NOVEMBER 14 AND 22--NEW MOON IN SCORPIO AND FIRST QUARTER MOON IN PISCES. Read November 14 for Scorpio New Moon and November 22 for First Quarter. At Scorpio New Moon I contracted an intestinal virus, and left for Mexico to visit my dear family in Mexico City. It’s hard to say which came first. I appreciate the virus, for it was very cathartic and I emerged much purified. And I appreciate the family for the deep love we exchange. I came home in time for First Quarter Moon, and simply have enormously enjoyed my life here, and all its people and work connections. So far this Scorpio Moon period represents powerful catharsis and powerful love for me. Gratitude for my abundance flows through each moment.

I see two main manifestations in the U.S. One of them is the military moving ahead in trying to take over Afghanistan. Raw firepower wins.

The other is a terrible steamrollering of civil rights at home. Spain, for instance, has just refused to extradite 8 Al Qaida detainees to the U.S. for two reasons—the U.S. death penalty, and the new military tribunals established by GW’s Executive Order.

Spain is accustomed to dealing with Basque terrorists, and they do not feel a need to destroy human rights and rights to a fair trial to do so. In fact, the European Union does not allow the death penalty, and no EU country could extradite suspects to the U.S. for this reason.

These new tribunals have total power over suspected terrorists. They are under the Pentagon, composed of three military people, all proceedings are in total secrecy, trials can be held anyplace, and any punishment can be given, including death. A suspect, for instance, could be taken up in a military plane, "tried," and dumped overboard.

November has been a dilly in regard to the government taking advantage of the atmosphere of fear to pile up civil rights abuses. This is an example of our astrological Juno, so prominent now.

At the end of October, Bush and Congress passed the Anti-Terrorism Bill, and the door was opened for a flood of executive orders undermining a just society.

November opened with Bush’s Executive Order allowing the CIA to assassinate people, and Justice arresting 1200 suspects, also entirely in secret, without evidence, without charges, and without right to counsel. In San Francisco a large group of young Israeli Jewish men have been in jail for one month, incommunicado, detained by the INS without evidence.

Other new rules include the right for Justice to unilaterally intercept client-attorney phone calls without a given reason, and in secret.

On November 8 Atty. Gen. Ashcroft said the Justice Dept. would reorganize around anti-terrorism. This is code for initiating a policy of reduced toleration of justice, freedom, and dissent.

On November 9 Justice announced plans for ethnic profiling. Ashcroft said that they would discriminate against Arabs and that they plan to question 5,000 Arabs. (He didn’t tell us that the Saud family and the bin Laden family are exempt from these restrictions, courtesy of the White House.) Questioning can now include torture, outlawed in the U.S. in 1931.

Representative John Conyers, Jr. from Michigan said, "Today we stand on the verge of a civil liberties calamity in this country. The Administration and the Attorney General have taken a series of constitutionally dubious actions that place the executive branch in the untenable role of legislator, prosecutor, judge, and jury.

"We stand together in our collective outrage over the attacks. However, we do nothing to win the battle against terrorism by sacrificing our precious freedoms and liberties." Amen!

LAST QTR MOON IN LEO. Read November 8 for description of this critical Moon. In the world we saw a last turn of the screw for trying to put in place a system which is delegitimizing human rights, civil liberties, and the rule of law. Three fronts dominated in the news.

Doha, Qatar, where the WTO met for the first time since their aborted Seattle meeting, was the scene of a struggle for patent rights on drugs and everything else in the natural world, including water and plants. According to eyewitness reports, the U.S. used their strong-arm and bribery tactics on other nations, and some agreement was reached. I don't yet know the outcome.

Qatar is a small Arabian kingdom where entry is difficult, and dissent is not tolerated. Protest was thus minimized. Even so, the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior, docked at Doha, carrying people who represented other interests besides corporate profit. And all over the world, the labor movement organized pro-worker demonstrations in solidarity with workers.

Chiapas did their bit to preserve integrity. They refused to permit entry to scientists exploring the plant life to see what they could find to patent for big drug companies.

On the Afghanistan front, propaganda was one big item . Tony Blair came to the White House to back up GW's harsh push for renewed unity in his bombing of Afghanistan. Again, "You're either with us or against us" was uttered, this time in a threatening tone. Mr. Bush also asked Americans to volunteer, and to keep close check on their neighbors.

The U.S. set up a system for blanketing Afghanistan with its propaganda.

And then they used bombs to destroy the Kabul office of Al Jazeera, the big Middle Eastern TV station which has been steadily broadcasting scenes from the action in Afghanistan (not easy). The U.S. also bombed the British BBC station in Kabul, which frequently refutes U.S. claims about how humanitarian its bombing is.

Al Jazeera and BBC are both giant worldwide networks, and this kind of revenge by the U.S. will not put them out of business, nor keep the facts from seeping out of Afghanistan. It only fuels already-high anti-American feeling, and increases the susceptibility of the U.S. to further terrorism.

The Taliban are retreating under the heavy American bombardment. A key city, Mazar-e-Sharif, was captured by a Northern Alliance general who captured it once before, and at that time massacred thousands of its citizens.

Washington is the third front. There Atty. Gen. Ashcroft says he is reorganizing the Justice Dept. around terrorism, truly an excuse for diminishing civil liberties. One of the examples is putting into effect a regulation which says that law enforcement and intelligence can secretly eavesdrop on prisoner-attorney conversations at any time.

In Washington National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice says that Iraq is a threat. Next on the hit list?

Arafat addresses the UN, Putin comes to Washington to work out cooperation with Bush, and an American Airlines plane crashes in New York. It has been a busy week on the world scene.

For me, I saw two spiritually-oriented movies set in the rugged beauty of Afghanistan--one on Rumi and one on the young Gurdjieff. The country appears awesome and difficult, and the culture came across as extremely patriarchal.

I was invited to a meeting with our local native American tribal chief and his family, and it was very special in many ways. A storm put our neighborhood phones out for several days. And finally, the climax of the week came when our city council, after a stormy meeting with residents, agreed to put the big public safety building to a popular vote.

I ended the week by flying to Mexico City, to check on little (big) Christopher before the holidays. He is 7 months old now, and how he has grown and changed in two months! Babies remind us so sweetly of the love and purity and innocence and relatively unfiltered intelligence with which we are born.

His mother, Crystal, recently taught her first children's class in spiritual principles. It sounds like an absolute delight, and very empowering for the children. Crystal was astounded by the greatness of their hearts, and the openness and alacrity with which they learned.

So, I begin this transformative New Moon in Scorpio in Mexico, which has always been a place of transformation for me. And I am with my dear little grandson, who is himself transforming every moment. Propitious.

FULL MOON IN TAURUS. (Read October 31, and November 1, 2, and 3. This was a FULL full moon!) Here in Sausalito Hallowe’en is well celebrated, but we thought this year’s celebration might be more subdued and cautious, with people perhaps keeping themselves and their children at home. Quite the contrary. The night was warm and balmy, and under the gorgeous full moon, strange creatures, in all shapes and sizes, celebrated with abandon. It was a glorious night to be out with the ghosts, participating in the magic of Neptune.

The moon’s shining path shimmering across the still bay waters led us into more mysterious Neptunian realms. The crew of one of our local tall sailing ships had created a haunted ship, which Susan, Nancy and I experienced. It was truly gruesome—a little Pluto thrown in here too! It was an exhilarating, mysterious, festive, and communal night in Sausalito.

Taurus-Scorpio is about resources. I had my hair cut, got my plants cared for and back on my porches (with help), and did some computer problem-solving (with help). My dear friend Billie came for a long-overdue visit, and she always attracts abundance, for herself and everyone around her. We delved into some secondhand stores, and found treasures. It’s years since I’ve had the opportunity to do that.

Venus with Mercury in Libra was bringing me much help from others, as well as loving connections with friends and clients. Libra wants peace, and I participated in a Women in Black vigil for peace.

Neptune shows again as my dear Pisces friend Sara got us going to a spiritual film festival. Not only are we seeing spiritually-oriented films, but we are going to new theaters in new neighborhoods for us, enlarging our perspectives.

My work in the world, and our campaign to keep our street open are both proceeding quickly along creative pathways. All in all, it’s been a very enjoyable and productive week. Hard work, with Pluto-Saturn, help and pleasure with Venus and Mercury, and spiritual overtones the whole time with Neptune.

I’ve been talking about structural changes in consciousness as a concomitant of the Pluto-Saturn opposition. So, what were my personal changes in consciousness? We might each ask ourselves that as we pass through the middle of this great realignment.

My progressed Sun is freshly into Taurus, very close to my early Taurus midheaven and Chiron. My progressed Moon is also in Taurus. Me, ever the astrologer—I’ve been striving to understand Taurus for years, and with this full moon illumination I got a much better insight into the sign of Taurus, and am coming to appreciate and enjoy its strengths in new ways, as I am learning to embody them. I’m becoming better able to integrate Taurus and my natal Aquarius.

Basically, life is becoming easier and more fun. I’m letting go of some of the Aquarius loner—have to do it myself, and the Virgo burden of always having so much to do. I still have the things to do, and definitely keep Virgo busy, but I don’t feel as pressured about it. Taurus is slow and mellow, because it understands the rhythm of life. Growth can’t be hurried. It comes in its own time. Don’t push the river.

And in the meantime, one can appreciate the abundance of life, and connect with its infinite pleasures. Take time to smell the flowers. I think Taurus has a unique earth wisdom about living on this planet Earth. Growth will happen; don’t sweat the small stuff. Relax and enjoy.

At the same time, Taurus has an enormous reservoir of energy, and is a good worker and builder. Producing something, adding to earth’s storehouse, is very satisfying.

The situation with my plants (Taurean) signifies my new personal connection with Taurus. It all occurred right around the Saturn-Pluto opposition, lighted by the Full Moon in Taurus. Removing my plants made me feel absolutely bereft. I didn’t even want to open my door, or invite people in. I realized how much a part of me they were and I was determined to get them back (also Taurean).

We did replace them, along with pruning, repotting, and reorganizing. They have become part of my life in a new, less casual, manner. Taurus is about value, and I now give my plants much greater value.

The Neptune influence of this moon is also part of my changing consciousness. I’ve talked about Pluto exposing my victimhood when it squared my ascendant and Sun in 1988-90.

Now Pluto and Saturn are both squaring my Virgo moon. Moon is the collective consciousness, and I am recognizing how we are all allowing ourselves to be victimized by others’ "power-over" drives. This is a major Neptunian pitfall. I am a terrified New Yorker, an Iraqi child, or an Afghan refugee. They are me. We are all connected. We are all victims. This feeling of unity, too, is Neptunian.

I see clearly that it is time for humans stand tall and to assert their humanhood, just as it was time for me in 1989 to walk out of the victim trap. It was hard. And it is hard now. We feel impotent, but this is only the victim illusion. Pluto transiting the nation’s chart now will help us to regenerate our authentic power in the coming years.

The national scene centers on war.

Yes, Taurus-Scorpio is about resources and power. And Neptune is about dreams, fantasy, illusion, unity, drugs, and oil. Venus-Mercury is thinking about partnerships.

The United States began carpet bombing Kabul. Witnesses report that this large city, the capital of Afghanistan, is now nothing but rubble. The U.S. begins to use gigantic 15,000 lb. bombs, each of which creates a crater the size of 7 football fields. The "Defense" Dept. brags about it. Are we victims or what?

Busy Bush puts out an executive order which is outrageous in its promotion of secrecy: Presidential papers are never, never to be released to the public, he says. The Reagan papers were due to be released next January, and reporters and researchers were waiting to check out much of the foundational history related to this time. (Remember that the Saturn-Pluto conjunction, which sowed the seeds for this time, occurred in 1982.) Now, as long as GW’s order stands, those historical papers will never be released.

What one needs for healing during a Plutonic transit is maximum honesty, and a focus on bringing long-buried secrets to light. This manipulation of information only promotes deeper national dysfunction. But there were other people around, there were witnesses, and many of them DO desire healing for the nation. As they begin to gather courage, they will speak up, and the historical record will begin to take shape. And certainly other nations are presenting us a mirror to show us ourselves. So is our government, in fact. All we need to do is really look.

For instance, the U.S. now rejects the Biological Weapons Protocol which bans biological weapons. This protocol has been 10 years in the making, and is signed by 143 nations. The U.S. is the only voice of opposition. The anthrax scare may be only a signal to expect blowback from this attitude. Reread Sissy Blue’s story about the three passes of a transiting planet. And realize that the Lord of Evolution, Pluto, will be in the U.S. first house of self for another 8 years, and will oppose Saturn again next May-June.

At Global Warming talks in Morocco, Japan finally said they will sign the Kyoto Treaty. Not wanting to offend the U.S. has held them back. Now, with the great industrial power of Japan signing on, the world can proceed with a corrective program without the U.S.

The Microsoft suit was finally settled in favor of Microsoft. However, many of the states will not accept this settlement, and plan to continue the case in their own right. Taking unfair advantage of market position is the issue.

"War" cheerleading is occurring. Germany offers to donate 4,000 troops, and their Green Party is torn apart. Tony Blair goes all over the Middle East setting up U.S. support. Bush makes a speech basically threatening weakening coalition members, reiterating, "You’re either with us or against us." And implying that if you’re against us, you’re in trouble. I call it "harsh globalization." The U.S. also sets up a propaganda system over Afghanistan.

In the meantime, we hear that millions of Afghanis are refugees in their harsh, cold land—starving and in squalid conditions, as well as in constant fear of U.S. bombs—and not exactly embraced by the Taliban, either. (And the U.S. bombed the clearly marked Red Cross Center "by accident" not only once, but 3 times, thus destroying a huge quantity of food stored for winter.)

Are we all victims or what? (The U.S. does have Neptune as its most elevated planet.)

FIRST QUARTER MOON IN AQUARIUS. (See Daily Success Guide for October 23.) We are finally in the fixed square, with a bang. Fixed squares are about power struggles, often required to create the Libra balance.

We have our power struggle right here in town—between the city that is determined to build this huge building, and us residents who are fighting the destruction of our neighborhood. We had a meeting the night of the Quarter where the Council threw its weight around, without making a final decision. Still, the day after, we saw surveyors out surveying the property for the building.

For me, the struggle revolved around my plants. I have a lot of them around my front and back doors, and my landlord asked me to remove them. I did so, and felt bereft—but we have now communicated more fully and come to agreements so that I can replace most of them.

In Washington Congress rapidly passed and GW signed the "USA Patriot Act." This act is a terrible blow to civil liberties. For instance, government agencies can wiretap anybody, any time, without cause or warrants, same with e-mail. They can search anybody’s house at any time, also without cause or warrant. Immigrants can be detained incommunicado in prison for 7 days with no cause, after that indefinitely on only the flimsiest of reasons. It’s quite appalling. Sec. Ashcroft said he would move quickly to take advantage of it, and he has. There are already, at best count, 1000 immigrants so detained without cause, and minus the right to communicate with anyone. I thank our Congresswoman, Lynn Woolsey, for being one of the few to vote against it.

The House also passed a so-called "Economic Stimulus Act." It basically consists of huge tax refunds for corporations, in many forms. For instance, one provision cancels a law which required corporations to pay some tax even though deductions had gotten them down to zero tax owed—a very common situation. This law was to cancel that particular corporate abuse. Now not only is that law rescinded, but refunds are to be given for the last 15 years to corporations who paid that tax. This means billions to GE, billions to General Motors, etc.—at a time when workers are being laid off in droves.

GW signed an executive order allowing the CIA to assassinate people in foreign countries.

The U.S. started using cluster bombs in Afghanistan. Cluster bombs release many little bomblets, which go off at varying times, some far into the future. The U.S dropped cluster bombs in Laos from 1964-67. They look like appealing yellow toys (similar to the food packages the U.S. is also dropping in Afghanistan), and Laotian children are still dying from them. I guess that’s what the term "carpet bombing" means—providing a carpet of bombs for the country which lasts for many years. Cluster bombs are disavowed by the international community.

The U.S. also began dropping land mines over Afghanistan. The whole world, except for the U.S., has signed an international treaty outlawing land mines. They kill and maim mostly civilians, and again, last in the land indefinitely.

Israelis intensified their deadly incursions into Palestine. However, the U.S. has told them to back off.

The anthrax scare has taken up most of the media space. We’ve moved from Gary Condit to anthrax. In the meantime, the media neither reports on nor analyzes real news. And the climate of fear, which makes people more controllable, increases.