War in the Sahel or operatic undertones?

On 26 Jul 2023 there was a military coup in Niger. The Western-backed leader, Mohamed Bazoum was detained and confined to house arrest by the presidential guard, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani. This was the 4th such coup in West Africa within the last three years. It points to a trend, with the old European colonial powers one-by-on being kicked out of their old African colonies. The recent coups were all in the Sahel region of West Africa a region once ruled mostly by France. For more, read on… Continue reading “War in the Sahel or operatic undertones?”

The 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake

On the 6th of February 2023 at 04:17 TRT a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Türkiye and north-western Syria. As of this writing the quake has killed over 50,000 people, with over 120,000 injured, the great majority of them in Tűrkiye. There have been over 2100 aftershocks, with over 230 of those registering M4.0 or higher. Regional support was swift to Syria, with Russian troops still stationed in Syria aiding in rescue and relief efforts, not so much in Tűrkiye. More than 80 countries have offered material aid and assistance. Absent from those 80 were Western nations until very recently. The chart is rather interesting for several reasons. The quake is already having geopolitical effects, too. For more, read on… Continue reading “The 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake”

The Great American Balloon Panic of 2023

On 16th of February 2023 grave fears were expressed for the plight of a hobby balloon launched by the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB). Their balloon has gone missing. The fear is it was shot down by the USAF with a heat-seeking missile. Why the Air Force would have used a heat-seeking missile on a $12 hobby balloon is a mystery, because the balloon had no on-board propulsion or other technology that would emit heat. There must have been some really nefarious tech on-board that balloon. To their credit, NIBBB is not as yet pointing fingers at the USAF, but the disappearance comes on the heels of other balloons similarly shot down, if indeed their balloon was popped by the USAF. This is a developing story. For more, read on… Continue reading “The Great American Balloon Panic of 2023”

The 8 Nov 2022 total lunar eclipse

The full moon on 8 Nov 2022 is also an eclipse, a total lunar eclipse. The preceding eclipse two weeks before, with the Sun/Moon lunation in the first degrees of Scorpio, has produced some strong results, some of which will be catalogued in what follows here. Although the latter eclipse is in a waning series, Mars was also out-of-bounds, increasing tensions and producing some violent and catastrophic events. The results of the present eclipse will be revolutionary, instead. For more, read on… Continue reading “The 8 Nov 2022 total lunar eclipse”

Nord Stream – The gauntlet has been thrown down

Starting early in the morning on 26 September an explosion was registered in the Baltic Sea by the Danish Geological Survey near the island of Bornholm in the Danish economic exclusion zone. Exactly 17 hours later a second explosion was registered, this time northeast of the same island. Since then methane gas has been pouring out of the Nordstream pipelines, thus shutting off Germany’s only direct supply of natural gas from Russia. It was an act of war and a heinous act of ecoterrorism, as well as endangering the lives and livelihoods of millions of Germans and other European citizens by extension. The question is, who was responsible? Read on to find out… Continue reading “Nord Stream – The gauntlet has been thrown down”

The Libra solar ingress 2022

The Sun enters Libra on Friday, 23 September just after 01:00 UT, signalling the Libra equinox. It also signals the coming of winter in the northern hemisphere and what is shaping up to be a very ‘interesting’ period across the Western world. Federal elections will be held in Italy two days after, where a right-wing coalition government is slated to take power. It will be a sign of the times for the EU if so. And to make things even more interesting, on the day of the equinox this year, four Ukrainian oblasts will begin voting to secede from Ukraine and become part of the Russian Federation. For more, read on… Continue reading “The Libra solar ingress 2022”

Pelosi and America’s China Syndrome

A syndrome is defined as a characteristic combination of opinions, emotions, or behaviour. If more severe, then it describes a mental illness: a group of symptoms which consistently occur together, or a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms. Washington appears to have all the hallmarks of a China Syndrome, especially on the Republican side. There is another side to syndromes in popular culture, too, which is when a nuclear reactor core goes out of control and melts down ‘all the way to China’. Washington at present also appears to be going through a meltdown, but it is a sort of ‘reverse China Syndrome’, in that the actions of China and Russia are causing a meltdown in Washington. And the recent trip of Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan has just stopped the cooling pump to the reactor…

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Boris resigns (?)

Most of us by now will recognize an adulterated Turkish proverb doing the rounds: “When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” Well, Boris, the clown has resigned and everyone hopes the circus will leave town along with the rest of the clowns, to be replaced with saner voices. But there is a question in all this: Why is he still sitting in Parliament doing PMQs? Has he really resigned? It would appear not. What is really going on here? For more, read on… Continue reading “Boris resigns (?)”

What gives with America and school shootings?

Once again America mourns the senseless and tragic mass murder of children at one of its schools. Once again, politicians are either offering “thoughts and prayers for the family”, or “We have to do something! This has to stop!” It doesn’t stop. The words, though full of emotion at the time, always ring hollow. Nothing changes. The media doesn’t help, either, playing more to people’s emotions than presenting anything meaningful. The event fades from the news cycle in a few days and America’s public amnesia sets in, as if programmed that way, until the next time a similar event happens. What is it about the US that causes such a terrible state of affairs – events like those rarely seen in other nations? Perhaps the US national chart offers some clues. Continue reading “What gives with America and school shootings?”

Roe vs. Wade revisited

Few issues in American society have given rise to such heated and passionate debate as that of abortion. It is an issue about which most people have strong opinions, for or against and entrenched. There appears to be no middle ground, at least in the US, where abortion is seen as murder by opponents and a woman’s sacred right to choose for its adherents. Roe vs. Wade was the landmark decision that decided in favor of women’s rights in 1973. Now, in a recently leaked draft decision circulated among the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) justices, Roe vs. Wade looks set to be overturned. The battle for hearts and minds regarding abortion is on once again. But what is this really all about? Perhaps the US chart can give us some clues. Continue reading “Roe vs. Wade revisited”