Spitzer & Perry ~ Coming & Going

Two characters who've given the chattering classes plenty to chatter about in the past, and present, shimmied into focus again this week - Eliot Spitzer and Rick Perry. Strange to say, neither of these guys sends me into paroxysms of fury and hatred such as I've noticed in several comment threads, and even in a few articles by writers who fail to see the fairly obvious motes in other eyes.

Eliot Spitzer, former Governor of New York who resigned in 2008 after his habit of consorting with prostitutes was made public, causing a scandal, made worse because he was well-known, in his professional capacity, for having zero tolerance for anyone engaged in the oldest profession - whether service giver or client. Spitzer announced this week that he hopes to return to public office and will run for the New York City comptroller's position, a more modest post than he was used to, and a job he'd likely be capable of with one hand tied behind his back.

I like what I've seen of Eliot Spitzer in interview and when he has appeared on Bill Maher's Real Time. He's been outspoken against the injustices perpetrated by Wall Street's financiers. He's a Democrat, but doesn't seem to have been infected by the spineless kowtowing to oligarchs that has been so evident in that party since they've been in office. He has made some serious errors of judgement in the past, no doubt about that - but no more serious than several other disgraced public servants who have been allowed to bounce back into political life, and are likely far less able than Eliot Spitzer.

Rick Perry, 3-term governor of Texas , announced this week that he would not run for re-election in 2014. He has held the office since 2000 when he succeeded George W. Bush. Perry ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 but blotted his copybook famously during a televised debate. He said he'd eliminate three federal agencies, then could remember only two of them. He covered his embarrassment with an "oops" and a laugh. He was heavily criticized by his opponents for holding more moderate views on undocumented immigrants. As Governor he promotes stiff abortion and reproductive rights legislation, so is not popular with many female Texans. His announcement this week sparked curiosity as to whether the Governor will risk another stab at the presidency.

Rick Perry is, for me, an attractive guy, looks-wise, I do enjoy seeing his photograph - daft as that might sound! His face belies his nature though. I despise most of his policies - but then I despise most of the policies of our President too. Gov. Perry seemed, during those presidential debates in 2011/12, to have a certain charm and nice sense of humour, but not always a firm grasp on reality. Rather than pursuing another job in politics he could do well as a TV personality, though due to what's known about him, at least half his potential audience would already be alienated. I rather hope he does run for the Republican presidential nomination again 2016 - just for the fun of it - and he is easy on the eye, which is more than can be said for the rest of 'em.


Perry and his natal chart were featured in an archived post HERE.
Ha! Looking back on that post I'm reminded why I feel some weird and irrational affinity to Gov. Perry: his natal Venus is just a degree away from my natal Sun.

Eliot Spitzer's chart (12 noon version, no time of birth available) for any passing astrology buffs. He's Gemini Sun and Mercury with Moon and three other planets in Leo. A good combination for a politician- mental acuity, great communication skills, versatility, with an innate draw to leadership and the spotlight.

Rick Perry, Jon Huntsman and the rest...."the race is not to the swift...."

In a couple of GOP debates Rick Perry has revealed his unpreparedness for high office outside (and maybe even inside) Texas. My fears that he might be "The Chosen One" for 2012 by The Powers That Be were unfounded. That's a relief!

He is a rather charismatic guy though, in spite of his whacky political stances. But, as my husband commented: "Perry's is not finger you'd want to have on that dreaded red button". I could like him, in certain environments: a TV presenter with no connection to politics or religion perhaps. That's the way I felt about Mike Huckabee in 2008. He now has a regular TV show, but sadly it soon became politically slanted and increasingly "Fox-ified"; I stopped watching it early on. Rick Perry does have the "X-Factor", personality-wise, that's a rather uncommon phenomenon these days, and likely what has kept him Texas Governor for 10 years. I'll be interested to note what becomes of him after 2012.

So, will Perry's slide into ignominy leave more space for the guy who, by rights, ought to be getting far more publicity: Jon Huntsman?

Huntsman is this year's conservative equivalent of Dennis Kucinich in the last go-around. Kucinich was routinely ignored, ridiculed and placed at the far end of the row of candidates during TV presentations of Dem debates. He was allocated less air time, less column space, less everything. Yet what he proposed was what the 99% NOW say they want! Where were they back in 2007 and 2008? The corporate owned media is at fault. They fear any candidate who is not completely bought and paid for, and they will make sure that any candidate, unlikely to dance to their prescribed tune, will be sidelined.

Although Huntsman is Republican, I get the feeling that he's not one to dance to any tune discordant with his own ideas, which seem to embrace fairness, social justice, empathy and, best of all: the common sense so lacking among his fellow-candidates. Apart from all of that, he is the most experienced, by far, of all his fellows in the field of foreign policy.

I've posted on Jon Huntsman's natal chart already in post here
An excerpt from it:

Sun and Moon in Aries = a pioneer, an initiator, a leader, in both heart and head. He'll have energy to spare, and would not be afraid of "taking the gloves off" faced with aggressive opposition.

Venus and Mercury in gentle intuitive Pisces bring a fine balance to his "harder" Aries side - I like that!

Mars in Aquarius should represent a fighter for social reform. Whereas Republicans generally are not known for true social reform, in his case I suspect he's drawn, at least somewhat, in this direction.

Jupiter and Saturn in Capricorn clearly mark his conservatism and air of authority. Saturn in its sign of rulership is particularly clear on this.

What I especially like in this chart is a Yod (Finger of Fate) with Uranus in Leo (planet of change and the avant garde) at its apex. The Yod links sextiled planets Mercury/Venus and Saturn to Uranus via two quincunx (150 degree) aspects. Characteristics of the planet at apex are said to "flavour" blended attributes of the sextiled planets. In this case planet of change and new ideas is the channel through which are blended Huntsman's conservative/authoritative/communicative/emotional/intuitive characteristics. For those of us who long for change, here's someone to watch!

Transiting Uranus is passing through Aries at present, and already passed his natal Moon once in March, (possibly around the time he decided to make a change in his lifestyle and run as candidate?) Uranus will retrograde back over his Moon later this year and will transit his natal Sun next year and on into 2013. Evidence of change, of some kind. His campaign will be a change of lifestyle in itself, of course. Though the presence of Uranus doesn't indicate success, it does seem significant that its transit will be so close to his natal Sun (self).

So... now that Rick Perry has proved less competent than originally expected; Herman Cain has been accused by four women of sexual harassment, thus impeding his progress in the race for nomination; Mitt Romney, though competent, has a boring "old news" smell about him, and remains a tad lack-lustre.

Newt Gingrich is reported to be "surging" in some recent polls - surging still a wee bit early though. There are some tricky hurdles coming up for him, once in the spotlight.

Jon Huntsman might be next to catch public imagination and come up for the "surge" at last. Could he, originally on the outside of the outsiders, be the one who'll go striding ahead rapidly, in spite of corporate meddlings, as others trip or fall from exhaustion or lack of staying power? He has been consistently proving himself the most sane and reasonable of all the GOP candidates. In fact, if Huntsman were to be the nominee, I'd feel tempted to give him my vote. I'd trust him much further than I trust President Obama - that's how screwy this peculiar political climate has turned me. I'm so glad I registered as Independent; my gut-feeling about the Democrats has proved correct!

Until the Occupy movement gets itself some legs - and a political wing - we'll need a purveyor of common sense in the White House - one we can trust not to stab us in the back. I'm under no illusion that Huntsman is anything like Kucinich though, nor would he right all the wrongs of Wall Street and Washington. But, as an intermediate place-holder until Mr or Ms Right comes along, he'd be my choice.

Screwy? Maybe. Maybe not.

I'm going to use a Bible quote this time ~~ one that fits the situation:

Ecclesiastes 9:11
King James Version

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Prediction By Photograph ? (no astrology)

Michael Shaw's piece at Huffington Post: "Reading the Pictures: TIME's Rick Perry "Near-Nomination" Cover" could qualify as prediction by photography.

As I've remarked before, I suspect that Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, could well be the recipient of help from above - and I do not mean from "Him Upstairs", I mean from "Them Behind the Curtain". If you consider that to be conspiracy theorising, y'all have not been paying attention.


Michael Shaw wrote:

Rockstar photographer, Platon, has done five presidential candidate covers for TIME, three of Obama, one of McCain, and one of Obama and McCain...........assigning someone the likes of Platon to shoot a Perry cover is going to automatically lend a gravity you would otherwise give to someone "just that far away" from the GOP nomination.

Platon (Platon Antoniou), Anglo-Greek born in London in 1968, is a portrait photographer whose subjects have included many presidents and well known world figures.

Taking into consideration the fact that we are more than a year away from the General Election and many months from the Republican primary when a nominee will be chosen.....and there's a line of at least 7 other candidates arguably with equal right to be on TIME's cover......Well, well well, lookee here! A new Chosen One?

Parodying Garth Brooks:

"He's got friends in high places,
Where the power abounds
And the money chases his blues away......"

An Odd Couple ~ For Prez + Vice Prez? ~ Perry + Huntsman

It's an intriguing astrological exercise, though in the end probably pretty futile, to mix and match the Republican 2012 presidential candidates, Prez/Vice Prez-wise. Perry/Bachmann, policy-wise is an easy duo to spot, non-astrologically. I can't imagine the Republican National Committee approving a link-up of two of their farthest-to-the-right, religion-embracing, creationist candidates. Such a link-up would alienate a huge chunk of the moderate conservative electorate.

If Rick Perry were to become the Republican nominee, by dint of his clout from the energy industry, plus a certain amount of personal magnetism, and positive leadership potential, a well-balanced vice-presidential partnership would be with the far more moderate, reasonable and equally personable Jon Huntsman. Huntsman recently stated :"To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy." (Some factions certainly will - call him crazy).

On first thought Perry and Huntsman seem to have little or nothing in common, save the "R" behind their names. I think they'd "gel" better than one might expect, albeit with some areas of potential conflict. Look at their charts in this bi-wheel. Perry's at centre, Huntsman's in the outer wheel:





Perry's Venus at 5 Aquarius helpfully sextiles Huntsman's Sun at 6 Aries.
Perry's Saturn at 16 Virgo is in harmonious trine to Huntsman's Saturn at 17 Capricorn.

Perry's Mercury/Jupiter in Aquarius conjoin Huntsman's Mars in Aquarius - a possible area of conflict of ideas.....as is Perry's Mars at 8 Libra opposing Huntsman's Sun at 6 Aries.

Perry has Taurus rising, Huntsman's rising sign is Cancer: not incompatible, Huntsman being the more sensitive and intuitive of the pair; Perry more muscular in build and temperament - you can even see that in their faces and build!

Interesting balance of compatibility and potential conflict - which would be stronger though?

Grab Bag ~ " Madly off in all directions"...Astro and Other.

Madly off in all directions is from a line by famous Canadian writer and humourist Stephen Leacock in his story Gertrude the Governess. ("Lord Ronald said nothing; he flung himself from the room, flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions.")

Giddy-up then!

A friend and relative kindly passed on to me a link to a Mental Floss piece about Freddie Mercury, published on what would have been his 65th birthday - 5 September. The writer, Stacy Conradt lists 10 things we might not know about the iconic vocalist of the band Queen. This is #1:

He designed the Queen emblem (AKA the Queen Crest) himself, thanks to a degree in art and graphic design from Ealing Art College. The crest is made of the zodiac signs of the whole band – two Leo lions for John Deacon and Roger Taylor, a Cancer crab for Brian May and two fairies to represent Freddie’s Virgo sign. The “Q” and the crown represent the band name, of course, and a phoenix protects the whole thing.

Dharmaruci's 1st September post at Astrotabletalk titled Pluto in Capricorn and Neptune in Pisces: the New Reformation? Is well worth a good long read, with plenty of food for thought.




From Thomas Paine's essay on The Origins of Free-Masonry published in New York, 1818:

Masonry (as I shall show from the customs, ceremonies, hieroglyphics, and chronology of Masonry) is derived and is the remains of the religion of the ancient Druids; who, like the Magi of Persia and the Priests of Heliopolis in Egypt, were Priests of the Sun. They paid worship to this great luminary, as the great visible agent of a great invisible first cause whom they styled " Time without limits."
.........In Masonry many of the ceremonies of the Druids are preserved in their original state, at least without any parody. With them the Sun is still the Sun; and his image, in the form of the sun is the great emblematical ornament of Masonic Lodges and Masonic dresses..............Free Masons Hall, in Great Queen-street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, is a magnificent building, and cost upwards of 12,000 pounds sterling. Smith, in speaking of this building, says (page 152,) "The roof of this magnificent Hall is in all probability the highest piece of finished architecture in Europe. In the center of this roof, a most resplendent Sun is represented in burnished gold, surrounded with the twelve signs of the Zodiac, with their respective characters........................ The Masons, in order to protect themselves from the persecution of the Christian church, have always spoken in a mystical manner of the figure of the Sun in their Lodges, or, like the astronomer Lalande, who is a Mason, been silent upon the subject.

A fascinating piece and super photographs by Michael Simpson, describes how Freemasonry and astrology were involved in the building of Washington DC. Their input can be traced, easily. : Esoteric & Masonic Symbolism In Washington D.C.




Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. is through to the Finale of America's Got Talent, to be held next Tuesday. See also my previous post about him.


He was one of the four finalists chosen by audience votes from this week's 8 semi-finalists. His version of the Rat-Pack favourite "Ain't that a Kick In the Head" was very well received by audience, judges, and us, parked on the sofa. We even agreed (for once) with Piers Morgan's comment - Landau is the only act, from the show, that we'd pay to watch for an hour and a half. He seems like such a lovely guy too. Still can't find his birth date. Anybody?








We watched a DVD of the movie Off the Map recently. Nice story, with the gorgeous Sam Elliot in a starring part.
The storyline features a family living off the grid - attempting to remain self-sufficient, as many people think we should all be aiming to do in coming years, if we and the planet are to survive. How and why this family decided to live as they do isn't touched on in the movie, which is adapted from a play by Joan Ackermann. Keys to the storyline are Sam Elliott's character's deep chronic depression and the arrival of an IRS (tax) auditor.

A storyline relating to a rural family and the arrival of a taxman reminded me, initially, of a beloved British TV series from the early 1990s,
The Darling Buds of May, with David Jason as Pop Larkin - but any similarity ended there. Pop Larkin was definitely not depressed!







Always on my own "learning curve", I try never to miss a chance to investigate stuff I'm hazy about. Like this: a reference to "sui generis" in a piece of writing relating to, would you believe, Sarah Palin?

From rusty memories of grammar school Latin I kind of got the writer's meaning, but to check myself consulted Merriam Webster

Definition of SUI GENERIS: constituting a class alone : unique, peculiar .
Example:
"Among history's greats Leonardo da Vinci is often considered sui generis—a man of such stupendous genius that the world may never see his like again."
Origin: Latin translated: of its own kind
First Known Use: 1754
Synonyms: alone, lone, one, one-off, singular, sole, solitary, special, only, unique

Sarah Palin, sui generis? I guess that works, but not in the way it works for Leonardo! She does have several planets in Aquarius, after all, Aquarius is, I'd propose, the "sui generis" sign.



(Rant warning)Rick Perry, Texas Governor, has been in the GOP nomination race for much shorter time than any of the other candidates, yet he gets publicity and poll numbers way out of proportion to his standing. My gut feeling: he has excessive support from behind-the-scenes people with purse strings and power strings. I understand that Perry is backed by the money men of the energy industry, while Mitt Romney who appears to be his nearest rival at present, is backed by the deep pockets of Wall Street. More reasonable candidates such as Jon Huntsman, though personally wealthy, don't have the necessary outside backing it takes to be properly noticed. It's becoming easier to see the game plan of The Powers That Be as the weeks pass.

Yuk-est moment of the week ocurred in the GOP debate on Wednesday evening when the audience gave a rousing ovation to Perry's stance on the death penalty, his record number of 234 executions, and his response that he "does not struggle" with the possibility of executing an innocent person. Ye gods!!!! Blood pressure rising......What is this, the New Old West or what? Don't these people evolve at all? They don't believe in evolution do they? That answers a lot.

Rick Perry, Bilderberg, New Apostolic Reformation

In one way I'm hoping that Texas Governor Rick Perry, who has said that he is considering a presidential run in part out of a religious calling, decides not to enter the 2012 presidential campaign, but in another way I'm curious to watch the outcome if he joins the fray.

Let me first direct any astro-interested passing readers to two excellent views of his natal chart - then add just a couple of thoughts of my own. (1) Fellow astro-blogger Jude Cowell again comes up trumps with her piece: Rick Perry Prez Bid Awash with Controversy. (2) Michael Wolfstar: with Rick Perry's Mercury
Here's Perry's natal chart. He was born on 4 March 1950 in Paint Creek, Texas. No time of birth is available online, so 12 noon chart used here.



Salient points have been pointed out in the linked articles above, but two things stand out for me: the fact that his Mars and south node of Moon conjoin Fixed Star Vindemiatrix. From Skyscript:

Vindemiatrix, which Ptolemy defined as like Saturn and Mercury, and referred to as 'the bright star in the northern wing', is the third brightest star of the constellation, being less brilliant now than it was in Ptolemy's day. The name is a feminised Latin deviation of the original Greek name, Provindemiator, meaning 'the Grape Gatherer', since the heliacal rising of this star announced the time to pick the grapes.... Although symbolically associated with a time of harvest and thus, one would assume, associated with the rewards of previous efforts, it is generally accorded an unfortunate influence in keeping with its predominantly Saturnine nature. Robson claims that it gives falsity, disgrace, stealing, wanton folly.......

I'm generally wary of Fixed star interpretations, but do feel it's important to note them in cases such as this, where we might glean additional information as to their significance from watching how things unfold.



Secondly, a Yod (Finger of Fate) linking Neptune and Pluto in close sextile (a generational aspect between two slow moving planets) to his Sun via two quincunx (150*) aspects. His Baby-Boomer Leo Pluto links harmoniously to a crowd-pleasing but potentially delusional Neptune in Libra then both funnel into his natal Sun in religiously-oriented, but dreamer-like Pisces Sun.

His three Aquarius planets are quite surprising - though I should be used to finding Aquarius strong in some conservative charts by now - there's a lot of it about! It stems from Saturn, as Aquarius's traditional ruler. Perry was originally a Democrat though, but "changed horses" mid-stream. This is often the sign of an opportunist - and I suspect that is what we may have here.

Perry is no doubt a practiced crowd-pleaser when among "his own", in Texas, but if let loose upon a wildly diverse nation he might not find it as easy to peddle his dreams, as dictated by Bilderberg backroomers.

Bilderberg ??

Here's is what really cranks up my curiosity: Gov. Perry has links to both the New Apostolic Reformation movement of Dominionist Christians (NAR), and the Bilderberg Group. Many of the NAR's leading lights took part in Perry's prayer rally on 6 August in Houston ; and he has attended, and addressed, meetings of the Bilderberg Group.

NAR+ Bilderberg? That is not a combination I'd be happy to see embodied in the POTUS. One of those ingredients, the Bilderberg connection, probably what the US has been experiencing in its presidents for many years past, is much more than enough!

From Corbett Report

The annual meeting of royalty, politicians, business moguls and academics known as the Bilderberg Conference - a yearly get-together of 130 of the who’s who of Europe and North America, from David Rockefeller to Josef Ackermann to Queen Beatrix. The group, which takes its name from the name of the hotel where the first meeting was held, has traditionally convened under a media blackout, with those members of the press and media moguls in attendance agreeing to forego reporting on the proceedings.
Since the group’s founding in 1954, a handful of researchers and independent journalists have worked to expose the group and its activities, but it is only with the rise of the online alternative media that Bilderberg has come to mainstream attention.

The organization has had to become more open in recent years, and now operates an official website, BilderbergMeetings.org, which lists the group’s steering committee membership, agenda of past meetings, and press releases repeating the official justification for the group’s secrecy:
.............. As the annual meeting brings together heads of state, finance and defence ministers, state governors and other elected representatives with private business moguls, attendees are generally breaking the laws of their respective countries in engaging in the conference. Under the Logan Act, for instance, it is a crime for any US citizen to negotiate with a foreign nation on the USA’s behalf.
As a gathering of some of the richest and most influential people on the planet, the conference is a lightning rod for criticism and speculation about the group’s true purpose. This speculation is not unfounded, as investigative journalists like Jim Tucker and Daniel Estulin have been able to predict numerous world events from discussions that their sources were able to smuggle out of past conferences. Such instances include:

Jim Tucker’s successful 2002 prediction based on Bilderberg intel that the Iraq War would be launched in March of 2003.

Daniel Estulin’s on-camera revelation from the 2006 conference that the Bilderberg members were planning to pop the housing bubble later that year to precipitate a general banking crisis.

And Jim Tucker’s 2009 prediction that Bilderberg were going to use the financial crisis to work behind the scenes on the construction of a closer North American governmental integration, something that was once again confirmed by newly-revealed Canadian diplomatic cables detailing how lawmakers have been quietly working on just such an integration for years.

In 1991, a then-unknown governor of Arkansas (Bill Clinton) was invited to attend Bilderberg, the year before becoming President of the United States.

In 1993, Tony Blair attended the Bilderberg meeting in Athens, Greece. The next year, he was appointed leader of the Labour party.

On the campaign trail in 2008, Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama disappeared for a secret meeting near Washington. Their private limos were seen entering the Chantilly, Virginia hotel where the Bilderberg meeting was taking place that same day.

Gov. Rick Perry attended the Bilderberg meeting in Istanbul in 2007, so he is not unknown to the Bilderbergs. However, that fact alone isn't proof that he could be their new "chosen one", as some surmise. We shall see.