{"id":5677,"date":"2019-12-28T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-28T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=5677"},"modified":"2019-12-28T17:03:11","modified_gmt":"2019-12-28T17:03:11","slug":"that-was-the-decade-that-was","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=5677","title":{"rendered":"That Was the Decade That Was"},"content":{"rendered":"

That Was the Decade That Was<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Selections from the blogs over the last decade, for those who like to look back, and with the benefit of hindsight…<\/p>\n

2010<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

April<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

25th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One effect of the Mercury retrograde last week was the panic of the British newspaper presses (Mercury) after the surge in popularity of Nick Clegg.\u00a0 Having vested interests one way or the other (Conservative or Labour) it was unthinkable to them that the Lib Dems might be in the running, or that there might be a hung parliament.\u00a0 They then set out to discredit the Lib Dems and their leader Nick Clegg with outraged headlines easily obtained from the smear campaigns of the Labour and Conservative factions.\u00a0 They must redress the imbalance!\u00a0 Meanwhile it is clear that the British public are not at all worried by the idea of a hung parliament, and may even be warming to the idea.\u00a0 However, Nick Clegg was not able to uphold the huge surge and his popularity has slid back a little, so much so that the leaders are now running almost neck and neck.\u00a0 This is the state of play as the 4th<\/sup> Saturn-Uranus opposition kicks in tomorrow (Monday 26th<\/sup>), the most important astrological feature of this week.<\/p>\n

2011<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

March<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

13th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Within hours of Uranus entering Aries, a large scale disaster unfolded on our screens coming from Japan: earthquake, followed by tsunami and then nuclear plant meltdown.\u00a0 The national chart of Japan shows the sword of Damocles which has been present in the form of a Grand Cross between the natal Mercury, Saturn, Uranus and Chiron.\u00a0 I associate Saturn\/Uranus with earthquakes, and Japan has a square between them natally, thus predisposing them to earthquakes.\u00a0 This earthquake, long expected, occurred as Jupiter activated the Grand Cross by transiting the natal Mercury.\u00a0 Jupiter comes to that position every 12 years, so what distinguishes this time from other such moments?\u00a0 …The Head of Disaster Management for the Red Cross was saying on Radio 5 Live this morning that in terms of unmet humanitarian need the situation in Libya and Tunisia is still more demanding, partly because of the sophisticated level of organization which the Japanese have in place.\u00a0 The scenes in Japan (brought from mobile phones to satellites to our TVs) have been incredibly graphic and nightmarishly surreal, with especially poignant reports about children being snatched from water or being checked for radiation, and all hearts are with them.<\/p>\n

2012<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

March<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

4th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Later today Vladimir Putin is likely to cement his position at the\u00a0helm of Russia. He was President for two terms, 8 years between 2000\u00a0and 2008. For constitutional reasons he was not allowed a third consecutive term. His protege Medvedev took over as President for 4\u00a0years and Putin became Prime Minister.\u00a0\u00a0 A reversal of roles is now\u00a0the expected outcome of today\u2019s election.\u00a0 In his natal chart Putin has the power-hungry aspect of\u00a0Jupiter square Pluto.\u00a0 His natal Mars (Inner Warrior) is at the galactic centre, magnifying his power\u00a0and emphasizing warriorship.\u00a0 His South Node is in Leo, indicating that he would be accustomed to power in past lives.\u00a0 Jupiter trine Pluto this\u00a0month may benefit his efforts to acquire power. Currently, transiting\u00a0Neptune is squaring his natal Moon, bringing emotional illusion e.g.\u00a0about the level of support he has from people.\u00a0 Putin is often\u00a0referred to as\u00a0Medvedev\u2019s mentor. Medvedev is a Virgoan, and that is\u00a0the sign of service,\u00a0 though we do not know how willing he is to serve\u00a0Putin at this time. He may have other plans\u2026Pluto is currently trine his Mercury,\u00a0heightening his mental power at this time, and he would have a\u00a0psychological grasp of his current situation. There is very interesting synastry (astrological comparison) between them, based on\u00a0a pattern of Putin\u2019s planets leading Medvedev\u2019s by one sign, showing a\u00a0symbiotic teacher-pupil relationship, and the capacity for close\u00a0collaboration. The ability to collaborate is borne out by a trine\u00a0between\u00a0Putin\u2019s Uranus and Medvedev\u2019s Neptune, but although they have\u00a0collaborated in the past there has to be the continued will to do so.\u00a0 They may have drawn up a Soul Contract before incarnation, but may\u00a0renegotiate it in their next lifetime, and reverse\u00a0their power roles.\u00a0 Venus opposing Saturn today will produce a sense of flatness or even disappointment for politicians trying to win hearts.<\/p>\n

2013<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

May<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

5th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Nigel Farage and the conundrum of UKIP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The face of British politics is said to have changed dramatically this week, with one in four voters plumping for UKIP.\u00a0 David Cameron has been forced to retract his earlier impression of the party as \u201cfruitcakes and closet racists\u201d modifying his tune to \u201cWe need to show respect for people who have taken the choice to support this party\u201d.<\/p>\n

What is the demographic of the voting section?\u00a0 A few 80 year old women I know have found themselves voting for or sympathetic to what the party stands for, and some women find Nigel Farage personally fascinating.\u00a0 There is no doubt in my mind that UKIP inherits some strands of the National Front, British National Party and EDL philosophies, and targets immigrants as being the source of our society\u2019s ills.<\/p>\n

The Observer leader<\/u> this morning describes its voters:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Ukip surge is a warning.\u00a0 Immediate analysis indicates that two groups, in the main, have been swayed by Farage.\u00a0 They are the less qualified, working-class, older male and the lower middle class\u201d.<\/p>\n

2014<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

June<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

15th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Iraq (Update)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Iraq is arguably at its worst low ever, having been taken over by the extremist Islamist group i.S.I.S.\u00a0 Next door, Syria too is also arguably at its worst low ever, with Assad newly \u201celected\u201d while continuing to slaughter his own subjects.<\/p>\n

The Guardian reported: \u201cThe UN has warned that the Isis fighters have committed\u00a0 summary executions and rape on their irresistible advance\u201d.\u00a0 So they have not been listening, then, to the anti-rape in war conference this week hosted by Angelina Jolie and William Hague.<\/p>\n

I.S.I.S.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>I.S.I.S. (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) whose army are marching steadily towards Baghdad, are apparently even more extreme in their outlook and methods than Alkaida.\u00a0 Last week they \u201ctook\u201d Mosul and Tikrit.<\/p>\n

The chart for Isis shows a successful use of force (Mars sextile Pluto) while current transits show Isis being dealt a free will hand currently with Jupiter exactly trine its North Node.<\/p>\n

2015<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

November<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

15th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Paris Shootings \u2013 Part 2<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Just when you thought it was safe to hop on the Eurostar and spend a weekend in Paris, things got a whole lot worse, and the prospect seems further away.\u00a0 There can\u2019t be many people who didn\u2019t spend the weekend thinking about the people of Paris, and racking their brains for the solution to the worldwide problem of ISIS\/ISIL\/Islamic State.<\/p>\n

For myself, I cannot imagine that this is what Mohammed had in mind as the founder of Islam. Islam, in common with Christianity and Judaism, has at its heart the Ten Commandments, notably among which lies the injunction \u201cThou Shalt Not Kill\u201d.<\/p>\n

What attracts young people to such an existence of incessently fighting?\u00a0 Is it the glorification of violence in film?\u00a0 Or is it because we have created such an unpalatable society which has alienated them?<\/p>\n

And poor Paris, why them, twice in one year?\u00a0 Is it because the French have banned the burka, and been proactive in the war in Syria?\u00a0 In January, the magazine which was targeted had been actively provoking a reaction with their anti-Islamic cartoons.\u00a0 But this latest spree of brutality does not have such a direct cause.<\/p>\n

2016<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

July<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

17th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Theresa May<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Another tumultuous week: On Monday, Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the Conservative leadership contest, disrupting Angela Eagle\u2019s Labour leadership bid (Mercury square Uranus), David Cameron stepped down as Prime Minister and Theresa May prepared to take on that mantle.\u00a0 Theresa May met the Queen and was asked to form a cabinet on Wednesday, and surprised us with some of her appointments: it was portrayed as a brutal culling of the existing order (the Notting Hill set) by the media.\u00a0 On Thursday evening, a lorry driver ploughed through crowds in Nice (Mars quincunx Uranus), killing at least 84 people; and on Friday evening, there was an attempted coup in Turkey (Sun square Uranus), killing at least 265.\u00a0 It is all too much for the head, heart and soul.\u00a0 I intend to concentrate today on Theresa May, our new Prime Minister, and though there is much I could write about her new cabinet, I will keep that to a bare minimum.<\/p>\n

2017<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

March<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

26th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Westminster Terror<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Westminster Bridge was the scene of a terrorist incident and Parliament and its surrounding buildings were in lockdown. A British born man, Khalid Masood, drove into passersby then tried to enter the gates of Parliament, and stabbed a policeman to death.\u00a0 Five people died in total, including the perpetrator, and fifty people were injured.\u00a0 Though many potential attacks have been foiled since, this was the first attack of its scale in London since 7\/7\/05.\u00a0 There are many questions yet to be answered and issues raised, such as whether he was acting alone, what were his motives, and how far he was influenced by radicalization by ISIS, whether police in the City should be armed, and how far the police can keep tabs on all suspects. I will have a brief look at the charts of some of those involved, though crucially some important dates are currently missing, such as the birth date of the brave and heroic policeman who lost his life, Keith Palmer.<\/p>\n

2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

March<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

11th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Russia<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

(A tale of two Russian fathers and daughters)<\/em><\/p>\n

Salisbury is a wonderful place, close to my heart.\u00a0 I visit family there once a month.\u00a0 It is utterly bizarre to be watching it on the news daily, in the context of a Russian spy mystery.\u00a0 Father and daughter Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found last Sunday in an extremely distressed condition on a bench near the centre of the city.\u00a0 The cause of their physical distress was a nerve agent, which apparently could only have been developed by a state.\u00a0 The police officer who first rendered aid to the pair was also affected, and is in hospital in serious condition.\u00a0 A passing doctor also tended them, but was not affected.\u00a0 They have been praised for their incredible courage.\u00a0 Like Amber Rudd, our Home Secretary, it is not for me to point the finger until the truth has been established.<\/p>\n

2019<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

March<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

17th:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Greta Thunberg<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSkolstrejk for Klimatet\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

School Strike for the Climate<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize this week, a week which saw the second day of school strikes on behalf of the climate (a month after the first) in the U.K, with similar action around the world.\u00a0 She began this action last August in Sweden, with the powerful words:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kids most often don\u2019t do what you tell us to do. We do as <\/em>you <\/em><\/strong>do. And since you grown-ups don\u2019t give a shit about my future<\/em>, I won\u2019t either<\/em><\/strong>. My name is Greta and I\u2019m in ninth grade. And I refuse school <\/em>for the climate <\/em><\/strong>until the Swedish general election.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

At the age of 16, she is a similar age to that of Malala Yousafzai at the time she won the Peace Prize, but it is quite rare for one so young to make such an impact.<\/p>\n

Birth Chart<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Greta has a concentration of planets in Earth sign Capricorn, the sign of seriousness and responsibility.\u00a0 Her Sun in Capricorn exactly conjunct Chiron, so she is a healer and problem-solver.\u00a0 Both her Sun and Moon are in this sign, and they may be conjunct, i.e. she may have been born on\u00a0 a New Moon, or at least close to one.\u00a0 That would confer the ability to \u00a0bring a freshness of outlook, energy and thought to bear on a longstanding problem.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

That Was the Decade That Was Selections from the blogs over the last decade, for those who like to look back, and with the benefit of hindsight… 2010 April 25th: One effect of the Mercury retrograde last week was the panic of the British newspaper presses (Mercury) after the surge in popularity of Nick Clegg.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5677"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5680,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5677\/revisions\/5680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}