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Aries Full Moon, Mercury Stations Direct
[From my 'Shimmering Stars' column in The Westchester Guardian, © 2008]
SHELLEY ACKERMAN
Photo: Rich Press
Day of Atonement 5769
On October 9th, the day that would have been John Lennon’s 68th birthday, Jews the world over observed the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, a/k/a the Day of Atonement.
Though the word atone is suggestive of making amends, ‘atone’- is two words: at one, implying that with awareness of our misdeeds and a sincere wish to rectify, we’re ‘at one’ with our highest selves and/or with the divine force of the universe, at least that’s what makes sense to me.
I mention fellow Libra John Lennon, because like many of us who vividly recall the horror of his murder on December 8, 1980, (seven weeks before Ronald Reagan’s inauguration), I would love to know what he would have thought of the past 28 years or what he might have to say regarding the current election or economic meltdown. How different this world might have been with the benefit of his insight, music, presence.
Maybe it’s the Mercury retrograde transiting my Libra Sun sign, but I’m a bit more nostalgic than usual. On scanning the Book Review section of tomorrow’s NY Times, I was charmed by the Leah Price piece on Bombay Anna: The Real Story and Remarkable Adventures of “The King and I” Governess by Susan Morgan. I remember the day in 1958 (at around the age of five) that my mom took me to see the 1956 movie with Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, which was still playing in the theatre - the Roxy I believe. The release date for the film happened to be the exact date (June 29, 1956) of the Marilyn Monroe - Arthur Miller wedding in White Plains, NY at 7:21 pm!
Though worlds and nearly a century apart, both Monroe and Anna Leonowens were highly skilled at re-inventing and packaging themselves. Leonowens was a Sagittarian (b. Nov 26, 1831). What intrigued me is that her natal Saturn was at 14 degrees of Virgo, the identical degree that it is now at the release of Morgan's current bio of her! Here is Leonowens’ Wikipedia bio.
Cash & Carry / Kashkari
CASH & CARRY?
Selected to temporarily oversee the Bu$h-Paul$on bailout is Neel Kashkari, whose name (phonetically) evokes the old snarky reference to the marriage between the debonair Cary Grant and heiress Barbara Hutton. Born just seven days after Monica Lewinsky on July 30, 1973 in Akron, OH, no birth time is available for Kashkari. But based on his eyes, I’d say Scorpio might be a safe bet.
He told us so: On March 21, 2008, Paul Krugman, economic columnist for the NY Times warned in his “Partying Like It’s 1929”, that we had forgotten our history lesson of the Great Depression: “This banking crisis of the 1930s showed that unregulated, unsupervised financial markets can all too easily suffer catastrophic failure”, suggesting we had little time to retrace our steps and fix.
Elayne Boosler’s “rant’ to Senator Harry Reid (published on the Huffington Post) is as funny as it is on target. My favorite lines are “weapons of cash destruction” and “the boy who cried Wolfowitz”. And One Nation Under Debt and Judith Warner’s Diagnosis Greed on the conflict of interest involvement of psychiatrist Dr. Charles Nemeroff and his dealings with the pharmaceutical industry are very relevant reads.
Concerned about voter fraud, a repeat of Election 2000 or Ohio 2004? Me too, and with good reason: Six swing states have been purging registered voters like mad. For an eye-opening update in that dept. check out Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez’ cautionary interview with Greg Palast, who with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has written “Steal Back Your Vote”, a comic book on voter fraud. The DN duo also reported on the Brennan Center for Justice’s study on the voter purging practice that’s going on now which if ignored will unlawfully prevent tens of thousands of eligible voters from exercising their constitutional right. Goodman’s excellent work this week included an interview with Antonia Juhasz, author of The Tyranny of Oil: The World’s Most Powerful Industry—And What We Must Do to Stop It.
ABUSED Her Power, Really?
Based on her grating voice, “Shrill Baby Shrill” is a more accurate chant for Sarah Palin, and I say, tone it down-now! Palin was found to have abused her power as governor in a scandal involving the firing of her former brother in law. What a shock! But so far, it seems doubtful that this development will have any serious impact on whether she remains on the ticket or not.
LAME DEBATES R US:
Have you wondered why those presidential debates are so lame? Has every reporter been reduced to a powerless rubble of ineffectiveness? Well yes. According to Open Debates founder George Farah. In this interview with hosts Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Farah reveals that the topics and every facet of the debates are pre-negotiated by party heads in a detailed secret contract.
Showing bravery far beyond that of the aforementioned journalists who cave to the demands of their bosses, we give kudos to the valiant sheriff Tom Dart of Illinois who refuses to evict individuals occupying the foreclosed properties. The AP reported: In an op-ed piece in the Chicago Sun-Times explaining his decision, Sheriff Tom Dart said that "too many times," his deputies have arrived at foreclosed properties to find tenants who have indeed paid their rent. But the property owner hadn't paid the mortgage, leading banks to foreclose on the property.
That’s Religulous!
Right on cue, the brilliant Bill Maher has come out with a film spoofing organized religion. Though Aquarian Bill, is open to astrology (we knew one another back when I sang at the Improv and Catch a Rising Star) he has always been an atheist, which is fine by me: There are many humanistic atheists who are far more spiritual and kinder to their fellow man than their fundamentalist ‘religious’ counterparts. It makes perfect sense that Pluto’s last few weeks in Sagittarius would culminate in the presidential election in which we will probably elect the first African American President, and a film that gives a black eye to the three main religions of the world and the legions of sheep who blindly follow them. Bravo Bill!
And finally, farewell to Kim Chan, one of the funniest people I have even known. Kim was probably older than the 90 years the NY Times reports. I used to hang out with Kim on many movie shoots in the 1980’s. Kim was born on December 28, possibly 1910-1914 in China. His family owned the House of Chan on Broadway, a famous theatrical haunt back in the day. True to his sign, Chan had an admirable work ethic. Whether the call was for a plum lead role or an extra, he was on site at 4 AM ready to work. In his 70’s, he used to complain to me about all of his girlfriends. Here is a link to a 2007 NYT interview and video - of Mr. Chan. What a character!
Chart: Full Moon October 14
Click for larger view
Oct 9: Moon in Aquarius
Oct 10: Venus trine Uranus @ 1:48 am
Moon V/C @ 7:13 pm, enters Pisces @ 9:31 pm
Oct 11: Venus square Neptune @ 4:21 pm
Oct 13: Moon V/C @ 1:02 am, enters Aries @ 3:07 am
Oct 14: Sun trine Neptune @ 9:19 am, Full Moon @ 4:02 pm
Oct 15: Moon V/C @ 3:36 am, enters Taurus @ 5:31 am
Mercury turns direct @ 4:06 pm
*Moon v/c = ‘void of course’, Best for spiritual not earthly pursuits
ARIES: The Full Moon on the 14th strikes quite the divine chord, one that promotes harmony and cooperation between several factions in your life. Neptune, planet of ideals and imagination plays a key role, so dream big, ditch the Prima Donna routine, and graciously accept the assistance offered to make it all happen. Late on the 15th, Mercury turns direct in your 7th house of partnership and contracts, easing the way for an understanding you’ve longed for to finally be reached. Don’t rush it to the notary just yet: Some of the details need some extra time to be settled.
TAURUS: Tie up all loose ends and tell your boss you’re not going to be available by email or blackberry from Oct 10-13: Whether you stay in the hood or not, this holiday weekend serves an opportunity to indulge your senses –all six of them- to maximum capacity. Be open to a last minute invite to go someplace that’s typically off your radar and check out something completely different: You may hook up with an inspiring group of new friends who end up changing your life.
GEMINI: Both the Full Moon on the 14th and your ruler, Mercury, which turns direct the next day, shed a flood light on the romance and speculation arena of your life and lo and behold- hope is born anew! But as you tap into the “glass is more than half full” aspect of your nature, know that though your prospects are definitely looking up, anything (or anyone) you set your sights on will require tedious work and an unwavering long term commitment to make it stick. Assuming that is what you want, right?
CANCER: Take a tip from Sting and the Police: “If you love someone, set them free”. Show you care by encouraging the object of your affection to expand his or her horizons and to follow their heart. Chances are that path will come full circle and back to your door. The Oct 14th Full Moon unleashes a flurry of activity that could culminate in a major career coup for you. The question is: Are you prepared? While changes are afoot, some coaching might be in order. Hey, Sarah Palin wouldn’t even exist without it.
LEO: On Oct 9th or 10th, a well-intended sibling or neighbor shows up with an intensity that doesn’t quite click with your spouse or partner, so don’t force an understanding or insist on a long weekend visit that doesn’t feel right, the glitch will smooth out later on. On the 14th, the Full Moon arouses your inner raconteur and ignites your wanderlust. If you’re moved to sign up for a class to turn your gift of gab into something you can take to the bank, take a breath and do some thorough research first. A 2009 auto may tickle your fancy, but hold off at least another two weeks before even thinking of buying.
VIRGO: The Mercury retrograde of the past three weeks, though difficult, has not been all bad: You’ve managed to make yourself heard by those who hadn’t heard you before and there have been a couple of reconnections with people and places that will benefit you in the very near future. In the meantime, do most of your own work and on the 10th and 11th, delegate as little as possible. Employees and/or coworkers are distracted and will unwittingly disappoint.
LIBRA: While some of us are “atoning” on October 9th, your ruler Venus, in your 2nd house of finance is about to charm her way into a very cushy job offer- don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers. Even if you happen to be in a temple, pay attention to who’s in the next pew and be sure to have a business card on you. Make no moves or significant purchases on the 11th, your judgment may be off. After the Full Moon, Mercury changes direction on the 15th. As the planet of communication begins to move forward, you’ll feel as if you can speak again. Until then, be still in the midst of the static and draw the energy to yourself.
SCORPIO: If there’s one thing you can’t stand, it’s the feeling of being powerless. For the past six weeks or so, you have felt that you’re not in charge of your own destiny. “How could those SOB’s have been that stupid and selfish?” you ask, referring to the debacle on Wall Street. But on the other hand, the part of you that loves witnessing a near-death experience and the ensuing resuscitation is absolutely enthralled. Given the opportunity, how would you fix this mess? Think about it: In the next 15 years, you could very well be called upon to help.
SAGITTARIUS: Like a thoroughbred who has trained his (or her) entire life, you’ve been ready to lunge out of the gate since Labor Day, and stampede past the competition. But with one delay after another, the financial crisis, and Mercury retrograde (since Sept 24), you wonder when or if things will ever turn around and get back to a reasonable pace and under what kind of leadership? One thing is certain- your entire value system and economic life are about to change and you’ve needed this slowing down period to collect your thoughts. Mercury direct in your 11th house will focus on team building. Be patient and listen well.
CAPRICORN: When you have it to give, you do, but when you don’t you simply can’t. Though you’d like nothing more than to help someone lovely and deserving, you may not have ample funds right now. That could change in a few weeks, but don’t over extend yourself, you’ll regret it. And besides, she’s quite capable of helping herself! On the career front, Mercury turns direct on the 15th, and all of the delays that have frustrated you to the max will no longer be a factor.
AQUARIUS: Multi-tasking ain’t what it’s cracked up to be, concluded a study this week. We humans are far more efficient when we focus on one thing at a time. With Neptune in your sign in hard aspect to Venus this week, you could miss an all important signal from someone (probably a woman) who can do you a world of good. Take pains to stay clear and present. Mercury slowly turns direct in your 9th house of publishing, legal, political, and foreign affairs. Reconnect with friends and associates in those “worlds” and see if there’s anything you can work on in tandem.
PISCES: A chance encounter with a teacher, journalist, or a (female) foreigner inspires you to think more of yourself and to contemplate a wider range of possibilities. Take the ball and run with it! With all of the bad news around, and being as sensitive as you are, you must defend yourself from the onslaught of negative energy and nix buying into it. Tap into the vast imagination of yours, go against conventional wisdom- and show us all how to turn lemons into lemonade. But before you embark on saving the world, check all bank and bill statements for any errors or irregular activity. Something lurks which could mushroom later.