24.7.13

Vassilis Koronakis-has won a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award

Vassilis Koronakis, Professor of Molecular Biology in the Department's Molecular, Cellular and Structural Microbiology group, has won a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Award

The award ‘Towards a high definition view of cytoskeleton remodelling by the bacterial pathogen Salmonella’ supports work in a relatively new area for Vassilis, building on his introduction of an innovative experimental approach to study mammalian membrane signalling platforms outside the cell, and his biochemical characterisation of pathogen effectors that subvert the host cell biology. It follows his similarly membrane-focussed work on bacterial toxin biogenesis, the TolC cell exit duct structure and the detailed structure and operation of cell membrane machines for protein export and multidrug efflux.
The Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator Awards aim to 'support exceptional, world-class researchers who have demonstrated the originality and impact of their research, and who are leaders in their field', and 'provide flexible support to enable the best researchers to address the most important questions about health and disease'. The award to Professor Koronakis is for 7 years.
Recent publications
  • Humphreys D, Davidson A, Hume PJ, Koronakis V. (2012) Salmonella virulence effector SopE and Host GEF ARNO cooperate to recruit and activate WAVE to trigger bacterial invasion. Cell Host Microbe 11:129-39
  • Koronakis V, Hume PJ, Humphreys D, Liu T, Hørning, Jensen ON, McGhie EJ. (2011) WAVE regulatory complex activation by cooperating GTPasses Arf and Rac1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 108: 14449-54
  • Smith K, Humphreys D, Hume PJ, Koronakis V (2010) Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli recruits the cellular inositolphosphatase SHIP2 to regulate actin-pedestal formation. Cell Host & Microbe 7:13-24.
  • Symmons MF, Bokma E, Koronakis E, Hughes C, Koronakis V (2009) The assembled structure of a complete tripartite bacterial multidrug efflux pump. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 106: 7173-7178.

16.7.13

Γραμμα από τον Παραδεισο του Αντονιο Γκραμσι για την λυση του τετραγωνου Ουρανου-Πλουτωνα



Αγαπητε Δημητρακη,
σου γραφω από τον Παραδεισο, γιατι ως γνωστον η εργατικη ταξη παει στον Παραδεισο, όπως την εχει κινηματογραφισει ο σκηνοθέτης Ελιο Πετρι στην δεκαετια του 1970.Θα απορεις γιατι σου γραφω προσωπικα, αλλα ξερω ότι στα νιατα σου ησουν φλογερος αριστερος και μελετητης του εργου μου.Αυτο βεβαια σου στοιχισε την ρετσινια του αριστεριστη και του οποτρουνιστη από τους τεως συντροφους σου.Μη νομιζεις  επειδη ειμαι αριστερος δεν πιστευω στην Αστρολογια.Εδω στον Παραδεισο εχω συναντησει πολλους πολιτικοποιημενους Αστρολογους, όπως ο Καρτερ, την Γκρην ( την παλαια αστρολογο και όχι αυτή που ζει) τον Ραφαελ. Μου εμαθαν πραγματα και θαυματα για την Πολιτικη Αστρολογια, που η Αριστερα την απορριπτει, αλλα τωρα ειμαι σιγουρος ότι η Αριστερα εχει πολλα να μαθει από την ΑΣΤΡΟΛΟΓΙΑ.

Από ότι εχω δει στο ιστολογιο σου εχεις πολλες αναρτησεις για αριστερους διανοουμενους και ηγετες και γενικοτερα εχεις μια εμμονη με την Αριστερη Αστρολογια ( Μαρξιστικη την ονομαζεις). Νομιζω ότι εισαι από τους λιγους αστρολογους που μπορουν να καταλαβουν την δικη μου αριστερη αστρολογικη  αναλυση για τα γεγονοτα που ζει ο πλανητης αυτή την περιοδο.

Αγαπητε Δημητρακη,

Από το 2012 ο πλανητης ζει το τετραγωνο Ουρανου-Πλουτωνα, που κανει τους ανθρωπους να μουδιαζουν και αυτό εχει να κανει με την ανικανοτητα των ανθρωπων να προχωρησουν τις πραξεις και τις σκεψεις τους με ρυθμο αναλογο των εξελιξεων.Αυτο συμβαινει επειδη υπαρχει μια διανοητικη εμπλοκη και μια συναισθηματικη επιβαρυνση, γιατι όλα αυτά υπαρχουν από την ηγεμονια του καπιταλισμου, όπως εχω  αναφερει στο εργο μου και είναι μια διεργασια ηθικης και πνευματικης αποδομησης μεσω της οποιας επιτυγχανεται η αποσπαση συναινεσης των καταπιεσμενων ταξεων για την διακυβερνηση τους από την κυριαρχη ταξη. Η ηγεμονια της καπιταλιστικης ταξης χρησιμοποιει το δογμα του σοκ, όπως εχει αναλυσει η Κλαιν και αποτελειται από τρια βασικα μυνηματα

1-Αν αντιδρασεις χαθηκες
2-Αν υποκυψεις χαθηκες
3-Απαγορευεται να σκεφτεις εναλλακτικα, επειδη η λυση είναι μονοδρομος

Αγαπητε Δημητρακη,

Φετος όμως εχουμε το μεγαλο τριγωνο Δια-Κρονου-Ποειδωνα, που δινει στις κοινωνιες την ευκαιρια μεταβολισμου και απορριψης των τριων ανωτερω μυνηματων.Δεν είναι τυχαιο αλλωστε ότι ολος ο πλανητης σημερα είναι σε αναβρασμο από την Βραζιλια μεχρι  την Τουρκια και την Ιαπωνια.

Το μεγαλο τριγωνο μας δινει τον απαιτουμενο χρονο που χρειαζομαστε για την συναισθηματικη και διανοητικη επεξεργασια των προβληματων μας, την οποια εχω αναφερει στο εργο μου σαν διανοητικη και ηθικη μεταρρυθμιση, που δινει λυση στο διπλο δεσμο των τριων μηνυματων της Ιδεολογιας του καπιταλιστικου συστηματος.

Αγαπητε Δημητρακη,

Το μεγαλο τριγωνο μας βοηθα σε δυο μεγαλα εργα

Πρωτον να μπορεσει η κοινωνια να επιτελεσει μια θεραπεια αληθειας. Να πει τα πραγματα με το ονομα τους, να αποχαιρετησει τον καταναλωτικο ναρκισσισμο και από εκει να βρει ένα νέο τροπο που να δινει νοημα στην ζωη με τα μεσα που διαθετουμε. Δευτερον είναι να μη <<κολλαμε>> στα πραγματα, αλλα να αποδωσουμε σημασια σε κατι άλλο, που να βασιζεται στην ανθρωπινη σχεση.Και αυτό απαιτει χρονο, γιατι ο καθενας από μας εχει υποστει σημαντικη διαβρωση,

Αγαπητε Δημητρακη,

Κλεινω αυτό το μικρο γραμμα με μερικους στιχους του Ναζιμ Χικμετ, που εκφραζει κατά την γνωμη μου το μεγαλο τριγωνο ΔΙΑ-ΚΡΟΝΟΥ-ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝΑ

Αν δεν καω εγω
Αν δεν καεις εσυ
Αν δεν καουμε εμεις
Πως θα γενουν τα σκοταδια λαμψη?

Με αγαπη από την Αιωνια Ανατολη

Αντονιο Γκραμσι





10.7.13

The Development of Modern Mundane Astrology


©2013 J. Lee Lehman, PhD
(Note: The material in this essay is covered in much greater detail in Chapter One of my book, Astrology of Sustainability,1)
Patrick Curry has provided a fascinating blueprint for us of the forces that shaped the development of early modern astrology, specifically through the trials (literally) and tribulations (figuratively) of Alan Leo (1860-1917).2 Briefly, Leo was the inventor of the “shilling horoscope.” Utilizing the mails through advertising in magazines, Leo created a very profitable enterprise for himself by allowing the public to send away for a horoscope, which was computed by one employee, and then fleshed out with a page on the Sun sign, a page on the Moon sign, and so forth. This style of working had both the advantage of allowing many people to explore astrology at a much reduced price, and it allowed Leo to become very wealthy through the low time commitment to each chart . Unfortunately, he ran afoul of the English fortune-telling laws. After he was indicted, and acquitted on a technicality, Leo asked his lawyer how he could prevent this in the future. His lawyer essentially said: don't tell fortunes! In an attempt to comply with at least the letter of the law, Leo removed the more predictive language of his shilling horoscopes, and changed the descriptions to character analysis: a more psycho-spiritual perspective. In the process, he also declared that this is what astrology does: its describes, not predicts. Ironically, he was then arraigned again for fortune-telling, and this time, he was convicted.
Leo's change in wording truly was a watershed moment in astrological interpretation. Leo's own private delineations showed a complete continuity with prior trends of astrological prediction. The 19th century had witnessed some simplification of astrological technique, compared to the more detailed classical methods in place through the end of the 17th century. There were the specific challenges of integrating Uranus and then Neptune into astrological usage. There were the continual questions raised by the differences between Western and Vedic astrology, a topic highlighted by the increasing interest in Indian religion by Westerners in general through the 19th century, and specifically in the Theosophical Society.
But Leo was not acting in a vacuum. The impact of these ideas hit other parts of astrology as well, not just natal interpretation. One of the easier ways to observe the change is in Leo's own astrological magazines. The ones before 1900 reflect the “old” ways, and in them, we see the earlier mix of different styles of astrology, but with a distinct predictive slant. These magazines, for example, have horary charts interpreted in a fairly conventional way. Leo's own horary examples were even collected together into a work on horary!3
But surely one of the major questions of the time would remain mundane astrology. The historical method of mundane astrology which had developed over centuries enunciated a hierarchy of charts and conjunctions to be observed: from the Great Mutation cycle of Jupiter and Saturn which lasted centuries, to the change of element (mutation) in that series of conjunctions, the individual Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, the Mars-Saturn and Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions, the Aries Ingress, and the other cardinal ingresses, lunations, and eclipses for a particular year. This series allowed the astrologer to talk about both long and short-term trends. The ancient authors had also noted the extreme difficulty in attempting to create a chart for the Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions, realizing that it was next to impossible to calculate the exact instant of the conjunction. The first time it was accepted as possible was the 17thcentury, with Kepler's and Heydon's direct observations of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction. Even with direct observation in hand, contemporaries warned about the errors in such calculations, a worry that our modern equations confirm.4 As a result, the tendency was to delineate the Aries Ingress or lunation prior to the known conjunction, rather than the conjunctional chart itself. Astrologers living in the decades after Kepler and Heydon reverted to the ancient methods precisely because of these perceived methodological problems, which were discussed in the works of the day.
The astrologers of the 17th century were still integrating the “new” calculational advances of Kepler and the heliocentric theories, and there was serious astronomical knowledge and interest displayed by some of their numbers, such as Vincent Wing. What is hard for us to appreciate now is that their astronomical practices and equations lacked the precision that we have become accustomed to – and for good reason. Astronomical precision in observation was still a huge topic in the 17th century, following great advances by practitioners such as Tycho Brahe, and the instrument makers of Louvain. But they could still not approach the observational accuracy of mechanized instruments of both ground-based and satellite-based machines of the 20th century. But quite apart from this, different astronomical measurements have different accuracies associated with them: and any ephemeris is only as accurate as the equations used to generate it.5 One offshoot of this astronomical consideration – known, interestingly, to our 17th century forebears – is that we can obtain much more accurate results for the positions of a birth chart, than for the time of a planetary conjunction or station. In other words, the routine stuff of astrology – birth charts and horary charts – are reasonably accurate. But station times are not. It is unfortunate, but the knowledge of this simple fact is one of the things that was lost when astrology lost its university moorings at the end of the 17th century, and went largely underground for a century.
In the 19th century, astrology was dusted off, and challenged with the discovery of the outer planets. However, in mundane astrology, we can see that the job of rediscovery had worked rather well. During the U.S. Civil War, Luke Broughton (1828-1899) published the “Monthly Planetary Reader,” in which he did traditional mundane predictions of the course of the war. Broughton's method was traditionally classical, and his method seemed to work quite well, with Broughton even predicting Lincoln's assassination, and later, McKinley's.
But the 19th century also saw many astrologers experimenting with new methods. In mundane, this was partly justified by the greater globalization of the astrological enterprise. Unlike in the 17th century, the telegraph and faster ships brought news of foreign politics and wars more quickly to a public that became used to hearing of events on distant shores.
One of the astrologers who helped to pioneer this transition was Sepharial (1864-1929). In his columns on monthly events, he transformed mundane astrology in a number of ways. We can summarize his methodology as follows:
  • The sign placements of the planets have replaced any celestial conjunction as the top headline. This allowed him to predict that these planets would affect countries ruled that sign.
  • He reduced the Mars-Saturn conjunction to a mere transit, instead of an event worth analyzing in its own right.
  • He did discuss lunations, but his discussion was mainly of planetary conjunctions or aspects occurring in the chart, but these conjunctions are largely inferior conjunctions to superior planet configurations already in play.
Sepharial wrote specifically on the interpretation of the Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction in Transits and Planetary Periods. In fact, this work should be seen as the genesis of the methods of working with the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction still being used in the 1920s and 1930s. In this work, he developed a system for working with the conjunctional chart, and then following it through time with secondary progressions or directions. Sadly, this work showed no knowledge of the problems in calculation associated with attempting to arrive at a chart of this nature.6
One obvious change that had to be addressed in the modern period was the discovery of yet more superior planets, thereby adding more transits to the mix..
And I have to wonder whether the shift in Sepharial's interpretations to the use of signs as being part of an attempt to re-envision how to get the “where” right. This seems transitional to astrocartography, but unfortunately, the emphasis on sign seems to have stuck as much for its convenience in generating copy for monthly deadlines than for producing real predictive power.
The methods that Sepharial was beginning to experiment with for approaching mundane as a truly global art only needed reinforcing as time went on. World War I (the Great War, as it was styled before World War II imposed a numbering system) was fought globally. The emergence of new world powers continued to challenge capabilities of astrology to keep up with globalization.
Between the wars, we can use the Astrological Quarterly to understand these developments. The Editor, Charles Carter, wrote extensively on mundane, and there were contributions by others as well.
A good example was L. Protheroe Smith, entitled “The Year 1927,” which featured the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of 1921.7 He begins his article by saying:
“I make no apology for once more drawing your attention to the forgoing figure, for the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the year 1921. I have discussed it here before, and I shall do so again whenever I am asked to speak on National Astrology during the period over which it rules. Because, although perhaps less is known concerning this branch of our work than almost any other, yet there is reason to believe that national destiny runs in cycles; and we get, I think, a glimpse of this cyclical process in the Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions which recur at intervals of approximately 20 years.” (page 4)
So far, this could have been written by Masha' Allah – except for the phrase “national destiny.” We have moved into the period of democracies and other governmental forms, where the Head of State may only last in that role for a few years – rarely for life.
However, a close examination of the article reveals major differences. First of all, his year is a calendar year: not a year as defined by the Aries Ingress. In fact, there are no cardinal ingresses to be seen at all! What is present is a chart purporting to be for the exact moment of the conjunction – something we have already seen has some serious astronomical challenges associated with it.
His chart comes out to approximately 45 minutes off our modern calculation! How can this be? There are two components to the problem:
  • In the era before the computer, the accuracy of planetary positions in an ephemeris was not as high as now. This is the major source of the error in Protheroe-Smith's case.
  • Trying to come up with the exact moment of a slow conjunction such as this from an old ephemeris, which gives static positions for each day, is truly impossible. Positions were given to the nearest minute. You can't just interpolate the exact moment, because a minute isn't sufficiently accurate for a body that only moves a few minutes per day! Is that position of 1 degree 56 minutes really 56 minutes, or 55.51, or 56.49 minutes? You don't know! You can even see whether your current computer program has conquered this problem by comparing a timed transit list to using the ephemeris generator to see if you get the same time! READ MORE

5.7.13

Αστρολογικο γραμμα στην Νονα μου




Αγαπητη Νονα,

Ο 21ος αιωνας ειναι ο αιωνας του Νιτσε, όπως εκεινος το ειχε πει, εποχη δικτατορων που δεν συγκινουνται από καμμια ηθικη παραδοση, πολεμων που γινονται ολο ένα και πιο φονικοι και πιο καταστροφικοι από την προοδο των επιστημων, εποχη του << θανατου του θεου> για εκεινους, που εχοντας ισχυ η σκεψη ισχυρη,βρισκονται επικεφαλης της παρελασης. Τα ευαισθητα πνευματα θα υποφερουν για πολύ καιρο ακομη και το θλιβερο κενο, που αντικατεστησε τον αντικατοπρισμο των ευγενων οραματων μας και των ωραιοτερων μυθο μας, που καποτε εξαγνιζαν την διαγωγη μας και ζεσταιναν τις καρδιες μας. Αλλα οι ποιητες και οι καλλιτεχνες και οι ονειροπαρμενοι δεν εχουν πεθανει. Θα διηγηθουν νεες ιστοριες, θα ζωγραφισουν καινουργιες εικονες για τους ηρωες μας, τα κατορθωματα και τα οραμα μας. Και παλι θα εμπνευστουμε και παλι θα ενισχυθουμε και θα εξακολουθησουμε να πληθαινουν της κληρονομιας μας.


Αγαπητη Νονα,

Το μεγαλο τριγωνο Δια-Κρονου-Ποσειδωνα πρεπει να αναλογιστουν οι αστρολογοι, ότι εχει διαιτητη και δυο εποπτες γραμμων. Για να κατανοησουν την ιδιοσυχνοτητα αυτου του σχηματισμου, πρεπει να φερουν τις μεσοκαθετους σε κάθε πλευρα και στο κεντρο του τριγωνου θα ανακαλυψουν τους εαυτους τους. Τοτε το Local Space του ψυχικου κοσμου θα τους αποκαλυψει μια χολερικη Ανατολη, ένα μανιοκαταθληπτικο Βορρα, ένα Νοτο που εχει χασει τα στιγματα και μια Δυση δεσμια της μαυρης τρυπας της αυταπατης.

Θελει Τολμη και Αρετη η Ατραπος της Αστρολογιας, γιατι καποιοι νομιζουν, ότι το ΛΥΚΟΦΩΣ, συμφωνα με τις ερμηνειες τους, είναι πιο ισχυρο από τον φωτοδοτη ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΑ.


Αγαπητη Νονα,

Θυμαμαι όταν εδωσα, πριν από δεκαετιες, Sorbonne, το πρωτο κειμενο που μου εδωσες να διαβασω ηταν του αιρετικου Ρεμπω, σου θυμιζω μερικους στιχους

Επινοησα το χρωμα των φωνηεντων!Α μαυρο, Ε λευκο, Ι κοκκινο, Ο γαλαζιο ΟΥ πρασινο. Καθορισα τη μορφη και την κινηση κάθε συμφωνου και καυχηθηκα πως με ενστικτους ρυθμους ανακαλυψα ένα ποιητικο λογο που καποια μερα θα είναι προστιτος σε ολες τις αισθησεις ( Μια εποχη στην Κολαση)

Ετσι κανω Αστρολογια, σημερα. Σε καποιους αρεσω, οι αλλοι με αφηνουν αδιαφορο.
Αστρολογια είναι βιωση Κορμιου-Ψυχης-Πνευματος και όχι ακατασχετοι βερμπαλισμοι, που καποιοι είναι μαιτρ, για αυτο τον λογο η Αστρολογια  εχει πεσει σε ένα δικτυ ονειρωξεων, ορμων, απολαυσεων και η επιθυμια απουσα, ένα κενο γραμμα, αλφα μικρο κατά Λακαν, χαρακτηριστικο του διχασμενου υποκειμενου, λογος του υστερικου, παντα κατά Λακαν.

Σου θυμιζω, ότι από Σεπτεμβριο εχουμε  συναντησεις Λακανικης Αστρολογιας.
Μεχρι τοτε να περνας καλα και το κυριοτερο να ΦΩΤΟΒΟΛΕΙΣ, φαρος αυτογνωσιας μου, στην μαγευτικη ΑΝΑΦΗ, ποσο καλοκαιρια δεν μου διδασκες ΛΑΚΑΝ στις ομορφες παραλιες της.

Με Αγαπη και Φως

Ο φιτσιος σου ΚΟΡΩΝΑΚΗΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ.



2.7.13

Ο Κώστας Χαρδαβέλλας στο 7ο αστρολογικό magazino του astrology.gr!

Astrology.gr, Ζώδια, zodia, Ο Κώστας Χαρδαβέλλας στο 7ο αστρολογικό magazino του astrology.gr!        
Ζωντανά, την Τετάρτη 3/7 στις 13:00
-Ποιό είναι το μέλλον της νέας κυβέρνησης;
Πόσο μπορούν να αντέξουν χέρι-χέρι Σαμαράς και Βενιζέλος;
Μπορούν να δώσουν λύση ενδεχόμενες εκλογές;
Ο πολύπειρος Κώστας Χαρδαβέλλας και ο Γιάννης Ριζόπουλος συζητούν και αναλύουν τις πολιτικές εξελίξεις στην Ελλάδα.
Παράλληλα θα υπάρξουν και οι... αναπόφευκτες αναφορές στον ανάδρομο Ερμή αλλά και το σκάνδαλο κατασκοπείας που συγκλονίζει την Ευρώπη και τις ΗΠΑ
-Πώς μπορούμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε την επιρροή του ανάδρομου Ερμή;
Τι ευνοείται και τι πρέπει να προσέξουμε;
-Ήταν απρόβλεπτο το σκάνδαλο κατασκοπίας;
Το αστρολογικό προφίλ και οι προοπτικές του Edward Snowden

Πηγή: http://www.astrology.gr/epikairotita/GEGONOTA/item/45030-o-kostas-hardavellas-sto-7o-astrologiko-magazino-toy-astrologygr#ixzz2Xulapyn5