September 13, 2004

Genocide in Darfur

Last Thursday the U.S. State Department declared that the Sudanese government in partnership with the Janjaweed militia is committing genocide against its non-Arabic citizens in the Darfur region. Colin Powell made the announcement, but hasn't yet recommended any sanctions be placed on Sudan. Meanwhile, the government officials dismissed the use of the term "genocide" as election year politics.

Astrologically, the American view of the atrocities in Sudan cannot be so easily dismissed as short-term political rhetoric. Sudan's horoscope (January 1, 1956; 8:00 am; Khartoum) reflects the harsh assessment of "genocide" since transiting Saturn (judgment) is opposing Mercury (terms and labels). Likewise, the U.S. horoscope shows a long term humanitarian crisis shaping up, and the huge refugee problem in Darfur is currently the most likely candidate for this development.

In the U.S. horoscope (July 4, 1776; 2:21 pm; Philadelphia) the asteroid Ceres forms an exact, very favorable trine to the Scorpio Ascendant. Ceres is placed in compassionate Pisces, where she is best symbolized by the Statue of Liberty, who welcomes immigrants with the message "Give me your tired, your poor your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Ceres trine the Scorpio Ascendant enhances the national image as the statuesque symbol for the Goddess of Democracy.

Throughout 2005 transiting Uranus will be conjunct the U.S. Ceres. Uranus puts humanitarian crises on the national agenda, no matter which candidate is elected. Ceres is known as the Goddess of Grains, and in the U.S. chart corresponds to the abundance of American agricultural products. Under crisis, Ceres is associated with famine and relief efforts. The first conjunction occurs on April 1, by which time the U.S. may be fully embroiled in the Sudan situation.

Travelzoo (TZOO), Insanely Overpriced

Travelzoo, the online travel service company, is defying the general flatness of the overall stock market with a wild roller coaster ride. One financial analyst summarized the consensus opinion that it's "insanely overpriced by any metric," and yet TZOO rose another 25 percent last week alone. In the last 52 weeks TZOO has risen from under $5 to close at $58 last Friday.

Many financial astrologers use a company's first trade chart to track its price swings, even though perhaps some 80 percent of price movement can be attributed to sector and general market trends. But for break-out companies like TZOO, the first trade chart (August 28, 2002; 9:30 am; New York) tells the story. TZOO's Sun in Virgo trine the Moon in Taurus is the first clue that this company is solid.

The speculative side** of TZOO can be seen in the Moon's squares to Jupiter and Neptune. Taurus Moon square Jupiter is a sign of over-optimism, while the square to Neptune goes well beyond to the point of chasing after the legendary El Dorado. An old astrologer's maxim states that "someone is always fooled under a Moon-Neptune square."

TZOO's stock was dormant until transiting Uranus opposed the Sun last April when the company reported a 70 percent surge in revenue. Over the last five months the stock has experienced spectacular upward spikes under the favorable influence of the progressed Sun trine the Taurus Moon. However, this progression is now waning. Price tops occurred on June 30, July 2, August 25, with each peak taking place precisely two or three days before the Full Moon.

Ken Jennings, Jeopardy Genius Meets his Waterloo