Commerce Secretary Bill Richardson 11.15.47

Today New Mexico governor Bill Richardson was named Commerce Secretary by president-elect Barack Obama.

Governor Richardson, whose 2008 prez campaign didn't fly, switched his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Obama and is now ensconced within the new administration by backing Obama, who was okayed by those high and mighty string-pullers, the Bilderberg Group. For Richardson it was a smartly timed, if orchestrated, choice.

With personal name asteroid, 'Wil' conjunct Richardson's natal Ascendant, it appears that Inauguration 2009's Jupiter 3AQ32 signifies Bill Richardson. His natal Astraea (law and justice) is at 3AQ26, too. I had previously wondered in typery about who this 'Wil'-'Bill' could be - now, it seems, you and I both know.

Now Mercury is the planet associated closely with commerce, but Jupiter (money; expansion) certainly plays a role as well, plus, Richardson's figure tends toward the Jupiterian side of some rotundity.

Here you see the natal chart of Bill Richardson (BR), born Nov 15, 1947, 11:35 am PST, Pasadena, CA, as given by AstroDataBank.

Mercury 5Sco32 in 9th house of Philosophy, is unaspected yet conjunct a problematic asteroid, Nemesis (divine retribution; an unbeatable foe.) Unaspected Mercury, ruler of his 5th house of Risk-Taking, and of his 8th house of Shared Resources and the Occult, has apparently operated on a high level - an 'outstanding in his field' way for BR has held many posts.

Dane Rudhyar gives '6Sco' as:

"The Gold Rush Tears Men Away from Their Native Soil"...AVIDITY...Keynote: The passionate search for new values which, at any level, promise a more abundant life.

(This symbol) dramatizes the capacity in man to tear himself away from the known and the familiar, gambling everything on a vision or dream.

Might that be the dream of a one-world-government? Yeeks - we're infested - they're everywhere!

And yet one thing I've always noticed about Bill Richardson's public persona is the mildness of it. But through contact with public figures through the years, I know how studied an image can be - it can fool us all when necessary. They take classes, y'know.

Although not the closest applying aspect to his natal Sun (that honor is held by Mars square Sun 1A08 - see below), the tendency to seem a bit of a floor mat may come from his Sun inconjunct Uranus (2A47) which gives him a yielding-toward-others quality which can be easily imposed upon.

Sun/Uranus inconjunct folks may then feel bitter and vindictive if they find they've been deceived. Inner guilt causes feelings of being severely challenged by the authoritative attitudes of others.

Closer, and thus an integral part of BR's personality, is the Sun/Mars square (with Mars ruling 10th house of Career (I use traditional rulers with outer planets as 'higher octaves', which with Scorpio would be Pluto), and 3rd house of Communications with 23Ari29 on the cusp.

Sun SQ Mars gives Richardson lots of energy and enthusiasm with the drive to fulfill his ambitions. Under prolonged pressure, however, he needs periodic breaks (who doesn't?); experience has taught him to carefully and patiently plan his actions in order to achieve his goals.

Conservation of energy is needed as well and is probably a talent with him because of his Mars/Saturn conjunction (similar to the directed and efficient use of energy as with Mars in Capricorn where Mars is Exalted.)

His Sun/Mars square gives him the tendency to want what he doesn't have, then to become disinterested once he gets it. But the square does give a fairly good nature which enjoys the company of friends whose accomplishments are much admired.

But when efforts don't yield the expected results, Richardson may tend to fly off the handle in disgust; he can be perceived as overbearing at times as he demands attention and focus on subjects which he's knowledgeable about. Quite human traits, I'd say!

There is also a tendency to yield oneself to others (often to personal detriment, and echoing his Sun/Uranus inconj) by way of having three planets in the 7th house of Others...Mars, Saturn, and Pluto. That's a lot of energy to give away.

At Midheaven we see Sun conjunct South Node which can
can be problematic if not well-handled. It confers conditions where its 'owner' is denied opportunities and resources for self-expression, especially in the realm of leadership potential.

He may even be denied the fruits of his labor or be prevented from achieving his fondest desires (the presidency?)

Sun conj SN is a karmic or fated condition by which I refer to past heritage or behaviors from his own past (I don't 'do' past life Astrology - I prefer the Saturnian model where SN and other indications from the past are - from the past, including DNA and ancestry.)

So 'past behavior' may refer to selfishness on Richardson's or an ancestor's part when ambitions were promoted at the expense of the self-expression of others. (I don't know enough of his past history to remark, I'm just reading his chart.)

But, as we see, with natal Sun is conjunct Midheaven,
a public profession of recognition was practically assured him, especially with benefic Jupiter 4Sag53 (strong and expansive in his natural sign of the Seeker) and Venus in Sagittarius, showing his attractiveness and attraction to foreigners, in 10th house of Career and Public Status.

Fortunate in career! Richardson has been, as you know, a senator, ambassador to the UN, Bill Clinton's Energy Secretary, and now serves as governor of New Mexico, as noted. That'd be a 10th house full of benefics for ya.

If you click to enlarge the image, you'll see a few more of my notes on Gov. Richardson's natal chart - including a stand-out in the Pluto-Chiron 'plutocracy-corporatism-oppression-racism' department. Much has been made in the media today that it took days for a Latino to be appointed to Obama's cabinet - and BR's natal Pluto-Chiron midpoint 00Lib01 happens to fall upon America's natal Midheaven (Sibly.)

You see the dynamic T-squares formed between Sun/NN and NN/MC, both focused on his Mars/Saturn conjunction in 7th house of Partnerships.

Thus, four midpoint pictures are formed (Tyl):

Sun/NN = Mars: vigorous drives with others to gain personal importance. (Often called: Politics.)

Sun/NN = Saturn: patience with others; reserve; maturation.

NN/MC= Mars: getting things done in partnership work.

NN/MC = Saturn: conservatism; being the serious person in the group; being comfortable in the loner's position.

Also highlighted on the chart in yellow is Richardson's Pre-Natal Eclipse Series, 3 South, 19Sco36.

Brady's Predictive Astrology gives the 3S Series as one of sudden ending of associations and relationships, possibly with a younger person; a sense of traumatic transformation by way of news received or short journeys undertaken.

The initial Eclipse in this Series occurred on Aug 13, 1208 (OS), 27Leo10, with Venus conj Mars 19Can+, which is, as we now know, the degree of Pluto's heliocentric North Node. Pluto's heavy transformative power in the initial Eclipse is the primary reason for the difficulties of this Series, for it was Pluto = NN = Venus/Uranus = Mars/Uranus in 1208.

Richardson has an obsessive-compulsive quindecile aspect between Venus (values; relationships; money; cooperation and collaboration) and Uranus (innovations disrupt the status quo) so there's an erratic, unpredictable quality to money handling (uh-oh) along with a drive toward constant stimulation and excitement. He's a risk-taker, and may be a flirt who has trouble with monogamy and intimacy (echoed by his Sun/Mars square), but can benefit through this quindecile by focusing on self-worth issues.(Quindecile, Ricki Reeves.)

Well, this post has become wordy, so I'll be adding Richardson's Sun Sco/Moon Sag info asap at Jude's Threshold if you get a chance to visit.

And be sure to check out *AstroDataBank concerning Bill
Richardson's natal chart if you'd like more details on our soon-to-be Commerce Secretary, Bill Richardson.

~:~

*The AstroDataBank chart details have not been read by your reluctant astrologer (me) because I prefer not to be influenced by other interpretations before I begin looking at a chart. Sometimes a chart has been studied previously but in this case, this is the closest look I've taken at Bill Richardson's natal chart.

Apparently Richardson will be around a while (although I'm seeing some disillusionment about partnerships on his part from putting too much trust in others), so this won't be the first time his chart will merit a peek. jc

Did Brit-born Pakistanis carry out Mumbai Attacks?

Apparently Britain simmered another cauldron of terroists:


Mumbai Massacre Carried Out By Brits

By By Jerry Lawton, Emma Wall and Gemma Wheatley

Indian security forces said at least two of the captured terrorists were British-born Pakistanis, while the total number could be as many as seven.

Does US have a two-party system? poll

There are 24 days left to vote in my SO'W poll where you can weigh in on the political question: Does America have a two-party system?

So far the 'class warfare vs we-the-people' selection is ahead, but you may affect the results, if you like.

To vote, please scroll to the end of this page and cast away!

Will Jim Jones' energy policy ties derail Obama's train?

Brad Johnson's Jim Jones' Chamber of Commerce Organization Promotes Energy Future tells a tale of Barack Obama's choice today for National Security Adviser, Jim Jones, and a few inconvenient ties that apparently bind.

Hmmm...the quote from Bill Moyers which I posted in Sept 2007 mentions the US Chamber of Commerce as one of the entities which seem to be running the US government by remote control.

Makes me wonder who did the picking? Did Obama chose Jones...or did Jones choose Obama?

Moon-Venus-Jupiter photos from Pakistan

Thanks to SpaceWeather.com, I have found my two favorite images of the Dec 1's triple conjunction of the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter.

Ramiz Qureshi took these photos in Karachi, Pakistan, and said it was "like a great face in the sky."

Check out Ramiz's photos: it is, and it's smiling at the stressed out planet Earth!

Inauguration 2009: YODs form with US natal Venus

Using the animated chart feature of Solar Fire software to 'look ahead' in the ceremony, an interesting pattern forms around 12:30 pm on Jan 20, 2009, Capitol Building, just as the Moon leaves its crisis 29th degree of Scorpio and enters the happier sign of Sagittarius, ruled by jolly Jupiter.

As you know, US Inaugurations are scheduled for noon on Jan 20, and the ceremonies tend to begin at noon, or a minute or so thereafter.

YOD, a Finger of God: a special purpose, task, or a crisis in need of attention NOW

A YOD pattern consists of two (or more) planets in sextile (60 degrees) at its base, pointing to an apex planet/s. 12:30 pm is when the 29Sco45 Moon reaches 00Sag00 (Sabian Symbol: "A Grand Army of the Republic Campfire") and begins an afternoon of sextiling and 'YODing' with Inaugural Mercury Rx, Sun, Jupiter, and Mc. (Jupiter 3AQ32 is conjunct Midheaven then.) All the planets sextiling one another are quincunx (inconjunct - 150 degr) US natal Venus, planet of money, relationships, and values, thus the YOD.

Checking Bil Tierney's book, Dynamics of Aspect Analysis for apex Venus in a YOD pattern, we find that a negative expression of apex Venus results in anti-social behavior and alienation. This refers to America's loss of standing and reputation in the world these last 8 years, imo.

Barack Obama's natal Jupiter 00AQ is also involved in the YOD pattern as well as his natal Venus 1Can47 - which is in closer orb with the YOD than US natal Venus 3Can06!

If activated in positive fashion, apex Venus in a YOD configuration represents a fated turning point - a new direction of fulfilled purpose and advanced development of refined talents or attributes which have a marked influence upon the value structures of others.

This influence affects the sensibilities of people in ways that enable them to improve their own welfare. Constant efforts at inner adjustments and reorganization bring lasting security; the new direction stimulated by the YOD/s pointing to apex Venus results in individual participation in social enterprises, legal affairs, or counseling fields. ~

With Barack Obama's natal Venus so near US natal Venus in Cancer, we may say that the Inaugural YOD pattern points to America and to Obama as leader.

Well, yay. Sounds way better than the Bush model, doesn't it?

Obama announces appts under Venus-Moon-Jupiter

Barack Obama's cabinet appointments are to be announced tomorrow, Monday, Dec 1, 10:40 am ET, by his nibs himself (I've long called George that, but now the title switches over to Obama.)

With Bill Clinton in a 'your wish in my command' mode toward the Obama White House in order to assure that his wife, Hillary, will be appointed Secretary of State, the president-elect's announcements should begin the week of Dec 1, 2008 with something of a bang...with the previously mentioned triple conjunction of Venus, Moon, and Jupiter - precise at 10:43 am ET Monday - occurring during the president-elect's announcement of additions to his cabinet.

With the ambitious Capricorn Moon joining Venus and Jupiter, Luna may be the significator of Hillary Clinton especially since Capricorn is also the sign of government (and business - we're fixin' to get the business from the Dem side now. Scripts are in process of being written...)

Still, the beauty of Venus-Moon-Jupiter together should bring happy feelings to the day, if not the entire week ahead, at least for those who are not dealing with over-riding, distressing issues.

Is there a possible downside to this celestial menage-a-trois? Of course! Mary Poppins is only a children's story, you know, and Pollyanna moved away years ago.

The Capricorn Moon is at sliver stage which is a symbol of the Middle East. Perhaps an announcement of import will come from that quarter, or a meeting will take place (triple conjunction.) One thinks hopefully of Indian and Pakistani cooperation.

So with Obama's scheduled announcement tomorrow, it makes ya wonder if there's an astrologer on staff or if fortune smiles upon his new administration without even a tweak of celestial advice!

~:~

Monday Dec 1: ABC News interrupted my regularly scheduled program for BHO's new cabinet announcements at 10:41 am ET by my watch. Barack Obama began speaking at 10:43 am!

Deepak Chopra blames US for Mumbai: video and text

India's Leaders Need to Look Closer to Home: The Assault on Mumbai

By Tariq Ali

Why should it be such a surprise if the perpetrators are themselves Indian Muslims? Its hardly a secret that there has been much anger within the poorest sections of the Muslim community against the systematic discrimination and acts of violence carried out against them.

===

US is Funding Terrorism: Deepak Chopra Blames Washington For Mumbai Terrorist Attacks~~Video and Text~~

Chopra: What we have seen in Mumbai has been brewing for a long time, and the war on terrorism and the attack on Iraq compounded the situation. What we call "collateral damage" and going after the wrong people actually turns moderates into extremists, and that inflammation then gets organized and appears as this disaster in Bombay.

~:~

But to step back just an inch from the views expressed by Tariq Ali and Deepak Chopra by use of Astrology, stirring pots and encouraging chaos is what we see all over the globe.

Falling for the script of the one-world-government types is a bad idea for all sides replete with "collateral damage," a vicious and cold-hearted term if there ever was one, and all sides are using it as part of their cynical strategy.

To me it seems like an 'oops! you got in my way, too bad for you' way of plowing through. And Machiavelli would be chuckling proudly over Mumbai and other terroisms although they deny him as their muse.

Hegel and Hitler would light their third cigars if they weren't long gone; Albert Pike manages to simper in his mausoleum while texting Jacques Demolay the news.

Last I heard, Sir Francis Bacon hasn't agreed to be dead yet.

L'oppression du jour just keeps coming, however, for there's Old Leo Strauss and Mr. Lenin partying on down with Stalin and the Kremlin boys, while every one's favorite assassin is drinking tea in an opium den somewhere (but still able to function, if needed. For a price.)

Vatican Sidesteps as Merde Hits Fan

Yes, it's a joyous season down in the bowels of the Underworld with vast amounts of misery being brung - no matter which faction you frequent, nor which obsession you cravenly indulge...because there's something in Hades-Super-Psycho-Land for everybody.

Access is totally open, too. First, finagle your passport by simply listening to your lower, reptilian mind as you give in to the devouring spirit's promptings to harm your fellow man. Then, pretend that reaping what you sow doesn't apply to you.

~:~

~Tonight's Primal Violence and Beastly Nature...brought to you by...Pluto-Chiron, the isms pair of perps~

Obama's 2008 Thanksgiving message: video

President-elect Barack Obama's Thanksgiving message to America, Nov 26, 2008.

Bunker mentality of the US consumer

The Obama "Dream Team": Rubin-clones And Other Fakers

By Mike Whitney

Does Paulson think he can "turn off" the public's pessimism like a lightswitch? Does Bernanke think he can get people to spend themselves further into debt by lowering interest rates? It can't be done. And the Obama camp is going to run into the same brick wall. The nation's confidence has been shaken and people are developing a bunker mentality.

~:~

Like most astrologers, it's of interest to me that with America's natal Neptune (planet of dreams, illusions, ideals, ideas, veils, confusions, and deceptions; 22Vir25) conjunct president-elect Barack Obama's natal Mars, the 'rock star' archetype isn't the only Neptunian factor now being triggered within the collective unconscious!

Now Neptune doesn't have to be a negative influence, but only with the highest of motives will actions result in long lasting, uplifting outcomes for the common good - also a Neptunian concept.

To make matters murkier and more difficult to navigate Neptune's waters, the US was founded with a problematic Mars-Neptune square (90 degrs) in her natal chart which holds its orb through the 24-hour period of that date.

Distributively speaking this gives the US Mars in Gemini squaring Obama's natal Mars in Virgo - good for spurring action but blind spots may cause problems. Both Gemini and Virgo are, however, ruled by Mercury; Gemini has a short attention span, Virgo is more determined and dedicated.

Since BHO's 'Dream Team' will be reporting back to him, my hope is that a President Obama doesn't engage in anything along the lines of the Chavez Model of control and intimidation, and happily I've noticed no intimations of such oppresive methods (as of yet.)

Our placing his pedestal too high will be more like it.

And so adjustments must be made and sights lowered especially as transiting Saturn's restriction nears a stomp upon our US Neptune; simultaneously, Saturn will bring focus and organization, or will inhibit Obama's natal Mars.

Action blocks Ideals:

With Mars SQ Neptune, turmoil follows assertion, and there is fluctuation between intense desire for action vs complete apathy. Obviously it is difficult to make direct progress with these tendencies swimming in our national psyche's unconscious pool, and we are easily scammed if we're not careful.

America's three natal planets in self-protective Cancer (Venus, Jupiter, and Sun) appreciate the energy of Mars SQ Neptune because Cancer the Crab doesn't mind scuttling sideways when necessary to circuitously reach its goal.

Guilt, dissatisfaction, restlessness, and misdirected energy and objectives accompany this square, and early repression of desires has made a permanent mark - our Puritan ethic unrecognized and unexamined festers into toxic morasses of mixed motives and free-floating anxieties.

Besides, you know what author H.L. Mencken said:

Puritanism - the haunting fear that someone, somewhere may be happy.

Then this reluctant astrologer must be short of puritan DNA...for I'd much prefer it if everyone in the whole wide world were happy!