Greetings Dearhearts,

Welcome to the first issue of The Wanderer. My first order of business is to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those loyal followers and associates who have, with loving enthusiasm, encouraged me over the years in my work as a mundane astrologer and futurist. And, for the many who consistently expressed your wish for a newsletter, I can finally say that you now have your wish, with my thanks.

World War III - Once more, into the breech?
[First installment of a story with long and tangled roots reaching back to the dawn of history.]

America has a history of initially underrating and/or incorrectly evaluating key aspects of its major conflicts. WW III is no exception. There is little doubt that this struggle will take longer, cost more, encounter many surprising turns and, will ultimately leave a world wide deposit of radical social changes in it's wake. This was true in the Revolutionary War, The Civil War and the World Wars of the previous century. In this case, one of America's early deficiencies is not military, as it had been in the past. The ultimate victory, in this war, however, cannot be won solely on the battlefield. At its core the struggle lies in the realm of metaphysical principles and beliefs - in the abstract rules that govern human behavior. That is where the battle in the final conquest will be met.

Know your enemy completely and you will know complete victory.

The issues that lie at the heart of this imbroglio reach far beyond the problem of militant Islamic fundamentalism. Some may recall my warnings, given in early January of 1995, about the dire implications of global religious fundamentalism. That was just a few days before the planet Pluto was about to enter the sign Sagittarius, the first time in 250 years. Planetary motion is such that whenever one of the three outer planets (Uranus, Neptune and Pluto) enters the next astrological sign, it always does a brief peek-a-boo before comfortably settling into that new venue. History has shown that, during the planet's visitation into the new sign, a "bellwether" issue/incident occurs that sounds the alarm of the times to come. The planet then returns (by retrograde motion) into the previous sign for its final statement in that slice of the wheel of life. Following that few months' cleanup, they move again into the new sign for the "duration." The duration of Pluto's journey through Sagittarius will end in 2008; it began in 1995.

Religion is one of the major activities in the domain of Sagittarius; Pluto is the function of death and regeneration - our cosmic roto-rooter service. It obliterates that which is seriously dysfunctional and rolls a brand new model off the assembly line. Pluto peeked into Sagittarius from mid January 1995 to the third week of March. This debut was an upcoming attraction for the world's next major blockbuster drama. During that time the world was shocked in hearing of a poison gas attack launched in the Tokyo subway system by Buddhist fundamentalists. The bells rang loud and clear of the incoming storm for those who recognize the message in the ticking and chiming of the cosmic clock.

There wasn't a single Moslem in that group of bunkum Buddhists. Moreover, the folks who were hoodwinked into sipping cyanide cocktails down in ole Rev Jim Jones' Jungle Jamboree never prayed to Allah either. Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma City bomber) was raised on the "good book Jee-sus-ah" and didn't know Mecca from Moscow. (It's amazing how Christian "fundies" can turn a simple two-syllable word into three-syllable chant--their very own special "brand name" Jesus. Caveat emptor!). The Wacko from Waco, David Koresh, never kneeled on a prayer rug either. It was a Jewish fundamentalist who assassinated the peace-seeking leader of Israel just a few years ago. There have been countless more examples of fanatical and dysfunctional religious activities, each rearing its self-righteous head since 1970, and with good reason. Both the two other members of this outer threesome, first Neptune then Uranus, have also transited the sign of Sagittarius since then. Now Pluto, the last of the "Three Astro-Amigos", gets to fire the final salvos. Dysfunctional aspects in the world of religion since 1970 have first been idealized (Neptune), then revolutionized (Uranus), and are now being pulverized (Pluto). Those who are old enough to remember what it was like prior to 1970, know that something surreal began to happen in the early 1970's that has that has grown like a cancer within ALL the world's religions.

Islamic fundamentalist terrorists may be in the gunner's crosshairs at the moment and, for the most part, will be on the receiving end of the military ordinance. America's declared war may be with what is currently the most heinous and dangerous face of a multi-headed beast. But when the sand storm subsides, the cancers within all major religions, as well as recent history's faux faiths de jour and end-time entrepreneurs will have received their death wish, as surely as did Hitler, etal, when this same cancer attacked a different part of the collective body of humanity. Pluto was in the sign Cancer during the rise of the fascists, and Japanese warlords. The sign Cancer is that process in the wheel of life (zodiac) that relates to family and it's collective expression - nationality and race. That's when these maniacs were telling the rest of the world that, their family, their nation, their race was superior to all others. Furthermore, in order to insure that racial purity/superiority, they had the right to kill any and all whom they considered a threat. Now, we're hearing the same power trip in the name of religion. "My religion is the pure word of God and my beliefs give me the right (nay, the heavenly mandate!) to kill you in the name of my God--and, guess what, I get to go to heaven and you don't!"

"Well now, isn't THAT special!" - Church Lady (Dana Carvey, Saturday Night Live)

Historically Pluto does not deal kindly in the end with those who would use the collective power of death and regeneration for anything less that the good of all humanity. The hatred and death they wish for others is always visited upon themselves; it's just a matter of time. The unanticipated events to come will drive them to desperation - the last step before disintegration.

By now, we are all familiar with the protagonists and circumstances surrounding the attack on September 11, 2001. While I will be exploring other major aspects of this subject in the near future (i.e. the Arab/Israeli conflict), I would like to offer some comments on the immediate situation. To assuage any lingering doubt about the final outcome of this war, let me state emphatically, the United States of America will emerge victorious. Solely from an astrological point of view, America was attacked at the absolute worst time, in the worst possible way, for its assailant. A combination of powerful transits was strongly in America's favor in terms of the timing. And the way in which it was done was equally self-defeating. A basic principle when applying astrology to warfare is never, never; never attack a country with a stellium of planets in the sign Cancer in its birth chart (July 4, 1776). Lincoln was quite prophetic, as usual, when he said that foreign invaders would never drink of the waters of the Ohio. If there's anything that will fiercely unite a Cancer nation it's an attack in the homeland. Admiral Yamamoto sadly knew this in his heart as well. He had lived among us and knew better not to "awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." My personal analysis of the planetary dynamics involved strongly indicates that America will press for victory relentlessly and will respond with considerable adaptability in the coming years. These qualities will be crucial since the danger of additional serious wounds inflicted within the homeland is real and quite challenging. The possible nature and timing of these future threats will be covered in future issues. Suffice it to say that this war will be fought as much with the test tube as with the pen and the sword. The possible war with Iraq will also be on the agenda for the next issue. So far, this chapter has all the trappings of an international three-ring circus, including the distinct odor of performing seals.

The Economy - Bulls, Bears, Bubbles and Baloney

I lay no claim to expertise in the matter of astrology and economics. There are, however, noted astrologers with substantial track records in the market whose analysis I have come to respect to assist me in formulating my forecasts. Long-range economic cyclic activity is, however, well within the framework of my mundane specialty and is an area that has proved fortunate for me over the years in terms of accuracy. Nevertheless, none of this should be misconstrued as specific investment advice; it's simply my opinion on economic issues.

Bulls and Bears

We will deal with specific industries and commercial activities in upcoming issues. The important initial task is a fundamental overview.

This is one of the most overpriced bear markets we've ever seen. I don't expect the market to turn legitimately bullish until 2004. How's that for short, bittersweet and to the point? Of course money will be made, for example, in specific industries due to the exigencies of the war. The military/industrial complex is an elaborate economic machine with a voracious hunger. Check out the ones with the most expensive appetites, paying the tab with U.S.Treasury Gold Member credit cards. They've always smiled on the way to the bank and always will. Speaking of the alchemist's metal, right now and into the near future, gold is good. I didn't say fantastic, just good. Another place to keep a close eye on is the biotech industry. When breakthroughs occur in this sector, large fortunes will be made overnight. Watch the progress with Boeing's current construction of an anti-gravity engine. NASA is also financing construction and testing of the same engine through a sub contractor. This has all been relegated to the back burner where they cook the news. Its implication, I believe, is undervalued. When the first commercial computer went into service in 1956, it wasn't on the front page either. You can add the silicon computer chip and many others to that list. There are many such overlooked gems but right now; the drums of war deafen much other than the sensational.

Bubbles

Bubbles are the money balloons, over inflated by the hot air of experts. The bubble in question is in the realm of domestic real estate. Although just recently a few of the talking heads have been quietly urging caution, most are still blowing hot in this market. I will simply repeat the same warning given in the past few years. When Saturn enters the sign Cancer in June 2003, we will likely see a reevaluation of this market. Don't be surprised if the warning signs appear by springtime. Overall, real estate in this country will always be a sound investment. The birth chart of the USA provides overwhelming testimony to that fact. Will Rogers was at the height of his homespun wisdom when he said, "Buy land, son, they ain't making any more of that stuff." But as with any other commodity in the marketplace, it too is subject to cyclic fluctuation. There are a number of factors already in play that will cause this to come about and the time is growing short for them to converge and initiate this readjustment period in the relative economic value in this market.

Baloney

Astrologers who follow and apply their professional discipline to the market began warning in the late 1990's of the bubble in the high tech industry. The price to earnings ratio was nothing short of insane. All the experts were chanting about how we just didn't understand the "new economy." As it turns out, the new economy was the same old shell game with a new bar code. The sham perpetrated by the accounting practices that are just coming to light would have even made P.T. Barnum blush. Now we have to deal with the hangover that will last a couple more years - a time to sober up and dry out. It will take at least that long before the corporate books are "swept clean" and investor confidence restored. Too many people have been swindled and ruined for this lesson to be soon forgotten. Too many swindlers are still running scared but free. Many more heads should and will roll.

There's another story in the making here and the final chapters have yet to be written. It's about the fundamental shift in values in the collective consciousness that is in the process of gestation at this moment. It's a change that goes back to the early 1980's when the new mantra was "Greed is good!" I'll treat this item in future issues.

Be good to yourselves,
Hannibal