Tag archive: Victoria

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Holy Smoke!  An American Pope!

They said it couldn’t be done, but on May 8th, 2025, a conclave of 133 Catholic Cardinals, largest in history, elected an American as Pope!  80% of those qualified to vote (only Cardinals under age 80 were eligible) had been elevated by Pope Francis, including the Vatican sweepstakes winner, Cardinal Robert Prevost.  The conclave was also the most international in composition, with roughly two-thirds drawn from nations outside Europe, and 71 countries represented in total.

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Aussies & Canucks Go to the Polls

Late April and early May 2025 witnessed two vital democracies elect new governments, in the teeth of a tense Mars/Pluto opposition, as Canadians and Australians lined up to cast ballots for the candidates of their choice.  Both countries saw foundering incumbents, once thought to be sure losers, given new life and rescued from defeat to retain power.  This was, at least in part, aided and abetted by a series of poorly chosen acts and statements from US President Donald Trump, whose trade war tariffs and belligerent rhetoric aimed at these erstwhile allies tarred his fellow conservatives with a brush so toxic that voters fled into the arms of their progressive rivals.  Donald Trump, Making Democracy Great Again – everywhere but in America.

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2025 Academy Awards Wrap-up

The 97th Academy Awards were presented on 2 March 2025, commencing at 4 PM PST in Los Angeles, California.  Thirteen of the nominees were first-time honorees, a record showing, and no more than appropriate, with a first-time host, Conan O’Brien, as well.  Newbies grabbed three of four acting awards, and among the record setters were Best Actor winner Adrien Brody (first person to have two wins for just two nominations, as well as the longest acceptance speech in Oscar history), and “Anora” director Sean Baker (first to win four Oscars for the same film, scooping up Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay and Film Editing).

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Aster-Obit:  Gene Hackman

On Wednesday, 26 February, 2025, Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, following a wellness check by authorities.  Also deceased was a German Shepherd, one of several dogs owned by the couple.  Foul play was initially ruled out, but evidence at the scene was inconclusive, and police now classify the deaths as “suspicious.”  Search warrants were issued for the property to resolve the cause of death, which could extend to accident or suicide, but reporting indicates that the couple may have been dead for some time before discovery.

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Trump 2.0: Crazy Like a Fox

Donald J. Trump’s second administration, taking power at noon on 20 January 2025 (by constitutional fiat, whenever the oath itself is taken), is likely to be a replay of the first term, only more so.  In 2017 when he first assumed office, Trump was a newbie novice to the Washington scene; he appointed persons with experience and relative competence to help him run the government, individuals who had a respect for its institutions and norms, who served as guardrails on Trump’s wilder, wackier impulses.

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2024 Nobel Prizes Awarded

At first glance, it may seem odd that the inventor of dynamite, one of the most destructive forces known to man, should go on to establish one of the world’s most prestigious awards, focused on acknowledging contributions for the betterment of mankind, but Alfred Nobel was many things.  Born 21 October 1833 (no time available), the Swedish chemist, inventor, engineer and businessman, holder of more than 350 patents, was a man of many hats, who on his death in 1896, donated his considerable fortune to a foundation to fund the Nobel Prizes, which annually recognize those who “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.”  So it’s no surprise to find his 27 Libra Sun is involved in a T-Square, opposed Jupiter (philanthropy) at 0 Taurus and squared Neptune (humanitarianism) at 26 Capricorn.

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