Astrology of Today’s News

 

A flood of refugees is likely to overwhelm Greece (and the EU) as Recep Erdogan, the Turkish president, warned his country could not cope with the new wave of refugees after an escalation of the Syrian conflict. Turkey is already hosting 3.7 million Syrian refugees, as well as migrants from other countries such as Afghanistan – but previously stopped them from leaving for Europe under a 2016 deal which saw Turkey handed €6bn (£5.2bn; $6.7bn) in EU aid for migrants and refugees. Nearly a million Syrians have fled to the Syrian-Turkish border since December and Erdogan warned that “millions” will soon head towards Europe.

The Turkey/EU relationship chart indicates severe problems from mid April and through May as tr Uranus opposes the composite Mars and squares the composite Pluto; and those repeat mid November to early March 2021 – an extended period of aggravation and high-tension.

The Turkey national chart, 29 October 1923 8.30pm Ankara, is ploughing through discouraging times from exactly now, on and off till late 2021 with tr Pluto square the Turkey Saturn; with some lift from tr Pluto sextile the Jupiter. Tr Uranus will also oppose the Turkey Scorpio Sun for the final time late March/Early May for a significant upset. Neighbourly relations will continue to be fraught for a considerable period ahead with the tr Saturn Pluto moving through their 7^th house (start time being accurate).

Erdogan’s Fourth Term, 9 July 2018 4.30pm was also going to be challenging with a stuck and intense 8^th house Sun opposition a 2^nd house Pluto, with Saturn also in the 2^nd. That chart will get a fair jolting come late May into June, with tr Uranus square the Uranus which could be violent and at the very least bringing high-insecurity leading to rash decisions and over-reactions, repeating onto early 2021.

It’s difficult to see where a solution will come from since Turkey can’t host endless millions and Greece is in no position economically to be landed with more than its fair share – and other EU countries have turned their back.

Assad’s Presidency is moving into its most challenging and unstable phase over 2021/22/23 with tr Pluto opposition the Cancer Sun and the Solar Arc Uranus squaring the Pres Pluto. If or when he goes he’ll leave a wrecked country behind.

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Boris Johnson’s chequered love life continues to run along the same roller coaster track. He divorced his previous (second) wife a few days back and now intends to marry Carrie and have a baby in early summer. Which is almost a carbon copy of the end of his first marriage – annulled, 12 days later remarries, five weeks later has baby. His second marriage, lasting 25 years, produced four children; during which he also had one affair which resulted in two terminated pregnancies; and either one or two children from another.

Carrie Symonds herself comes from a wayward family lineage which may track back to an illegitimate daughter of Herbert Asquith, prime minister in the early 20^th Century. And down the line there were other illegitimate offspring of journalists until Carrie herself was born out of wedlock on 17 March 1988.

They are both high-octane, very scattered personalities. He with his focal point Mars in Gemini on a Mutable T Square with Sun, Venus and Mercury in Gemini. She’s a Pisces Sun square a needs-to-be-free Uranus and Saturn; with a highly volatile, erratic and at times chaotic Saturn Uranus Neptune and Mars in Capricorn.

Her Jupiter falls in his 7^th which is supportive and her Venus in indulgent Taurus is conjunct his 8^th house Jupiter for a deep connection; though her Venus opposition Pluto sits on top of his Jupiter opposition Neptune which does suggest a fair amount of confusion around money apart from other considerations. Her Uranus Saturn is also opposition his Sun Venus so she won’t sit quietly if he goes jaunting and will be fairly autocratic in her demands.

Their relationship chart does have a tied-together Grand Trine of Venus in a passionate trine to Pluto and a workmanlike trine to Saturn; with a successful and confident-together Sun Jupiter conjunction; but also an illusory Venus opposition Neptune. There’s also a very up and down, impulsive Jupiter opposition Uranus square Saturn which is being rattled at the moment. Plus a Yod of Neptune sextile Pluto inconjunct Sun North Node – a fated connection that will irrevocably change both lives for good or ill.

It could work but given his track record with women, the question is for how long? 2021 looks a testing time with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Sun and a sagging tr Neptune conjunct the composite Mars.

See previous post June 19 2019.

 

A cautious beginning of the maybe end of the US’s longest running war in Afghanistan comes with a deal signed with the Taliban. The war cost $2 trillion, took the lives of 3,500 plus American and coalition troops and tens of thousands of Afghans. At the height of the war, more than 100,000 American troops occupied Afghanistan, as did tens of thousands from the NATO coalition. Resources were withdrawn too quickly early on as the focus switched capriciously to Iraq in 2003.

It started on 7 October 2001 4.25pm Kabul in retaliation for 9/11 in an effort to hunt down eradicate Al Quaeda. Since then it has perplexed three administrations and ends – if it does – with remarkably little to show as the superpower proved unable to combat Afghanistan’s punishing terrain. And found as the Russians did before them and the Brits in the 19^th Century that retreat was the only option – which is why it became known as the graveyard of empires.

Whether or not the Taliban will honour their promises or the Afghan government can work with them is questionable. But Trump is in election year and wants to show he can live up to his promise of pulling back.

The start chart had the war-like Saturn Pluto opposition sitting firmly across the Ascendant/Descendant axis tied into a bleak Moon and it was the driving rod of an Air Grand Trine of Uranus and Neptune to a grandstanding 5^th house Sun trine Moon Saturn in Gemini. The Sun was also on the focal point of a T square of an opportunistic, risk-taking Mars opposition Jupiter. Too much Air suggested not enough practical planning went into the venture; with the crusading Mars Jupiter gives a hint of recklessness; and the ego-centric Sun, particularly in the 5^th, points to a need to show superiority.

The North Node of the War chart at zero Cancer will be triggered by this June’s Solar Eclipse but whether that suggests a full cycle has truly come to pass or not is moot. Tr Neptune is conjunct the War Solar Arc Midheaven which could suggests a fizzle-out, low key finish.

The Afghanistan national chart does have a blip of cheer at the moment but in general it’s not in great shape with corruption rampant, the country’s institutions feeble and the economy dependent on American and other international aid. Financial problems loom large in 2022/23 with tr Pluto opposition Mars; and most of this decade is restrictive with tr Pluto moving through the 8^th.

The Afghanistan/USA relationship chart does have hints of an untying of the knot with tr Uranus square the composite Sun exactly now; but there’ll be an uphill struggle this year with discouragement from tr Pluto trine the composite Saturn so it won’t be an easy disengagement. And further disappointment in 2022/23.

 

Old age is catching up with Madonna as she collapsed on stage in Paris due to crippling knee and hip injuries. She has been forced to cancel 14 shows recently with eight shows left out of her 79 tour dates which started on September 17, 2019, in New York City, and is set to conclude on March 11, in Paris.

Let no one tell you exercise is good for you – go talk to old dancers and athletes. Hip and knee replacements are almost mandatory as they wear out from over-use.

She was born 16 August 1958 with an unverified time of 7.05am in Bay City, Michigan. She’s a Sun Leo so needs an audience and with her Mars in super-determined Taurus in a high-octane square to both Uranus and her Sun, she’s not designed for the quiet life. She needs to live on the edge in an adrenaline rush.

Tr Uranus is moving to square her Uranus in 2021 which is one of those generational markers which indicates it’s time for a rethink and revisioning of life for the future. Since her Uranus is connected into her Mars it will have a feel of what’s to follow with tr Uranus conjunct her Mars in 2022 which will make her insecure and tend to act recklessly to prop up her self-esteem. That 2022 Uranus Mars influence can also be associated with operations. Though I’d imagine she’s already had a few of those.

Tr Neptune will square her Saturn from late this March on and off till early 2021 which will be dispiriting and anxiety-provoking. But she’s not one to give in easily and in 2021/22 she also has tr Pluto square her Jupiter which will rev up her engine and confidence. With a successful Solar Arc Sun conjunct her Jupiter in 2023; though there’s a blocked Solar Arc Saturn opposition her Sun in 2024.

Whatever happens she won’t hang up her dancing shoes and go quietly into a backwater without a fight.

I’m not sure I buy that time of birth – doesn’t look as flamboyantly crass as she is and was.

 

“Events, dear boy, events” is what PM Harold MacMillan is supposed to have responded in answer to the question of what’s most likely to knock a government off course. A black swan scenario of  unpredictability with extreme consequences. Who’d have thunk it would be a surprise epidemic which blew holes in Trump and Boris’s blustering braggadocio?

Trump’s First Administration chart, 20 January 2017 12 noon has Solar Arc Pluto exactly square the Uranus now, to within the minute of a degree, which was always going to be a point of instability; with an undermining-popularity tr Neptune conjunct Venus – and tr Saturn moving towards a downbeat, face-reality conjunction to the Admin Aquarius Sun in the final week of March onwards. Transits to midpoints thereafter are pressured, emotionally upsetting, inducing feelings of being unloved running into disaster territory from late May into June. Which may, of course, be other events as well as coronavirus.

However much Trump may blow smoke rings over the virus, the US Federal Reserve clearly isn’t swallowing his obfuscations. Their chart, 16 November 1914 9am Washington, has been in catastrophe-mode through February with tr Neptune opposing both their Mars/Saturn and Mars/Pluto midpoints; plus a loss-making tr Pluto square Jupiter/Saturn. Panic of a different order will bite in the final week of March with tr Saturn opposition their 8^th house Neptune. And from mid April tr Uranus starts a nerve-stretched jangling phase running into 2021.

The chairman Jerome Powell, famously at odds with Trump over policy before this turned up, will be feeling a chill with POTUS from now till late March; and can look forward to career dents through March, uphill struggles until late 2021 and sagging will power and influence.

Just as a side note. The Chiron on the Trump Admin chart is conjunct the Mars and square Saturn which may be an oblique pointer to political setbacks coming via health issues.

Trump’s own chart shows the trapped, frustrated and enraged tr Pluto opposition his Sun/Mars midpoint now till June with nerve-stretching Neptune transits which picked up his Uranus in February moving towards the square to his Uranus/Node in late March, returning late year; with a car-crash disaster (metaphorically speaking) in July, August and September as tr Uranus squares his Mars/Saturn midpoint.

That 10 degree Uranus in Taurus across the summer shows up on several charts as a critical or high-crisis point.

Boris Johnson, already swamped by floods except he appears to be ignoring them may find Coronavirus more difficult to skitter across. His Second PM chart, 13 December 2019 11am, has been sagging badly in the face of crisis in February with tr Neptune square the Mars/Saturn midpoint and that worsens from now onwards as Neptune moves to square the Mars/Pluto midpoint over coming weeks – both of which indicate an inability to get a grip. His own chart shows panics and low popularity in March and onwards; with a lessening of confidence in sidekick Dominic Cummings. Though 2021 looks to be the year of a final reckoning both for his term chart and his bond with his Rasputin.

The Bank of England is confused, panicked and nerve-stretched this year but will be in a much worse state come 2024/25 with logjammed Solar Arcs and a majorly uncertain tr Neptune square their Saturn.

Bob Iger, one of Hollywood’s most powerful and stratospherically successful men is stepping down as CEO of Disney. In his fifteen-year tenure he has built up a powerhouse of franchises, acquiring Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and the marquee assets of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox; and recently set up the streaming platform WaltDisney+ to counter Netflix and others.

Born 10 February 1951 in New York, he’s an enduring, controlling and super-ambitious Aquarius Sun opposition Pluto, trine Neptune. With his Neptune sextile Pluto inconjunct North Node Mars, Jupiter, Venus in Pisces – so the other face of creative, visionary Neptune. Not always riddled with sentimentality – viz Harvey Weinstein and Rupert Murdoch, both with Pisces Suns – but undoubtedly imaginative and can make productive businessmen.  Neptune rules photography and the movie business since it’s favoured vehicle is the image not the word.

Iger’s Neptune was conjunct the Disney film’s Sun Saturn in Libra (16 October 1923); with his Pisces planets including Jupiter trine the Disney Pluto and its Uranus, forming a creative Water Grand Trine. His Sun opposition Pluto hooked into the Disney Jupiter in Scorpio square Neptune – another positive link.

Disney is ploughing through thick mud this year with tr Pluto square the Sun Saturn; but it’s 2023 when they’ll face their biggest challenge with a discouraging and blocked Solar Arc conjunct Sun Saturn.

 

Katherine Johnson, a trail-blazing mathematician, overcame racial and gender discrimination to become a kay part of Nasa’s space exploration programme. Her calculations, made with a slide rule and pencil, were critical to the missions which sent Apollo 11 to land on the moon and afterwards to see Neil Armstrong’s history-making moonwalk and return to Earth. Her story was told in the 2016 Hollywood film “Hidden Figures.” She has just died at 101.

She was born 26 August 1918 in West Virginia with a farmer/lumberjack father and a teacher mother, was fascinated by numbers from an early age, and excelled at school and then college, despite the restrictions placed on African-American education.

What’s fascinating about her chart is partly the confidence and determination it exudes with a Virgo Sun on the focal point of a trine from Pluto Jupiter trine Mars in Scorpio. But also the prominence of her Neptune in Leo. It is conjunct her Venus and perhaps on the focal point of a T Square of Mars opposition Moon. Her Saturn in Leo also sat exactly on her Sun/Neptune midpoint.

Her super-star 22^nd harmonic has an exceptionally notable Neptune.

Neptune is surprisingly often prominent in genius-level mathematicians’ charts, which isn’t quite what you’d expect. Mary Cartwright, a Brit pure mathematician, an expert on chaos theory, 17 Dec 1900, was a Sun Jupiter in Sagittarius opposition Neptune and Pluto. Andrew Wiles, 11 April 1953, who solved Fermat’s Theorem is a Sun Venus in Aries opposition Neptune Saturn. He has two Yods – of Mercury in Pisces sextile Jupiter in Taurus onto Neptune Saturn – and Pluto sextile Neptune Saturn inconjunct Mercury. So heavily Neptunian/Piscean.  Leonhard Euler, 15 April 1707, was a Sun Neptune in Aries trine Pluto Jupiter in Leo.  Bernard Riemann, 17 Sept 1826, was a Sun Jupiter Mercury in Virgo with Mercury trine/sextile a Neptune opposition Saturn.

 

Coronavirus has turned into a full-blown global panic as it spreads from the Far East into Europe and the USA. Despite the astrology being more similar to the Saturn Pluto 2003 SARS outbreak than the Saturn Neptune 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak, the numbers are veering alarmingly upwards. (See previous post January 25 2020). Apart from understandable personal fears, there is also an almost certain prospect of a ‘sudden stop’ financially as supply chains dry up and international travel is restricted.

Several things make 2020 stand out as a more-than-usually difficult year. One is the Saturn Pluto conjunction in Capricorn which points to hardship, deprivation, financial restrictions. There was only one exact aspect, last month, but its’ sombre influence will be in effect all year every time the Sun or Mars in a Cardinal sign aspects Saturn and Pluto still in orb – March, April, July, August, September, October, December.

There’s also the possible effect of Saturn moving into Aquarius late March to early July which, while not in exact square to Uranus in Taurus, will have a shiver of that effect, most often associated with financial downturns and economic instability. It moves to exact in 2021 though by that time Jupiter has also moved into Aquarius which should ease the effect.

The Saturn Pluto followed by Jupiter conjunction is similar to the 1817 broad conjunction of the three in Pisces which led to the ‘Panic of 1819, the first major peacetime financial crisis in the USA followed by a general collapse of the American economy persisting through 1821. The Panic announced the transition of the nation from its colonial commercial status with Europe toward a dynamic economy, increasingly characterized by the financial and industrial imperatives of laissez-faire capitalism. Though driven by global market adjustments in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, the severity of the downturn was compounded by excessive speculation in public lands, fuelled by the unrestrained issue of paper money from banks and business concerns.’  So financial collapse – Saturn Pluto = deprivation – followed by resurgence from Jupiter. It was a major turning point at least for the USA. (From previous post August 30 2017.)

The other relevant astro-factor in 2020 are the Eclipses. From earlier Feb 6 2020 post: The Solar Eclipses this year are in spine-straightening Saros Series. The late December 2019 at four degrees Capricorn heralded a sense of traumatic transformation and significant endings running in effect for several months across the beginning of this year.

The 21st June 2020 Solar Eclipse at zero degrees Cancer is associated with difficulties, restrictions, inhibitions, separations and illusions. Bernadette Brady remarks in The Eagle and the Lark that this eclipse brings blocks and ’the individual is prone to misjudging his or her strength and is best advised to wait before taking any real action.’ It was around previously in 2002, 1984, 1966, 1948, 1930 and 1912.

The 14th December 2020 Sagittarius Solar Eclipse casting its shadow over the following months is strongly emotional about relationships or money. There is a sense of fatedness and individuals feel they are caught up in situations or relationships beyond their control. This will bring acute frustrations and the advice is to avoid rash actions. It was around before in 2002, 1984, 1966, 1948, 1930, 1912.

A mishandled reaction in the USA (not beyond the bounds of possibility) plus a financial hit to the markets will impact on Trump’s chances of re-election if he’s still standing by then. The New York Stock Exchange chart is in serious meltdown from late this month on and off till late January 2021 with tr Neptune opposition the Mars.

European indexes have had their worst fall since 2011. The FTSE All World index, 31 December 1986, has the ‘utter devastation’ Solar Arc Neptune square Pluto at the moment as well as the bubble-bursting tr Neptune conjunct its Jupiter in Pisces and tr Neptune will continue on to conjunct the Mars/Jupiter midpoint and then Mars until late 2023 – so a longish phase of market panic.

The FTSE EuroFirst, 31 December 1985, is equally desolate and shaken to its core with a Solar Arc Neptune square the Mars/Pluto midpoint, moving to square Mars in 2022; with Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the Capricorn Sun with the Eclipses hitting on the Sun as well early and middle of this year. The Germany DAX has the car-crash halt of Solar Arc Pluto opposition Mars at the moment; and the Solar Arc Sun and Mercury picking up the tr Saturn in Aquarius opposition in late March, worsening through 2021 as the Solar Arc Sun is in a confused opposition to Neptune and a setback square to Saturn.

Stock Market index charts aren’t always as illuminating but these are fairly stark.

More Add on: Wall Street’s benchmark stock index has seen its quickest correction since the Great Depression. A six-day losing streak has pushed the market more than 10 per cent below its recent peak. That ranks as the fastest time to correction since July 1933 — when the S&P 500 dropped 13.3 per cent in two sessions — according to calculations by the Financial Times.

Other two index charts – Tokyo and Hong Kong would also suggest this isn’t an overnight panic but one which could well worsen in 2022/23.

Ambrose Evans-Pritchard of the Telegraph proffers a sobering but sensible review of the facts:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/02/25/coronavirus-threatens-global-economy-sudden-stop/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget

The Daily Mail, as per usual, is working itself up into a catastropherian lather with a worst case scenario of half a million UK deaths. Their chart, 4 May 1896, has, as expected, not just a fear-the-worst Mars Pluto square but Mars square a delusionally-over-the-top Neptune Pluto. Mars Pluto types tend to see death, disaster and melodrama everywhere. Maybe I’m being unduly laid-back but it doesn’t feel like a rerun of the Black Death. Time will tell.

Saturn Pluto does tend to induce a sense of dread which, from personal conversations, appears to be affecting many people at the moment in all areas of their lives away from health. A pervading sense of alarm and a runaway imagination fearing disasters wherever they put out a foot.

Add On:

It’s an ill wind ………….. the 14th Century Black Death killed more than one-third of the global population. But one outcome was to empower workers, as a scarcity of labour meant wages increased. It contributed to the end of serfdom in countries such as England, as peasants’ bargaining power increased.
One other side effect was it prompted those still alive to enjoy life to the fullest. A Florentine chronicler wrote: “Men gave themselves over to the most disordered and sordid behaviour… As they wallowed in idleness, their dissolution led them into the sin of gluttony, into banquets, taverns, delicate foods and gambling. They rushed headlong into lust.”

The Great Plague of London in 1665 which killed a quarter of the population had calamitous instant results for trade. But the Great Fire in 1666 which followed led to a growth spurt with massive rebuilding much like the post-war recovery of Germany as the economy rose rapidly from the ashes.

The Spanish flu of 1918 was followed by the Roaring Twenties.
Not all plagues had good outcomes. The Roman Empire’s western sector collapsed after a series of plagues and Europe fell into the Dark Ages in the 5th century.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/03/17/history-tells-us-coronavirus-economic-effect-will-short-sharp/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget

On the economic front there is a possibility of “a deflationary depression with a wave of defaults that breaks the capitalist system as we know it.”
And if Italy’s economy collapses which isn’t beyond the bounds of possibility and Germany refuses to bail them out – the break-up of the EU. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/03/17/moment-monetary-shock-awe-finally-fails-has-arrived-do-do-next/

A black swan indeed.

 

Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of rape in the third degree and criminal sexual assault, but cleared of the most serious charges of predatory sexual assault by a court in New York. The jury took a week to come to their decision. Their verdict on each charge had to be unanimous, or else a mistrial would be declared. He’ll remain remanded until March 11.

Tr Saturn is almost exactly in a blocking square to his Solar Arc Midheaven, within a degree, suggesting his birth time of 9.45pm is reasonably sound. His Progressed Moon is also in a downbeat square to his Saturn exactly now. His bullying, control-freak Pluto on his Midheaven square Mars in Scorpio on his Ascendant has moved by Solar Arc to catch a several year run ahead of tr Pluto hard aspects starting late this month. He’s also got undermining Neptune transits through this year and next; though one upbeat Uranus transit to a Jupiter midpoint in March, so the sentence may not be as bad as he feared – or an appeal is being launched. But one way or another he’ll never be back.

Previous post: AUG2619

The Harvey Weinstein #metoo court saga winds on with the long-delayed start due on September 9^th. He has been charged with two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree, one count of first-degree rape and one count of third-degree rape to which he had pleaded not guilty on all counts. It’ll be a viciously fought trial and the legal system can be a very blunt instrument for tackling sexual offences, often ending with skewed verdicts. If found guilty, he could spend the rest of his life in jail. More than 80 women have alleged sexual misconduct on the part of the producer, over four decades though the court case only involves two women.

He’s onto his third set of defence lawyers which now includes a powerful female Chicago attorney who specializes in defending men in sexual harassment cases, Donna Rotunno. She has previously argued that the #MeToo movement has done a disservice to women. She said “I believe women are responsible for the choices that they make,” and suggested she could get away with a good deal more in cross examination as a woman.

Weinstein was born 19 March 1952 with an unverified time of 9.45pm in New York. It’s a feasible birth time putting his final degree filmic Pisces Sun in the entertaining 5^th house; and his ruthlessly dominating Pluto on his Midheaven square a vengeful Mars in Scorpio on his Ascendant. Plus a fountain-of-initiative Cardinal Grand Cross of Saturn Neptune opposition Mercury Jupiter in pro-active Aries square Uranus opposition a Capricorn Moon.

He’ll go into the trail on a confident high with tr Pluto square his Jupiter but since it also squares his Neptune through till early November his hopes are likely to be dashed. Late September to mid November as well he has tr Neptune opposition his Saturn/Pluto midpoint which Ebertin describes as ‘shattered nerves’ as well as ‘falsehoods and frauds.’ From late January 2020 the trapped, infuriated, scary, powerless tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Mars midpoint returns for a few weeks and repeats on and off till late year; with a confidence-eroding tr Neptune square his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint picking up next spring and running through till 2021. So he won’t exactly be bouncing with exuberance.

The BBC are showing a documentary Untouchable: The Rise and Fall of Harvey Weinstein on September 1^st

Actress Rosanna Arquette is interviewed in it as one of the first women to share details of Weinstein’s abuse with Ronan Farrow in the New Yorker and in the New York Times along with Rose McGowan. She talks of her career being ruined as she spurned his advances and the documentary investigates Weinstein’s use of an Israel intelligence firm to put together profiles on his adversaries in order to undermine their allegations and dissuade them from speaking out.

Her fear and paranoia which she speaks openly about (see URL below) are understandable and show up starkly on the astrology. She was born 10 August 1959 4.45pm New York which gives her an 8^th house Sun Uranus in Leo which Weinstein’s Pluto sits directly on top of with his Mars square. A scary combination which will strike deep fear in her.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/26/rosanna-arquette-they-said-i-was-a-pain-in-the-ass-its-not-true