not categorised

   Poor Keir Starmer from whom the proverb ‘be careful what you wish for’ must be echoing round the walls of No 10 as one political sinkhole after another turns up for him to trip into.  

  Not all the political disasters are of his own making, though Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s missteps which have spooked the markets and upset pensioners, look like misjudgments. As one commentator put it she played a bad hand badly.

 There is a tone-deafness about his responses, an inability to put across a message that the electorate would appreciate or to bat back the standard opposition brickbats. No one sensible wants another mega-child abuse inquiry but he somehow made it sound as if he was covering up the problem. Not giving winter fuel payments to wealthy pensioners makes fiscal sense but he/the government have allowed themselves to be cast as death-dealing scrooges.

 There are now questions being asked about whether he’ll survive to the next election or whether Labour will survive in power after that.

  His chart is under increasing pressure with a devastatingly confused Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Neptune exactly now followed soon by SA Sun conjunct Neptune. Then tr Uranus will square his Uranus after mid 2025 with late 2025/26 being totally logjammed by SA Mars conjunct his Sun Pluto.  

 The two Labour Party charts, 27 February 1900 and 12 February 1906, point to shocks and high insecurity before mid 2025, deep uncertainty and worries in 2026/27 – and hints of splits in 2026 with a sense of failure and setbacks in 2026/27.

Rachel Reeves, 13 February 1979, is irrevocably tied into Starmer with a yod in their relationship chart of Saturn, Neptune, Sun, Venus sextile Pluto inconjunct Mars which is being shaken at the moment by tr Uranus opposition the Saturn and tr Neptune opposition the Pluto throughout 2025 – and worse tr Uranus into Gemini opposing the Neptune, Sun, Venus in from July 2025 and through 2026.

 Her own chart which is stubborn and fairly single tracked minded with Mars, Sun, Mercury in Aquarius square Uranus in Scorpio, trine Pluto and sextile Neptune hints at a degree of over confidence in patches through 2025. But tr Neptune into Aries from April and tr Uranus into Gemini by July will create/accompany major setbacks and escalating challenges, continuing on into 2026.

  Another pitfall awaiting Keir Starmer which will not play well is his personal friendship with Tulip Siddiq, a junior Treasury minister, niece of the ousted former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, at present under investigation for corruption.

  Tulip Siddiq, 16 September 1982 London, is a Sun, Venus, Moon in Virgo which will chime with Starmer’s Virgo Sun and Jupiter in Pisces. She also has a volatile Mars in Scorpio conjunct Uranus which will be rattled within weeks and again throughout the year. Starmer’s relationship with her is running into trouble and perhaps splitting later this month into early February.  With further disappointments mid year into 2026.

“In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost.” Dante Alighieri, Inferno

Add On: For all the fur flying between Musk and Starmer, which may or may not have something to do with the UK moving against social media and denting Musk’s empire the real aggravation is between Trump and Starmer. To a degree Musk may be doing his master’s bidding. The Trump/Starmer relationship chart has a composite Sun Mars at one degree Leo so catching the tr Pluto opposition now exactly and on and off throughout 2025. There are ripples of discontent on Musk/Starmer but nothing like as notable.

 What does seem to rile Musk is the UK.  His Uranus sits on the UK’s Ascendant square the UK Capricorn Sun, with his Sun nearing the UK MC; his Saturn opposition Neptune square the UK’s Pluto; and his intransigent Mars in Aquarius opposes the UK’s Saturn.  The relationship chart has the Solar Eclipse rattling the composite Sun last October and this coming March; with tr Neptune Saturn into Aries  causing more confusion over the next several years.

No idea why so any suggestions gratefully received.

The irreplaceable and extraordinary David Attenborough will be 98 soon and is still making nature documentaries after five decades. From childhood he was fascinated by fossils and wildlife and studied zoology at Cambridge. Although he became a producer and rose to the top of the BBC, being offered the Director General position, he resigned to go freelance in his late forties. His soothing commentaries, obvious delight and curiosity about the animals, birds, fishes and insects he filmed made his documentaries irresistible to large audiences the world over.

In recent years he has become more vocal about environmental protection.

  He was born 8 May 1926 (rectified by Starkman to 2.58am) Cambridge, England two weeks after Queen Elizabeth 11. His father was Principal of Leicester University and one brother Richard became a renowned actor and director, and another an executive with Alfa Romeo. David has a Fixed Grand Square from a nature-loving Taurus Sun opposition a conscientious Saturn in Scorpio square Jupiter in Aquarius opposition Neptune – he has endurance aplenty, the ability to persevere though won’t always be flexible or good at compromise. He also has a creative, compassionate Water Grand Trine of Saturn trine North Node (Pluto) in Cancer trine a Pisces Moon and Uranus. His healing Neptune is close to Ceres, the planet of agriculture and nature.

His Mars in Pisces is unaspected giving him an uncompromising streak and a tendency towards non-stop action with a focus on a  singular interest.

  In some ways he mirrors the UK chart with its four Fixed Planets as did Queen Elizabeth. Stalwart to the end.

  His harmonics  are notable with a strong global-influencer 22H and 17H; a creative 5H and a humanitarian 9H.

David Attenborough quotes:

“I’m luckier than my grandfather, who didn’t move more than five miles from the village in which he was born.”

“If I was earning my money by hewing coal I would be very glad indeed to stop. But I’m not. I’m swanning round the world looking at the most fabulously interesting things. Such good fortune.”

“It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”

“I’m not an animal lover if that means you think things are nice if you can pat them, but I am intoxicated by animals.”

“It is vital that there is a narrator figure whom people believe. That’s why I never do commercials. If I started saying that margarine was the same as motherhood, people would think I was a liar.”

“I had a huge advantage when I started 50 years ago – my job was secure. I didn’t have to promote myself. These days there’s far more pressure to make a mark, so the temptation is to make adventure television or personality shows. I hope the more didactic approach won’t be lost.”

“In the old days… it was a basic, cardinal fact that producers didn’t have opinions. When I was producing natural history programmes, I didn’t use them as vehicles for my own opinion. They were factual programmes.”

 Shudders of disbelief are running through western capitals at Trump’s alpha-chimp chest-beating display in pursuit of Greenland, Panama and – why not? – Canada. The farcical theatrics appear to be driven by Trump’s (not unreasonable) concern about holding back Chinese encroachment.

Background: ‘China craves its rare earth minerals needed for microchips and sonar systems. It imagines the world’s biggest island becoming part of its Polar Silk Road, a crucial stopover for its vessels as they exploit the melting Arctic ice to boost trade between Asia and the West. In US hands, the minerals and seaboard of the world’s biggest island would strengthen the West.’

 President Harry Truman considered buying Greenland after the Second World War as a way of cutting off a potential Soviet attack. The purchase never went ahead but American bases were set up. Since Trump won the election, China has conducted its largest naval exercises in decades, launched the world’s biggest amphibious warship, been accused of sabotaging undersea cables in Asia and Europe and hacking the US Treasury, unveiled four new advanced aircraft, rehearsed a naval blockade near Japanese islands for the first time and intensified espionage activity in the West. The point? To help Beijing negotiate with Trump from a position of strength.

Greenland has a population of 56,000 with New York 4 hours way by plane; and could hold an independence referendum this year about splitting away from Denmark, which if it happened would give the island more power to determine its foreign policy which could include a closer relationship with the US. Though Trump’s wild talk of not denying he might use military force is not helpful – and would I suspect run into internal brakes being applied by appalled Republicans.

  China is also the worry behind the Panama Canal. “The Panama Canal was built for our military,” Trump said. “Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country. It’s being operated by China. China! And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama, we didn’t give it to China.”

  The Greenland 1 May 1979 chart is upbeat through this year though moving through a critical phase of questioning its self-image. Its relationship with Denmark is facing a bumpy ride with a potential split in May 2025 and January to mid March 2026 as tr Uranus is conjunct the composite Sun. Relationships between Trump and Greenland will move into an all-systems-change gear from May onwards as tr Uranus is conjunct the composite Mercury, then Sun and into 2026/27 conjunct the Venus and square the Uranus.  There will be definite changes afoot.

 Trump’s relationship with Denmark will be high-tension with arguments erupting from mid 2025 onwards with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Saturn. And even before then will be discouraging and argumentative.

  Trump’s actions and policies will send ripples of unease through the EU as well with tr Neptune Saturn conjunct the composite Sun from May 2025 onwards with muddles and mayhem for several years thereafter.

  There will be continuing pressure on the Trump/Panama relationship chart throughout 2025 and 2026, with outbursts, stand offs and disappointment.

 Relocating Trump’s chart to Beijing, puts his bombastic, flamboyant Mars in the 7^th house of partners and enemies with Pluto conjunct the Descendant from the 6th so no surprises it arouses his competitive, aggressive instincts.  Plus there is a Pluto, Sun, Saturn, Mars composite conjunction pointing to an inherent dislike though with no indication that it could ever be resolved. The composite Neptune will catch the Libra/Aries Solar Eclipses extending through 2025 which suggest confusion and indecision.

 The whole furore is not quite as ludicrous as it sounds on the face of it – and much water will flow under the bridge in the coming three or four years, so it won’t all disappear in a puff of smoke as a figment of Trump’s delusional fantasy.  

Jean-Marie Le Pen, who repeatedly played down the Holocaust and was an unrepentant extremist on race, gender and immigration, founder of the French far-right National Front party, has died.

  Always a controversial and divisive figure described as the ‘Devil of the Republic’, he caused consternation when he reached the presidential election-run off against Jacques Chirac in 2002 but was thereafter resoundingly defeated.

  He started his political life fighting Communists and conservatives alike – described himself as “ni droite, ni gauche, français” – not right, not left, but French. His daughter, Marine, took over as party chief in 2011 and has since rebranded the party as National Rally, turning it into one of France’s main political forces.

 Born 20 June 1928 3am Nantes, France, his chart is not as malevolent or as ideologically-obsessive as I might have expected. His only two Air signs were Sun Venus in Gemini on the focal point of a mini Grand Trine to a publicity-attracting Neptune trine Mars in Aries. Admittedly he had Mercury in emotional Cancer in a dogmatic conjunction to Pluto on one side and a revolutionary square to Uranus on the other, which would ramp up his rabble-rousing tendencies.

 The National Rally party he founded, 5 October 1972, is more obviously a force for far-right agitating with a determined and can-be-hate-filled Mars Pluto conjunction square Jupiter- and six planets in Air, which would suggest an ideological bent.

 His daughter Marine Le Pen, 5 August 1968 11.20 pm Neuilly Sur Seine, France, has a much harder chart despite her toning down the party’s hardline, rightwing politics. Her relationship with her father from her chart looks more than stressed with a competitive 10^th house Mars in an unfair-treatment square to Saturn, with Saturn on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune. She threw him out of the party in 2015 after he repeated his Holocaust views.

ADD ON: The focus will now turn on the rivalry between Marine Le Pen and her niece Marion Marechal who regards herself as Jean-Marie’s rightful political successor carrying forward his extreme far-right policies.

  Born 10 December 1989 1.05am St Germain en Laye, France,  Marion has a stellium in Capricorn ranging from Mercury, through the all-systems-change triple conjunction of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn to Venus in final degree. She has a lucky, successful Jupiter in her career 10^th opposing four of her Capricorn planets plus an ultra-determined, can-be-ruthless, can-be-hate-filled Mars Pluto in Scorpio in her communicative 3^rd house with her Pluto opposition an 8^th house Moon in Taurus.   She’s well positioned to rock the boat with tr Jupiter moving through her 10th till mid 2026 and tr Saturn rising above her Descendant from 2026 onwards.

  Her relationship with her aunt Marine has a composite overly-controlling, power-struggling Sun, Pluto, Mercury conjunction – with 2025 seeing an undermining tr Neptune opposition the composite Mars and rising tensions in 2026/27.

 But it is Marion’s relationship with Jordan Bardella, leader of Marine’s National Rally party which is most fraught. Mutual hostility writ large with a composite Mars Pluto Mercury square Saturn. That is under pressure through 2025 and more so again in 2026/27.  

Los Angeles is in a state of emergency as a raging wildfire exploded from 10 acres to more than 2,900 acres in hours with worse forecast to come as the winds stay high. More than 30,000 people have been evacuated with many celebrity homes at risk.

 The fire broke out at 10.30am on the 7^th with Neptune Scheat on the Ascendant. In astrology Scheat is associated with unfortunate events and disasters, often involving violent storms.

 The previous October Solar Eclipse also had Neptune Scheat on the IC with the Libra New Moon in the 7^th. The previous September Lunar Eclipse had Mars in Cancer conjunct the IC.

 Most telling is the Los Angeles incorporated chart of 4 April 1850 which has a Sun Saturn conjunction in Aries square Mars in Cancer with the LA Saturn catching last October’s and next March’s Libra/Aries Solar Eclipses.  Eclipses on Saturn usually point to a time of facing grave responsibilities and being realistic. Since the LA Saturn is in Aries it may emphasis the need to be self-reliant.

Add On: The Hollywood chart, 1 February 1887 is also showing high stress. The Solar Arc Saturn is opposition the Hollywood Pluto (which squares Mars so is a danger point). The SA Uranus is in an emotionally upsetting conjunction to Venus; and the SA Venus is square Uranus.  Plus the Uranus at 12 Libra is in line of the previous Libra Solar eclipse for a major jolt.

Wildfires are becoming more frequent in many areas including the south of France where I lived and are extremely scary and fast-moving with high winds. As a result there is now mandatory débroussaillage – which is clearing of all brush, dead vegetation and burnable material within fifty metres of any house. Pine trees need to be spaced out. Water is scooped up from the sea and dropped by helicopter, as well as fire hydrants.

  There is a description today of how the Getty Museum protected itself against the fire which destroyed surrounding buildings – partly with an irrigation system, partly fire resistant building materials and brush clearing. There are ways of mitigating what is becoming a major problem in various regions.

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Jerry Springer, the man who ruined a culture and fronted a tawdry, outrage-inducing and popular talk show for three decades, is given the netflix documentary treatment 18 months after his death. Fights, Camera, Action according to a review is a damning insight into TV’s most notorious show. One insider said ‘It really was the modern version of the Roman Colosseum.’ They pitted warring families against each other, got guests drunk, abused their confidence, coached them to perform onstage and offered no duty of care to clearly mentally vulnerable people. After an on-air altercation, one woman was killed by her ex-husband, who hours previously had appeared together on the show. It didn’t hurt the ratings.

 After a slow start in 1991, With clean-cut Springer harbouring aspirations of a senate run, The Jerry Springer Show collected a new producer, a former tabloid journalist Richard Dominick, variously described as a Svengali, a mob boss and an evil genius. Outrageous behaviour and sleaze on the show turned Springer into an international superstar and a pariah.

  Another review raises an interesting point about what the show’s popularity says about human society and psychology and whether Springer paved the way for the sensationalisation of US politics. 

 When it launched on 30 September 1991, admittedly low key at the start, tr Uranus Neptune in Capricorn were opposing the USA Cancer Sun; with the US Solar Arc Uranus moving to oppose the US Sun. All were conspiring to throw a hand grenade at the white-picket-fence family-togetherness Cancerian image of old.

 Springer himself, 13 February 1944 11.45pm London, England, keyed into the USA chart in an intriguingly pointed way. He was a Sun Aquarius (conjunct the USA Moon) in a confident opposition to Jupiter. But even more significant he had a communicative Air Grand Trine of Neptune trine Mercury South Node in Aquarius trine Uranus, formed into a Kite by Mercury South Node opposition Pluto North Node in Leo in his 10^th. He was destined to be hugely influential and with his ‘leadership’ North Node being conjunct the USA’s North Node exactly he would become the man of the moment, at one level the face of USA.   

 Springer did have an unsettled Mars Uranus conjunct in his 8^th house and Saturn conjunct Mars – so he would carry a good deal of inner turmoil, externalised into the wild and wayout stories of his show guests.

  Richard Dominick, 21 May 1952, NJ, has his Sun Gemini with Algol sitting between his Sun and Venus which in turn squared Pluto. Emotionally ramped up and manipulative. Dominick’s Pluto fell in Springer’s career 10^th conjunct his Jupiter, making Springer a mega-success by controlling him; and RD’s North Node was conjunct JS’s Sun for a fated coming together. RD’s Moon, Jupiter, Mercury were in JS’s 7^th for a good partnership. Though it would be an uneasy combo with RD’s Sun conjunct JS’s 8^th house Uranus and RD’s Saturn Neptune in JS’s 12th; plus RD’s Mars in Scorpio square RS’s Pluto.

 The relationship chart is illuminating with a composite Sun trine a chained-together (and resenting it) Saturn Pluto; with Saturn Pluto conjunct Mars for additional aggravation which they coped with by projecting it out onto their show guests. Plus a lucky Jupiter Uranus square Venus.   Pluses and minuses writ large.

In later years Springer showed his embarrassment and contrition by trying to project a more serious, cultured image.

     Javier Milei has begun wrenching opening Argentina’s protectionist economy, slashing tariffs in a bid to beat down high prices. Argentines are ordering from Amazon for the first time. On December 22, the government stopped charging a blanket tax of 7.5 per cent on all imported goods. The changes put Argentina on the opposite course to much of the rest of the world. In recent years European countries and the US have erected new trade barriers to protect domestic industries from cheap imports from China and elsewhere.

  Argentina has been battling deep-seated economic problems for decades – it has contended with some of the world’s highest inflation rates and is the biggest debtor to the International Monetary Fund. In response, last year almost 56% of the electorate voted for the wildcard candidate Javier Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist” and libertarian economist, for president. Since his inauguration he has implemented a major austerity drive, slashing government spending, firing thousands of public employees and freezing budgets. Argentina emerged from a severe recession in the third quarter of 2023, marking a milestone for him. Inflation decreased to 166 percent in November from 193 percent in October of 2024.

 Milei has won glowing endorsements from Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Analysts have warned that Milei must deliver lasting growth that begins to boost  living standards if he wants to prevail at mid-term elections in late 2025.

 His Administration chart, 10 December 2023 11.56 am Buenos Aires, has an enthusiastic, confident and probably lucky Jupiter in Taurus opposition Venus square Pluto, alongside a less than favourable Sun square Neptune.  Tr Uranus square the Saturn from this August onwards into 2026 will create tensions and upheavals as his innovations fall foul of those who profited from the old ways.

 His own chart, 22 October 1970, will not appreciate tr Neptune and tr Saturn opposing his Pluto Mars conjunction from early 2025 throughout the year, inducing a degree of panic as the failure of certain plans looms large. Even his determined approach may wilt. 2026/27 look similarly lacklustre and not progressive but his luck will turn in 2028.

 The Bank of Argentina, 28 May 1935, will be under pressure from tr Uranus in Gemini from 2026 till the end of the decade with the Gemini Sun square Saturn in Pisces opposition Neptune being severely rattled.

 Argentina, 25 May 1810 with its Gemini Sun Mars opposition Neptune Saturn square Pluto in Pisces will also be moving through a tumultuous few years till the turn of the decade.

 Milei’s relationship with Argentina will be jangled after mid 2025 and under extreme stress through 2026/27.  His relationship with Trump is wreathed in illusion and will have a bumpy ride into 2025 and beyond.

Iran having watched the weakening of its proxy fighters Hamas, Hezbollah and the fall of the Assad regime in 2024 is sending more weapons to the Houthis in Yemen. They have given the militia group enough supplies to keep up its strikes on Israel and attacks on global shipping for “years to come” it is claimed.

  The Iran 1 February 1979 9am Islamic Republic chart with its Mercury, Mars, Sun in Aquarius will be feeling the winds of change with Pluto heading their way, though exact aspects won’t come till later in the decade. There is confusion at the moment with SA Neptune conjunct the Mercury and an undermining tr Saturn Neptune conjunct the SA Sun through 2025. But there will also be a resurgence of confidence with tr Pluto opposition the Jupiter starting in March and running till late 2026.

  The Iran 7 October 1906 chart is moving through an uncertain few years with its SA Saturn damping down the high hopes of Jupiter Neptune; with more obvious worries in 2026/2027 from tr Neptune Saturn square the Uranus.

 The Bank of Iran chart is also pointing to 2026 to 2028 as peak crises years.

 The Ayatollah Khameini’s Supreme Leader chart, 4 June 1989, with its ego-centric, overly confident yod onto Sun and Jupiter may be over-estimating its strength with the SA Pluto opposing Jupiter in coming months.

 The present President Massoud Pezeshkian sworn in 30 July 2024 at 1pm has a turbulent year ahead with a mutinous domestic population as well as economic, employment and health problems.

  On the relationship charts nothing looks to be settling anytime soon.  The Iran 1906 with USA and Israelis under huge and aggravated pressure in 2025 with considerable worries and the Iran 1979 relationship charts are much the same.

 The Yemen Republic (22 March 1990)/Israel relationship chart is stressed in 2025 and discouraging through 2026/27.

   The Middle Eastern melting pot will continue to boil and bubble.

  The EU will struggle mightily against headwinds in the coming year which won’t ease thereafter financially or otherwise with the years running into late decade being equally fraught.

  At present the Midheaven and Ascendant  being final degree Gemini and Virgo respectively will have the undermining tr Neptune in hard aspect throughout 2025 bringing indecision over direction and image with confusion rife. The Solar Arc Pluto will oppose the EU 8^th house Moon and square Uranus over the next few months for a deadlocked phase with heavy economic challenges. It won’t ease up in 2026 either with tr Pluto starting the square the 2^nd house Neptune for financial devastation and confusion – and scandals, which may emerge sooner as tr Pluto squares the Jupiter/Neptune midpoint through this coming year.

 In 2026 tr Uranus will start to square the EU 12^th house Pluto for upheavals and turmoil – with more dark secrets emerging and a loss of control – and that extends on to 2028 with tr Uranus opposition the EU Mars for jolts, jangles and high insecurity. By 2029 tr Pluto will oppose the 8^th house Moon and square Uranus for an almighty upheaval – which could see a split or a collapse. The 2004 enlargement countries, mainly eastern European, could well move away.  

 The Maastricht Treaty chart, 1 November 1993, is pointing to major ruptures, fractures and bitter arguments through this year with tr Uranus square the Saturn and opposition Mars Pluto till mid 2025. 2028/2029 also look critical years of momentous change and challenges.

 The European Central Bank, 3 April 1973, is showing a discouraging mood through 2026, and much worse in 2028/29.

The Euro, 1 January 1999 chart is suffering under tr Pluto conjunct the Neptune throughout this year; with blockages and immense pressures in 2029/30.

Ursula van der Leyen, 8 October 1958, Brussels, Belgium  in for a second term as president will face muddle and mayhem this coming year with tr Pluto square her Neptune and similar continuing on thereafter. Her worst year will be 2026 with tr Uranus in a tumultuous and high-risk conjunction to her Mars in Gemini and square her Pluto, rattling even her iron self-control.

 The euro is already sagging against the dollar and the imponderable is what effect Trump will have given his America-first approach to trade and the likelihood of him unsettling global economic stability with increasing debt, rising inflation etc. His relationship chart with the EU will be undermined right through his next term with tr Neptune Saturn conjunct the composite Sun and opposition Mercury and later Saturn.

  Relocating his chart to Brussels puts Pluto on the Midheaven. According to Jim Lewis this is the ‘Looking out for Number One’ placing. Power struggles are inevitable and can often backfire. It will trigger his (one of many) obsessive streaks.  

Add On: World Economic Forum. 24 January 1971,  is an international advocacy non-governmental organization and think tank, with a mission statement about “improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas”. Its annual Davos meetings for investors, business leaders, political leaders, economists, celebrities and journalists and its practices have attracted criticism from anti-globalization campaigners and others.

 The WEF is in for a poleaxing amount of pressure from this year and on to 2027. The early Aquarius Sun is in the line of fire of the tr Pluto conjunction in 2026/27. Tr Uranus into Gemini will oppose its Mars, Jupiter, Neptune from mid 2025 onwards for a highly unsettled two years. And tr Neptune is opposing its final degree Virgo Pluto throughout 2025 with the Eclipses adding their challenging crises as well and perhaps eroding its influence.

 The relationship chart with the EU points to 2026/27 being years of high stress as tr Uranus will square the composite Saturn and oppose the Mars.