ARTICLES FROM CURRENT ASTROLOGERS

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But the Super Galactic Center isn’t done there. Obama’s natal Mercury at 1 Leo is in exact sextile, and his natal Jupiter at 0 Aquarius lies in a tight trine. This is the source of his highly persuasive communication style, and potentially, a great deal of luck and political savvy. Having these three points, so vital for a successful politician, yoked to the anomaly with the greatest pull in the cosmos is an inestimable asset.

Mercury is also conjoined the Black Hole at 2 Leo, and forms a T-square with a pair of opposed Quasars at 4 Taurus and Scorpio. Black Hole Mercury natives can be powerful, persuasive speakers, though they can have difficulty in getting their message heard. Obama has certainly overcome this obstacle, probably due to the linkage with the two Quasars, so useful in success and accomplishment. What results is a very sensitive and forceful communicator, one with fresh ideas from a unique perspective. The connection with alternate realities and parallel dimensions afforded by Mercury’s contact with a Black Hole allows the native to see, not just the way things are, but the ways they might become. A dreamer by nature, Black Hole Mercury’s conceptualizations can be birthed into this reality by the manifestation capacity of the Quasars.

There are significant Galactic Center contacts as well, which provide Obama with a high level of visibility and the ability to reach a global audience with his message, and ultimately, to impact the entire planet. Uranus from 23 Leo is in trine, with Mars at 22 Virgo squared and Saturn at 25 Capricorn in semisextile.

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That Saturn also conjoins a Pulsar and squares the Black Hole at 24 Aries. Saturn/Pulsar lends a practical, efficient quality to interactions with the Media which involve career matters; Obama is likely to be canny and effective in dealing with the press, and has a natural knack for disseminating his message, particularly via high-tech, cutting-edge technologies, as indicated by the exact inconjunct between Saturn and Uranus. The square to the Black Hole could suggest an accruing of extensive executive power, and is also indicative of one who makes an impressive showing in his chosen career, but could lead to sudden mis-steps and unexpected losses.

Obama’s timing so far in his presidential bid has been astrologically impressive. When the formation of the exploratory committee was announced on January 16, the transit Sun at 25 Capricorn was exactly conjoined his natal Saturn, symbol of both his career life and the presidency itself. That energy is reiterated on the date he will officially announce his candidacy, February 10, which shows a Sun/Saturn opposition in the sky from 21 Aquarius to Leo. Both Mars and Pluto clustered closely at the Galactic Center, garnering a greater-than-usual level of attention for an exploratory committee, and Mercury at 1 Aquarius conjoined his natal Jupiter and exactly squared its natal placement, again inflating his message and providing national exposure.

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On Election Day 2008, November 4, Obama’s nativity will be strongly tied to the transit sky. His 12 Leo Sun will conjoin the South Node at 13 Leo, and is exactly squared the Election Day Sun at 12 Scorpio, perhaps giving him a karmic edge and bringing his life’s purpose to fruition. Saturn in the sky at 18 Virgo will be closing in on his natal Mars at 22 Virgo, which is also closely sextile transit Mars at 21 Scorpio, perhaps providing a last-ditch burst of energy which could propel his campaign first across the finish line. The Moon in Capricorn on Election Day will be transiting his natal Saturn, a possible indicator of massive public support.

Obama also has three very distinct connections with the USA chart. Venus at 1 Cancer is conjoined both the USA Venus at 3 Cancer and its Jupiter at 5 Cancer, which may give him an advantage with women’s support and fundraising (both Venus), and attract the nation with his political philosophy (Jupiter) of compromise and cooperation. Additionally, his Mars at 22 Virgo exactly conjoins the nation’s Neptune, and his Saturn at 25 Capricorn is closely conjunct the USA Pluto at 27 Capricorn. If his passion (Mars) can inspire us (Neptune), he may well attain the most powerful (Pluto) executive office (Saturn) in the world.






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Alex Miller-Mignone is a professional writer and astrologer, author of The Black Hole Book and The Urban Wicca, former editor of "The Galactic Calendar," and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society.

His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex can be reached for comment or services at Alixilamirorim@aol.com.

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                                               MASERS AND ASSASSINATION







by Alex Miller-Mignone
Masers are Deep Space anomalies which violently spew vast amounts of gaseous material from their cores, extending far into space. Sometimes likened to cosmic cattle prods, their actions are volatile and random. In astrological interpretation, they represent points of vibrant, but uncontrolled energy, and can translate into character as heightened enthusiasm, the ability to excite or inspire others—or as controversy and chaotic disruption with resulting debilitation, even degeneration into madness, if appropriately placed. Their activation in mundane events often signals violence, disorder and turmoil, a volatile perturbation in the collective.

The genesis of this research came in early January, just after the Iowa primary, when the airwaves were full of hyperbole comparing Barack Obama’s electric style and the excitement generated by his campaign to the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy 40 years previous. Something about the comparison felt uncomfortable to me, considering how the Kennedy campaign ended. Obama’s 12 Leo Sun closely conjoins a Maser at 13 Leo, the source of the fervor and passion he engenders, but intimating potential problems as well, via controversy or divisive elements which could result in a breakdown or implosion of some sort. Thumbing up RFK’s birthdate didn’t ease my concerns—born 20 November 1925, Robert Kennedy’s 27 Scorpio Sun exactly opposed another Maser at 27 Taurus.

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Intrigued, I jotted down a quick off-the-cuff list of assassinated political figures of the 20th century—John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Anwar Sadat, Indira Gandhi, Yitzhak Rabin, Benazir Bhutto—and began looking for birth data. In brief, each of these individuals shows a Sun/Maser connection at birth, and a Mars/Maser connection at death. The results of that research formed the basis of this article.






John F. Kennedy,


35th President of the United States, was born 29 May 1917, with the Sun at 6 Gemini just one degree shy of the Maser at 7 Gemini. A natal Mars at 18 Taurus within the event horizon, or orb of influence, of the Black Hole at 16 Taurus indicates a potential for a sudden, violent death. At his assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald on 22 November 1963, Mars at 20 Sagittarius was conjunct the Black Hole at 19 Sagittarius and sesquiquadrate (135 degrees, the Disseminating Phase aspect) the Maser at 7 Taurus. Additionally, Saturn in the nativity at 27 Cancer (representing executive power, Kennedy’s career, and the office of the presidency) is conjunct another Black Hole and exactly sextile the Maser at 27 Taurus. Saturn at 17 Aquarius for the day of his death is in exact binovile (80 degrees) to the 7 Taurus Maser, and the Sun that day at 29 Scorpio closely opposes the 27 Taurus Maser, thus is also trine natal Saturn.

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Civil Rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King, Jr. (born 15 January 1929)




had a 25 Capricorn Sun, squared the Black Hole at 24 Aries and trine the Maser at 27 Taurus. Natal Mars at 21 Gemini is semisquare the 7 Taurus Maser. At his assassination by James Earl Ray on 4 April 1968, transit Mars at 5 Taurus was just approaching exact conjunction to that same anomaly, with the Sun at 14 Aries trine another Maser at 13 Leo.








As stated previously, former Attorney General, US Senator and leading 1968 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy,



born 20 November 1925, sported a Sun at 27 Scorpio in exact opposition to a Maser, with natal Mars at 4 Scorpio conjunct a Black Hole at 6 Scorpio and opposed the Maser at 7 Taurus. When he was gunned down by Sirhan Sirhan the night he won the California primary on June 6, 1968, Mars at 20 Gemini opposed the Black Hole at 19 Sagittarius and was semisquare the 7 Taurus Maser.

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Anwar El Sadat





was Egypt’s third president, serving from 1970 until his death in 1981.

As successor to Nasser, Sadat led Egypt’s forces in the 1973 Yom Kippur War with Israel, but was also instrumental in the Camp David Accords and the resulting Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty of 1979. The 3 Capricorn Sun from his 25 December 1918 nativity is in exact biquintile (144 degrees) to the 27 Taurus Maser, and natal Mars at 4 Aquarius opposed a Black Hole at 2 Leo and squared the 7 Taurus Maser.

As head of state, his natal Saturn at 28 Leo was also opposed a Black Hole at 27 Aquarius and squared the 27 Taurus Maser.

On 6 October 1981, Sadat was in the reviewing stands for the annual parade honoring the Yom Kippur War victory when he was attacked from a troop truck by lieutenant Khalid Islambouli and others, with assault rifles and grenades.

At the assassination the Sun and Saturn at 13 and 12 Libra conjoined the Black Hole at 13 Libra, in sextile to the Maser at 13 Leo. Transit Mars at 21 Leo was quintile (72 degrees) the Maser at 7 Gemini, an interesting reiteration of the natal Sun/Maser contact from the same aspect series.

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India’s fourth Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi





served as first female head of state from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her death.

She was the daughter of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the mother of Rajiv Gandhi, the country’s 7th Prime Minister (also assassinated, in 1991).

Born 19 November 1917, Gandhi’s nativity shows a 26 Scorpio Sun opposed the 27 Taurus Maser, with Mars at 9 Virgo exactly conjunct a Black Hole and trine the Maser at 7 Taurus. Natal Saturn at 14 Leo conjoins the 13 Leo Maser, another head of state with Saturn/Maser lost to violence.

On 31 October 1984, Gandhi was passing through her garden to an interview for a documentary when she was fired upon with machine guns by two Sikh members of her bodyguard, Satwant and Beant Singh. Sikh separatist violence had been growing for several years, and the attack was in retaliation for government crackdowns and the desecration of a Sikh shrine in Punjab that autumn.

At her assassination transit Mars at 18 Capricorn conjoined the Black Hole at 19 Capricorn and was tredecile (108 degrees) to the 7 Taurus Maser, with the transit Sun at 8 Scorpio just past opposition to it.

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Yizhak Rabin,





Israeli Prime Minister from 1974-77 and again from 1992 until his death in 1995, shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Perez and Yasser Arafat for the Oslo Accords, which attempted to reconcile Israel and Palestine.

Rabin succeeded Golda Meir and ordered Operation Entebbe, wherein Israeli commandos rescued airline passengers hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in Uganda.

He was Prime Minister during the outbreak of the first Palestinian Intifada, which he brutally suppressed, afterward becoming an advocate of peaceful negotiation between the fratricidal states.

Born 1 March 1922, Rabin had a 10 Pisces Sun, sextile the 7 Taurus Maser and square another at 6 Gemini. Natal Mars at 5 Sagittarius exactly conjoins a Black Hole and activates both these anomalies by inconjunct and opposition. Natal Saturn at 6 Libra is also exactly trine the 6 Gemini Maser, and forms a Yod, or Finger of Destiny, with Mars and the 7 Taurus Maser.

On 4 November 1995, Rabin was leaving a Tel Aviv rally in support of the Oslo agreements when he was shot by an Orthodox Jewish student, Yigal Amir, who opposed the accord.

Mars at 10 Sagittarius exactly conjoined a Black Hole and opposed the early Gemini Maser, by then transited on to 7 Gemini. The Sun at 11 Scorpio was squared the 13 Leo Maser, with Saturn at 18 Pisces quintile to the Maser at 28 Taurus.

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Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto





(served 1988-90 and 1993-96), born 21 June 1953, had a 29 Gemini Sun semisquare the 13 Leo Maser, with natal Mars at 4 Cancer exactly conjunct a Black Hole, sextile the 7 Taurus Maser and decile (36 degrees) the 27 Taurus Maser.

Natal Saturn at 20 Libra retrograde was biquintile the 27 Taurus Maser and squared the 19 Capricorn Black Hole. She had been in self-imposed exile from Pakistan since being forced from office in 1996 under a cloud of corruption charges, but returned in October 2007 to challenge General Pervez Musharraf for the presidency.

On 27 December 2007, Bhutto was shot after leaving a political rally in Rawalpindi, and explosives were detonated near her car; government officials blamed al Qaeda, but this is disputed by her political party.

 At her assassination, Mars at 1 Cancer was semisquare the 14 Leo Maser and exactly squared the Black Hole at 1 Libra, with Saturn at 8 Virgo retrograde and the Sun at 5 Capricorn forming a Grand Trine with the Maser at 8 Taurus.

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Uranus, long associated with shocks, upsets, revolution, rebellion and violent political upheaval, also makes significant aspects to Masers on each of these assassination dates.

For JFK, Uranus at 9 Virgo conjoins a Black Hole and trines the 7 Taurus Maser;

for MLK Jr., Uranus at 26 Virgo is trine the 27 Taurus Maser;

for RFK it is still in trine that anomaly from 25 Virgo.

Uranus for the Sadat assassination lies at 27 Scorpio, conjunct a Quasar and exactly opposed the 27 Taurus Maser, and

for Gandhi it trines the 13 Leo Maser from 11 Sagittarius, where it also conjoins a Black Hole.

When Rabin was shot Uranus at 26 Capricorn is on a Pulsar and again trine the 27 Taurus Maser, and

for Bhutto’s death it falls at 15 Pisces, inconjunct the Maser now transited to 14 Leo.

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Obviously not every political figure with these contacts is assassinated, but this is a disturbing pattern nonetheless, particularly given the heightened passions of racial animosities stirred by the Obama candidacy.

Of particular misfortune is the incidence of Mars within this same vicinity for both Hillary Clinton, Obama’s chief primary opponent, and John McCain, his general election opponent should Obama win his Party’s nomination.

Both these figures betray strong Mars/Maser signatures.

John McCain’s war service, capture, torture and detention in a Vietnamese POW camp for five years is
a powerful glimpse into the potency of this combination of his 12 Leo Mars with the 13 Leo Maser; his character flaws of tetchiness, curmudgeonly disagreeableness, and a reputation for strong language stem directly from it.

Hillary Clinton, with Mars at 14 Leo also conjunct Pluto, has a similar issue with appearing too strident
or chiding, easily attracts dislike, and, true to the plutonic elements of the configuration, is considered power-hungry, manipulative, and even believed by some to be capable of such heinous acts as the murder of long-time friend Vince Foster.

She has also been persistently dogged by allegations of lesbianism, a nod to the sexual arena evoked
by Mars/Maser.

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Supporters of either, drawn on by the passion and hatred engendered by their candidate’s Mars/Maser, could conceivably pose a serious threat to Obama’s very existence, as represented by his Sun in close conjunction.

Regardless of this, the fractiousness and internecine battling which has been such a regrettable feature of the Democratic primary, and engendered by Clinton’s Mars on Obama’s Sun, is only likely to increase should he move on to challenge McCain and his Mars in the general election.

Issues such as the statements of Obama’s former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, also indicate the flip side of that Sun/Maser’s capacity to excite and motivate others, namely a concomitant propensity to attract controversy. It is unlikely we have plumbed the depths of these disputes and allegations, whether illusory (as in Obama’s supposed Muslim faith) or substantiated.

On November 4, 2008, the Election Day Sun at 12 Scorpio forms a T-Square with the nodal axis at 13 Aquarius and Leo, the South Node closely conjunct the 14 Leo Maser, with the Sun in square to it, Obama’s Sun, and both Clinton’s and McCain’s Mars. Fasten your seatbelts—it’s going to be a bumpy night!


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Alex Miller-Mignone is a professional writer and astrologer, author of The Black Hole Book and The Urban Wicca, former editor of "The Galactic Calendar," and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society.

His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex can be reached for comment or services at Alixilamirorim@aol.com.

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by Alex Miller-Mignone

The early stages of the 2008 presidential campaign have been marked by a bewildering plethora of pastor pariahs, a succession of fire-breathing, extremist exemplars of hatred and intolerance. In part, this is the last gasp of Pluto in Sagittarius, which has acted to expose the hypocrisy and divisiveness inherent in organized religion, of which the child sex abuse scandals of the Catholic Church in the ‘90s were the most obvious and publicized examples. But during this time, the toxin of religion has inserted itself most emphatically into our political discourse, with cynical GOP leaders harnessing the voting power of the evangelical right to install George W. Bush and Republican majorities in Washington, an unholy alliance from which the agents of God have reaped the profits of Mammon, as indicated by such fiscal rewards as those proffered by the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives.

The pronouncements of both left- and right-wing religious leaders have provided fodder for the political opponents of the contestants in this campaign, an indication of just how pervasive and malign religion’s influence can be, and an endorsement of the wisdom of the Founding Fathers in designing a governmental system where Church and State were considered to be separate, and sundered, entities. On the left, Barack Obama has suffered from his personal and congregational associations with the Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Father Michael Pfleger. On the right, John McCain has had his own problems, in first seeking, and then having to reject, political endorsements from evangelical firebrands John Hagee and Rod Parsley, whose spiritual flocks the GOP nominee desperately needs in order to succeed in November.

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The astrological back story of this campaign season has been the permutation of Pluto from fiery, idealistic, religion-ruling Sagittarius into phlegmatic, practical, government-ruling Capricorn, a transition which is in full swing throughout this election year, with Pluto straddling the line preparatory to its final entry into Capricorn in late November. As Pluto mops up old business in Sagittarius and begins to prepare the ground for its assault on Capricorn, it has given us this glimpse of the waiting abyss which threatens to swallow the body politic if these two antithetical entities continue to be combined.

Obama’s and McCain’s problems are diametrically opposed, as are their governing philosophies. For Obama, a relatively unknown quantity, the issue is defining himself, a gap which is rapidly being negatively filled by the Black Liberation Theology views of his chosen church of 20 years. For McCain, already clearly defined as anti-evangelical, the issue constellates about somehow convincing evangelicals that he actually is one of them, and garnering their support. For the man who in 2000 termed evangelical superstars Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson “agents of intolerance,” this is no easy task.