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Oil Geyser Capped, Gushing Stopped (For Now)
House Puts Lid on Wall Street & Banksters as
Saturn Leaves Virgo and Re-Enters Libra,
Planet of Karma in Cardinal Air through Oct 5, 2012
By Shelley L. Ackerman © 2010
SHELLEY ACKERMAN
Photo: Rich Press
Virgo Energy Saves the Day
I’ve often said that it’s the Mars in Virgo people that get everything done in this world. “We” (yes, I’m proud to be in that number - with both Venus and Mars in the sign of the virgin) can’t believe what passes for work most of the time. And on Thursday July 15 at 3:25 pm EDT (2:25 PM CDT), after 87 horrific days of between 1.5 and 2.5 million gallons of oil gushing into our beautiful ocean, BP finally succeeded in halting the bleeding (at least temporarily). The Moon, Venus, Mars and Saturn all were in Virgo and Scorpio was rising when the cap was secured.
Will the cap hold?
We’re holding our collective breath as it’s been explained that the cap in place is merely the equivalent of putting one’s hand over a gushing garden hose. The pressure has to go somewhere. Hopefully it will hold until surrounding wells can pick up the flack. But even if this works, there is still the daunting task of cleanup which experts say could take one to two years. I’m no expert, but I’m intuitive. And I say it’s more like decades. And if drilling continues all over the world (BP is poised to do its thing off the coast of Libya, despite controversial claims that the company helped free Lockerbie terrorist Abdel Baset al-Megrahi in August 2009), there is the danger of going too far and poisoning the ocean beyond its ability to come back.
Feds Overhaul Financial System- Sort of
The same day, and within an hour or two of halting the gusher, congress passed the bill that puts a lid of sorts on the “banksters” that have done pretty much whatever they've pleased during the past 10 years.
The Financial Reform Act of 2010 cleared the Senate with a 60/39 vote. Democrat Russ Feingold voted against it saying that it didn’t go far enough. Three Republican senators voted for it (Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, and Scott Brown of Massachusetts - he's clearly full of surprises), with the rest of the GOP vowing to repeal it when congress meets in 2011, presumably after they get several seats back. We’ll see.
Ronald Reagan
VooDoo Return?
Early that same eventful day, Goldman Sachs was ordered to pay a penalty of $550 million by the SEC (for fraudulent and reckless practices), but experts say that the “penalty” is a drop in the bucket, citing that they often earn that in 14 days! Illustrating that point, is the fact that their stocks surged 4% up after the ruling. Unbelievable. But this is the beginning of the Saturn Return of the early Reagan years, which means it’s also the Saturn Return of Voodoo Economics. In his must-read piece, “Redo That Voodoo” Paul Krugman begins by saying:
“Republicans are feeling good about the midterms — so good that they’ve started saying what they really think. This week the party’s Senate leadership stopped pretending that it cares about deficits, stating explicitly that while we can’t afford to aid the unemployed or prevent mass layoffs of schoolteachers, cost is literally no object when it comes to tax cuts for the affluent.”
The article goes on to quote Jon Kyl of Arizona, the second-ranking Republican in the senate:
“You do need to offset the cost of increased spending. And that’s what Republicans object to. But you should never have to offset the cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans.”
Krugman’s observation: So $30 billion in aid to the unemployed is unaffordable, but 20 times that much in tax cuts for the rich doesn’t count. And this philosophy is what tea-partyers and other GOP hopefuls espouse under the guise of “less government”. How dumb are we? Will America’s 8th Saturn Return level the playing field or just level us all together?
Saturn in Libra
Here come the brides!
Bristol and Levi - Wedding Bells
Saturn's re-entrance into Libra is already delivering the first round of notable weddings.
Ever since she came on the scene in late August 2008, as a pregnant 17 year old standing by her ambitious and photogenic mom running for Vice President, I’ve believed that Bristol Palin is the more mature of the two and the one to watch. Although her taste in men is questionable (who were you into at age 16?), her karmic burden is intense and the relationship with her Mom will prove to be an unfolding saga of mythic proportions.
Bristol, born on October 18, 1990 (no birth time is available) is a Libra, with Mercury, Venus, and probably the Moon also in Libra. Take it from one who knows, ALL Libras are struggling for balance, and live their lives in pursuit of what’s true. And the problem is, that once you’ve defined what’s true, you grow and live, and what was true yesterday no longer holds. It’s a brilliant sign but a bitch of a sign. Libran lives always crash big time (Truman Capote, Margot Kidder, Christopher Reeve) clearing the BS so that they can reach a deeper level of that elusive truth. Libra Arthur Miller’s plays “After the Fall” and “The Price” capture the sign's conundrum well.
Levi & Bristol
Now, Bristol is set to marry the father of her young son (Capricorn Tripp Johnston was born on Dec 28, 2008 - The June 26 Lunar Eclipse lit up his chart like a Christmas tree) Levi Johnston (b. May 3, 1990) who has the Sun in Taurus and Moon in Virgo. The former Palin camp defector and AWOL father has, in the past, spilled his guts to the press, bashing the Palins while “dating” Kathy Griffin and posing for Playgirl. And speculators theorize that they are not back together alá Romeo and Juliet behind their parents’ backs as reported, but have been coaxed to toe the “family values” party line to aide Mama Sarah in her 2012 presidential run. Here are three theories re: the surprise Palin/Johnston nuptials.
I’m a romantic. I think their karma wasn’t done and I think Bristol’s struggle involves not just her being a very young mom, but of freeing herself from her mother’s huge presence and questionable values. I think she will one day emerge as her own woman with a strikingly different voice than her mom’s. Time will tell.
Chart: Libra Ingress of Saturn
Click for larger view
July 15: Moon in Virgo sextile Mars @ 8:31 pm
sextile the Sun @ 11:39 pm
July 16: Moon V/C @ 9:46 am
enters Libra @ 10:24 am
July 18: Moon V/C @ 10:26 am
enters Scorpio @ 1:42 pm
July 20: Moon V/C @ 7:43 pm
enters Sagittarius @ 7:48 pm
July 21: Saturn enters Libra @ 11:09 am
*Moon v/c = ‘void of course’, Best for spiritual not earthly pursuits
Bonus: 2010 Astro Crib Sheet
Mercury: Begins @ 18 Cap 28 Retro, ends 2010 @ 19 Sag 44
Mercury Retrogrades: Dec 26 ‘09- Jan 15 ‘10, April 17-May 11, Aug 20-Sept 12, Dec 10-30
Venus: Begins @ 8 Cap 29, ends 2010 @ 23 Scorpio 05
Venus Retrograde: Oct 8 – Nov 18
Mars: Begins @ 18 Leo 44 Retro, ends 2010 @ 17 Cap 59
Mars Retrograde: Dec 20, 2009 - March 10, 2010
Jupiter: Begins @ 26 Aquarius 28, ends 2010 @ 26 Pisces 29
(Jupiter in Aries from June 6-Sept 9)
Jupiter Retrograde: July 23-Nov 18
Saturn: Begins @ 4 Libra 31, ends 2010 @ 16 Libra 38
(Saturn in Virgo from April 7- July 21)
Saturn Retrograde: January 13- May 30)
Uranus: Begins @ 23 Pisces 06, ends 2010 @ 26 Pisces 57
(Uranus in Aries May 27- Aug 13)
Uranus Retrograde: July 5- Dec 5
Neptune: Begins @ 24 Aquar 36, ends 2010 @ 26 Aquar 44
Neptune Retrograde: May 31- Nov 7
Pluto: Begins @ 3 Cap 19, ends 2010 @ 5 Cap 19
Pluto Retrograde: April 6 – Sep 14
Eclipses: Jan 15-Solar @ 25 Cap 01, June 26-Lunar @ 4 Can 46, July 11- Solar @ 19 Can 24, Dec 21-Lunar @ 29 Gemini 21
ARIES: Picking up from where you left off last April, Saturn’s re-entrance into Libra will force you to merge your strong will and independent spirit with the reality that no man is an island. Of course you already know that in theory, but in practice, you fall off the wagon regularly. For the next 27 months, please train yourself to consider how what you say and do impacts those around you. By so doing, not only will your relationships improve, but the ripple effect will strengthen your professional profile and prospects.
TAURUS: Say adieu to Saturn’s tyrannical reign in your 5th house of romance and fun and hello to the thrill of getting your health, your routine, and your schedule on an even keel. Okay, so even if it doesn’t sound exactly thrilling, try to appreciate how good it will feel to be back in control of your physical vehicle. More than any other sign, Taurus knows that the body is the temple of the spirit. And of equal importance, is determining with whom you will be spending your waking and working hours with through Oct 2012. Don’t commit to a new job unless you really like the people.
GEMINI: Now snug as a bug in a rug in your 5th house of romance and entertainment, Saturn asks “Are you nurturing your own divine creativity, or are you frittering your time away on nonsense that will never bear any fruit?” The Lord of karma would also like to know if a romantic interest is treating you right and shows any likelihood at all of being worthy of your time and attention? If the answer to either of those questions is “no”, then “you have some explaining to do.” And after you’ve had that chat with yourself, make the appropriate moves. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
CANCER: There is rarely a season in which your sense of responsibility to your family and home isn’t in the forefront of your existence, and now, with Saturn’s re-entrance into Libra, it’s even more so. But worry never really helps a situation, does it? As a matter of fact, it could be that the most important lesson for you during the next two plus years is how to economize emotionally. We’re not talking about being stingy or withholding with your feelings. On the contrary, share to your heart’s content but don’t waste emotional energy on worst case scenarios that may never come to pass.
LEO: Going forward, for the next two years, paying close attention to and being in full ownership of both the written and spoken word is crucial to your success. Teaching and other forms of communication will take on a special meaning and a central role. Are you ready to write that book? Do you need a partner or a qualified sounding board to work with? Have you dreamed of giving the lecture circuit a shot? Saturn says it’s time to crystallize those ideas and notions. Forming cultural ties with neighbors and bringing a sibling relationship into balance are important as well.
VIRGO: Organization is liberating to all of us but especially to you Virgo, so don’t fight getting your financials in order and if you’ve been slacking off on committing to a job that would at least keep the cash flow coming, get your act together and put that part of your life at the top of your list of priorities. Don’t worry about being stuck in something you don’t love: Whatever assignment you take on now will morph into something else in Autumn and early Winter.
LIBRA: Could life possibly get any more pressured for you? There are those who say that Saturn’s re-entrance into your sign will force you to get even tougher with your boundaries and more proficient about organizing your time. And while none of this sounds like the reward that’s been so overdue you, it’s the final phase that must be addressed before all of those fabulous ships start coming in - and they will. A number of “family-centric karmic chickens” may come home to roost any day now. Your challenge will be to do what you are able, but not at the expense of your well-being.
SCORPIO: As a rule and for the other 11 signs of the zodiac, Saturn’s 12th house transit is a bummer. Folks are apprehensive and unable to do too much about it because they can’t quite figure out what’s bothering them. But in your case, the next two years can actually be a time in which you settle up on a number of old internal scores and find a way to make peace with whatever has been troubling you for the past 28-30 years. Not a bad deal at all. Be sensitive to a partner’s health and well being. You could pick up on an issue they’re having before they do- and save the day.
SAGITTARIUS: With Saturn, planet of good judgment and self-policing now in your communal 11th house of teams and friendships, it is imperative that you practice the old adage “treat your neighbor as you would yourself” as if your life depended on it. For even though Jupiter’s entrance into brazen Aries has pumped you up of late, you must guard against a false sense of being more Teflon than you actually are. Know that the spirit of the law is just as important as the letter of the law. If you’ve been off or unfair in any way, own up to it and turn over a new leaf.
CAPRICORN: Though the economy and the environment are both in the tank, Saturn’s re-entrance into Libra and the very top of your chart indicates a “Championship Season” going forward. This is your time- so get clear on where and how you’d like to serve and get rid of anything that drags you down. Treat yourself to a better chair, desk, or any other accessory that helps you feel more on top of your game. And while image isn’t everything, you do need to act, think, and dress the part.
AQUARIUS: If there’s anything legal hanging over your head, tend to it now. Your co-ruler Saturn does so well in Libra, and in your 9th house of foreign ties, law, philosophy, and publishing, you’re compelled to take more of a stand for what you know to be good, moral, and right. And though a designer soap box wasn’t really on your wish-list this year, you are in a position of authority and have much of value to teach. It’s time for you to be presented well and be seen and heard in the best of settings.
PISCES: If handled well, the next two plus years of Saturn in your transformational 8th house could be harnessed to smooth out and thoroughly heal a lifetime of wounds, misunderstandings, and imbalances between you and your current and/or ex-partners and spouses. While pleasurable, emotional and financial intimacy is never really easy. But you’re luckier than most: For all that Pisces needs to get through his or her thick scull, is that being reasonable with those you are closest with, is your road to salvation.