New data on John McCain’s time of birth places Aquarius on the cusp of his 12th house of Karma and Pisces on his Ascendant. (Click chart at left for larger image.) McCain calls himself a Maverick with a capital M, and his Aquarian 12th house reveals that this is not the first lifetime in which he assumed the role of the dissenter and the non-conformist.   

Pisces occupies the last six degrees of John McCain’s 12th house. While he was able to envision previously unforseen possibilities, in his past life McCain preferred dreaming to doing. When his visions failed to become reality, McCain relied on friends and associates to prop up his ego. 

Saturn in John McCain’s first house is also in the sign of Pisces. While the Karmic task of those born with this placement is to get in touch with deep compassion and understanding for those less fortunate, individuals with Saturn in Pisces often play the victim themselves. Whenever criticized, John McCain and members of his campaign have repeatedly cited his years spent in a prisoner of war camp as a counter to any argument, relevant or not. Bloomberg reports:

When Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former Senator John Edwards, rebuked McCain’s medical care proposal and noted that he’d always enjoyed government health benefits, McCain responded that he knows what it’s like to get inadequate care — “from another government.” 

When asked by Tonight Show host Jay Leno why it was that he could not remember how many houses he owned, John McCain again invoked the POW card, telling Leno that for 5 and a half years he didn’t have a house, didn’t have a table or a chair.

Today John McCain has many chairs in the eight residences he shares with his wife Cindy. McCain married Cindy, a former rodeo beauty queen and heiress to a beer fortune, one month after divorcing his first wife Carol, a model who became disfigured in an auto accident while John McCain was a POW.

Uranus is retrograde in John McCain’s second house of money, luxury and values. From a karmic standpoint Uranus retrograde shows that McCain placed too much importance on wealth, possessions and outer appearances in his past life. It’s clear he has continued this pattern in this life, making it difficult for him to complete Saturn in Pisces’ karmic requirement that he become an advocate for the underprivileged.

As the focal point of a T-Square aspecting his Moon and Mars, Uranus retrograde tells us that unmet needs and unexpressed emotions result in eruptions of anger. McCain is well known for his quick temper. In John McCain’s past life and in this one, Maverick becomes a euphemism for loose cannon. 

Despite these indicators of cosmic immaturity, there is good news.  John McCain’s past and present life challenges have offered training that allows him to gain the experience that is needed to become a leader and champion for the people. But it requires particular effort on his part.

Pisces Rising and Saturn in Pisces show that McCain came into this life with a deep sensitivity. His Moon in Aquarius reveals his craving for freedom. Its placement in the 11th house shows the potential for humanitarian action.

John McCain has the Sun conjunct Neptune in Virgo, the sign of service, located in the 7th house of partnerships. Mercury in Libra bestows the ability to see all sides of a situation and to play the diplomat. Because it is square his Moon’s Nodes, owning and actualizing this ability is a major part of his karmic task.

If he does the work to get out of his head and into his heart, John McCain has the potential to become the kind of leader who can envision a different way, motivate others to follow his dream and create sympathetic partnerships in service to humanity.

Do I think he can do this in time for next week’s presidential election? Of course not. But opportunities are arising for McCain to do his karmic work. Shortly after election day, Lord of Karma Saturn opposes McCain’s natal Saturn position. Transformative Pluto conjoins his Capricorn North Node in January of 2009, returning to activate it again from June to December. 

Win or lose, cosmic circumstances are in place for John McCain to mature into his natal promise of true maverick, visionary and leader of all the people, rich or poor, left or right.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, experience, natal chart, Karma, Maverick, past life, compassion, POW card, quick temper, Pisces Rising, presidential election, Capricorn North Node

Obama’s birth time was released fairly recently, so this is an updated chart from my previous article. (Click chart at left for larger image.)

With a birth time of 7:24 PM, the sign of Capricorn falls on Obama’s 12th house cusp. Issues of authority, security and integrity are the primary karmic concerns carried over from the past life. The first 18 degrees of Aquarius also reside in his 12th house, indicating that peer pressure would have complicated matters for Obama.

Barack Obama has two planets in the 12th house, Jupiter and Saturn. At 5 degrees apart they make a wide conjunction, and both happen to be retrograde. 

From a karmic standpoint, 12th house planets represent aspects of the personality that created unrest, anxiety or problems in the past life. Even if the trait was positive, its expression would have gone against the grain of the social or family expectations of the past life. Retrograde planets show challenges from the past life that were not resolved, requiring the subject to repeat the tasks or lessons associated with the planet(s).

Saturn in the 12th house tells me that Barack Obama is working out particularly difficult karma this time around. The fact that it is retrograde makes Saturn’s karmic load even heavier. People with Saturn in the 12th house have very strong personalities. Even in this lifetime, the soul faces many tests that help it to grow stronger. Obama’s past life was filled with greater than average responsibilities, and he was required to make a substantial sacrifice. Should he be elected, Obama may have to make similar sacrifices as he steps into one of the most problem filled terms any US president has ever faced. 

Jupiter is one of the few good news planets when it falls in the 12th house. Karmically, it indicates that Obama chose to return to earth at this time because of a great love of humanity and a desire to see it live up to its highest potential. It’s no surprise that Obama has chosen “Hope” as his campaign theme. This karmic connection of Jupiter with Saturn shows his soul’s willingness to take on heavy burdens for the sake of the betterment of humanity.

But this is where the good news stops.

The retrograde condition of idealistic and freedom loving Jupiter, along with its proximity to conservative and rule-bound Saturn, shows that Obama’s past life ability to inspire hope and give structure to his vision of the future was clouded by compromise. He allowed the influence of others to color his definition of what it meant to be a leader. In his past life, Obama’s love of humanity may have actually become a hindrance as he worried too much about bridging the gap between the past and the future, the left and the right, and those who agreed with him and those who did not. 

The key to overcoming these karmic challenges is shown in Obama’s North Node in Leo and the placement of his Part of Fortune in the second house.The Part of Fortune is a point in the chart that represents the path to success and good fortune. Obama’s Part of Fortune in the second house reveals the importance of discovering and following his own values rather than waiting for clues from others in order to decide the best course of action.

Persons with the North Node in Leo have spent many lifetimes concerned with the goals and visions of the group. They operate from the standpoint that knowledge is power, and therefore seek counsel with others and look to understand the facts before moving forward. In this lifetime, Obama must balance these past life tendencies with the ability to know and follow his own will.

Leo is the sign of individual identity. The job of Leo is to follow the heart, to live passionately in the spotlight, to share the true self with others, to rule with conviction and generosity, and to have fun in the process. Obama’s Sun (core self), Mercury (style of thinking and communicating) and Uranus (drive for freedom and innovation) join his North Node in Leo, emphasizing the need to govern from his own heart in this lifetime.

Obama’s North Node is situated in his 7th house. It is in the 7th house we meet our partners and allies, and also our enemies. The 7th house is also the realm of harmony, diplomacy and balance. The more confidence Obama develops in his own guiding truth, the more likely it is that he will emerge as an agent of peace.

Whether he is successful in his bid for the presidency or not, the most important life task for Obama is to further develop the soul qualities of leadership, self assurance and warmth. As he does, the potential for him to grow into one of the greatest diplomats of our time is enormous.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama, past life, Obama’s birth time, karmic, Saturn, retrograde, president, good news, hope, North Node, peace, karma, astrology, chart, natal chart, election

Now it seems the use of the historical procedure has emboldened the Fed to seek greater powers over the US financial system. That, and some interestingly timed planetary transits.

On Monday, March 31st, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson ( I’ll say more on Paulson in a later post) will appear before Congress to ask that the Federal Reserve be given new powers to oversee the US financial markets. The Fed was initially created to oversee only commercial banks, those that cater to Mr. and Mrs. Average American.

Coincidentally, the Fed’s powers were already increased in 1994 with the passage of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA). HOEPA assigned the Federal Reserve the task of preventing predatory lending practices in the home mortgage market.
The Federal Reserve was established on December 23rd, 1913 in order to create a central bank that would standardize US currency. I was unable to find an exact time for its founding, so I ran the chart for 12 noon. (Click chart for larger image.)

It is a common misconception that the Federal Reserve is a branch of the US Federal Government. It is, in fact, an independent entity run by a Board of Governors whose members are appointed by the president. Wikipedia explains it this way:

It is considered an independent central bank because its decisions do not have to be ratified by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branch of government, it does not receive funding appropriated by Congress and the terms of the members of the Board of Governors span multiple presidential and congressional terms.

There exists a great deal of controversy over whether the establishment of the Federal Reserve has been good for the people of the United States. Some even argue that it is unconstitutional. Presidents Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln resisted the creation of a Central Bank. The Fed was finally signed into law by Woodrow Wilson, who later regretted it, stating,

I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men…

At the time of the Federal Reserve’s Founding, the Sun was at 01 degree Capricorn, opposed by Pluto at 00 degrees Cancer. If you have been following the current positions of the planets, then you are aware that Pluto entered Capricorn on January 28th of this year and currently sits at 01 degree of that sign. Pluto rules power as well as money not directly under your own control (such as taxes and investments).

As Treasury Secretary Paulson appears before Congress on Monday to ask for increased powers for the Federal Reserve, Pluto will be stationing (appearing to stand still in the sky) exactly conjunct the Fed’s natal Sun and opposite it’s natal Pluto as it prepares to go retrograde on the 2nd of April. The energy of a planet as it stations is said to be greatly magnified.

As Pluto turns retrograde it will slip back into the sign of Sagittarius, remaining there from June 14th through November 26th. The hallmarks of Sagittarius are optimism and expansion. Pluto’s initial entry into that sign in 1995 coincided with a rally in the financial markets. Combined with the ability to make trades over the internet, the nature of investing was forever transformed (another Plutonian effect.)

With the intense Pluto in Capricorn somberness that now colors the financial outlook for the US, it appears that the Treasury Department and The Federal Reserve are seeking to benefit from the current Pluto station and its upcoming foray back into Sagittarius by presenting the Fed as the only entity that can stem the rising tide of financial uncertainty.

If Treasury Secretary Paulson is successful in his bid to grant greater oversight of the US financial markets to the Federal Reserve, it will result in an unprecedented concentration of power, giving enormous control over US financial markets to a non-government entity whose decisions are not subject to approval by Congress or even the President himself.

On the other hand, Pluto’s transits may bring to light hidden information that will prompt profound changes in how the US handle its resources.

As Robert Gover, author of Time And Money: The Economy And The Planets, points out in his insightful article on Pluto and the Fed,

It has been found by astrologers that Pluto has to do with changes that are at first hidden, unknown, not yet manifested into our material reality.

No matter how this transformation manifests, and it’s still too early to know, we are surely about to witness an intense struggle for economic control.

Technorati Tags: subprime mortgage crisis, Federal Reserve, Henry Paulson, Pluto in Capricorn, economy

Technorati Tags: full moon, Virgo, lunar eclipse

A look at Hillary Clinton’s palm goes a long way in explaining why people either love her or hate her.

Take a look at Hillary’s hands in this photo. Her right palm clearly shows two horizontal creases, a head line and a heart line. Her left hand, however, has only a single crease across the palm.

In the following diagram, the palm on the left shows a typical hand with clearly defined head and heart lines. If you look at your own palm, there is a 98% chance that your hand looks something like that first diagram. The palm on the right shows a single crease, known in both medical and palmistry circles as the Simian Crease.

The Simian Crease was named after the single transverse crease found in the palms of apes and monkeys. It is commonly found in the hands of people who have Down’s Syndrome or other genetic abnormalities. (Please note that I will not publish any comments that include juvenile remarks about Senator Clinton and monkeys or disabled persons, so don’t even try it!)

However, there are a small number of people who are born with the single transverse crease (statistically, less than 3%) who are genetically normal. For these people, the Simian Crease is a sign that they are intellectually gifted.

In the language of the hand, the Simian Crease is a fusing of the head and heart lines, and as such, a fusing of the thinking and feeling functions. It is usually the thinking function that dominates. Persons with the crease in one or both hands possess single-minded focus and inner intensity. Because of this, they often feel misunderstood. It is only when these persons learn to slow down a little and become aware of their differing communication style that the gift can emerge.

As can be seen in this closeup, Hillary Clinton doesn’t have a classic Simian Crease. It does not extend the full width of her palm. She also has a partial head line extension that curves downward into her Mound of the Moon. However, there is clearly a fusing of the head and heart lines. (See diagram below).

The single crease in Senator Clinton’s hand may explain why she has been saddled with the reputation of being divisive. People with this gift can appear driven and may experience the world as more black and white than the average soul. Add to that an ultra long index finger which shows powerful ambition, and you can easily understand why Hillary hating has taken on a cult-like fervor.

Does this mean that Hillary Clinton has no heart? Other factors in her palm clearly indicate that she does.

Sitting above Hillary’s merged Head/Heart Line is a clearly etched curve known as the Girdle of Venus. Often referred to as a sister line to the Heart Line, the Girdle is a marker of sensitivity and heightened awareness of life’s subtleties.

With such a distinct Girdle in her palm, Senator Clinton not only feels, she feels deeply. When combined with a merged Head/Heart Line, the challenge of finding positive ways to communicate her feelings becomes even more complicated.

A vertical curve appears on the outer edge of Senator Clinton’s palm, adding to the overall challenge. This line has traditionally been called a Line of Clairvoyance, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate psychic ability as much as it does life Wisdom with a capital W. This line is a mark of right-brain driven knowledge, the kind that develops when life experience is combined with deep introspection, and it is another marker of giftedness.

It’s clear that there’s more to Senator Clinton than meets the eye. Perhaps the public was given a tiny glimpse of the “real” Hillary Clinton when she got teary eyed at a New Hampshire press conference.

In the end, her focused and driven Simian Crease won out and she was able to quickly regain her composure. The pundits are divided on whether this helped her campaign or hurt it.

Does Hillary Clinton’s palm indicate whether she would make a good president? It’s a mixed bag.

Her gifts of insight, empathy, focus and passion are clearly etched in her palm, but she seems unable to integrate her softer side into her public persona. The lack of a clear fate line confirms the difficulty she faces in allowing her true gifts to shine. Like many women in positions of power, she is criticized for being too masculine, but not allowed to be at all feminine.

Hillary’s thumbs (will power and the ability to make things happen) are weak. She holds them too close to her palm for true take charge success, and their tips are looking a bit flat, a sign that she may be exhausted. (Tears, anyone?)

No one, male or female, should have to contend with the level of vitriol that has been directed at Senator Clinton. As the first serious woman candidate for president, Hillary Clinton has taken on a pioneering role, and with it a heap of psychic and emotional abuse.

Perhaps it is part of her karma to change the way the US looks at strong women. But in order to stop being seen as polarizing, Hillary must integrate her own polarly opposite strengths and allow all of herself to show up on the campaign trail.

(Many thanks to Nathan for letting me use his excellent photo of Hillary Clinton for this analysis. You can see his other fine photos here.)

Technorati Tags: Hillary Clinton, presidential candidate, Simian Crease, gifted, divisive, Hillary hating, Girdle of Venus, Wisdom, Tears, Polarizing, Hand Analysis, Palmistry, Karma, Life Purpose

Read more here.

Technorati Tags: New Mexico, Pluto, planet

According to an article posted yesterday to LiveScience.com, global warming is waking up groundhogs and other hibernating animals earlier and earlier. The article states:

The balmy weather could snap awake groundhogs and other hibernating animals too early this year, well before their breakfasts are ready and threatening their survival.

In addition to the problem with finding food, a groundhog who is early to rise could find himself vulnerable to predators.

Global warming is the hot topic these days. Even a year ago, the subject was mostly ignored by the mainstream media, at least here in the US, and what little was reported focused mainly on denial of the problem.

Thankfully, shift happens. In the past few months news stories on global warming and the coming climate crisis have snowballed (pun intended). Many of them are worrisome and some of them are downright scandalous. An article in the Guardian UK reports:

Scientists and economists have been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group funded by one of the world’s largest oil companies to undermine a major climate change report due to be published today.

The bribes were offered by the American Enterprise Institute, a thinktank funded by ExxonMobil with close ties to the Bush administration.

Fortunately, with the new view on global warming, stories like this no longer get swept under the carpet. The Los Angeles Times reports today that Representative Henry Waxman, the new Democratic chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is demanding that the White House hand over any relevant documents.

As an astrologer, I can’t help but think that Jupiter’s move into its own sign of Sagittarius has done much to help change public opinion on climate change. Jupiter and Sagittarius both rule the forces of nature, as well as beliefs and ethical decisions.

I also credit Al Gore who, with his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, and his tireless public appearances worldwide, has led the crusade for education on global warming and environmental change. BTW, former Vice President Gore has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

Unlike the United States, where schools are banning the showing of Mr. Gore’s documentary, calling it too controversial, the UK has announced plans to make sure that all British schools include teachings on climate change and environmental issues in their curriculum.

I wonder if Punxsatawney Phil has a passport.

Technorati Tags: groundhog, global warming, climate crisis, lobby, ExxonMobil, Bush administration, Al Gore, Nobel Peace Prize, Punxsatawney Phil, Groundhog Day

The Boston Herald reports today that new polling data, to be released later in the week, shows that “McCain’s popularity among New Hampshire’s independent voters has collapsed.” In fact, in a January poll taken at the annual meeting of elected Phoenix area precinct committeemen in McCain’s home state of Arizona, McCain came in fourth, behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, and a relatively unknown San Diego area Congressman, Duncan Hunter.

McCain is fast becoming known as the most hawkish of the potential candidates. A former prisoner of war in Vietnam, he supports an even larger troop escalation than the president himself. In a January 10th interview on the US invasion of Iraq, McCain told MSNBC’s Tim Russert, “I said the military operation would be easy. It was easy. We were greeted as liberators.”

One has to wonder about John McCain’s memory. Perhaps this “idealized picture” of the unmitigated disaster that is the occupation of Iraq is caused by the (dissonant) square of Jupiter (beliefs) to Neptune (dreams, illusion) in McCain’s astrological chart. (For a more detailed analysis of John McCain’s natal chart, you may also want to check out Lynn’s article on why “John McCain Will Never Be President” at Astrodynamics.)

Coming planetary transits to John McCain’s natal chart affirm that his star is not on the rise in the runup to the 2008 presidential elections. (click chart thumbnail for larger image.)

Saturn will be making the first of three conjunctions to his Sun in October of 2007, indicating that there will be limits to how much McCain can shine. With his natal Sun in Virgo, a sign of service, in the 11th house of group ideals, the Saturn transit will likely show that he will become even more cut off from the desires and direction of the public he is trying to serve.

McCain’s Jupiter is in Sagittarius, which means he will shortly be experiencing a Jupiter return. With his natal Jupiter trining his natal Mars showing an expansive, almost religious belief in Martian principles, it is likely that McCain’s Jupiter return, often thought of as a lucky time, will only serve to intensify his stand on increasing the size of the US military and “finishing” the job in Iraq.

Looking at John McCain’s hands, we see that his Jupiter finger, the finger of leadership, is short. Traditionally this is seen as a lack of power, a challenge earning respect, and/or other issues with authority. In addition, the upper phalange appears compromised, a condition that I have examined on the hands of other political figures. (See my posts on Condoleeza Rice and John Bolton.) Mythologically, Jupiter was the defender of principles and protector of the people. When the upper phalange is bent, shrunken or otherwise misshapen, it is an indicator of abandonment of principles and shows challenges regarding right use of power.

(Lest you think I only find this condition on the hands of Republicans, never fear. I will be posting some analyses of Dems who also suffer from damaged Jupiter syndrome. What I do find amazing is how often this condition is found in politicians in general.)

As we move closer to the election, Uranus will be sitting on top of McCain’s Natal Saturn, and transiting Saturn will oppose it, indicating a time of karmic examination. I agree with Nancy, when she says that McCain could be facing health issues at that time. Saturn in the 6th house is often found in the charts of those whose karma is revealed through the body.

With his Saturn in the sign of Pisces, McCain’s karmic challenge is to find a true sense of peace and compassion through earthly service. Neptune, the ruler of Pisces opposes Saturn natally, increasing the karmic message. In late 2008, Saturn moves from a conjunction with his Sun to a conjunction with Neptune. With a series of karmic transits in the runup to the election, McCain could be facing a time when he may have to redefine what it means to feel secure, peaceful and connected to all of mankind.

Technorati Tags: John McCain, McCain Doctrine, troop escalation, power, Politics, 2008 Presidenial Race, Hawk, polls, karma, astrology, transits, election

Mars and Pluto represent Force and Power. When they come together you can get some pretty explosive energy. When you put that explosion at the Galactic Center, it is likely to affect everyone on the planet.

Lynn at Astrodynamics wrote:

One has to wonder if a Mars/Pluto conjunction was the best time for the US to attack Al-Qaeda targets in Somalia resulting in mass civilian casualties. The conjunction of Mars and Pluto is exact on January 13 but we are definitely beginning to feel its effects, and there is likely to be a strong buildup of intensity over the next few days.

Kathryn at Collaborate with Fate posted an interesting essay on how the Pluto/Mars cycle can be seen in current events, not only world affairs and the actions of US President George W. Bush, but also in the revival of film character Rocky Balboa, whose creator, curiously enough, has the same birth day as Bush.

Nancy, on her Political Astrology blog, takes into account the square of Jupiter to Uranus when looking at the current situation. Writing in the run up to George Bush’s speech about his “new” plan for Iraq, she states:

We are likely to see a wild, angry, rebellious response stretching from the halls of Congress to the media punditry to the streets of the nation.

With two days still to go until the exact conjunction of the God of War with the Lord of the Underworld, the news has already been filled with reports of escalating violence.

Bloomberg reports that on January 11th, 5 AM local time, US troops raided Iran’s consulate in Iraq, detaining five staff members. While I am no political scientist, I do remember learning in high school civics class that an embassy is sovereign territory, which would make this raid an act of war against Iran. Steven C. Clemons, in the Washington Note, asks, “Did the President Declare ‘Secret War’ Against Syria and Iran?” My all time favorite journalist, MSNBC’s Keith Olberman comments:

Only this President, only in this time, only with this dangerous, even Messianic certitude, could answer a country demanding an exit strategy from Iraq, by offering an entrance strategy for Iran.

While much of America was getting ready to fall asleep last night, someone lobbed a rocket at the US Embassy in Greece. At this time, there are no confirmed reports of who was responsible, and no way to link this attack to our escalation of war in the Middle East. However, with Mars and Pluto at work behind the scenes, anything is possible, and it is likely that this is just a coming attraction for the real fireworks.

I agree with Nancy’s statement that we may see action and reaction in the streets of the US. I have long predicted that the end of this war will be brought about not by the republic, but by the public it serves. If our government continues to create situations which threaten the safety of US citizens, and it the newly elected Democratic congress does not step up to fulfill its promises of change, the United States of America may find itself in its own civil war.

Remember, it was about 250 years ago, when Pluto was last visiting the Galactic Center, that the first steps were being taken toward breaking free from the tryanny of another George, King of England.

How does that saying go? Oh yeah. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Technorati Tags: Mars/Pluto conjunction, Galactic Center, Iraq, God of War, Lord of the Underworld, Iran, exit strategy, Greek Embassy bombing

It is expected that Bush will announce plans to increase troop levels in Iraq, despite opposition from the newly installed Democratic congress and low approval ratings from the American people.

It’s not difficult to understand why George W. Bush is stubbornly set in his approach to war when you take a close look at his hands. Bush has a very short Saturn finger (middle finger). Associated with accountability, integrity and the ability to follow rules, a short finger shows a disdain for said rules. Consider the number of times Bush has added a signing statement to newly passed laws. Some estimate it to be over 700. As Saturn is the finger of conservatism and security, Bush’s lack of length shows that, without a doubt, he is neither a conservative nor concerned with true security.

President Bush also has a short head line. He makes quick decisions and does not spend a lot of time on the details. He has a rather large thumb on his right hand, revealing a strong will and a desire to control.

In this photo we can clearly see that Bush’s Mercury finger (the pinkie or little finger) tilts at an angle away from the other fingers. In Palmistry slang we say this shows the attitude of “nobody’s going to tell me what to do.”

What is most disturbing about Bush’s hand is the size of his Mound of Mars. This is the area indicated in red on the diagram to the left. Clearly visible on the President’s right and left hands is a fold of tissue on his Mound of Mars. The only way such a fold can exist is if the mound is excessively fleshy. Any mound on the hand that is excessive in size indicates a disproportionate abundance of the energies associated with that part of the hand.

Mars was the Roman god of war and ruled leaders, soldiers, pioneers, athletes, fanatics and tyrants. When the mound is overly large, Mars can be impatient, brutish, violent, uncontrollable, aggressive, vengeful and hot-headed. The crease in George Bush’s Mound of Mars acts like a rut, causing an inability to see any other course of action.

Combined with disregard for rules, shortsightedness and a strong will, it is no surprise that the president is quick to dismiss any advice that goes against his vision of a “Long War.”

Technorati Tags: war in Iraq, troop levels, George W. Bush, Saturn finger, Mercury finger, Mound of Mars, Long War, signing statements