Astrology of Disasters: Fukushima Power Plant Update

Astro-Carto-Graphy Map Fukushima

Astro-Carto-Graphy Map Fukushima

(Astrology Explored)

“Because right now, Japan and much of the world are living on a prayer.”

A second reactor, the #3 reactor, at Fukashima Daiichi Power Plant is at risk for catastrophic failure as Japanese workers scramble to cool reactors. Japanese officials are warning that a second explosion is possible.

Update: 3/13/11 11:38 PM EST–There was an explosion at the #3 power plant but officials say like the #1 power unit the nuclear core containment is intact.

Update: 3/15/11 1:19 AM EST–Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan makes a statement that radiation was released from the Fukushima Daiichi plant at levels that puts human health at risk. Most of the 500 workers at the plant were evacuated leaving a skeleton crew of 50 behind. Radiation levels in Tokyo is three times higher than normal.

Update: 3/16/11 2:45 AM EST–The 50 remaining TEPCO workers have abandoned the Fukushima Daiichi plant because rising radiation levels make it too dangerous to stay.

Update: 3/17/11 6:57 AM EST– the head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Gregory Jaczko, told a House subcommittee Wednesday that he would recommend evacuating people within 50 miles of the plant — a much larger ring than the 12-13 miles (20 km) set up by the Japanese.

“We believe that secondary containment has been destroyed and there is no water in the spent fuel pool, and we believe radiation levels are extremely high,” Jaczko testified to the House Energy and Power Subcommittee.”

Update 3/21/2011 4:34 AM EST–The workers at Fukushima Daiichi power plant are being trained to spray concrete on the heavily damaged reactors. The sale of produce and milk contaminated with radiation is banned.

Update 3/25/2011–“Suspicions of a possible breach were raised when two workers waded into water 10,000 times more radioactive than is typical and suffered skin burns, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said.”

Because of various factors radiation risk to the United States is said to minimal. This is cold comfort to Japanese huddled in shelters waiting on their government to do something to help them.

Things were bad enough as the building at reactor #1 exploded as workers at the power plant attempted to vent gases to reduce pressure in the core. When seawater was added to cool the core, a dangerous hydrogen cloud formed inside the building which could not be contained by pressure relief valves, causing at least one of them to explode.

Robert Alvarez, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies and a former senior policy adviser to the U.S. secretary of energy, described the plan to use saltwater as “an act of desperation” by Japanese authorities, who seemed unable to deliver fresh water or plain water to cool the reactor and stabilize it.

In a desperate effort, reactor operators are attempting to divert and pump seawater into the reactor. Even if the reactor remains intact, the Fukushima explosion indicates that the containment has failed and there is now a direct path for radioactive releases directly into the environment. According to Arnie Gunderson, a former U.S. nuclear power plant operator: “events over the last day indicate that volatile radioactive elements such as xenon, krypton, cesium, iodine, and strontium are already being released from the Fufushima nuclear reactor. The fuel rods have lost their integrity and, EVEN IF the reactor maintains its integrity, [radioactive materials] are being released into the environment through open relief valves on top of the reactor. Whether or not there is a meltdown, enormous quantities of radioactive gases will continue to be released through the failed nuclear fuel.”

Yesterday we explored the astrological “why” of this failure. Today we will look at the astrological “where.”

Skeptics often point to astrology’s apparent failure to predict events as the reason the astrology is “rubbish”. But when predicting events we have to know most of the things a newspaper reporter uncovers, who, what, when, where. Astrology provides the “why”. Out of all the things that can happen in this wide world how does one focus on who, what, when, and where? In astrology, mundane astrologers attempt to do just this, using eclipses and charts of nations to focus attention on where to look.

But good astrology uses a multi-layed approach. One of these layers is the application of Astro*Carto*Graphy. Created in the 70’s by the late Jim Lewis, ACG maps the apparent path of the planets across the face of the earth from the perspective of a single day, time and place, either the birthday of person or a nation, predicting events from that perspective. For instance, in a recent Astrological Society of Connecticut lecture, Ken Irving who collaborated with Lewis on his book, told us that you can reliably tell where the United States will go war. This is done by looking at where the Mars line of the sitting president falls on the map of the world.

Above you will see a map of Japan generated on the IO astrology software by my friends at Cosmic Intelligence Agency. They say of this map and of the earthquake that triggered the nuclear crisis in Japan:

Here’s the ACG for Japan for the lunar eclipse at last Capricorn Solstice ( lunar eclipse) – note the eclipse degree was 29 Gemini/Sag
For the past few days Nodes have been been triggering the eclipse degree, but so has Uranus of course. Interestingly the Moon is at 28 Gem and the DSC at 0 Cancer in the chart for the restoration of independence of Japan after WW2 (from the US), and the transits to that chart (which is accurately timed) are t – JU sq n -UR [transiting Jupiter square Urnaus] (within 20 mins or so) and t- UR sq n- AS [transiting Uranus square Ascendant} (within 35 mins or so). Also the chart for the Japanese Meiji constitution in 1889 is currently having t -NE sq n -NE (within 15 mins) [transiting Neptune square Neptune].

But even more plainly and visually in the map above you see the epicenter for the earthquake sits exactly on the Uranus line for that eclipse. You can see also that Fukushima, marked by a star on the map, is nestled between the line of Jupiter and the line of Mars. Uranus+Jupiter+Mars equals explosions in anyone’s astrological lexicon.

The good Lord knows the people of Japan are suffering from the catastrophic effects of the massive earthquake, and this nuclear crisis only eclipses that suffering.

If you are moved to make a donation to relief efforts International Medical Corps is organizing a response right now for Japan.


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The Astrology of Disasters–The Fukushima Power Plant Explosion

Fukushima Explosion

Photo Credit: NTV Japan via APTN

(Astrology Explored) “This is not a rehearsal”—Robert Phoenix on FB

One of five nuclear reactors at Fukushima Nuclear plant is in danger of an imminent core meltdown, as an explosion rocked the area around the plant and clouds of black smoke billowed from the facility. The roof of the building has collapsed and 50,000 within a 20 km radius are being evacuated. Japanese officials now report that the core may have “partially melted.”

In a surreal counterpoint residents are told to cover their mouths as much as possible.

The 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan is the proximate cause of the meltdown as power was disrupted to the plant putting the electric powered cooling system at risk of failure. Two back-up systems failed, leaving the battery generated back-up system with 8 hours of battery life to power the cooling system. Radioactive gas was vented periodically yesterday in an attempt to relieve pressure in the core. The gas is reportedly 1000x over the legal limit for venting radioactive gas.

Japan Broadcasting Corporation is reporting that the explosion was the result of such venting as a valve was blown intentionally to relieve pressure. However, one Japanese YouTube poster reports that the explosion was too large to be intentional and that three of the four walls of the building was blown apart.

The power plant is an older model, built in 1966 without the safety measures of more modern plants. As a result of this meltdown radiation can be blown” across the earth as far as the heavily populated western portion of the United States.

As the news from Japan on this horrendous accident trickles in at a snails pace we are left to wonder is this the China Syndrome in Japan?

Looking at the chart of the commission of this power plant one wonders why people do not employ astrologers to pick the days to start new enterprises. Certainly if they had tried they could not have picked a worse day especially with something as potentially dangerous as a nuclear power plant.

The chart of this power plant features a fiery Aries sun conjunct the planet of wounds, Chiron. This Sun is in challenge aspect to Mars, the plant of action, which in turn is in aspect to the planet of transformation Pluto. Pluto in turn is opposite the power plants Sun. This configuration is known as a T-square.

In addition Pluto in the chart of this troubled plant is opposite its heart, a Moon in the zodiac sign of Pisces.

The important thing to remember about a T-Square is that when something hits one part of the T-Square the energy runs around the whole configuration, rousing in a sense a sleeping giant to action.

In the case of Fukishima, Pluto, the planet of transformation, the planet that rules nuclear action, has come to sit on top the Mars position of the power planet. In addition the Sun as it is in the sky right now has come to sit on top the Fukushima Moon.

The trigger to this event is Uranus, the planet of sudden events, which just moved into the sign of impulsive Aries. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars and unfortunately, transiting Uranus is now in challenge aspect the natal Mars. Uranus/Mars combinations are notorious for indicating explosions.

With the planet of deception sitting alongside the planet of abundance Jupiter in easy energetic connection to the Sun in the natal chart you can be sure that not only are we not being told the whole story, the whole story is much worse than we think. Furthermore, it is imperative that all of three power plants that are functioning on the site need to be shut down, because there are serious problems in the way that plant is operating that will only manifest in further life threatening scenarios.

We have a whole lot to learn about the Fukishima explosion. Unfortunately, we are going to learn it later rather than sooner.
Astrology chart Fukushima Disaster

Read the update and the reason why Fukushima in Astrology of Disasters–Fukushima Power Plant Update.


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Dietrich Pessen Astrology Lecture: “The Life You Really Live”

Dietrech Pessen

Dietrech Pessen

(Astrology Explored) Boston-based author, lecturer, and radio personality, Dietrech Pessin, will give a lecture on the significance of your first solar return in her lecture “Your First Solar Return, The Life You Really Live” March 17, 2011, 7:00 PM for the Astrological Society of Connecticut.

What determines the life you live? Why do you seem to relive certain experiences?

Among astrology’s great advancements in the last century was the development of psychological astrology. While astrology has always been useful in defining personality, psychological astrology developed alongside with new science of psychology. It provides meaningful insights to the question “why this experience?”

Your solar return is quite simply your birthday. In astrology your birthday is not just a day to celebrate your years on earth, but a marker of the kind of year you are about to experience.

Your first solar return depicts conditions of your earliest family environment during your preverbal year and a lifelong imprint. Examining it reveals uncanny symbolism of major storylines throughout your life and uncovers dynamic astrological events over your lifetime. Dietrech’s groundbreaking tool taps into the core of the human experience and is a powerful companion in your astrological studies. Bring your birth chart and your first solar return chart, calculated for your birth place.

Boston-based author, lecturer, and radio personality, Dietrech Pessin has addressed astrological conferences and workshops across the US and Europe. Her works have been widely influential in the study and teaching of astrology. Dietrech’s cutting edge discoveries on Moon phases and eclipses have been critically acclaimed and incorporated into leading astrological software. She is the author of Lunar Shadows, The Lost Key to the Timing of Eclipses and is currently writing Solar Links – A Study of Solar Returns. Highlights of her popular weekly astrological radio report are available online at www.lunar-shadows.com.

The Astrological Society of Connecticut is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization; one of the largest and most active local astrological organizations in the United States, it is dedicated to educating people interested in astrology, sponsoring lectures, workshops, fund-raising fairs, and social activities.
The lecture will be held at the Keeney Memorial Center, 200 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT. The lecture is free to ASC members, $10 for the general public. A pre-lecture for $5 will be held a 6:30 PM explaining the general terms and principles of the upcoming lecture. For more information visit the ASC webpage at www.myasc.org.


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The Astrological Society of Connecticut New Age Fair

Astrological Society of Connecticut LogoJust after the spectacular full moon in Leo, the Astrological Society of Connecticut is holding its second New Age Fair of the 2010-2011 season at the Keeney Memorial Center, 200 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The time after a the full moon is a time to reflect on the activities and the accomplishments of the first half of the month. What better way to do that than getting a reading from one of the astrologers, psychics and intuitive readers at the fair. Whether you’ve had readings before or just curious this is an excellent way to meet with experienced counselors and get a taste of what they have to offer.

At the fair are a variety of vendors of often hard to find books, crystals, New Age jewelry, hand crafted soaps, perfumes as well as other items.

Through out the day there are free lectures.

New Age Fair – Free Presentations – Sunday, February 20, 2011
{Snow Date, Sunday, March 6, 2011)

11:00 a.m. Relationship Aspects in the Sacred Mayan Calendar – Gevera Bert Piedmont
Starting a business? Thinking about getting married or adopting a child? Wondering about a new love relationship? There is a simple way, using the 260-day Sacred Mayan Calendar, to get a snapshot of the energy of two (or more) people, or even a person and a calendar day. Time permitting, relationships from the audience will be parsed.
Gevera Bert Piedmont is the author of the Jaguar Nights series of Mayan-Aztec calendars and related books. She offers horoscopes and a variety of readings based on those calendars through www.ObsidianButterfly.com
 
12:00 p.m. What’s Your Sign? Has It Changed? – Janet Booth
A lot of hubbub ensued last month when astronomers announced a new sign and re-assigned calendar dates for the zodiac. We’ll look at what was behind this statement and how that affects your sign. (Hint: It has NOT changed, at least not according to astrologers!) Bonus: find out how the answer relates to the Age of Aquarius.

Janet Booth’s astrological studies since 1976 built on her BA in Behavioral Studies from Drew University. An ASC member since 1978, she was president at the millennium. For 30 years, she’s been in practice and taught and lectured on all levels of astrology. She’s hosted “Looking Up” on West Hartford cable TV and her “Janet’s Plan-its” calendars have been sold throughout North America since 2001.

1:00 p.m. Playin’ with the Queen of Hearts – Karen Hollis
Karen will talk about relationships, both committed and non-committed, dating, and the suit of Hearts in the regular deck. Some people who attend the lecture will be asked to pick out a card from the regular deck’s suit of hearts. Based on the card that they pick, Karen will do a mini-read of how they view their relationships in the present. Karen’s lectures are insightful and entertaining!
Karen Hollis is a clairaudient intuitive and successful business woman whose clients span the globe. For more than 25 years, Karen has used her unique skills as a means to help individuals and organizations tap into their intuition and make meaningful decisions. Her clients value the accuracy, integrity and compassion Karen brings to her work. Karen believes that it is her soul’s purpose to now help individuals find happiness by accessing their inner knowing through the cards.

3:00 p.m. Jennifer Page – Meditation (this is what she did in Nove 2010)
Today Jennifer will speak about cleaning and claiming our own energy field, our guides, and differentiating between our own emotions and fears vs. our intuitive insights. She will then guide us on a meditation to one of her favorite journeys, to our own “Temple in the Clouds.”
Jennifer Page has over 20 years experience working in the metaphysical arena, her spiritual awareness began when she was a child. Between the guidance of the Masters and the playfulness of the fairies; Jennifer is aware of how important it is to remain balanced between the spiritual world and our daily lives. Growing up in this manner Jennifer has learned to overcome challenges that sensitive people often experience. It is her goal to assist others in their learning process so they can harness their abilities and become the powerful, unique person they are meant to be. Jennifer utilizes her experiences, Reiki, hypnosis, NLP and intuition in this process.

The Astrological Society of Connecticut is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization; one of the largest and most active local astrological organizations in the United States, it is dedicated to educating people interested in astrology, sponsoring lectures, workshops, fund-raising fairs, and social activities.


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Astrological Society of CT Lecture: Darkness & Light–Influence of Eclipses

Professional astrologer and lecturer Gloria Star will explore the nature of the eclipses at her lecture Darkness and Light: The Influence of Eclipses February 17, 2011, 7:00 PM at the Astrological Society of Connecticut.

Gloria Star astrologer

Gloria Star lectures at the Astrological Society of Connecticut


Eclipses command the attention of astrologers and the public alike. Regarded as evil omens in ancient times, our understanding of eclipses has grown to include their influences on different parts of our lives. Like bookmarks, eclipses “time stamps” the configuration of the position of the planets at the time of the eclipse revealing issues that demand our attention.

Gloria will bring to life the meaning of eclipses explaining Saros Cycles, the Prenatal Eclipse, Nodal Returns, and more. Find out how and when eclipses are more relevant to your own life, and when the eclipses are more like watching a movie.

Gloria Star is a nationally and internationally recognized professional astrologer. She currently writes Astrology News, a regular feature column for The Mountain Astrologer. A Certified Astrological Professional (CAP) through the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), she has a national and international clientele and regularly lectures within the USA and abroad. Her website is GloriaStar.com.

The Astrological Society of Connecticut is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization; one of the largest and most active local astrological organizations in the United States, it is dedicated to educating people interested in astrology, sponsoring lectures, workshops, fund-raising fairs, and social activities.


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The Astrology of Superbowl Sunday: Green Bay Hot– Steelers Not?

The favorite is the Greenbay Packers. The underdog, if you ever dare call them that, is the Pittsburgh Steelers. The point spread is 2.5. Does anyone really think this game isn’t going to be gut gripping? I don’t know if I can watch, so I may consign myself to the kitchen making pizzas.

Not.

Why is Greenbay considered the odds on favorite?

Andrew Patterson, a Las Vegas based oddsmakers explained that the Green Bay Packers have been considered to be a hot team for the past few weeks and the fact that Packers are being favored over the Steelers is just a continuation of it.

Greenbay won five games straight to get to the Superbowl. Obviously they are motivated and this can’t be discounted. But the last time the Steelers and Packers met, Steelers won in high scoring game by just one point.

Just because there is close point spread, doesn’t mean it will be a close game. The average final point spread in a Superbowl game is 10.4 points.

Obviously, at some point in the game, a team loses momentum and the other team exploits it. Either a player gets too hot and makes foul and puts the other team in a better position which is exploited, or the ball is turned over in an interception, or in someway the timing of the game is disturbed.

Like chess it is playing the numbers. In chess, you can count the points of the men you have on the board, and you can extend that to their positions, roughly, gauging the strength of your position by how many spaces on the board they command and how much time it will take to reach your objective.

Numbers. Math. Time.

Which is why astrology is so well suited to hazarding a guess on the winner of the Superbowl. So far I’ve scored 1 out of 2, and you can fight it out with the mathematicians on how statistically significant that is.

Let’s look at the teams and see who the stars favor.

We only have the dates of the teams inception from Wikipedia, which is a blessing, since these dates on some teams is scarce. I put the “time of birth” at 9:00 AM for both teams, something that I do for business entities but which most other astrologers won’t.

We can’t comment on house positions or the ascendant, though is seems fairly obvious both teams have their Moon in Aquarius.

Curiously both sports teams have their Mars position in zodiac signs not known for their aggressiveness. Greenbay has theirs in home loving Cancer and the Steelers has theirs in the diplomatic sign of Libra. Neither team has their Mars in a Gauguelin zone that notes sports eminence.

By progression however, the Greenbay Mars has moved to meticulous Virgo, traditionally ruled by Mercury. It joins the Packers Saturn there squaring progressed Mercury in Sagittarius. Now the Greenbay quarterback has been characterized as “on fire” by armchair pundits in this household and this Mercury certainly seems to describe him.

By progression, Steelers Mars is in the sign of Scorpio, which was traditionally ruled by Mars and is making a trine to the Steelers, Pluto, the planet of power and control.

In fact this natal Pluto sits squarely on the natal Packer’s Mars. This gives a slight edge on this evenly matched pairing, but is is enough to declare a victory for the Steelers?

Let’s look at the transits.

The Sun and Mars is in the zodiac sign of Aquarius, conjuncting the Steelers Moon. This indicates a feeling of “new start” for the Steelers, suffering from not having won a Superbowl for three years. For a team that won in 1974 (IX), 1975 (X), 1978 (XIII), 1979 (XIV), 2005 (XL), 2008 (XLIII) this is certainly a hunger that needs to met.

On the other hand, Mercury, the planet of communications, conjuncts the Packers Moon. We can’t count out the Packers quarterback as he seeks to prove that he is the best quarterback of all time.

With all this Aquarian energy, the probably is high for turnovers and interceptions. Both teams will be frustrated by their inability to move the ball down the field. Again the armchair pundit says, “whoever loses the ball, loses the game.”

The planet Jupiter, the planet of abundance, usually has a say in who is going to win. Here Jupiter makes a trine to the Steelers Venus and Mercury in Leo combination, conveying a slight edge to the Steelers quarterback.

But what really hurts the Packers is where Jupiter is sitting with Chiron, the planet of wounds and injuries. This Chiron is in harmonious energetic connection to the Packers natal Jupiter, which isn’t necessarily good. It just means that the Packers play with a lot of injuries and with transiting Jupiter sitting on this Chiron this will be evident in the game play.

Despite the Greenbay quarterback being “on fire”, no one person wins a team sport. If there are indeed too many injuries on the Packers side this may be the component that tips the scales to the Steelers, no matter how evenly matched the teams are.

And then there is that matter of the Steeler’s Pluto sitting on the Packers Mars. In terms of “weight” Pluto is the stronger planet. And what gives this Pluto a little shove is the transiting Part of Fortune conjunct this Pluto.

So its the Steelers, though the Lord knows many of us will be on the edge of our seat until that final goal is scored.

Pass the cardiac medicine, please.

Post Game Note: So I didn’t get the winner right. *Sigh*. But injuries did figure prominently in the development of the game.

Astrology Chart Steelers at Superbowl

Astrology Chart Greenbay Packers

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Astrology and the Skeptics: An Open Letter to Dr. Rebekah Higgitt

Royal Observatory, Greenwich, UK

Royal Observatory, Greenwich, UK

(Astrology Explored)

Dr. Rebekah Higgitt,
Curator of History of Science and Technology
National Maritime Museum and Royal Observatory
Greenwich, UK

Dear Dr. Higgitt,

Recently in an BBC television show, two scientists proclaimed that “astrology was rubbish” prompting an article by you, asking whether “we should debunk astrologers more respectfully”. I am fascinated by your assertion that “Astrology as a scientific hypothesis has been put to the test and found wanting”.

There are many semantic holes in this assertion that only serves to muddy the waters.

Astrology is not a “scientific hypothesis.” It is a practice, much like the practice of medicine, so straight off the bat we are in trouble.

Maybe what you mean to say is “that the principles of astrology, when held to the light of scientific inquiry fails to yield reproducible results”.

Is that what you mean Dr. Higgitt?

Because if it is, then we run into problems again and that is there are studies that do yield reproducible results.

The most famous of these is the “Mars Effect” in which prominent athletes show a higher frequency of of Mars placed in certain sectors of their chart than statistical average.

For those unfamiliar with the astrological definition of Mars, the red planet in astrology relates to aggressiveness and competition.

Despite the fact that certain of those in the skeptic community claim to have disproved the effect, it was found that those involved with this inquiry disallowed some of Gauguelin’s data and introduced other data with a result that was more favorable to their position.

Gauquelin found that people of certain professions tend to have the same planets in these critical segments with a greater frequency than statistical average. Not only that, but he also found an effect which he titled the “theory of eminence” which holds that not only do people established in their chosen fields have a greater than statistical chance average of having those planets in these important fields. The more eminent a person is in their field, the greater the likelihood that those planets will be found in those critical segments. For example, doctors were found to have the planet of Saturn in these critical segments. If you take an average, general practice physician, the chances of he or she having Saturn in that critical position is much less than the chart of a highly prominent physician, one who is frequently published and renowned in their field. In other words, the more prominent you are in your field, the greater the chances you will have the corresponding planet in the critical field of the wheel.

Although scientists find Gauquilin’s findings very disquieting, increasingly sophisticated analysis seems to confirm, rather than disconfirm, certain of the original results. For example, in a 1986 study, the German researcher, Suitbert Ertel, reported: “A reanalysis of Gauquelin professional data using alternative procedures of statistical treatment supports previous Gauquelin results. Frequency deviations from chance expectancy along the scale of planetary sectors differ markedly between professions.” Read more about it at the William James Roots of Consciousness website.

Of course one study does not “prove” the validity of the whole of astrology, but it is far from “found wanting”. So lets look at others.

Carl Jung studied the charts of 453 couples and found that of the happily married couples with the classic aspects, (connections between planets) that indicate the opportunity for a satisfying relationship occurred three times more often than the rate of coincidence.

Jung said of this:

The chances of this actually happening are extremely improbable. Even in the first two cases, the probability works out at 1:100 x 10,000, which means that such a coincidence is to be expected only in one case out of ten million. It is improbable that it would ever happen in anyone’s experience. Yet in my statistical experiment it happened that precisely the three conjunctions stressed by astrological tradition came together in the most improbable way

And then there is this:

On December 6, 2010 Science Daily reports on a study published in the journal Natural Neuroscience that “The season in which babies are born can have a dramatic and persistent effect on how their biological clocks function.”

The experiment provides the first evidence for seasonal imprinting of biological clocks in mammals and was conducted by Professor of Biological Sciences Douglas McMahon, graduate student Chris Ciarleglio, post-doctoral fellow Karen Gamble and two undergraduate students at Vanderbilt University.

While not a study on astrology itself, it comes dangerously close to suggesting that the tropical zodiac, the zodiac based on the position of the Sun as it travels thru the seasons, actually has something behind it.

I could go on, but we don’t have all day here, so let’s move along.

Let’s play devil’s advocate for a minute and look at tests that purport to dispute the validity of astrology.

One such study found online is the NCGR/Berkeley Double-Blind Test of Astrology undertaken by Shawn Carlson and published in 1985. Shawn Carlson concluded that “we are now in a position to argue a surprisingly strong case against natal astrology as practised by reputable astrologers”.

The experiment was designed to test the astrological proposition that:
“the positions of the ‘planets’ (all planets, the Sun and Moon, plus other objects defined by astrologers) at the moment of birth can be used to determine the subject’s general personality traits and tendencies in temperament and behavior, and to indicate the major issues which the subject is likely to encounter”.

In this test volunteers took the California Personality Inventory, was given three horoscope delineations, with only one of which was the written for them, and asked to choose the one that fits their personality, as well as choosing a second choice. Of 83 subjects only 28 chose the horoscope written for them, which was on par with chance.
But wait! To check the subjects ability to self evaluate their personality types the subjects were given three CPI evaluations and asked to pick out their own. In a subject sample even smaller than the first, the subjects did not choose their own personality profile in numbers that were not statistically significant. Calling this result “disappointing” Carlson writes “”if subjects cannot recognise accurate descriptions of themselves at a significant level then the experiment would show a null result however well astrology worked”

Carlson then moves on to the astrologers and ask them to choose the correct CPI out of three to the natal chart of each subject. The astrologers faired no better than chance when the astrologers themselves predicted they could match 50% of the profiles. From this Carlson arrived at the conclusion that astrology failed. But here again is there is a fly in the ointment.

Though Carlson claimed that natal astrology performed no better than chance, a number of authoritative sources including Professor Hans Eysenck of London University (1986) [6]have shown that this conclusion was faulty. Recent evidence now shows that the part of the test that was valid (according to Carlson) shows evidence that favours astrology to a statistically significant level in spite of many disadvantages that the astrologers faced.

And remarkably, Dr. Carlson is not a psychiatrist or psychologist but a mathematician and physicist so he shouldn’t have gotten the numbers wrong. But the study itself was funded by the skeptics group CSICOPS, and for that group, no other conclusion but to declare astrology invalid, is possible.

All people are entitled to their opinions, and if some people prefer to think that astrology is rubbish, scientist or no, that is their right. However, as an astrology blogger friend said “The general opinion of people doesn’t make for good evidence.” To veil opinion with the mantle of scientific certainty is not only self-serving it is just wrong.

So Dr. Higgitt, despite your very nice attempt to debunk us astrologers respectfully, we respectfully submit that we are not in need of debunking. But thanks for the thought.

Image published under a Creative Commons License from Flickr.


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The Astrology of Transits: The Problem with Mars In Aquarius

Mr. Spock, double exposure(Astrology Explored)

Oh, it’s you.

Didn’t I make it clear last year that I wanted nothing to do with you?

Now here you are crossing over the doorway of my tenth house opposing my Uranus, getting ready to conjunct my Chiron and my Sun.

How dare you.

I don’t care about how cute you supposedly look like with those “Mr. Spock” ears. Nothing you do is “fascinating” to me.

No, I do not want to join a nice gym with you. You have me running around way to much for me to have energy to do anything else.

Look, haven’t you caused enough trouble with my electronics and my appliances? Wasn’t it bad enough that you blew up my oven and I had to spend $80 to purchase a new stove element? Or that the power cord on my computer started to smoke and blew out the connection to the power source? Now I have to replace that too.

And I do not appreciate how you’ve gotten my boss riled up. Trouble like that I don’t need.

I don’t know why you are laughing. I don’t find this amusing at all.

I really couldn’t care less if you think I don’t have a sense of humor. My Mercury is in Capricorn and my sense of humor is a little too dry for you to get anyway.

Am I implying you are stupid? No, but apparently right now you are a little too “out there” to get the message. Why don’t you leave before I call the cops?

Don’t make me get a restraining order on you. You know I will.

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Astrology and Celebrity: A Pluto Moment for Keith Olbermann

(Astrology Explored)

Keith Olbermann was MSNBC’s most popular personality and single-handedly led its transformation to an outspoken, left-leaning cable news network in prime time. Despite that, he often seemed to be walking on a tightrope with his job. Friday night, it snapped.

“A lot of people are trying to figure out if this was truly voluntary or not,” said Adam Green, co-founder of BoldProgressives.org, which collected thousands of petition signatures urging Olbermann’s reinstatement following last fall’s suspension.

Olbermann’s outspoken and leftist’s learnings tended to run to extremes, sparking a long running feud with Bill O’Reilly, host of The O’Reilly Factor on Fox News Channel. He often attacked the younger Bush’s administration, calling him on one occasion a fascist. His partisan take of the political scene lead to a temporary removal from MSNBC’s election coverage in 2008. Notheless, his popular show was a hit and In November 2008, it was announced that Olbermann had signed a four-year contract extension worth an estimated $30 million.

Olbermann ran into trouble and garnered a suspension as Wikipedia tells us:

“indefinitely without pay for violating a network policy which required employees to obtain approval from management before making political contributions.An online petition calling for his reinstatement received over 250,000 signatures; two days after the suspension began, Griffin announced that Olbermann would return to the air on November 9 . . ”

Now three years into his four year contract, Olbermann is out and many people are scratching their heads. What caused Olbermann’s sudden break from the show? What can astrology tell us?

Keith Olbermann was born January 27, 1959 in New York City. We do not have a birth time, so we can not comment on his ascendant, house positions or moon sign except for the fact that the moon is most likely in the zodiac sign of analytical, orderly and precise Virgo. His Sun, his core identity, Chiron, the planet of deep wounds, and Venus, his value system are in the humanistic zodiac sign of Aquarius. Aquarius is noted for their their out of the box thinking and their stubborn adherence to their own opinions. Indeed, an Aquarian, in the heat of verbal battle will argue their positions even when they know they are wrong! Chiron in the zodiac sign of the Waterbearer lends a visionary wisdom to whatever charge the Aquarian leads. Often, this type of Aquarian will “take hits for the team” to advance their agenda. Venus there lends a deep conviction to right wrongs and advocate for the underdog. Not that all of this makes him an easy person to interact with. Despite the gregariousness and social adroitness that an Aquarian can display in a group setting, one on one interactions can be tense when the Aquarian stubbornly clings to opinions and ways of doing things that ruffles feathers.

Add to this a Mars, the planet of survival instincts in the equally stubborn sign of Taurus and opposite the planet of abundance Jupiter, and much like the archetype of a bull you have a man that when roused, will run right over you.

Even with all these conflicting energies, the appeal of a personality like this is staying power. Olbermann is graced with the ability to stay with difficult situations long after other people would quit. This makes him valuable in that even in the rapidly changing and tension packed atmosphere of a television newsroom, Olbermann can keep to his game and do the work consistently and reliably. So it is a surprise that Olbermann and his employers part company, quickly, tersely and without comment. Until you look at the transits.

The transits, the planets in the sky as they are now, form some interesting interactions with Olbermann’s horoscope chart. At the time of Olbermann’s abrupt departure, the Moon, the planet of public opinion, formed the apex of a Yod, called the finger of God. Events that associated with a Yod often have a fated or destiny aspect attached to them. The Sun and Mars in the zodiac sign of Aquarius and Uranus, the planet of the unexpected Uranus and the planet of abundance, Jupiter in the mystical sign of Pisces, form the base of the Yod. What is so interesting about this Yod was that at the time of Olbermann’s termination was pointed directly at his Pluto.

Pluto is the planet of transformation. When Pluto is in action, it strips you of everything you have. What happens with Pluto is not voluntary. Transiting Mars sitting along side (conjunct) his Sun causes trouble. But Mars in concert with Pluto often brings drastic, life altering changes and not of your own making. It is fair to say that Olbermann was wrested from his position and by force by the powers that be.

But don’t start signing any petitions yet. Fortunately for Olbermann, despite his Pluto moment, the planet of abundance is kicking into the sign of Aries bringing new opportunities for Olbermann. He will land on his feet just fine, and most likely, in a better position than he was before.

Horoscope/Astrology Chart Olbermann Termination

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Astrology 101: Why Astrologers Aren’t Concerned About a 13th Sign

Ophiuchus

Ophiuchus

(Astrology Explored) Astrologers watched in bemusement and surprise that the internet literally blew up over a astronomer and community college professor Parke Kunkle’s pronouncement that “the earth had shifted” resulting in the magical creation of 13th zodiac sign, Ophiuchus, otherwise known as “the snake handler”. In fact, according to the SU Spectator reports that an unprecedented 17 out of 20 search queries were zodiac related. Astrologers were besieged with questions about Ophiuchus in every setting from television interviews to this astrologer’s experience, a funeral.

It is reported that about a quarter of the U. S. population “believes” in astrology and many more read their daily horoscope for hah hahs everyday. Clearly there is something to this astrology thing if it engages so many people. Yet what you see in the newspapers is just a tiny portion of what astrology is all about.

If you were to see an astrologer, what he or she does is take three pieces of information: your birth date, your birth time and your birthplace. Using either a computer or good old fashioned math and a three reference works, the astrologer will draw a map of heavens at the time of your birth. In a very real sense this map, called a natal chart, shows the Universe as it revolves around you. Every single planet in our solar system and a few mathematical points talk about your personality and how you act and react in the world. Some important points are:

Your ascendant—A mathematical point, the ascendant is the zodiac sign at the time on the horizon at the time of your birth. It governs your physical appearance and the first impression you give other people. The degree of the ascendant changes roughly every four minutes. You can be a Taurus and have Scorpio on the ascendant, or a Taurus with Leo on the ascendant, still be a Taurus, but be perceived by other people in vastly different ways.

Your Sun—What many people know as their “sign” the Sun is central player in the astrological chart. It is your core identity from which you draw many essential personality traits.

Your Moon—The moon moves swiftly through the zodiac signs each month spending roughly two and a half days in each sign. The moon represents your emotional center, your security needs, your early nurturing experience and how you feel about things. A Taurus with Scorpio on the ascendant and a Pisces Moon has a far different view of the world than a Taurus with a Leo ascendant and their moon in Aquarius.

These three elements, the ascendant, the Sun and the Moon, are the Big Three in the map of the heavens at the time of your birth charting your basic identity by not only the zodiac signs each of these points occupy but by their relationship to each other. These relationships are called aspects and range from easy connections to challenging. It is why you may feel one thing about something and act another way. And here is the kicker about aspects—they represent a significant portion of how you operate in the world. Sometime the aspects that planets make to each other nearly outweigh the zodiac sign in which the planets are placed.

But wait—there’s more!

Each of the other planets in the solar system has something to say about you as well. Mercury talks about your thinking processes, Mars represents your survival instincts and your sexual drive, Venus, your value systems, Saturn, your duties and responsibilities, Jupiter, your sense of social justice, Uranus, your unique gift to the world, Neptune, your spirituality and Pluto, what you need to transform in your life.

Is your head spinning yet?

We haven’t even talked about the houses, the two hour divisions of the twenty-four hour day that govern different portions of life on earth. Which house each of the planets tenant flavor the interpretation of that planet.

And then—

There is plethora of astrological techniques, types of charts and a slew of other things that add depth and meaning to an astrological reading, as if we needed more. But we do, because you come to us with questions about all parts of your life, from whether or not a relationship will work, whether you’ll get that new job, when you will have babies, and anything else that life throws at you.

Astrology is a complex study that few attempt and even fewer master. Maybe this is why so few people know that zodiac signs you know and love so well are based on the seasons and not the constellations. So yes, we do understand, in a certain way, the appeal a simple Sun sign horoscope has for most people. But you are more to you than just your Sun sign which is why astrologers aren’t really concerned about a 13th zodiac sign.


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