March 21, 2003 – Recently dismissed Police Commissioner Franz Christian said in an open "letter to the editor" on Friday that he harbors "no resentment" toward Gov. Charles W. Turnbull concerning the governor's decision to replace him with former St. Croix Police Chief Elton Lewis.
The change in police administration, Christian wrote, could cause speculation in the community about possible dissent within the department. "I wish to immediately dispel such speculations," he said.
The Police Department has undergone leadership transitions in the past and "will do so again in the future," he said, but the public can be assured that it will "continue to efficiently and effectively serve them during this transitional period."
Police effectiveness has been under scrutiny in recent months. Homicides reached a record high last year, and most of those cases remain unsolved. Carnival Cruise Lines canceled regular calls by two of its ships at Frederiksted, citing ongoing crime against passengers and crew. A drive-by shooting on St. Croix last weekend left a 13-year-old girl paralyzed from the waist down and an off-duty police office also wounded.
Turnbull announced on Tuesday that he had accepted Christian's resignation and had relieved him of duty effective immediately.
Police personnel from Christian to union personnel have cited inadequate funding, low morale and a poor public image as major problems facing the department.
Christian was named Police commissioner by Turnbull in the early weeks of the governor's first term, succeeding Ramon Davila, a carryover from the Schneider administration. Last April, in testimony before a Senate committee, Christian acknowledged that was among police personnel moonlighting under separate contract to provide security at Juan F. Luis Hospital
In his letter, Christian said that as a 20-year veteran of the force and as a private citizen, he will "continue to support and defend the efforts of the department in these difficult times."
The department, he said, is made up of "highly dedicated professionals" who "work long and hard to service the needs of this community." Thanking the government, the private sector and community-based organizations for their support, he urged the public to provide information to assist the police in their investigations. "Crime is not just a matter for the police," he wrote. "It is a community problem."
He professed "nothing but a tremendous respect" for Turnbull. "I have affably accepted the governor's decision to adjust the leadership of the Police Department at this time, and I harbor no resentment," he wrote.
Christian said he knows Lewis personally, and he is "a consummate professional whose leadership ability and style will compliment the Police Department." He said he plans to meet with Lewis soon to apprise him of ongoing projects so as to effect a smooth transition.
As for the news media, Christian said: "Although, we may not have always agreed on the issues, we have at all times shared a mutual respect and understanding."
Christian also had kind words for the police officers he worked with as commissioner. "Your unfailing support is deeply appreciated, and I ask that you continue to demonstrate the same level of commitment and loyalty to my successor," he wrote.
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TOP HOMELAND SECURITY OFFICIAL TO VISIT THE V.I.
March 21, 2003 – The No. 2 person in the nation's new Department of Homeland Security has agreed to visit the Virgin Islands at the invitation of Sen. Lorraine Berry, who chairs the Senate's also-new Public Safety, Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice Committee.
Michael Brown, undersecretary designate of the federal department, will be in the territory on April 14 and 15 to meet with V.I. officials "as a means of ascertaining the territory's readiness to respond to terrorist-related hostilities," Berry said in a release distributed on Thursday.
Berry described Brown as "Secretary Tom Ridge's point man" and said he will meet with her committee on April 14.
Repeating a phrase she used several weeks ago in a radio broadcast, Berry referred the Virgin Islands as "the soft underbelly of the United States" in a letter to Brown acknowledging his agreement to visit the territory. She said Brown's appearance will "go a long way in assuring us that the federal government is taking the Virgin Islands very seriously."
Berry reiterated what she had told Brown in earlier correspondence — that with the open border of its shorelines and "the indictment and conviction of Arab smuggling," the Virgin Islands "is a piece of cake" for illegal entry and exit.
In a March 3 "Lorraine Berry Report" radio address, the senator cited comments made by Harold Baker, V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency director, at a conference in Washington on homeland security readiness. She said Baker told Ridge: "We have 175 miles of unprotected open borders — we are the gateway to the United States … We even have seen, in recent times, Cubans walk our streets, and even Chinese nationals have been apprehended."
(The reference was to an ongoing tide of illegal aliens who are dropped off from boats, make their way ashore, and willingly allow themselves to be taken into custody and turned over to federal immigration authorities.)
Later at that same conference, Berry said, an aide she had sent in her stead because illness prevented her from attending spoke with Brown. The aide, Berry said, pointed out to Brown that the territory is home to the largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere; it has seen the conviction of residents for smuggling Middle Eastern nationals into the country; and, according to The Miami Herald, it was the point of entry to the United States for Muhammad Atta, identified as ringleader of the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
As a result, Berry said, Brown "became assured the Virgin Islands is not only the gateway to the United States, it is also the soft underbelly."
She described Brown in the March 3 radio address as "the key man in the Department of Homeland Security, which has been appropriated $5.9 billion to be dispensed among the states and territories."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
Michael Brown, undersecretary designate of the federal department, will be in the territory on April 14 and 15 to meet with V.I. officials "as a means of ascertaining the territory's readiness to respond to terrorist-related hostilities," Berry said in a release distributed on Thursday.
Berry described Brown as "Secretary Tom Ridge's point man" and said he will meet with her committee on April 14.
Repeating a phrase she used several weeks ago in a radio broadcast, Berry referred the Virgin Islands as "the soft underbelly of the United States" in a letter to Brown acknowledging his agreement to visit the territory. She said Brown's appearance will "go a long way in assuring us that the federal government is taking the Virgin Islands very seriously."
Berry reiterated what she had told Brown in earlier correspondence — that with the open border of its shorelines and "the indictment and conviction of Arab smuggling," the Virgin Islands "is a piece of cake" for illegal entry and exit.
In a March 3 "Lorraine Berry Report" radio address, the senator cited comments made by Harold Baker, V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency director, at a conference in Washington on homeland security readiness. She said Baker told Ridge: "We have 175 miles of unprotected open borders — we are the gateway to the United States … We even have seen, in recent times, Cubans walk our streets, and even Chinese nationals have been apprehended."
(The reference was to an ongoing tide of illegal aliens who are dropped off from boats, make their way ashore, and willingly allow themselves to be taken into custody and turned over to federal immigration authorities.)
Later at that same conference, Berry said, an aide she had sent in her stead because illness prevented her from attending spoke with Brown. The aide, Berry said, pointed out to Brown that the territory is home to the largest oil refinery in the Western Hemisphere; it has seen the conviction of residents for smuggling Middle Eastern nationals into the country; and, according to The Miami Herald, it was the point of entry to the United States for Muhammad Atta, identified as ringleader of the terrorists who carried out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
As a result, Berry said, Brown "became assured the Virgin Islands is not only the gateway to the United States, it is also the soft underbelly."
She described Brown in the March 3 radio address as "the key man in the Department of Homeland Security, which has been appropriated $5.9 billion to be dispensed among the states and territories."
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
FREE WILL BAPTIST STUDENT IS SPELLING CHAMP
March 21, 2003 – Joey Emanuel, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Free Will Baptist School on St. Croix, won a lengthy duel with Lindeon Davis of Lockhart Elementary School on St. Thomas to win the 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee on Friday.
The event, held at Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix, saw Joey overcome 11 other competitors. He and Lindeon, champions in their respective districts, went more than 25 rounds undefeated. Then the word "belligerent" proved to be Lindeon's undoing, and Joey capped his victory with the correct spelling of "evanescent."
Joey won the right to represent the territory at the annual Scripps Howard National Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 28 and 29.
Two other Crucian competitors finished in third and fourth place — Chahney Hinds of Good Hope School and Letesia Williams of St. Patrick's School, respectively.
Also competing were Jana Wattley of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Megan McGrath of Antilles School, Laurika T. Jude of Calvary Christian Academy and Kia-T'Nique Thomas of Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School on St. Thomas; Oshe Feldman of Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John; and Melvin Hendrikson of Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Meinrad Jagrup of School of the Good Shepherd, and Ade Raphael of Country Day School on St. Croix.
The 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Education Department and the V.I. Daily News.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The event, held at Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix, saw Joey overcome 11 other competitors. He and Lindeon, champions in their respective districts, went more than 25 rounds undefeated. Then the word "belligerent" proved to be Lindeon's undoing, and Joey capped his victory with the correct spelling of "evanescent."
Joey won the right to represent the territory at the annual Scripps Howard National Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 28 and 29.
Two other Crucian competitors finished in third and fourth place — Chahney Hinds of Good Hope School and Letesia Williams of St. Patrick's School, respectively.
Also competing were Jana Wattley of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Megan McGrath of Antilles School, Laurika T. Jude of Calvary Christian Academy and Kia-T'Nique Thomas of Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School on St. Thomas; Oshe Feldman of Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John; and Melvin Hendrikson of Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Meinrad Jagrup of School of the Good Shepherd, and Ade Raphael of Country Day School on St. Croix.
The 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Education Department and the V.I. Daily News.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
FREE WILL BAPTIST STUDENT IS SPELLING CHAMP
March 21, 2003 – Joey Emanuel, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Free Will Baptist School on St. Croix, won a lengthy duel with Lindeon Davis of Lockhart Elementary School on St. Thomas to win the 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee on Friday.
The event, held at Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix, saw Joey overcome 11 other competitors. He and Lindeon, champions in their respective districts, went more than 25 rounds undefeated. Then the word "belligerent" proved to be Lindeon's undoing, and Joey capped his victory with the correct spelling of "evanescent."
Joey won the right to represent the territory at the annual Scripps Howard National Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 28 and 29.
Two other Crucian competitors finished in third and fourth place — Chahney Hinds of Good Hope School and Letesia Williams of St. Patrick's School, respectively.
Also competing were Jana Wattley of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Megan McGrath of Antilles School, Laurika T. Jude of Calvary Christian Academy and Kia-T'Nique Thomas of Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School on St. Thomas; Oshe Feldman of Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John; and Melvin Hendrikson of Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Meinrad Jagrup of School of the Good Shepherd, and Ade Raphael of Country Day School on St. Croix.
The 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Education Department and the V.I. Daily News.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The event, held at Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix, saw Joey overcome 11 other competitors. He and Lindeon, champions in their respective districts, went more than 25 rounds undefeated. Then the word "belligerent" proved to be Lindeon's undoing, and Joey capped his victory with the correct spelling of "evanescent."
Joey won the right to represent the territory at the annual Scripps Howard National Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 28 and 29.
Two other Crucian competitors finished in third and fourth place — Chahney Hinds of Good Hope School and Letesia Williams of St. Patrick's School, respectively.
Also competing were Jana Wattley of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Megan McGrath of Antilles School, Laurika T. Jude of Calvary Christian Academy and Kia-T'Nique Thomas of Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School on St. Thomas; Oshe Feldman of Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John; and Melvin Hendrikson of Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Meinrad Jagrup of School of the Good Shepherd, and Ade Raphael of Country Day School on St. Croix.
The 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Education Department and the V.I. Daily News.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
FREE WILL BAPTIST STUDENT IS SPELLING CHAMP
March 21, 2003 – Joey Emanuel, a 13-year-old eighth grader at Free Will Baptist School on St. Croix, won a lengthy duel with Lindeon Davis of Lockhart Elementary School on St. Thomas to win the 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee on Friday.
The event, held at Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix, saw Joey overcome 11 other competitors. He and Lindeon, champions in their respective districts, went more than 25 rounds undefeated. Then the word "belligerent" proved to be Lindeon's undoing, and Joey capped his victory with the correct spelling of "evanescent."
Joey won the right to represent the territory at the annual Scripps Howard National Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 28 and 29.
Two other Crucian competitors finished in third and fourth place — Chahney Hinds of Good Hope School and Letesia Williams of St. Patrick's School, respectively.
Also competing were Jana Wattley of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Megan McGrath of Antilles School, Laurika T. Jude of Calvary Christian Academy and Kia-T'Nique Thomas of Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School on St. Thomas; Oshe Feldman of Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John; and Melvin Hendrikson of Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Meinrad Jagrup of School of the Good Shepherd, and Ade Raphael of Country Day School on St. Croix.
The 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Education Department and the V.I. Daily News.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The event, held at Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix, saw Joey overcome 11 other competitors. He and Lindeon, champions in their respective districts, went more than 25 rounds undefeated. Then the word "belligerent" proved to be Lindeon's undoing, and Joey capped his victory with the correct spelling of "evanescent."
Joey won the right to represent the territory at the annual Scripps Howard National Bee in Washington, D.C., on May 28 and 29.
Two other Crucian competitors finished in third and fourth place — Chahney Hinds of Good Hope School and Letesia Williams of St. Patrick's School, respectively.
Also competing were Jana Wattley of Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Megan McGrath of Antilles School, Laurika T. Jude of Calvary Christian Academy and Kia-T'Nique Thomas of Michael J. Kirwan Elementary School on St. Thomas; Oshe Feldman of Julius E. Sprauve School on St. John; and Melvin Hendrikson of Arthur A. Richards Junior High School, Meinrad Jagrup of School of the Good Shepherd, and Ade Raphael of Country Day School on St. Croix.
The 2003 V.I. Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Education Department and the V.I. Daily News.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
COSMIC NEWS: FULL MOON IN BLACK
March 21, 2003 — The BLACK MOON has me by the throat this week. So that is what I am writing about. It's kind of like having a frog in my throat — transformational and mysterious. Miracles and the Black Madonna. Let¹s call her in now!
LILITH — the name conjures dangerous seductions and exotic nights. Her lover is the man-in-the-moon. Astronomically, the Black Moon Lilith is a point intimately connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. Orbits are not perfect circles, but rather egg-shaped ellipses. (This was such a holy scandal when Kepler proved this mathematically a few short centuries ago. How could God make something not a perfect circle!?)
Life is not perfect, as we know. And our vision is limited. Humans only perceive a narrow band of light frequencies. Technology has stretched our eyesight into infrared and ultraviolet bands, into radio wave and microwave, X-ray and gamma ray frequencies. Still, there is a more subtle and pervasive level, an interconnected continuum.
Philosophers and scientists have, at times, called it aether. Our star bodies are made of this subtle weaving of the fifth element. Earth, air, fire and water all arise from this underlying element that the Egyptians knew as the infinite, the nothingness, the nowhere, and the dark.
Referring to the fiery sky, the Greek poet Homer mentioned aether as the celestial light of the upper atmosphere where the stars lived. This region contained a celestial clarity that caused things to be seen in their essence. In Hindu philosophy this aether, or space, was considered the primary and most subtly pervasive manifestation of the divine substance.
This aether may be the dark matter or dark energy that scientists are urgently seeking. Such invisible light has been experienced and known by mystics of all times. Shri Ram Chandra explains that:
Every saint has used the word light and that is the best expression for Reality. But when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The Real Light carries with it no such sense and may be represented as light without luminosity. It refers only to the real substance or, more appropriately, to substanceless substance, which is associated with neither light nor darkness but beyond both.
This is where Lilith lives — beyond light and darkness, beyond judgements and limited perspectives. She strips the soul right down to the heart. We need her eyes now.
During the FULL MOON on March 18, the MOON is in VIRGO and the SUN at the end of PISCES. At its best, this combination evokes the Great Goddess of Virgo, who manifests from the aetheric seas of Pisces into the world of form. Both are signs of service: Virgo in the daily tasks of life, Pisces on the level of prayer and compassion.
The Black Moon has two positions, true and mean. Both are relevant. The true is at 21 degrees Aries, a fire sign of action. The Sabian symbol image of this degree is:
A PUGILIST, FLUSHED WITH STRENGTH, ENTERS THE RING
We know who that is. Dane Rudhyar interprets, complete immolation of self in things purely physical. Intense self-assertiveness, physical and psychological.
The mean Black Moon is at 4 degrees Taurus, the most solid of earth signs. Taurus rules the throat — no wonder Lilith's got me by the throat speaking about her. The Sabian symbol is:
THE RAINBOW'S POT OF GOLD GLOWS AMIDST THE SPARKLING RAIN
The leprechauns were around this week for St. Paddy¹s Day, you can be sure. Down here in the islands we had rainbow towers rising from the sea in the late afternoon. I saw several; one was photographed. It¹s a hopeful sign in a week of dreadful news. The pot of gold is not on the physical level. The pugilist might have trouble getting to it.
Imagine the wealth of spiritual resources at work on the subtle planes with such longing for peace going on around the globe. It takes the eyes of the heart and soul to see at this subtle frequency. Let¹s keep imagining. It's a great service to keep our attention on the rainbow, to hold the light in the apparent darkness.
LILITH — the name conjures dangerous seductions and exotic nights. Her lover is the man-in-the-moon. Astronomically, the Black Moon Lilith is a point intimately connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. Orbits are not perfect circles, but rather egg-shaped ellipses. (This was such a holy scandal when Kepler proved this mathematically a few short centuries ago. How could God make something not a perfect circle!?)
Life is not perfect, as we know. And our vision is limited. Humans only perceive a narrow band of light frequencies. Technology has stretched our eyesight into infrared and ultraviolet bands, into radio wave and microwave, X-ray and gamma ray frequencies. Still, there is a more subtle and pervasive level, an interconnected continuum.
Philosophers and scientists have, at times, called it aether. Our star bodies are made of this subtle weaving of the fifth element. Earth, air, fire and water all arise from this underlying element that the Egyptians knew as the infinite, the nothingness, the nowhere, and the dark.
Referring to the fiery sky, the Greek poet Homer mentioned aether as the celestial light of the upper atmosphere where the stars lived. This region contained a celestial clarity that caused things to be seen in their essence. In Hindu philosophy this aether, or space, was considered the primary and most subtly pervasive manifestation of the divine substance.
This aether may be the dark matter or dark energy that scientists are urgently seeking. Such invisible light has been experienced and known by mystics of all times. Shri Ram Chandra explains that:
Every saint has used the word light and that is the best expression for Reality. But when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The Real Light carries with it no such sense and may be represented as light without luminosity. It refers only to the real substance or, more appropriately, to substanceless substance, which is associated with neither light nor darkness but beyond both.
This is where Lilith lives — beyond light and darkness, beyond judgements and limited perspectives. She strips the soul right down to the heart. We need her eyes now.
During the FULL MOON on March 18, the MOON is in VIRGO and the SUN at the end of PISCES. At its best, this combination evokes the Great Goddess of Virgo, who manifests from the aetheric seas of Pisces into the world of form. Both are signs of service: Virgo in the daily tasks of life, Pisces on the level of prayer and compassion.
The Black Moon has two positions, true and mean. Both are relevant. The true is at 21 degrees Aries, a fire sign of action. The Sabian symbol image of this degree is:
A PUGILIST, FLUSHED WITH STRENGTH, ENTERS THE RING
We know who that is. Dane Rudhyar interprets, complete immolation of self in things purely physical. Intense self-assertiveness, physical and psychological.
The mean Black Moon is at 4 degrees Taurus, the most solid of earth signs. Taurus rules the throat — no wonder Lilith's got me by the throat speaking about her. The Sabian symbol is:
THE RAINBOW'S POT OF GOLD GLOWS AMIDST THE SPARKLING RAIN
The leprechauns were around this week for St. Paddy¹s Day, you can be sure. Down here in the islands we had rainbow towers rising from the sea in the late afternoon. I saw several; one was photographed. It¹s a hopeful sign in a week of dreadful news. The pot of gold is not on the physical level. The pugilist might have trouble getting to it.
Imagine the wealth of spiritual resources at work on the subtle planes with such longing for peace going on around the globe. It takes the eyes of the heart and soul to see at this subtle frequency. Let¹s keep imagining. It's a great service to keep our attention on the rainbow, to hold the light in the apparent darkness.
Editor's note: Astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she leads stargazing nights and teaches with Self Centre International at Caneel Bay Resort. She is finishing her Ph.D. in cosmology and myth, and writing on Lilith and the Cosmic Feminine. Check out her Web site: www.heliastar.com. To be on her e-mail list for monthly articles or for an astrology consultation, write her at kellhunter@earthlink.net.
An archive of Cosmic News articles can be found in each Source in the Lifestyles/Advice section.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Croix Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
COSMIC NEWS: FULL MOON IN BLACK
March 21, 2003 — The BLACK MOON has me by the throat this week. So that is what I am writing about. It's kind of like having a frog in my throat — transformational and mysterious. Miracles and the Black Madonna. Let¹s call her in now!
LILITH — the name conjures dangerous seductions and exotic nights. Her lover is the man-in-the-moon. Astronomically, the Black Moon Lilith is a point intimately connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. Orbits are not perfect circles, but rather egg-shaped ellipses. (This was such a holy scandal when Kepler proved this mathematically a few short centuries ago. How could God make something not a perfect circle!?)
Life is not perfect, as we know. And our vision is limited. Humans only perceive a narrow band of light frequencies. Technology has stretched our eyesight into infrared and ultraviolet bands, into radio wave and microwave, X-ray and gamma ray frequencies. Still, there is a more subtle and pervasive level, an interconnected continuum.
Philosophers and scientists have, at times, called it aether. Our star bodies are made of this subtle weaving of the fifth element. Earth, air, fire and water all arise from this underlying element that the Egyptians knew as the infinite, the nothingness, the nowhere, and the dark.
Referring to the fiery sky, the Greek poet Homer mentioned aether as the celestial light of the upper atmosphere where the stars lived. This region contained a celestial clarity that caused things to be seen in their essence. In Hindu philosophy this aether, or space, was considered the primary and most subtly pervasive manifestation of the divine substance.
This aether may be the dark matter or dark energy that scientists are urgently seeking. Such invisible light has been experienced and known by mystics of all times. Shri Ram Chandra explains that:
Every saint has used the word light and that is the best expression for Reality. But when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The Real Light carries with it no such sense and may be represented as light without luminosity. It refers only to the real substance or, more appropriately, to substanceless substance, which is associated with neither light nor darkness but beyond both.
This is where Lilith lives — beyond light and darkness, beyond judgements and limited perspectives. She strips the soul right down to the heart. We need her eyes now.
During the FULL MOON on March 18, the MOON is in VIRGO and the SUN at the end of PISCES. At its best, this combination evokes the Great Goddess of Virgo, who manifests from the aetheric seas of Pisces into the world of form. Both are signs of service: Virgo in the daily tasks of life, Pisces on the level of prayer and compassion.
The Black Moon has two positions, true and mean. Both are relevant. The true is at 21 degrees Aries, a fire sign of action. The Sabian symbol image of this degree is:
A PUGILIST, FLUSHED WITH STRENGTH, ENTERS THE RING
We know who that is. Dane Rudhyar interprets, complete immolation of self in things purely physical. Intense self-assertiveness, physical and psychological.
The mean Black Moon is at 4 degrees Taurus, the most solid of earth signs. Taurus rules the throat — no wonder Lilith's got me by the throat speaking about her. The Sabian symbol is:
THE RAINBOW'S POT OF GOLD GLOWS AMIDST THE SPARKLING RAIN
The leprechauns were around this week for St. Paddy¹s Day, you can be sure. Down here in the islands we had rainbow towers rising from the sea in the late afternoon. I saw several; one was photographed. It¹s a hopeful sign in a week of dreadful news. The pot of gold is not on the physical level. The pugilist might have trouble getting to it.
Imagine the wealth of spiritual resources at work on the subtle planes with such longing for peace going on around the globe. It takes the eyes of the heart and soul to see at this subtle frequency. Let¹s keep imagining. It's a great service to keep our attention on the rainbow, to hold the light in the apparent darkness.
LILITH — the name conjures dangerous seductions and exotic nights. Her lover is the man-in-the-moon. Astronomically, the Black Moon Lilith is a point intimately connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. Orbits are not perfect circles, but rather egg-shaped ellipses. (This was such a holy scandal when Kepler proved this mathematically a few short centuries ago. How could God make something not a perfect circle!?)
Life is not perfect, as we know. And our vision is limited. Humans only perceive a narrow band of light frequencies. Technology has stretched our eyesight into infrared and ultraviolet bands, into radio wave and microwave, X-ray and gamma ray frequencies. Still, there is a more subtle and pervasive level, an interconnected continuum.
Philosophers and scientists have, at times, called it aether. Our star bodies are made of this subtle weaving of the fifth element. Earth, air, fire and water all arise from this underlying element that the Egyptians knew as the infinite, the nothingness, the nowhere, and the dark.
Referring to the fiery sky, the Greek poet Homer mentioned aether as the celestial light of the upper atmosphere where the stars lived. This region contained a celestial clarity that caused things to be seen in their essence. In Hindu philosophy this aether, or space, was considered the primary and most subtly pervasive manifestation of the divine substance.
This aether may be the dark matter or dark energy that scientists are urgently seeking. Such invisible light has been experienced and known by mystics of all times. Shri Ram Chandra explains that:
Every saint has used the word light and that is the best expression for Reality. But when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The Real Light carries with it no such sense and may be represented as light without luminosity. It refers only to the real substance or, more appropriately, to substanceless substance, which is associated with neither light nor darkness but beyond both.
This is where Lilith lives — beyond light and darkness, beyond judgements and limited perspectives. She strips the soul right down to the heart. We need her eyes now.
During the FULL MOON on March 18, the MOON is in VIRGO and the SUN at the end of PISCES. At its best, this combination evokes the Great Goddess of Virgo, who manifests from the aetheric seas of Pisces into the world of form. Both are signs of service: Virgo in the daily tasks of life, Pisces on the level of prayer and compassion.
The Black Moon has two positions, true and mean. Both are relevant. The true is at 21 degrees Aries, a fire sign of action. The Sabian symbol image of this degree is:
A PUGILIST, FLUSHED WITH STRENGTH, ENTERS THE RING
We know who that is. Dane Rudhyar interprets, complete immolation of self in things purely physical. Intense self-assertiveness, physical and psychological.
The mean Black Moon is at 4 degrees Taurus, the most solid of earth signs. Taurus rules the throat — no wonder Lilith's got me by the throat speaking about her. The Sabian symbol is:
THE RAINBOW'S POT OF GOLD GLOWS AMIDST THE SPARKLING RAIN
The leprechauns were around this week for St. Paddy¹s Day, you can be sure. Down here in the islands we had rainbow towers rising from the sea in the late afternoon. I saw several; one was photographed. It¹s a hopeful sign in a week of dreadful news. The pot of gold is not on the physical level. The pugilist might have trouble getting to it.
Imagine the wealth of spiritual resources at work on the subtle planes with such longing for peace going on around the globe. It takes the eyes of the heart and soul to see at this subtle frequency. Let¹s keep imagining. It's a great service to keep our attention on the rainbow, to hold the light in the apparent darkness.
Editor's note: Astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she leads stargazing nights and teaches with Self Centre International at Caneel Bay Resort. She is finishing her Ph.D. in cosmology and myth, and writing on Lilith and the Cosmic Feminine. Check out her Web site: www.heliastar.com. To be on her e-mail list for monthly articles or for an astrology consultation, write her at kellhunter@earthlink.net.
An archive of Cosmic News articles can be found in each Source in the Lifestyles/ Advice section.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
COSMIC NEWS: FULL MOON IN BLACK
March 21, 2003 — The BLACK MOON has me by the throat this week. So that is what I am writing about. It's kind of like having a frog in my throat — transformational and mysterious. Miracles and the Black Madonna. Let¹s call her in now!
LILITH — the name conjures dangerous seductions and exotic nights. Her lover is the man-in-the-moon. Astronomically, the Black Moon Lilith is a point intimately connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. Orbits are not perfect circles, but rather egg-shaped ellipses. (This was such a holy scandal when Kepler proved this mathematically a few short centuries ago. How could God make something not a perfect circle!?)
Life is not perfect, as we know. And our vision is limited. Humans only perceive a narrow band of light frequencies. Technology has stretched our eyesight into infrared and ultraviolet bands, into radio wave and microwave, X-ray and gamma ray frequencies. Still, there is a more subtle and pervasive level, an interconnected continuum.
Philosophers and scientists have, at times, called it aether. Our star bodies are made of this subtle weaving of the fifth element. Earth, air, fire and water all arise from this underlying element that the Egyptians knew as the infinite, the nothingness, the nowhere, and the dark.
Referring to the fiery sky, the Greek poet Homer mentioned aether as the celestial light of the upper atmosphere where the stars lived. This region contained a celestial clarity that caused things to be seen in their essence. In Hindu philosophy this aether, or space, was considered the primary and most subtly pervasive manifestation of the divine substance.
This aether may be the dark matter or dark energy that scientists are urgently seeking. Such invisible light has been experienced and known by mystics of all times. Shri Ram Chandra explains that:
Every saint has used the word light and that is the best expression for Reality. But when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The Real Light carries with it no such sense and may be represented as light without luminosity. It refers only to the real substance or, more appropriately, to substanceless substance, which is associated with neither light nor darkness but beyond both.
This is where Lilith lives — beyond light and darkness, beyond judgements and limited perspectives. She strips the soul right down to the heart. We need her eyes now.
During the FULL MOON on March 18, the MOON is in VIRGO and the SUN at the end of PISCES. At its best, this combination evokes the Great Goddess of Virgo, who manifests from the aetheric seas of Pisces into the world of form. Both are signs of service: Virgo in the daily tasks of life, Pisces on the level of prayer and compassion.
The Black Moon has two positions, true and mean. Both are relevant. The true is at 21 degrees Aries, a fire sign of action. The Sabian symbol image of this degree is:
A PUGILIST, FLUSHED WITH STRENGTH, ENTERS THE RING
We know who that is. Dane Rudhyar interprets, complete immolation of self in things purely physical. Intense self-assertiveness, physical and psychological.
The mean Black Moon is at 4 degrees Taurus, the most solid of earth signs. Taurus rules the throat — no wonder Lilith's got me by the throat speaking about her. The Sabian symbol is:
THE RAINBOW'S POT OF GOLD GLOWS AMIDST THE SPARKLING RAIN
The leprechauns were around this week for St. Paddy¹s Day, you can be sure. Down here in the islands we had rainbow towers rising from the sea in the late afternoon. I saw several; one was photographed. It¹s a hopeful sign in a week of dreadful news. The pot of gold is not on the physical level. The pugilist might have trouble getting to it.
Imagine the wealth of spiritual resources at work on the subtle planes with such longing for peace going on around the globe. It takes the eyes of the heart and soul to see at this subtle frequency. Let¹s keep imagining. It's a great service to keep our attention on the rainbow, to hold the light in the apparent darkness.
LILITH — the name conjures dangerous seductions and exotic nights. Her lover is the man-in-the-moon. Astronomically, the Black Moon Lilith is a point intimately connected to the orbit of the Moon around the Earth. Orbits are not perfect circles, but rather egg-shaped ellipses. (This was such a holy scandal when Kepler proved this mathematically a few short centuries ago. How could God make something not a perfect circle!?)
Life is not perfect, as we know. And our vision is limited. Humans only perceive a narrow band of light frequencies. Technology has stretched our eyesight into infrared and ultraviolet bands, into radio wave and microwave, X-ray and gamma ray frequencies. Still, there is a more subtle and pervasive level, an interconnected continuum.
Philosophers and scientists have, at times, called it aether. Our star bodies are made of this subtle weaving of the fifth element. Earth, air, fire and water all arise from this underlying element that the Egyptians knew as the infinite, the nothingness, the nowhere, and the dark.
Referring to the fiery sky, the Greek poet Homer mentioned aether as the celestial light of the upper atmosphere where the stars lived. This region contained a celestial clarity that caused things to be seen in their essence. In Hindu philosophy this aether, or space, was considered the primary and most subtly pervasive manifestation of the divine substance.
This aether may be the dark matter or dark energy that scientists are urgently seeking. Such invisible light has been experienced and known by mystics of all times. Shri Ram Chandra explains that:
Every saint has used the word light and that is the best expression for Reality. But when we talk of light the idea of luminosity becomes prominent and we begin to take it as glittering. The Real Light carries with it no such sense and may be represented as light without luminosity. It refers only to the real substance or, more appropriately, to substanceless substance, which is associated with neither light nor darkness but beyond both.
This is where Lilith lives — beyond light and darkness, beyond judgements and limited perspectives. She strips the soul right down to the heart. We need her eyes now.
During the FULL MOON on March 18, the MOON is in VIRGO and the SUN at the end of PISCES. At its best, this combination evokes the Great Goddess of Virgo, who manifests from the aetheric seas of Pisces into the world of form. Both are signs of service: Virgo in the daily tasks of life, Pisces on the level of prayer and compassion.
The Black Moon has two positions, true and mean. Both are relevant. The true is at 21 degrees Aries, a fire sign of action. The Sabian symbol image of this degree is:
A PUGILIST, FLUSHED WITH STRENGTH, ENTERS THE RING
We know who that is. Dane Rudhyar interprets, complete immolation of self in things purely physical. Intense self-assertiveness, physical and psychological.
The mean Black Moon is at 4 degrees Taurus, the most solid of earth signs. Taurus rules the throat — no wonder Lilith's got me by the throat speaking about her. The Sabian symbol is:
THE RAINBOW'S POT OF GOLD GLOWS AMIDST THE SPARKLING RAIN
The leprechauns were around this week for St. Paddy¹s Day, you can be sure. Down here in the islands we had rainbow towers rising from the sea in the late afternoon. I saw several; one was photographed. It¹s a hopeful sign in a week of dreadful news. The pot of gold is not on the physical level. The pugilist might have trouble getting to it.
Imagine the wealth of spiritual resources at work on the subtle planes with such longing for peace going on around the globe. It takes the eyes of the heart and soul to see at this subtle frequency. Let¹s keep imagining. It's a great service to keep our attention on the rainbow, to hold the light in the apparent darkness.
Editor's note: Astrologer Kelley Hunter is a resident of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, where she leads stargazing nights and teaches with Self Centre International at Caneel Bay Resort. She is finishing her Ph.D. in cosmology and myth, and writing on Lilith and the Cosmic Feminine. Check out her Web site: www.heliastar.com. To be on her e-mail list for monthly articles or for an astrology consultation, write her at kellhunter@earthlink.net.
An archive of Cosmic News articles can be found in each Source in the Lifestyles/Advice section.
Publisher's note : Like the St. Thomas Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
OIL INDUSTRY REPORT: HOVENSA EYED AS TARGET
March 21, 2003 – Statements attributed to top government officials in Aruba have led to heightened security around the Hovensa refinery.
A report published Thursday in the oil industry newsletter Oil Express suggests elements opposed to U.S. military action in Iraq are weighing a possible attack against U.S. refineries in the Caribbean.
"Of specific interest to Islamic fundamentalists: the 495,000 b/d [barrels a day] Hess refinery in the Virgin Islands, and El Paso's 250,000 b/d facility in Aruba," the report said.
Oil Express is a weekly newsletter published by OPIS, a group of New Jersey-based industry specialists who track the price of oil and petroleum products for a confidential client list of top oil companies, distributors, traders and buyers.
An executive at Amerada Hess, the parent company of Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp., the local component of Hovensa, said company officials were aware of the possible threat but could not verify whether the information is reliable. Security measures are, however, being taken.
"Yes, we've seen the story," Carl Tursi, Amerada Hess vice president, said from New York. He said Hess officials "don't know where it came from," but "we have extra security at the refinery. The Coast Guard is there. The National Guard is on alert, as it is around the nation."
Tursi added: "We notified the FBI, but they were already aware of it."
The Oil Express item cited intelligence reports circulating through Aruba's government last week. "The first hint of a plausible threat to the two facilities came from an attorney in Aruba who allegedly received information from the Prime Minister of Aruba, Nelson Oduber," the article said.
Oduber reportedly said that if the United States attacked Iraq, Islamic fundamentalists based in South America would strike the U.S.-held refinery in Aruba.
Intelligence reports obtained by Oil Express pointed to a group of al-Qaida sympathizers in Sudan and a man identified as "Saudi Abu Zahid" who told the group in 2002 that terrorists would attack terminals, pipelines and ships. "He implied possible attacks against the Amerada Hess facility in St. Croix," the article said.
Hovensa spokesman Alexander A. Moorhead said on Friday that the refinery already has procedures in place to follow as the level in the national threat assessment rises. Since U.S. forces began their strike in Iraq, the level has risen to Code Orange, or high alert, which is second only fo Code Red, the highest level.
Moorhead, Hovensa's vice president for government relations and community affairs, said: "We do have steps that we take as the national security level changes, but I wouldn't want to go into any further detail, because we wouldn't want that to become public information."
Security at the St. Croix refinery — the largest in the Western Hemisphere — has been the ongoing subject of talks between Hovensa and the V.I. National Guard since the fall of 2001. The talks were initiated soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland, Moorhead said, and have continued periodically since.
V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency officials also are paying close attention to Hovensa. Harold Baker, VITEMA director, said he has been in dialogue with refinery officials as well as V.I. port operations managers and the Water and Power Authority since national homeland security operations began last fall.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
A report published Thursday in the oil industry newsletter Oil Express suggests elements opposed to U.S. military action in Iraq are weighing a possible attack against U.S. refineries in the Caribbean.
"Of specific interest to Islamic fundamentalists: the 495,000 b/d [barrels a day] Hess refinery in the Virgin Islands, and El Paso's 250,000 b/d facility in Aruba," the report said.
Oil Express is a weekly newsletter published by OPIS, a group of New Jersey-based industry specialists who track the price of oil and petroleum products for a confidential client list of top oil companies, distributors, traders and buyers.
An executive at Amerada Hess, the parent company of Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp., the local component of Hovensa, said company officials were aware of the possible threat but could not verify whether the information is reliable. Security measures are, however, being taken.
"Yes, we've seen the story," Carl Tursi, Amerada Hess vice president, said from New York. He said Hess officials "don't know where it came from," but "we have extra security at the refinery. The Coast Guard is there. The National Guard is on alert, as it is around the nation."
Tursi added: "We notified the FBI, but they were already aware of it."
The Oil Express item cited intelligence reports circulating through Aruba's government last week. "The first hint of a plausible threat to the two facilities came from an attorney in Aruba who allegedly received information from the Prime Minister of Aruba, Nelson Oduber," the article said.
Oduber reportedly said that if the United States attacked Iraq, Islamic fundamentalists based in South America would strike the U.S.-held refinery in Aruba.
Intelligence reports obtained by Oil Express pointed to a group of al-Qaida sympathizers in Sudan and a man identified as "Saudi Abu Zahid" who told the group in 2002 that terrorists would attack terminals, pipelines and ships. "He implied possible attacks against the Amerada Hess facility in St. Croix," the article said.
Hovensa spokesman Alexander A. Moorhead said on Friday that the refinery already has procedures in place to follow as the level in the national threat assessment rises. Since U.S. forces began their strike in Iraq, the level has risen to Code Orange, or high alert, which is second only fo Code Red, the highest level.
Moorhead, Hovensa's vice president for government relations and community affairs, said: "We do have steps that we take as the national security level changes, but I wouldn't want to go into any further detail, because we wouldn't want that to become public information."
Security at the St. Croix refinery — the largest in the Western Hemisphere — has been the ongoing subject of talks between Hovensa and the V.I. National Guard since the fall of 2001. The talks were initiated soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the mainland, Moorhead said, and have continued periodically since.
V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency officials also are paying close attention to Hovensa. Harold Baker, VITEMA director, said he has been in dialogue with refinery officials as well as V.I. port operations managers and the Water and Power Authority since national homeland security operations began last fall.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
CHRISTIAN SAYS HE'S 'AFFABLY ACCEPTED' REMOVAL
March 21, 2003 – Recently dismissed Police Commissioner Franz Christian said in an open "letter to the editor" on Friday that he harbors "no resentment" toward Gov. Charles W. Turnbull concerning the governor's decision to replace him with former St. Croix Police Chief Elton Lewis.
The change in police administration, Christian wrote, could cause speculation in the community about possible dissent within the department. "I wish to immediately dispel such speculations," he said.
The Police Department has undergone leadership transitions in the past and "will do so again in the future," he said, but the public can be assured that it will "continue to efficiently and effectively serve them during this transitional period."
Police effectiveness has been under scrutiny in recent months. Homicides reached a record high last year, and most of those cases remain unsolved. Carnival Cruise Lines canceled regular calls by two of its ships at Frederiksted, citing ongoing crime against passengers and crew. A drive-by shooting on St. Croix last weekend left a 13-year-old girl paralyzed from the waist down and an off-duty police office also wounded.
Turnbull announced on Tuesday that he had accepted Christian's resignation and had relieved him of duty effective immediately.
Police personnel from Christian to union personnel have cited inadequate funding, low morale and a poor public image as major problems facing the department.
Christian was named Police commissioner by Turnbull in the early weeks of the governor's first term, succeeding Ramon Davila, a carryover from the Schneider administration. Last April, in testimony before a Senate committee, Christian acknowledged that was among police personnel moonlighting under separate contract to provide security at Juan F. Luis Hospital
In his letter, Christian said that as a 20-year veteran of the force and as a private citizen, he will "continue to support and defend the efforts of the department in these difficult times."
The department, he said, is made up of "highly dedicated professionals" who "work long and hard to service the needs of this community." Thanking the government, the private sector and community-based organizations for their support, he urged the public to provide information to assist the police in their investigations. "Crime is not just a matter for the police," he wrote. "It is a community problem."
He professed "nothing but a tremendous respect" for Turnbull. "I have affably accepted the governor's decision to adjust the leadership of the Police Department at this time, and I harbor no resentment," he wrote.
Christian said he knows Lewis personally, and he is "a consummate professional whose leadership ability and style will compliment the Police Department." He said he plans to meet with Lewis soon to apprise him of ongoing projects so as to effect a smooth transition.
As for the news media, Christian said: "Although, we may not have always agreed on the issues, we have at all times shared a mutual respect and understanding."
Christian also had kind words for the police officers he worked with as commissioner. "Your unfailing support is deeply appreciated, and I ask that you continue to demonstrate the same level of commitment and loyalty to my successor," he wrote.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
The change in police administration, Christian wrote, could cause speculation in the community about possible dissent within the department. "I wish to immediately dispel such speculations," he said.
The Police Department has undergone leadership transitions in the past and "will do so again in the future," he said, but the public can be assured that it will "continue to efficiently and effectively serve them during this transitional period."
Police effectiveness has been under scrutiny in recent months. Homicides reached a record high last year, and most of those cases remain unsolved. Carnival Cruise Lines canceled regular calls by two of its ships at Frederiksted, citing ongoing crime against passengers and crew. A drive-by shooting on St. Croix last weekend left a 13-year-old girl paralyzed from the waist down and an off-duty police office also wounded.
Turnbull announced on Tuesday that he had accepted Christian's resignation and had relieved him of duty effective immediately.
Police personnel from Christian to union personnel have cited inadequate funding, low morale and a poor public image as major problems facing the department.
Christian was named Police commissioner by Turnbull in the early weeks of the governor's first term, succeeding Ramon Davila, a carryover from the Schneider administration. Last April, in testimony before a Senate committee, Christian acknowledged that was among police personnel moonlighting under separate contract to provide security at Juan F. Luis Hospital
In his letter, Christian said that as a 20-year veteran of the force and as a private citizen, he will "continue to support and defend the efforts of the department in these difficult times."
The department, he said, is made up of "highly dedicated professionals" who "work long and hard to service the needs of this community." Thanking the government, the private sector and community-based organizations for their support, he urged the public to provide information to assist the police in their investigations. "Crime is not just a matter for the police," he wrote. "It is a community problem."
He professed "nothing but a tremendous respect" for Turnbull. "I have affably accepted the governor's decision to adjust the leadership of the Police Department at this time, and I harbor no resentment," he wrote.
Christian said he knows Lewis personally, and he is "a consummate professional whose leadership ability and style will compliment the Police Department." He said he plans to meet with Lewis soon to apprise him of ongoing projects so as to effect a smooth transition.
As for the news media, Christian said: "Although, we may not have always agreed on the issues, we have at all times shared a mutual respect and understanding."
Christian also had kind words for the police officers he worked with as commissioner. "Your unfailing support is deeply appreciated, and I ask that you continue to demonstrate the same level of commitment and loyalty to my successor," he wrote.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.
