These short-subject Commentaries are posted on a single web page for each calendar month. Since 2002, , each new Commentary entry was placed at the top -- like a blog. This gives the benefit of immediacy but also is confusing when reading past entries. Now, entries are placed in chronological order.
Introduction Today begins a new monthly Celestial Wheel page. It addresses the impacts of the upcoming challenging conjunctions of June Mars/Ketu and July Mars/Saturn plus the August 1 solar eclipse upon the U.S. presidential candidates. The five May Celestial Wheels identified these planetary dispositions and analyzed their impacts. Because this is a lot of information, and Mercury is currently in confusing retrograde, here's that chronology for your review, as necessary:
Finally, here are those sensitive dates and planetary placements one last time:
Presidential Candidates
Charts for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain are considered. Here is the full birth data for all three; Barack Obama August 4, 1961 7:24 PM Honolulu, HI Hillary Clinton October 26, 1947 8:02 AM Park Ridge IL John McCain August 29, 1936 9:00 AM Coco Solo Air Base Panama
Obama Versus Clinton
(*It is this kingship signification that gives Obama his regal nature and elegant bearing. Some folks, notably blue collar whites, have problems with that, especially as many still harbor racist sentiments we all know continue in America. They decry Obama for having a big ego for this kingly reason. Of course, the hard right media and politicians can't stand a regal black man, since this runs counter to their own monied elite white aristocracy. Over time, and especially after the general election November 4, Americans will shift toward pride in having such a regal President -- like J.F.K. was.) The transit Mars/Ketu combination hits both candidates' charts hard, worse for being in Clinton's tenth house of career, where she has Mars and Saturn struggling against each other. Because Mars/Ketu at 26 degrees hits Clinton's Saturn, her planet of authority and government in the career house, she was literally knocked out of the race. Obama also took some hits from Mars/Ketu, but these harms didn't matter as Clinton was forced out. The seventh is all formal relationships, and this has been a stress area for Obama, especially for his wife, Michelle, who has been increasingly attacked. The Sun relates to the self and career, signifying he is also a target. But, the Jupiter/Moon Dasa is so favorable, and Mars/Ketu isn't close to any of his planets, that Obama emerges with hardly a scratch. (Note: the June 2 prediction that he would be attacked, harming his reputation, or perhaps even physical body, is nullified by the corrected birth time.) Too, Obama's sixth house Venus both reduces enemy harms and gives him the capability to diplomatically blunt attacks through the general election. In fact, Obama has already proven himself adept at very quickly blunting attacks. His fightthesmears.com website is effective here. Also, America is tired of switfboating attacks, indicating that the more there are, the better Obama looks. Yet, it is worthwhile noting Obama will struggle next year, for beginning March 13, 2009, his Dasas change to Jupiter/Mars, and Mars is dangerous in this chart for it's eighth house placement. This will be examined in a future Celestial Wheel. Although it's is a long way ahead, Clinton will run her Venus/Mercury Dasa 2011 to 2013. Her tremendous Venus will then be complimented by her even more potent stationary direct Mercury. When a planet is stopped in the sky, it becomes overwhelming. John F. Kennedy had a stationary Mercury, which gave him the brilliant intellect and the charisma to win. So, when Clinton runs Venus/Mercury, she'll run for President again, and likely win. This can give comfort to Clinton supporters, as well as to the rest of America that a seasoned and powerful leader can succeed Obama. Note: This discussion focused upon this month's Mars/Ketu conjunction, for it signals knocking Clinton out of the race. The July 6 to 10 Mars/Saturn conjunction and the August 1 solar eclipse will occur after the Obama has beaten Clinton. These difficult planetary dispositions do not impact Obama's chart decisively, though he must struggle through a challenging summer. Note that the 15 1/2 degree solar eclipse is just 3 degrees from his 18:58 Sun. This too will be examined in an upcoming Celestial Wheel.
McCain Versus Obama
Plus, there's the common sense issue that Americans -- across the economic, social, racial and even religious spectrum -- simply won't elect a Republican President again. Except for the really rich, everyone is America has been harmed by the Bush administration. They won't foolishly vote against their own interests again, and they certainly won't take the "fear terrorism" bait again.
One provocative quality in comparing these charts is that Obama's Sun at 18:58 degrees, is just 1/2 degree from McCain's 19:20 fallen Mars. As Sun/Mars is fighting, these guys will be aggressive with each other. Too, Obama's Mars at 29:05 degrees Leo is similarly a 1/2 degree distant from McCain's Venus. This suggests that Obama will cause McCain to lose his already challenged Venusian grace and calm -- disarming his opponent. Thereby, all Obama has to do is maintain his tranquility, and McCain will knock himself out with aggressive outbursts. The only thing which could save McCain is a national security issue arising out of the U.S. chart's eighth house Rahu being hit by the August 1 eclipse. Even the, with the Bush administration increasingly incompetent, the ineffective response would not greatly help fellow Republican McCain. The bottom line is that Obama will weather the neocon attacks and win the general election.
The reason Daily Kos gives is to debunk rumors, ...that Obama was born in Kenya, that his middle name isn't "Hussein", but "Muhammad", and that his real name is "Barry" and not "Barack". The first and third are attempts to reinforce the claims that Obama isn't "American" enough -- the first because he wouldn't have been born in this country, and the third because he would've taken a perfectly good "American" name and rejected it in favor of a foreign one. (5) A Google search yields no further or confirming information on this birth certificate. (6) Using another Hawaii birth certificate, just a few minutes with Photoshop could produce this one.
(Note -- See the below June 19 entry - verifying this 7:24 PM birth time and advising the June 2 presidential candidates' analysis has been corrected.)
Barack Obama Birth Time Below is an addendum to the June 2 Celestial Wheel on the Presidential Candidates, below. This clarifies Obama's winning the Democratic race and later prevailing in the general election November 4.
Commentaries Now In Chronological Order These short-subject Commentaries are published on a single web page for each calendar month. Since 2002, each new entry was placed at the top -- like a blog. This gives the benefit of a lead story and immediacy but also is confusing when reading previous entries. Now, entries are placed in chronological order. This includes The Celestial Wheel home page. Plus, the May, 2008 entries have been similarly reordered. This information is repeated above (under the masthead), as well as on the May, 2008 page. Note; while email notices of new publishing gives a link to the position on the web page of the new forecast, you may have to hit refresh on your browser to update to this revised web page layout.
Forecasting Recap & Predictions Check The five May entries analyzed this summer's challenging planetary conjunctions as to nature and timing, and then applied that information to predict impacts globally, upon America, U.S. leaders and the presidential candidates. With the Mars/Ketu conjunction peak of June 7 - 13 over, it's useful to do an early prediction check -- both to verify predictive accuracy and usefulness and consider how the upcoming June 6 -10 Mars/Saturn conjunction and August 1 solar eclipse will likely exacerbate challenges.
May Predictions Here are those May predictions, paraphrased. Readers will see these unfolded during the month. Global Predictions Put the pieces together -- overreaching stock investors, destructive competitiveness, violence in the U.S. and Iraq, another oil/gas price spike, a deepening grain crisis, the real estate debacle continuing -- all precipitated on or about June 13. (by Mars/ Ketu seething anger.) It is worthwhile mentioning that the Mars/Ketu conjunction occurs in the U.S. chart's eighth house of catastrophe. Thereby, an event with global reach could occur in the U.S.
Further Spring-Summer Global Karmas The Mars/Saturn conjunction is a difficult combination in Leo. However, an aspect from benefic Jupiter mitigates. A follow-up tragedy to any mid June Mars/Ketu destruction is thereby unlikely. The Jupiter/Mars/Saturn combination will more likely result in a contest for power over relief efforts botched by Mercury retrograde effects -- making the earlier disaster more disastrous. June 7 at 6:00 PM would be an earlier alternative choice for timing a catastrophic event. It is entirely possible that more than one catastrophe results during the (Mars/Ketu) stress period (June 7 - 13), the event continues for several days or even recurs. Too, for such a vicious conjunction as Mars/Ketu in Cancer, disturbances occur throughout the conjoined interval, not just at the peak.
Adding The Solar Eclipse Here then are these sensitive dates, with sign positions:: Mars/Ketu: June 7 - 13 at 26 degrees Cancer (and) Mars/Saturn: July 6 - 10 at 11 degrees Leo. There is one more wrinkle in this summer's planetary fabric -- a total solar eclipse August 1 at 15 1/2 degrees Cancer. This will be a Ketu eclipse, making its effects weird. U.S. Chart Taking all these influences together, a major (Mars/Ketu) physical violence in the U.S. is not indicated (excepting fires), but financial markets and the economy (gas and grain prices and the real estate market) could violently respond to a calamity elsewhere on this interconnected globe. ... The suggestion here is for an exaggerated emotional reaction which fails to curb the economic crisis. ... The total solar eclipse, however, is within a degree of Rahu -- the head-of-the-dragon eclipse point. Then, the U.S. Dasas will be Moon/Sun/Rahu/Mars. This is certainly negative and could signal a confidence collapse, revealing secreted government, private skullduggery, or a major physical disaster -- like a hurricane.
Bush (1) Bush becomes even more incapable of thinking and speaking rationally. As the prediction for Mars/Ketu U.S. economic violence comes true, Bush will fail to respond effectively to stop, or even contain losses. (2) Bush may suffer the long predicted nervous breakdown. (3) Third house ruler Mercury's close associates and eleventh house ruler Venus' friends are injured. Finally, the August 1 total solar eclipse at 15 1/2 degrees Cancer will be just one degree from Bush's mentally unstable Mercury, and less than two degrees from his Ascendant -- the point in the first house indicating the self and body. Another U.S. violence... could be Bush's end, especially since he may not have Cheney's brilliance to guide and support him. Taking this all together, these summer transit conjunctions and the solar eclipse will throw the U.S. into a downward spiral, and G.W. Bush will be powerless to intercede. Bush may even suffer further and significant mental degradation, or physical harm, which could not be hidden from the public. Cheney Mars/Ketu conjunction at 26 degrees Cancer doesn't hit any planets but occurs in Cheney's twelfth house of loss and hospitalization. The conjunction also aspects his cardiac Sun in the sixth house of illness. The July 6 - 10 Mars/Saturn conjunction at 11 degrees Leo will be even more harmful, for Cheney will then have entered his vulnerable Sun Dasa. Too this conjunction is within two degrees of Cheney's Ascendant point (the body). Finally, the August 1 total solar eclipse at 15 1/2 degrees Cancer will be in Cheney's twelfth house of hospitalization and almost exactly opposite his vulnerable Sun. These influences combine to at least incapacitate Cheney and possibly even send him to the great silver Airstream in the sky.
The Mideast Here's the first glint of Mideast culmination. It now appears the U.S. invasion of Iraq, rather than bringing the intended peaceful democracy to the region (to secure long term cheap Ketu oil), is spawning instead a collective Mideast unity. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. is, after all, an Arab proverb. There are sufficient planetary stresses to involve, or draw in, these (four) Mideast countries, regardless of where a catastrophe would occur. Looking at these four key nations for this summer's challenging conjunctions and the eclipse, let's see how these may advance the culmination of karma in the Mideast. Iraq During June's Mars/Ketu conjunction, the current violence lull will not last. Next, the Mars/Saturn conjunction in the first house will stimulate struggles for power in government with religious overtones. The Sun brings opportunities for government but unfortunately, these are constrained by authoritarian and deceptive friends -- the U.S., Iran and perhaps others. Iran These planetary dispositions indicate violence, losses and a breaking of relationships this summer. However, the threat of major attack -- by the U.S. and/or Israel -- has largely evaporated, for the Iraq chart changed Dasas this past February from a dangerous 7 year Ketu cycle to Venus -- a wonderfully benefic and advantageous twenty year planetary cycle. Saudi Arabia These placements again indicate discord. The suggestion here is for Saudi Arabia to begin to lose its preeminence in oil and consequent Mideast dominance this summer. Israel Mars/Ketu occurs in the tenth house of career quite close to Saturn. The solar eclipse will also be in the tenth house, just five degrees from the Moon. Mars/Saturn conjunction will be in the eleventh house of friends and groups, again in proximity to a planet -- in this case warrior Mars. (These combine to indicate aggressive discord harming Israel's reputation and associations.) Consequently, the government has been under pressure -- Pressure grows on Olmert to step aside. Not coincidentally, this latest pressure comes from Foreign Minister Tzipi Livn, a woman. This chart is matriarchal, suggesting better results from a woman prime minister. This could result from this summer's conjunctions, and the upcoming Moon/Jupiter Dasa would make it successful.
Predictions Check A. Events With Global Reach Two events with global reach occurred. First, on Friday, June 6*, the Israeli Transport Minister threatened to attack Iran, stimulating a record oil price jump of $11, which then caused stock markets to drop precipitously. Provocatively, it wasn't until June 20 that the media reported Israel held a major military exercise during the first week of June, which appeared to be a rehearsal for a potential bombing attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. It also appears these threats were made to shore up the imperiled government.
6/7 Israel threatens to attack Iran over nuclear activities 6/7 Job Losses and Oil Surge Spread Economic Gloom 6/16 Oil surges to new record high near $140 a barrel 6/20 Israel shows abilities for Iran strike 6/20 U.S. says exercise by Israel seemed directed at Iran
Following Israel's threat, others jumped on the threat Iran bandwagon, excepting Russia. Notice, however, there has been no attack upon Iran of any kind. 6/10 Cheney Jr. pushes for war on Iran 6/10 Threatening Iran 6/11 Bush, E.U. Threaten New Sanctions Against Iran 6/16 Iran withdraws $75 billion from Europe: report 6/20 Russia's Lavrov warns against attack on Iran (*Since the Mideast is a half day ahead of the U.S., this June 6 event almost matched exactly the June 7 Mars/Ketu sensitive date.)
Here are two articles about the global impact of these rising oil prices: 6/12 Fury at Soaring Fuel Costs Spreads Around the World 6/13 Strike by truckers paralyzes Southern Korean ports
The second event with global reach has been the Midwest floods. While the flooding alone has been disastrous, the larger harm is pushing up global grain prices. These events occurred primarily within the June 7 -- 13 Mars/Ketu sensitive period and that Tim Russet died on June 13 -- 6/14 Tim Russert Dies at 58 6/10 Worries Mount as Farmers Push for Big Harvest 6/11 U.S. Midwest Flooded as Mississippi, Cedar River Rise 6/11 Floods Hit Midwest as Mississippi River Threatens 6/12 Corn jumps to record for 6th day on Midwest floods 6/12 Commodity Prices Show No Letup6/16 Flooding in the American Midwest threatens crops 6/17 In Midwest Floods, a Threat to Crops 6/17 US floods hit food prices 6/21 Iowa faces potential $3 billion in crop loss
B Other U.S. Calamities Below are news reports of other violences in the U.S. Note that the DC power failure was accompanies by two fires. Too, the real estate market declines only grow greater. No links are needed to substantiate that prediction. 6/8 Earthquake swarm picks up again in northern Nevada 6/11 Dozens of homes burn in N. California wildfires 6/13 Calif. wildfires destroy homes, force evacuations 6/14 Power Failure Causes Havoc Downtown DC
C. Iraq Predictions were for problems with friends and violence. 6/9 Top Iraqi cleric warns of uprising 6/9 US Seeking 58 Bases in Iraq, Shiite Lawmakers Say 6/11 Iraqis Condemn American Demands 6/14 Talks With U.S. on Security Pact Are at an Impasse, the Iraqi Prime Minister Says 6/18 Blast in Baghdad Market Kills Dozens 6/19 U.S. Blames Shiites for Lethal Blast In Baghdad
D. Other Global Calamities While there are always some tragedies occurring, there was an activity spike during the June 7 - 13 Mars/Ketu conjunction peak. 6/8 Aftershock rocks China lake, creates landslides 6/8 Attacker Kills 7, Injure 11 in Tokyo's Akihabara 6/8 Strong earthquake jolts Greece 6/11 Hong Kong Slaughters Chickens After Bird Flu Found 6/11 Pakistan says U.S. air strike killed 11 of its soldiers 6/11 Sudanese Officials Say At Least 29 Killed in Khartoum Plane Crash 6/11 Protests in South Korea Imperil Government 6/15 Reports: Floods in China kill 57; 1 million flee 6/15 Crews search for missing in Japan's 7.2 quake
E. Predicted Issue Areas Not Evaluated There hasn't been much reported about Saudi Arabia, Bush, Cheney nor the presidential candidates. Regarding the last, it is worthwhile pointing out, that Hillary Clinton withdrew from the Democratic race on June 7 -- Clinton vows to work hard to get Obama elected
F. The June 6 -10 Mars/Saturn Conjunction & August 1 Solar Eclipse A key predictive area about Mars/Saturn is that relief efforts for any catastrophes would fail. It's too early to judge the Midwest flooding relief efforts. There is, however, an obvious lack of success in dealing with the peaking oil and grain prices. The U.S. is in a box on oil -- 6/16 The Fed's Rates Dilemma. Regarding the August 1 solar eclipse, there's nothing specific to suggest. However, given the imbalances that Mars/Ketu have already brought across the globe, these upcoming planetary challenges can tip over the wagon.
A Lot Going On In The World There's obviously a lot going on in the world, in the U.S. in our communities and in our own individual experiences. It's not a happy time. The Celestial Wheel has attempted to map out the planetary karmas bringing these stresses, but to many, the information ends up as overload. If you're worrying about filling your gas tank, paying for a child's college, rolling the dice by not going to the doctor you can't afford... spending a half hour reading about challenges becomes a low priority. Tuning-out is a natural preference, and sometimes a survival mechanism. Also, trying to absorb the ramifications of complex planetary karmas upon a large menu consisting of topics, nations and leaders can be overwhelming, even if you're not distracted by your own life. As one of my Vedic teachers once said, It's easier to meditate on a full checkbook. This Celestial Wheel unfolds the karmic newspaper in a hopefully coherent way bringing together complex predictions with simple results. Stay with it, for the information is important and can truly assist you in illuminating the path ahead -- to end up gaining in life, not losing even more.
Repercussions From The Mars/Ketu Conjunction The June 21 Celestial Wheel (above) identified the two events with global reach resulting from the June 7 to 13 Mars/Ketu conjunction. First was Israel's June 6 threat to attack Iran, which spun oil prices to new highs and stimulated continuing volatility. The below chart from GasBuddy.com graphically displays this activity (red line). The price of oil has shot up from $122 to $140 this month.
This, in turn, destabilized the stock markets, as displayed in the below chart from MsnMoney. As oil prices moved up, stocks moved down -- already over 1200 points.
Second was the Midwest U.S. flooding, bringing the global harm of escalating grains prices, and here's a graph from fmbrown.com showing this dramatic rise from $6.05 to $7.50 -- a 24% increase.
(Note: There could be a short term consumer benefit here, for while Record corn prices mean more expensive meat, dairy, the tremendous rise in feed cost pushes the producers to slaughter more beef and hogs to reduce their herds. As this meat comes on the market, there would be a temporary surplus bringing bargains this summer. Your freezer can be a savings account.)
Overreaching Stock Investors & Destructive Competitiveness The June 21 Celestial Wheel also summarized global predictions initially made May 2. This passage from that entry is inserted below to show the oil and grain crises were predicted and that the predictions of overreaching stock investors and destructive competitiveness were also accurate. (Gas could fall to $2 if Congress acts, analysts say. Limiting speculation would push prices to fundamental level.) After all, it's the futures traders that have pushed up these commodities, and their greed is truly harmful.
Relief Efforts For Catastrophes Fail The June 21 Celestial Wheel also recited the May 14 posting that, The Jupiter/Mars/Saturn combination will more likely result in a contest for power over relief efforts botched by Mercury retrograde effects -- making the earlier disaster more disastrous. And, the observation was made, It's too early to judge the Midwest flooding relief efforts. There is, however, an obvious lack of success in dealing with the peaking oil and grain prices. The Federal Reserve, fearful that raising interest rates would slow the economy, and equally fearful that lowering interest rates would fuel even higher oil prices, decided on June 25 to do nothing! Fed Ends String Of Rate Cuts. Here's more evidence government is stuck, Political Maneuvers Delay Bill After Bill in Senate. And finally, check out this article, which omits describing any government effort to mitigate the flooding disaster. Midwest Floodwaters could linger for weeks. Thereby, problems with oil, crops, and don't forget real estate, will not improve but rather continue to escalate.
The Mars/Saturn Conjunction Although aggressive Mars coming together with stolid Saturn, the great malefic, brings struggles and losses, a weak aspect (glance) from retrograde Jupiter (the great benefic) greatly reduces the harms. Thereby, no horrific event(s) impacting the globe are predicted -- just more miseries, like California's forest fires, floodwater damages in the Midwest and even today's helicopter crash in Flagstaff. Instead, as stated in the previous section, Mars/Saturn largely results in failures to take effective action on issues impacting humanity, and conditions will thereby continue to worsen, Can't-Do Government. With Mars having moved into Leo June 21, its struggle with Saturn has already begun. The Spring-Summer timeline, first published in the April 25 Celestial Wheel, is inserted below to refresh readers' memories. Also, here's a reminder that the peak interval for the Mars/Saturn conjunction is July 6 to 10, with the beginning and ending being sensitive dates. If you watch or read the news, you couldn't have missed the building strife. If you don't, because you believe the the news is somehow bad or doesn't affect you*, here are a few revealing articles:
(*Ignorance is not bliss, it's only ignorance. Only knowledge is power. We all share the karma of personal reasonability to do our best -- be informed and act to improve humanity's lot. I know of a Sedona retreat owner who believes he can escape his reality of going bankrupt because The Secret promises him success, and he knows a miracle will happen. His situation will only get worse for that delusion, and irresponsibly cost his employee's jobs and his creditors losses. Of course, if he can buy one of those cars that runs on water, he'll be able akin to Jesus, who could only walk on water.)
Changing The Way We Live It's clear to everyone by now (excepting the Sedona retreat owner waiting for The Secret to save him) that we have to learn to live a different way. Measuring happiness by the size of a flat screen tv, a McMansion square footage, SUV engine displacement... never worked anyway. Here's an article about happiness, Financial Hardship and the Happiness Paradox. Here's another article,about the mushrooming number of millionaires, World now has 10 million millionaires, report says. Well, as mushrooms grow only in the dark, and that can't be very illuminating existence, we could feel sorry for them -- except it was their greed that has wrecked the economy and causes increasing suffering around the globe. The above happiness article closes with this telling statement, The Danes have social welfare policies directed toward some of the most salient concerns of families -- their health, care for the aged, child care," he said. If you ask why the Danes are happier, an alternative hypothesis is they have a set of public policies that deal more immediately with people's fundamental concerns.
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June 7 - 13 Mars/Ketu: at 26 degrees Cancer
The predicted violence escalation in Iraq is occurring,
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