#81
Happy Labor Day Most of us don't remember much about what Labor Day represents. The consumer culture diverted our attention, and dulled our memories, from many of the historical signposts in our society's development. Here's a Labor Day recap. This trade union holiday originated in Canada in 1872 and was transplanted to the U.S. It was first celebrated September 5, 1982 and was made a national holiday in 1894 in response to the bloody Pulman Strike. (See the December 12, 2004 In-depth Celestial Wheel, The United States Through Its Planetary Cycles, Part I -- the section, Mars 1889 -- 1895) This holiday, then, celebrates and supports workers' rights over the trampling greed of tycoons and corporations. We should reflect upon the sacrifices workers made then to initiate the labor movement that has brought balance into our modern capitalist society. We should also, however, consider the economic inequities that have first crept, and then became an avalanche, during the decade-long Second Gilded Age that ended November 30, 2008. As during the first Gilded Age, the rich got richer at the expense of everyone else. (See again the December 12, 2004 In-depth Celestial Wheel, The United States Through Its Planetary Cycles, Part I -- the section, Moon 1879 -- 1888.)
The End Of The Consumer Culture The Second Gilded Age also rings the death knell for the American consumer culture that began after World War II -- the ending of the debt-ridden self-indulgent me, me, me, and beginning a return to thrift and the shared democratic values of we, we, we. The long Millennium Contraction is the engine of change here, forcing us to deleverage and downsize. Unfortunately, not everyone gets this, for corporate greed, with its accompanying excessive corporate bonuses and disregard (even contempt) for labor, still thrives. Did we really expect that electing a Democratic Congress and President, especially black President, would somehow convince the corporate bullies and egomaniacs into giving up their privileged positions? Isn't the reverse actually true, that they are digging in by cutting labor costs and raising fees, notably in the financial sector? A buoyant stock market certainly reflects this disconnect between resumption of corporate profit growth at the expense of the greater public.
But, Where Are The Popular Revolts? The corporate propaganda machine has ignited America's mystical paranoia, most notably in the crazy, and crazed, objections to health care reform. (See again the December 12, 2004 In-depth Celestial Wheel, The United States Through Its Planetary Cycles, Part I -- the section, Mercury 1829 -- 1845) That sure is a popular revolt, but it comes from the conservative paranoid right, not the suffering working men and women in the (progressive) left. How high does unemployment have to go, how many have to be kicked out of their homes, how many must lose health insurance, or even have that insurance and still go bankrupt when a major illness strikes -- before true popular revolts against these unfairness erupts? At this point, all Celestial Wheel subscribers have been touched, and some punched, by the Millennium Contraction. No one is exempt, though many of you still must remain in denial, for there's been hardly a peep of subscribers comments. Do think about today being Labor Day -- what that truly means. Our forbearers made great sacrifices to improve the lot of workers. At the very least, we owe them our best efforts to protect and preserve those benefits for ourselves and the generations that follow. It seems likely that the awaited, but delayed, popular protests must begin soon. The August 4, 2009 Celestial Wheel Commentary began by stating,
The following section looks considers the likely impacts of four significant planetary dispositions this fall, which may drive laboring Americans to the popular protests that will begin real economic and social rebalancing to fairness.
A Stormy Fall Below is an updated timeline. (The last was published in the July 6, 2009 Celestial Wheel Commentary.) Four impactive planetary dispositions are displayed and numbered. 1 is the above referenced Saturn's Scorched Earth Game -- when Saturn ends its 2 1/2 year transit in Leo September 9 by bringing investments and economic declines, governments falling, Iran at risk and increased deaths/chronic illness. (This last prediction was included in the August 11 Celestial Wheel.) The following are partial results, since September 9 is still ahead. The Japanese government fell August 31, ending 54 years of Dominance. The Prime Minister of Taiwan resigned, September 7. Former Israeli Prime Minister Olmert was indicted, August 30. Iran backs first woman minister, September 3. Iran announces plan to purge universities of Western influences, September 7. New protests in western China, September 3 Heaven Can't Wait -- For Celebrity-Watchers, This Losing Season Is Too Long, August 22. Finally, Teddy Kennedy passed on August 25. Also, real scorched earth resulted in the fires in Athens and California, and Great Britain's bar bones budget was described as scorched earth.
2 is transit Jupiter in its fallen (weak) sign of Capricorn conjunct Rahu -- the head-of-the-dragon eclipse point. This association began July 31 and continues until November 2. In the U.S. chart, Capricorn is the second house of income and domestic harmony, opposite this chart's paranoid eighth house of hidden things. Rahu degrades Jupiter's wisdom, bringing greed, as shown in the stock markets moving up erratically. With Saturn acting to bring losses, the DOW plunged 200 points on September 1 from a high of over 9500. With Jupiter/Rahu continuing until early November, expect the stock markets to be increasingly erratic as greed balances against real fears resulting from the economy continuing to slide. This sure looks like a Humpty Dumpty scenario.
The crazed furor in Town Meetings over health care reform is the domestic harmony issue will likely also continue until early November. It looks like health care reform will fail this fall. (Besides, both the U.S. and Obama's charts are negative for any successes.)
3 Mercury went retrograde late yesterday and continues its confusing backward motion until the end of September. This must aggravate the reality and the perception of Saturn's scorched earth harms -- confounding business dealings and solutions to problems. A major harm here is desirous and destructive Mars aspecting Mercury, which results in investment schemes. The latest is particularly devious, Wall Street Pursues Profit in Bundles of Life Insurance. The article's topic is buying “life settlements,” life insurance policies that ill and elderly people sell for cash — $400,000 for a $1 million policy, life insurance, and bundling these into securities. Certainly, however, annuities is another risk area. Note the July 28 Celestial Wheel discussed the risk to annuities owners, for insurance companies are heavily invested in commercial real estate (office buildings and shopping centers), which are beginning to crash now as businesses close and shopping centers empty out.
4 is the big karmic crunch this fall that will come from Mars. The planet of war enters its fallen (harmful) sign of Cancer on October 5, and then on October 9 slams into Ketu -- the dissolving tail-of-the-drgaon eclipse point. The July 6 Celestial Wheel first discussed this issue, in the section, Yet Another Millennium Contraction Hit - October To May.
Also, this is the second time Mars hits Ketu in Cancer. The first occurance was mid June 2008, when oil and gasoline began peaking -- to $145 per barrel and over $4 per gallon respectively. Expect another oil/gas price spike in early October. As Cancer is the eighth house in the U.S. chart, and the sign belonging to the Moon (home), a violent hurricane is likely then. The final risk area is the swine flu infections rising then. Cancer being the fourth house in the natural zodiac, and the fourth is the chest/lungs, this karma is particularly strong. Since infectious Mars continues in Cancer through May 24, the swine flu infections may continue though the late spring. This transit Mars in Cancer can bring one, two or all three of the above mentioned harms, and likely all three will be actualized to some degree. All will be additional hits on the economy, certainly crushing any belief that an economic recovery has begun. Interestingly, Sedona could really suffer from the swine flu, for Cancer is its twelfth house of hospitalization. Although in remote northern Arizona, resort areas like Sedona are at greatest risk because visitors fly in from all over the globe. For Sedona, a swine flu pandemic beginning in early October, its high tourist season, would be an economic catastrophe. Yet, when this was discussed, a longtime and very successful restaurateur remained in denial when he told this astrologer, The tourists come. They always come. was (See the August 22, 2009 In-depth Celestial Wheel, Sedona Through The Millennium Contraction.
Summary The Millennium Contraction inevitably advances. The four planetary afflictions discussed above represent enough destructive karma to bring its third major drop. While this is unfortunate, it is unavoidable and will be seen historically as part of a necessary cleansing from overindulgence that will result in a sustainable and much higher quality culture beginning in 2015. The challenge for each of us is to get out of denial and adapt to this emerging reality. Each morning, this astrologer rises early to ride his Italian Piaggio motor scooter to Sedona's Java Love Cafe, Mac notebook in a leather case on the scooter hook. There, he researches Celestial Wheel information, writes forecasts that are essentially protests, and puzzles out karmic paths for clients. He appreciates the high quality and elegant minimalism in his life. Less can be more.
|
The Celestial Wheel