I was digging around some ancient pages on Planet Waves and found this. Notice the award-winning design of the original. This is a comment on what rotten publicists most astrologers are. That’s why you haven’t heard of too many, and none have bestselling books at the moment. Flashback: 2003, the second year of Planet Waves Astrology News.

Eric Francis being interviewed by Larry King.

If anyone understood what astrology is, things might be a little easier. Just about everyone with an education still thinks the primary function of an astrologer is to tell the future. It’s not that we’re not present in the mainstream media; indeed, we are in every edition of just about every newspaper and every magazine. And what we are expected to write are forecasts, and to fit them in 75 words per sign. But since CNN does not care whether someone is going to have a good month for romance, we’re also expected to play Nostradamus and know when big nasty stuff is going to go down. Not, of course, so we can save lives (imagine evacuating the World Trade Center on an astrologer’s say-so). The benefit would be that everyone would be impressed.

Let’s pretend I’m on Larry King Live, along with Marianne Williamson.

Larry King: So Mr. Francis, you’re a professional astrologer. Based on your research, when is the world going to end?

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I’ve been glued to my laptop for hours today watching the congressional hearings on the $85 billion AIG bailout by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Geithner and Paulson, the current and former treasury secretaries, have already testified that they knew nothing/weren’t really all that involved/yadda — but now they have some AIG executives up. Watch live on C-Span 3.

Here is a snip about the coverup between the Fed and AIG from CNBC sent in by Kelly, our spy in the house of love. All day long I’ve been listening to these guys testify one at a time saying they didn’t have any part in the decisions, are not quite sure how it happened, or why certain decisions were made. It’s just that one firm, Goldman-Sachs, and its former employees, was all over the deal.

It’s really funny, maybe I’m just psychic, but during the Sept. 14 meltdown, I just watched these guys on TV thinking: they’re ripping off the treasury. This is the biggest ripoff in history. They’re calling it a bailout…but they’re looting the treasury.

In other news, Berbanke is up for a vote as Federal Reserve chairman Thursday, hours after the Leo Full Moon conjunct retrograde Mars.

There is an alternate take on the Leo Full Moon on the Cosmic Confidential Diary.

The Full Moon is rolling up on us, and it’s one of those perfect storms. One of the ways you can use astrology as a forecasting tool is by looking at what planets are making slow aspects, and then notice when a Full Moon or New Moon comes along and rings the bell. As we have read a few times, Mars is retrograde (that is rare), creeping toward the first degree of Leo as the Earth passes between it and the Sun. Mars is not going backward; we are moving forward quicker.

Forward, so to speak. Looking at the prevailing conditions on Earth, you would think that we’re on Mars watching a pretty, wet blue planet with no problems go by.

But no; we’re on that blue planet and Mars is up there and overnight Thursday to Friday, the Moon is at full phase in a less-than-one-degree conjunction to Mars. And what that does is kind of shake the sky and something falls out. I’ve been looking at this chart thinking: well, this should be interesting. I’m staying in, but what ever happens out there will make the newspapers. I’ll make sure to check CNN.

I did, this morning. As usual. Ever since Sept. 11, I’ve checked the cover of CNN every 20 minutes, to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Today I learned that analysts think that the State of the Union Address is unlikely to ease our anxieties. (Analysts? Is CNN consulting a psychiatrist? Is he the kind with a couch, or the kind who prescribes meds?)

Yes, papa is going to take our great nation on his big ol’ knee and try to soothe us, and tell us the house isn’t going to fall down on our heads, and baby Leo Moon is still gonna cry. Baby is colicy; the wittle Weo Moon is conjunct cwanky old Maws wetwogwade. They waised my interest wates, again!

Banks continue to be seized by the FDIC on a regular basis, the most recent being the Charter Bank in Santa Fe, as well as banks in Washington State, Illinois, Minnesota and Utah (total assets $4 billion to $5 billion, by quick tally). Kids, these are not McDonald’s or Burger Kings (which are doing great; half the country is living on meat scraps, gluten, grease and sugar). They are enormous financial institutions each of which held the assets of thousands of local and regional businesses and many more individual depositors.

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Today’s Oracle takes us back to the Aries weekly horoscope of Jan. 30, 2004

Mars is about to change signs. It is what is called void-of-course, but you are nothing of the sort. That is, unless you decide that you don’t need the people around you who are so well situated to assist you with a particular goal that’s been a source of obsession for quite a long time. You are closer than ever to making a concrete step toward achieving what you’re after, but this is not an independent project, nor is it your project, really. It’s something for which you’re responsible and to which you are deeply devoted, but it’s community property. I hope this reminder comes as a welcome relief but not too big of a revelation.

(The Daily Oracle is a random selection from one of 10,000 Eric Francis horoscopes. The Oracle is a divination tool like tarot cards, and also can be used to research any horoscope for the past 10 years. It is available to subscribers of Planet Waves Astrology News in all its working glory. This is a brilliant piece of programming combined with a full decade of Eric’s writing — when you have a question, it really works (as long as you’re sincere), and we know that you’ll love it. Sign up to discover how and why. Or enjoy one selection free here every day.)

Dear Bell 223th

Oh my goddess. Changed the password? Pause, for a moment, and consider how hilarious a concept that is.

efc

From this morning’s Daily Astrology, by Len:

The trick for each of us will be to see the distinction between legitimate issues of autonomy and arbitrary stubbornness. In turn, any group in question will be challenged to balance its standards of conduct to allow individual expression. The outcome will depend on how open the flow of communication will be. This aspect will flow into and become part of the more powerful aspects at the end of the week.

By Len Wallick

Once again, let’s start with the big picture for the week which ends up with a Full Moon in Leo conjunct Mars followed by the second cardinal point square between Saturn and Pluto.

Remember, the Full Moon is an opposition (180 degrees of separation) between the Moon and Sun with us here on Earth in between. Oppositions in astrology carry the connotations of relationships. The attractions that bring us together. The perspective on ourselves that we get from interacting with another. The decisions we make balancing our own welfare with that of another. The ebb and flow, back and forth as we strive to find a balance through participation and negotiation.

Squares (90 degrees of separation) tend to force an issue. Ideally this will overcome complacency and stimulate action. If action is inhibited, however, the force can translate into stress.

Today’s astrology continues the build up to the seminal events at the end of the week. In doing so we are provided with a clue as to the character and resolution of a complex opposition and a powerful square.

One aspect applying today is the opposition of Venus (in Aquarius) and retrograde Mars in Leo. It will exact either very late tonight or very early tomorrow depending on where you are. This opposition will be separating but still functional at the end of the week, adding to the rich, deep complexity that this Full Moon will represent. Venus in the sign of the collective is a light but assertive presence. Opposed to Mars retreating in Leo, it holds the promise of compromise in relationships between the individual and groups. It encourages each one of us to (in the words of former Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn) “go along to get along.”

The trick for each of us will be to see the distinction between legitimate issues of autonomy and arbitrary stubbornness. In turn, any group in question will be challenged to balance its standards of conduct to allow individual expression. The outcome will depend on how open the flow of communication will be. This aspect will flow into and become part of the more powerful aspects at the end of the week.

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Good morning. I’ve just posted a new article from the Cosmic Confidential members’ diary to the free daily diary. This is on the subject of wanting, intention and Mars retrograde.

Dear Friend and Reader:

It’s never too late to begin the year over again; I am sure we could all use a new start to this one. In a few hours, we will release Cosmic Confidential, the 12th annual edition of Planet Waves. We’re just waiting on the right chart — for the Moon to reach the zenith.

Lookout tower, Black Rock City, 2009. Photo by Eric.

It now exists, against some long odds: we’ve worked through Mercury retrograde, Mars retrograde, two eclipses and a lot of other astrology going off. Meanwhile, apropos of the moment, the news was a runaway train. It seemed like every time I would get settled back into writing, some other event was calling me to do the chart of God knows what and to be there for the Planet Waves blogging team, so we could fulfill our role as cosmic news desk and for some, psychic bomb shelter. But we did it. I worked through every weekend and every spare moment for four months — and your reading is done, and waiting for you.

Though Planet Waves is a news service, Cosmic Confidential is  entirely about you. I have lavished attention on the individual sign readings this year, putting in at least double the time, energy and research as usual. My objective: how can I get as much high quality astrological information into the hands of as many people as possible, for as little money as possible?

The readings are each about 4,500 words. Plus, each sign gets three pages of extra materials: generous selections from past annual editions, reader responses to my queries about how you’re living out your astrology, and a page of resources and out-takes. For many of the signs, I cut large swaths of text, but I’ve preserved most of them in the out-takes section, which gives an alternative view or covers a topic not included in the main reading. The navigation for these pages is across the top of your sign.

Each sign includes substantial information about professional and creative activities, financial strategies, and thoughts about relationships and sex: and all of it is focused on the theme of not just keeping your sanity, but rising to the occasion of a world gone wild.

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