Sirius Star in news and 2nd tanker seized

The oil tanker, Sirius Star, has been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden by Somali pirates, as you know. Here's my post on it with some notes on Fixed Star, Sirius:

Sirius Star hijacking pushes up price of oil; did you know that a second oil tanker has been seized by pirates as reported a few minutes ago by NPR?

Apparently pirating is a very busy and lucrative business, and al Jazeera reports that 63 ships have been captured so far this year!

Lack of a government and of jobs for the people of Somalia is proving to be troublesome for the world and disproves Adam Weishaupt's Illuminati theory that no government is needed, thanks.

And the current financial collapse may belong at Weishaupt's door...his natal Jupiter is at 3AQ+ so the US Inauguration 2009 is basically a Jupiter Return - for Adam Weishaupt and thus, for the Illuminati Society.

Is this significant?

Look at what's going on in the world and how many people at the top are now brazenly using terms like, 'new financial (Jupiter) world order.'

This gives even more import to the date, Jan 20, 2009, and I plan to look at the Inauguration chart again asap.

You'll find an image of the US Inauguration 2009 chart published in my Pages column at Jude's Threshold, if you haven't seen its horoscope, with the oppressive Pluto-Chiron midpoint at Midheaven, the Goal Point of any chart, along with America's natal Pluto.

Pardon my French, but merde.

G20 was part of new order script

The G-20 Washout

By Mike Whitney

The financial crisis is being used by Wall Street big-wigs to restructure the economy and create a permanent class of working poor.

~:~

Yes, that's what many of us have been saying. And Congress is in on the game so they're no help.

Is there no one who cares for the common good?



Recommended: The August Review.

Sen. Inhofe on TARP: critics were right

Conservative senator, Jim Inhofe, has sent a letter to his colleagues on the Hill concerning plans to call for a lame duck congressional debate on the $350 billion remaining from Paulson's blank check.

Unhappy with the Bailout czar's change of objectives and the possible squandering of the money so far, Inhofe may be on to something - a heist of massive proportions which he and his Hill colleagues authorized. (As if they didn't know!)

Inhofe was one of the unprevailing No votes, however, so perhaps his idea that the remaining funds not be added to the deficit will fly with his cohorts-in-crime. What a pleasant change that would be.

Or perhaps this is only their usual Political Theater, Dahlink...matinee at 2 pm.

Inhofe mentions in his letter that on Friday, Nov 14, Hank Paulson stated during a CNBC interview that, "the financial markets have stabilized."

One may assume this means that, extreme volatility aside, markets are no longer in danger of complete collapse, thanks to his handing banking and Wall Street pals the dough. Sounds more like a bribe to me, but what do blogging gnats know?

Well, some blogging gnats know enough to have a peek at astrology charts, especially when senators provide exact times and dates:

Friday, November 14, 2008, 2:00 pm, using Capitol Building...Hank Paulson's natal South Node is conjunct transiting Midheaven which indicates career issues involving separation and neurotic or past behaviors...both in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, planet of gurus and Republicans.

He's at the pinnacle of the world, blank check and all, so what about Paulson could be a problem?, I asked myself.

Could it be his natal Venus-Jupiter opposition? Solar Fire software gives this for Venus opposite Jupiter:

You are a social climber who grapples with extravagance, wastefulness, and a child-like expectancy that someone will come to your rescue. The lesson is moderation.

That the president and Congress listened to Paulson's plea and did come to his, Goldman Sachs, and Wall Street's rescue is known but if Congress is serious about taking back some of the excessive bailout money now benefiting his banking friends, Paulson may become highly miffed considering his natal Mars-Venus square (easily irritated with others), and his Mars-Chiron square (short fuse.)

Plus, transiting Uranus, which is rising in the Nov 14 2:00 pm chart (thus bringing the Saturn-Uranus opposition with it) is in a square aspect to natal Uranus, a time when disruptive circumstances occur and generations clash as one blames the other.

Saturn-Uranus = Mc: breaking away from the old; recognition of one's thrust for individuality or loss of self to the grip of controls.

Uh-oh!

My suspicion is that Paulson's statement was meant to soothe financial markets but also to attempt to avoid controls which Congress might wish to place upon him as he spreads wealth (to his banking friends or to whomever he's gifting with taxpayer money. One thing we know - it isn't us.)

Jupiter, Mr. Moneybags:

November 14's Jupiter 19Cap06 in 11th house, opposes Paulson's natal Mars-Saturn conjunction in Cancer...

Mars-Saturn = Jupiter: complete concentration on a particular goal; ability to destroy or eliminate something thoroughly; weighing all matters and making a pronouncement.

Well, he did. "Financial markets have stabilized," he pronounced.

Whether Paulson has thoroughly destroyed or eliminated anything, I leave up to you to decide, lone reader, as Congress' lame duck session practices its quackery all the week long.

Video of Your Weekly Address from the President-Elect 11.15.08

A big shout-out to my friend, Donna D., who gave me a heads-up today that the president-elect's video was available on YouTube now...guess I was too early and eager yesterday to embed it.

Our soon-to-be new president will be videoing his Weekly Addresses to the nation from the White House once he's installed in the Oval Office. Now that's a groovy idea!

Dec 1 2008: Venus, Jupiter, and the Moon

Space Weather News for Nov 16, 2008

EVENING PLANETS: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southwest. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, are shining through the twilight side by side. You'll want to keep an eye on these two because they are drawing noticeably closer together every night.

Venus and Jupiter are converging on a patch of sky in Sagittarius where they will have a spectacular double-conjunction with the Moon at the end of the month. Don't wait until then, though.

Visit SpaceWeather.com for sky maps and start watching now.

LEONID METEOR WATCH: The Leonid meteor shower peaks this year on Nov 17 and 18. Bright moonlight will probably spoil the show, but not necessarily. Researchers who study Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, the source of the Leonids, say Earth is going to pass through one or two of the comet's dusty filaments. Peak rates of 20 to 100 meteors per hour are possible during the early hours of Nov 17 (especially 0000-0200 UT) and again during the waning hours of Nov 18 (around 2130 UT). These times favor sky watchers in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Smaller numbers of Leonids could appear between the anticipated peak times. Meteor enthusiasts everywhere should monitor the sky on Nov 17 and 18; the hours before local dawn are usually best.

~:~

Venus, Jupiter, and Luna - sounds beautiful, doesn't it?

Setting the chart for the White House, Dec 1, 2008, 3:44:28 am est, Venus and Jupiter are tropically positioned at 22Cap14:48; Moon 19Cap09: Sun 9Sag32 conj Antares (Alpha Scorpius: the need to avoid obsession.'Brady's Book of Fixed Stars.')

Actually the partiling of Venus and Jupiter (exactitude) begins at 3:39 am est and completes at 3:58 am est...19 minutes' worth of loveliness. By the time the Moon reaches 22Cap15, Jupiter will be at 22:18 and Venus 22:33 (10:02 am est.)

And the three snugged up together gives three midpoint pictures...

Moon-Venus = Jupiter: affection and optimism.

Moon-Jupiter = Venus: harmony; happiness; an artisitc sense.

Venus-Jupiter = Moon: charm; cordiality; a good natured disposition.


So when Venus and Jupiter are conjunct we think of such things as beauty, kindness, benevolence, generosity, good humor, and popularity.

This is a good combination for such things as travel, benefits to charitable foundations, and public relations, although being too easy-going can result in people taking advantage. Insincerity and crudeness are frowned upon by positive-thinking Venus-Jupiter.

And whether you prefer to round up or down for Sabian Symbol degrees (both are 'correct' since it's an evolutionary condition - from one state into another), here are both degrees from Dane Rudhyar's An Astrological Mandala:

'22Cap': "By Accepting Defeat Gracefully, a General Reveals Nobility of Character."

INNER STRENGTH...the spiritual life is always paradoxical. The great sinner can become the most renowned saint, and a medieval Pope a criminal.

keynote: The realization that one may grow through defeat as well as, and perhaps more than, through success.

'23Cap': "A Soldier Receiving Two Awards for Bravery in War."

RECOMPENSE...i.e. a compensation for a well-done performance - a balancing of accounts.

keynote: The reward offered by society for the fulfillment of individual responsibility.

But December 1 is week after next - this week, with Congress returning to Capitol Hill for a lame duck session, the auto industry has its paws out for more money, so perhaps Dec 1's benevolent hook-up of Venus and Jupiter will aid them if they can be patient a little while.

But if history teaches, Congress' lame duck sessions tend to fall apart into nothingness so we'll see if anything constructive gets done with the favors of generous Venus, Jupiter, and the Capricorn Moon lining up as I type.

Inauguration 2009 midpoint pictures

US Inauguration 2009, Washington, DC, 12:00 pm est.

These midpoint pictures are all transits and represent general atmosphere, tone, or background flavors for the inauguration of our new president. If you can manage to read my scratches, you'll see that they are mainly positive.

You will, however, notice my least favorite planetary pairing, Pluto-Chiron (plutocracy; corporatism and other -isms; primal violence; oppression) at Midheaven, the Goal/Aspiration Point of the chart - aka the WHY? Point.

The Pluto-Chiron = Mc picture is perhaps softened by happy, successful Mars/Jupiter there as well - for the day if not for the 4-year term.

Of course, on another level it may indicate that behind-the-curtain plutocrats (our secret government) are successful through and happy with the election of Senator Obama...which is admittedly my suspicion because he couldn't have been elected/selected without their approval.

Even so, I'll be hoping and praying for America, my only nag in the race! And for Barack Obama as leader - for even with all his talents, he'll be needing all the prayers he can get.

~:~

You may view the full image of Inauguration 2009's horoscope here if you desire.

G20 Summit and the 2004 Venus Transit

There's a post of mine from June 2, 2007 with certain remarks on G8 Summits, especially including some notes on the June 2004 Summit held down the road from here on Sea Island, GA during 2004's rare Venus Transit.

In previous decades the beautiful Georgia Islands were one of the favored hang-outs of upper-crusters and Robber Barons, you know.

But if you should find yourself unfamiliar with Venus Transits, the post includes a few details on their astrological significance as well as its Sabian Symbol in 2004...

'18Gemini'..."Two Chinese Men Speaking Chinese in a Western Crowd."

Marc Edmund Jones gives the positive expression of this degree as:

The effective mobilization of self and others for life's more specialized objectives.

neg/unconscious/shadow side: a thorough dissipation of self hood through alien relationships.

Now the reason I mention all this is because my intuition about the 2004 Summit was then (and remains) that some sneaky doings were planned while Venus and the Sun tangoed together.

And the current economic meltdown could very well be part of these plans along with mid-August 2004's *parallel of Pluto and Chiron, the plutocratic pair whose links to -isms are well known in the world of Astrology...including fascism, racism, and corporatism which seem more and more to loom four years on.

So polish your spectacles and grab your dissipated piggy bank, Polly, because Venus, Castor, and Pollux tonight may be a post meant for you!

~:~

*parallels operate as strong conjunctions and are used as timing devices...Chiron conjuncted Pluto on Dec 30, 1999 at '12Sag'..."A Flag That Turns into an Eagle That Crows"..conj US natal Ascendant (Sibly.) Their parallel followed over two days - smack in the middle of August, 2004.

A few words from Chomsky and Zinn

"If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves."

Howard Zinn, historian and author

=

"The point of public relations slogans like "Support our troops" is that they don't mean anything...That's the whole point of good propaganda. You want to create a slogan that nobody's going to be against, and everybody's going to be for. Nobody knows what it means, because it doesn't mean anything. Its crucial value is that it diverts your attention from a question that does mean something: Do you support our policy? That's the one you're not allowed to talk about."

Noam Chomsky

Biden's new Chief of Staff chosen

Ron Klain has been chosen as VP-elect Joe Biden's Chief of Staff. You may remember Klain from his Al Gore days.

Is Obama ensnared within an imperial presidency?

Obama and the Imperial Presidency

By Jack Balkin

The Bush administration has worked hard to increase presidential power. Will Barack Obama give it up?

~:~

Yes, we've all been wondering about that.

If Obama as commander-in-chief stops Bush's tactic of using boatloads of sneaky signing statements as end-runs-around-Congress and reverses many of Bush's draconian policies, perhaps the question will become: can Obama use whatever presidential power he has more wisely and on behalf of we-the-people as it was originally intended?

~:~

Update Nov 13: there's new art for viewing if you'd like to take an Art Break and you may wish to join Sara's Green Party!

Full Moon of the Mystic Rectangle 11.13.08

Full Moon 21Tau15, Nov 13, 2008; 1:17:18 am est, White House, Washington, DC; Moon in 9th house, Sun 21Sco15 in 3rd house...and it's a chart full of challenges and gifts of the skills to meet them!

Now of course, the Moon is exalted in Taurus and very fat and happy - here we see Luna preening at her Taurean fullness as she reflects the Sun in Scorpio.

With Virgo ascending, the Taurean 9th cusp indicates a down-to-earth view of religion and philosophy; views are fixed (Taurus) and not likely to easily change.

Also there's insistence on the just handling of finances and relationships with a Taurean 9th cusp. One must be careful though with Taurus' shadow side: intolerance and greed.

Moon in 9th house has an emotional attachment to 9th house matters of religion, philosophy, and higher education. Social values come from childhood teachings with a 9th house Moon, with the 9th house's natural ruler, Jupiter, exalted in Cancer, the Moon's natural sign.

However, this emotional bias and identification with traditional values can limit the scope or depth of spiritual understanding, or there can be inspired intuition with this Moon placement - and with a celestial Mystic Rectangle overhead we may hope the latter is the case.

Sun in 3rd house likes words well said and Sun here spotlights communications. Since a Full Moon is the culmination of things begun at the last New Moon ('6Sco': "A Gold Rush"), and since the economic crisis is in the airwaves and on every one's menu, perhaps we'll be hearing something soothing for a change in the next two weeks concerning finances.

This Full Moon is part of a pattern, a Mystic Rectangle, a configuration consisting of two oppositions (the other being Saturn oppo Uranus) with planets sextiling one another on each end. In this chart you see the Mystic Rectangle highlighted in blue.

Not much has been written about this lovely-named pattern, but Bil Tierney says it indicates practical mysticism and points out that the sextiles and trines (Moon sextile Uranus; Sun sextile Saturn, so naturally Moon trines Saturn, Sun trines Uranus) gives opportunity for the awareness-revealing oppositions (Sun/Moon; Saturn/Uranus) to be utilized creatively. (Tierney, Dynamics of Aspect Analysis.)

So the challenges that oppositions normally bring are more effectively encountered than would be otherwise expected with the sextiles and trines easing the conflict and discord into satisfying resolutions.

Yippee! Who doesn't like satisfying resolutions?

Well, right. Some people do prefer things stirred up in order to justify their gripes and make way for what they see as improvements. Them, we can do without.

And with a Mystic Rectangle, the cosmos gives us chances for more balance in relationships (oppositions always relate to relationships, and sextiles and trines are considered helpful in Astrology) and makes possible an objective evaluation through intuition and insight.

Occurring during a Sun Hour, this Full Moon shows Venus still out-of-bounds (OOBs) and thus not part of the system of energies here. At a World Point, 00Cap45, we see her just beyond her hook-up with Pluto, a conjunction which has a bankruptcy influence, as well as other flavors I won't repeat from a previous post.

Actually, it looks to me as if Lady Venus is sashaying Pluto back into Capricorn for more breakdowns and restructurings!

Highlighted in pink is a T-Square with Sun/Moon pointing to Neptune 21AQ30 in 6th house of Work; Health; Service. This makes nebulous, spiritual Neptune the apex planet of a T-Square.

An apex planet directs the energy of the opposition and can indicate the general tone of the entire chart - especially since the opposition in question is the Full Moon. Here's the midpoint picture using Tyl and Ebertin...

Sun/Moon = Neptune: misunderstandings in relationships; inner discontent; deceptions and illusions; self-torment; one who is easily upset; the undermining of associations.

This apex Neptune tells the tale for which the Mystic Rectangle is needed!

And what about the Saturn/Uranus opposition? Any help there?

Well, Saturn is being quincunxed (inconjuncted - 150 degrees) by Neptune - and vice versa. Inconjuncts are often involved when there are health problems, and Neptune in 6th house indicates conditions which are difficult to detect or are incorrectly diagnosed. (Planets in Aspect, Rob Pelletier.)

Saturn inconj Neptune: stay away from those with infectious conditions! (Easy to say and usually hard to do.) There is a compelling spiritual motivation to bring social order to chaos, but programs with unclear goals should be avoided (such as 'Bailout Bills'?)

When Saturn and Neptune are inconjunct, it's typical that those who serve are abused in some way - self-protection becomes extremely important. This morning NPR reported that an American aid worker and his driver have been killed in Afghanistan. And thus it goes.

Plus, there is a tendency for those who would serve to take on too much or to feel responsible for what should be the tasks of others - Senator Barack Obama comes to mind and scapegoating by some will be a real temptation or possibility with his presidency. (His awareness of these tendencies will help.)

The good news is that beneficent Jupiter, who often acts as a guardian angel, is applying in trine to Saturn (0A53) and sextiling Uranus (separating, but 00S00 - they are both 18:50!) so an olden term in Astrology for Jupiter here is: Thales planet, or Thales Point.

In (American) Political or Mundane Astrology we use Jupiter to signify the Republican Party, with Saturn for the Democrats. In this lovely trine, we see the peaceful transfer of power now occurring in Washington between the parties and administrations.

Uncomfortably for this reluctant astrologer, Jupiter is still on the '18Cap' degree, which is the New World Order degree in my book due to its activation at the Great Conjunction of Uranus and Neptune in the early 90s when Bush Sr called for the NWO.

The current financial crisis, engineered as it may be, is the opportunity they've been working toward, and you've heard the words, "a new economic world order' in the news lately, haven't you?

Actually, I'd say it's more a culmination of their plans which are in process of being realized by the opportunity they created with the economic meltdown. How excited the shadowy 'they' must be!

Back to the Full Moon chart:

At the Ic, or Foundation Point, I have marked its 11Sag33 because it is the position of Dec 30, 1999's conjunction of the plutocratic corporatism pair, Pluto and Chiron. The midpoint of Sun and Pluto is there as well, so because it's about polarities, we have...

Sun/Pluto = Mc: power games with important consequences; striving for power; consciousness of objectives and goals; vocational crises; violence with emotional consequences.

The Sun/Pluto pair, says Ebertin = 'craving for rulership and disadvantages through the former; the power of attainment; pioneers; martyrs; rulers; leadership; danger; arrogance; fanatical aspirations; creative power.'

Orating Mercury in deep-thinking Scorpio is in Nodal Degree (same degree as the Nodal axis - here, 13) which represents a fated or karmic condition. And their midpoint is one degree from Pluto which is close enough for us to consider the midpoint picture formed...

Mercury/NN = Pluto: the thrust of intellect; lording it over others; the desire to be intellectually superior.

Plus, there are two other planetary pictures in this chart...

Mercury/Mars = Sun: putting one's foot down; making a point strongly; standing up for one's position; enjoying a good argument; a man of quick decisions; manly and brave thinking and acting; a positive or firm demeanor; determination; the ability to succeed.

NN/ASC = Mars: team spirit; an intense working together with colleagues; an association or organization fighting to uphold its common ideas and principles; working for the common good; the do-er. (This may partially describe the do-er that the Saturn/Neptune inconjunct will take advantage of...or maybe not.)

Whew! That's a lot at the Base of this Full Moon chart but all we have to do is listen to, watch, or read the news - no Astrology necessary.

And with Saturn rising, the Saturn/Uranus opposition is on the menu from the get-go. This pair of planets is associated with the Middle East, and with Israel and Palestine in particular.

And of course our November 4 elections was the day the opposition perfected, with a few more votes to be counted (Dec 2 is a senate run-off here in Georgia - Chambliss vs Martin. My local radio station just announced that John McCain will be coming to GA to stump for Chambliss - McCain's first stumping (other than last night's TV appearance where he touted Palin's future endeavors) since he lost the presidency. Goody for us, but will it be enough to help the Bush-loving Chambliss?)

(Counterpunch! It's an hour later and they're now announcing that Obama campaign field operatives are on the way to GA to help with Jim Martin's grassroots organizing - yes! and thanks. Chambliss needs to go.)

Now Back to Saturn/Uranus:

So we may say that their opposition is the 'Full Moon' of the Saturn/Uranus cycle which began with their conj in 1988. (I'll not repeat previous blurbs about this cycle.) This means that issues from 1988 resurface for resolution (Mystic Rectangle!) - or for brewing tensions to fully express.

The chart's Kite patterns are marked with penned dashes and I hope you can see them both. Kites are actually modified Grand Trines with a planet/s at a fourth point opposite one of the trine's planets and simultaneously sextiling the other two planets.

You see the kite tails I've drawn - one on Saturn, one on the Moon, which operate here as stimuli for the trines' creative outpouring of special skills and talents.

So a Kite adds more chances for successful use of Grand Trine energies which are gifts from the cosmos. This is an Earth Grand Trine which emphasizes the calming, comforting, and attracting power of a Grand Trine pattern...very magnetic.

Earth Grand Trines accumulate and skillfully manage assets and resources with common sense, and having a Taurean Moon as a driving force may bring solid results.

But for whom? we may rightfully ask.

This chart seems to indicate that working for the common good may now bring positive results for the people as this Full Moon shows us the way. And Moon in a national chart = The People.

In conclusion: my hope is that with all this good will from On High, the world can find a better path now which is being kindly lightened by the rays of a lovely Taurean Full Moon.

~:~

My excellent friend, astrologer Monica Starr, has posted an article about tonight's Full Moon in Taurus relating it to the natal chart of the New York Stock Exhange. (Nov 12 or Nov 13 - depends on your time zone since the Moon is full at 1:17 am est - I set the above chart for DC, Eastern time zone.)

Monica is well-versed in Astrology AND financials so you'll want to see what she has to say about this Full Moon occurring in one of the money signs - Taurus, a sign that is nothing if not on the bullish side.

What's Chimerica?

What...or where...is Chimerica?