Senator Ted Kennedy

Looking at the natal chart of Ted Kennedy and the 911 call for medical aid on May 17 (8:19 am edt from Cape Cod, Massachusetts) we see that the elder statesman's natal planets have been under some stress of late with more to come.

"Seizures" have replaced "possible stroke" as a cause of his emergency hospitalization and more tests will be done to determine the reason for his distress. But who is the primary planetary culprit here?

Having 23Leo40 on his 8th cusp of transformations and death, we might expect heart problems (Leo) to be in the picture, if not now, perhaps later on. Senator Kennedy turned 76 years old on his birthday (Feb 22, 1932, 3:58 am est) and his past years of indulgent drinking habits may be contributing to his weakness now.

We see this tendency toward over-indulgent drug (alcohol) use with a very close Moon-Neptune conjunction in 8th house.

This conjunction (Moon 6Vir25) and Neptune (6:44) has transiting Saturn (restriction, blockage, old age) in the neighborhood of the 8th house, a transit which I must file within SO'W's 'uh-oh department' and which portends chronic illness, depression, soul sickness, and/or feelings of frustration or paralysis.

With natal Mars 27AQ50, Mercury 28AQ49, and Sun 2Pis32 opposite, Saturn is bringing many lessons of restriction for Senator Kennedy and has been opposing these Aquarian planets for some time now--plus, Mercury is his 6th house (health, work, service) ruler and relates to the nervous system.

Mars rules his 3rd house, also indicated in health issues bwo thinking and mental state so with Mars 4Leo09 (8:19 am yesterday), the planet of aggravation is headed for natal Jupiter, planet of excess which is posited near 8th cusp at 15Leo44.

It's true that about 30 years ago, Saturn was bedeviling this area of his natal chart as well, but he was 30 years younger. So as Saturn opposes natal Sun (vitality) we find that overwork and stress may bring serious health problems--and Saturn to natal Moon is a time of feeling old, tired, and possibly depressed over one's organic conditions.

Saturn transits tend to uncover structural weaknesses wherever they exist and it seems that at age 76, they are. Plus, diabetes cannot be ruled out as a cause for his troubles (re-think over-consumption of alcoholic beverages while ye may, my children!)

Saturn to Moon (physical body; emotions) is a time when emotional turmoil increases one's vulnerability to illness which is expressed most often through the digestive system--and as mentioned, Kennedy's Moon-Neptune conj is in Virgo, sign of health, most esp the bowel area.

Then there's Mercury, 6th house ruler, 18Gem14 and soon to turn Rx at 26Gem31 within his 6th house, recross 6th cusp, and enter again during the first week of July. It's common for Mercury to 6th house transits to included visits to, or consultations with, medical advisors. This possibility is strengthened by Kennedy's 6th house being ruled by Mercury.

At the time of the 911 call, Moon 28Lib40 (Libra rules kidneys and lungs) was moving into a square with natal Saturn in 1st house (physical body; self) which is ruled by Saturn due to his natal ASC 10Cap49, giving that the above mentioned Saturn transits more clout.
Transiting Moon is only a timer, of course, but part of this picture as it describes the daily round of life.

And then there's dissolving Neptune 24AQ14, now approaching natal Mars and Mercury (and eventually natal Sun 2Pis32 but that's years away.) Neptune opposite n Mars is a time when physical efforts are undermined (Neptune) by illness which may be difficult to diagnose and may affect the head and raise a fever (Mars.)

Going back to the Moon-Neptune conj in 8th house, if we take tr Saturn, natal Neptune, and n Moon and moosh them into a midpoint picture by degree we get:

Saturn/Neptune = Moon: chronic illness or illness caused through emotional suffering.

Ebertin gives the Saturn/Neptune combo's biological correspondences as: weak, depressed, or ill people, and if we use the same mooshing method with tr Neptune, Mars, and Mercury, we see that the Senator's energy level (Mars) is being affected by the Mercury/Neptune combination, which Ebertin gives as: nerve weakness or paralysis of the nerves.

This planetary situation supports the seizure diagnosis, if that indeed is the case.

Well, being no medical astrologer, it's quite cheeky of me to attempt giving you any details at all concerning Ted Kennedy's current medical travails, but I wanted to do something...and I'm sending out warm wishes for the Senator's complete recovery and a hope that the underlying cause or causes of his distress may be quickly discovered and successfully treated.

Dec 24, 2008: day of US Progr'd Full Moon

This image is the transit chart for Dec 24, 2008, 11:45 pm est, Philadelphia, PA, which is the exact time of America's Secondary Progressed Full Moon (based on the US 'Sibly' chart, July 4, 1776 5:10 pm LMT.)

Secondary Progressed Full Moons are the end of a cycle which everyone's natal chart enjoys and which gives important info regarding relationships, goals and joint successes, and public life.

Not liking the looks of this chart am I, yet it may as well be faced with its Mars/Pluto opposition to Midheaven, *Sun/Atlantis conjunction, tr Jupiter conj US natal Pluto 27Cap33--a pair which is conj US Secondary (Sec) South Node (a point of separation, unconscious or neurotic behavior, talents, and/or past connections.)

An hour of Jupiter emphasizes the Jupiter-to-Pluto transit when resources and resourcefulness are increased as well as achievement of greater power and control unless negative factors interfere.

Evaluation and distribution of monetary assets and raw materials procede if all goes well although these assets seem to be mainly in the fatcat coffers already, if you're asking me. How greedy can plutocrats (Jupiter-Pluto) be? It's quite mindboggling, isn't it?

Dec 24's asteroid, Tisiphone (retaliation) is there with Jupiter and US n Pluto as well, and you see the 6/12 cusps are conj the Sec Full Moon's degrees...12th cusp = Sec Moon (4Vir10) and 6th cusp = Sec Sun (4Pis10.) The 6/12 house polarity with the Virgo/Pisces axis = the victim/savior axis, as you know.

So Virgoan health concerns and Piscean spiritual issues may be on the nation's front burner, along with the victimization of war and violence. And Pisces' link with Neptune brings oil and gas into the picture, as we may expect.

Quite worrisome is the pile-up at the Foundation Point of the chart--the HOW? Point, the Ic...so that warrior Mars (which is out-of-bounds and working on his own), nuclear Pluto, and the Sun (purpose, the leader in a national chart) affect the opposite point--Mc, the Goal/Aspiration/Public Status of the chart.

Mars/Pluto = Mc: ambition; self-confidence; facing overwhelming force without power; danger; dealing with might on either side of any issue; major job maneuver.

You see lesson-bringer Saturn in the karmic house of the Unconscious (12th) and readying to conj US natal Neptune in Virgo (exact 8.27.09.) Saturn to n Neptune is a disillusioning time of facing grim reality (so we have That to look forward to--within the presidential term of whomever gets the job, though why anyone would want it eludes me.)

Blogging time is brief so I'll temporarily close this post with the Sun Cap-Moon Sag details--this is an Earth-Fire combo indicating an ability to enlist others to action.

Earth-Fire blends are aka "the bulldozer" and may be described as volcanic molten lava which eventually forms new, fertile land.

Earth-Fire can deal with molten metal like a blacksmith (or a 'Vulcan'?) or as an engineer who shapes raw materials into serviceable tools (such as weaponry? see 'Jupiter to Pluto' above), plus, there's a dictatorial attitude and a certitude about beliefs which we've unfortunately seen in Washington before with ginned up pretexts for going to war...

Sun Cap-Moon Sag:

zealousness, practical idealism, and faith in values; alternately austere and humorous; hard-headed businessperson + visionary social reformer; high standards; charismatic and capable; forceful and powerful; ability to grasp facts and hold onto the vision; must 'get it right'; explorative; moody and impatient under too many demands; verbosity and pomposity; intellectual pretensions; energy may be wasted in a nervous seeking of new pastures; fixations on narrow views that are rigidly moralistic.

Images for Integration:

A bank clerk plans a world cruise...In his spare time, a High Court judge takes up the serious hobby of gambling at horse races. (Sun Sign-Moon Sign, Chas & Suzi Harvey.)

to be cont'd...


note: scroll just below to see the chart of America's Secondary Full Moon and for more details please visit:

Jude's Threshold where you'll find an entry dedicated to the subject on my sidebar list of Pages. You'll also find a new Page there...'Wedding Day Astrology: John and Elizabeth Edwards.'


* Atlantis can be a stand-in for America, the Atlantic Ocean, the myth of Atlantis, NASA's shuttle, but the asteroid has these keywords: where we feel doomed; abuse of power.

America's Progressed Full Moon in Virgo

Here you see America's Secondary Progressed Chart for Dec 24, 2008, the moment of her Progressed Full Moon (based on 'Sibly' natal chart, July 4, 1776, 5:10 pm LMT.)

Transits for that date and the moment of the Full Moon are written around the outside of the chart along with a few other details, plus you'll find more info here:

US Progressed Full Moon if you wish. I will be adding details there concerning the Hard Rectangle pattern you see in the chart as time and tech gremlins allow.

As you notice, the end of this cycle comes upon Christmas Eve 2008 and between the Nov 4 elections and Inauguration Day 2009.

Letterman on Hillary's debt

Frisky Dave Letterman just said that with Hillary's campaign being $20 million in debt, "now, when Hillary gets that call at 3 am, it'll be a collection agency."

Good one, Dave.

And I'd add that since it may be a company she holds stock in, isn't it like calling yourself?

Justice Earl Warren on social progress vs socialism

Many people consider the things which government does for them to be social progress, but they consider the things government does for others to be socialism.

That describes current attitudes perfectly, doesn't it?

Still I must be aware the beam in my own eye while complaining over the mote in yours! (a beam being a board of wood and a mote being a mere speck.)

Justice Earl Warren was born with Sun in compassionate Pisces and Moon in nurturing (if self-protective) Cancer...a blending of fish and crab...how oceanic!

are all political jokes mean?

Because this one seems about right to me:

Presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain were flying to a convention.

Barack looked at Hillary, chuckled and said, "You know, I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy."

Hillary shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I could throw ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy."

John added, "That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy."

Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his
co-pilot, "I could throw all 3 of them out of the window and make 156 million people very happy."


(note to John: $10 ain't gonna do it.)#

Well, spending today with my local phone service provider has yielded what should be some progress in the blogging department...you can't blog if you can't connect, so hopefully things will improve around Stars Over Washington!

Now if only it were that simple for we-the-people to get Washington politicians to improve.

Noctilucents!

Space Weather News for May 7, 2008


NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS: On May 5th, experienced sky watchers in Northern Ireland were surprised by a sudden apparition of electric-blue noctilucent clouds (NLCs). This marks an unusually early beginning to the 2008 NLC season and may herald a spectacular summer of high-latitude "night shining" clouds.

NLCs first appeared in the 19th century mainly around Earth's poles. Since then, for reasons unknown, they have increased in number and range, with sightings in recent years as far south as Utah and Colorado. Visit SpaceWeather.com to see the first photos of 2008 and to learn what to look for in case NLCs visit your part of the world in the nights ahead.

NLC ALERTS: During summer months, subscribers to our Spaceweather PHONE service are alerted whenever bright noctilucent displays are underway.

Sign up at SpaceWeather Phone.

Eye on Pelosi and Thursday's money vote

Eye on Pelosi:

Here's an excerpt from a Washington Post article explaining Thursday's votes:

"Setting up their last major battle over war policy with President Bush, House Democrats yesterday unveiled a plan to link their favored domestic spending projects and a troop-withdrawal timeline to additional funds for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan requested by the White House.

The $195 billion spending measure would pay for the wars well into next year while tacking on $11 billion to extend unemployment benefits and nearly $1 billion to offer expanded higher education benefits for war veterans. Democrats said they hope that the spending provisions, particularly the education measure, will prove politically difficult for Bush to veto in an election year.

~~:~~puh! it's political theatre, dahlink! wink!~~

"If he wants to make a federal case out of the fact that we feel the need to do something major to reward the troops, that's his prerogative. But I don't think the country will agree with him. And I certainly don't think the country would agree with any effort to deny the extension of unemployment benefits," said House Appropriations Chairman David R. Obey (D-WI.)

The White House remained opposed to the additional spending, demanding a "clean" bill to fund the wars by the symbolically important date of Memorial Day.

"We feel strongly that the Iraq war supplemental should remain for national security needs. We understand that there could be debates on other issues, such as unemployment benefits and food stamps, other issues that are important to a lot of people. But those issues can be taken up separate from our national security needs," said Dana Perino, White House press secretary.

House Republicans also denounced the Democrats' plan.

"It is unacceptable and, indeed, unimaginable for Congress to continue to hold our troops hostage for political leverage. If House Democrats want to ramp up spending on other government programs, those items should be considered separately," said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio).

The House's emergency supplemental funding measure is broken into three pieces, including $162.6 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, of which $66 billion is designed to cover war costs for several months after the next administration takes over. The second portion includes language mandating immediate troop withdrawals with a goal of having most all troops out by the end of 2009. The third part includes the domestic spending."

Click here to read the whole thing ~in full~

Source:

1. "Leader Reid gets pushback on Iraq war bill," The Hill, May 6, 2008

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~:~

"Federal case"? That's a hoot! Most of the varmints of Washington belong IN federal cases, ones in which they each STAR in the role of Defendant.

"Hold our troops hostage"? I'm blathering like an idiot over that one and hardly know what to say to the war profiteering hypocrites.

And then there this from Dubya...

Bush wants a "clean" bill? So he's saying that the current down-and-out needs of the American people are dirty? If George keeps messin' around like this, he's going to hurt my feelings in a minute.

And if anyone's needs--and motivations--could use a laundry full o'soap bubbles and scrubbing with a stiff brush, it's the Bush administration and its friends, pardners, colleagues, kith'n'kin, and enablers.

This 'vision' one-government types follow, this 'world server' merde isn't going to turn out as most of you hoped, and while taking down the innocent as you go may seem like a grand plan, you trigger the law of cause and effect and the attraction principle, even while Chaos Theory seems to be at your express disposal.

It is not.

You are merely mortal in similar fashion to the rest of us no matter what your scientists and gurus may tell you, for no one is above God's natural laws...certainly not the cold-hearted reptiles of the world like you with your claws deep into Washington's hide.

Poetic justice? Perhaps. Talons and goatheads, our Washington!


So I'm in a Capricorn mood--please pardon my part of the above post.

If I were wearing my Mood Ring from the 60s right now, it would be...dark blue. Indigo actually...Capricorn colors.

Spotlight on Homeland Security 11.25.02

Stars Over Washington has previous posts concerning the Department of Homeland Security but today I published a Page at Jude's Threshold with details on DHS' natal chart if you wish to take a peek. While there, please add imperialism to the list of -isms for Pluto/Chiron.

My original wet-behind-the-bloggedy-ears HoSec post from Nov 20, 2005 may be found here--image of this money-grubbing boondoggle's natal chart included but with none of my messy notes gouged upon it.

Actually you may like that.

Addington subp'd, Congress shafts America

I believe that if the people of this nation fully understood what Congress has done to them over the last 49 years, they would move on Washington; they would not wait for an election... It adds up to a preconceived plan to destroy the economic and social independence of the United States! --George W. Malone (1890-1961) US Senator (Nevada) 1957 (Source: speaking before Congress)

Strategic blunder of historic proportions, says Gen Ricardo Sanchez as Dick Mushroom Cloud Cheney's top aide, David Cakewalk Addington, is subpoened by a House Committee 'probing' torture.

Wonder what Senator Malone would say about Congress today if he were to awaken from his eternal slumber? He'd need several boxes full of Lunesta to go back to sleep after viewing the presidency of George Mission Accomplished Bush, wouldn't he?

1:00 pm edt in Washington DC: NPR now reporting that the Office of Special Counsel's entire email system was shut down this morning and computers have been seized.

Uh oh. The peskiness and revelations of February's Solar Eclipse at the "Unmasking" degree continues to vex the naughty...

10 North Series: emphasis on communications; frustrating or inhibiting events via paperwork, news, or young people. (Brady's Predictive Astrology.)