Astro Blog
by Adrian Duncan | Jan 19, 2022 | Adrian's Articles 2000
In ancient times, when the Greek gods ruled the universe, it was never a good idea to go for a stroll through a flowery meadow, even if you were with your mother. Who knew whether the earth would open up, and the fearsome god Hades (Pluto) would drag you down into the Underworld? Such was the fate of Persephone (Venus), who was drawn into the darkness on Hades’ chariot and deflowered. When this happened, Demeter, the mother, (Ceres) was not pleased. She made the Earth barren and there was famine. Zeus (Jupiter) had to intervene, and Persephone was allowed to return the surface for half of the year, during which time Demeter made the earth fruitful . It seems that is how we humans got summer and winter.
Here is early 2022, the story repeats. Venus is abducted, and Ceres is mad. Me too.
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by Adrian Duncan | Jan 10, 2022 | Adrian's Articles 2000
The last time Pluto was at 27 degrees Capricorn, the American colonies were in the middle of fighting a bitter war against the British. In the middle of this war – on July 4th 1776 – independence was declared. Major battles were still being fought – in Boston, Long Island, White Plains, Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and many more. Many of these battles were lost, but in 1781 at Yorktown, George Washington finally prevailed. That was five years after the Declaration of Independence, and Pluto had by this time moved into Aquarius. America was born in strife, with a belief that armed insurrection was justified.
The right to bear arms is enshrined in the 2nd Amendment, and today 40% of Americans live in a house with a gun. Each gun owner has an average of five weapons. (Note 1) 68% of all Republicans believe that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Republicans have twice as many guns than Democrats. 30% of Republicans (according to a PRRI poll) believe “true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country”.
In 2022 Pluto returns to 27 degrees Capricorn. Should we be worried?
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by Adrian Duncan | Dec 11, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
Less the 12,000 years ago the last Ice Age drew to a close, or more accurately, a glacial period ended. A new glacial period is likely to begin in one to two thousand years’ time, so humanity is enjoying a nice, warm interglacial interlude. This has been great for the world population, enabling a massive increase in agriculture-based civilizations. In CE 1 the population has been estimated at two hundred million, and now it is well over seven billion – a 350-fold growth.
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by Adrian Duncan | Oct 15, 2021 | Uncategorized
Det er en skelnesættende periode for Israel, og selvom forhenværende statsminister Benjamin Netanyahu tror måske at han kan gøre comeback, får han aldrig jobbet tilbage. Når man kigger på konflikten mellem Palæstina og Israel er det ikke svært at få øje på ironien. Jødernes historie fortæller om, hvordan de gentagende gang mistede deres land, og nu er den samme skæbne overgået palæstinenserne – ikke mindst dem i Gaza. Et tilbageblik på jødernes historie leverer svaret på Israels motivation og deres skæbne i det 21. århundrede
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by Adrian Duncan | Oct 15, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
When Europe and the USA opened up trade with China in the 18th and 19th centuries, there were all sorts of wonderful products they coveted, like furniture, silk and tea, but the Chinese had no particular desire for Western products. Britain had (literally) a quick fix for this, developing poppy fields in India and selling opium to China. Very soon there was an enormous Chinese demand for opium. The Chinese government tried to put a stop to this by banning the import of opium, to which a large proportion of the population in coastal cities became addicted. In the 1st Opium War, when the British navy shelled these cities into submission, China was forced to provide unfettered access to trade with the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842.
That would teach the Chinese to interfere with free trade!
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by Adrian Duncan | Aug 30, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
This is a watershed moment for Israel, and although ex-Prime Minister Netanyahu, recently ousted, thinks he can return, he will never get the job back. When observers look at the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the irony is striking. Historically Jews were exiled repeatedly from their country, and now the same fate has struck Palestinians, particularly those suffering in Gaza. A look at the history of the Jews provides an answer to Israeli motivations and their fate in the 21st century. …Read More
by Adrian Duncan | Jun 24, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
The Scots are a fearsome bunch. Emperor Hadrian certainly thought so, which is why he in AD 122 built a wall from coast to coast just south of the Scottish border, to keep marauding Scots out. Having carved out a huge empire, Rome gave up at the Scottish highlands and retreated behind their wall. Historically, Scotland has been fiercely independent – the union with England only taking place in 1707. Prior to that, Scotland made alliances with France against England, and for England there was always the threat of invasion from the North.
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by Adrian Duncan | May 1, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
Alle i den astrologiske verden har vidst, at 2020 ville være et specielt år, selvom man ikke kunne vide præcist hvorfor. Det skyldes den sjældne konjunktion mellem Saturn og Pluto (som sker hver 36-40 år) som får ekstra skub fra Jupiter, og i skrivende stund Mars. (Note 1) Man skal helt tilbage til 1500-tallet for at se denne tredobbelt konjunktion. Med corona-virussen ankomst ved vi nu hvorfor.
Skoler, børnehaver, restauranter, cafeer, og alle større arrangementer er aflyst. Flytrafikken er næsten standset. Ansatte sendes hjem. Gaderne er tomme. Der er en verdensomspændende forsøg på at forsinke spredningen af corona-virussen – den er for omfattende at standse, men kan den bremses en smule, så undgår man topbelastningen af akutte indlæggelser og mareridt scenarier, hvor folk ikke kan behandles. …Read More
by Adrian Duncan | May 1, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
I 1948 skrev George Orwell romanen Nineteen Eighty Four. Det siges at han vendte de sidste to chifre af lancerings-året om for at komme til tallet 1984 – en epoke hvor Big Brother var allestedsnærværende på utallige skjulte og synlige skærme. Den 4. maj 1984 blev Mark Zuckerberg født. I vores nye digitale tidsalder, hvor vi alle sammen bærer rundt på vores personlige skærm, eksisterer vi online i en verden, Zuckerberg har skabt: Facebook. Langt over en milliard mennesker bruger Facebook her i 2020. Og via hans filantropiske initiativ Internet.org har han planer om, at internettet blive tilgængeligt for alle. Så vil alle være på Facebook, og det er derfor ikke nogen dårlig ide at lære manden at kende samt at forstå hvad Facebook er i stand til. …Read More
by Adrian Duncan | May 1, 2021 | Adrian's Articles 2000
Har fremtiden nogensinde været så usikker? Hele verden skal forholde sig til en pandemi og en nedlukning, som påvirker næsten alle mennesker på planeten. Regeringer skal forholde sig til et umuligt valg mellem at lukke ned for den vækstmotor, som de er så afhængige af og at varetage befolkningens sundhed. Statsledere har valgt at prioritere sundhed fremfor profit, selvom corona virusset ikke er særlig dødbringende i forhold til andre alvorlige sygdomme, dog alvorlig nok til at overbelaste hospitaler og sundhedspersonale. De ledere, som har tøvet – Boris Johnson, Trump, Bolsonaro – måtte se på store dødsofre i deres befolkning (og de fik selv Covid 19). …Read More
