Fargo Prepares for Flood

From Associated Press:
"Officials in Fargo are adding National Guard troops and intensifying their response to the rising flood on the Red River.

The National Weather Service predicted the crest at near 42 feet sometime Sunday, but said it was still possible the river could rise to 43 feet. That's as high as the levees go and is nearly 3 feet higher than the record of 40.1 feet set in 1897."

The Aries ingress(spring equinox) chart for Fargo has Mars in Pisces exactly rising, and conjunct the royal star Fomalhaut, known as 'the fishes mouth'. While Mercury- lord of the 4th house(weather conditions) conjoins Uranus in the first- opposes stern Saturn, and squares the Midheaven. This windy(Mercury), wild(Uranus) and watery(Pisces) pair of planets, rose in Jackson, MS, at the equinox, six days before tornadoes destroyed 70 homes there(see my earlier post).

From Mundane Chart Gallery

Tornadoes Slam Mississippi

(CNN)- "Two tornadoes touched down in Mississippi before dawn Thursday, damaging about 70 homes and flattening a church. The tornadoes damaged at least 70 homes, but no fatalities were reported.

About 4 a.m., a tornado damaged 60 homes near Magee, about 40 miles southeast of Jackson in central Mississippi. Earlier, another tornado damaged nine homes and businesses in Lauderdale County, about 90 miles east of Jackson, near the Alabama border.

The tornadoes destroyed Corinth Baptist church in Magee, leaving only its doors standing."

Today's New Moon is square destructive Pluto, but it's the Aries ingress chart(spring equinox) for Jackson, MS, that shows the prospect of intense events during the spring. The conjunction of Mercury(winds) and volatile Uranus in Pisces(water) is rising here, opposite Saturn, and square the ingress Midheaven, which conjoins the star Lesath- the 'stinger of the Scorpion', associated with catastrophes. A local astrologer might have forecast wild, wet, and extreme weather in this region of Mississippi, by looking at the Aries ingress chart below.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

The Aries Ingress/Spring Equinox

March 20: Spring Equinox/Aries Ingress
The sun enters Aries and spring begins in the northern hemisphere. The Aries ingress chart for the US capital has retrograde Venus(in Aries) rising. And the global financial crisis, which began here, is casting a shadow over the nation, which may result in a revision of our collective values. Because at the end of the day, we all just want to be happy, and it doesn't require a lot of money to realize that goal.

With Pluto in the early degrees of Capricorn- the Sun will be in hard aspect to Pluto at the solstices and equinoxes. And thus, the leaders of the world are shown to be under tremendous stress in dealing with the economic meltdown- which won't end anytime soon, I'm afraid.

This spring, President Obama will be working behind the scenes to implement his agenda of reform, but is somewhat hampered in his efforts. His popularity will likely remain high though, as he attempts to put people back to work, restructure the military, and fix the broken health-care system.

The 11th house emphasis of planets in Aquarius- especially Jupiter and Neptune, suggests unbounded faith and optimism, on the one hand, or inflated hopes and wishes, on the other.

Individually speaking- the matters related to the house in one's chart with Leo on the cusp, will tend to improve, now that the Sun(lord of Leo) is in the sign of it's exaltation(Aries).

Happy equinox!

Values for a Sustainable World Economy

From SPIEGEL ONLINE:
By Angela Merkel and Jan Peter Balkenende

"The current global financial crisis embodies a chance for a new economic order, argue German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. That idea should be the guiding principle for the upcoming G-20 summit in London.

Crisis. Perhaps no word is used more often to describe the current downturn of the global economy. The ancient Greeks used the word "krisis" to express the idea of a key moment, a turning point enabling people to take clear and unambiguous decisions. This implies that every crisis embodies a chance to change things for the better. That idea should guide us at the London summit on growth, jobs and stability on April 2.

The immediate challenges of the current financial and economic crisis are apparent. People all over the world are deeply concerned about their jobs, mortgage repayments and future pensions. However, there are two reasons why this crisis could also prove to be a turning point that enables us to make the global economic system more balanced and fit for the future."
More...

I get the impression from this article, that Ms. Merkel and Mr. Balkenende are aligned with the astro-signatures that inform the zeitgeist, and this crucial moment in our cultural evolution. The April 2 G-20 summit is shaping up to be a major event of some importance, with a stationary Pluto in square to Venus, and Mars opposite Saturn. The profound restructuring of global financial institutions, and collective values, which is set to be discussed, might meet a snag or two, as conflicts about the best course of action to take are highlighted. Generally speaking- this is an intense, and even violent period of time, but with deeply transformative possibilities.

March Highlights

March 10: Full Moon in Virgo
This Full Moon is almost a mirror image of the 9/15/08 Full Moon that occurred coincidentally with the full-blown economic crisis(Lehman Brothers; Fannie and Freddie, AIG). Last year's lunation squared Pluto, and this Full Moon has the Lunar Nodes spot on the meridian in Washington, DC. But both these Full Moons highlight the signature Saturn-180-Uranus, which informs the current zeitgeist of heightened responsibility in the face of uncertain change. The Virgo Full Moon of Mar. 10, 2009, is a flash-point for major events here in the US.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

March 14: Mars enters Pisces
As Mars joins the Sun, Mercury, and Uranus in Pisces- the Scorpio Moon rises, and Neptune(along with Chiron) conjoins the nadir at D.C. This chart reflects a high level of emotionality at the nation's capital- which is in effect until Mars enters Aries on April 22. The normally direct energy of Mars may be diffused in dreamy Pisces. But inspired action motivated by empathy, imagination, or the desire to serve, can be effective now.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

March 20: Spring Equinox/Aries Ingress
The sun enters Aries and spring begins in the northern hemisphere. The Aries ingress chart for the US capital shows the retrograde Venus in Aries precisely rising. And so all the implications of Venus in backward motion, apply directly to this country for the next three months- if not longer. The financial crisis which began in the US, is casting a shadow over the nation, and this may ultimately result in a review or revision of our personal and collective values. Because at the end of the day, we all just want to be happy, and it doesn't require a lot of money to realize that goal.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

March 26: Aries New Moon
The Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Venus in Aries, all square Pluto now. And so the drive to act with initiative and self-reliance takes on added intensity, as we try and deal with the financial crisis. Here in the United States, conditions may feel extremely burdensome, but our collective resolve to overcome difficulties is also stronger now.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

The Aries New Moon features a Saturn-Pluto paran(planets simultaneously on the angles) at the US capital, which is best seen in the AstroCartoGraphy map below.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

In a way, this paran between Saturn and Pluto is a short preview of the upcoming Saturn-Pluto squares, beginning Nov. 15, 2009.

Venus Retrograde

March 6: Venus turns retrograde, and will tend to act contrary to it's nature in fiery Aries, wherein, the planet of love and harmony is out of her element. The Mayan's, whom were adept at tracking Venus, observed the retro-phase as a stressful time for leaders that have compromised their principles. They used the doorways and windows of their buildings as astronomical sightings, and knew the motions of Venus with much accuracy. Venus, in her the morning star phase, was the patron planet of warfare, and the Mayan people would stop up their chimneys so that no light from Venus could enter their houses and cause harm.

With the unstable world economy, expect further imbalances and extremes to occur, that may bring an awareness of what's truly important. We may find ourselves reviewing the concerns of the natal house where Venus is transiting, and/or the houses that have Taurus and Libra(both Venus-ruled) on the cusp. Friends or lovers from the past could resurface. Venus backs into Pisces on April 11, stations-direct April 17(at 29 Pisces), and re-enters Aries April 24- finally moving into her home sign of Taurus May 31.

Astrologer Stephanie Austin noted the sacred geometry of the Venus retrograde cycle.
"Venus completes five retrograde phases every eight years, forming a cosmic pentagram in the sky. Eight divided by five equals 1.618, the golden ratio, a harmonic proportion described by Plato, Euclid, Fibonacci, Kepler, Ohm, and many others as a spiritual ideal. This ratio is found on all levels of existence -- in crystals and chemical compounds, as well as in the human body, plants, art, and architecture (the Acropolis in Athens and the Great Pyramid of Giza are but two examples). As the symbol of beauty and equilibrium, Venus retrograde summons us to bring all aspects of our lives into balance, especially in terms of our finances, relationships, and quality of life. Venus retrogrades for about six weeks every 18 months."

As the 2009 Aries solar ingress(spring equinox) chart for Washington, DC, has Venus precisely rising, we must conclude that this particular Venus retro-cycle is highly significant for the the people of the US. Venus rules the 2nd house of money and resources, and since these are in short supply now, it seems the nation may be reviewing or revising it's collective values, as the US faces leaner times.

Madoff Admits 50bn Fraud Scheme

Form BBC News:
"Disgraced US financier Bernard Madoff has pleaded guilty to all 11 charges surrounding a $50bn (£35bn) fraud, saying he was "deeply sorry and ashamed". Madoff, 70, ran a Ponzi scheme where early investors were paid off with the money of new clients.

The hearing is also set to allow some of Madoff's thousands of victims to address the court. At least 20 of Madoff's investors have asked to speak. One of Madoff's victims, Burt Ross, told the BBC he did not expect to recover a single cent of the $5m he invested.

"Bernard Madoff is a genius," said Mr Ross. "You're dealing with the greatest con artist probably in the history of the world. (Madoff relied on 'irrational euphoria')

"He created a mystique and associated with extraordinarily well respected and revered people, and so he was given the benefit of the doubt by financial regulators who blew it badly."
Read More

Bernard 'Bernie' Madoff was born on April 29, 1938, time unknown, in Queens, New York. A less obvious, but crucial feature of his birth-chart, is the contact by antiscia between Saturn and Neptune- which operates like a conjunction of these planets. At best, Saturn can provide structure and stability to Neptune's grand idealistic dreams or visions- if one is willing to take care of business, in a responsible manner. Otherwise- Neptune can erode, undermine, or dissolve, any semblance of integrity, when the ability to discriminate between illusion and reality is lacking. The resulting disillusionment, when the bubble bursts, is a reality-check of the most painful kind.

Madoff's natal Saturn = 11 Aries 46, has it's antiscion at 18 Virgo 14.
Madoff's natal Neptune = 18 Virgo 37, has it's antiscion at 11 Aries 23.

This morning, as judgement was passed on Mr. Madoff's future, transiting Saturn- the 'lord of karma' is at 18 Virgo, activating both his natal Saturn and Neptune.

Antiscia & Contra-Antiscia
Skyscript article

Full Moon Recap

Well, it seems the favorable sextile between stationary Venus and Jupiter, at the potent 15th degree of Aquarius(-45- Aries point/world axis), tempered the brunt of the Virgo Full Moon. Other than a wild shooting spree across Alabama on Tuesday, several bombings in Iraq, and a school shooting in Germany today- the world seems relatively calm. The US stock market had a good day yesterday, for a change, triggered by assurances from Citigroup that the big bank was profitable through the first two months of 2009. And today, the market closed just a bit above where it started out.

School Shooting in Germany

From BBC News:
"A teenage gunman who launched a shooting spree in a school in southern Germany killed 15 people before being shot dead by police. The 17-year-old gunman walked into technical school Albertville-Realschule in Winnenden at 0930 local time (0830 GMT) on Wednesday. Dressed in black, he started firing at random, killing nine students and three teachers.

At 0933, police received a emergency call and sent two response teams. They found the victims' bodies in two classrooms. As the police arrived, the gunman fled. The gunman headed towards the center of Winnenden, where he is reported to have hijacked a car.

The gunman drove 40km (25 miles) to the town of Wendlingen, where he barricaded himself in a supermarket. He killed two passersby before being fatally injured during a shoot-out with police at about 1300."

From Mundane Chart Gallery

This tragic act of violence occurred about 6 hours after the Full Moon, that aligned with both Saturn and Uranus. By the time the shooting began, the Sun/Moon(midpoint) was exactly square Uranus, known for it's sudden and radical influence.
Sun/Moon = 22 Sagittarius 30 = Uranus 22 Pisces 30.

The chart for modern Germany(10/3/90) has an exact(partile) opposition of transiting Saturn to natal Moon, and the Nodes just crossed natal Jupiter- where the 8/1/08 solar eclipse fell. The Feb. 5, 2009 eclipse hit Germany's North Node(5 Aquarius), and Mars is now at the eclipse chart Ascendant(28 Aquarius), which is in the 8th house(death) of the nation's horoscope.

The Saturn-Moon contact suggests a time of national sadness and mourning.

Illinois declares Pluto is still a planet

From the science blog of the UK Guardian:

Three years ago, the astronomy community voted to downsize the solar system by revoking Pluto's planetary status. Now the land of Lincoln is fighting back

"Every now and then a story comes along that seems to be true in spite of every cell in your brain telling you it can't be. Welcome to one of those stories.

In 2006, you'll remember that the International Astronomical Union announced that Pluto was to be expelled from the planetary club, reducing the number of planets in the solar system to eight. Cue mayhem in schools, where teachers were obliged to rip up wallcharts and console their pupils, who were understandably forlorn at the fate of their favourite planet.

In their wisdom, the IAU came up with a new class of heavenly body, "dwarf planet", which would include Pluto. Dwarf planets, incidentally, are not planets that are dwarfy. They are something completely different, the IAU said.

The new definition was such a kluge that the chair of the IAU's own planet definition committee, Owen Gingerich, said: We now have dwarf planets which are in fact not planets. I consider this a linguistic catastrophe.

It seems that the insult to Pluto has been too much to bear for the good people of Illinois. State documents declare that Pluto was unfairly downgraded, and that the decision to demote the poor planet resulted from a vote involving only 4% of the IAU membership.

As such, the Illinois state governors have resolved to take action and reinstate Pluto as a planet. What's more, they have announced their intention to name Friday 13 March 2009 "Pluto Day", to mark its discovery in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh, who happened to be born on a farm in the state.

It's all wonderful, if deeply baffling stuff. Why is this happening? Whatever your views on Pluto's rightful status, it's heartening to see that the fate of that small rock, and so the size of the solar system, is still up in the air."

The Financial Crisis #2

In my previous post, I proposed a working chart for the current economic crisis- keeping in mind, that this is a tall order for any one chart. So starting with the premise that 12/9/07 New Moon marked the start of the problems, we must note that the 9/15/08 Full Moon, that occurred with Lehman Brother's bankruptcy, the government take-over of Fannie and Freddie, and the AIG bailout, hit the proposed radix Ascendant(24 Pisces) exactly. Granted, this Full Moon was powerful in itself, by aligning with the signature Saturn-180-Uranus, and squaring Pluto. But the direct activation of our proposed chart, as the financial crisis reach a shocking new level of intensity, may be a point in it's favor.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

Birth of the Financial Crisis

Although a crisis of any sort takes time to develop, I find it interesting that many financial pundits refer to December 2007, as the start of the current economic crisis. Astrologically- the New Moon of Dec. 9, 2007 featured five planets in Sagittarius- all angular(powerful) at Washington, DC. And while we wouldn't normally link the expansive sign of the Archer with a scarcity of resources- one may see this New Moon as the symbol of a fully inflated bubble, just before bursting.

Most astrologers see the passage of Pluto through Sagittarius from 1995 to 2008, as a time of unregulated excess in financial speculation, and reckless risk-taking. In December 2007, Jupiter conjoined Pluto in Sagittarius, which marked a peak-point of 'irrational exuberance' in the markets, and birthed the sub-prime mortgage meltdown, that led to the downturn in real estate, which then brought further problems. Strikingly- the over-the-top Jupiter-Pluto pair, conjoined the New Moon Midheaven* at the US capital, with a debilitated Mars in the sign and sector(4th) of homes, acting as lord of the 2nd house($). Thus, in hindsight, the 12/9/07 New Moon that squared unpredictable Uranus, did signify the birth of the financial crisis, in symbolic terms- as much as one single chart can.
*The New Moon Midheaven, Jupiter, and Pluto, were all near the degree of the black hole, at the Galactic Center of the Milky Way.

From Mundane Chart Gallery

One of my favorite financial blogs:
Jesse's Cafe Americain