So it happened.
In my predictions in Financial Crisis – It’s Not Over Until It’s Over I was wrong by pinpointing 8/1/2010 as the crest of our economic troubles. The economic tsunami came exactly 1 year later.
I think it is because I have mistaken Mars for a trigger of the events. As I’ve said in my article The Moon, the trigger was the lunar eclipse that came on the darkest day of last year – the winter solstice. It fell on those sensitive degrees, marked by planetary war on American Venus that I have described in Financial Crisis article.
This lunar eclipse made things darker and bigger. Not only our economy has trembled, but the political debacle over debt-ceiling marked the crisis of our government as well.
Our country is in the free fall, just like financial markets, because our government was found to be absolutely inept.
Here I’d like to cite from an article I found on the internet today:
“Economics professor Bradford Delong, from the University of California-Berkeley, says the damage done through the six months of wrangling over the debt ceiling, which analysts note has been lifted 78 times since 1960 and 49 times under Republican presidents, was a distraction the US could ill afford.
Writing in the Australian Financial Review, Professor Delong decries the neglect of all the “useful policies that might have been debated and enacted, but were not”, citing climate change initiatives, policies to boost employment, education and healthcare financing, plus improvements to America’s “decaying infrastructure”. These policies, he believes, would help improve the economy in the long run and bring down unemployment that, according to the US Bureau of Statistics, is at a high of 9.2 per cent. Looming large also was the loss of standing as “conductor of the international economic orchestra”, Professor Delong wrote, warning that if the US can no longer be relied upon as the arbiter of global governance, then the world needs to develop “other institutions for global management” – and fast.”
Well, Chinese are already issuing warnings of dollar devaluation, acting as the financial cop of the world – the title previously reserved for the U.S. government.
We are sliding from our perch of super-power to the “also has been” super fast, and there are not enough grown-ups on the Capitol Hill to save us. I think I was overly optimistic in all my predictions. I think I should revise them as follows:
a) the U.S. is going to be marred in prolonged depression, with real unemployment (counting those who are no longer eligible for benefits) at about 30%. The wage and property deflation are going to make 90% of the population to be so poor as living hand-to-mouth. Meanwhile, groceries, gas and transit costs are going to grow at 10% – 20% inflation rates.
The economy is going to contract until 2014, when it may begin to show some growth again.
The majority of the population will remain poor for many years to come though, as policies and competition over jobs would wipe out unions and, with them, the remnants of the middle class. In other words, we are no longer going to be the consumer society, with 70% of economy depending on consumption.
b) The crime and civil unrest would become much more evident for many years to come.
c) Politics would continue to make our government more and more disfunctional
d) The good news is we are likely to stop making wars abroad
e) Europe is not likely to be spared either. Once Germany is going to find itself unable to carry the rest of the European states, European Union is likely to disintegrate back into miriad of states, and so will the euro.
f) Chinese economy will faulter as well, as dollar and euro falls, but it will survive and will take the super-power title
g)Russia, Canada, Australia, Brazil and India will fair much better, getting stronger over the next decade, while the U.S. and Europe are going to struggle to survive.
h) Africa, Afghanistan and Middle East are going to continue to be the worst places to live in, maintaining the global terror threat.
In other words, it sucks, and whatever Obama or the next administration is going to do is going to be too little too late.
Posts Tagged ‘politics’
AMERICAN ECONOMY S.O.S.
Posted by Ella Moss on August 9, 2011
Posted in American economy, astrology, economy, FINANCES, global economy, labor market, politics, predictions, Uncategorized | Tagged: Africa, astrological predictions, astrology, Capitol Hill, China, civil unrest, crime, dollar, economy, euro, Europe, financial crisis, global economy, government, great depression, India, mars, money, Moon, Obama, Pluto in Capricorn, politics, predictions, recession, terror, unemployment, war, worry | Leave a Comment »
THE ENEMIES IN OUR MIDST OR HOW TO KILL THE WORLD’S LARGEST ECONOMY
Posted by Ella Moss on June 11, 2011
I just heard on the news that the 3rd Al Queda biggie was killed, giving the U.S. the edge on that murky shapeless war on terror we have been officially waging since 2001.
While I am happy to hear these news, I think that even we were to win the 4 wars (1.this “war on terror”; 2. in Afghanistan; 3. in Iraq; 4. in Lybia), we’ve been waging since the fateful 2001 (and I am not counting the “war on drugs”), we are heading to lose our way of life.
It’s not the democracy I am worried about here, but material comfort and relative peace on the streets (outside of occasional shootings and muggings).
It appears that there has been another war waging, and it is on American economy.
It’s beginnings are murky. But I would trace it as far back as Reagan’s Administration, that first began an unofficial war on unions. Unions make labor-intensive manufacturing very expensive and eat into profits of investors.
Well, nobody likes unions (except for unions’ bosses), so what’s the big deal?
The big deal is that everybody likes the middle class.
The middle class is as essential to any economy, as an engine to a car. Without it, economy is dead.
Even if we were to end up with a few thousands of super rich dudes, while the rest of us would struggle to survive (i.e. the middle class would disappear completely), all the many billions of these super rich would not create the job growth a multi-million population requires. They would invest into emerging markets, not the dying ones.
Why would they create a factory of any kind in the U.S., where people are struggling to stretch a dollar to pay rent, bills and buy groceries and their discretional income is so tight that all they can afford is cheap Chinese goods in Walmart, when these super rich investors can build a factory in Brazil, or India, or same China, where people are eager to spend their increasing earnings?
By the way, is not it one of the main reasons, that the numbers of unemployed right now stay where they are despite us giving continuous tax breaks to these super rich?
Yes, the second attack on American economy began during the prosperous 1990s, when Clinton Administration signed away any kind of protection of American labor force, and internet was born (internet makes outsourcing a breeze).
Suddenly, American labor force had to compete with the labor force of other countries, and American people could no longer ask for wage increase, because the majority of the world’s labor force was so much cheaper and just as good.
It took about 10 years for Americans to notice that their incomes were stagnating while their bills grew. They kept waiting for their personal prosperity to come, while changing jobs, professions and investing into 401K and increasingly expensive real estate.
But Clinton Administration also approved the deregulation of financial markets.
Suddenly, the credit was so cheap and so available, that the American people have not noticed that their actual discretional income was dwindling to nothing.
Why worry, if one could still buy a McMansion, and buy even more stuff by turning the McMansion into an ATM machine?
Yes, 1990s were prosperous. The economy was booming as people were eager consumers. The problem was that everything was bought on credit rather then with actual money.
Everyone was expecting the actual income to catch up, as it used to.
But it did not, because so many jobs have either left the country or paid as much as in other (read CHEAPER) countries.
Eventually, the credit bubble had to burst, and it did in 2008.
If the federal government did not pump money into the banks that lost the money by lending it to population so indiscriminately, The economy would have simply collapse like it did in Argentina in 1990s.
Americans were saved, although suddenly they came face to face with their economic reality and realized they were so much poorer than a decade ago.
So many of them have lost their job, that those who did not no longer dared to ask for a wage increase or benefits or union perks. In fact, they started giving up their last benefits and perks just so they could keep a job.
And that is when the final attack on American economy began.
Since it was now the federal government that was pulling the economy down the road as its engine, the middle class, stalled, the enemies in our midst began to attack the federal government.
The ideas Obama put on the table were nothing short of brilliant: invest federal dollars into aging crumbling infrastructure and green economy – labor-intensive enterprises that must hire domestic labor force. Every created job would spur on 10s of other jobs, and the economy would begin humming again.
But the enemies in our midst thought otherwise. Suddenly, federal deficit began to be used as a panic-inspiring weapon of choice.
Of course, the surplus that Clinton Administration left the country with would have been a much better deal. But if credit is sparse everywhere else, how else would you come up with money needed to pump the economy?
The enemies in our midst said, “Let starve the federal government of tax income, let’s keep taxes low so the few super rich would invest their money into economy. The government is too big and lives beyond its means. Its deficit is going to bankrupt our children”.
Americans love their children, so anything threatening the kids works as a great scarecrow.
They are also badly educated (read my American Education Reform ).
So Obama’s proposals were decimated, the government began shedding its work force, unemployment came back to its pick numbers, and unions everywhere lost their power and benefits.
Now there is no one to pull our economy from the brink. Those who are employed, work at REDUCED wages, that are getting closer to the 3rd world range.
Meanwhile, every single life staple, like groceries, rent, cable bills, insurance, etc. doubled or more in price (as compared to 10 yrs ago or less). Even those who work at median salaries have less money to buy desirable but unnecessary things.
This means that businesses producing and selling anything that is not a life staple make less profit so they begin to shed their labor force.
The less there is labor force, the less income the government gets. Since deficit is now a dirty word, the government has no choice but shed its work force and cut services to the impoverished population.
Now the time came to put the final nails into the coffin of what used to be the largest world economy: refuse to raise the ceiling on federal credit.
Once the federal government loses its credit-worthiness, watch American economy collapse into THE GREATER THAN THE GREAT DEPRESSION ditch.
The idiot dream of labor-intensive manufacturers like Koch brothers would come true:
labor in America would become as cheap as in Africa.
Unfortunately, the American workers would no longer be able to afford using the toilet paper they manufacture for Koch brothers. Like their African brethren, they would have to use tree leaves to wipe their asses. So Koch brothers would eventually go broke too.
No, it is not the federal deficit that threatens the future of our children. It is our inability to discern the enemies in our midst.
As for the scary federal deficit, it was Reagan administration that first racked it up into the trillions. Then Bush administration turned the surplus into another multi-trillion dollar debt. No one screamed of deficit while republicans were in power. The congress did not attack neither of the republican presidents for taking us into expensive wars (Reagan’s Panama blitz, Nicaragua fiasco, etc.; Bush’s Afghanistan, Iraq and the amorphous war on terror).
No, I am not happy at all with Lybia war either. I just don’t think it matters much anymore.
Like I predicted in 2008, “FINANCIAL CRISIS – IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER”
Posted in American economy, economy, education, education reform, FINANCES, global economy, labor market, opinion, personal finance, politics, predictions, Uncategorized | Tagged: Al Queda, Bush, deficit, economy, financial crisis, global economy, great depression, India, Iraq, money, news, Obama, outsourcing, politics, predictions, Reagan, recession, taxes, unemployment, war, worry | 5 Comments »
THE MOON
Posted by Ella Moss on March 20, 2011
Today, 3/19/11, the Moon comes closest to Earth in 18 years, and, as soon as it gets dark, I am heading across the street to the park to witness the most giant Moon of my life time.
To be sure, I’ve witnessed enormous moons in Catskills during summers of 2004 – 2006. The Moon was not anywhere near its perigee at that time, so I have no idea what has caused that phenomena.
The last time the Moon was at its perigee was in 1993 – the year my eldest nephew was born. He has conjunction of the Sun, the Moon, Venus and Mercury in Cancer. Since the Moon rules Cancer, he has got a truly powerful Moon in his chart!
He is a very bright young man. He aced through the best specialized public schools in NYC and now is studying in Hunter on full scholarship.
Everyone I’ve met with Sun / Moon conjuction in Cancer has impressed me with their powerful mind. When I was teaching at Manhattan Astrology School, I came across a few students with this combination. Without fail, they all were the brightest students of mine. They seemed to soak up my teachings so immediately and fully, as if they’ve read my mind and soak up my experience in addition to my spoken words.
Both, Cancer and Moon are ruled by water, which certainly adds psychic sensitivity to these people.
But Pisces, ruled by Neptune, is by far the most psychic of all zodiac signs. Yet my Pisces students and students with the Moon and / or ascendant in Pisces were much more ordinary. Also, regular Cancer students, or the students with the Moon or ascendant in Cancer did not impress me as much.
So it is the Sun/ Moon conjuction in Cancer that produces such agile minds.
In fact, people with Sun/ Moon conjunction in any sign tend to have a much greater IQ than average. Interestingly, many years ago, there was a lengthy article in one of the astrology magazines, where the author studied charts of members of some genius club in England. All members had to have 140+ IQ to be admitted.
The author produced 13 charts for that article, while studying Mercury positions there. What struck me though, that all of them contained Sun/ Moon conjunctions in various signs.
So to me, it is the Sun/ Moon conjunction that enhances our intellect, and, in my experience, this conjunction in Cancer trumps them all.
I should quickly add, that not having such conjunction does not lower your chances for brightness.
The mother of this nephew of mine has also been the brightest in my family for many years. She has no such conjuction, and her only planet in Cancer is Jupiter. Moreover, she was born in 1967 – an unremarkable year in terms of the Moon.
Now there is an even brighter person in our family: my other nephew, Anish Giri (born June 28, 1994), who is a chess prodigy. He met his final grandmaster norm at the age of 14 years, 7 months and 2 days when he beat Venezuelan GM Eduardo. He also became the youngest chess champion of Netherlands. On top of it, he is an excellent student and speaks 5 languages.
Yes, he is a Cancer, but with the Moon in Pisces. Like Cancer Sun/ Moon conjunction, this combination calls for extreme psychic impressionability, but it does not guarantee an exceptional IQ.
Interestingly, Vedic astrology favors full Moon charts when it comes to scoring higher intellect.
My own chart is such, and, although I never measured my IQ until a few years ago, I know that it must have been in 150+ range. I had photographic memory, was incredibly intuitive (my Moon is in Sagittarius – the sign of intuition) and managed to learn 4 years worth of middle and high-school physics in 3.5 days, scoring respectable B on the exam.
Unfortunately, the loss of almost all of my blood in 1998 robbed me of photographic memory, and then consistent lack of sleep for 3.5 yrs after giving birth to my son has taken another 20 points of my IQ. I am still bright enough to notice that I am not as smart as I used to be:)
But the point is, the Moon has a lot to do with how smart we are, much more so than Mercury – which represents the faculty of mind that is more akin to a computer. As we know, the most powerful computer would not be much of help to an idiot.
In traditional Western astrology, the quickness of the mind is measured by how fast the Moon was moving on the day of birth. Yet the Moon represents our feelings and emotions.
In Vedic astrology, the Moon represents the mind, period.
Yes, these 2 branches of astrology differ in much more ways than the what type of zodiac they use.
In Western astrology, the Moon invokes what we consider to be the soul: feelings, emotions, subconscious mind, while the Sun represents our self-identity (ego + super-ego). In Vedic, the Sun invokes the soul.
But those could be just cultural differences as in what the soul or mind/ consciousness mean to us.
What’s more interesting, that in Vedic astrology, the whole zodiac is dedicated to the Moon. Vedic astrology uses Siderial zodiac, which is based upon actual constellations of the ecliptic belt. These constellations are subdivided into 27 Moon mansions, and these 27 subdivisions represent the heart of Vedic astrology. Moreover, Vedic astrologers also like to read a chart from the position of the natal Moon.
This is so, perhaps, because emotional quotient of our lives is much more important to us then the events causing the emotions. In other words, we measure our lives not by how many breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
But it also could be that by ruling our subconscious mind, the Moon truly rules our lives.
I watch Bachelor from time to time, and I found this last season to be particularly fascinating for this reason. The Bachelor, Brad Womack, seriously fell for a single mom, who lost the father of her child to a plane crush 6 years ago. Even though she declared falling in love with Brad, she kept saying that the dead man IS the love of her life. She also admitted to sabotaging all her consequent relationships. Now we know she did the same to Brad.
I believe, consciously she may have been ready for a new man in her life. She said, she dreamt of a wedding, and she did go on The Bachelor despite being intensely private and reserved.
But subconsciously she does not want a relationship for a few reasons:
a) She is terrified of the pain of a possible heart-break (she is aware of that)
b) She is afraid to diminish the memories of her first love or even to cheat on them, perhaps, by replacing them by an actual relationship
I doubt she is aware of this second reason, but it is most likely the main reason why she sabotages her relationships.
There is possibly the 3rd reason:
c) Her great love for the dead man makes her special, and she is afraid to lose that “specialness”.
In other words, as much as she appears to be altogether, incredibly poised and coiffed, subconsciously she is a total mess, and without years of therapy, she is likely to remain single forever.
There was one scene in The Bachelor, that was especially telling to me:
Brad comes over and tries to declare his palpable love for her by saying that he is ready to be the real father to her daughter. But instead of accepting this declaration for what it was, she is grilling him on what does he know about being a father.
So no matter how she may want a relationship consciously, she is most likely to go without it for subconscious reasons.
In fact, every time we fail at something we consciously desire, we should take a good look at our subconscious needs.
As another example of subconsciousness being truly in charge of our lives, I may give you my observations of the homeless men I’ve got to know while volunteering for Coalition For The Homeless some years ago: they all thought badly of money. They called it “The devil’s issue”, “the evil”, “the plague”, etc. I realized then that they all were homeless not because of mental illness, alcoholism, or drug addiction most of them suffered from – as there are plenty of rich crazies, alcoholics and drug-addicts. These ones were poor because subconsciously they were afraid of money.
When we come out of the womb, we are already equipped with our subconscious mind, as oppose to all other mental faculties that take some time to develop.
That’s why the Moon in a natal chart is also associated with the mother (the first person we get to know), and with nurturing (the first activity we are exposed to). As we begin to grow, these psychological roots expand to include home, family, country and all we know we belong to. And all these psychological roots are ruled by the Moon.
Memories, both conscious and subconscious, are how our psychological roots grow, and, of course, the Moon rules our memories.
People like me, with Mercury in Cancer (the sign ruled by the Moon) are famous for our excellent memories.
I am, maybe, more so than others, since I remember 27 of my many past lives.
Of course, not all of these memories occurred to me naturally. While only 2 have appeared to me consciously unprompted, the rest came via deep meditation, past lives regressions, recapitulation and other techniques.
This brings me to what I think the Moon really represents: our astral bodies.
When we die, we leave only physical body behind. But our souls have other bodies: astral, casual, etc. When we re-incarnate, the astral body keeps the imprints of all our previous lives. Those memories don’t disappear. They are simply relegated to the subconscious realm, and so are relatively easy to be accessed.
But like the real Moon that is visible to us only when the Sun sets, we can see our subconsciousness when the conscious mind is temporarily shut off. This is called hypnosis. After all, as a certified hypnotherapist, I should know this. And as such, I’ve been privileged to glimpse the incredible subconscious realm.
There, our calendar age easily coexist with our babyhood, and feelings generated by a past life centuries ago are as strong as if time did not exist.
In fact, to our subconsciousness TIME DOES NOT EXIST. It only knows the present, and it cannot differentiate between events of a life long past and the present.
It is also easily malleable – just like a baby. Yet our conscious mind -the grown up in us, represented by the Sun astrologically – is powerless before it. As long anyway, as it does not venture into the vast darkness of the subconsciousness.
Until then, we may only think we know why we relate to the world the way we do. The true reasons – the memories, the feelings – are buried in the Moon’s realm.
There are many good reasons for why the luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, are given rulership to the day (conscioness / the Sun) and the night (subconsciousness / the Moon) of our being. If you were, say, a serial killer in a previous life, you would not want these memories to surface now. You might not be able to live with yourself in this life.
Each life is given to us as an opportunity to redeem ourselves, and each new identity we develop when reincarnating is, in a sense, a clean slate that allows us to start anew. While our subconsciousness keeps track of all our karmic debts, not knowing them consciously helps finding new solutions to old problems.
Interestingly, this all powerful satellite of ours, the Moon, has been slowly moving away from us. While this is totally unnoticeable in one life time, 100,000 years ago the Moon would have seem as huge at its apogee as it does now at its perigee. I can only imagine what the slow disappearance of the Moon may mean for humanity. Does it mean that in a million years from now, humans will remember all their past lives? Does it mean that our descendants then would no longer be slaves to the misconceptions of their subconsciousness? Would they lose emotions completely or simply be able to control them perfectly?
Are we going to lose the tides of the oceans and would our volcanoes go silent?
When eclipses disappear, would it mean that so would the reasons for these bad omens?
Talking about eclipses, I think I wrote The Meaning Of Solstice Eclipse too soon. Look what happened in Japan. Plus, we started THE THIRD WAR in the Middle East, and Republicans are using whatever power they have regained to kill our fledging economy completely.
Normally, such terrible powers emanate only from Solar eclipses, but this one was LUNAR. And with the Moon at its perigee, it now appears to be more sinister than ever. Not to mention, that it ties into the great grand cross of 2010, falling into 1st cardinal degree.
Perhaps, I’ve misread Mars as the trigger point of that Grand Cross. I am relatively new to mundane astrology, and so eclipses are hard for me to read yet. But, perhaps, the real trigger was this sinister lunar eclipse that fell on the darkest night of the year. Certainly, 2011 is shaping as the most unsettling year for humanity, and the solstice eclipse is the obvious harbinger of this swirling darkness all around. After all, the darkness is the realm of the Moon.
Posted in American economy, astrology, economy, education, enlightenment, FINANCES, global economy, politics, predictions, spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged: Anish Giri, astral body, astrological predictions, astrology, astrology school, Brad Womack, Cancer, economy, global economy, Grand Cross, homeless, hypnosis, IQ, Japan, karmic debts, life, Lunar Mansions, middle east, mind, money, Moon, mother, night, Pisces, politics, power, predictions, relationships, republicans, school, soul, subconsciousness, The Bachelor, the Sun, Vedic astrology, war, worry | 6 Comments »
THE MEANING OF SOLSTICE ECLIPSE
Posted by Ella Moss on January 22, 2011
Since the times immemorial, eclipses have been considered to be the bad omen of troubling times to come.
But astrologers have been all over the place on how to read them. This is the reason why I normally don’t do eclipses.
So even though I guessed that this particular eclipse has got to be THE MAJOR EVENT IN THE SKY OF MY LIFE TIME (the last one like this happened in 1638), I waited to see what other astrologers had to say about it and watched the events unfold.
Its symbolism did not escape me though: an eclipse is a bad omen because the darkness swallowing a luminary. But this one was to be the doubly dark, occurring on the darkest night of the year.
The most interesting discussion among astrologers on this topic centered on the symbolism of the zodiacal degree this eclipse occurred in. These were Western astrologers. They used Tropical zodiac and Sabian symbols. I don’t give Sabian symbols much credence, so I looked to see what Vedic astrology has to say about the degree symbolism.
Vedic astrology uses Siderial zodiac (based on actual constellations), and it imbued each zodiacal degree with deep imaging and meaning that is uncanny in its accuracy.
So this is what I found:
It fell into nakshatra of Mula (0′ – 13’20 of siderial Sagittarius). Mula is symbolized by intertwined roots and translates from Sanscrit as “Root” or “inner core”, suggesting it being central to the web of karma. Anything occurring in Mula is very important karmically.
Mula, these 13’20 of zodiacal belt, is ruled by demonic goddess Nritti, whose name itself translates from Sanscrit as “Calamity”. Moreover, she is the daughter of Adharma (vileness) and Himsa (violence), and the mother to Mrityu (death) and Bhaya (fear).
This tells me I have to be on look out for some kind of karmic calamity that brings on violent death and strikes fear into the hearts of men.
The good thing about Nritti, though, is that all her calamities are destined to bring on the greater good.
The very degree of this lunar eclipse is falling into Gemini navamsa. Gemini and its ruler Mercury are all about communication and travel. Alas, Mercury at the time of the eclipse was retrograde! So the karmic calamities I have to look for have to be about miscommunication, travel troubles and the like.
So let see, we had
1)European blizzard that held travelers hostage at the airports and brought Western Europe to a standstill.
2)We had North American blizzard, that caused quite a few deaths, and held passengers stranded in NYC subway for more than 7 hrs.
3)We had disastrous Australian floods and
4)deadly Brazilian floods
5)We had mass murder by Safeway supermarket in Tusa (Nritti has a weird sense of humor)
did I miss anything?
Interestingly, the eclipse was best viewed from Western Europe, North America, Hawaii, some countries of the far east and New Zealand.
What greater good may come out of it? Well, English are bound to get more snow-plows for their airports, NYC will now put tire chains on its buses and ambulances, and we may finally put back sanity into our political discourses (hopefully).
I have been feeling the effect of the eclipse personally too. Perhaps, because it affected my natal Mercury, or because Mercury was retrograde during the event, my life has been plagued by plans and communications going awry ever since.
Someone, please tell me how long the effect would last!
I hope it is not going to take 2 years like a solar eclipse!
My son’s natal chart was affected much more seriously, squaring his IC/ MC axis and Mars, while falling into his 6th house. So far though, only one negative thing has occurred in his life:
He has been attending a free after-school program (the only kind I could afford) 3 days / wk. On Tuesday, he had guitar lessons and on Thursdays he had choir practice. Last week though I was called to the program director’s office, where I was told that Nick’s absence twice a week from program negatively affects their funding and that I had to choose between their program and Nick’s musical aspirations.
Of course, I had to choose the program. I must work to pay my rent. My ex’ unemployment benefits have expired this month, and he still has no job (i.e. I have no child support).
I suppose, a homeless daddy is becoming a real possibility for my son, and that could be another Nritti’s calamity for him…
Check your planets within 1 degree from 2′ of Cancer or Capricorn, and tell me your story. Let’s figure out this eclipse together.
Posted in astrology, predictions, spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged: Arizona, Australia, blizzard, Brazil, calamity, death, Europe, floods, lunar eclipse, Mercury, Mercury retrograde, Mula, nakshatra, navamsa, Nritti, politics, Sabian symbols, Safeway, siderial zodiac, solstice, tropical zodiac, Tusa, Vedic astrology | 6 Comments »
ON TAXES, UNIONS, JOBS AND DANGEROUS POLITICS
Posted by Ella Moss on October 25, 2010
1. JOBS
What job would you prefer:
a) a job that has annual wage increase specified in the contract, over-time pay for all work done beyond 40 hours on weekdays, all benefits and pension one can live on after 10 years or so of service
b) 60+ hours per week, high stress job with no benefits, no over-time pay, no pension whatsoever and wages just above minimum specified by congress
If you said “a”, you prefer either government or a union job, if “b” (WHO ARE YOU?!) – you’re gunning for a private sector.
Since it is a buyer market, whether we talk real estate or jobs, that’s how private sector job looks like right now.
Our government is putting even more teeth into the buyer market by trying to cater to those we do not name who want less government, less unions, and, yes, less taxes. The government cuts down on hiring, and laying off as many people as possible. Our future governor Cuomo promises to cut agencies and authorities by another 20%. New York 18b panel is going to put another 1000 lawyers on the street.
Last December, a partner of a medium size law firm told me of a job interview for a associate position:
“She told me, ‘I was making $120,000 at so and so. I’ve said, ‘We do not pay above $75,000. And she took it!”
I would not be surprised, that next year he would offer $35,000 for the same job.
Now, you need at least 7 years of higher education to become a lawyer (all those student loans), and then you take on a 60+ hrs / wk high stress job. It used to be that at least salary was worth it. Not anymore.
Make no mistake, employers (me included) would really prefer slave labor. So with no competition, we would do our best to get as close to that ideal as possible.
Once “Tea buggers” are elected, we may even pass a slave law in congress.
2.Unions
We all hate unions. They make everything more expensive. Look at MTA: every year we pay more for public transportation despite lack of tangible improvements, while their workers get paid more than lawyers, have all benefits and can comfortably retire at 55 years of age. I personally may never be able to retire at all. And then they even have a nerve to strike once in a while!
Now teachers union is under fire. Just think, once you have a tenure, all you need is to show up at work – working itself is not required.
But do you know that before unions came into being, there was no tangible middle class at all? Do you realize that the U.S. became a prosperous country only when unions gained strength and created huge middle class?
When 90% of people earn subsistence wages only, they have no discretional income to buy all that producers of goods and services want them to buy. So producers cut on production and lay people off, and economy contracts even further. Take a look at how people used to live before unions: their houses hardly had closets (most people had only one or 2 dresses), the houses were much smaller and often 10 people would live in 1 room. Oh, by the way, most people in Africa or Bungladesh, or Mexico still live that way. They have no unions and lots of almost-slave labor.
Do you still want to get rid off unions?
3. TAXES
Like everyone else, I try to pay as little tax as possible. After all, it’s my money that the government takes away. The government is so wasteful, and it has no clue that I need another computer, or that I have to take my kitten to a vet.
But the grown up in me knows that taxes in a democratic society is really a money pool for services we all collectively need like:
schools, public transportation, law enforcement, firefighters, and even a helping hand when we become old and feeble or lose a job, etc.
Sometimes, of course, this money pays for something we don’t like. I don’t like wars. Some don’t like welfare.
But a strong society should have some military might (we do get attacked – 9/11 comes to mind, for instance), and a strong society should take care of its needy (or we may have riots, revolutions, or, at least, whole a lot of crime).
It tickles me that “Mama Grisly” and her brood are so against taxes and government. Alaska gets more government subsidies than any other state. What are they going to do out there once they cut our taxes: eat snow?
So the Republicans and people who drink spiked tea say that stimulus has not worked (even though their leader Bush Jr. approved it first – because they collapsed our economy). They want less taxes, less government jobs and strangle the unions out of existence. In other words, they want to create African way of living in North America (this way they would not have to import slaves, as we would have plenty of them right here).
Interestingly enough, many of them are not rich. They simply drink spiked tea and think they may become so.
They may be faithful followers of trickle-down economics. The latter was not invented by Reagan. It has been in existence until 20th century. But now the rich invest wherever they find the cheapest labor, and it is not the U.S. (yet).
The truly rich, by the way, tend to be democrats and are ready to pay taxes, because they are much better educated and they dig history and economics.
But they are spineless, and as soon as those on spiked tea yell at them, they too begin to talk cutting government (good jobs), unions (good jobs) and taxes that create those good jobs…
Posted in American economy, economy, FINANCES, global economy, labor market, opinion, personal finance, politics, predictions, Uncategorized | Tagged: Bush, economy, economy solutions, financial crisis, global economy, great depression, jobs, money, politics, taxes, trickle-down economics, unemployment, unions | 14 Comments »
EAST VS WEST
Posted by Ella Moss on September 6, 2010
As I was growing up some 20-30 years past WWII in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), its ghosts were all around. Kids from my neighborhood would still blow up grenades, and other old and unused ammunition we’d find in the ground, sometimes with deadly consequences. Everyone had family stories about the war, and every family has lost someone to that war. My very own grandma had to kill her second child, who was born during a bombing, when Leningrad was under siege. Everyone was starving then, she had no milk, and nothing to feed her baby with. So one day, as the baby lay down next to her, crying, she put pillow to his face. Then she sent my 10 yr old father to fetch people to help to bury his brother. She went to her grave still crying about that…
So I was growing up certain that humanity would never have another terrible war like this one.
Well, I’m no longer so certain of our maturity.
It appears, that during the last 50 years of the past century, 2 worlds were growing: the Western and Eastern (Muslim). Western world has been prospering and fostering tolerance and acceptance. Muslim world was getting riches too, but the great majority of it still lived in poverty, and it grew dark, intolerant, jealous and hateful. So these 2 worlds grew apart, and then, one day, the Muslim world attacked the Western world.
It was in 1993, and I just happened to be at the WTC shopping mall where I bought a skiing bag 15 minutes before the bombing, as I was planning to go skiing with my friends that Friday.
After seing all those wounded, and, perhaps, some dead, I quit my job that day, and went skiing, determined to enjoy my every moment on earth.
But because only 6 people died, and the WTC kept on standing, no one, including me, paid attention to the growing Muslim menace.
Sure, I’ve noticed that all wars around me seemed to be involving muslims, and I was wondering to myself – what is it about that religion that makes people so blood thirsty…
But then, in 1997, I happened to find myself in Pakistan, living for 4 days with a fundamental Muslim family.
This was a very good, happy family. The wife and the mother of 4 children was obviously adored, respected and cherished. The 3 girls, ages 10, 15 and 17, were well taken care of, studying in school and planning to go to college (they all wanted to be doctors). All 4 women in the family laughed a lot and easily – a good sign of happy people. It was their choice to cover themselves in black burka, when they were heading out. They could not go outside their home past 6 pm, if unaccompanied by a male relative, but even that somehow turned out to be a sign of being cherished and protected.
When I was comparing my free western life to theirs, I could feel a pang of jealousy: neither me nor any other western woman I knew were as cherished, revered and protected. But then it is another topic altogether.
I just wanted to say that I was enamored by Pakistani people I’ve encountered there: they were so open, so hospitable, so generous…
And then, 9/11 happened.
This time I was about 14 blocks away. But I could still see the II WTC falling in the cloud of yellowish white dust.
As I was walking home all the way to the Northern tip of Manhattan (no one could get a ride that day), I was hating all Muslims and Arabs like I never hated anyone before. My heart was churning blackness.
But at about 55th St., a car stopped by me and a guy asked me if I need a ride. I gladly accepted (I had another 130+ blocks to go).
My driver just happened to be a Pakistani. I immediately thanked God for this “coincidence”, as I knew it was a reminder not to hate the whole nation or religion.
Of course, when I got home, the Palestinian family who lived across the hall from me was having a party, ordering pizza, smoking and dancing right there in the hallway….
Still I was sad, when nice Afghani people closed their fast food joint across the street that day, and never re-opened, being afraid of us, people waiving American flags.
And that’s how the Great War of East and West really began in earnest. West has attacked 3 Eastern countries since then, and one was destroyed completely. But because that country was completely innocent of all attacks on the West, the West has destroyed its reputation and further damaged its already wounded economy.
But now the Muslims have decided to exploit the West’s famous tolerance and build a mosque 2 blocks away from the ghosts of the 2 towers they have destroyed.
Of course, these are not the same Muslims that destroyed the Towers. Those are dead. These other Muslims who want to build the mosque may very well be very nice people (like those who hosted me in Pakistan).
But now we know that we are at war. And I know that there are Muslims like my Palestinian neighbors who partied on 9/11. Those kind of Muslims would look at this mosque like their flag raised above the graves of the enemy. That would hurt. A lot.
And I don’t think that we, the Western world, would lose whatever is left of our tolerance (let’s face it, we don’t have much left – but that’s another topic), if we ask those Muslims angling for the mosque to build it 20+ blocks away.
Just, please, don’t keep reminding us at the grave of 3,000 people about those who murdered them one sunny beautiful day 9 years ago….
Posted in opinion, politics, Uncategorized | Tagged: 9/11, bombing, East, flag, grave, Iraq, life, mosque, Muslims, NYC, Pakistan, politics, the WTC, tolerance, war, West, worry, WWII, WWIII | 3 Comments »
FIXING AMERICAN ECONOMY
Posted by Ella Moss on October 27, 2008
Like all of us, I’ve been listening for weeks now of how the presidential candidates are proposing to fix our economy. This morning, McCain came out with all his financial advisers with the statement on how he would do it.
Well, his proposal scares me. But Obama’s take on the economy does not make me feel any better either.
As I was washing dishes and doing laundry, I came up with the following thoughts:
1) HOUSING CRISIS has been long overdue. Only a simpleton would think that real estate prices would always go up and never come down. The market rules apply here, as everywhere else. Since most of the housing market caters to middle class, as soon as it reaches unaffordability level for middle class, it has to go bust. That is called “Market Correction”, and that is what happened. In any capitalist society, these corrections must be allowed, otherwise it would hurt somewhere else.
Both presidential candidates are proposing eliminating or severely decreasing capital gain tax. But once Reagan decreased capital gain tax, speculation in real estate and taxes went rampant, contributing to the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in now.
2) FINANCIAL CRISIS was brought on by derivatives trading, made illegal in 1907 and made legal again in 2000 (?!), as well as by indiscriminate lending (mortgage and credit cards alike) – that can be brought under control by government intervention and better rules and regulations of financial industry – which is underway. But some market correction should be allowed as well, otherwise the problems will continue.
When your tooth aches, you should take a painkiller. But if you are not going to fix it, painkillers would hurt you further with side-effects.
I would be glad to see that any credit is substantiated by income tax returns and is based on actual ability to pay it back. But I would also update usury laws, making it illegal to charge more than 15% for any type of loan.
3) RECESSION has been brought on by squeeze of the middle class as much as by anything else. Besides housing prices going down, medical, tuition and everyday living (food, transport, etc.) costs went up, while income stagnated or went down. Squeeze the middle class’ discretionary income, and you would get automatic recession.
Any capitalist economy depends on the financial health of the middle class, and that is where all economic fixes must start.
Since medical expenses are almost universally a major problem, I would go with universal health care.
But it should not hurt small business with extra taxes or mandates, as Obama proposes. That is like amputating the head when you’ve got a headache.
In fact, small business (which is also middle class) already suffers from too many taxes and mandates.
Why would I hire an employee, if that means I have to add 50% expense to the employee’s wages via payroll tax, work-comp insurance, liability insurance, etc.??? I’d rather get me an independent contractor, who would do the same work for the same wage amnt, and save me $, paper-work and headache.
So how the universal medical insurance would be paid? Well, so many states already have good working models: Vermont, New York (health plus), etc.
On top of it, we have SSI model. So why not add Universal Medical Insurance to the income tax, and collect that tax in the specific UMI fund?
Moreover, as the main insurer, the government would be able to keep prescriptions and other costs down.
Granted, this would create a medical industry crisis. But I would rather take out the rotting tooth than kill my liver by constant intake of painkillers.
I would also do the same income tax special funds for unemployment and work-comp insurances and make them optional. Let it be the employee’s choice, rather then the employer’s problem.
In fact, I would eliminate social security altogether, and, instead, create livable pension fund where people are able to retire at the age of 70 keeping the same annual income level as shown on their last income tax return, and I would pay for it via the same optional contribution to the special Pension fund, collected via income tax. This way, our pensions will be our own responsibilities, and no employer will go bankrupt on that account. But we all would feel so much safer, knowing our retirement does not disappear in the bear stock market.
On the other hand, if one does not contribute to those optional funds, and something goes wrong – tough! It should not become the society problem.
I would also do the same with college tuition fund, doubling the taxable amount with each additional child. Then I would expect my child to be able to attend any college that accepts him based on his grades without extra tuition costs that may bankrupt me.
I would do the same with school tuition with the state income tax, and would add universal after-school care fund to that. This way, all public schools in a state would get equal funding, and there would be no additional costs for babysitters, extra-curriculum classes, etc.. Now, if you don’t have children, or your children have grown, you don’t have to contribute to that fund. I would, because these costs are now crippling my personal economy.
There should also be mandatory but separate funds within income tax for
defense
law & order
infrastructure
emergencies
general upkeep
foreign debt
etc
Then we would know where our money goes, and hopefully then such funds as foreign debt would become unnecessary (as we would not stand for that).
Am I proposing huge income taxes?
Actually, no, if you would consider how much business expense and personal expense would be spared instead, while huge financial risks are eliminated.
For example, the government gives me now something like $3,000 child credit for my son, but, in reality, he costs me no less than $12,000/ yr (that is without any college tuition savings, since I cannot afford them right now). Most of this money goes to babysitters and extra-curriculum classes.
If there was an universal after-school program in my state, it would cost the government less than $3,000 per child. The state would simply keep existing school buildings open till 7PM, and schools would hire a few extra-curriculum instructors (music, tennis, chess, etc.) – that would cost the schools significantly less, if payroll tax, work-comp, etc. become employees’ responsibility.
So I am not going to get my $3000 child credit. But I would save $7000 instead and use this $ to support the economy via my discretionary spending. I would not have to save this money for my retirement, because I would contribute to my pension via income tax fund. I would also save at least $4,000/ yr on my medical insurance. Overall, I would have a little more or the same discretionary income, but I would feel so much safer regarding my retirement, my child education, medical emergencies, etc.. On top of it, I would know exactly where my taxpayer money goes, and my say on account of government spending would have more effect.
Actually, in real numbers my fantasy proposal would look like this:
Let’s take a guy in minimum tax bracket who makes $36,000/ yr. He actually nets only $24,000. On top of it, he contributes to his medical insurance $220/mo.
His small business employer shells out $65,000 for the honor of keeping this guy as an employee:
He pays him $36,000, pays $18,000 in payroll tax, and the rest in work-comp, liability and medical insurances.
If my proposal ever saw the light, the employer would pay my guy $48,000 and shell out $2,000 on top in liability insurance. The worker would $24,000 in taxes, but would net the same amount. He would save additional $2,500 on medical insurance. So he would be $2,500 richer. The employer saves $15,000. So it is $17,500 going into supporting economy via spending.
Besides enriching economy by $17,500, both guys feel more secure regarding their future (medical problems, retirement, disability, unemployment, etc).
This taxation method would also have effect on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION issue. Because then we would not care how people got into the country, as long as they pay income taxes and do not strain our economy.
I would also eliminate welfare altogether, and substitute it with unemployment and disability benefits instead. All those who have never been able to work can be subsidized in the same way they are now through the income tax disability fund I have suggested.
Other well-talked about issues are ENVIRONMENT and OUR DEPENDENCY ON FOREIGN OIL. They actually go hand-in-hand. I actually see the solution to both as a rather easy one:
I would have the government tax businesses that produce, import, or use the oil itself or any devices that must use oil, and use this tax money to give tax credit to all businesses that produce and develop clean technology, and devices able to use the clean technology. Money is always the greatest motivator. So, for instance, gas stations that sell only gasoline are taxed, and those who sell natural gas are given credit. You would see many gas stations then switching to natural gas, with car engines switching immediately following. That is what they do on most of the Caribbean Islands already: they import a car and fix the engine right away so it can operate on natural gas. But then they can fill up the tank with natural gas on any gas station there. We cannot. That’s why we still use gasoline.
But I am happy that oil is so expensive now: so the incentive to develop and use the alternative is so much greater.
The same applies to heating oil. Russia is much richer than the U.S. in oil, and much colder. But it uses steam to heat the houses.
If we could produce cheaper and cleaner electricity via nuclear technology, why should not our tax dollars pay for it? We would get our money back by paying less for utilities each month.
Yes, an accident at a nuclear facility is scary. But, honestly, it is such a remote possibility. And that guy from Texas – what’s his name?- who wants to build wind turbines also makes much sense to me.
Give him the tax credit! And tax the oil companies instead with the special oil + dirty energy tax!
I would also eliminate the present farm subsidies and subsidize the organic farms instead.
As to spur our economy on right now, please, start re-pairing roads, levies, and other infrastructure A.S.A.P.. Not only bridges fall down and whole cities get flooded because we have been ignoring our infrastructure for too long, think how many so needed jobs would be created if we get on with it now.
Jobs mean money to spend, that feeds businesses, which create more jobs in turn. Healthy economy means more taxes collected, less foreign debt, etc.
Most importantly, re-building infrastructure means jobs here in America and not in India or China.
Unfortunately, we will continue to invest into those nations’ employment (read: economy) instead of ours if businesses here would continue to pay 50%+ extra for each employee than the employee’s actual wages.
Well, too bad I am not running for office 
)
But if I make any sense to you, please pass my musings along.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: after-school program, college, disability, economy, economy solutions, employment, environment, extra-curriculum activities, financial crisis, foreign oil dependancy, health care, immigration reform, jobs, McCain, Obama, pension, politics, real estate, taxes, tuition, universal health care | 10 Comments »
FINANCIAL CRISIS: IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER
Posted by Ella Moss on October 2, 2008
So the senate approved the bailout, and the house is soon to follow. Do you think, America, you would be able to exhale soon?
Here come predictions from the pen of an astrologer:
Astrologers base their predictions on horoscopes calculated for the precise time of birth at the place of birth (beginning), because they presume there is certain order in the Universe, and the time and place of birth define our position within that order. The position within the order in turn defines further development, as order limits the possible outcomes to a manageable number. The less there are possible outcomes, the more they become predictable.
Astrologers create horoscope for birth of people, countries, and everything else that has a known beginning.
Although no one can say with certainty they know when the U.S. was born, there is a consensus that this country came into being on or around 7/4/1776. Most of the astrologers favor either the chart with Gemini rising, which places the Moon at 18′ of Aquarius in 10th house, or the chart with Scorpio rising, which places the Moon at 25′ of Aquarius in the 4th house. After 9/11, the other chart, called “Sibly” became popular – because when astrologers are uncertain of the time of birth/ beginning, they attempt to rectify charts (finding more probable birth time) based on dramatic pivotal events. The Sibly charts gives the U.S. Sagittarius ascendant, and places the Moon at 27′ degrees of Aquarius.
All other planets remain in the same degree, because they move much more slowly then the Moon or house cusps. Thus, all three the most popular U.S. horoscopes place Venus at 3′ of Cancer.
Venus is the planet that is always associated with money and relationships. And my predictions of the Horrible Economic Depression (greater than the Great One) are based on upcoming planetary assault on the U.S. Venus.
Interestingly enough, history confirms that conditions are ripe. Here is what Wikipedia says about economic causes of the Great Depression of 1929: “Although its causes are still uncertain, the basic cause was a sudden loss of confidence in the economic future. The traditional explanation is a combination of high consumer debt, ill-regulated markets that permitted malfeasance by banks and investors, cutbacks in foreign trade, and growing wealth inequality, all interacting to create a downward economic spiral of reduced spending and production”. Sounds familiar? Are not we in debt up our ears now? Have not our ill-regulated markets permeated malfeasance by banks and investors? Don’t we have growing wealth inequality? The famous “Trickle-down economy” that keeps on trickling up instead? This is 2008, but, obviously, we do not learn from history.
So here is what the planets say about now, which is the setting for the next 5 years:
The Moon’s nodes are passing over MC/IC axis in the “Scorpio” U.S. chart. In “Gemini rising” chart, they have just past the Moon and are about to pass over MC/ IC axis. The Moon’s nodes going over the luminaries and / or chart’s angles herald major changes of direction that are brought on by a pivotal event.
In the “Gemini rising” chart, Jupiter, “The great Exaggerator”, also opposes the U.S. Sun in the second house of $$$, while the Moon that is reeling from nodal transit rules that $$$ house.
BUT THIS IS JUST A BEGINNING!…
In December of 2008, Pluto settles in Capricorn.
Pluto is so tiny, that it was even demoted by astronomers from planetary status. But astrologers, and all who went through a major Pluto transits and lived to tell about it, know better. Pluto is “the Wrecking Ball” of the zodiac. Its mighty punch is so painful, that we either die or transform.
When it went through Scorpio, its own sign, that deals with abuse, taxes, sex, death and rebirth, we had Reaganomics, and AIDS epidemic. Now Pluto is ending its 13 yrs transit through Sagittarius, the sign of religion, philosophy, foreign relations, higher studies and judicial systems. The costs of colleges went through the roof, religious fanaticism rose to the point of Global War of Terror, and we scaled down democracy by adopting “The Patriot Act” and torture procedures.
Pluto screws with our heads by making us compulsive-obsessive with regards to wherever it is at the moment. When it was in sex, death and taxes sign, we obsessed on those topics. When it went through religion sign, we lost our sobriety on account of faith.
So now it is at the door of Capricorn, the sign of government and corporate structures, of rules and regulations, of fear and ambition. So in the next 15 years, expect us obsessing in fear on rules and regulations, while being overly ambitious, and while all government, political and corporate structures undergo DEMOLITION. Some societies will die, others will be transformed.
By the way, there is another possible U.S. chart, based on letters of John Adams, who pinpoints America’s birth at 7/2/1776 at about quarter to noon in Philadelphia. That chart would have the U.S. Venus at 0′ of Cancer, so the wrecking ball (Pluto) may come to the U.S. economy (Venus) as early as December of 2008.
If any other chart is correct, February is a more likely time of reckoning.
Since economy always dictates politics, we are likely to see global powers falling like dominoes.
By the end of November of 2009, we would begin to cry for mercy, as our economy would get completely stalled: Saturn, the planet of lack and limitations, joins Pluto, the Terminator, in the assault on the U.S. Venus, the planet of Money. It begins to squeeze it from Libra, the sign of relationships and justice. So as global trade gets restructured, we get the foul end of the deal. Saturn would limit our reach into the packets of other countries. We may face the retribution for our misadventures on foreign soil and/ or for amassing huge deficit (read “debt to other countries”).
In 2010, we may begin to exhale, hoping that the worst is behind us, only to be hit below the belt in the summer of that year. I am favoring 8/01/10 as another historic date – when the world is going to shake from the thud of the falling giant hitting the ground.
This is how it is going to come about from the planetary point of view:
By June of 2010, Jupiter and Uranus join forces in Aries and enter the war on the U.S. Venus. You may say, they join the robbery in progress of American public.
Uranus operates by coming out of left field with a sudden shocking occurrence. It rules electricity, and it always aims to shock the system. Jupiter always exaggerates and blows things out of proportion. After all, it is the Planet of Plenty. Put these two together, and you get an immense unexpected shock to the system. Since they are going to square the U.S. Venus, the Planet of Money, we are going to go through an immense sudden expense (another BAILOUT, much bigger than the present one?).
On 8/1/2010, Mars, the planet of war that always acts like a trigger, joins Saturn in Libra in squeezing daylights out of the poor U.S. Venus, while Pluto in retrograde motion is circling around that Venus, and Jupiter with Uranus deliver huge shocks to it from Aries, the sign of war and ragged individualism.
You can envision the conclusion.
By the way, according to known U.S.A charts, the only planetary culprit for Great Depression of 1929 was Uranus, assaulting the U.S. Sun from Aries, with Saturn playing a secondary fiddle in Gemini rising and Sibly charts. Interestingly, Saturn in November of 1929 was traversing the same degrees of Sagittarius, as Pluto does now.
With Pluto being so much mightier than Saturn, the 2010 bro-ha-ha is going to be MUCH BIGGER. Those of us who will live past 2014, will be able to tell the tale, and they would give it an appropriate name. But by 2015, Pluto will be done with the U.S Venus and Sun. Other planets will fall off sooner than that.
Meanwhile, in May of 2010 I am planning to stock up on all non-perishable food I am going to be able to find.
Whoever wins the 2008 elections is going to be at the helm of the wildest ride ever.
As Chinese saying goes, blessed are those who live during interesting times.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: astrology, BAILOUT, debt, economy, finacial crisis, great depression, horoscopes, money, Pluto, politics, predictions, Saturn, senate, the U.S., Venus | 17 Comments »
IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!
Posted by Ella Moss on September 15, 2008
In this post, I am going to deviate a bit from the main theme of the blog in order to put in my 2 cents as to what is going on this Monday, 9/15 – which is surely to become a historic date with Lehman Brothers declaring bankruptcy, AIG struggling to hold on and begging for government to save it, and Merryl Lynch being bought out by surely overextended Bank of America that just gobbled up Country-Wide and another bank.
This is American economy tearing up at the seam.
In fact, it is in the contracting stage that may take us into black hole of true depression.
It goes like this:
Fuel + Energy go up -> food + other consumer goods go up -> discretionary income goes down -> affluent consumer dependent businesses go down -> unemployment rises -> discretionary + necessary income evaporate -> housing market that is undergoing righteous correction dips further -> more banks go down -> credit tightens further ->new ventures and investment in start ups go down ->market stagnates at the bottom
Is there a way out? GOVERNMENT MUST STEP IN to reverse this chain of events, but not by bailing out greedy investors or by expanding social welfare system.
When businesses begin to fail and unemployment rises, the government should increase its payroll and spend on infrastructure, and energy R & D. Then unemployment goes down -> discretional spending goes up -> more business thrive -> more people are employed -> more $ for everyone.
None of presidential candidates talk about the U.S.’ failing infrastructure. In fact McCain wants to rein in the government spending. THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO DO IT. Let our deficit grow, let us borrow money to keep the economy going, or the big U.S.A. can also become bankrupt. THIS IS VERY POSSIBLE!
In fact, as an astrologer, I certainly look at 2010 – 2011 as the time of economic earthquake of huge magnitude in this country.
I have business education, and have been in business all my adult life. My common sense and my experience both say that tightening of credit during economic downturn is the recipe for disaster.
One fact is particularly scary: McCain’s main adviser on economy is the mastermind of chopped up and repackaged mortgages – the investment instrument of “financial destruction” that got our economy into hot water in the first place.
Even though I stand by my prediction that McCain is going to be our next president, I do not favor him. He is planning to continue the Republican party economic policies, which, essentially boil down to trickle-down-economics theory.
This theory does not work because in reality it works like this:
With global markets and labor pools wide open, outsourcing lowers the wages ->the middle class and poor grow poorer -> the pool of unemployed and desperate rises -> more people would take low paying hard jobs ->the rich may lower the wages and demand more-> the rich grow richer -> the poor grows poorer.
If you don’t believe it, go back to history books: that’s how it has been throughout history, which has always had trickle-down economy. The middle class rose to empowering numbers in this country during the middle of the twentieth century only, and only thanks to FDR’s policies set to end depression – which was exactly what I advocate: spending government money, lowering credit and putting people to work.
Obama does not have the right solutions to problems of American economy either. But, at least, he is planning on spending. He also wants to tax the rich, while bringing welcome relieve to the middle class.
I don’t know how about you, guys, but I am voting for Obama as for lesser evil!
P.S. Hail to the Chief! After 8 years of stripping the country of much of its democracy, getting us involved in the war on 2 fronts, ruining economy by allowing unprecedented speculation in real estate mortgages, he now refuses AIG the bridge loan it needs to survive. AIG’s demise would send such ripples through the world economy, that would send American economy over the tipping point. SOS!
P.P.S. 9/16
Well, here we go: McCain just announced that he would create a special commission that would study the current financial problems. As we don’t know what got us into the hole. But it would certainly create another 2 years of government inaction. By that time, we all are going to be in the poor house, because McCain also thinks that AIG is expendable (just when they finally found a semblance of a brain in the White House and are considering helping AIG to stay afloat).
The reason we all are heading into the poor house once AIG sinks is because it insures and underwrites many, many other banks and such entities as NY state and NYC!…
And, just think, I have once considered voting for McCain! Shame on me for giving Bush the Third a benefit of a doubt…
Honestly, I don’t think this country’s economic infrastructure could take another 4 years of no brains at the top…
P.P.P.S
So the White House has borrowed the brains and lent AIG staggering amount of $$$. It also looks at owning 80% of AIG. So it would become insurance Fanny or Freddy… And then, maybe, it would be able to pay its debt to China )
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged: AIG, banking crisis, banks, Bush, deficit, economy, economy solutions, McCain, Obama, politics, taxes, trickle-down economics, unemployment, war | 4 Comments »
