Friday 4/12/2019 & the Weekend: Name That Planet!

(If you receive this forecast by email, I am sending it a second time to correct a glitch that made the fonts too small  for some to read)

TGIF!

Moon is in Cancer, driving the day with a need for emotional/home/homeland security. There’s so much going in the cosmos over the next few days — it’s like a pinball machine gone berserk. Here’s a recap of planetary patterns:

• FRIDAY — at  12:18 AM ET, Mercury squares Jupiter for the third and last time in the long Mercury in Pisces cycle — the one that started way back in February. More big news hits the fan. The day gets off to a dreamy start, suggested by harmonious connections between the Moon, Neptune and Venus — take note of your dreams. Then the temperature drops, as Moon opposes Saturn at 11:05 AM ET, then Pluto at 4 PM ET. This suggests heavy advances and power plays. Not only that, but at 3:06 PM ET, we’ll have the First Quarter Moon between the me-me-me Aries Sun and the Cancer Moon, suggesting a challenge or push forward on the seeds planted on last week’s New Moon.  Venus (money, art, women, social expression) harmonizes with Saturn at 11:08 AM ET, suggesting cooperation regarding those heavy advances, for better or for worse. Moon trines Mercury and then goes void at 7:33 PM ET. Chill, chill, chill tonight — you’ve earned this rest.
• SATURDAY — Moon enters Leo at 3:50 AM ET. Time to party, take the stage or issue a royal edict. Fourteen minutes later, the me-me-me Aries Sun is squared by Pluto, amplifying the power plays that have been in effect during this intense week. Heads may roll or expand; there may likely  be news from underground (including seismic action, power and resources — oil, gas, nuclear). You are likely feeling this potent pattern personally if you were born around the 11th – 13th of January, April, July and October or have a planet or point around 20-23 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn (and in fact, nearly every client who’s called this week fits this pattern).  Meanwhile, Moon makes its weekly clash with rebel Uranus at 7:13 AM ET, suggesting a jolt or surprise to Saturday’s start.
• SUNDAY — Optimism after a storm is suggested by an exuberant harmony between the Aries Sun and Jupiter, exact at 9:40 AM ET. Potential downside: an exalted leader continues to push boundaries. Exceptional depth may be found in matters related to art, women, money and social expression, reflected by a communicative pattern between Venus and Pluto, exact at 7:48 PM ET.  Have those heart-to-heart talks and express your appreciation. A day driven by Moon in Leo is looking for love.

There’s no Moon void to deter you from your weekend  shopping sprees. Not until 9:38 PM ET does the Leo Moon go void with a sigh. Just know as you shop that extravagance and indulgence are favored, with Sunday’s trine between Sun and Jupiter. Monday is equally excessive, with Venus square to Jupiter at 7:15 PM ET.

No sleeping in on Monday. The Moon will be in Virgo, working to clean up the Leo Moon’s party confetti and give the tax man his due.

And now, the news.

Power, resources, controls, leaders, oil, gas, publishing, drugs, viruses. These are themes we’d expect to see in a week with Sun (leaders) square Pluto-Saturn (power, resources, controls); Neptune (oil, drugs, viruses) square Jupiter (expansion) and Jupiter retrograde in Sagittarius (freedom of speech, publishing, education). Bonus purging, toxic release and rage suggested by the involvement of the South Node and the asteroid Eris with current patterns.  You may remember that Eris symbolizes those who may stop at nothing to secure a place at the table, having previously been dissed. In mythology Eris is the goddess of discord — perhaps a feminine counterpart to Mars.  It’s an apt time to be a warrior woman, with the following caveat to those who would get in a warrior woman’s way: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

For your consideration:

• “Extraordinary” 500-year-old catalogue reveals book lost to time
• After cancer diagnosis, man surprises U. of C. with treasure trove of rare books
• Johnson Publishing Company — ex-publisher of “Jet” and “Ebony” — files for bankruptcy
• Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, evicted from Ecuadorian embassy; arrested and indicted    
• Charges against Assange a direct assault on press freedom, experts warn
• Billionaire Ron Burkle in talks to buy National Enquirer
• Monsanto loses appeal in French farmer poisoning case
• Pharmacy middlemen under scrutiny for pushing up drug prices
• Candida Auris — a drug-resistant superbug/fungus — is spreading
• Measles Outbreak: Tensions Rise as New York City Steps Up Response.
• Senate confirms former oil and gas lobbyist David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Interior
• Sudan dictator Omar-al-Bashir ousted by army;   follow-up story: Protestors demand military hands over power at once
• Millions of Chinese youth to be sent to villages as “volunteers” in echo of Maoist policy
• Court overturns referendum, saying that voters were poorly informed…in Switzerland (!)
• Ex-Pope Benedict breaks silence; publishes letter contradicting Pope Francis on sexual abuse
• New species of extinct human found in Philippines cave

Rhetorical question of the day:

“Is this the dumbest moment in Congressional history?” asks Rolling Stone, referring to questions from Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to John Kerry about Kerry’s B.A. in political science. Let the record show that Massie graduated from MIT and should be receiving a call any minute now, asking him to send his diploma back. The whole of the five-minute exchange is here.

UPDATE: on P45.  Last week, Congress demanded his tax returns from the IRS and the IRS is legally obligated to comply. So far, it hasn’t. Meanwhile the House continues to push for the release of the Mueller Report. This authoritative squeeze on P45  reflects transiting Pluto (resistance is futile) soooooooo close to an exact opposition to his natal Saturn. However, Pluto will turn retrograde on April 24th, and thus the squeeze will retreat for several months. Plus, now that  transiting Jupiter  is retrograde, it will connect with P45’s Sun and Moon two more times: between May 11 and May 27th, and October 20 – 29. What does that suggest? It suggests a measure of protection, support and expansion. The pressure from transiting Pluto will be back in early February, through 2020. Manage expectations accordingly.

Closing with items reflecting a positive manifestation of depth and power:

• Black hole photographed for the first time ever — and it looks like the Eye of Sauron
• Here’s the 411 on Katie Bouman, the 29-year old grad student who created the algorithm that made the capture of the black hole image possible. Happy Saturn return, Katie! Way to make MIT proud!
• The black hole has just been named Powehi — “the adorned fathomless dark creation” — how perfect for a Sun-Pluto discovery.

Speaking of adorned, fathomless and dark, WaPo‘s Alyssa Rosenberg offers thoughts on how Game of Thrones should end — with no one sitting on the Iron Throne.   Given planetary patterns on the night of Sunday’s season premiere and May 19th (the series finale), Ms. Rosenberg may be on to something.

And speaking of names,  thanks to Avid Reader Esme, who wanted to make sure I did not forget to mention that you can VOTE to name a newly-discovered asteroid. Esme writes:

I would love to see her named Holle.  As planets relate so closely to new consciousness, I see a holy goddess of concern for climate (Holle creates the weather and wheels of all kinds) and the advent of circle leadership that replaces our current hierarchy.

Of the proposed planet names, Holle seems to signify the gentlest, most thorough transition to the sort of world we want to create.

Even the naming process speaks to a resurgence of democracy.

I could not agree more.  I’m voting for Holle — because the other two names are lame — and because Holle it might be pronounced “wholly.”  We need more of that on Spaceship Earth. You have until May 10th to vote — here’s the ballot — pass it on! 

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