GOP Senate candidate says feminists have ‘snake-filled heads,’ hopes daughters don’t become ‘she devils’

Apologies for ripping off the title of today's blog from the 'Washington Post' but it was just too juicy to pass up.

My reply to Mr. Sykes ridiculous assertion that women have 'snake-filled heads' is this: give me a little look and I'll show you my serpent power, especially when it comes time to vote.

And what exactly is his proclamation that feminists are she devils? According to Dictionary.com, it is an aspersion describing a 'woman who resembles a devil, as in extreme wickedness, cruelty, or bad temper.'

(actual Tasmanian she-devil upon hearing Mr. Syke's anti-women she devil remarks)

Obviously, Mr. Sykes has not followed the 'Me, too' movement or read any coverage of the 2018 Women's March. In case he missed it, here's a recap:

What do snake-filled she devils do after dark? We secretly plot voting against all men who view us with disdain and do not support issues crucial to women's lives.

LEO'S BLOOD/BLUE SUPERMOON TOTAL ECLIPSE PARTY, JANUARY 31ST

A rare occurrence on January 31st will grace the night sky: a blood Supermoon eclipse in the sign of Leo at 5:25 am PST. We haven't seen this kind of configuration with this orb since 1999. Peak back to 1999-you will see what happened back then will emerge in an evolved form giving you another chance at reworking your intentions. 

Eclipses are powerful events that allow us to resolve what has eclipsed out of our lives, prepare for what might eclipse, mourn what is eclipsing, and courageously choose what needs to eclipse. Though this sounds anxiety producing, eclipses are naturally occurring reminders that cycles begin anew when something ends. Like the Death card in Tarot, the message is not about death but rebirth. What has eclipsed for the better? What needs to eclipse out to bring positive change? What is eclipsing or has eclipsed that needs to be mourned so we can heal?

Symbolically, eclipses are also those rare times that we can see the shadow side of life. For a brief moment in time, light is obstructed enough for us to see what has been in hiding or operating beneath the surface. For this reason, it is recommended that no hard and fast decisions are made the week before and after an eclipse. Because eclipses tend to deliver new knowledge during this period, it is advisable to incubate instead of act. 

Not only is this a Supermoon but a blue moon (a full moon twice in one month), one of two this year. The last time this exact astronomical occurrence happened was 150 years ago. Expect powerful energies to be circulating for the next six months. Those born with Leo and Aquarius planets in their natal charts will be especially affected. Leo is a powerful, fiery sun-dominated sign whose warm, action-oriented protective traits are legendary. While in Aquarius, the water bearer, it is mediated by cooler cerebral, intuitive energy. Use the power of these elements to transmute whatever the eclipse is personally signalling to you. What seeds will you plant at the next New Moon on February 15th that will be generated from this eclipse?

Trump Suggests "Nuclear Option" If Stalemate Goes On

When in doubt, nuke them out. 
What are some other potential targets for a 'nuclear option' besides your Congressional opponents?: 
-Kim Jong Un (your biggest competition for weird hair and button pushing), 
-the Press (except Breitbart and Fox News), 
-the Democrats (whose chances of winning in 2018 are boosted daily by your 
 tweets), 
-Immigrants (except from Norway),
-Native Americans (and their supporters, including Pocahontas, who continue to protest building of the pipeline).
-Robert Mueller (and all your former administration buddies testifying against you),
-Michael Wolff (for revealing what we all suspected),
-Hilary Clinton ('crooked' but still polling as more popular than Melania),
-Barack Obama (voted this year as the most admired man in America),
-Jeff Flake (for accurately comparing you to Stalin)
-women who are not into pussy grabbing, have marched against your misogynist rhetoric, & are the unified unrecognized voting block largely underestimated by you. 
-all the people who did not show up at your inauguration,
-everyone who does not believe you are a stable genius,
-Stormy Daniels (confirming why Melania looks catatonic & acts pissed),
-Climate Change Scientists (because they know how to read, write, and publish),
-#Me, too (because they stole your Time's 'Person of the Year Award'),
-The CDC (for using words like fetus, diversity, vulnerable, entitlement, transgender,
  science-based, and evidence-based),
-people of color (what part of diversity don't you get is a no-no word),
-all 'shithole' countries (aka, countries that are not predominantly white),
-Puerto Rico (because they can't vote in a presidential election & are one of the countries you referred to above),
-John McCain (an old regal GOP thorn is still a looming thorn),
-lesbians, gays, transgenders and anyone else deemed as 'different',
-every American who can't their afford basic medical care (too bad euthanasia can't 
 be executive ordered),
-our military veterans injured in war enduring long wait times for benefits, delayed  medical treatment deemed too costly, and denied adequate physical, psychological, and vocational rehabilitation.
-those of us who refuse to remain silent.

THE WOMEN'S MARCH 2018

Pope Francis Accuses Chile Sex Abuse Victims of Slander

"SANTIAGO, Chile -- Pope Francis accused victims of Chile's most notorious pedophile of slander Thursday, an astonishing end to a visit meant to help heal the wounds of a sex abuse scandal that has cost the Catholic Church its credibility in the country. Francis said that until he sees proof that Bishop Juan Barros was complicit in covering up the sex crimes of the Rev. Fernando Karadima, such accusations against Barros are "all calumny." -CBSnews.com

Today's headline about the Pope accusing victims of sexual abuse as slanderous is nothing new. It's the norm. And people wonder why the "Me, too" has emerged as a powerful forum on sexual harassment and abuse. It is because victims are fearful they won't be believed, feel ashamed, and know the power of retribution. They suffer in silence hiding their 'dirty secrets'. Why? Because the predator skillfully knows how to manipulate the story line. Predators know how induce fear so the victim believes she will:
-be portrayed as seductive, crazy, or 'asking for it', or making it up; 
-worry the her perpetrator is powerful enough to appear as a wrongfully accused pillar of the community (with supporters who denounce the her with disparaging verbal assaults); 
-be terrorized because there are verbal, emotional, social, and physical threats made by the perpetrator. 
-regret the publicity, have old wounds reopened, and face a barrage of criticism why she waited so long to acknowledge the abuse.

Why would anyone want to go through this? The conspiracy of silence,  supported by a climate of denial, is preferable to the trauma of public disclosure. 

Sexual abuse is more common than one can imagine. You'd be hard pressed to find a woman who hasn't personally known a friend, relative, or some other woman who hasn't silently swallowed being sexually victimized. After years of covering up their shame, a number of my female friends shared their abuse stories with me. They felt they had to 'tell someone'-they needed to know someone believed them. Because women tend to share close bonds, we know it is rare that w woman would make up a secret like this, hide it for years, and then only divulge this on condition it will not be repeated. We have seen how some of our fellow females have struggled with past sexual abuse. Even when there is a good set of coping mechanisms, dealing with being sexually violated takes time to heal and some never escape the issues that emerge when trauma goes unresolved. 

Even after years or decades of secrecy, women who have been sexually abused are afraid of their abuse being revealed because of enduring the painful consequences of retelling what happened. They suffer PTSD symptoms having to relive the abuse, risk humiliation at having their credibility impeached, and by impugning the predator's reputation they are told their experiences are just 'false memories'. I have heard it all. 

Pope Francis, as you protect those complicit in knowing and protecting those who perpetrated this horrific sexual abuse under your religious authority, you are equally as guilty in propagating the sexual exploitation of children. The conspiracy of silence ends here.







  

The Fake News Awards: Other World Leaders Who Believed in Fake News

"Censorship in Nazi Germany was extreme and strictly enforced by the governing Nazi Party. It was implemented by the Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. All media—literature, music, newspapers, and public events—were censored. Attempts were also made to censor private communications, such as mail and even private conversation, with mixed results.

The aim of censorship under the Nazi regime was simple: to reinforce Nazi power and to suppress opposing viewpoints and information." -Wikipedia

"Censorship in the Soviet Union was pervasive and strictly enforced.

Censorship was performed in two main directions:

• State secrets were handled by the General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press (also known as Glavlit), which was in charge of censoring all publications and broadcasting for state secrets." -Wikipedia

"Editorial freedom came to a complete end in 1949. Intellectuals, including journalists, lived in permanent fear of arbitrary repression orchestrated by the regime until Mao’s death in 1976. The toll in human lives was appalling. Many journalists were killed or “committed suicide” and for decades the public had to endure mind-numbing propaganda."-rsf.org 

"No such idea of adversarial journalism, of subjecting the actions of state to investigation and scrutiny, was to infect the minds of the nation’s newspaper writers and editors. Rather Mussolini contended that “Fascism requires militant journalism,” the country’s newspapers presenting themselves “as a solid bloc,” committed to “the Cause” and obscuring or outrightly burying any fact or story antithetical to it. Even more than post-factum censorship, Mussolini favored this kind of proactive steering of the press, hardly subtle and clearly defining his expectations as both military and civilian leader of the people."-Libertarianism.org

THE EMPEROR'S CAPRICORN NEW MOON

One January 16th at 6:17pm PST, there is a New Moon in The Emperor's earth sign of Capricorn. One of the best visuals of Capricorn's natal sign is represented by The Emperor's card in Tarot. His card depicts a rather imposing old man on a throne, symbolizing absolute power, control, order, and dominance. Not only does he represent male authority but the execution of patriarchal decrees and edicts to crystallize his ambitions. Sound familiar?

During this New Moon we have not just one but six planets in Capricorn, suggesting we may be feeling like we are facing a totalitarian regime or stern father, replete with rigid rules and expectations. But Capricorn is not just about inflexible regulations; it is about learning to focus and actualize what we want to manifest. What good are our New Year's intentions if they stay stuck in our head? 

The power of this New Moon lies in tapping into the power of the executive functions of the brain. To quote Wikipedia, it means: 'selecting and successfully monitoring behaviors that facilitate the attainment of chosen goals.' What goals do you have for yourself this year? What is your plan to accomplish them? What obstacles do you have to overcome to realize this? The Chinese proverb says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

For the next two years we will have Saturn in Capricorn's sign, guiding us to further our dreams by setting aside all of our excuses. But this does not mean we have to mercilessly flog ourselves into submission. The push we need from planet Mars is in Scorpio now, providing the passion to persist through kind firmness. Mentally what is needed at this Capricorn New Moon is a coach who understands how to stretch without straining and encourage without berating. Beating ourselves up sounds like discipline but tends to reinforce our unworthiness by sabotaging our efforts with the habitually defeating, 'what's the use?' discourse.

Added to this lunation is a square to Uranus, the planet of surprise and the unexpected. This sets the stage for the blue moon lunar eclipse on January 31st, the second supermoon of the month, the first one in 150 years. Whatever shows up at this time is intended to be a wake-up call, a nudge from the universe, or serendipitous revelation. Use this unforeseen message to bolster your resolve by keeping your eyes on the prize.  

THE 'SHITHOLE' COUNTRY MY GRANDPARENTS CAME FROM

Mr. Trump's purported comments about immigrants from 'shithole' countries immigrating to the United States really hit a nerve with me. My paternal grandparents came to the US (pre-World War l from Poland) to escape the horror of war. The relatives who were left behind suffered unimaginable suffering which was later repeated with World War ll. When my grandparents immigrated to this country, they too were looked upon as 'shithole' immigrants. They were viewed as too stupid to hold any intelligent job and too backward to assimilate. To this day, Polish jokes abound in spite of them having one of the highest literacy rates in Europe, higher than even the United States. But stereotypes die hard; it is easy to cling to bias and prejudice. 

Because I was quite young when my grandparents died, I only have vague memories of them. The only thing I know is that they came here to escape persecution and wanted their progeny to have a better life. They could have not have envisioned how their brave choice to emigrate allowed their descendants to flourish. They were often derided as 'DPs' aka, dumb Pollacks. Their foreign language, different culture, and choice to live within their local Polish community reinforced preconceived ideas about them. This stereotype continues today, but now that we have Africans, Asians, and people of Hispanic descent (mainly people of color), the Caucasian Poles are not as big of a target. Color, not culture, has replaced the worn out stereotypes of what Mr. Trump and many in our country fear. Their foreign languages, cultures, and tendency to live in their own communities make them a target of prejudice as much as the Irish, Italians, and Poles were more than a hundred years ago. 

My grandparents did not live to see what their lineage produced: an incredible list of highly intelligent professional people who have contributed to our society. They would have been proud to know their  courageous journey to find a better life in this country produced such accomplished progeny. 

BTW: I am in good company. "A quick glance at Wikipedia's list of Polish people demonstrates the stereotype as false. Poland has produced notable minds in such diverse areas of knowledge as Astronomy (Nicolaus Copernicus), Chemistry (Marie Curie), Music (Frédéric Chopin and Henryk Górecki), Literature (Stanisław Lem), Religion (Karol Józef Wojtyla AKA Pope John Paul II), and Politics (Lech Wałęsa). A deeper look into that list reveals a number of highly intelligent Polish people who are less well known." -Wikipedia

The other half of my family is the coveted group Mr. Trump would like to see immigrate (I am also Irish, French, and Scandinavian). Basically in Mr. Trump's world, white people are good, people of color are bad. It is time for this to change. The change starts with us as individuals.

We have forgotten we are a nation of immigrants. We have lost touch with why our forebearers originally came to this country. We forget that all people want a better life for their children. I do not know what the solution is to our immigration problem but I know it is not castigating them for wanting what my grandparents wanted for me. 

MY BUTTON IS BIGGER THAN YOURS

A HAPPY NEW YEAR'S SUPERMOON

Happy New Year's 2018. We begin this New Year's with a dazzling Supermoon in Cancer at 6:24pm PST. What better way to celebrate another year than to have an auspicious moon in her home sign of Cancer, giving us the emotional oomph to begin again. Cancer's moonbeams will bestow us with greater insight, inner guidance, and the courage to move forward in spite of our hesitant story lines. It would be tempting, since this powerful lunation is in Capricorn's earthy responsible workaholic sign, to brow beat oneself into setting goals emphasizing rigid adherence versus inspiring us with nurturing coaxing. This emotional moon in Cancer is asking us to set aside our harsh inner critic by recognizing we have an indwelling GPS which can gently guide us to accomplishing our heart's desire with a more loving, soothing approach.

This New Year's Full Moon is made sweeter by a Grand Trine (three planets in harmony) in the watery signs of Pisces, Scorpio, and Cancer. This Grand Trine generates the emotional verve and confidence needed to turn intentions into reality. The transforming aspect of this Full Moon is not to be underestimated. Time to dream big and act big.

Happy New Year.