 v 2013: as I type, transit Uranus Direct @12Ari24 conjoins and catalyzes Mark Twain's natal Pluto @12Ari57 Rx denoting our current time frame as one in which abrupt changes occur within general social conditions and familiar ways of life are transformed. 'New patterns' are brought along that require psychological adjustments for many people and situations may spur our hidden fears to surface within the collective mindset. Since Mark Twain often feared loss of family, wealth and possessions, my suspicion is that current fears in society are in part along those lines--and quite naturally so--especially for those whose socio-economic positions are eroded or eroding--which means most of us whether we are aware of such insidious effects or not.

The ongoing Cardinal (initiating, active) Uranus-Pluto square (a titanic generational struggle in effect: 2010 - 2015) can act as a destructive factor in the adjustment process for it is that type of intense energy we must now deal with as 'new patterns' are foisted upon us...if we allow the foisting without uttering a peep.

And btw--secret underworld organizations wish to remain secret or hidden precisely so that they may do as they will: undermine and weaken the masses without being detected, called to account, or--stopped. Frilly underpants notwithstanding!

Also see a trailer of the video that asks Are you Surviving Progress?, if you wish.


Dec 20, 2012

The Mystery of Boehner's Plan B and a Temporary YOD

A Saturnian YOD, a Selfish Republican Ploy, and a Merry Christmas! to Us

by Jude Cowell

After hours of watching political pundits and reporters talking on TV about how Speaker John Boehner will put up his 'Plan B' for a House vote today, I've been waiting to hear them answer their own queries: Why is Mr. Boehner wasting time (and our money) proposing Plan B when it won't pass the Democratic Senate?What is he up to?

If any pundits have mentioned or written about the reason for Plan B, I've missed it and believe the answer to the Mystery of Plan B is found in Boehner's remarks: that if Plan B isn't agreed to by President Obama, then HE will be the one who is "responsible" for the biggest tax increase" on the American people in US history...not Republicans who, it has been often said since the November re-election of Barack Obama, will be held responsible for driving our nation off the (artificially engineered) 'fiscal cliff' if the White House won't compromise.

He said it himself! So can Boehner's cynical political ploy be any clearer? Won't any political expert on my TV state the obvious? Does the good of the country figure into the deal for the GOP at all?

Well, I wanted to get that said before I popped but have little time today for Political Astrology blogging so I'll simply add a few notes: no matter what occurs in Washington DC today, all day the Sun (leadership) remains at 29Sag+ (29 = a crisis degree), with its Sabian Symbol for '30Sag': "The Pope Blessing the Faithful." Now I don't even want to go there. Where? Where the Vatican might have any say in America's budget/fiscal negotiations of 2012. You can't make me (!) but you might imagine for yourself.

And with the Moon (We the People; publicity) in Mars-ruled Aries today, tempers may flair. Plus, the Sun-Moon blend of energies may lend a smidgeon of flavor to whatever occurs this December 20, 2012:

Sun Sag-Moon Ari (double Fire = volatile, hot, dramatic) tends toward a dislike for details (maybe ALEC can write something for our bought-off 'lawmakers'--again), a neurotic need to be affirmed as "the biggest and best" (politics!), insensitivity when listening to others (if they listen at all), impatience, courage, and falling into black moods when things don't go their way.

And with a temporary YOD pattern between Moon-Jupiter-Saturn joining the current Saturn-Pluto-Jupiter Rx YOD, the planet on the 'hotseat' (YOD's apex) is constricting Saturn which happens to be conjoining President Obama's natal Neptune in Scorpio.

Now Alan Oken gives a Moon-Jupiter sextile as the 'ray of hope' aspect (I know, because there's one in my natal chart and he consulted with me on it)--and I believe I've heard that phrase used by pundits this week already though it seems impossible that Plan B is that hope--especially since the Moon-Jupiter sextile is the base of a YOD pointing to Saturn and to the president's natal Neptune.

The midpoint pictures the temporary YOD pattern creates may be quite revealing--see what you think:

Moon-Jupiter = Saturn: interference through outside restrictions; becoming distant from important emotions.

Moon-Jupiter = BHO's n Neptune: losing focus of objectives; success feels like its leaving one's grasp.

Well, I hope that President Obama doesn't 'lose the plot' and succumb to the GOP 'Plan B' attempt to make the White House the scape goat for America going off the 'fiscal cliff' come 12:00 am New Year's Day 2013. Besides, the public knows who's most to blame and their initials are GOP.

Oh, and the Harveys give two 'Images for Integration' in their Sun Sign-Moon Sign book to describe the Sun Sag-Moon Ari combo so I'll close with them and with two quotes from someone who shares the blend natally:

"He who would be King postpones the coronation for a trek through the Himalayas...A mature student discovers her political convictions and debating talents through confronting the corruption of academia." (Then she's got a lot of debating to do!)

"There was things which he stretched but mainly he told the truth."

"Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest."

--Mark Twain (known for his black moods.)


Mar 23, 2012

Fiery Mark Twain's Sun Sag/Moon Aries

A Brief Astro-Peek at Mark Twain with quotes

by Jude Cowell


"Those who don't read the news are uninformed, those who do are misinformed."


Thus spoke Mark Twain, writer and humorist, and my favorite journalist of all time, if I had to choose.

Though the birth details of Mr. Twain (born Samuel Clemens) aren't 100% verified, the following birth data seems to be most prevalently used everywhere I've looked:

November 30, 1835 4:45 am LMT Florida, Missouri: ASC 10Scorpio; Hour of Venus 21Sag42, Sun conjunct Mars in Sagittarius, Moon in mid-Aries conjunct Pluto Rx; Saturn SQ Neptune (creative yet often depressed--there are other indications of his "black dog" of depression as well), Jupiter SQ Pluto with Jup/Pluto = NN: cooperation becomes important; easily breaking ties with others once they've been used; increased need to be the center of attention; also, Moon/Jupiter = NN enhanced attraction to the "right" people.

And of course, North Node of the Moon indicates contacts or encounters with the public.

Fortunately, Twain's Moon remained in Aries for the 24-hour period of his birth so we may confidently consider the Pre-Natal Eclipse Series (PE) in which he was born, for we only need a birth date for that.

His personality blend of Fire-Fire (creative, dramatic, and inspired!), Sun Sag/Moon Ari, gave him a vivid inner vision that could be insensitive to others; pessimism could rear its depressive head when the expected glory wasn't forthcoming, or when things didn't go as planned.

Sag/Aries is a 'big talking' blend, easily seen with his literary output and public speaking talents, an adventurer who is blunt and sincere, morally upright, hopeful, and irreverant. Plain-speaking was his specialty (similar to humorist Will Rogers, another fave of mine!) and he expressed himself as the 'firebrand' he was. Although a natural egoist, he wanted to make the world a better place and was courageous enough to do so. Yet a tart temper was a weak spot as were intimate relationships due to the insensivity and egoism already mentioned, plus, there was often exhibited a testy impatience with others' weaknesses (as if he had none of his own!)


Sun Sag/Moon Aries' "Images for Integration: He who would be King postpones the coronation for a trek through the Himalayas...A mature student discovers her political convictions and debating talents through confronting the corruption of academia."

Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Charles & Suzi Harvey.

Well, given what's gone wrong in America today, anyone intent on "confronting the corruption of academia" better get started several decades ago because they're way behind.

'Mark Twain' was born into the 18 South Saros Series ten days after a Total Solar Eclipse (November 20, 1835) @ 27Sco26, conjunct his natal South Node, a separative point. 18S's themes and influences include: partings, separations, endings, grief, and anguish, and he definitely had his share of such difficulties in his life. Yet with 18S, new circumstances thus created may be quite positive.

18S last manifested in 1998 and will do so again in 2016. It is also the PE of Marilyn Monroe (1926), Sirhan Sirhan (1944), TV's Craig Ferguson (1962), Piet Mondrian (1872), and Cornwallis' Surrender to George Washington (@ an astrologically chosen hour of 11:00 am LMT in 1781, the year Uranus, America's 'totem planet', was discovered @ 25Gemini after moving beyond US natal Uranus' position of 8Gem55, 1776.)

(18S details from Brady's Predictive Astrology.)


So why not close with another quote from the fiery yet instructive Mr. Mark Twain?

"Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest."


There's an official Mark Twain website where you can read his biography and more, if and as you wish!


~:~

Word pictures from Midpoints: Unleashing the Power of the Planets, Michael Munkasey.

Inspiration for this post came from the excellent independent news source Information Clearing House. Support non-corporate media so that Mark Twain's first quote above won't resemble you!

Jun 3, 2009

Twain, Russell, and McGovern on War

Here's a Quote Round-Up concerning man's war on man, woman, and child...how I wish young men of all persuasions would just say, No!

"Man is the only animal that deals in that atrocity of atrocities, War. He is the only one that gathers his brethren about him and goes forth in cold blood and calm pulse to exterminate his kind. He is the only animal that for sordid wages will march out...and help to slaughter strangers of his own species who have done him no harm and with whom he has no quarrel.... And in the intervals between campaigns he washes the blood off his hands and works for "the universal brotherhood of man" - with his mouth." Mark Twain

"Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country." Bertrand Russell (attributed)

"I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in." George McGovern

Compliments of Information Clearing House.