I found this while browsing newspaper comments sent by readers:

Greetings from Pluto.
Just thought I would chime in and let you hear some of our recent local news. The PAU (Plutonian Astronomical Union) has just completed its annual meeting where they reduced your Earth’s status from Planet to Bluish-Green Rock Near Our Sun.
Thank you, have a good day - one of your measly 24 hour days.

And this:

I think that pluto is obviously part of the "axis of evil" as it clearly does not meet the criteria that we of the civilized and democratic world have set as definitions of planets.So if pluto is not "with us" then surely it is "againts us" and thus a threat to national security.obviously pluto does not like freedom and democracy [and most likely posseses WMD's],so it is imperative that we -the coalition of the willing-make a preemptive attack againts pluto in the name of God ,Country,and Freedom. yada yada yada.we will get back to solving the less important problems of OUR planet when we have rid the universe of potential threats of radical E T terrorism . PS i hope we find extra oil on pluto while we are there as i miss driving my z-71 suv.

Reports of Pluto's planetary death are greatly exaggerated! The planet that represents dying and being reborn is rising again. Far from being killed off as a planet and reduced to a more minor status in the solar system, Pluto might be about to give its name to a brand new category of objects: Plutons.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has begun its general assembly in Prague, long anticipated as the moment when a definition of the 'planet' would be formally and officially agreed. The IAU has released its draft resolution, which will be voted on on 24th August between 14:00hrs and 17:30hrs:

"The draft "Planet Definition" Resolution will be discussed and refined during the General Assembly and then it (plus four other Resolutions) will be presented for voting at the 2nd session of the GA 24 August between 14:00 and 17:30 CEST."
Source: http://www.iau2006.org/mirror/www.iau.org/iau0601/iau0601_release.html

Calculating the chart for the beginning of the IAU's general assembly (9:00am, 14th August 2006, Prague, Czech Republic) shows that Pluto is at the foundation of the chart, showing how fundamental this planet is to this assembly: the IC is 22 Sag 39, Pluto is tucked just inside the 4th house at 24 Sag 12, in almost exact square to the Ascendant at 24 Virgo 15. It would be difficult to think of a more appropriate place for Pluto in this chart; the IC represents 'midnight', the darkest time, and is the deepest point under the Earth - Pluto's natural abode in mythology.

Looking ahead to the afternoon of the 24th August when the IAU will vote on the draft resolution the astrology remains emphatic. Between 14:00hrs and 17:30hrs Pluto will rise from beneath the horizon and come up into the light of day. In astrology this is the part of the chart that symbolises the birth moment. In terms of clock time, this corresponds to 16:30hrs on 24/8/06. Whether the vote will take place close to half past four remains to be seen, but it is significant that the IAU has scheduled the vote to take place when Pluto will be rising in Prague. Pluto will be virtually motionless in its movement through the Zodiac, just a week and a half before its station - which is its turnaround point - on 4th September. Our local part of the universe (uni-verse = 'the one turning' or sometimes phrased as 'turning around the one') is set for a major turnaround.

I look forward to Pluto being reborn and rising again from the ashes, and I look forward to our human conception of the solar system being similarly reborn, symbolising a radical shift in our understanding of nature's environment, and thus our place in nature.

For more information from the IAU, see these links:-
Press release: Draft definition of 'planet' and 'plutons'
Draft resolution: definition of 'planet' - to be voted on on 24th August 2006
Questions & Answers on definition of 'planet'

For the past few years there's been increasing debate about whether Pluto should remain classified as a planet, or be downgraded to a Kuiper belt object.

As a certain mobile phone company advert keeps reminding us lately, the world's not so rigid these days (shades of the Saturn-Neptune opposition) and astronomers have been adjusting their views of the solar system - and the universe - as more and more new objects have been discovered that defy traditional classification. For instance, just the other day, astronomers announced the discovered of some 'planemos', which blur the boundaries between stars and a planets (see BBC link below).

The solar system is no longer relatively simply populated by a star, some planets, some moons, some asteroids, and some visiting comets, with clear-cut distinctions between them all. It's now known to contain comets that behave like asteroids and asteroids that behave like comets. It has cubewanos, plutinos, centaurs, trojans, and more. It's as if our view has had to be shattered and broken apart, so that we can accommodate the new.

Some astronomers argue that Pluto is a Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt Object, or EKO, and not a planet. The Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt is an area of the solar system extending from Neptune outwards for 20AU (Astronomical Units - 1AU is the mean distance from the Sun to the Earth) wherein icy rocks orbit, like a second asteroid belt.

An astrological perspective sees meaning in the very discussion. Back when Saturn was the outermost known planet in the solar system, it made sense that Saturn represented normality, convention, boundaries, limitations, endings, and finality. The planets beyond Saturn have been seen as symbolising different types of change that lie beyond the Saturnian norms, bounds, and conventions.

Pluto has been classified as a planet since 1930, but there are now objects being found that are challenging the definition of 'planet'. Some argue that if Pluto is a planet, then so are many other solar system objects. Others argue that if those other objects aren't planets, then neither is Pluto. The human conception of the solar system is definitely in transition.

In astrology both Saturn and Pluto 'rule' endings. The difference between them is that Saturn is an ending pure and simple, whereas Pluto is an ending that precedes a new beginning. It's interesting that the definition of 'planet' may end because of this situation with Pluto, and may begin again in a new form because of it. Some of the arguments have been surrounded by political (with a small 'p') manoeuvres and power struggles, suitably Plutonic in nature. Once the situation is decided, as with all things Plutonic, things are sure never to be the same again.

About the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (includes diagram)
http://www.harmsy.freeuk.com/kuiper.html

Planemos discovered
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5241774.stm

About the worlds beyond Neptune
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/051219_mystery_monday.html

While we're on about Pluto, how about this:-

Pluto was discovered in 1930 and was thought to be on its own. But then in 1978 it was discovered that Pluto actually had a Moon. Surprisingly enough, 27 years later, in 2005 two new moons were found orbiting Pluto. In June 2006 these moons were finally officially named: Nix, and Hydra.

Pluto was the god of the underworld, also known as Hades. He was referred to as 'Pluto' euphemistically; Pluto means 'wealth'. Pluto's 1978 moon was named Charon, in honour of the discoverer's wife (Sharon), but fittingly Charon was the ferryman of Hades, transporting across the river Styx the souls of the dead who had been properly buried.

Hydra isn't connected with the underworld in Greek or Roman mythology, but is a self-regenerating poisonous snake-monster. In astrology, the snake is one of the symbols of Scorpio, and regeneration/renewal is one of the themes of the sign, and therefore of the planet Pluto.

Nix is the Egyptian spelling of Nyx, goddess of the night and symbol of night itself. Born, along with darkness, Earth, and love, from Chaos, Nyx "spawned a large and generally unpleasant brood that included Moros (doom), Thanatos (death), Hypnos (sleep), the Fates, and Nemesis." Nix lived in Tartarus, which is the dark region beneath the earth, "located as far beneath Hades as heaven was above it. An anvil would fall for nine days to reach it. The roots of earth and sea grew above it."

Quotes from Collins dictionary of Classical Mythology

International Astronomical Union news release naming the two new moons

Hubble's discovery of the two new moons
Hubble's confirmation of the two new moons

Stationary Pluto
Pluto is now slowing down in its backwards movement through the Zodiac, as viewed from Earth, and will soon cease its apparent motion and start to move fowards again. In astrological language this is phrased as: Pluto is currently retrograde, and will soon station, then turn direct.

The exact date of the station is 4th September 2006, however from now and on throughout August Pluto is effectively motionless. We are already starting to see some of its correlations in the coming to light of the tapping of Prince William's and other public figures' answerphones. Whilst this invasion of privacy has been reportedly happening to various people, it has been revealed through Prince William. This means that his chart should have a particular resonance to this Pluto station.

Prince William
Pluto is currently at 24 degrees 15 minutes of Sagittarius. Prince William's Neptune (another planet of what is hidden from public view) is at 25 degrees 33 minutes of Sagittarius. This - i.e. two planets positioned close together in the Zodiac - is known as a conjunction. William's Ascendant is just a few degrees away at 27 degrees 31 minutes of Sagittarius. This means that transiting Pluto is in his 12th house - the house of private information, and traditionally the house of 'hidden enemies'.

Pluto's action is subterranean by default. It correlates with going underground in order to retrieve hidden things that are valuable, and bringing them up to the surface.

Full Moon
Of course nothing works in isolation, and another major factor in this event is the Full Moon, which is highlighting the Saturn-Neptune opposition. The Sun and Saturn are transiting William's 8th house - another house traditional associated with hidden goings on, and the natural house of Pluto - and the Moon and Neptune are in his 2nd house. This 2nd-8th house polarity is to do with surfaces and depths, but also money and all things valuable, so again we have a re-statement of the theme.

Midpoints
For those people familiar with midpoints, the Full Moon (along with Saturn) is positioned on William's Mercury/Pluto midpoint. Mercury represents the transmission of messages (the mobile phone voicemail services) and Pluto represents the tapping/invasion of privacy. Transiting Neptune is on William's Mercury/Jupiter midpoint.... leaking (Neptune) plus journalism (Mercury/Jupiter).

United Kingdom
In terms of the UK, the Neptune (leaking) transit to the nation's Venus in the 5th house (royalty, celebrities, sportspeople) is relevant here. Transiting Saturn is moving to oppose this Venus from the 11th house (the Cabinet/government members), and the Full Moon highlights both the 5th and the 11th houses as it occurs exactly conjunct Venus.

For those people who're still not convinced that Iraq has strong parallels with Vietnam (history repeating), try this from AirForceTimes.com:

"Since 2000, about 40,000 troops from all branches of the military have deserted, the Pentagon says. More than half served in the Army.... About 50,000 Americans sought legal residency in Canada during the Vietnam era."

Here is the source of the quotation:
http://www.airforcetimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1930387.php

For an astrological viewpoint on the USA's recent military activities, these articles cover it:
http://www.astrology21.co.uk/c1usaneptunemars.html

http://www.astrology21.co.uk/c1usaplutomars.html

Here is a link to some really good photographs showing the relative size of the Earth as compared to other planets in our solar system, plus the Sun itself, and other stars.

http://www.rense.com/general72/size.htm

From an astrological point of view, why is there so much destructive energy in the Israel-Palestine area?

Looking back at the moment when the UK's mandate in that area ended, we find that the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of the time was straddling the Descendant. Saturn-Pluto correlates with humankind's most destructive impulses, the darker side of human nature, the desire to exercise absolute power, control, authority. It is linked with conflagration over boundaries, and the capacity for brutality, cruelty, oppression, and hatred.

This planetary pair shows the need to learn to contain these dark impulses, the necessity of 'cutting the ties that bind', and dissolving ancient blood feuds and crystallised resentments, lest the destructive patterns of behaviour, thought, and feeling be repeated.

Ancient (Saturn) feuds being avenged (Pluto) is characteristic of this combination, and so for life to thrive there needs to be a passionate commitment to in-depth investigation and transmutation of these energies. Without that genuine desire to overcome the demons within, there will always be projection of the inner battle onto the demons without.

Mapping this configuration onto the surface of the Earth, this is how it looks:

To the left, just off the map, is the Pluto line. To the right is the Saturn line. Half-way between them is the Saturn-Pluto midpoint line, which passes within about 12 miles of Jerusalem. The line continues northwards into the Lebanon, passing within about 22 miles of Beirut.

In June an entry on this weblog talked about the demise of Top of the Pops. That entry was published shortly after the announcement that programme was to finish.

The last programme was broadcast last Sunday. The final minute of the programme had Jimmy Saville - the very first, and very last, presenter of TOTP - switching off the studio lights.

At the very moment of the broadcast of the TOTP lights going out, transiting Ascendant was very closely opposite the TOTP Pluto.... Pluto representing the ending of an era. This means that the transiting Descendant - representing sunset, the point where the Sun (light) disappears beneath the horizon at the end of the day - was very closely conjunct TOTP Pluto. Very fitting.

Pluto is also a symbol of those who destroy. The BBC has been accused of deliberately orchestrating the demise of the iconic programme. Pluto is also renowned for resurrection and new life, so who knows whether someone behind the scenes (a Plutonic place to be) is planning to take the best of what TOTP had and place it into a new venture that will breathe new life into the legendary, ground-breaking music programme?

Link to previous blog entry on this topic:
http://www.astrology.blog-city.com/the_demise_of_top_of_the_pops.htm

Last Sunday's Guardian reported that NHS staff are organising rallies and demostrations to stand up to the damaging changes that the government is introducing in the health service. Some of these will coincide with the Labour party conference in September, which is to be held in Manchester.

"Unions have warned of a "summer of discontent" over job losses and cutbacks in the NHS, including threats of industrial action over the Government's health reforms. Health unions representing doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and other health workers said they were committed to a major campaign against the "breakneck" pace of change. A lobby of Parliament is being planned for October and there will be rallies and demonstrations across the UK as well as fringe meetings at the TUC Congress and Labour Party annual conference in September." (from the Guardian)

Throughout August and September Pluto will be stationary as viewed from the Earth. During August it is slowing down in its backwards motion through the zodiac, and it will stop on 4th September and change direction. Resuming its forward motion, it will then spend around 3-4 weeks slowly accelerating. Throughout these two months Pluto will be very closely square to the NHS's Ascendant-Descendant axis. The danger of this transit is that it can reflect a killing off, a ruthlessness, and hidden agendas. The constructive potential is a rebirth and renewal, an affirmation of existence and a re-energising of purpose.

More info about the NHS's 'Summer of Discontent':
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-5982856,00.html
Previous entry about the NHS from June this year:
http://www.astrology.blog-city.com/killing_the_nhs.htm
For more astrological information on the NHS's birth chart, there is a short article written in 2004 that you can read here: NHS cycles of reform
For more information on keeping the NHS public, see this website: Keep Our NHS Public
And to find out more about the Saturn-Neptune opposition, which is also strongly related to the current NHS and Labour party crisis, see here: Saturn Opposition Neptune