Astrologers hold Mars to be the planet of war, and Neptune to be the planet of
illusion.

Astronomy has confirmed that the red color of Mars is due to iron oxides, so in
that sense, the astrological ascription of Mars was not inappropriate; its color
is the red of blood and the red of rust - iron being the metal of swords.

However, persons with an interest in astronomy will also be familiar with the
story of the canals of Mars. How the human mind, faced with detail on Mars just at
the edge of visibility, organized it into a network of criss-crossing canals that
seemed to be the work of artifice. But, as Arthur C. Clarke observed, the
intelligence involved was on the other end of the telescope.

History seems to have repeated itself.

Perhaps some here have seen the recent story about how some are claiming Mars
had met its end as an abode of life?

People who had been seeing imaginary statues in photographs of the Red Planet
sent back by space probes... have now noticed that those imaginary statues were
preponderantly of men and not women. From this they have vaulted to the
conclusion that the Martians failed to meet the challenge of keeping their
planet's atmosphere... because they neglected the voices and insights of women!

While the canals of Lowell may not really have been a "tragedy", this repetition
of history still confirms Lenin by certainly being a farce.

John Savard