The Image was So Subliminal, I Missed It Altogether

“American Woman” by The Guess Who (1970)

Amazing. Everyone saw this 45 rpm cover when the song came out. But, I for one, missed the eyes completely. It took the Corner DJ’s Memory Lane 1970 Ep. 04 to show me what I hadn’t seen before.

There’s a face there! Silly me.

Posted in personal | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

I Lived in the UK When This Murder Happened

Rachel Nickell (November 23, 1968 – July 15, 1992)

It wasn’t until I saw this image that I remembered the hubbub in the press about her murder.

I’ve raised a chart for her death. The timing is listed as ‘in the morning’ so I’m picking 9 am.

Those square aspects (some of which are part of a Grand Cross) shows a lot of tension at that moment. There is a double inconjunct linking Mercury in Leo with the Uranus/Neptune conjunction in Capricorn. Mars is conjunct the Taurus Midheaven both in opposition to Pluto in Scorpio. The Sun in Cancer splits between the oppositions to the Moon and Neptune. It’s no wonder it took almost 20 years to catch the culprit.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Evidently, She had Secrets that She Didn’t Want Revealed

Betty White (January 17, 1922 – December 31, 2021)

To many Americans, she was a national treasure. And over the years, her smile was beguiling. But this woman was an actress, never forget that.

Just to see, I looked at her birth chart.

I should have known: her Neptune is conjunct her Leo Ascendant; that’s a sure sign to me that she was a born actress. But, in Leo? Who’s the boss, eh? There are three inconjuncts: Mercury/Pluto; Venus/Ascendant; and Saturn/Uranus. They all speak of her acerbic wit. The Grand Cross linking Mars and the Midheaven with the Moon and Mercury presents someone who is held in place by her own self.

She didn’t seem to be an enigma, but that’s because we really didn’t know her at all. Interesting.

Posted in showbusiness | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

If He’s Your Child, Wouldn’t You Want to Shield Him?

The Witness (2026)

This Netflix series is based on a true story. Alex’s mum was killed in front of him, while they were walking on Wimbledon Common in 1992. In the show he is 3 years of age. In reality, he was only 2.

Here’s the documentary of the ‘real’ story.

How could this not be triggering? The documentary tells the tale better than the show, in my humble opinion. But, as an explanation of the after-effects of the murder and the length of time it took to catch the killer, the show does its job sufficiently well.

Posted in history, reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

When the Authorities Turned Their Guns on Students

Kent State Massacre (May 4, 1970)

Law and order is one thing; shooting protesting students is quite another. This is another day that went down in infamy. It may also have been the beginning of the end of the Vietnam War.

The shootings took place on May 4, 1970, during a rally opposing the expanding involvement of the Vietnam War into Cambodia by United States military forces, as well as protesting the National Guard presence on campus and the draft. Twenty-eight National Guard soldiers fired about 67 rounds over 13 seconds, killing four students and wounding nine others, one of whom sustained permanent paralysis. Students Allison Krause, 19, Jeffrey Miller, 20, and Sandra Lee Scheuer, 20, died on the scene, while William Schroeder, 19, was pronounced dead at Robinson Memorial Hospital in nearby Ravenna shortly afterward.

Wikipedia

It only took 13 seconds. Someone was trigger-happy. The students paid the price of protesting the war with their lives. The chart reveals that Neptune was inconjunct to the Moon and the Midheaven.

Moon Inconjunct Neptune

People with this aspect often hide their real feelings and make sacrifices for others that they do not really want to make. Then they resent the person who asked for the sacrifice. You must learn to tell people how they really feel; if you do not, you havr only yourself to blame for what happens. You must learn to accept that you are responsible for your own life. Do not act as if you are the victim of strong forces that you can’t control, because you can control them.

Robert Hand Planets in Youth (1977) page 134

Neptune Inconjunct Midheaven

You are very impressionable, in that you pick up the energies around you very quickly. Therefore it is very important that you are surrounded by wholesome influences in your early years, because negative influences will weaken your self-esteem and make it much more difficult to accomplish anything when you are older.

Ibid page 342

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Things Aren’t Going Well for #47 at the Moment

NBC’s Meet The Press Interview (June 7, 2026)

It would appear that two things are very evident: Trump hates losing an argument; and he hates being challenged by a woman. But that’s nothing new. Things have been going wrong this year: he’s going to be 80 next Sunday; and the 250th anniversary celebrations are hitting disruptive roadblocks.

If you haven’t seen the interview, it’s quite telling that he’s losing his patience, and, ultimately, his temper. His face was so red, I thought he’d burst a blood vessel. Maybe, it’s all becoming too much.

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It May Seem a Bit Too Pat, but It Can Help the Process

Five Stages of Grief

While watching the series “The Madison“, I heard a reference to the clinical psychologist’s five stages of grief. In fact, Stacy runs through the stages in about a week during the six episodes. It’s a human reaction. When I researched images for this post, I came across a meme entitled “Five Stages of Death”.

Anyone who has had an upsetting medical diagnosis will recognize what they experience as a result.

It’s the same thing. Maybe we should just call it the ‘five stages of reaction’. We’re only human, after all.

Posted in spirituality | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

There is a Lot of Controversy Concerning This Man

Christopher (Kit) Marlowe (February 6, 1564 – May 30, 1595)

Here we are, back in the Elizabeth Age, looking at the life and death of Christopher Marlow. For years, there has been speculation that he, and not William Shakespeare, was the real author of the Bard’s plays.

His birth date was supposedly unknown, and his birth time (how could they know?) was 4 a.m. I’m following the chart that one astrology site has produced, but it might be too speculative to be true.

There are two interactive Yods in this one. One side pointing at Saturn, the other at his (supposed) Ascendant. Knowing that there were rumours of his being a spy for the Privy Council, these two Fingers of God may in fact ‘prove’ those rumours as true. This means that we also cannot relay upon the circumstances of his death, as reported in a coroner’s report only found in the 20th century..

A fringe theory has arisen about the notion that Marlowe faked his death and then continued to write under the assumed name of William Shakespeare. Academic consensus rejects alternative candidates for authorship of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, including Marlowe.

Ibid

The Yod pointing at the (presumed) Midheaven is completely suspect. There is also an inconjunct linking Neptune with the event Ascendant. As I am thinking now, there are too many mysteries involved to be wholly reliable.

Comparing the (speculative) birth and death charts, I don’t see enough ‘proof’ that the events are connected. So, the conspiracy theories might be right.

Hmm.

Posted in history, paranoia | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“East is East and West is West…”

The Madison (2026)

“And never the twain shall meet.” (Rudyard Kipling) This poem seems applicable here: Madison Avenue, New York versus the Madison River system, Montana. Yes, it’s another Taylor Sheridan “Western” series from Paramount+, only, this time, the heroine is a New York “city mouse”.

The series follows the Clyburn family, originally from New York City, who relocate to the Madison River valley of southwest Montana for emotional recovery following a major life-changing tragedy that both shocks and permanently changes the family.

Wikipedia

This is a series for women, especially those who have never experienced the rough and ready life of a couple of brothers who spend their extended time together in the wilds, fishing for fun. Michele Pfeiffer hardly ever smiles throughout the six episodes., but given the circumstances, that is entirely understandable. It does feel like a bit of a stretch for her, acting-wise, but she carries it off by being snarky and sad, (I know, the words were written for her, but she would have been far more ‘gracious’ in real life. I guess that’s why they call it acting.)

If you’re a sporting guy, there are enough fly fishing sequences to keep you watching, but the story will bore you in places. Otherwise, if your partner likes the show, just go along for the ride.

Posted in reviews | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Was He Born This Way or Did Life Make Him?

Marty Life Is Short (2026)

I’m not a fan of Martin Short. Some would consider that sacrilege. His SCTV family definitely think he’s the funniest Canadian comedian ever. Over-the-top, I would say.

But what about the man, under those masks?

Martin Short (March 26, 1950)

Since his birth time is unknown (really?), I have rectified his birth chart, based on losing his mother to cancer (Moon) when he was 14, and his father (Saturn) when he was 22.

That locks the chart into place, putting the Sun/Mercury/North Node conjunction in the 1st House (of Personality) in opposition to the Mars /South Node conjunction in the 7th House (of Open Enemies) all square to the Moon/Uranus conjunction in the 4th House (of the Home and Family) and the Midheaven (of Career). Do you see what I mean? His mother’s death was the making of him. The Grand Cross shows that. At the time, he said he felt he couldn’t cope. But he did, and that must have informed his comedy from then on.

The Yod (Finger of God) pointing at his Pisces Ascendant is formed by inconjuncts to Neptune and Pluto. Pluto is also in opposition to Venus (conjunct Jupiter).which demonstrates that his 30 year relationship/marriage to Nancy made him a better man. She was a performer herself, but she supported his career, absolutely, I suspect because he could make her laugh. Humour is important in any marriage.

Love him or hate him, he was a natural clown. If you like him, you’ll enjoy this documentary on Netflix.

Posted in history, showbusiness | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment