Obama on The View today

This morning I managed to catch Barack Obama on The View and I've written some reminiscences on the experience here for anyone who managed to miss the performance.

In what we once called junior high school (grades 7 & 8) there was a game I played only once for it seemed excruciating to me. It was called Lemon Twist and the gist is that one person sat in the middle of a circle of young ladies who then gave their worst assessments of the one-in-the-middle.

Well, Obama was in the middle of The View's sofa this morning but didn't come off too damaged--actually more like Lemon Meringue Pie than twisted.

He once again defended Pastor Wright as expected and ended with an offer of his wife as their next vict--er, guest, because Michelle would, he asserted, "dish the dirt."

Oh dear. Wouldn't that be handing ammunition to the Rove-Limbaugh 'Operation Chaos' intitative which is already working quite nicely for John McCain who needs all the help he can get?

Now I have gracious plenty natal planets in Capricorn so respect for Wise Ones advanced in years is no small part of my personality.

But I must ask if the video I saw early this week of McCain paying respects to grand dame Nancy Reagan (and thereby linking himself with Ronald, he hopes) was a helpful view of him as he escorted a doddering lady when he looked just as doddering himself? Was she holding him up or vice versa? It made me wonder...but even if incorrect, the impression was given.

Yes, America does prefer younger presidents when she can get them--or at least those who don't look as if they're about to keel over at any moment. Agism is alive and well in the US.

Yet the bickering and name-calling between Hill and Bar is starting to look as if they WANT to lose to a war-promoting dodderer.

Guess that's understandable though--look what they'll inherit from the get-go--America's wealth has got up and went and the (supposed) Dem plans of retreat from Iraq will be a lesson in humility--a lesson which the objects in need of it will ignore as they kick back on the porch...fattened and self-satisfied till the end.

Spitoon Blues

Sad for you, dear reader...the muse of political rhymerie has landed heavily upon my furrowed brow after watching this morning's political programs on TV...resistance is futile...


Salivating GOP
pray the nom is Hillary
if it's not they'll be in trauma
have to face Barack Obama

latest polls McCain is down
touting war all over town
tasted violence on his tongue
sacrifice our poor and young

Hill and Bar are neck'n'neck
job loss gone way up by heck
better talk about inflation
homelessness across the nation

or you'll both be flash-in-pans
like elite Republicans
Democrats it's yours to lose
US got the Spitoon Blues.

jc 3.9.08

Is this the real John McCain?

Has this Navaho deal affected McCain's campaign coffers? Will the cold winds of cynicism blow into his lackluster, Bush-infused presidential bid? Planet Calamari sent SO'W a much-appreciated heads-up on the matter with a link to the orginal article.

This controversy is bigger than the Vicki Eisman flap, but not as sexy by half. What are the odds that mainstream media pay attention?

Years of McCain's bluster about integrity reminds me of the good advice my Mama gave many moons ago: never trust a man who says, Trust Me.

And that surely goes double for the infestors of Washington DC.


~btw: Lim's Limericks has a new political rhyme published as Dumbleheaded Democrats? if you're up for answering.

Scorpio Ascendants and Barack Obama

Remember Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention?

Wish someone could come up with a definite birth time for the Senator.

There are several times proposed in an article you'll find linked in my post on people who have Scorpio Rising which is one of the possible Ascending signs for him especially if you use the 1:06 pm time which is making the rounds online.

Does Barack Obama have Scorpio Ascending? See what you think and let me know your thoughts if you get a mo and IF you can get Blogger's consarned Comment window to open for you! Otherwise you'll find my contact email address at the bottom of this page (zevo calamari--this means you!) ;p

Birth of the American Presidency

April 20, 1789 marks the birth of the US Presidency as George Washington, the Father of Our Country, took the first Oath of Office...and they've been doing it regularly ever since.

In fact, we have a few folks squabbling back'n'forth over who will take the next Oath in 2009. Wanting to join that exalted list, I imagine.

Talk about modern! Did you know that George Washington has a blog all his own?

Amazingly, it's very well done for such an old fella!

Hot off the paw: Cat from McCain

Cat from McCain has just been published at Lim's Limericks where felines have political opinions of their own--and usually in limerick form.

Can there be truth in bad poetry? Can limericks unshield political claws and paws? Lim says, yes. Plus, we may as well make fun of them--they make fun of us all the time.

Obama's campaign rhetoric on NAFTA

Not to fret, Canada, Barack Obama's ramped-up criticisms of NAFTA are not to be taken at face value because they're only campaign rhetoric.

Is this a case of a political thespian having his cake and eating it 2? Natch!

Our current 'Unmasking Eclipse' season is proving a real workhorse with the unveiling, isn't it?

Methinks the thespian's mask slippeth mightily...

Clinton-Obama: Catfight in Cleveland

Rrraowrrwwrrr! The fur may fly tonight as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama square off in Cleveland, OH, 9:00 pm est. Will the lions' mitts be off?

With two US natal planets angular--Saturn in Libra rising, US n Sun at MC, our natal Sun-Saturn square will have an outlet and platform during tonight's rumble.

Sun-Saturn squares indicate one who (or an entity that) is defensive and fears rejection. Let's say that Obama represents the Sun here and Clinton = Saturn, the establishment actor. Obama brings the new--or at least hints of it--and Clinton is the more traditional whether or not she would be so as president--the fact is, she's the older of the two.

A Sun-Saturn square must be willing to suffer the frustration of not reaching goals so that judgment may be sharpened for making decisive plans "going forward." For success, this is the one-step-at-a-time aspect where feelings of inferiority must be conquered, yet not everyone admires people who 'come on strong' (Planets in Aspect, Robert Pelletier.)

This may be Hillary's result if she criticizes too harshly Obama's lack of experience for she has already delivered her judgment from on-high: his approach to foreign policy is "reckless and naive.'

(One must wonder how much more reckless and naive foreign policy could get than that of pie-in-the-sky-bombs-on-the-ground George Bush.)

So tonight in Cleveland, chart-ruler Venus is in 4th house in close conjunction with Mercury 11AQ26/37, and Chiron is triggering the recent Solar Eclipse at the "Unmasking degree" (she may have hopes of further unmasking Obama--bet she does.)

Moon's applying aspects: square Chiron (1A30), trine Uranus (2A05), but then a crash against a square to veiling Neptune (6A22.)

Sun makes no applying aspects, leading me to believe that Obama's position may stay the same after tonight--in the catbird seat. Rrraowwrrr! Yet if Hillary is correct about Barack's lack of substance, his lion's roar may turn out to be only a pussycat's snarl. Personally I'd rather have an Obama lion than a McCain dragon any day.

NN (contact with the public) is conj US n Moon (27AQ10 in US Sibly chart = people are watching), Sun 7Pis51, "A Girl Blowing a Bugle" (didn't know Hillary could play an instrument), and Mars, now direct but still in his Rx shadow, is in 9th house of Philosophy, Education, and Foreign Enemies...and in orb of his recent conj with Clinton's n Uranus, a very energizing transit when new methods are tried and there's danger in the environment.

Sun has been at Clinton's n Mc this week which is also Obama's n Chiron; and the 2nd cusp of money in the debate chart has Obama's n Neptune upon it. Perhaps instability with money may be a point of attack--squirrelly land deals, or whatever is yet to be revealed about his past financial dealings...friends being indicted, that sort of thing. You know the script for political thespians--we've heard it all before.

Yet perhaps the unmasker will turn into the unmasked!

Asteroid, Apollo, the hero, is conj Mc and US n Sun tonight, which sounds like Obama to me--at least it does to his followers. Golden Apollo, everyone's hero.

Moon 15Sco57 may indicate some betrayal at work relating to the 2nd house of values; money; relationships, and Moon is conj Clinton's n Venus 16Sco51, with her n Chiron nearby (Venus-Chiron = wounded love; love on the sacrificial altar, etc; plus, money issues for her, as well.)

Saturn has been visiting Obama's n Pluto of late, seemingly giving his power potential more structure rather than limiting it, and in 10th house of the 'debate' chart is Obama's n Mercury and Sun in shiny and entertaining Leo.

And with his n Mars 22Vir25 conj US n Neptune, it's doubtful the American public sees his actions very clearly (or ever will.) Of course, this also describes Obama's ability to activate (Mars) America's ideals (Neptune) for work and service (Virgo.)

Hillary's n Sun 2Sco48 is in the debate chart's 1st house, therefore rising a few minutes into the session.


Perhaps tonight with chart-ruler lady Venus applying to a sesquisquare with Mars, and trining the ASC (the debate itself), yet inconjuncting Mc (goals; aspirations) the unmasking will show who they both really are. New vs Old, status quo vs the avant garde--a perfect match for the Saturn-Uranus opposition which the world will be enduring in time for November elections.

But tonight staid Saturn and progressive Uranus are in an obsessive-compulsive quindecile dance (165 degr):

driven toward breaking old and outdated concepts through the use of innovative ideas; may break the rules through defiance of law and order; may disrupt governing systems; benefit comes bwo making societal changes for the betterment of mankind (Reeves, The Quindecile. )

'The betterment of mankind' would be good about now, si?

Well, there is a high-flying Kite formation at 9:00 pm if you're willing to count MC as the 'tail'--which counts US n Sun (and Bush's n Sun) with moneybags Jupiter 15Cap05 at Ic. Moon and progressive Uranus make up the rest of the Kite pattern, so we have these pictures...

Moon-Uranus = Jupiter: large plans to put self forward; sudden success;

Moon-Uranus = Mc: much excitement about ambition; sudden changes of plans; potential gains.

Moon-Uranus = US/Bush n Sun: anxiety about accomplishment; sense of free will; sudden attachments.

There is also a T-square of sorts, Jupiter-Mc = ASC: pleasant contact with others who support one's personal success.

With testy Mars still wandering out-of-bounds (and not cooperating with the other actors) and the Cleveland debate's Sun-Moon phase being Disseminating, information dispersal will be the order of the evening.

Whether political points are scored between candidates is another matter, but I'm fairly certain the public will be hearing a message or two from on high.

The *Images for Integration of tonight's Sun-Moon blend may be of note--it's an intuitive Water-Water combination: Sun Pis-Moon Sco...

Longfellow's poem, The Secret of the Sea...Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.

Secrets revealed and wrath exposed? Rrrraowrrr, it should be an interesting squabble.

And now here's an apt quote from John Steinbeck who shares the Sun Pis-Moon Sco combo natally:

It is the nature of a man as he grows older...to protest against change, particularly change for the better.


And from the master futurist:


"Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits, but according to who does them. There is almost no kind of outrage, torture, imprisonment without trial, assassination, and bombing of civilians, which does not change its moral color when it is committed by our side. The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."

-George Orwell

who's bankrolling Nader?

Ralph Nader, who announced another White House run on Meet the Press Sunday has a history of keeping GOP money--and I was thinking it was Dem money this time.

Could be but really--is there a difference between D and R? Isn't it them vs us? Dem money is just as green!

His "I'm not a spoiler" sounds similar to Nixon's "I'm not a crook" and I had to wonder at the big fat 14 minutes (by my count) spent on him by MTP host Tim Russert. With Nader's natal ASC (his nibs himself) exactly AT Midheaven when the 'interview' began it was almost as if someone knew the Astrology of the moment!

Scroll just below for my original post on Ralph Nader with link to Jude's Threshold which has some Nader chart details.

Obama in Dallas + Mars out-of-bounds

Belfast Telegraph has an article concerning the security "lapse" in Dallas last Wednesday, Feb 20, when a higher order was handed down to stop scanning and searching bags of people entering the Reunion Arena for Senator Obama's rally.

Looking at the horoscope for the time the order was given I saw that America's natal South Node (SN) was at Midheaven 6AQ and as you know, SN is a point of separation which relates to past behavior.

And as you also know, the past behavior to be concerned about here is the assassination of duly and popularly elected Pres. John Kennedy in Dallas on Nov 22, 1963.

Scroll down a couple of entries to read my original post on the matter and keep your ear to the ground--for our Secret Service has has been known to fail us before.

Of note is a YOD (crisis or special task) which the chart for *11:00 am cst Dallas (Feb 20) forms with the US n Pluto as focal planet, and the base a sextile between Moon 26Leo04 and out-of-bounds Mars 26Gem33 pointing to Pluto so that we have this picture:

Moon/Mars = Pluto: powerful opinionation; demanding nature; one-sided outlook; fanaticism.

The Moon/Mars combo represents quarreling, vigorous enterprises, and/or willpower imbued with a fighting spirit (Ebertin.) Pluto is the assassin, saboteur, or spy.

I'm not as much attempting to imply anything as it relates to Obama's safety on Wednesday or on his future safety as to create a record of this tidbit of information in case it should become pertinent at a future time.

If it should apply to any similar situations, details will be updated for there are more factors of note in the Feb 20 chart esp as it relates to the JFK assassination chart for Nov 22, 1963.

*A Shout-Out of Thanks go to Alex for ferreting out the time of the order (11:00 am cst) and the time the Arena's gates opened to the public (10:00 am.)

Clinton borrows from John Edwards

So I'm guessing she had Edwards' permission to use his line about what this campaign is about:

Were John and Vicki sittin' in a tree ?

Breaking: McCain linked romantically to lobbyist during first presidential run: NYT 21 Feb 2008:

Early in Senator John McCain’s first run for the White House eight years ago, waves of anxiety swept through his small circle of advisers. A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, in his offices and aboard a client’s corporate jet.

Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself-- instructing staff members to block the woman's access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.

When news organizations reported that Mr. McCain had written letters to government regulators on behalf of the lobbyist's clients, the former campaign associates said, some aides feared for a time that attention would fall on her involvement. Mr. McCain, 71, and lobbyist Vicki Iseman, 40, both say they never had a romantic relationship.

LegitGov Breaking News#

McCain says "it just isn't true." Well, I for one believe him. Maybe. And it's his showing legislative favoratism to her clients that's the greater story. Are her motives revealed?

Yet McCain's natal Mars (desire nature) is in Leo, sign of Romance and this placement is arrogant and conceited--which I assume accounts in large part for his being described as a narcissist. A passionate Leonine Mars has a great need to be appreciated a lover.

Now I don't know Vicki Iseman but one must imagine that she had romantic options other than John McCain--but perhaps his mojo mystique eludes me. The scent of power is THE aphrodesiac, they say...and the aroma of the money that comes with it. (If this wasn't the case for you, Vicki Iseman, all apologies!)

Now it's 2008, and Saturn is conjunct his natal Sun 6Vir02, a restrictive and inhibiting period when past (Saturn) mistakes may come to light...McCain's past is clamoring for attention.

And Saturn will be conjuncting natal Neptune 16Vir07--not such a good portent for leading the country for he will have difficulty comprehending the reality of situations, esp regarding money matters--shades of the current denizen.

(After that, it'll be Saturn conj US n Neptune, exact by the end of 2009, which is a time of disillusionment, no matter who inhabits the White House.)

Plus, last evening's Lunar Eclipse on the Vir/Pis-victim/savior axis occurred near enough to his Sun to cause an eclipse of ego recognition. Then there's the fact that the tr SN, a Saturnian and separative point which reeks of the past, has now moseyed just beyond McCain's natal Sun (ego; adult personality; life purpose), so it looks like troubles are upon him en masse.

In politics, that system of organized hatreds, it's the appearance of naughtiness which makes or breaks a politician and things are seldom how they seem. McCain was broken in SC in the 2000 campaign by the "black baby" illusion a la Bush-Rove, so is this romantic indiscretion of that same ilk or was it true dalliance?

In politics it doesn't really matter as long as the damage is done.

Anyway, the fix seems to be in for Barack Obama so all McCain's trials may be moot come January 2009.

Obama's Jupiter Return on or about Jan 9, 2009--conj the Inaugural Sun-Mercury conjunction 00AQ+ AND his natal Saturn in Cap conj Inaugural Mc (I KNOW!!!)--may be enough to gain him the scepter but he'll be under the sway of forces which will mercilessly use him as a tool for their purposes. He may not know this now and will discover it as he moves into the Oval Office.

And that's just the kind of president the powers-behind want!

Hillary is, however, playing for keeps and has waited years for the opportunity to take over the White House. It simply remains to be seen who the powers-behind want for their next shill.


Image: White Collar Affair, drawing by jude cowell from cosmic persona designs--hopefully my posting this illustration of a romantic triangle is the naughtiest thing I'll perpetrate all day! Use by express permission only.



Heads Up: John McCain's natal chart has been published with article in progress at Jude's Threshold if you're interested.

Funders of the candidates

OpenSecrets has the info on which industries are funding each candidate. Have a peek into their big fat piggybanks if you haven't put your camel's snoot under their tents as of yet.

Amusing that Ron Paul is being propped up by Google, Microsoft, and all branches of the US armed forces. Hmm.m.m...

A big Shout-Out of Thanks goes to Jilly for the link--she says that Barack Obama's donors are no surprise. Agreed, and it's also no surprise at how many funders remain the same. Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, all the usual suspects are there, buying Washington to use against the common good.

Still, if campaigns were publicly funded by taxpayers can we trust these political varmints to do right? (That'd be a disbelieving puh! from me.)


~note: once again Blogger is refusing to open a comment window for me (go figure) so although I've received some interesting responses of late, I will have to try again later to remark. It has me in quite a snit, I assure you. ;p

Lunar Eclipse in Virgo Feb 20, 2008

Bethinking myself to publish this Lunar Eclipse chart set for the White House, I now find the hour grows late.

Still I must point out a few basics for 10:30:27 pm est Wednesday comes all too soon and a looming Lunar Eclipse may reflect deep issues which have been simmering under the surface and now float to the top of everyone's consciousness.

Hillary and Bill seem to be involved with this Eclipse--her Secondary Progr'd Venus is now at *3AQ so you see transiting Venus, the Eclipse's chart-ruler and 8th house ruler, at IC which happens to be conj a personal name asteroid called "Bill." No, I'm not kiddin'.

Tr NN is sitting upon US natal Moon (the Public) and Chiron the Wounded is conj the most recent Solar Eclipse at the "A man Unmasked" degree. Chiron may wound but may also spiritualize---we'll have to see about that.

One midpoint picture concerning World Point 00Cap must be mentioned in case I don't get to finish this post upon the morrow...

Sun/ASC = Pluto: power play through personal persuasion; a turn of destiny; fated events; the desire to gain influence.

The chaos-creating Uranus/Chiron midpoint is conj the Sun 1Pis53, and asteroid Siva (destroyer or creator) is conj Ic and lady Venus who is inconjunct the Moon so adjustments must be made.

Mars, still out-of-bounds and working on his own to cause problems, is the tail of a Kite pattern if you don't mind including the ASc 28Lib57. Kites favor...kites, and I've marked this one in green. More on them later, if I get a chance.

Activist Mars has just crossed the 9th cusp which is conj Hillary Clinton's natal ASC (the 8:00 pm version of her chart) at the moment of the Lunar Eclipse.

~Tr Mercury is opposite Bush's natal Mercury so it's hard to believe that all has gone so peachily for him in Africa--at the least his ideas have met with resistance and travel plans may have had to be changed due to delays. But I've been blessedly without much news of him and have used his being off the continent as a much-needed relief from His Most Heavy Presence.~

You see the Moon heading for Saturn, whose traditional authority may be gained by the Moon but there's an equally good chance of gaining depression as well or instead.

Actually Moon-Saturn is often an indicator of fame due to one's insatiable need for attention and validation which were not forthcoming in childhood.

Then there's the unaspected Uranus in 5th house of risk-taking which probably has tech connotations, being Uranus and all.

And Sun and Neptune are snugging up closely against NN so we have a picture...

Sun/Neptune = NN: support of the needy; deception within relationships.

We may hear more rhetoric concerning the needy, and Washington is nothing if not deceptive in relationships. Why, even blackmail is not unheard of!

Sun/Neptune is also pointing to the US natal Moon (Sibly): high impressionability; moodiness; emergence of the unconscious; external influences affect moods or feelings.

Well, there's a lot more info in this chart but the sandman has been whispering my name for hours--it's 2:27 am...now how did that happen?


*3AQ is Jupiter's 10th house position on Inauguration Day 2008...Lady President and Bill the consort?

Neptune or Pisces on Midheaven

Having dreamy Neptune, that planet of nebulous illusions, veils, and insecurities upon one's Midheaven (Mc--the Career/Public Status Point) or the sign Pisces at Mc (as does Hillary Clinton if you use 8:00 pm for her seemingly unverified time of birth) you get...well, let astrologer Elsa P of ElsaElsa fame tell you what it's like!

You know, this could nail down the 8:00 pm time for me as far as Sen. Clinton's natal chart is concerned even though I have questioned its validity before for her Pisces Mc could explain why people often say they don't really "know her."

Because with a Neptunian Mc, the most public point in any chart, it would be easier to catch hold of a squirming flounder flip flopping about the deck than to get a true bead on Hillary Clinton!

Let Elsa explain...

Obama an agent of change--or baton passing?

Okay, the uplifting rhetoric is all very inspiring, and Clinton's critiques are doing their herding job and all, but here's an article by Bruce Marshall laying out the kind of crud I've been dreading yet didn't know how to put into words.

Marshall has done so concerning vetted-by-Wall-Street-Obama as part of the agenda's process with the Sheeple once again playing the dupes, and "the elite" in on the joke(my italics = my own two cents. Got change?)


Barak Obama Fronts Wall Street's Infrastructure

Swindle - What Change Really Means

By Bruce Marshall

Since 9/11 America has certainly turned into a top-down police state, but true post-modern fascism requires a popular movement to usher it into power. Bush has created a dictatorship out of the Presidency, now the next step towards fascism is being marketed to exploit the desire for change.

Information Clearing House has the article.#

Did you honestly think anything would be changed about the Iraq Occupation after November 2006?

Change of direction for political thespians--whether Illuminati-inspired, Mason-enobled, or other__?__--only means a change of script baa-a-a-a...

...matinee tickets still available, Germany's 1930s model to be mimicked and "improved upon."

As my forward-looking Kalorama Road friends and I sitting round DC parlors in the 70s used to pontificate: it can happen here. Look around...can is NOW.

Please, America, pour your bottle of Ambien down the drain and snap to attention, for the real foe is not what they tell us--it is them.

Potomac Primaries 2.12.08

With the sunrise chart set for Washington DC today, we see an Earth Grand Trine between heavyhitters Saturn (Ds), Pluto (secret powers), and the Moon (the People; publicity; a woman.)

Sun and Neptune are rising at an hour of Jupiter (Rs), Venus is in ambitious Capricorn (sign of government, law, and business) and is conjunct the Pluto-Chiron midpoint (plutocrats)...and I wish there were time to finish this post!

Will mosey back this afternoon to finish up--until then, please click to enlarge this chart to read a few scribbled notes as the recent Solar Eclipse of Feb 6 is about to be joined by Chiron and tr North Node is conjunct America's Moon.

Activist Mars is still out-of-bounds and moving into opposition with Pluto...a zealous and explosive pair.

Plus, we may be expecting the unexpected today with tech savvy Uranus in first house, and another ballot counting quibble might be on the menu with Rx Mercury!

Progr'd Moon Phases of the Candidates

The Progressed (day-for-a-year) angular relationship between the Sun and Moon indicates the phase of life one is in and gives evolutionary information on the background structure of a person's life. Some may call it 'passages'--a Moon-esque term in itself.

Based on the natal chart, this method of prediction is one of the more informative esp when used with transits of the planets (where they are currently, or for whatever time frame we may wish to consider. Ex: a birthday is a Sun to natal Sun transit.)

In my Jude's Threshold pages, I've written on the Moon Phases of the candidates: McCain, Huckabee, Obama, and Clinton, if you'd like to see what life phase each of them will reach by January 2009--and as they "go forward" "at the end of the day."

Auroras from Atlantis!

Space Weather News for Feb. 9, 2008

SPACE STATION AURORAS: Astronauts onboard the International Space Station have been enjoying some colorful auroras this month caused by solar wind buffeting Earth's magnetic field. Some of their photos have just been beamed back to Earth and you can see them on today's edition of SpaceWeather.com

Earlier today, space shuttle Atlantis docked with the space station to deliver the new Columbus science laboratory, which will be installed during a spacewalk on Feb 10. As they work, the combined crews should be alert for more auroras. A solar wind stream is heading for Earth, due to arrive Feb 10 or 11, possibly sparking a new round of geomagnetic storms.

Meanwhile, the shuttle and the space station are putting on a show of their own. Last night, the two spacecraft orbited over Europe where photographers captured their flight. The space station has grown so large that amazing details are now obvious in the eyepieces of ordinary backyard telescopes.

See the photos at SpaceWeather.com#

Another meanwhile: Bush assures...er...someone, that John McCain is really really a conservative, really he is. No really--he is.

But after what the strong-arming Bush-Cheney regime and their GOP stooges have done for (to) America the last few years, a Bush assurance may not have the desired effect.

Unless you love war, that is. Then you're snugly in their pocket and McCain's your next neocon even if he can't run for a way-too-old-this-time second term.

Yet still the puppetmasters switch their machinations to back the Dems...and the dismantling of our nation continues under a new disguise. (Naturally they play both sides with so much at stake.)

So we'll see how different things really really turn out to be with the same old baldheaded globalists in charge.

It's only massive groundswells and landslides that will make a difference for America...The People must take back what's theirs for imperfect as America is, she's still the best.

Obama sweeps, Clinton weeps, Cheney creeps, 2008 leaps...such a busy year!


image: Imperfect Mandala drawing by jude cowell (c) 2008 Can you spot the imperfection?

Spotlight on Mercury: Hillary Clinton

Here you see the most often used natal chart for Senator Hillary Clinton, Oct 26, 1947 8:00 pm CST, Chicago, IL, rated DD for dirty data as her birth time is unverified.

This is why I've not published or written much on her before. And I do think that one of the possible charts (for 8:02 am) makes a lot of sense because it gives this lifelong politician an ASC of 22Sco07, Mercury-SN rising, with Venus, Chiron, and Sun 2Sco19 in 12th house.

12th house Suns are quite prevalent for politicians including George Bush--it's a secretive placement good for deals behind-the-scenes with the true character well-hidden. At 8:02 am natal Moon would remain in Pisces although earlier--22Pis51, and the Mc/Ic axis you see here would flip--MC becomes Virgo rather than Pisces. (Senator Barack Obama's natal Chiron is 5Pis+.)

But my current purpose is to take a peek at natal Mercury, planet of thinking processes and communicating styles--a very important planet for anyone but esp for a politician who may be propagandizing at us ad nauseum from the proverbial bully pulpit. And birth time won't affect Mercury factors mentioned below...

Some general notes on Mercury in Scorpio:

Mercury in Scorpio gives an intuitive mind capable of deep insights, and perceptions which allow critical examination of human motivations. Things may be seen accurately but not necessarily in a charitable fashion.

Mincing words to spare others feelings must be learned for it does not come naturally to a Scorpio Mercury--if Clinton can't say what she really feels, she'd rather remain silent. This can be similar to a Mercury-Pluto conj (a la George Bush) which gives cruel speech and a talent for catapultin' the propaganda.

Many plans--'planning' is also a function of Mercury--are carried out in secret and communication occurs only with a definite purpose toward what she is trying to accomplish.

If Mercury is afflicted--and one may say that Mercury conj SN is an affliction, for it is somewhat similar to having a Mercury/Saturn conjunction, plus Mercury is actually squared by Saturn 21Leo21--there can be scheming, plotting, and ulterior motives. Well, okay--she's a politician in, of all places, Washington DC.

A Scorpio Mercury may also give much mistrust of others but makes a good researcher or detective.

Saturn square Mercury can give a tendency toward excessive worrying, mental inhibitions, and traditional thinking...aka lack of imagination. Overconcern with unimportant details may factor into the worry and there may be difficulty in gaining recognition for original ideas esp from the establishment.

This is the strict-adherence-to-law-and-order Mercury, often at all costs, and a fear of change may lurk just under the surface. Scorpio's influence gives Mercury a proneness toward jealousy and a deep fear of failure (enough to bring on crocodile tears? You betcha! And Moon in Pisces can turn on the waterworks in a flash--very helpful for a political thespian.)

In positions of authority, a Scorpio Mercury may resort to belittling the ideas of others, and trouble may come through written communications and contracts (Whitewater, anyone? Must be more where that came from or I'll eat my beanie bonnet.)

Now you see that Mercury is conjunct South Node (SN)...what of it?

South Node (of the Moon) is karmic in nature--it's where we've developed old ways of dealing with issues--appropriate at the time, but they no longer 'work'. Yet we continue to use them with lackluster results--aka neurosis. Remember her "vast right wing conspiracy"? How people laughed! (I didn't, did you?)

SN, an unconscious point in the chart, also relates to inherited talents, and with Clinton's Mars-Pluto-Saturn trio--all pointing to papa--I assume she has inherited some of her Scorpionic Mercurial traits from the paternal side, yet some must have come from mama (SN)...she got a double helping, I'd say.

Mercury conj SN indicates one whose ideas are either ahead of or behind the times. Positively this conj endows the person with mental originality--much-needed with her Mercury-Saturn square--and we've observed her sense of independence which the separative influence of SN brings. Plus, Mercury-SN often has difficulty with timing in speaking up--and sometimes isn't listened to and so becomes frustrated.

Often forced to proceed alone, it's difficult with this configuration to gain support or to get others to cooperate. Has she figured out how to do this?

If Clinton becomes president we'll all suffer mightily if she hasn't, for America's problems run deep and Washington is no longer known for cooperation unless there's a photo op involved or an earmark to scratch.

In the long run her ideas can prove to be correct if she uses the rest of her chart factors to aid this ahead-of-its-time Mercury-SN conjunction. Overhauling healthcare? Well, we'd be better off now if she had managed to have those ideas accepted then (although I believe those ideas weren't actually Hillary's, but that's okay.)

Whososever ideas she promotes, advances, or brainstorms, my sincere hope is for my only nag in the race...as ever and always, the United States of America.