Autumn Light in Real America

It's hard for me to despair when I see photographs like this taken in the San Juan Mountains of the American West. The natural artistic palette of the earth combined with the eye, camera, and embellishments of the human observer are a great testament to creativity and the triumph of beauty. Then again, I can revert to despair when I see this:

The possibility of such spooks leading countries is alarming but as always, the humor and spirit of people delete the gloom in an instant. I bet that took a lot of time to build. Life can never get too busy no matter what they all say.

More pumpkin power. Caught unarmed in the patch, but dressed elegantly for the occasion next to - Ragamuffins for Change. Who's scaring who?

Celebration

Photo of sand dunes: Rob Rozinski and Wendy Shattil

Pumpkin Power

Goblins for change.

Pushing On

Quite an odyssey that began when? In Springfield, Illinois? In Hawaii? In NYC at Columbia? In Ireland? Chronology is not my best area.

Last evening's conversation with the nation summed it up, and if ever there was a message adhered to, it was done by this man, Barack Obama, in this election.
Last night's talk was accompanied by sadness as he expressed soberly the trouble the country's in and his confidence in the ability of the people to work it out, with self-discipline, motivation, and what sounded to me like a new independence from government care-taking and unrealistic expectations. What often gets my attention are his recommendations concerning the primary role of parents in educating their children from the start. The responsibilties that come with producing them. The personal investment for everyone in crafting a good life. It probably doesn't really matter who the president is, things happen anyway, so society can pick and choose.

Last night the moon was in Scorpio, just as it was on January 3 in Iowa, when the unexpected exploded and he won the first caucus of the Democratic Primary. Mars was at 29 Gemini. As a reminder, the Emancipation Proclamation outlawing slavery dates back to December 18, 1865 with the Sun at 26 Sagittarius in the Galactic Center. The Civil Rights Act officially outlawing racial segregation, was signed on June 19, 1964, with Venus at 29 Gemini, Sun at 27. The Voting Rights Act was signed August 6, 1965 with the Moon in Sagittarius. Not very long ago. The impetuousness of a young country.

Pluto exiting Sagittarius at 29 is tying these moments together, it seems, in that tapestry humans call history. Whoever got what vote when, I don't know. All I know is - I'm glad I've got one now.

Photo: White Sands, New Mexico

Undecided

So much to think about. Socialist? Terrorist? Commie? Marxist? Redistributionist? Pinko? Messiah? Poet? Dancer? Dictator? Professor? Hawaiian? I'll have to make up my mind soon.

Last minute election news roundup ...

Everything's cool at the moment but the wave is coming. Ye Olde Suppressors are oppressed, parties in power are not partying, and the promise of freedom remains while votes are being cast in ecstasy nationwide.

Foreign Affairs:

The Russian translation of The Audacity of Hope
has just hit the bookshelves in the formerly red nation. The price: 260 rubles. It's presumed some will start calling him a Stalinist, if there's enough time.

Baby it's cold outside:

Out in the freezing rain with 9000 in Chester, Pennsylvania. From elegant sophistication to jeans and running shoes as need dictates. In spite of the parka, he looked cold as the icy slivers beat down on him mercilessly. But Saturn in the 12th is used to punishment, though the crowd is just getting acquainted with joy outside of a sporting event. Either by quirk of fate or grand orchestration, the broadcast of the World Series game tonight has been delayed 20 minutes to accommodate the Democrat's advertisement. It's paid for.

Futures

All bets are on. Graphs, figure, and facts.

Pluto approaches Capricorn:

" From the transparently bogus campaign suspension to the selection of Palin to the Joe the Plumber nonsense to this latest, McCain's campaign has been little more than a series of gimmicks that have revealed him to be fundamentally unseriousness in a way that's completely at odds with the apparent yearnings of the public at this current juncture. Obama, by contrast, has consistently projected a level of seriousness in sync with the public mood, the challenges ahead, and the gravity of this historical moment. Call it the Seriousness Gap. It's a key reason Obama is winning."
Greg Sargent: Talking Points Memo

Seriously, this discussion about distribution of wealth occurring in the country right now is the best thing that's happened in the campaign so far. A good portent and collectively engaging. A handful of experts/quacks trying to mold policy and shape the world hasn't worked out too well. Not from my vantage point.

Baby it's warm inside:

Holding a baby this size is not easy. They wobble. The guy's an expert. Natural skill coupled with practice.

A Promise

I'm going to wash my front windows to let in the autumn light, clarify, and improve my view. Stamped and contracted. I'll even set a deadline. The Full Taurus Moon in two weeks.
Non-negotiable.

The Weight Of It All

"Don’t think for a minute that power concedes."

This is the Obama that leapt out of the television screen the night of his victory speech in South Carolina, making me fully aware of how much responsibility he's shouldering and how much he feels collective sorrow. His revolutionary rage stunned me. If you pause at intervals you can see it in his face. The depth of his seriousness -- Saturn retrograde in Capricorn in the 12th. I still find it hard to believe that I get to experience this caliber of leadership before I go. His grandmother's legacy is alive, and he's been mentioning it in every speech since last weekend. And of course as usual, grown men are crying.

The philosophical battle between despair and hope is evident in this closing statement, the story of his Saturn and Jupiter in the 12th. The New Moon tomorrow falls on his Neptune in Scorpio in the 9th so the spiritual and inspirational aspect of his character are highlighted in this final campaign week.

Closing arguments. Opening dimensions.

Deadlines

Hurry up!! All deliveries are being received on the east dock. To your left.

Colored Water

Light passes through prisms over a field of macademia nut trees in Hawaii. Billions of driplets.

Static Flow

Static electricity is the imbalance of positive
and negative charges.

It looks like human nerve cells up there. Static refers to the accumulation of excess electric charge and requires a sustained separation of positive and negative.

The spark associated with static electricity is caused by electrostatic discharge as the excess is neutralized by a flow of current from or to the surroundings. The feeling of shock, if one gets in the path, is caused by the stimulation of nerves as the neutralizing current flows through the human body. Due to the ubiquitous presence of water in places inhabited by people, the accumulated charge is "generally" not enough to cause a dangerously high current. There are four causes:

~Contact induced charge separation
~Pressure induced charge separation
~Heat induced charge separation
~Charge induced charge separation

Naturally, Uranus has been assigned rulership of this phenomenon. Our own (for those of you who are American) Benjamin Franklin dramatically demonstrated the relationship of lightning to static electricity in 1750. Several years hence, in 1781, Uranus was discovered.

Lightning is a dramatic natural example of static discharge. While the details are unclear and remain the subject of debate, the initial charge separation is thought to be associated with contact between ice particles within storm clouds. Whatever the cause may be, the resulting lightning bolt is simply a scaled up version of the sparks seen in more domestic occurrences of static discharge. The flash occurs because the air in the discharge channel is heated to such a high temperature that it emits light by incandescence. The clap of thunder is the result of the shockwave created as the superheated air rapidly expands.
Static Electricity

So when lightning strikes, static goes into all the surrounding circuits, such as yapping AM radio, and it can even shut down Blogland. It's irritating but at the same time it draws one's attention to outside forces. An alert. Uranus is associated with circumstances beyond one's control. I wonder if Uranian static is just for that purpose - to go beyond the boundaries of control momentarily, then realign the charge, since positive and negative have to obey certain laws.

Well, anyhoo. Being that Neptune is in skyward Aquarius, and Uranus is in Pisces, the cosmic nervous system is getting some extra stimulation. Control does seem to be lacking. Lots of incandescence, even though the manmade bulb will soon be outlawed. I've been trying to piece together some theories about the Saturn-Uranus opposition now in effect, but my brains keep getting fried. Something about the static.

Full Circle

"It's like rounding a corner and you know you've left someplace behind, but you can't quite yet see what's around the turn."
TNThorpe

For years I heard the presidents of my country talk as if behind a partition. "Who are they talking to?" I asked myself. None of it makes any sense. It's gibberish or simple nontruth. Why isn't anyone speaking up?"
For once a government official is stringing up sentences that are connected to the reality at hand. Speaking as if I'm actually in the room.



Yesterday the prime candidate spoke in Richmond, Virginia on the eve of his short solo journey oceanside. The speech came full circle and was reminiscent of the introduction to this near impossible venture on July 27, keynoting the Democratic Convention of 2004.
"The Audacity of Hope" was the name of the now famous speech.

The Moon was conjunct Pluto in Sagittarius that night, a perfect atmosphere for his message of optimism. Yesism. The Sun was in Leo for the megadose of confidence, between his Mercury and Sun and conjunct the nation's North Node. Aries was on the ascendant forming a grand fire trine with Mars in Leo and the Moon-Pluto conjunction. Jupiter was at 17 Virgo exactly where Saturn was yesterday. Grand fire trines bring inspirational leadership and a tendency to fully engage in experience. There are no tomorrows and no yesterdays to worry about. The heat and urgency of the moment dominate inviting the most daunting challenges, pitting human against the grandeur. Get up and go. Leap and live. The journey has just begun. Oddly, the fire trine was exactly conjunct my own Aries rising four planet grand fire trine. Leap?? Okay ...of course. Just a minute ....

The electricity and magnetism of polarity and friction snap the collective back into unity. It's a rhythm. Side by side. Travel along. Attract, repel, attract, repel. Rubbing sticks. Then boom!! Then ......

Today the Sun enters Scorpio and Pluto enters the 29th degree. Birth, death, and all of that. Beginnings and endings and back to beginnings.

Sailing Through

The Triumph of Conscience

Or something. It could be money tightness. It could be strength of character in the attackee. Maybe it's immunity in the public after years of inoculation. Maybe it's a slight growth in honorability. Whatever the surface reason, the base character assassination of previous years is failing on the campaign trail in 2008. There are high roads, low roads, and in-between roads. All of them are taken. To smear or not to smear? That is the question.

"Many in the party, including inside the McCain campaign, have held out hope that a deep-pocketed benefactor would emerge to bankroll ads in the campaign’s final days — spots that might, for example, resurrect the most incendiary clips from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

But thanks largely to lack of passion for McCain within the conservative base, diminished hopes that he can win and a sharp decline in the stock market that has badly pinched donors’ pockets, veteran Republican operatives say it appears almost certain that what could be the most damaging line of attack against the Democratic nominee will be left on the shelf.

'It’s Oct. 21, and if you can’t say it by Oct. 21, then chances are you’re not going to say anything,' said Chris LaCivita, the strategist behind the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004.'

What we have here is an election that won't be decided on the worst smears, but on substance."
Know When to Fold 'Em

Truth. Hmmm .... We'll see in the coming years if the change holds. Perhaps with Pluto in Capricorn, rules, regulations, and even principles will be adhered to. Certainly restraint will be.

As usual, creativity triumphs.
Photo: Comet Hale-Bopp over Mt. Whitney. Sierra Nevada Mts. California

Liquidity

I'm so lazy. I should go up into the hills and look at the water. Hear the crackle of the leaves and twigs. I get side-tracked though. The good thing is ... the streams are steady and reliable, not going anywhere soon. They'll be there. Trickle down.
Illustration: Thomas Locker

The Planet

Somewhere around 95% of the earth's ocean floor is unexplored, and as you can see ... that's a lot of area.

"The high cost of working in the oceans is forging partnerships between organizations that have not traditionally worked together.
Partnerships are being formed to support ventures that previously were the sole domain of government. For example, Aquarius, the world’s only underwater laboratory, was removed from operation in the summer of 1996 because of lack of sufficient funding. Through an innovative plan with private industry, the university community, and a private foundation, it was reconfigured and modernized to reduce operational costs, and returned to service in the fall of 1997. Additional alliances to advance ocean interests are being encouraged and supported through the Congressionally created National Oceanographic Partnership Program."
The Legendary Ocean: The unexplored frontier

In case hominids decide to go down there and spend some serious time, it's good to know that travel is easy and fuel efficient.

A deep sea investigator on his scuba-scooter.
Photo: The Pacific Ocean

The Earth's Teeth

Taking a bite out of heaven.

Challenger Peak. San Luis valley. Bob Rozinski & Wendy Shattil

There's Always a First Time

Game Changing

"The change that Obama talks about so much is not simply a change in this policy or that one. It is not fundamentally about lobbyists or Washington insiders. Obama envisions a change in the way we deal with one another in politics and government. His opponents may say this is empty, abstract rhetoric. In fact, it is hard to imagine how we are going to deal with the grave domestic and foreign crises we face without an end to the savagery and a return to civility in politics.

~It may have seemed audacious for Obama to start his campaign in Springfield, invoking Lincoln. We think, given the opportunity to hold this nation's most powerful office, he will prove it wasn't so audacious after all. We are proud to add Barack Obama's name to Lincoln's in the list of people the Tribune has endorsed for president of the United States."

For the first time in its 161 year history the Chicago Tribune has endorsed a Democrat for president of the United States. Change doesn't come easily. An end to savagery appeals to me highly. I'm beginning to develop some genuine confidence in society.

Government

It looks like the Republican Party is going to have to be wheeled out. It's an extra expense, I realize, and health care is in a terrible pickle.
What can we do?

A Civilized Chat

British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and Barack Obama enjoy some time in the garden.

Today Mercury goes direct in Libra, a perfect time for some nice debate, a Libra favorite. The lovely Taurus Moon is back to join the steady Jupiter-Saturn earth trine, continuing smoothly. Good day for some economic chat. The Libra sun is trine Neptune in Aquarius and no wonder I was listening to Chopin accompanying a love story. Romance is right up my Mars-Neptune Libra street. The Moon does oppose Mars in Scorpio so all is not completely peaceful, but it could be satisfying. Civilized chat is always satisfying for me, even if occasionally tinged with fiery emotion. There's a way to incorporate it.

Grand Exit

Today's full moon lands almost exactly on USA Chiron at 20 degrees Aries, and considering the healing skill of Chiron plus the high aspirations of Sagittarius, I was thinking it could be an important part of the Pluto passage out of the sign. Mars traveling Scorpio brings depth to the battle at hand, and sometimes a monster or two rears up, especially at entrances and exits, in keeping with the mythological nature of Sagittarius. Mars-Pluto is good with that.

It seems that the poisonous campaign tactics that characterize American politics are coming to a climax in this election. Foul insinuations, ominous shadows, whispering voices, plus things I'd rather not mention are been utilized to full capacity.
On the same day Pluto arrives at 29 degrees Sagittarius, the Sun enters Scorpio and it does look like the toxic extrusion has reached a new perimeter.

Also on that day, the Moon will be inconjunct in Virgo, and considering Saturn's transit of Virgo, it could be a time of cleaning, especially with the crucible of Mars-Pluto involved. At least, that's how I'd do it. If I cleaned. Virgo-Scorpio is good at this. Deep cleaning.

The multi-faceted nature of Sagittarius includes all kinds of human behavior. Very diverse.

C.I.C. - Commander in Cash

The Full Moon in Aries

The Full Moon in Aries is here and the Obama Rescue Plan has arrived. Another start. We get so many, life being as generous as it is, and patient with its human specimens. In case anyone was wondering, perhaps a little nervous, we have an acting president taking care of business. There's even a spelling quiz. Venus in Scorpio squares Neptune in Aquarius today. A plan come true for shared resources and the collective, or a pipe dream? We shall see. I particularly noticed his plan to allow retirement account withdrawals with no penalty. I hadn't heard that before. He speaks - the stock market soars, perhaps relaxing when the Taurus Moon comes again to form a grand earth trine with Jupiter and Saturn. Round and round it goes, one step at a time we climb.

Obama clearly relishes the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and craft solutions to our problems. Right now,we desperately need the hardest working president we can have.
Anastasia

We got lucky. C.I.C. -- Children In Chaos.

Clicking Along

The campaign continues. Things are moving along quite nicely. No major anythings, and rather a pleasure for Democrats, though a bit tainted at times. The pace has been steady, I find, and the ground solid. Lots of steam, lots of steel, and plenty of iron. A smooth ride, but negotiating the cars on your feet can be tricky. Loose in the hips usually works. Riding the curves.
Illustration:Loren Long

To and From the Mountain

In 1967 I was swept across the world, finally landing in Katmandu, Nepal, where I lived for seven months. I joined the ragged band of global travelers who sang the praises of a small town in the mountains outside of the city where some of them had taken up residence. I decided to investigate so I climbed aboard the rickety bus to Dhulikhel where I was soon to become bedazzled. A short walk took me to a point above the town where a view of the Himalayan Mountain range was laid out in panoramic view. Really panoramic. Nothing but waves and waves of endless snow-covered peaks all the way to the horizon. A first encounter with the infinite universe. Even though it was concrete reality, the sensation of infinity was impossible to resist. Little did I know what was just ahead.

Several months later, Lorenzo, the leader of a band of boisterous Italian filmmakers, took us on a trek into the mountains neighboring Katmandu. We started climbing and enjoying the sunny day. We climbed more and the incline got steeper. It began to get uncomfortable. Onward he went, fast and furious. I wanted to stop but I had to keep up with the group as it got more and more uncomfortable. It felt like a mission after awhile and I resigned myself to the torment, which by now was excruciating. Nowhere to go but up. The sun set and after a frightfully long, hard day, we reached a tiny village on top of the mountain. The villagers took us in, brought us food, and bedded us down for the night. At sunrise the next morning, what met my eyes produced the most magnificent sensation in nature I'd ever experienced. At the edge of the village was another sea of snow-covered mountains, but this was so high and so far that I felt transported into another dimension, never to come down to the same reality. The villagers, of course, were matter of fact and charming as they usually are on high.

This is a mountain in the Hunza Valley where the people live to be 120 and live largely on apricots.
I traveled next door into the high peaks of Chitral, Pakistan. We lived on corn, walnuts, and pomegranates, dreaming about Hunza.

So the Sagittarian centaur shoots for the heavens with his torso rooted in human history. Sometimes movements are set in motion that can't be stopped. The American election is one of those. It reminds me of my mountain trek, which only took one day instead of two years. I'm wedded to mountains since they give me a heads-up for my Sagittarian climb. Count me in for the journey.
Castelrotto,Italy:John Elk Ill. Karakoram Range: John Mock

Survival Kit for the 21st Century

Just arrived.
Actually this is a box. In it is all you'll need for the trip. Ignore the label. It's not related to the contents. We just needed some boxes and packaging sent us these.

Anyway. You can place your orders now.

The Shadow Comes to Light

Today is an interesting one. The sun in Libra is trine the Moon, the North Node, and Neptune in Aquarius. The perfect time for an objective peek as the shadow of Pluto emerges for recognition in a more dramatic way than usual. Pluto, as you know, lords over the underworld of human fears, taboos, and all shades of unacceptable behavior. Mars in Scorpio is triggering the shadow of Sagittarius as Pluto prepares to leave depositing his treasure on the way out. But first the terror of a punishing master hidden deep in the psyche is up for study. No one is exempt. The pure Sagittarian cultivates a good relationship with the god-figure assuming that good behavior brings good returns. There is ultimate justice for the whole and even when the bad dominates, there are beneficent slivers and shards scattered everywhere for the taking. The economic collapse is nothing but an adjustment. The whole group has been somewhat greedy, as I've pointed out. There is no diabolical plot other than what resides in an individual. Pluto can point that out rather effectively. Fear is often connected to one's own wrong-doings and they can be cumulative. The 29th degree is a last minute peek.

As the world gets ready to accept it's first black leader, the ugliness of racism has erupted for release. There are endless levels but by the time it surfaces, the healing is already in motion. The violence on display now is actually a part of all of us and the scapegoats are the players at the Dionysian Republican rallies. People decry the hatred but the most disturbing part is the knowledge that they, themselves, harbor feelings like this too. The fear of a frightening force ready to annihilate is common to everyone especially when Scorpio gets going. The detachment of Aquarius, however, can use logic and reason, most of all when looking at one's own self.

On one hand we have the rallying bigots, but equally disturbing is the return of the belief in the global conspiracy, World Order, Fascist take-over, "shadow" entities in charge, and all of that nonsense. Hating the haters perpetuates the game. It's pretty much the same as hating brown skin, all primitive fears accompanying the desire to evolve and break barriers with Uranus and Aquarius so prominent. All of it can get traced to fears of personal lack of control. It's absolutely astonishing to witness how much confidence is connected with self-mastery, and how the opportunities to cultivate this treasure are handed to us all the time. Pluto at 29 Sagittarius is just such a time.

The final confrontation is here for this go round. It always amuses me how predictable the crowd is when they return to their familiar polarized beliefs, and see the enemy in the other so universally. I realize that most in my lifetime won't see the source of the shadow. There are too many distractions. And just too much terror. The part I think I have to understand is that these factions derive comfort from these beliefs, so as much as I would like to see them thrown into the dumpster, they can't be. My optimism rests in the recognition that they alternate like a current with the reasoned, rational, and accurate. Quite a combo. For now, a little Mars-Pluto excess is OK. It has to be. And now for a peek at my own shadow.

Colleagues and Constituents

~The taunting began as soon as Barack Obama joined the Illinois Senate in January 1997. He had expected to face some skepticism as a political neophyte, but not such outright hostility.~

~Obama had enjoyed giving interviews to reporters during his tenure as the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, classmates remembered, and legislative sessions provided a forum in which he liked to deliver impassioned arguments in front of his colleagues and the media. He had a mastery of constitutional law and a talent for elegant speaking, assets that served him well as a University of Chicago law professor, where students would listen to his lectures, rapt. But in Springfield, his speeches sometimes played out to a soundtrack of groans or the background chatter of indifference. Colleagues sometimes walked around the room while Obama spoke, and he often sat down discouraged.

Once, at a revenue committee meeting, Obama delayed the proceedings to raise a series of astute questions about committee bylaws. He spoke only a few sentences before a senior colleague interrupted him.

"Hey, enough already," said Denny Jacobs, a Democrat. "Learn on your own damn time, will you? Some of us want to finish this up and get the hell out of here."

"Barack had this misconception that you could change votes with thoughtful questions and good debate," said Jacobs, who has since retired from politics to become a lobbyist. "That was a little idealistic, if you ask me."~
Eli Saslow:Washington Post

Well, if you ask me, I think it actually is possible to change votes with good debate. Groans or no groans.

Cracking the Cosmic Egg

Social and political evolution

On March 18, 2008, Barack Obama gave a quiet speech about race, faith, and class inequities, arousing feelings while being historically instructive. Pluto was making its first station in Capricorn. The speech was largely about class conflict as the world enters the Capricorn years to face the economic troubles which make this election so important. It's gotten to the point where the continued plunder by the elites and non-participation by the commoners are no longer viable. Some argue that the chasm has to widen before closing, some see more immediate action. What is clear is that class warfare will have to be confronted in order to get the country stabilized. The middle class comes back when it needs to. I saw this in the Pluto station related to the speech, and considered it to be the most important issue. The task at hand was pinpointed. It might take a minute, but the plebs are beginning to heed the call, the need to assume responsibility. Policy will not solve anything until the fundamentals are adjusted, and here again, comes the skill required in leadership and administration -- executive, legislative, familial, personal, and so on. The job is much broader than just government.

Further connections to Pluto leaving Sagittarius will determine what happens in the Middle East. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very very complicated and goes all the way back in the history of modern civilization connected to the three dominant religions. A broad understanding is helpful, including recognition of the realities of the long tangled web that won't be undone easily. Economic changes in the coming years with Pluto through Capricorn will figure in a great deal. It does seem that the American people are inclined to try something other than war, and the new leadership model before the country is a sign of this departure.
The election takes place with Pluto at 29 degrees Sagittarius exactly square the 29 Pisces of the Iraq invasion chart, a symbol, I feel for the whole of humanity. Who deserves or doesn't deserve what.

But most important is the evolutionary significance of this time as Pluto enters the last quadrant, joining Uranus and Neptune. I like to look at the large picture and so does Al Giordano at The Field. He wrote a piece called, Evolutionary Leaps and Public Opinion, and it concurs with my premise.

~Scientists are divided over whether the evolution of species follows a straight and plodding path or has experienced relatively sudden "leaps."
I won't wander into that debate. But I do find a 2004 experiment at the University of Texas at Austin to be possibly relevant to the 2008 elections. There, engineers and scientists forced an evolutionary leap on bacteria in a laboratory essentially by "stressing the patient." A small adjustment in amino acids, and, presto, a new mutation was born.
The current economic crisis, according to the American Psychologists Association, has stressed eight of ten Americans significantly.~

~What happens if the economic stresses suddenly push people, however reluctantly, into voting in their economic self-interest even if it means voting against their own racial prejudices? Well, then you're looking at an Electoral College landslide beyond even the current map and projections, and even at some unexpected states (Georgia, West Virginia or Mississippi, for example) that could surprisingly turn "blue."~

~In the lab it took some stressed conditions plus a catalyst - some amino acids - to cause a species to evolve. In human history, it takes stressed conditions ... plus a movement.~

Obama is not only positioned to be the first black president of the United States, but also the first black leader of the Western world. My view sees the distinct possibility of this being the first visible crack in the white man's dominance of human life on earth.

Composure

Last night was a brief moment of triumph for most everybody. The calm of the presidential debate after the dastardly orgy on the Republican campaign trail was cause for a huge sigh of relief.

The moon was in Capricorn on Obama's Saturn and Jupiter was in the vicinity too. Oddly, the moon also joined up with McCain's natal moon but, unfortunately, he has a pesky dilemma ... his south node in Cancer, a source of his whining, pleading, demanding, whimpering, and assorted immature behaviors as displayed throughout the election season thus far.
With Pluto nearing Capricorn, the time is suggesting, perhaps demanding, self-discipline and control. In my view, Obama expressed quite well what is required in this time of turmoil, even when his opponent deleted his identity by referring to him as "that one".. ? ... Isn't he "The One"? They can't get their message straight. That can be problematic in politics.

Here's what I learned watching the media-defying graph of the viewers' response. The women were much much more emotionally reactive, but the men were less susceptible to the political phoniness. The graph went down with every attempted joke (they were meek on both sides) and when McCain repeated many times that he "knows how to do it" they didn't believe him. They were unimpressed with his past record, and even unmoved by his previous confinement.

The line went off the graph for the longest time I'd ever seen when Obama spoke of health care. It dipped every time nuclear energy was mentioned, although the other alternatives sent it high. It went up on defense strength but also went up on talk of diplomacy. Energy was hot both in terms of economics and international relations.

The serious Capricorn moon dulled the response to all the joke-making but that also could have been a reaction to the hilarity of the recent campaign performance. Attacks were not appreciated. The coming Capricorn energy seems to be battling with the wildness of Sagittarius these closing days, as the tone tries to get sober and serious, then reverts to the excess for a few last thrills. Obama, however, is like cucumber.

The lessons of self-discipline are valuable and I think they apply beautifully to the current dilemma. Many people react with hatred toward Sarah Palin and the Drill Baby Drill crowd, but that's exactly the trap. It adds energy to the frenzy. Hate is something that's unhealthy when sustained. Too much love has its pitfalls too. No one knows what drives people to such frustration, and there's always a segment of society that behaves this way. They're part of the group. Moderated reaction helps.

Obama's composure is almost impossible to believe after one and a half relentless, brutal years on the trail. It's probably a quirk of nature. A rare gift and something to be prized in leadership. But for the rest of us hapless, hyper anatomonids, we can learn by osmosis. And with the help of Capricorn. We have a natal Pluto to bank on.
My Journey in Photographs: Salvador, Brazil: Annie Griffiths Belt

The Judiciary

And the people.

Death in the Family and theLast Moon

Metaphysicians say that humans decide their own births and deaths. I've seen so much evidence of the latter that I tend to accept this premise.

As you probably know, Jill Biden's mother just died, and it looked to me like she knew exactly what she was doing. Her death came just days after her son-in-law performed for 60 million citizens, give or take a few mil, and validated his contract with the American people. Saturn arrives on his midheaven November 4, changing his status and bringing more public responsibility with an increased seriousness of purpose. At the same time, Uranus crosses into his 4th house separating him from his past. Right now it's at 19, exactly on the cusp. Uprooting him suddenly.

What's really interesting is a little quirk in the story. The Moon was in Sagittarius at her death, across Joe's ascendant, on it's way past Pluto. On to Capricorn and responsibility. But what's particularly unusual is the fact that there's going to be another Sagittarius Moon this month, the last one with Pluto -- at 29. Then on to an election in Capricorn. Pluto follows shortly after adding to the the Saturn flavor of things. Timing is everything they've said, but I might argue with the hyperbole of the "everything" part. At least while Mercury's stalled in Libra.

The Last Test

Attention students!
Professor Weisenhadt's compulsory exam entitled Fear & Smear Politics in 21st Century American Society will be given in Obomeranian Hall over the course of the next month.

The formal announcement has been made. The Democratic candidate for the presidency of the United States of America will be attacked personally and ruthlessly according to traditional methods until November 4, 2008. Attempted evisceration, emulsification, and disposal are planned.

Everything is in place. The financial ax has fallen, the sturdiest candidate of an era has arrived, and Pluto is nearing 29 degrees Sagittarius for the conclusion of the course. Inoculations have been performed regularly throughout the last several years and the resistance is now ready to be put to the last test. An essay on fact and truth will be in the final section. Psychological Terrorism 101, 201, and 301 have been completed by everyone and the introductory course in optimism, transformation, and reconstruction as applied to political theory is currently filled to capacity. Change 101.

Good luck and have confidence. The Professor can be strict but he's fair. Make sure your pencils are sharpened, and it's been suggested by the faculty that you bring snacks in case of hunger -- something to smear on your crackers. And a grain of salt. Final grades will be announced mid-January, so be sure to stay posted.
Illustration: Lisbeth Zwerger

Attempted Orgasm

Mars in Scorpio: hidden reserves of power explode into action

Mars in Scorpio is powerful because its energy is contained then deliberately released, just as a bullet is directed by being confined in a gun barrel before its explosion. Thus when a controlled Martial Scorpion draws upon the hidden forces of nature and channels them into action, the results might be dynamic or devastating.
Divine Astrologer

Last Thursday night, the Moon in Scorpio set the stage for the passage of Mars through Scorpio, a transit that began today and will last through the election. It's one of the most intense transits there is, potentially creative and destructive in equal amounts, and usually both are involved. An uncomfortable sensation shot through the collective symbolized by the debate between the vice-presidential candidates.

The drilling winking baby in stilettos and tight black skirt sent a shock wave through the public arousing the men and angering the women. The pundits are openly expressing their sexual excitement and hell has broken loose. True to Scorpio, the sexuality is a hook for pent up frustrations about many things in these people's lives, not the least of which is the 700 billion dollar heist. Unemployment is skyrocketing, pensions wiggle ominously, and investments shake, rattle, and roll away. Safety teases and escapes human grasp. Crisis and upheaval are real and the country stands on a precipice, apparently trying to leap and leave the destruction behind. The energy needed is more than usual and Scorpio always holds reserves for the occasion. So I can only conclude that the orgasmic reaction to the lady was part of a larger picture and a necessary adjunct to the task at hand.

A closer look reveals something interesting. The man involved is actually the one with Mars in Scorpio and something tells me he was instrumental in releasing the wave and will continue to be a driving force in the last phase of this important political event with Pluto at 29 degrees Sagittarius. One of the ideals of Scorpio is to take sexual energy and use it for great creative acts other than procreation. It's the theory behind Tantric Yoga where life's fuel is circulated rather than released in orgasm. I find this current upheaval fascinating and hopefully men will get a hold of themselves and help the nation accomplish this staggering feat. Ugliness, obscenity, spite, fury, rage, envy, jealousy, and poisonous extrusion are mere by-products and will have to be endured. The stripping away of pretension is the result and the essence of power is available, held in reserve, and only used when necessary. Now is the time. The Frankenstinian jump-start.

Mars in Scorpio: Mohandas Gandhi, Robert Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Albert Schweitzer

Marriage and Partnership

"My Rock"

That's what Barack calls Michelle. This is their meeting after he stepped down from the podium immediately after his first presidential debate. There are a million stories in his face as his eyes find hers. Today is their anniversary. With two planets and the north node in the 7th house of marriage, he chose well when he sealed his contract under a Libra Sun.

Obama has Pluto in the 7th referring to a desire for deep emotional bonding and most of the time the sexuality of their relationship is on full display, but not this time. It does look like he's peering into her soul, if one can put a name on those secret places. There's no smile and no frown, either of which define his usual countenance. Confidence with a hint of search seems to be there. Oh, it's impossible to identify and altogether intriguing.

Michelle is the executive and administrator. She has Sun, Mercury, and the south node in Capricorn and knows everything about the system her husband is working through. Her wisdom is essential and her unflinching recognition of the realities help make his climb possible. The slow climb of Saturn in Capricorn. Her Sun exactly conjoins his Saturn in the 12th. Sometimes I see the sorrow in her face of what has to be endured. Her south node knows it well. But she holds his foundation firm as he flies in the ethers grabbing his visions trying to funnel them down to earth. Because Pluto rules his 10th house of achievement, Michelle is a vital part of his professional life and the regenerative energy of their bond fuels the destructive-creative transformational nature of his rise in life. The extremes he needs are balanced by the rock-like steadiness of his wife. Her Mars in Aquarius also conjoins his Jupiter in the 12th so she is wholly engaged in his vision quest.

His moon in Gemini squares Pluto in the 7th and no one can miss the depth of their communication. Both of these socially and politically responsible people have many planets in Capricorn and Aquarius and their destiny has certainly brought them to the fore in these times of trouble and reform. Both have debts to pay before they can reach their ultimate destinies -- Michelle coming home and Barack with his north node in the 7th enjoying the best marriage a man can have. In the meantime, I think all of us are the beneficiaries of this strong, devoted duo, dedicated to their country and to each other. A rock unto themselves.

Because I'm a Man

When Joe Biden said that last night I was reminded of the famous speech Sojourner Truth made in defending her right to vote. She was a slave, an abolitionist, and an activist in the Women's Suffrage Movement. "Ain't I A Woman" was the theme of her speech in which she declared her possession of strength and potency equal to any man's. Last night our vice-presidential nominee surprised the nation in a moment of sensitivity speaking about his episode with death in the family and the reality of raising his surviving children, as protective and caring as any woman would be.

The traditional roles of men and women in society are changing and are likely to do so even more. Uranus will soon transit the US 4th house governing home and the family and the fundamental base of emotional security. The planet will square the four Cancer planets of the nation adding to the safety questions, and at the same time, square Pluto in Capricorn making the parental axis complete. Uranus in Aries brings innovative change and future models into the present.

For several years now, men have been taking the opportunity to remain at home rasing their children while women have been advancing in the workplace. Joe did it out of necessity, but soon it will include choice to a greater degree. Both sexes are finding qualities in themselves that they formerly projected on to the other, but evolution as well as economic hard times might be dissolving these boundaries.

The Moon was in Scorpio, as was Venus last night and not surprisingly, women were the focus of attention. But oddly, it was the man who exhibited the female characteristics. Joe has Sun, Venus, Mercury and Mars in Scorpio, trine Jupiter in Cancer, plus the south node in Pisces. He is not afraid to show his feelings and the transiting planets aroused his response. Nor is he afraid to take a nurturing role. When he stepped down from the podium the first thing he did when joining the moderator was to inquire about her broken ankle.

In an interesting development for our society, the debates are accompanied by a graph showing emotional reaction in realtime. This is a way for the people to become more self aware besides defying the false assumptions of the pundits. I find them absolutely fascinating. The lines jumped off the graph when Joe recalled his experiences and only did so once before -- when he talked about getting out of Iraq.

So it appears that the urge is genuine. The desire for peace and to come home to our families. It also could be that a real change would require new, more gentle men, in positions of leadership. At the same time when Pluto opposes Venus, women might contact reserves of power that were previously unavailable to them. The needs of the time, as always, determine the course of events. Liberation is multifarious.

Taurus and Scorpio

Hunger and Thirst

Taurus refers to the neck where nourishment enters the body. Scorpio refers to the channels of elimination. Therefore, this polarity refers to gains and losses of substance.
Divine Astrologer: Marcia Moore & Mark Douglas

The throat is where the human first cries for what it needs. It demands substance in order to survive in the material realm. Appetites determine when these substances are drawn to the body. All that's taken into the throat must be eliminated.

In Taurus, the pleasures of swallowing are savored as personal sensation and if all goes well, satisfaction is a by-product of nourishment. If content with the substance, then in Scorpio where exchange is enacted, there is also an ability to feel compensated when releasing the product. I was thinking it could be a lack of initial satisfaction that propels humans to develop greed in interaction, which eventually can evolve into a complete inability to be satisfied. The shame associated with Plutonian activities also factors in. Discomfort increases. More acquisition results.

It's true that to perform the pro-creative acts of Scorpio an unusually strong desire must precede them so the hard to control nature of the Plutonian sign has its function. It also lends itself to self-mastery as some gain power over their desires, some transferring the dynamic creative force into other endeavors.

In connection with Taurus-Scorpio desire, the misuse of these energies leads to troubles with regard to objects people own or wish to make their own. The body is man's first possession and its loss is the final deprivation.
Divine Astrologer

It came to me that maybe the grasping and accumulation of objects of substance are in part a fear of loss associated with death. Could this be why there is such intense emotion accompanying the exchanges? Perhaps survival terrors accompany every transaction.

Most everyone encounters problems with these processes. People take in too much, they eliminate too little. The throat emissions turn to language and humans talk to much and take in too much information. They collect, they hoard, they steal, they hurl. Eventually they become dangerous billionaires or obnoxious nagging spouses. Screamers at children and failed national economies. All kinds of ailments can develop and everyone who has a throat, an anus, a Taurus, or a Scorpio is susceptible. The ongoing problem of substance. The balance of intake versus output. For every gain there's a loss and vice-versa. And who or what provides the nourishment? Ahhhh ..... a perplexing question I find. And is there ever enough?

Sometimes wealth cannot be counted in numbers. The United States with her south node in the 2nd house has a weakness on the elimination side. All the upcoming transits indicate that it's time to grapple with this axis, and that includes rich, poor, and everyone in between.

Pluto at 29 Sagittarius is a release point in the kinesthetic apparatus of Sagittarius, probably in order to make a muscular movement in consciousness with the information gained during the transit. Leaving the waste is part of the action. As the taxpayers swallow the loss, who knows what will appear at the other end?

I hear Ya Man.

Well, it's another October. Things go on as usual. The fall is a busy time. Time to stock up.