Monthly Archives: October 2018

“Counterproductive and Dangerous”: Nuclear Arms Race Feared as U.S. Quits Key Treaty with Russia

Links to today’s show transcripts:

“Counterproductive and Dangerous”: Nuclear Arms Race Feared as U.S. Quits Key Treaty with Russia
President Trump has announced plans to pull the United States out of a landmark nuclear arms pact with Russia, in a move that could spark a new arms race. President Ronald Reagan and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 1987. The INF banned all nuclear and non-nuclear missiles with short and medium ranges. The treaty helped to eliminate thousands of land-based missiles. On Saturday, Trump vowed to build new nuclear weapons. Daryl Kimball is the director of the Arms Control Association. He previously led the Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers. He has been advocating for the U.S. and Russia to preserve the INF Treaty.

Trump Admin Attempts to Erase Existence of Trans People After Years of GOP-Led Attacks on Freedoms
The New York Times reports that the Trump administration is attempting to eliminate the rights of transgender people by creating a narrow legal definition of gender. Citing a government memo, the Times reveals that the Department of Health and Human Services has undertaken an effort across several government agencies to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans discrimination on the basis of sex. That definition would be either male or female, unchangeable, and determined by the genitals a person is born with. The Times reports that the memo says, “Sex means a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth. The sex listed on a person’s birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person’s sex.” If enacted, the proposal would reverse the expansion of transgender rights that took place under President Barack Obama. We speak with Chase Strangio, staff attorney at the ACLU.

“Reminiscent of South Africa’s Grand Apartheid”: Israeli Human Rights Group Slams Israel at U.N
Shortly after Israel announced a new “zero tolerance” policy toward demonstrations in Gaza, some 130 Palestinians were injured Friday while protesting ongoing Israeli occupation and demanding the right of return. Four paramedics and 25 children were among the injured. Ten thousand protesters gathered along Israel’s heavily militarized separation barrier with Gaza as part of the weekly Great March of Return protests that began March 30. Since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 170 Palestinians, including more than 30 children, and injured thousands more. Hagai El-Ad, the executive director of the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem is interviewed. He was in New York last week testifying before the U.N. Security Council officially for the first time.


e-p2

Order Eric’s Autumn Reading, which will cover Venus retrograde and beyond, and comprises all 12 signs. This will give you crucial insight into your Sun and rising signs, plus those of your closest partners, friends, family members and prospective lovers. Each sign will be 30 to 40 minutes each, and the set will come with a video introduction. You may order here, or call us at (845) 481-5616.

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Monday, Oct. 22, 2018

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Aquarius weekly for March 1, 2018.

oracle

With Pisces as your second house, it’s crucial for you to spend time figuring out what drives your concept of self-worth. That means getting — and staying — in touch with your feelings. Acknowledging their existence, for one, and their nature, for another, will surely help you understand your essential humanity. That fact alone is sufficient reason for you to feel you have value and a purpose. Be clear with yourself, this week, that your emotional world is real, valid and important. — by Amy Elliott.

The Daily Oracle offers a horoscope selected randomly by our Intelligent Archive Oracle program, unique to Planet Waves. It’s also a database of my horoscopes going back to the late 1990s. You can use the Intelligent Archive Oracle to answer questions and give you ideas for how to handle problems and situations you cannot see through. This feature is available to our Galaxy, Backstage and Core Community members. See this link for more information.


e-p2

Order Eric’s Autumn Reading, which will cover Venus retrograde and beyond, and comprises all 12 signs. This will give you crucial insight into your Sun and rising signs, plus those of your closest partners, friends, family members and prospective lovers. Each sign will be 30 to 40 minutes each, and the set will come with a video introduction. You may order here, or call us at (845) 481-5616.

Monday Morning Horoscope for Oct. 22, 2018

Aries

Aries (March 20-April 19) — It will help if you’re unusually open and conversant about things you usually keep quiet about. That would include all the taboo subjects, but particularly revealing the truth about your desire nature. A group of planets in Scorpio is about to be joined by the Sun on Tuesday morning, which will illuminate the angle of your solar chart where you have plenty to talk about, but might be least inclined to open up. What you may be sensing is that if you talk about what’s on your mind, and what you’re experiencing emotionally, you are inviting change. This would include change to some of what you think are your deeply held values, and a degree of rearrangement in the dynamics of your relationships. Yet this is movement that will come no matter what, whether you’re secretive or coy or reluctant to share — or whether you open up and reveal your innermost reality. It’s just a matter of how much choice and influence you have, though that takes courage. Get your full Aries reading by Eric here.

Taurus

Taurus (April 19-May 20) — Close partners can meet you as you really are, if you let them. That will be the challenge: to allow them into the changes you’re experiencing, your evolving perception of yourself, and your morphing role in the world. You are not shifting as radically as you think. Mostly, you are considering the possibilities of who you are, and who you want to become. This will be less like changing and more like revealing your personal qualities that were always present within you. You are more willing to take risks, and the people who care about you are more likely to meet you in that place, and to play along. Therefore, you can afford to be bold, and bring your experimentation to a conscious level. Consistency is important in the world, particularly in our rather unstable time in history, though you can afford to be a little less predictable. Every morning when you wake up, take some time to decide who you want to be and what you want to do. Get your full Taurus reading by Eric here.

Gemini

Gemini (May 20-June 21) — Consider the wisdom of your actions; that will be the issue, in hindsight. Did you use the knowledge that you had? Was your response to developments and events proportional to their relevance? Were you responding from an exclusively emotional frame of reference, or did you bring your reasoning abilities into the discussion? You have time to decide these things now, before events come to a peak. You do, in fact, know what you need to know, and you can discover any facts or perspectives that you might need. Be sensitive to “when you don’t want to know” something, lest it somehow disrupt your plans. That’s the very thing you want to know, and any mental shakeup you might experience will lead the way to more creative and strategic thoughts. Those could come at any time, by the way, as the peak of Venus retrograde approaches over the coming week. Ideas that may not seem to be worth much at first glance may turn out to be brilliant, so be alert. Get your full Gemini reading by Eric here.

Cancer

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Though life on the planet is way too chaotic for people such as yourself who genuinely value peace and quiet, good things are happening. And you will get the benefit as long as you remain open and available, which can be challenging in our particular moment. So you will need to keep your signals clear, and be sensitive to when you’re being offered something, and when you’re being asked for something. Even though those may seem like opposites, they do have one thing in common, which is the potential to get an exchange going. That will present you with an opportunity both to offer and to receive, and it will be helpful if you are able to do both as a conscious act. You have plenty to offer, and that’s the side of the equation to focus on. Any creative enterprises you might involve yourself in over the next few weeks will thrive, so do what you can to give those space, time and love, i.e., tune your guitar, or carry your sketchbook. Get your full Cancer reading by Eric here.

Leo

Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) — You seem to be in pursuit of a turning point that keeps eluding you. The closer you get to it, the less available it seems to be. This might be a decision, a break in your routines, a shift in your life pattern, or the need for some change in your environment that facilitates your progress. This will come in a form different from the one you were expecting, or developing. The real thing you’re chasing is your idea of who you are. The first thing to remember is that — add bold italics — who you are is an idea! And so your self-concept is vitally meaningful. Does it align with the underlying truth, or are you struggling to live out some inaccurate, untrue, notion of your existence? The problem here is that towering castles of sand can be built up around false ideas, and fear-based identity structures can be built on sticks. These have no substance other than the attachment you invest. Let them go. Get your full Leo reading by Eric here.

Virgo

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) — You have a lot to say, and I suggest you say it before you explode. Contrary to current popular mythology, this is not all about rage and disadvantage. You have many observations of the world, you have actual ideas, you have helpful knowledge to share. Don’t be overly dramatic about this. Writing on a napkin is a good start; capture ideas from emails; if you post a reply to an article, capture the text, and begin to develop it. Most ideas seem small at first; as any successful writer will tell you, the craft is in the development and expression, and this is an organic process. I suggest you not chase the big payoff, but rather recognize how subtle true originality really is. Therefore, to engage your creativity and expressiveness, you will need to be patient. And you will need to be circumspect: look at your situation from many angles, from close to the ground, from above, from all around, and in different kinds of light. The truth is not a thing. It’s a point of contact. Get your full Virgo reading by Eric here.

Libra

Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) — You might have finances on your mind, which would be appropriate. The essence of your success is understanding your mutual needs with the people around you, and you’re getting a lesson in that now. I explain this often: doing business means dependably providing something that people want or need, in exchange for money. It really is that simple, though of course you must be dependable, and maintain a structure that supports your enterprise. That is where most people fall short. They typically need the structure to already be there, and tend to neglect the necessary maintenance. In our time and in our society, we have many options available that did not exist recently. For example, 20 years ago, it was a big deal to accept credit cards; now anyone can. This and many other innovations have made it easier to do business. What has made it more difficult is a collapse of certain mental structures, ethical structures and motivation. These, you must supply. Get your full Libra reading by Eric here.

Scorpio

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) — Friday is the peak of Venus retrograde — what’s called the interior conjunction of Venus and the Sun. (Technically, the word is ‘inferior’ but I’ve amended that.) This looks like some kind of revelation, a discovery, or a breakthrough. The essence is taking ownership of something you thought belonged to someone else. There are different ways to describe this — such as “calling in a projection.” This is not an easy concept to understand, though the simplest way to say it is being accountable for feelings that you thought belonged to someone else, or that you assigned to someone else when they were really yours. It’s about doing something that is most definitely not in style right now, which is being fully responsible for what you feel, for how you perceive the world, and for understanding your own motives. Essentially, you are looking for something you have not revealed to yourself, or admitted to yourself. It won’t be hard to find. This is not about them; it’s about you. Get your full Scorpio reading by Eric here.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) — You will be able to unravel a mystery this week, something that may have puzzled or even vexed you for a long time. This has been brewing as if in the next room, though seemingly nowhere in sight. You will, therefore, need to look, listen and feel in the subtle dimensions of your awareness: your dreams, your intuition (which is never fearful), your fears (as separate from intuition), and something or someone that was lost that’s now manifesting in some way, including as the ability to let go or some signal that it is time to let go. Notice how you feel upon awakening, as much as you might focus on the content of a dream. Consider the notion of “lost love,” how you have responded to relationships changing in the past, and how you may have held on to your feelings. You are more sentimental than it may seem from the outside, though now is the time not for sentiment but rather for emotional honesty. That will give you some freedom to be yourself. Get your full Sagittarius reading here.

Capricorn

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) — What seems like a complex issue comes back to your family, and is not so complicated after all. Don’t be deceived by the feeling that it is; rather, map out “what is so” — your circumstances as you know them to exist — and check that map against a schematic of your family of origin. One of the central questions is “how did things come to be the way they are?” You can apply this like a meditation to any topic, theme, question, circumstance or issue in your life, though an interesting and worthwhile place to start will be your family. Every family has its story of “how we came into being,” although usually it’s sketchy and in parts and, in a sense, mythologized. Through the holiday season, you may have several opportunities to speak with your older relatives. Get them to share stories about your family and the early days, so far as they understand and describe them; and remember, this is perception and lore, with some reality mixed in. Gently press for specific bits of history, with the details, names, dates and places — and write it down as soon as you can. Get your full Capricorn reading here.

Aquarius

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You are struggling to let go of certain personality tendencies, and I suggest you give yourself credit for succeeding quite well so far. If you could go back in time and slip into your self-concept of 18 months ago, you would see what I mean. You have made much more room for you to be who you are; you’re likely to feel more liberated and free to make choices as a result. Yet this has not exactly been a passive process, particularly this year. Part of how you learn who you are is to assert yourself. People who do not bump, scrape, grind and in some way make contact with one another do not find out who they are. Avoiding conflict is the surest way to avoid enlightenment, growth, maturity or this elusive thing known as adulthood. This does not mean whacking people on the head or picking needless fights. Rather, you’ve discovered that it’s necessary for you to stand up to challenges, and to stand up for yourself. And that, in fact, has been enlightening. Get your full Aquarius reading here.

Pisces

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Where do you invest your faith? Think of it as a resource that you can use for a purpose. You can do anything you want with it. Faith is your fidelity: your trust. This is starting to sound like a bank ad. And it’s true that plenty of faith is placed in money, such as investments that are supposed to make us prosper. Others say their faith is in God, but don’t have a direct relationship or direct experience, so that would qualify more as belief. And there are some who have faith in God that’s the result of experience. Others put their faith in magic: If I do this, I will get this result, though there may be no established cause and effect, or even known correlation. Some put their faith in the future. Others invest it in their fellow humans. So let’s start with the question, which I would challenge you to answer through direct observation of yourself over the next seven days or so. Notice when you feel strong, and when you feel weak. That will tell you most of what you need to know. Get your full Pisces reading by Eric here.

oct21-2018

Venus Conjunct the Sun in Scorpio

oct21-2018

Digital illustration by Charlie Lemay.

This week, Venus makes its interior conjunction to the Sun in Scorpio. Said in plain terms, Venus is passing between the Earth and the Sun, and Friday, all three bodies align and form a conjunction.

We’ll be at the peak of Venus retrograde, in a year dominated by the retrogrades of personal planets. Sex and gender being such focused issues this year makes a good case for the validity of astrology.

Continue reading

Scorpio Venus Retrograde Conjunct the Sun

Use this link if you’re listening on an iOS or mobile device. Download MP3.


Eric has completed his 2018 Autumn Reading, Empathy, an excellent 12-sign audio set covering Venus retrograde, a review of Mars retrograde and more. Order all 12 signs for best value, or choose your individual signs.


The Sun entering Scorpio is met by Uranus, the jumper cables of the solar system, in the first degree of Taurus. How can you use this energy to kick into gear? Your 2018-19 Scorpio birthday reading by Eric will help you find the answers.


Dear Friend and Listener:

Tonight on Planet Waves FM, I begin with a look at Venus retrograde in Scorpio, which is making its interior conjunction to the Sun on Friday. I’ve covered this in tonight’s subscriber edition as well; I’ll be exploring the themes of projection, acknowledgment of what you feel and what you want, I-statements, and seeing things from the viewpoint of the other.

oct21-40-2018fm

Chan Marshall, who records as Cat Power, considered moving away and leaving music behind when she got pregnant. Instead she started work on her new album, “Wanderer.” Photo by Ryan Pfluger. Read recent coverage of Marshall in The New York Times, which includes a sample from her new album, “Wanderer.” We feature her today as part of Faithless.

I’ll then offer a look at the news, in these last weeks before the U.S. midterm elections.

The second half of the program is an extended Tantra Studio, featuring a conversation with Planet Waves FM listener Michelle Commesso. She is a mother of four children, and explains her philosophy of educating her kids about the most challenging topics of our day, from rape culture, to how to know what you want, to the basics of sex education.

Our music today is from Faithless, featuring the women who have offered their vocal and writing talent to the British collective: Cat Power, Dido, and Zoe Johnston (as well as Harry Collier).

Planet Waves FM is published by Chiron Return, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, which is part of the Pacifica Radio Network. We are supported by your generous contributions, large and small, which are starting to add up each month and cover the costs of the program. All contributions are fully tax-deductible.

Thank you for being a one-time donor or monthly supporter. Here is how to contribute.

Chiron Return’s projects include Planet Waves FM, The Gemstone File resource for activists and reporters, and the forthcoming Investigative Reporting from the Kitchen Table. Look for a letter surveying our readers for their interest in this class, which I plan to begin in late winter.

Continue reading

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Taurus daily for May 6, 2006.

oracle

Some things are best left unsaid, but are fully appropriate to do. Why not talk? Often it’s a distraction from action. Other times, we need to let our actual movement in the world guide us rather than working from a plan or conscious design. Both apply to you this weekend. There seems to be something important and satisfying you need to do, and I trust you have a feeling for just what it is. But let intuition and your sense of direction guide you. Remember, you don’t need to know the outcome, only what your feelings tell you to do next, including how to handle any obstacle that may get in your way.

The Daily Oracle offers a horoscope selected randomly by our Intelligent Archive Oracle program, unique to Planet Waves. It’s also a database of my horoscopes going back to the late 1990s. You can use the Intelligent Archive Oracle to answer questions and give you ideas for how to handle problems and situations you cannot see through. This feature is available to our Galaxy, Backstage and Core Community members. See this link for more information.


e-p2

Order Eric’s Autumn Reading, which will cover Venus retrograde and beyond, and comprises all 12 signs. This will give you crucial insight into your Sun and rising signs, plus those of your closest partners, friends, family members and prospective lovers. Each sign will be 30 to 40 minutes each, and the set will come with a video introduction. You may order here, or call us at (845) 481-5616.

Planet Waves Daily Oracle for Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018

Today’s Oracle takes us to the Capricorn weekly for October 24, 2003.

oracle

I see you acting in a science fiction plot where two characters are laid out on operating tables and a mad scientist is going to throw a big switch and exchange the contents of their minds. But a more modern version of the plot would be for you to play the part of a therapist who asks two clients to engage in conversation and then, every five minutes, has them switch seats, helping them notice the subtle shifts in the conversation as they do so. Imagine playing this role in a public performance attended by your parents and one of more of your siblings. How would they respond?

The Daily Oracle offers a horoscope selected randomly by our Intelligent Archive Oracle program, unique to Planet Waves. It’s also a database of my horoscopes going back to the late 1990s. You can use the Intelligent Archive Oracle to answer questions and give you ideas for how to handle problems and situations you cannot see through. This feature is available to our Galaxy, Backstage and Core Community members. See this link for more information.


e-p2

Order Eric’s Autumn Reading, which will cover Venus retrograde and beyond, and comprises all 12 signs. This will give you crucial insight into your Sun and rising signs, plus those of your closest partners, friends, family members and prospective lovers. Each sign will be 30 to 40 minutes each, and the set will come with a video introduction. You may order here, or call us at (845) 481-5616.

Dissident Saudi Academic Madawi Al-Rasheed on Khashoggi’s Disappearance, U.S.-Saudi Relations & More

Links to today’s show transcripts:

Dissident Saudi Academic Madawi Al-Rasheed on Khashoggi’s Disappearance, U.S.-Saudi Relations & More
Evidence is mounting that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is directly implicated in the assassination of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Turkish officials say Khashoggi was tortured and murdered by a squad of 15 Saudi hit men shortly after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Four of the men implicated in Khashoggi’s death are reportedly linked to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s security detail. After weeks of defending Saudi Arabia, President Trump said Thursday that he believes Khashoggi is dead, and acknowledged allegations against the Saudis. We speak with Madawi Al-Rasheed, a Saudi dissident and visiting professor at the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics. She was stripped of her Saudi citizenship in 2005 for criticizing Saudi authorities. Her new piece in The New York Times is titled “Why King Salman Must Replace M.B.S.”

Dr. Madawi Al-Rasheed: In Khashoggi Murder, Saudi Arabia Must Not Be Allowed to Investigate Itself
As details continue to emerge about the disappearance and probable murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi dissident Madawi Al-Rasheed is interviewed about Khashoggi’s history as a Saudi journalist and government insider, and the future of Saudi Arabia. She is a visiting professor at the London School of Economics Middle East Centre. She was stripped of her Saudi citizenship in 2005 for criticizing Saudi authorities. Her new piece in The New York Times is titled “Why King Salman Must Replace M.B.S.”

Netanyahu Attacks Israeli Human Rights Group B’Tselem for Criticizing Israeli Occupation at U.N.
Fears are growing as Israel escalates its military presence along its heavily militarized separation barrier with Gaza. Israel has deployed 60 tanks to meet Palestinian protesters gathering today to protest the ongoing Israeli occupation and demand the right of return for those displaced from their homes. Israel has announced it is implementing a “zero tolerance” policy toward protesters in Gaza, who have been staging weekly Friday protests since March 30 under the banner of the Great March of Return. Since then, Israeli forces have killed at least 170 Palestinians, including more than 30 children, and injured at least 18,000. Hagai El-Ad is executive director of the human rights group B’Tselem, who testified Thursday in front of the United Nations Security Council about the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank.


e-p2

Order Eric’s Autumn Reading, which will cover Venus retrograde and beyond, and comprises all 12 signs. This will give you crucial insight into your Sun and rising signs, plus those of your closest partners, friends, family members and prospective lovers. Each sign will be 30 to 40 minutes each, and the set will come with a video introduction. You may order here, or call us at (845) 481-5616.