Boston Strangler Victim 13; Unlucky For Everyone

January in Boston, 1964.  Cold harbor winds slip past the buildings.  People move rapidly from place to subway to place, coat collars drawn high around their faces.  One woman doesn’t quite see who grabs her at the door, doesn’t quite have time to resist, doesn’t really have much time left at all.  She is about to be victim 13 of the Boston Strangler.  Boston had been on edge for almost two years now as the number of young women were found raped and strangled.  The glaring headlines of the newspapers did not know that this string of killings had ended with this tragedy.  This set of Moon-to-Sun Return and Advanced charts may be the most unusual I’ve come across.  It is my hope that the ideas that came to me as I drew up these charts remain with me to share as I write these words.

Albert DeSalvo’s Moon-to-Sun Return in the 3rd house occurred on January 3, 1964 and is shown below.  As with all of these charts, the natal planets are shown in the outer wheel, the transits are shown inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The t/Moon-to-n/Sun in the 3rd house of this Return chart suggests 1) being more alert, open to ideas, questioning.  2) Writing talking, taking in information for processing.  3) Travel, shopping but not necessarily buying.  4) Neighbors and relatives have more of an impact on you at this time.  These are 3rd house considerations, things that the restless mind may be engaged in.  Any Mercury influences will only increase the exposure to ideas and inner questioning relative to the activities about you.

n/Neptune, n/Venus, n/Sun and n/Mercury are all triggered by this Return-Moon.  Delusions, desires, intent, thoughts and plans are all activated by this third-house analytical Moon.  Why is he doing this?  t/Part of Fortune (t/PoF) opposes t/Pluto; the process of taking control over another (the victim) is one to questions that are disturbing, momentary pleasure versus deeper meanings of what brings satisfaction (the 3rd to 9th house axis of questions, thoughts, learning)  t/Mars opposing n/Pluto and the Return Ascendant;  The unsaid need to control though physical action against others–this seems to be the obvious meaning of this pattern.  But, consider t/PoF opposite t/Pluto and the 3rd-9th houses.  There seems to be some disturbing thoughts going around in DeSalvo’s mind.

We have looked at the doubled-up Pluto influences.  Now, note the n/Sun-n/Mercury pattern being triggered by the t/Moon — and the t/Sun conjoining t/Mercury pattern in the 6th, close to n/Saturn.  Another doubled up pattern involving one’s intent (Sun) and ones mind/thoughts (Mercury).  For someone who acts with compulsion and anger, there is too much thinking going on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rape and killing of the 13th victim of the Boston Strangler occurred on Jan. 4, 1964, the day after the Moon-to-Sun Return.  I’ve often thought that events that occur on or just following a Return chart tend to be more acute.  I do not have statistical evidence of this, but the opinion remains.  This chart will be much like the previous day’s chart, only the t/Moon and t/PoF will move much.   Here, t/Moon moves to conjoin n/Mars, a strong triggering of emotions and a need to act.  Note t/Mars at the Descendant angle opposite n/Pluto — this rage to control others on a personal level is really strong at this time in DeSalvo’s life.  The t/PoF is on the MC; these are both two “points”, not planets.  Yet, I have the sense that the consequences of his plan, his image of savagery that only he can see and know is some how being questioned, being put up to “chance and change.”  What is now so unsatisfying compared to what was so satisfying in the previous murders?

Venus is one component of desire and lust, Mars is another component. t/Venus squares t/Neptune; is the dream, the lust, losing its attractiveness after this large number of dead women?  n/Venus conjoins n/Netune — another doubled up planet pattern.  This shouts to us about the value of the dream.  Something has changed.

Instead of dealing with attitudes, actions, situations and experiences in a hard and fast direct manner, it would seem that these charts are presenting shadows of possibilities, ideas that are hard to grasp.  This posting seems to be taking us away from the paths that we have come to expect for this charting method.

The next posting will cover one of the more bizarre crime twists for a serial murderer, a twist that leads to his uncovering and ultimate demise.  Dave. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boston In 1962: Old Crime In A Becoming-New City

Boston, Massachusetts in 1962 was a city caught in transition; its neighborhood structure followed ethnic lines–Italians in the North End, Irish in the South End, the Anglo-Saxon blue-bloods whose ancestors arrive on the Mayflower in 1620 on Beacon Hill and the western suburbs, the Blacks in Roxbury.  And the north and south suburbs also had their pockets of ethnic clusters.  In 1962 a selection was in process to build a new city hall and government plaza, a symbolic start to reorganizing the city.  The winning design is shown above, a cubical clustering of concrete and glass to represent the new future for Boston.

The neighborhoods were not to change quite as fast.  The Winter Hill Gang ruled “Southey” and corrupted all of Boston, representing the crime family in the state.  Today, in 2013, the head of that crime organization, Whitey Bulger, has been apprehended after hiding out for decades and is now on trial in the new Federal Court House located on the new city waterfront.

While the organized crime activity continued in the 1962 Boston, individual crime was also prevalent.  On June 14th, 1962 the first of many rape-strangulations of single women occurred.  Over the next two years the city was terrorized by the man who was to become known as The Boston Strangler.  Albert DeSalvo, a resident of one of Boston’s suburbs, was the person who was responsible; his identity was not known until much later, and was due to his own carelessness.  DeSalvo was born Sept. 3, 1931 at 11:58 AM, in Chelsea, MA.  Sun, Mercury, Venus and Neptune were all clustered in the Virgo 10th house, the MC being 28 Leo, the Ascendant was at 16 Scorpio.  While celebrity charts are interesting, we can find that ordinary people can sometimes engage in extreme acts, and that these extreme behaviors amplify certain chart factors.  We can more easily learn astrology from these amplified factors.  In the previous postings for George Carlin Solar Returns and Progressed Daily Angles charts were used.  In this series of posting I will utilize the Moon-to-Sun Return chart format.

This chart is a t/Moon-to-n/Sun in the 3rd house Return.  The theme for this Return chart is, in part, “. . . open to ideas, curiosity, an interest in those around you.  Taking in news and information for personal use.  An active mind, hands, feet . . .”  This extreme example move us out of the more conventional assumptions for a third house Sun and Moon.  The t/Pluto and t/Moon conjoin natal Neptune, Venus, Sun and Mercury.  Moon/Pluto is associated with an intensification of feelings, emotions and reactions.  The stellium of four natal planets could be seen as confused (Neptune) values (Venus) and intentions (Sun) based on one’s views/thoughts (Mercury) or any other typical keyword grouping.

But, what might be the trigger to the bizarre events that were to follow?  It is always useful to look to the Ascendant to see how one might act, and then to the t/PoF to see how the Ascendant might express itself.  t/PoF opposes t/Mars in the 10th; chance and change will be decided by the type and level of assertiveness expressed to establish one’s public image.  Mars can be brutal and angry.  Note n/Mars near the IC angle, broadly opposed t/Mars.  Now note t/Saturn and n/Saturn; DeSalvo had a Saturn-return the previous year — he was working out his expression of his n/Saturn in the natal 2nd house; what were his values, his chances of establishing self-worth in the tough economic times of the early 1960’s in Boston.  t/Saturn near the Descendant angle involves others in his sense of limitation.  He could have chosen a different way of expressing this t/Saturn at the Desc.,; finding a mentor, following in the footsteps of an older family member, etc.  No, he had to work out his frustrations against others as a means of displacing his responsibilities to himself.  This is an important life lesson that we can draw from Saturn at the 7th angle.  t/N.Node and n/Jupiter are at the Asc., opportunities (Jupiter) to feel good about oneself are related to “others” we associate with (N.Node) and interact with (Asc.).  

So, we have a sense of the theme for this two week period before the t/Moon opposes n/Sun.  Let us now look at an Advanced chart for date of the first rape-strangling.

This chart, for June 14th, 1962, is advanced five days.  The MC’s rate of advance for those five days is 5 degrees, 6 minutes of arc.  The positions of the transiting planets are for those actual positions for June 14th.  We have a chart of progressed/advanced angles, transiting planets and natal planets — all arranged in an altered house setting.  This is what cyclic charts, such as Return charts, do.  They present the natal and transiting planets in a modified house structure which symbolically represents the changed set of circumstances that we have to face.

t/Moon is at the IC and opposing t/Mars at the MC.  Natal Mars was part of a major T-Square of Jupiter = Mars-opp-Uranus.  “One seeks gains through surprise and aggression .  DeSalvo’s needs (Moon) to act/do-something (Mars) somehow triggered this natal pattern of seeking gain through surprising others with one’s actions.  t/PoF trines t/Pluto and n/Neptune — if we want to get into some psychology.  Trines are easy courses of action.  When two other planets are involved, the inner-most planet (in this case the PoF acting on behalf of the Asc.) may alternate between which of the other two trine-planets are used.  So, “chance and change” is achieved through subtrafuge (Neptune) and brutal control (Pluto).  It’s all about the excitement.  He finds a target, tracks the victim-to-be, strikes-rapes-strangles, is satisfied.  

We will follow the bizarre events in this story as it unfolds.  The twists and turns are that which a TV soap-opera would put in its story-line.  Dave.

Just Passing By; Really. How Do You Just Pass By?

Imagine George Carlin discussing the subject of someone “passing by.”  How do you just pass by?  You jiggled my coffee and you say, “sorry, I was just passing by.”  You don’t offer to buy me another coffee?  You don’t wipe up my wet pants?  I got coffee in my shoe, for cripes sake!

George like to rant.  He was a social critic of subjects both large and small, international as well as local.  Nothing, nobody was off limits. 

I am going to look at two Progressed Daily Angles charts for George, the first for the day he was discharged from the U.S. Air Force due to being an “unproductive airman” and the next for the day of his passing from our midst.  For me, the theme of “passing by” seems to suit this memoriam piece for George.  He commented upon everything that passed in front of his attention, giving it a unique focus that caused us to briefly think about life in a new way.  We may have only laughed, we may have dismissed it as not being a reflection of ourselves — but of someone else, but we did pay attention for a moment or even longer.

For all or any of us who are about 25 years of age or older, George was likely part of our “entertainment life.”  So, let’s applaud George once again.

This first chart has been relocated to where he was based as an airman.  He had been subject to disciplinary charges several time during his service, and was finally discharged for being an unproductive airman.  We can attribute may other reasons to that, knowing Georges character.  He probably was not good material for such a structured environment.

These types of charts, based on the progression of the Solar Return chart’s angles while showing the days transits and the re-oriented natal chart (inside) emphasize planets at the angles as being the indicators of that day’s events or situation.  n/Sun and n/Mercury are on the Descendant; indicating that his mind and comments (Mercury) and his own self-interests (Sun) were subject to or intertwined with the actions or views of others.  These were in Georges natal chart’s tenth house, so therefore his career and public image was involved.  t/Sun was in the 8th house of unequal sharing and joint responsibilities.  So, this played into that day’s events.

t/Venus at the MC suggests a sense of buoyancy and pleasure for George on this day.  With t/Mercury and t/Pluto close behind we might see a perception of having conned or manipulating behind the scenes (the ninth is the twelfth house of the tenth).  And, with t/Moon ahead of the MC close to n/Neptune, his dreams of having a more nebulous career possibility (less structured than a military environment) was very appealing to him.  n/Mars in the chart’s first house shows his manner of acting and expressing himself was part of the reason for this day’s event.

This is the date on which George Carlin passed from this life to another.  Again, we find n/Mercury and n/Sun at the Descendant.  Would this mean that others were also part of this day’s event, was George seeking a different audience to interact with?

t/Saturn at the MC; constraints and responsibility is the issue of the day.  We note that n/Saturn was in his n/ninth house — related to travel, distant places and new ideas.  All of this is appropriate to being told to leave the air force.   We have to look for other things that might point to the “why” of this situation.  t/Saturn squaring n/Mars near the Asc. angle might point to structure being upset by personal actions (n/Mars in n/Fifth).  We might choose to note n/Sun and n/Mercury squaring t/Moon-N.Node-Neptune as not being emotionally/socially stable.   George was passing through on this date.

Remembering that this form of charting is based on a series of “snap shot” (camera-like) views of life, these charts are appropriate.  If we wish to look at broader issues that were part of long-term developments we would look at secondary progressions or other chart forms for those different “views.”  The nature of the chart we use frames the nature of what we can see.    Dave.

If you have enjoyed this series of postings on George Carlin, please”like” the facebook ninthouse, using the button in the sidebar.  Thank you.  Dave.

Also, the book, Personal Prediction, is available through your local bookstore or from the American Federation of Astrologers in Phoenix, AZ, through on-line sources or you can order it directly from myself (shipping via priority mail in the US only, included).  Dave.

Live From New York City, It’s Saturday Night Live!

A long-running United States TV show is Saturday Night Live.  This comedy show, airing at 11:30 PM each Saturday evening after the late news shows is sometimes so-so in its comedy and skits, sometimes brilliant and wacky, often its political satire is reported on in the following days by the news media.  The first show aired Oct. 11, 1975–and it still runs today.  The first host, every week has a new and different celebrity host, was George Carlin.  Who else but the comedian turned social critic and language-usage authority.

Typical of George’s statements (but not on that opening night) might be the question, “Do you realize how stupid most people you know are?  And half of them are stupider than the average.”  I don’t know the exact quote, but this is very close.  Such opening questions were typical of George’s act, a crazy-logic discourse would then emerge from such an opening statement.  His presentation might include a play on words, a critique of social morals or habits, or a series of increasingly bizarre connective thoughts.

First, we’ll look at his 1995 Solar Return as this year marked a sharper, more critical and further-out-of-the-box social observer emerging in George Carlin.

 Sun/Sun is in the 1st house; a year where he will personally push  for recognition and assertively make his mark within his career field.  n/Mercury at the Asc.; George will speak George’s mind.  n/Jupiter at the MC, opposite n/Pluto; Opportunity (Jupiter) will come from taking charge of himself (Pluto).  Asc. square n/Asc. in the 4th; Acting as if he is in conflict with himself.  t/Moon conjoining n/Moon in the 2nd; Reacting to oneself, building up a repository of emotional reflections.

Now, I have briefly listed each angular combination–the purpose is to present a group of observations that can be synthesized to explain George’s mind.  George often made an assertion or observation, and then posed an alternative view or questioned the assertion such as to present an unexpected twist of logic.  Only George could explain George.  The next chart is a Progressed Daily Angles chart for the date of the first broadcast of SNL, as Saturday Night Live is called, was on Oct. 11th, 1975.

First, lets review what happened on that first TV broadcast of SNL.  There was a skit about providing “Father Insurance” in which case a new father was provided to a family who had just lost a father — only SNL would twist a grim subject into a comedy act. A reporter interviewed a shark-bit victim — even though the victim had all of his arms and legs intact.  Several “bees” were at the bee hospital, in the baby ward, worrying over whether their children would be drones or worker bees.  An alarm salesman broke into a house, scaring the family to illustrate that they need to buy an alarm system.  George’s solo skits addressed “blue food”, religion, baseball versus football.  This was, and is, the stuff that makes SNL so great on some nights, so lame on others.  George’s show was a hit that has launched a TV legend.

In the chart above t/Saturn at the MC; a structured career presentation.  t/Saturn, MC opposes n/Jupiter; Jupiter and Saturn represent the “business of life” pairing.  George developed his routine based on what had worked in the past (n/Jupiter).  t/Saturn trines n/Saturn in the 6th; This was standard work for George, he just did his thing — nothing special for him, something very special for the audience.  

t/Uranus near the Asc. opposing n/MC: His sharper and more eclectic presentation was in contrast to prior career actions.  Sharpness, more dramatic contrasts were the new order of the day.  “Over the top” was the new normal.

From mid-May to mid-October, the MC had advanced an average of 1.25 degrees per day from 26 Capricorn to 8 Leo.  Six signs of 30 degrees each equals 180 degrees, plus 4 degrees and plus 8 degrees equals 192 degrees.  192 degrees divided by 133 days equals 1.27 degrees per day.  For any day of the solar return year, we can proportion the time span against the 1.25 degrees per day and approximate the correct MC position.  RIYAL software, which is free to download and use, will do all of this work for you.  

Dave

You Can’t Say That, You Just Can’t!

Stand-up comedians say a lot of things that can either be understood in several ways or which indirectly imply something quite different from what the words seem to mean at first.  Back in 1972 George Carlin specifically said that there were seven dirty words that could not be said on a television broadcast.  There is no need to specify those exact words other than to note that they were vulgar slang related to the human body and used often in a sexual context.  Of course, being George Carlin, and after telling us that there are seven dirty words that can’t be used, George did in fact explicitly say and explain those words as part of his comedic routine.  If nothing else, George attacked improbable and unreasonable social rules.

The first chart to be presented is George’s 1972 precession corrected Solar Return chart.

t/Mars and t/Venus are at the Desc. angle; Personal poise in dealing with others will be George’s hallmark this year.  n/Venus at the IC doubles up the Venus symbology; Venus will dominate his events this year —Venus representing the beautiful body, sex, lust, carnal topics, attractiveness.  Sun/Sun is in the 5th, another chart area associated with sex.  I realize that I’m slanting the possible meanings of these astrological symbols to a sexual orientation, but that is just what Carlin did this year with his planned presentations on TV.

The above chart is for July 21, 1972 — George Carlin is arrested for saying those seven dirty words that shouldn’t be said.  We have to note the context of this event.  George will be arrested, bail will be set, a hearing will be held, a fine is likely to be levied.  He will not be jailed.  His popularity will rise like a thermometer at a fireman’s convention.  So, what do we see in this momentous chart?  t/Uranus is at the Asc.;  Carlin’s individual approach to life will be emphasized on this date.  Note that n/Uranus conjoins n/MC — This is a role that George Carlin was born for.

t/Sun conjoins n/Pluto near the MC angle; Carlin’s self-interest is in controlling (n/Pluto) his image (MC).  The opposition to t/N.Node conjoining n/Jupiter enlists a large public following (Jupiter and Node).  Also note t/Mars conjoining n/Asc in the 10th house.  Carlin will be assertive in what he does and says.  How else could he act?  Did you note, playing astrological hopscotch, that n/Mars conjoins t/Moon & t/Neptune — fueling the public fantasy.  Oh, yes.  Carlin was born for this moment.

Carlin said his seven dirty words, was arrested, made bail and was late fined.  All the while his popularity soared, his performance fees increased.  All was well in Carlin’s world.  Dave.

Now, You See Me — Now You Don’t

All good things come to an end, or do they?  In 2010 the filming of the final Harry Potter film, The Deathly Hallows Part Two completed the eight film series of the young magician’s struggle against a seemingly fated death at the wands-end of Voldormot, the dark magician.  Emma Watson’s character, Hermione Granger, had greatly helped Harry through his many challenges.  The world had watched the young magicians and witches of Hogwarts School of Magic grow in age and complexity, moving from discovery and mystery to dark tragedy and anxiety as they faced a seemingly invincible enemy.  The chart below is the precession corrected Solar Return for 2010 for Emma Watson.

The Sun-Sun return position is on the Descendant Angle square n/Saturn in the 3rd house;  A partnership is being focused upon, Watson’s self-interest in this year will be concerned with relating to other, and dealing with responsibilities that will need to be recognized and thought about (Saturn in the 3rd).  t/Moon, t/Mercury, t/Venus conjoins n/Mercury, all square n/N.Node in the 4th house; A range of feelings and closeness affects one’s thoughts and plans, the n/N.Node indicates those that she has been closely associated with over a period of time.  We can see this as a realization that the world of filming with a continuing cast of characters and deep friendships is drawing to a close — life is about to move forward.  Luckily, Miss Watson had already branched out into modeling and filming on other projects, as well as TV broadcasts.  Her new world was not going to find her unprepared.

t/Saturn was conjunct n/Asc. and square n/Moon from the 11th to the cusp of the 3rd house; Emma was aware of time marching onward, of her responsibilities for herself and her needs (n/Moon) that would need to be faced this year.  These brief views of her Solar Return provides the basic ideas of what she was facing in this transition year.

On June 12th, three months after her twentieth birthday, the Harry Potter cast finished its filming.  Only the editing, cutting and organization of the final story line needed to be done before its anticipated release.  Because of the relative speed of the Sun’s daily motion and the advance of the progressing angles, the t/Sun remains in the 7th house, conjoining the t/Moon and n/MC — a powerful alignment of symbols in a daily chart!  The Solar Return’s theme is still in effect, the t/Moon symbolizes the balance that Emma Watson has achieved in her work and in her relationships as they relate to her career and goals (n/MC) — the path that brought a young girl into full womanhood and stardom.  Fittingly, we see n/Asc. conjoining t/Saturn in the 10th house;  she has risen to her public persona and the responsibilities that it brings.  She has truly graduated to a full life of opportunities.  Her natal Jupiter & MC has brought her opportunities, her use of Saturn has completed the Jupiter-Saturn symbolism of the “business of life.”  Well done by any standard, Emma Watson.  Dave