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An account of the revolutionary years of the legendary American journalist John Reed (1887-1920), who shared his adventurous professional life with his radical commitment to the socialist revolution in Russia, his dream of spreading its principles among the members of the American working class, and his troubled romantic relationship with the writer Louise Bryant (1885-1936).
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Director: Warren Beatty
Actors: Diane Keaton, Edward Herrmann, Jack Nicholson, Jerzy Kosiński, Maureen Stapleton, Paul Sorvino, Warren Beatty
Watch Reds Online for Free at GoStream » Best site to watch movies free and TV shows online is CipFlix
Rise of the Footsoldier 3
Notorious gangster, Pat Tate, rises through the ranks of Essex's criminal underworld. A prequel to the 'Rise of the Footsoldier' franchise.
Genre: Action, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller
The true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.
In 1968 the lives of a retired doorman, hotel manager, lounge singer, busboy, beautician and others intersect in the wake of Robert F. Kennedy's assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in…
Pennsylvania, 1956. Frank Sheeran, a war veteran of Irish origin who works as a truck driver, accidentally meets mobster Russell Bufalino. Once Frank becomes his trusted man, Bufalino sends him…
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
An exploration of the life and music of Miles Davis.
Genre: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance
The Queen is an intimate behind the scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to…
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery
Genoan navigator Christopher Columbus has a dream to find an alternative route to sail to the Indies, by traveling west instead of east, across the unchartered Ocean sea. After failing…
Country: Spain, UK, USA
Genre: Adventure, Biography, Drama, History
Inspired by true events, this film takes place in Rwanda in the 1990s when more than a million Tutsis were killed in a genocide that went mostly unnoticed by the…
Country: Italy, South Africa, UK
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Once Upon a Time in China III
Master Wong and his disciples enroll in the 'Dancing Lion Competition' to stop an assassination plot and to battle an arrogant, deceitful opponent.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography, History
Based on an inspiring true story, a small-town news reporter (Krasinski) and a Greenpeace volunteer (Barrymore) enlist the help of rival superpowers to save three majestic gray whales trapped under…
Genre: Biography, Drama, Family, Romance
A dramatic thriller based on the incredible true David vs. Goliath story of American immigrant Dr. Bennet Omalu, the brilliant forensic neuropathologist who made the first discovery of CTE, a…
Trailer: Reds

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Challenges of historic import threaten America's future. Action on the deficit, economy, energy, health care and much more is imperative, yet our legislative institutions fail to act. Congress must be reformed.
Both referred to the Affordable Care Act, which is the accurate title of the health care reform law, as 'Obamacare.' That is a disparaging reference to the President of the United States, it is meant as a disparaging reference to the President of the United States.


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Press Room > Sonoma County Defendants to Pay Clay Greene over $650,000 to Settle Case in Which County Forcefully Separated Greene from his Partner of 20 Years
Sonoma County Defendants to Pay Clay Greene over $650,000 to Settle Case in Which County Forcefully Separated Greene from his Partner of 20 Years
(San Francisco, CA, July 23, 2010) —Late yesterday evening, Clay Greene and the estate of Harold Scull, Greene's deceased partner of 20 years, reached a settlement resolving their lawsuit against the County of Sonoma ("County") and other defendants.
Greene and Scull's estate will receive more than $600,000 to compensate for the damages the couple suffered due to the County's discriminatory and unlawful conduct.
"What Clay and Harold lost can never be replaced, but this settlement brings a measure of justice to their story," said Amy Todd-Gher, Senior Staff Attorney for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which represented Greene with The Law Office of Anne N. Dennis and Stephen O'Neill and Margaret Flynn of Tarkington, O'Neill, Barrack & Chong. "This victory sends an unmistakable message that all elders must be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their sexual orientation, and that those who mistreat elders must be held accountable. Even as we celebrate this victory, however, we are deeply troubled that the County of Sonoma continues to refuse to take responsibility for their egregious misconduct and violations of the law in this case. We urge every citizen of Sonoma County to demand more oversight of the Public Guardian's office. They need to be watched."
Greene and Scull lived together for 20 years and had executed both mutual powers of attorney for medical and financial decisions and wills naming each other as beneficiaries. In April 2008, County employees separated the couple after Scull fell outside their shared home. In the next three months, County officials ignored the couple's legal documentation, unlawfully auctioned their possessions, terminated their lease, and forced Greene into an assisted living facility against his will. The County did not consult Greene in Scull's medical care and prevented the two from seeing one another. In August, 2008, before the partners could be reunited, Scull passed away after completing a photo album of the couple's life for Greene.
In August, 2009, Greene and the representative of Scull's estate, the couple's longtime friend Jannette Biggerstaff, filed a lawsuit alleging elder abuse, elder financial abuse, breach of fiduciary duty, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, and other claims.
In addition to agreeing to pay a substantial sum, as a result of the lawsuit, the County has changed or modified a number of important policies in its Public Guardian's Office, including requiring County employees to follow protocols before seizing private property, preventing County employees from relocating elders or others against their will, and prohibiting County employees from backdating information in their guardianship database.
"This settlement will allow Mr. Greene to finally have the quiet retirement he deserves," said Anne N. Dennis, one of Greene's attorneys. "Although nothing can undo the harm to these gentlemen, we believe the changes made because of the lawsuit will improve services to elders and other individuals who need the assistance of the Sonoma County Public Guardian's Office."
Plaintiff Jannette Biggerstaff , the executor of Scull's estate and a longtime friend of the couple, added: "There is no possible justification for what happened to my friends Harold and Clay, and I still feel outraged and heartbroken that they suffered such a terrible tragedy, which was made worse by the county spreading such terrible lies about Clay," she said. "But I am pleased that their rights have been vindicated, and I'm hopeful that their story will help to prevent this from happening to other vulnerable people."
The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.
www.NCLRights.org


Allen, a 22-year old gay man, came to a mental health clinic for treatment of anxiety. He worked full-time as a janitor and engaged in a very few activities outside of work. When asked about anxiety, Allen said he was worried about contracting diseases such as HIV.
Aware of a strong disinfectant smell, the mental health care provider asked Allen if he had any special cleaning behaviors linked to his concern about getting HIV. Allen said that he avoided touching almost anything outside of his home. He said that if he even came close to things that he thought might have been in contact with the virus, he had to wash his hands many times with bleach. He often washed his hands up to 30 times a day, spending hours on this routine. Physical contact was quite difficult. Shopping for groceries and taking the subway were big problems, and he had almost given up trying to go to social events or engage in romantic relationships.
When asked if he had other worries, Allen said that he was bothered by sudden images of hitting someone, fears that he would say things that might be offensive or wrong, and concerns about upsetting his neighbors. To ease the anxiety caused by these thoughts, he often replayed prior conversations in his mind, kept diaries to record what he said and often apologized for fear he might have sounded offensive. When he showered, he made sure the water in the tub only reached a certain level. He was afraid that if he was not careful, he would flood his neighbors.
Allen used gloves at work and performed well. He spent most of his free time at home. Although he enjoyed the company of others, the fear of having to touch something if he was invited to a meal or to another person's home was too much for him to handle. He knew that his fears and urges were "kinda crazy," but he felt they were out of his control.
Allen was diagnosed with OCD. He had many obsessions, including ones related to contamination (fear of contracting HIV), aggressions (intrusive image of hitting someone) and symmetry (exactness in the level of water). These caused Allen to spend hours on his OCD routines and to avoid leaving his apartment, engaging in social relationships and performing basic errands.
He also has had many compulsions: excessive hand washing, a checking (keeping diaries), repeating (often clarifying what he said) and mental compulsions (replaying prior conversations in his mind).
The symptoms also got in the way of Allen's normal daily tasks. Even though he was able to work, his job choice may have been swayed by his symptoms (few other jobs would allow him to always wear gloves and use bleach). Not only did his symptoms consume much of his time, but he appeared to be lonely, isolated man whose quality of life had been greatly affected by his OCD.
This patient story is excerpted from Understanding Mental Disorders: Your Guide to DSM-5.
Understanding Mental Disorders is a consumer guide designed to promote education and understanding among anyone who has been touched by mental illness.
Find answers to your questions about obsessive-compulsive disorder written by leading psychiatrists.


I'm angry with my own Republican Party's deceptive ads and felt compelled to speak out.
In both 2010 and 2011, bills came up for a vote on the House floor restricting (not permitting) strip clubs close to schools and churches.
In 2010, I voted for the restrictions. So did Rep. Paul Davis. It passed the House but failed in the Senate.
In 2011, it resurfaced in a slightly different form. Again, I voted for it, Paul Davis didn't.
In 2010, the bill let cities craft their own ordinances suiting their needs (called "home rule," where the state doesn't force matters on cities), but in 2011, cities couldn't change anything.
Besides the home rule thing, Paul Davis also criticized taking committee time holding hearings for the fifth straight year instead of using time for complex budget issues. Nobody voted in favor of strip clubs.
FYI, the governor's labor secretary voted against the 2011 bill, too. She still got the job.


Standing at the front of the line, you're ready to order. Your friends are behind you – one is holding a plate of Italian grilled octopus, the other a box of Thai chicken and rice. You opt for sizzling Korean soy noodles and veg. The owner promptly preps the dish – boiling, tossing, frying and drizzling right in front of you. The food goes from chopping board, to hot plate, to a steaming bowl of goodness in your hands in a matter of minutes. Your lunch is right here, and man it looks good.
In the past 10 years, the culinary landscape of cities all over the world has been transformed by a new kind of street food purveyor: the gourmet food truck. Food trucks first rolled onto the scene in the US around the time of the last global financial crisis. (Many argue that the first of its form was renowned BBQ food truck Kogi, based in Los Angeles.) It was an era when chefs were being laid off from traditional bricks-and-morter restaurants, and, with no job but a lot of talent and ambition, decided to take matters into their own hands. Combined with a growing number of festivals and a trend for pop-up attractions, the market was ripe for entrepreneurial cooks to make their mark in nomadic kitchens.
Today food trucks can be found on city streets from London to La Paz. With their gourmet plates served at street prices – and with no booking or dress code required – they cater to foodies who are more interested in taste than the formal trappings of restaurant life. Fun, local and affordable, they are also an easy way for urbanites to sample delicacies from the other side of the world and for visitors to get involved in a city's food scene.
For Lonely Planet's latest book, the team persuaded some of the world's most creative food truck chefs to share their recipes so that you can make them at home and we'll be sharing a few with you over the next couple of days. The dishes feature everything from classics and family recipes to fusion concoctions inspired by travel experiences. Something they all have in common: they are very popular with a crowd.
So what are you waiting for? Go on, truck in!
The cooks behind Soufra haven't had it easy. As women from the Burj el- Barajneh Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, they've faced grinding poverty and legal restrictions on education and job prospects since the camp's founding in 1948.
Founded by Mariam Chaar, Soufra has a weekly stand at a farmers market, where the food truck sells its signature dishes, including a transcendent version of the Palestinian national dish msakhan. Chaar started Soufra, which means 'table of plenty', in 2013 to create opportunities for members of her community most in need of jobs; since then over 40 women have benefitted from the programme and in 2017, Susan Sarandon produced a documentary about Chaar's uphill battle to purchase and outfit the truck.
Fuelled by Palestinian delicacies, the women's energy seems boundless.
1. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
3. Add the spices, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
4. Add the shredded chicken and nuts and stir well.
5. Allow the chicken mixture to cool. Preheat the oven to 150ºC (300ºF).
6. Meanwhile, cut the markouk or tortilla bread into 8 large triangles.
7. Put a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the middle of each triangle, then fold two sides in and roll it up into a cigar shape.
8. Brush the remaining oil all over the msakhan and arrange on baking sheets.
9. Bake for 10 minutes, or until crispy. Serve immediately.


This page is dedicated to providing information and resources relating to our approach to e-safety. At the bottom of this page, you will find quick links to a number of PDF documents containing relevant information on this subject.
To start, please read our E-Safety policy linked here.
The PEGI (Pan European Game Information) age rating system was established to help parents make informed decisions on buying computer games. The system uses symbols and coloured labels to show the age rating of the game and describe the content included in it. An explanation of the symbols can be found by clicking here.
If you have a child at Temple Sutton, then they should only be playing or witnessing games rated at the 'Age 7 Rating', denoted by a green 7 on the games case or digital store front (e.g. Steam, Playstation Store, XBox Games Store).
To check whether a game is suitable, the common sense media website will provide greater details on each game - Click here to be taken to the Common Sense Media home page.
A website which allows you to search for details on films, games, apps, television, books and various forms of media. The reviews allow you to see details of what games are appropriate.
A useful eSafety guide for parents.
A beginner's guide to using the Internet safety, including a quiz and some video tutorials about how to 'stay safe' online.
Kidsmart is an award-winning internet safety website for parents and those working with children. It has been developed by the children's internet charity Childnet International and has excellent information on many of the technologies used by children, with guidance on how to 'stay safe' online.
One in five young people has experienced bullying by text message or via email. This website gives advice for children and parents on bullying.


hat I love about the Christmas story is the way God bucks the trend. Everything about it is countercultural. When he came on his rescue mission, he chose to come as an illegitimate baby born to a teenager from an obscure village in a far flung outpost of the Empire. Not content with that, his mother had to borrow a feeding trough for a cradle because they were on the road and homeless when he was born. Nothing quite like that start in life to give you an outsider's perspective.
Our Christmas story comes from the little cameos we get in Matthew's and Luke's tales of Jesus. And I find them intriguing: because of who was invited to the celebration when the creator became a part of his creation. They didn't throw him a party at the Palace even when they found out who he was. From the beginning he was seen as a threat to the establishment, both secular and religious.
Foreigners and shepherds are about as low as you could get in the pecking order of the day. Ritually unclean because of their close contact with animals, unwashed because of their outdoor life, shepherds were outsiders, an isolated, fringe community on the edge of society. And foreigners were as popular then as they are now. When the chips are down you stick with your own, whether the threat is economic recession or a Roman army of occupation. And these were astrologers to boot.
Over centuries God called out a people to form a community that was different, based on justice, generosity and welcome. But it is human instinct to cling to your own tribe, to connect with people like yourself and reject those who are different. Israel was all about insiders and outsiders and yet, when their God came to visit, for them he was an outsider. So perhaps it is no surprise that outsiders were the ones Israel's God invited to share the special moment of his arrival.
There is something of a pattern about that. It was outsiders who welcomed him at his birth and it was an outsider - the Gentile Centurion who executed him - who recognised and honoured him at his death. In his ministry it was the outcasts who were drawn to him, people who felt rejected by society were intrigued and attracted by Jesus. And the reason is clear: there are no insiders and outsiders for God!
God is for everyone: no exceptions, no outcasts, no straight insiders or LGBT outsiders, a celebration of diversity!
Christmas is the best time to remember this. If you feel like an outcast, take heart, because you have always belonged at the heart of the Christmas story, God has made sure of that!


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Sources: Nice sale to UK tycoon surpasses PSG
1yJulien Laurens
Laurens: France have all the tools to keep winning trophies (1:26)
On the one year anniversary of their World Cup triumph, ESPN FC's Julien Laurens delves into the chances this France side will win more silverware. (1:26)
Julien LaurensCorrespondent
French authorities have approved the sale of Nice to Britain's richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe on Wednesday for just over €100 million, sources have told ESPN FC -- making the Riviera's club the most expensive ever in French football history.
Ratcliffe, the founder and CEO of chemical giant Ineos, was waiting for the green light from the DNCG, the organisation responsible for monitoring and overseeing the accounts of professional clubs in France, which has a say in every takeover in Ligue 1 or Ligue 2.
The English businessman, worth around €21 billion, was confident that his takeover offer would be ratified but he still had to wait for the official announcement. The sale should be officially announced in the next two weeks, according to a source.
Ratcliffe, and his brother Robert who is heavily involved in the project, must also get approval from the Competition and Markets Authority. It is expected that he will get that approval as he doesn't own any other French club.
Nice's current owners, Chien Lee and Alex Zheng, were reluctant to sell Nice and rejected two offers from Ratcliffe before accepting the latest one.
The final price would be significantly more than the €79m spent by the Qatar royal family to buy Paris Saint-Germain in July 2011 or the €45m paid out by American businessman Frank McCourt for the acquisition of Marseille in September 2016. Other transactions of French clubs in recent months include Bordeaux (€95m) and Lille (€80m).
Among Sir Ratcliffe's other sports ventures include Swiss football club Lausanne Sport, the Team Ineos cycling team (formerly Team Sky), and has backed financially Sir Ben Ainslie for the next America's Cup sailing competition.


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Beauty shots: Erin Hills shines in international spotlight
The eyes of the world are on tiny Erin, Wis. this week for the U.S. Open Golf Championship. The top golfers in the world are vying for the sport's top prize and the golf course is putting on its best face for its close-up. Check out some of the sights from Erin Hills.
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Jason Day of Australia plays his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Photo by: Richard Heathcote HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 14: Fans walk across the course during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 14, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Photo by: Richard Heathcote HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Photo by: Streeter Lecka HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rickie Fowler of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Photo by: Jamie Squire HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the bunker on the eighth hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Photo by: Streeter Lecka HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rickie Fowler of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Photo by: Richard Heathcote Lance Allan, TMJ4Photo by: Foley, Brian HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 13: Bernd Wiesberger of Austria plays his shot during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 13, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)Photo by: Ross Kinnaird HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Amateur Cameron Champ of the United States lines up a putt on the eighth green during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Photo by: Jamie Squire HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: A detail view of the Rolex clock during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)Photo by: Andrew Redington HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Bubba Watson of the United States plays his shot on the sixth hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Photo by: Jamie Squire HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 14: A general view of the course during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 14, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Photo by: Streeter Lecka HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Paul Casey of England lines up a putt on the 18th green during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)Photo by: Ross Kinnaird HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Ryan Palmer of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Photo by: Jamie Squire HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his shot from the 16th tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Photo by: Richard Heathcote HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the seventh green during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Photo by: Streeter Lecka Photo by: Riley, Marcus Photo by: Riley, Marcus Photo by: Riley, Marcus HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Fans look on during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Photo by: Richard Heathcote Photo by: Riley, Marcus HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Dustin Johnson of the United States walks from the tenth tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Photo by: Richard Heathcote Photo by: Riley, Marcus HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: A general view of the sign for the 13th hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Photo by: Streeter Lecka Photo by: Riley, Marcus
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Jason Day of Australia plays his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 14: Fans walk across the course during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 14, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Streeter Lecka
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rickie Fowler of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Jamie Squire
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the bunker on the eighth hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Streeter Lecka
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rickie Fowler of the United States plays his shot from the fourth tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote
Lance Allan, TMJ4Foley, Brian
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 13: Bernd Wiesberger of Austria plays his shot during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 13, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)Ross Kinnaird
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Amateur Cameron Champ of the United States lines up a putt on the eighth green during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Jamie Squire
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: A detail view of the Rolex clock during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)Andrew Redington
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Bubba Watson of the United States plays his shot on the sixth hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Jamie Squire
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 14: A general view of the course during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 14, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Streeter Lecka
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Paul Casey of England lines up a putt on the 18th green during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)Ross Kinnaird
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Ryan Palmer of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Jamie Squire
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his shot from the 16th tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland putts on the seventh green during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Streeter Lecka
Riley, Marcus
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Fans look on during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: Dustin Johnson of the United States walks from the tenth tee during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Richard Heathcote
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 15: A general view of the sign for the 13th hole during the first round of the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 15, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)Streeter Lecka


The moon is in buoyant Sagittarius, and we're just past the Winter Solstice (so the light will begin to grow again in the Northern Hemisphere). Plus, Jupiter, the Cosmic Santa, is stationing to move direct on Christmas Day. So is everyone feeling fine?
Not quite. Although it seems that many of us are floating away from the stress in an appropriately Sagittarian bubble of what-me-worry? it's hard not to feel some pressure from the cardinal t-square between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. That square is making it hard to chillax for the holiday season, and the intensity of the last six months or so (recently amped up by the eclipses and stations) can keep the pedal to the floor - even if we are only racing around our own minds.
Astrologically, although we are awash in the lighter aspects listed above, the sun is now in Capricorn. His first order of business, on Thursday, was to square Uranus. Luna is racing to meet up with Sol on Saturday, which means that she will be in Capricorn, also triggering the square. Then, on Thursday the 29th, the sun will meet up with Pluto.
The effect of all that is that we have an entire week when not only the moon but the sun is triggering the t-square. Hardly a relaxing time!
The new moon in Capricorn on Saturday is not far from Pluto (although not too close, either), and it is the new moon after the solstice. If we take in that energy passively, it is a time to see the direction things are heading. If we take a more active approach, it is an excellent time to set our intentions for the very active year ahead.
In fact, the entire period from the solstice on Thursday through the Jupiter station on Sunday can be taken as one long period of intention-setting. The tough Scorpio moon earlier last week should have helped us to clear out some emotional baggage, making us lighter as we go forward.
Scan the news, and you'll see that things have hardly been easy over the past few weeks. The intensity of December's cosmic activity has not been brought down to Earth very smoothly. That sounds very much like Pluto's "make it worse so it can get better" strategy.
Not that Pluto is all that invested in it getting better. But we should be. Take these few days to juggle your outward-going active energy with your inward-directed awareness. It's hard to remain in balance - but at least try to decide which you will fall when you get knocked off the log you've been rolling.
North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il died on Saturday. The death was apparently due to natural causes, although like everything else coming out of North Korea, there is plenty of room for speculation.
Kim died on the same day as Czech poet, philosopher and one-time president, Vaclav Havel. The difference between the two men could not be more blunt, and the world's reaction reflects this. Havel's death was met with sadness and recollection of a liberating moment in Czech history. Kim's death was met with curiosity about who will succeed him at the helm of the wackiest country in the world.
The astrology of these events leads to the eclipse of December 10th. At the eclipse, the nodes of the moon (points associated with eclipses) were angular in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. That's no reason to think a past or present president will die, but it does signify comings and goings.
The lunar eclipse, and particularly the nodes, is square to the sun in the chart of North Korea (using Nicholas Campion's Book of World Horoscopes; there isn't a specific time). Eclipses have a reputation for being bad news for the leader's of affected countries. It's not such a big deal these days, of course, unless you happen to be running an egomaniacal show a la Ramses the Great (which, uh, Kim was in fact trying to do).
At the solar eclipse of November 25th (considered even worse for kings and the like), Mars was square to North Korea's sun (the sun stands for the ruler in the chart of a country - especially one with a king, dictator, etc.).
Pluto was also just past a trine to North Korea's sun (exact on December 5th), an indication of transition and transformation in leadership.
2012 will see more hits to the country's sun from Mars, as he retrogrades in Virgo. Jupiter will be offering a supportive trine throughout the year.
If the sun of North Korea is being hit, so is Kim Jong Il's son, Kim Jong Un. He is the third Kim to be in line for the leadership of the country. That's good news and bad news for him: He may be getting a country for Christmas, but it's North Korea.
Despite grave reservations of many people, the U.S. Senate passed a bill this week that will allow the United States military to detain - indefinitely - people suspected of terrorism. Most troubling, it includes American citizens who are captured within the United States. Senator Al Franken has likened the bill to President Roosevelt's wholesale detention of Japanese citizens during the Second World War.
While President Obama initially threatened to veto the bill, it is apparent the measure will now be signed into law. Apparently the language of the bill was changed to make it palatable to the President. Of course, because those caught under the bill will not necessarily be tried or even charged, we'll never know how it is actually implemented.
This dark news comes just after the full moon eclipse last week, although the bill was finally debated when the moon was in protective Cancer, and voted on when the moon was in Leo. It also came on the heals of Trickster Mercury moving direct (and so indicating reversals and perhaps subterefuge). But the real astrological forces at work are Pluto and Uranus.
Uranus, in the sign of Aries, represents revolutionary energy. Rogue individuals and groups are common with Uranus in this very individualistic sign, and for sure some of them are dangerous. The problem is that "dangerous" is relative to your perspective. As we see more and more protests in the streets over the next few years, there are going to be charges that those who challenge the status quo are essentially terrorists (and some will be).
Pluto is working to transform government and the power structures of our world. Pluto doesn't sit on one side of an issue or another - although many astrologers are quick to try to clam Pluto's energy for their cause. Pluto actually amps up all sides of an issue, driving both the forces of change and the resistance to it. So, as we get to see Occupy Wall Street and other protests demanding change, we also get to see police officers in military gear (and maybe soon military personnel acting as police) trying to squelch that change.
No one will win. The change that is being created is both deeper and different from that anticipated by any one individual or group. But this week's news certainly scores one for the frightening forces of control and repression.
As the sun moves into Sag each year, my Leo heart breathes a sigh of relief. There's something about Virgo-Libra-Scorpio (the time of year, NOT the people!) that is difficult for me.
It may not be a Leo thing: Thanksgiving (and Christmas before the calendar change) is a Sag holiday. The external darkness of this time of year somehow calls us to make our own light: Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanza are all about light. It is odd that the time before the solstice, when the light is reaching its minimum, that turns to corner for so many of us.
Usually, there's a bit of light in the mood when the sun hits Sag. We've waded out of the dark Scorpionic waters, and are floating above the ground, taking the long view. There seems to be so much potential in Sagittarius, like the arrow that is about to be let loose from the archer's bow.
As I've been saying (but I'll say it again), since the eclipses last June and July, the tension of the cardinal t-square has been growing. Things really came to light when the sun was in Libra, and Scorpio featured all the power struggles associated with that sign.
So, will things calm down with the sun in buoyant Sag? Not likely.
For one thing, we're in for the duration as far as the t-square goes. All we need these days is the moon to be in a cardinal sign (which it is 1/3 of the time) for square to be set off. So the avalanche of change will continue no matter where the sun is.
But we have to remember that Sag has a darker side. It's a great sign for searching for the truth, but when it thinks it's found it, watch out for dogmatic insistence on the One True Path.
What we're likely to see, in politics and protests, is more entrenched views and high-minded positioning on the issues. OWS may come out of the next month freed from the accusation that it doesn't have specific demands or a direction. But the ideological attacks on the protesters (as a rationale for more physical attacks) is likely to grow. We may also see a resurgence of the Tea Party, and perhaps a new force coming to play in the picture.
The rhetoric will be Sagittarian, but these are Uranian/Plutonian times. We see the action through the Archer's lens this month, but it is those two giants who create the scene.
This has been quite a week. We began energized by the moon in Aries. Mars, the Warrior, aspected Neptune, blending Arian energy with Neptunian illusion. Then Neptune stationed on Wednesday, casting a deep fog across everything. On Thursday, Chiron stationed in Pisces, Neptune's home sign. And on Friday, the last aspect before the moon goes void is a square to Neptune.
All week long we have been rolling through Neptunian uncertainty, but we've been driving with our foot heavy on the accelerator rather than the brake, thanks to Mars (as I learned in my Safe Driving course, people actually do tend to drive faster in the fog). Neptune is associated with sacrifice and martyrdom, and Chiron is often referred to as the Wounded Healer.
The news this week was certainly full of confusion, especially on Wednesday, when Neptune stationed. Rick Perry probably drove his presidential campaign off the side of the road by forgetting which three federal agencies he would cut if he were to win the election. The Republican debate on Wednesday night was apparently quiet Neptunian.
Mars/Aries has a sexual energy, and indeed this week has seen a lot of sexual news, although heavily tinged with Neptune/Chiron. Herman Cain's presidential campaign has had a monkey wrench thrown into the work by multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. Cain's self-defense has been anything but clear.
But the most obvious Mars/Neptune/Chiron issue this week has been the charges against Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky, who is accused of sexually abusing boys for years (and at the college). Legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno was fired, as was the college president. Paterno reported the abuse to his boss, but did not call the police. However you feel about Paterno getting fired, Penn State students apparently decided to make him a martyr, and rioted on his behalf. Martyrdom is another Neptunian theme.
Other Neptunian themes in the news this week included the economic markets' dips and recoveries amid new fears about the Euro, both from Greece and Italy (Greece's Prime Minister was also sacrificed this week, after pushing too hard in the wrong direction). Bangkok's floods are the worst in decades, and very Neptunian. The conviction of the leader of a U.S. "kill team" in Afghanistan is yet another Mars/Neptune saga.
We've seen extremes this week. Various victims (Neptune), including those of sexual (Mars) abuse and war (Mars) have had their voices heard, and perhaps some healing (Chiron) will take place. In other stories, we've seen people going off half-cocked, fired up with Martial energy but aiming with Neptunian uncertainty.
Today is a busy day in the skies!
The Taurus moon meets up with Jupiter at 10:20a EST, creating enthusiasm and perhaps a bit of overindulgence (I don't know how much we can overindulge at that hour in North America, but our European friends should have fun!). The moon goes on to make an easy trine to Pluto, suggesting that decisions can be put into action later in the day.
Can be. But probably shouldn't be. Neptune stations to go direct today at 1:54p EST. We feel Neptune stations a day or so on either side, but they are most intense right around the station itself. The feel of Neptunian times is, like the planet itself, somewhat unclear and confusing.
On the upside, Neptune stations can help us to get in touch with other realities. Neptune can open us up to nonmaterial planes, both higher and lower.
At best, we can feel our connection to each other, to all other beings, to nature, and to the Cosmos. To one degree of intensity or another, we can generate compassion and realize our common experiences of love, joy and pain.
But Neptune, particularly when applied to the material world (as the lunar aspects today may tempt us to do), can also create false hope, misplaced faith, and poor judgment. That's why today might be a better day to meditate and dream than to put ideas into action. This week, thus far, has encouraged us to go off half-cocked - much energy saying "Go!" while Neptune has blurred the lines of reality.
It becomes very interesting when we see that FEMA has chosen to test the Emergency Broadcast System at 2p EST today, just six minutes after Neptune stations. It's harder to imagine a better symbol for Neptune (which can create fear and a sense of hopeless uncertainty) stationing in Aquarius (the sign of mass communication) for the last time (for the last time in about 132 years, anyway).
Maybe the test will go smoothly. After all, the very idea of the test is scary enough. The EBS is a holdover from the Cold War. We all knew that had it been an actual emergency, we were toast. But look for signs that what we are hearing about the test and the system are not quite what is said. I don't want to sound paranoid (another Neptunian trait), but perhaps the real point of the test is to remind us to be afraid.
With Jupiter in good aspect to Pluto this week, and the sun getting into the mix (from Scorpio), we saw a deal on Greek debt that - for the time being - has reduced tensions in Europe, and buoyed the stock markets across the world. Although the optimism in September couldn't be attributed to these aspects, we did learn during the Jupiter-Pluto trine that consumer spending increased last month.
Of course, power issues took on a more typical Scorpionic tone as Occupy Wall Street protesters clashed with police all across the country. The injury, in Oakland, of an Iraqi War veteran during the protests served to galvanize the movement in cities from New York to Memphis to Denver.
As we head into November, there will be a great deal of Neptunian energy around to put various spins on what has happened over the past few months, and a heavy does of Sagittarius will get us to believe we are right and that the cause (whichever one) is worth fighting for. As I've been saying for some time, with Uranus in Aries we are seeing many "rogue" groups - the Tea Party, Wikileaks, Anonymous, and now OWS - trying to course-correct by going to extremes.
Whether you see them as heroes or terrorists depends on your political perspective more than anything else. What is clear is that people are once again interested in politics. And the economic strain we've been under since Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 is providing the fuel for that fire.
can we discuss this rationally?
As the full moon highlights the Aries/Libra axis, we are pushed and pulled between concern for self and other. On one level, that makes for possible relationship tension, as our need to fulfill who we are personally can clash with relationship expectations - that's a theme that has been bubbling around us since Saturn and Uranus took up residence in these signs.
But more generally, the conflict is between the status quo (Saturn in Libra) and the energy of change (Uranus in Aries). Pluto, contributing from Capricorn, is intensifying both sides of the equation. This full moon has not added too much to the soup, but has turned up the heat under the pot.
We can see this in news stories from all over the world, from the disgraceful trial of Yulia Tymosshenko in the Ukraine to Burma's more hopeful actions of releasing political prisoners (some of them, anyway).
Perhaps most obvious is the growing momentum of the Occupy Wall Street protests, along with the growing criticism of them. What may have seemed like a few kids "playing Sixties" a few weeks ago now has the support of organized labor and a number of others. But as support has increased, so has the backlash against the protests and the protestors.
For those who have an idealized image of the 1950s and 60s protests, it might seem that it was all about guitars, joints, and problems finding a port-a-potty. Images of fire hoses, billy clubs, and raging anger might not come to mind, but protests are not particularly welcome when they question those in power. Pluto will be gaming both sides, amping up the demonstrator's anger as well as the condemnation.
It is through the debate and even outright fighting that results that real change happens - no one was gonna do anything because a couple of hundred people were camping in a park. Note how the protests didn't even get coverage until the police began acting brutishly - as in the senseless macing of two young women.
Serious change is serious business.
The energy of the past weekend will extend into Monday, as the Sun-Uranus opposition is echoed by Mercury opposing Uranus. This configuration sets off the cardinal square in the sky between Uranus and Pluto, making it a very high-energy time.
The news is full of stories that reflect this energy. President Obama's newly-found tough guy stance had him saying that the Republicans would "cripple" America. The NYPD was caught on camera macing some rather nonthreatening protestors (ah, but I guess they are threatening). Palestinian President Abbas has called for a Palestinian Spring (them's fightin' words).
But then again, the news isn't all bad. Boeing has finally delivered its first 787 Dreamliner. This new plane is made from a carbon fibre that is much lighter than metal, and reduces fuel consumption by 20%. For an eco-conscious globe on the move, that's pretty good news. Of course, the cost overrun and delay in getting the plane delivered has had serious consequences for the economic health of Boeing - an ironic outcome, if you think about it. And hey, the King of Saudi Arabia has given women the right to vote in municipal elections (probably the only ones that matter if the king is making such decisions).
In our personal lives, too, the energy is likely to feel quite unsettled. We are heading towards a new moon in tight aspect to Pluto (Mercury is still in the mix, too) and eventually Saturn. At least through Wednesday, the tension will be running high, and power struggles are likely at every level.
Don't let anyone tell you that the Libra feel of this time will smooth it all out - Libra may try to put a nice face on things, but the underlying movement is titanic.
Since we're all likely to act with determination, it is at least a good idea to make sure the cause we are fighting for is a worthy one.
I knew that there would have to be a prominent female in some kind of trouble. Venus in Libra opposing Uranus made me think it must be all about some wildly unconventional woman. And I guess at the end of the day I was right, but not in the way I imagined.
Michele Bachman is certainly a Uranian woman - vying with Sarah Palin as the Tea Party's foremost female. But she was really into the Pluto these last few days as she jabbed Rick Perry about mandatory vaccination of 11 and 12 year old girls against HPV. Preventing HPV is a way to prevent cervical cancer, but it is also perceived as a way to prevent a sexually transmitted infection.
Bachmann was on Leno, explaining herself last night. Power struggles surround the debate. On the one hand, it is Plutonian in its focus on sexuality and STIs. But Bachmann's point about whether girls' vaccination should be mandatory speaks to the question of who should have control over our health. Whatever your feelings about the HPV vaccine, you might pause before endorsing the government's ability to stick you with whatever they feel you need to be stuck with.
No easy answers... that's what Uranus and Pluto in square are all about. We've got work to do, and Michele Bachmann stepped in to guide us towards the tough questions this week. She's our Venus in Libra, for the moment.
While the major planetary aspects this week have not been especially tense (today's Jupiter/Mercury trine is great for focused communication - students should fair well), yesterday's moon in Aries set off the Cardinal Square between Pluto and Uranus.
It's getting to be a weekly occurrence - every time the moon goes into a cardinal sign, we get a bit more of the Cardinal Square delivered to us. Scan the news for stories and see how many you can find. What you'll see is a lot of what I like to call Pirate energy: throw a revolt, start a revolution, demand change at any price.
When Democrats demanded that Anthony Weiner resign his post in the House of Representatives, they must've figured that it was a certainty that another, more proper, Democrat would replace him. After all, his district is 3 - 1 Democratic and hasn't elected a Republican since 1920.
Bad calculation, it turns out, as a Republican did indeed win the special election.
What we're seeing is anger and frustration at a system(s) we know isn't working. It's likely that many voters in the Brooklyn/Queens area that voted in the Republican don't share much of his political perspective. But details don't matter when the Plutonian/Uranian craving for change kicks in.
The need for change is real, of course. Uranus/Pluto is all about deep, relentless transformation. Yet what really needs to change can't be transformed at the level we are used to dealing with things. We can flip back and forth between the options we can see, and we can throw ourselves against the walls of the box we are trying to climb out of. Really, though, all we are doing is creating the energy that drives the real engines of change, deep below the surface.
Yesterday's opposition of Neptune to Mercury created a kind of one-day Mercury retrograde, although with its own special flavor.
In the Northeast, flooding resulted in the evacuation of one hundred thousand people as what was left of Tropical Storm Lee soaked the region on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the Southwest, millions of people lost their power, a Mercurial kind of event, but one that was caused by a Neptunian sewage spill.
Also, with the 10th anniversary of 9/11 just days away, the federal government has reported that there is a "credible" threat of a terrorist attack. That kind of vague but unsettling information has a very Neptunian feel, with unknown terrorists infiltrating the country and lurking about unseen.
Mayor Bloomberg also made a Neptune/Mercury comment yesterday, although one that shows a more constructive use of the energy of the day. He suggested that it is time to retire the term "ground zero" for the World Trade Center. That name has always carried an ambiguous energy, and it really was not used by New Yorkers for very long after 9/11. The BBC article on the use of the term is interesting reading.
The cardinal T-square made yet another stop-off in the Middle East this week, this time visiting Israel. In the midst of the Arab Spring revolutions, Israel has been something of a pillar of stability. Foreign relations sunk to new low, though, as both Turkey and Egypt - the two countries in the region historically most supportive of Israel - expressed concerns over Israel's military actions.
Things are not going well with Turkey and Egypt, but it was the domestic situation in Israel that was perhaps most significant. Hundreds of thousands of people have held an extended protest throughout the country over the past week. The protesters are largely from the middle class, and they are concerned with both the high cost of living and the uneven distribution of wealth in Israeli society.
Israel has only one planet currently activated by the cardinal T-square, its Venus at 5 degrees Cancer. Venus rules the Israeli fourth house of home, and so is quite important in the chart. It is being transited by both Uranus and Pluto, although neither is exact at this point in time. Saturn was on Israel's Neptune in July, and has been transiting the 8th house since the Spring of 2010, when the blockade of the Turkish flotilla took place.
Coming on the heels of the London riots in August, it is hard not to see the signs of rising discontent with the status quo. In the United States, we have thus far remained republican in our protests, endorsing the Tea Party as our protest mechanism rather than taking to the streets. General strikes, a European staple, are unknown in the U.S., but as the protests in San Francisco showed last month, mass action is a possibility. With Pluto in Capricorn, the push-back can also be forceful.
The point, though, is that if we really want to see the deep changes of the T-square at work, we can't focus too much on any one side of any one issue. To oversimplify is to miss the deeper process. Many people relate the T-square's energy to the past configurations in the 1960s - but is there any one person, movement, or action that could personify that entire era?
Instead, we have to recognize that each action is in a sense "turning the wheel" of change, and the direction we are actually headed is both open and unknown.
Today, the sun will be trine to Jupiter. This naturally fiery pair will be in the earthy signs of Virgo and Taurus, suggesting abundance and material wealth: Think King of Pentacles.
We could overdo it a bit, especially with too much food, and perhaps with too much work. But the Scorpio moon will help to keep us from going too far overboard. Like a deep keel reaching down into dark waters, the Scorpio moon helps to keep the buoyant sun-Jupiter ship in balance. A little reminder of serious issues even amidst celebrations, it can be kind of like digging your fingernails into your hand to stop from laughing at a solemn occasion.
Today's energy is very constructive, so use it well. Prudence, rather than excess, is suggested (but you don't have to be a prude about it!). At best, we will experience deep appreciation for what we have, even as we recognize that all that we build is ultimately transitory.
Collectively, we can see the same process at work. The economic forecast was dimmed yesterday (it wasn't glowing to begin with), and unemployment in the U.S. remained flat at 9.1%. Scorpionic news even as the Obama and his Republican foes argue over the best course of action.
And hey - on another note - last week Michele Bachmann "joked" that the East Coast earthquake was a sign from God. What jest will she make now that Sarah Palin's Alaska was hit by a quake yesterday?
So what happened on the East Coast, particularly New York City, over the past weekend?
On the surface, we were threatened by a massive hurricane and took precautions. Some areas were hit rather hard (check out this video from Spencertown, in upstate New York), but the city escaped the worst of it. All's well that ends well.
If you were in the city over the weekend, you know that a strange and eery vibration informed everything that happened. Cases of water and canned goods hoarded into homes, bathtubs filled with water (is that to drink?!?), and boarded homes and businesses were part precaution, part panic. Mayor Bloomberg's decision to shut the city down as early as Saturday morning seemed extreme, especially the risky move of hundreds of hospital patients.
But even extreme actions don't fully capture the mood. On Facebook, the general feeling seemed to be that this wasn't going to be any kind of storm of the century, and that everyone was over-reacting. But why?
As a table-setter, Neptune's retrograde into Aquarius earlier in November has revived something of the mass panic feel that characterized the watery planet's time in that sign. The impending release of Contagion will revive the bird flu issue, for example.
What better fear than a mass epidemic or natural disaster to play on us with Neptune in the sign of the Water Bearer? During those years, we did have the Asia Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the swine flu issue (or nonissue), and of course the poisoned mail after 9/11. Just as Neptune was leaving Aquarius, the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, and radiation poisoned air and water. As one Facebook follower pointed out, our fear of the wrath of Mother Nature is a reflection of our unwillingness to seriously address global warming.
A little closer to this past weekend, Mercury stationed to go direct on Friday. Misinformation - and perhaps some disinformation - informed our decisions.
The tough Mars aspects to Uranus and Pluto of two weeks earlier were also being revisited. Those aspects coincided with the London riots. On Thursday and Friday of this past week, the moon was in Cancer, going over those same points, and Mars was squaring Saturn. The strong overprotectiveness that we felt, along with the authoritarian response, resonated with these aspects.
Add together Neptune/Aquarius and Mars/Cancer/Saturn, multiply by Mercury stationing, and you have a recipe for paranoia. Over-reaction to the storm is one manifestation. Perhaps Mayor Bloomberg had London on his mind and felt the need to exert control in advance.
Yet there is something deeper about what happened this weekend, and it is more specific to New York. As you know, we are approaching the 10th anniversary of 9/11/01. For all New Yorkers, this grim milestone is a reminder of the many losses, personal and collective, that that day brought.
The next few weeks will be a collective "visit to the cemetery" for us all. There will be a number of events, and strong media coverage. For example, National Geographic channel premiered its interview with President Bush last night.
Astrologically, the resonance of this past weekend with 9/11 was very strong. If you look at the chart for the moment the first plane hit the World Trade Center, you will see that this past weekend Saturn was one degree past the ascendant and tightly conjunct the 9/11 Mercury, while Mars was in partile conjunction with the 9/11 midheaven.
My assessment is that in a sense we "relived" 9/11. Transportation was shut down. No baseball or Broadway. Lower Manhattan was evacuated, and there was talk of cutting off the power there. Airports were closed and the skies were silent.
It wasn't all over-reaction and panic, of course. Some prudent decisions were made. But what we felt was amplified by the strong resonance of this past weekend with 9/11.
Okay, so we all know that Mercury is retrograde until tomorrow evening.
Three days before the retrograde might not have been the best time to finally decide to put up a Facebook page and open a Twitter account, but I did. The funny thing about retrogrades is that not only do we experience snafus in the area of life described by the planet, we often feel a real compulsion to do the very things we know we might be better off delaying.
A few clients have asked me about when they can safely go buy new electronics, for example. During Venus retrogrades, we often feel that we want to begin a new relationship. And during Mars retrogrades - well, we want to do a lot of things.
Anyway, it was no surprise when yesterday morning I logged onto my Facebook page and found myself confronted with the setup screen. It wanted me to upload a photo, invite friends, and all the other first steps - steps I had taken a month before.
Later in the day, I just forwarded through all those screens, and eventually got back to my page, just as I had left it the day before. But in the meantime, I decided to take my own advice, and rather than anxiously or angrily dealing with the Mercurial setback, I went to the zoo.
It is worth noting that on yesterday's sun-Neptune opposition, those not present - particularly men - were making headlines. We had both bright and dark images of men as leaders, yet neither was with present - the absent sun.
Martin Luther King was one man not with us yesterday, although in Neptunian fashion he was here in spirit, as his memorial opened in Washington.
More darkly, as Libya appears to join the Middle Eastern dictatorships that have fallen, their leader, Moammar Gadhafi was nowhere to be found.
With Venus in Leo opposing Neptune in Aquarius, I expected that we would have a story about a prominent female in the news sometime over the weekend.
But it wasn't until this morning that I realized that this weekend was Kim Kardashian's wedding! The event had all the elements - Kim standing in for Venus in Leo, with USA Today even describing it as a 'royal' wedding. And of course, there is a ton of illusion (Neptune) and lots and lots of media (Aquarius) surrounding the event.
Today, we might see a more serious manifestation of the sun-Neptune opposition, as Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, representing an extreme of solar power (ah, yes, sadly even Leonine energy can go wrong) is pressured by the international community and rebels in his own country to step down.
And/or, we might just see another movie star gathering Neptunian attention - Charlie Sheen, are you there?
In our personal lives, it can be a matter of seeing clearly versus over-idealizing someone or something. We might find someone to be a 'star' in our lives, or we could decide to step into the limelight ourselves. Either way, it could be the case that today's fanfare fades as quickly as the hoopla about Kimmy's wedding will.
By the way, there is no particular reason why today's picture is a Marigold.
Neptune-in-Aquarius issues like health care and immigration can get a fresh look under these oppositions. We'll be revisiting these issues over the coming months, until Neptune returns to Pisces next year. What these oppositions do is to give a personal face to public issues.
For example, there are two stories in the news about immigration. President Obama's recent decision about deportation procedures includes the possibility of gay marriages being considered ground for an undocumented immigrant staying in the U.S., and a San Francisco couple is using this to appeal deportation.
Perhaps even more powerfully, the man who rescued a kidnapped six year old girl in New Mexico has revealed that he is an undocumented immigrant.
These two news stories put personal faces of love (Venus) and heroism (the sun) on the immigration issue, throwing Leonine light on the Aquarian debate. A higher manifestation of the aspects over the next two days could be greater compassion. Venus in opposition to Neptune - sharing the love, transcending the boundaries.
India's popular anti-corruption leader Anna Hazare was jailed yesterday. The Indian government said it was necessary to prevent violence... leading Hazare to comment that the current Indian government has more in common with the British Raj than a true democracy.
We've seen a lot of clamp-downs on freedom for our own protection lately. San Fransisco's BART system cut off cell phone use over the weekend out of fear that protests would turn violent, leading to both controversy and retaliation (see yesterday's post).
Uranus-in-Aries rebels like Hazare, Wikileaks, and Anonymous are challenging government and business power structures, which are responding in a Pluto-in-Capricorn way. Pluto will transform the powers that be, but in Plutonian fashion will probably do so by bringing both sides to an extreme.
But the powers that be are concerned. BART allowed the protests to go on yesterday without turning off passenger cell phones. They took care of the protesters the old fashioned way - with police in riot gear. No arrests were made.
Here's a question a lot of people have been asking me in the past few days: "Something's going on astrologically, right?"
Last week's Martian aspects to Uranus and Pluto gave us a taste of the Uranus-Pluto square that we'll be living with for the next several years - and the results were not encouraging. Anger was the most prevalent emotion, erupting into violence not only in the usual hot spots like the Middle East, but also in the usually-stable U.K..
But although the fiery energy of the T-square is perhaps most obvious, Neptune's influence can also be felt. From the largest internet hacking caper in history, to the court decision that will probably send U.S. health care reform to the Supreme Court, to the coordination of the London riots via Twitter and other social media, the seeping, covert energy of Neptune is all over the past week.
If governments were not happy with Wikileaks, they must be freaking out over Anonymous. The group hacked into a variety of law enforcement sites last week, releasing embarrassing data about police practices. Then, yesterday, the group released private customer's information as a retaliation for San Francisco's transportation system cutting off cell phone use.
BART claims it cut off cell phone use because riders planned a disturbance. Watching London burn last week must have made them anxious to avoid a similar scene. But Anonymous has made sure that such simple measures can't be used without a second thought. And of course, shutting down communication networks is also a strategy used by governments in the Middle East and particularly in China. There are no easy answers.
Rogue groups like Anonymous capture the energy of Uranus in Aries. Whether any one group is viewed as heroic or terrorist is largely a matter of perspective. What is certain is that over the next seven years we will see increasing influence from these groups. Sometimes we'll cheer them on as they challenge the existing power structures, sometimes we'll see them as the lunatic fringe.
Either way, going to extremes is part of what the Uranus-Pluto square is all about - deep change that is created as we whirl between polarities.
As predicted (by me), the return on Neptune to Aquarius has led to a reexamination of the issue of health care reform in the U.S..
Aquarius is all about the collective, and Neptune has the capacity for compassionate action, and of course for caring. Hospitals and nursing homes are under Neptune's sign, Pisces, for example. Care for the masses is thus very Neptune-in-Aquarius.
Hardly has Neptune returned to the sign of the Water Bearer (he retrograded in just a bit more than a week ago) than the Health Reform Act has been dealt a major setback. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that forcing Americans to buy private health insurance is unconstitutional, a ruling that conflicts with a prior Appeals Court ruling. The conflicting rulings suggests a strong probability that the issue will go to the Supreme Court, and that could mean the end of Obamacare.
With Mercury and Neptune both retrograde, it's hard to see an outcome. Rick Perry's Tea Party candidacy seems to suggest dark days ahead for liberal causes... but that requires an understanding of the Uranus-Pluto dynamic, too much for a Saturday.
Personally, I have been a long-time advocate of universal health care in the U.S., but I think that we need a government-run system, not private insurers profiting from mandatory enrollment. As a strong advocate for health care reform, I nonetheless agree with recent ruling, although undoubtedly with a very different motivation than others who are cheering it.
Yesterday's cosmic energy was full of mixed messages.
The void moon in Capricorn suggested applying oneself to routine tasks. Working is always a good idea when the moon is in the sign of the mountain goat, and while a void isn't a great time to initiate, you can often sail easily through daily matters.
On the other hand, the moon's last aspect before going void on Wednesday night was tense square to Saturn, and during the day it made edgy quincunx's (150 degree aspects) to the sun and Mercury. The explosive Mars-Pluto opposition also happened during the void, early Thursday morning.
What all that means is that there was a great deal of internal combustion cooking during a time when sailing on autopilot might have been the preferred option.
It seems that managing to hold back and not saying anything might have been the best strategy. Texas Governor Rick Perry didn't make it to the Republican debate Thursday night, and his absence may have put him in the pole position for the 2012 Republican nomination. I didn't watch the debate, but reports are that things were not exactly inspiring.
Today, the moon is in sociable Aquarius. There are a couple of challenging aspects, including a square to Jupiter that is exact at 6:20 p.m. EDT. After that, the moon heads towards a trine to Saturn. The evening's energy should be outgoing and optimistic.
Having a direction or purpose to guide our meetings is a good idea, and we might find that idle discussion wends its way around to politics or ideals. The Jupiterian energy might push us towards a bit of excess, but the evening really calls for good manners.
A friend of mine recently summed it up like this: "Everything is getting beyond itself."
Maybe it's the end of the Mayan calendar. Maybe it's the Cardinal Cross in the skies. But today's Astroblog doesn't explore either causes or synchronicities, just the facts.
9 of the 10 warmest years, since we've been keeping track in 1880, have been in the last decade. The 10th year was 1998.
Of the 20 largest stock market percentage losses in a single day, 5 have been in the last decade.
And, interestingly enough, there have only been 20 perfect games pitched in major league baseball, going back to the 19th century. Four of them were pitched in the last decade. Three were pitched in the last two years. And had a bad call not foiled on perfect game, 3 would have been pitched within a three week period in 2010.
Just a few facts that seem to indicate that things are indeed getting beyond themselves.
The London riots began as Mars entered Cancer, setting off the Summer Ingress (when the sun enters Cancer). No doubt this summer will be remembered as the summer of the riots in England.
Mars didn't just enter the sign of the crab, of course. This week he's aspecting Uranus and Pluto, setting off the square between the two of them. That aspect will be in orb for years to come, and we've seen signs of it in action already. The riots in the U.K., however, serve to get our attention. In a world filled with violence, it matters when a Western city like London is rocked by mayhem - we don't notice the Middle East as much because we're used to such things happening there.
Mobs - angry, but also looking to make a little on some looting - are quite characteristic of Uranus in Aries: it's The Age of the Pirate (click here for my article on the topic). Mars later makes an aspect to Pluto in Capricorn, bringing in a sense of festering anger at the status quo. Rogue groups and Power Brokers will face off - neither will win, but in the process we will dig up deep issues about who is in charge and what needs to change.
With the Uranus-Pluto square in orb for years to come (to 2016, if you give it ten degrees), we'll be seeing a lot of this energy. Many aspects of the old power structure and the ways of life we have become used to will have to change. If we can accept the need for change, we might make the transitions less violently and with more compassion.
More patient astrologers will find the exact moment that the riots began and the astrological triggers. But the big picture is that our attention is focused on a city much like any other in the Western world, and we aren't as safe and secure as we might like to think. That's the symbolic message of the situation in London.
I hope you enjoyed yesterday's Venus-Jupiter aspect, with the moon in sociable Libra. Today's energy is quite different, as the moon has moved into Scorpio. Luna will square Venus late Friday/early Saturday, and yesterday's fun and friendship can become more intense - either more passionate or contentious.
Although we are approaching a nice Venus/Saturn aspect that should make the mood on Sunday a bit lighter (the moon will be in Sagittarius then, too), we can also feel the building of a series of aspects between Mars and Uranus, Pluto, and Saturn that will make for a very hot beginning to next week.
Financial markets are reeling all over the world, and the political situation - particularly in the Middle East - is very volatile. The tension of the Mars aspects is enough to overshadow more positive energies, at least on the collective level.
Rebels and rogues (or Pirates, as I like to call them) abound. That's part of the theme of Uranus-in-Aries, and we'll be seeing a lot of it over the next seven years. From political rebels in Syria to polygamists in Texas, the energy of the rebel is strong. Witness the Tea Party's effect on the recent U.S. debt negotiations.
In our personal lives, we're likely to be feeling something of the same energy. It can make for a difficult time, but as individuals we have a greater chance to steer this energy in a positive direction. Be true to yourself, while being considerate of others, something I like to call Creative Selfishness.
Neptune backs out of Pisces into Aquarius at 10:54 Eastern time tonight, but he is already casting his shadow before himself (behind himself?).
Neptune has many facets and aspects. He can signal an inspiring, spiritualizing ability to transcend our usual boundaries. When less evolved energies are involved, Neptune can be about deception, illusions, and dissolution. Personified, Neptune can be a saint or a con artist.
Aquarius is also multifaceted. The energy of this sign includes ideals, as well as the groups that embody them, and the mass communication networks that connect us: radio, television, and the internet.
When a planet changes signs, we often see a news event that shows the issues that are going to be part of the planet's trip through the sign. Not necessarily the only issue, but what we might call the flagship issue. Today, we have two stories that have Neptune in Aquarius written all over them.
The first is the report of the largest-ever internet hacking attack. The Los Angeles Times reports that thousands of companies, organizations, and government agencies were hacked in a coordinated and sustained attack (the hackers not only took data one time, but remained embedded in the sites for as long as five years). The attacks appear to have had support from an Eastern European or East Asian government (fingers are already pointing to China).
Infiltrating the internet is disturbing enough (read the LA Times story and you'll agree), but the other Neptunian story is even more disturbing, as more than 36 million pounds of ground turkey is suspected in a salmonella outbreak. The Associated Press reports that the government can't issue a recall as it isn't sure of the source - not atypical for Neptunian times.
Recent Neptune-in-Aquarius stories included the hyped-up scare over H1N1, swine flu (the story "broke" on a Neptune station). Neptune is indeed associated with viruses and diseases that spread through less-than-obvious means, and of course Aquarius implies distribution through mass means, such as the food supply.
There are even more Neptunian stories... once again, DB Cooper, the aerial thief who disappeared, is in the news. And New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is giving away money for Aquarian causes - to help keep the state's regents exams in place, and to help minority youth. So, you see, Neptune in Aquarius ain't all bad.
With Mercury retrograde, it seems a good time to re-sume the Astroblog. Or perhaps it's a bad time... that's the thing about Mercury retrograde, you can't be sure. At any rate, it is appropriate.
Mercury rules transportation, and the FAA shutdown is a very Mercury retrograde story. Republicans want to cut $16.5 million dollars from the $200 million allotted for rural development, which Democrats would like to maintain. The stalemate has shut the FAA down (although the rest of the government is open for business... more or less).
The thing is, with the FAA shut down, it cannot collect revenue on passenger fares - those annoying fees that make every day a Mercury retrograde when you purchase a flight for one price then watch is climb as fees are added. It is estimated that the shutdown will cost as much as $1.2 billion in revenue - about 73 times the dispute amount of $16.5 million.
Passengers are still paying the fees, by the way - but they are going to the airlines rather than the FAA. You can't get much more Mercury retrograde than that.
Bulletin: Astrologer Finds 13th Month!!
Scientific Community Rocked by Discovery!!
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana - Jan. 17 - Amidst all the flap about a thirteenth zodiac sign, Regis K. Downlander, an astrologer, amateur astronomer, and hotel clerk, has discovered a thirteenth month in the Julian year.
"I was working the night shift," said Mr. Downlander, "and I was just kind of doodling around with a calendar and a calculator, and all of a sudden there it was right in front of me."
Mr. Downlander sent his findings to to NASA, where astrophysicist Jon Finer had to admit that the astrologer was correct in his calculations. "It's quite a gaffe for the scientific community," Dr. Finer said, "First, that little girl finds a supernova, and now this... we really have to get on the ball!"
Although the actual calculations are quite complex, Mr. Downlander explained it in layman's terms. "You see, there are twelve months in the year, but 365 days, so that means that five days are left over. Then, seven of the months have 31 days, meaning that there are an extra seven days - that makes twelve extra days. Now, we all know days are longer in the summer than the winter, and if you add up the total number of hours, it totals 18 additional days. Bingo! An extra month!"
), it makes sense to add on another one, but no one seems to know what the Latin word is for 'eleven,'" said Dr. Finer.
"We thought about adding a number on the front end, before seven (September), but Christian groups were up in arms at the thought of a month named 'Sextember.'"
Where to put the extra month has also been the cause of considerable debate. Both Major League Baseball and the National Football League have already begun petitioning congress to bring the month into their respective seasons, thereby lengthening them. It appears likely at this point that the powerful National Retailer's Association will demand that the extra month be placed between November and December, thus lengthening the holiday retail season.
People on the street are baffled about all the new changes. "A new zodiac sign, a new month, the world's going crazy!" said one pedestrian, adding that his employer had warned that no matter how many months there are, there would still be only one week of vacation.


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We are surrounded by tools. From the ordinary nail cutter to the kitchen knife, to our smartwatches, mobile phones, Wi-Fi routers, and computers. Tools of all different kinds are all around us as evidence of human ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Somewhere, someone saw a need and decided to create a solution for it. In that creating of solutions, what emerged was human creativity. So many of the things we have today are not the mere meeting of a need but a straightforward evidence of craftsmanship, of advanced human intelligence. The devotion to science and art deserves much of the credit to this end.
With no such noble thoughts, I picked up my rather ordinary nail cutter. It has a penknife and a bottle opener attachment too. Just taking a moment to observe, I saw two little notches – one on the top, where the bottle opener is, and the other on the bottom by the side of the penknife.
You would easily be able to see how the notches are perfectly placed. These are just big enough and strategically place for one to put the fingernail in either of one of these. This lets you easily pull out the desired tool. Of course, these didn't appear by chance. The designer of the nail cutter decided to provide these tools, and then, make it easy for the user to open them up. This is where one gets to appreciate a human's forethought and his attention to detail. It makes life so much easier for the end-user, does it not?
This is admittedly a very simple tool and the example is rather ordinary. This is not, however, something we wish to take for granted. We are surrounded by examples of this kind. When we look at shaving blades or wristwatches, for example, we find examples of craftsmanship. Had the designer/inventor decided to be careless or simply lazy about these matters, just think of what the consequences would be! Now, we obviously have machines to make all these things on a large scale. Once the attention has been given to the original design and the blueprints are finalized, production starts and we have all the benefits from the forethought. In addition, handmade tools are very few and the care it takes to make these while maintaining a high level of dedication truly does deserve a special recognition. Japanese items and Swiss handmade watches easily come to mind.
One might recall how the making of tools and the development of a civilization goes hand-in-hand. This, of course, makes sense. Just imagine how a few people come together and start to develop an area for habitation. In time, they will require to come together and share their skills. This, they will do more readily if they find mutual benefits for. Having found the benefits in this society, the later developments come from individual creativity and the sharing of it. Thus, finally, we see the need for tools and the development of them to enhance the life of the individual and the comforts for the society as a whole. Every single civilization has progressed by this very thinking. And is it amazing to see, how far we have finally come!
The complaint is raised – and one might say, rightly so – that human beings have been selfish and disregarded the effects on the natural environment. For the development of civilization and our comforts, human beings have not considered adequately and sometimes being negligent of other creatures. We made tools, and but then we also exceeded in the greed and violence those tools are capable of. Yes, this is a legitimate complaint. Nevertheless, it is not the fault of the tools, but of human intentions and wrong ambitions then. No one can complain against human intelligence for having the ability for tool-making, and how that is itself an asset for the continuation of life.
The making of tools and its relation to the continuation of life does raise interesting questions. Other than an extreme perversion of the human mind, it is difficult to think of a reason why human beings should wish to build tools that threaten life and the collective existence. The extreme devotion to the physical and how tools, especially machines, should become causes for a kind of reverence is also a danger. From such devotion does emerge greatness of achievement, but also an unrestrained effort. When these efforts might enslave the creator, making him a slave to his doings can even be imperceptible.
Why contemplate the end of the world at all!
There is a kind of devotion, as just observed, in developing the tools which in turn develop a civilization that the very idea of ending it and destroying it would be foreign to such a mind. Now, to think of the end of the world… that would be a thought so foreign and extreme, it should not have even occurred in the first place! This death-oriented fascination with doom is utterly peculiar and is no doubt the evidence of a mind utterly dissatisfied, frustrated, and keen on piling one's own suffering on to a world that knows nothing of the sort. "The end of the world"! Why! The very thought is preposterous when one considers how saturated with beauty and grandeur this earth is. When one looks further out into the universe and sees no discernible evidence of life, our appreciation should only increase. Thanks to the tools such as telescopes and satellites that we have come to know the uniqueness of our own existence, even if we are yet to develop an appreciation for it.
The occupation with tools and developing a way of living through civilization, although one must say, keeping in mind what is sustainable, is a far better occupation for the mind than to consider the world's end. Isn't it so? The choice to think as one wishes to is very much personally ours. In fact, if there are reasons and conditions that cause a person to stagnate into a darkness, the kind that perpetuates a fascination with doom, then one should seek to remedy those reasons and conditions; not give in to thinking that would produce the means or tools to end the world. Life is beautiful, a miracle, and everyone who appreciates it would wisely seek its continuation.
At the base of all such thinking, as I have also experienced in my own mind, is a fundamental giving up on humanity.1 Due to personal experiences of extreme hardships, especially, one is inclined to conclude in an absolute way that human beings are a source of disappointment and not a cause for hope. In this, there is also the conditioning that arises from beliefs one has held or is introduced to. Of course, all of this matters less when one has found an occupation for the mind and body, and one has less time to think over the problems of the world. Rather, the attention is devoted to our existence and the world we live in, not some abstract, generalized fantasies over destroying what none of us has created alone, or can even do so as a mere human.
Even paying attention to very small things, or rather, especially the small things, one might start building one's mind and preparing one's heart for constructive and not destructive intentions.


text:
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%
% To encourage users to update to Versoin 3 code, this wrapper will display
% an irritating warning.
%
%%% RenderToolbox4 Copyright (c) 2012-2016 The RenderToolbox Team.
%%% About Us://github.com/RenderToolbox/RenderToolbox4/wiki/About-Us
%%% RenderToolbox4 is released under the MIT License.  See LICENSE file.

rtbWarnDeprecated();

if nargin < 3
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[sRGBImage, XYZImage, rawRGBImage] = rtbMultispectralToSRGB(multispectralImage, S, ...
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The holm oak forest (Azilakodasos) is located 11km west of Vrachasi and 9km south of Malia, in the foothills of Mount Selena. The small forest can be accessed either by walking the smooth path from Krassi village or by following the trail from Malia that runs uphill. There is also a small network of roads in the area.
It is a beautiful forest with holm oaks or azilakes (in Cretan dialect), i.e. trees of the species Quercus ilex. The oaks are rare and can only be found in few other areas of Crete and small Aegean islands, such as Ikaria. These resistant trees are tall (10-15m) and grow at a relatively high altitude.
The main problem that Azilakodasos faces is overgrazing by goats that destroy the tender shoots. Indeed, free range goats are the plague of Crete, being almost exclusively responsible for the bare mountains of the island.


Marked 'Turret' on Larkin's 1812 map of County Meath and on the O.S. six-inch map, this was a landscape feature in the demesne attached to Herbertstown House. It is very likely that this was originally a prehistoric burial mound; Fourknocks passage tomb is less than a mile west on the same ridge. This mound is visible from the large passage tomb at Bremore on the coast four miles to the east O1965 : View north from Bremore, Co. Dublin.


You have decided to be strategic and proactive in your philanthropy. Congratulations on making this move!
You may be aiming to make more of a difference on issues that matter to you, make better tax decisions, or both. By being thoughtful in deciding how you will give—which giving structures you will use—you are sure to find the outcome to be more rewarding, efficient, and effective.
In this article, we provide you with a list of available giving options—including direct giving, planned giving, and a range of other vehicles—definitions to facilitate a conversation with an advisor, and questions to prepare you for a meeting with an advisor.