The Birth of the Global Elite

While reading an article about how people don't really read anything in depth anymore I sort of glanced through an interesting article in The Atlantic Monthly this morning. And I didn't really read the article in depth. I just noticed that it looked really, really interesting, talking about how there's this subset of hyper rich people who live on an international level and don't have much to do with the rest of us, except maybe give to charity and stuff. Hey, it's Sunday and this is about as religious as I can get it.

The article is called "The Rise of the Global Elite" by Chrystina Freeland (did I get her name right?). It's about the "Plutocratic Elite." Right there we see the Astrobabble burbling up. Plutocratic Elite? Pluto in Sagittarius and Capricorn? Top of the heap? Don't leap? (Sorry that last one rhymed so I just stuck it in).

Freeland says that this new age of young super rich and well educated kids (and their prostitutes, don't forget the hookers) who exist on an International level began when a company called Blackstone (Black=Saturn+Pluto?) equity went public with an offering on June 21, 2007. The owners were able to become Billionaires pretty much instantly. There was also a book signing on that day at somebody's private home about a book which talks about and sort of describes this crowd of super wealthy people. The book was written by some rich guy's daughter who is also rich herself. It's about Rich Mothers or something which I don't understand. Since I only glanced over the article I can't say any more than that. Go buy the magazine. It just makes sense since the Sun was right over the Gemini/Cancer cusp on the Aries Point. Cancer rules Moms and Homes and also Long Distance overseas travels (even rich homes) and the Aries Point is said to bring celebrity of whatever type. Cyberspace, or Your Place? (not clever, but rhymes).

And, this Sun at 30 Gemini is also opposing Pluto 28 Sagittarius Rx, the planet of Power hungriness and hey, dude, act charming and friendly and let's go to that hot new club that nobody else can get in to. Pluto is hovering back and forth over the Galactic Center doing its thing on the spot that is supposed to again get triggered somehow in the 2012 debacle, only with the Earth energy rather than the Pluto energy. (Neptune and Uranus were at this spot in the late 1980s).

June 21, 2007 Blackstone public offering and snobby book publishing party about the rich
Sun 30 Gemini; Moon Virgo; NN 11 Pisces

The Global Aspect of the situation is pretty clear through the middle and outer planets' connections in the chart.

Jupiter, sign of International Relations and Travel, is in its own sign of Sagittarius. It is trining Saturn in Leo - Social connection connected with the Royalty thing. And it is accompanied by Pluto in Sagittarius and as I said Pluto is all about Power and is opposing the Sun which is also about Power. The Power and Fame Game. (I rhymed again).

Also, Uranus is conjunct the Pisces North Node. The Global Connection of wealth made possible by Technology and Science. Uranus and Neptune are in their long term mutual reception. In the chart, this is mirrored on a personal basic by a Moon-Mercury mutual reception.

Saturn 22 Leo is conjunct Venus (money, luxury) and opposing Neptune 22 Aquarius Rx. This isn't really about Sex as much as it is about prestige and personal comfort. Neptune is conjunct Chiron, so that's maybe a clinker, maybe not. These folks might feel twinges of guilt over their situation. (Twinges). They probably can look down from the windows of their personal jets and tell you all about who's starving and raping and pillaging where and how much they have given and will give and maybe will even do a meet n' greet next July after that big merger wraps up.

Mercury is Retrograde in this chart at 11 Cancer. Something about self protection here? Conservative, family values and traditions despite the international thing? Mercury will remain Rx by progression until around 2025 so this generation will certainly enjoy itself. This is a generation which is seeding a whole new set of somethings. Mercury is trining the North node but is unaspected to other planets which gives a sort of isolationist aspect and gives it yet more prominence. I can't say what it will mean. They might collect villages the way I collect yarn balls. It's a Gemini/Cancer thing, to collect.

Oh, and Mars and Jupiter are in their own signs. That's playful. That's firey. Jupiter and Neptune are in accidental dignity. but there are no planets in detriment or Fall. More Blessings. Kind of a set of Fairy Godmother aspects.

Donald Rumsfeld on Your Dance Card

This is another blog that's based on an interview I heard on NPR a few weeks ago. Can't remember the guy's name or his book, or even who interviewed him, it would have been between 11am and noon because that's usually when I'm in my car driving. ((((sorry))))) But, at any rate, the interview was about Donald Rumsfeld and how Donald Rumsfeld has gone through wild swings in popularity even within his own party and chums. He's certainly been on a decline in this area of life what with having been wildly misinformed about things like WMDs in Iraq and Torture in the prisons. Things just didn't go as planned for Don. The whole war just shouldn't have happened. Of course, the real Dick behind this mistake was the Big Dick, but I won't go there. I just wanted to see in this blog entry why Rumsfeld's popularity goes through roller coaster rides as indicated in his chart. For learning purposes. He does seem to have shown a bit of "oopsey" for how things careened out of control which is more than any of us can say for Cheney.

Donald Rumsfeld
b. July 9, 1932 Evanston, Illinois

Sun 18 Cancer; ASC 24 Sagittarius; Moon 3 Libra; MC 17 Libra; NN 21 Pisces

So, Pluto was passing over Rumsfeld's Ascendant as his popularity waned. That indicates a big crisis related to how he looks to others. But, according to the NPR interview this is a repeat performance through Rumsfeld's life.

So, with Sagittarius on the Ascendant we can see the Jupiter influence. Jupiter does things in a big way. It also tends to be very opinionated and that can distance people who don't agree with you.

Then we look at Rumsfeld's Sun in Cancer. That's emotional and reactive. Strong personal need for protection which will sometimes focus outward into the world around. And the Moon which rules Cancer rules the Public sentiment as well. Rumsfeld's Sun is located in his 7th House and is conjunct Pluto in that house. His Ego expression is strongly connected with the impressions of others which may bring about crises (through Pluto).

The Midheaven shows how others see you. It rules your reputation. This is certainly something that would affect popularity. Rumsfeld has a Libra Midheaven, great for Diplomacy and Government dealings. But, Uranus, planet of shock and sudden changes is opposing his MC from the sign of Aries. Right there would be enough to knock anyone around a bit with regards to these aspects of life. But, the Ruler of Rumsfeld's Midheaven is Venus, another planet tied to popularity which is prominently placed and heavily affliced in his chart.

Venus rules Popularity, though, maybe along with Uranus. And I was really curious to see if there were some kind of Retrograde Action going down with Rumsfeld's chart. There is. Rumsfeld's natal Venus is at 2 Cancer Retrograde in his natal chart. This is close to an Aries Point showing that his popularity comes before the public. It is placed on an angle. The Rx shows that there may be complications regarding anything having to do with areas in life that Venus rules, like women, relationships, open enemies, even values if the Taurus sense is used (don't know if that applies here).

Venus is also placed in the 7th House where it is relies on the behaviors of others. This does give talents for Diplomacy and an interest in Politics.

Moving along, we see that Rumsfeld's Venus is squaring his Moon which rules Public Opinion. A square is a hard aspect and indicates a Challenge between the two. This square is emphasized in Rumsfeld's chart because these two planets are in mutual reception with each other and are even caught in a triad loop with the Sun. Sun in Cancer disposits to Moon which disposits to Venus which disposits to Moon... it goes on and on.

The key for Rumsfeld to break this cycle, I suppose, would be to follow the path of his Nodal Axis. That's the key for all of us and good luck doing it.

Rumsfeld's NN is in Pisces. As Pisces rules veils and pink clouds and all the mysteries that don't present itself clearly to us in life I sort of suspect that it rules Terrorism. So Rumsfeld was perhaps abnormally attracted to dealing with Terrorists. He was on target with regards to performing public service and working within institutions. But he would have had to do it through Virgo means. The opposite end of the Pisces pole. Paying strict attention to details, being discerning about what is real and what is not, about how the basic systems work. If it doesn't look like a WMD, if it doesn't act like a WMD, if it doesn't talk like a WMD, then ... it's not going to be a friggin WMD, no matter how evil it is to its own people. Pulling down a Statue of the Leader and televising it to the World, very Neptunian. But, the point with the Nodal Axis is not necessarily to go overboard in expressing the North Node, it's in using the natural energies of the South Node to balance out its expression. At least, that's how I prefer to look at it.