Athena's Web Weekly Column
Week of October 9th - October 15th, 2009
-GM-
Made in Russia?
The Automotive Industry |
The national identity of the U. S. of A. is in the process of being re-tooled. We are re-defining what it means to be an American. As a people, we are going through a watery re-birth. All these themes come under the realm of the Moon.
The Moon is one of the 'Big Three' of natal charts; the Sun, the Moon and the Ascendant. Whenever any of these 'Big Three' are aligned with (conjuncted) by other planets, there are strong currents that buffet the planet in question, like a small boat on the celestial waters, up and down, back and forth.
On May 29th, 2009, Neptune reached its 'high water mark', coming very close to conjuncting the US Moon before retrograding (reversing its motion). Over this year and throughout next, as Neptune either conjuncts the US Moon or changes direction (pivots), we will be better able to see just how our national personality is being changed simply by watching the news. The US natal Moon is found in the 3rd house at 27 degrees Aquarius, and we see ourselves as the 'land (Moon) of the free (Aquarius), a nation (Moon) full of backyard (Moon) inventors (Aquarius). It is our national declaration (Moon in the 3rd) of independence (Aquarius) during our infancy (Moon).
One of the greatest beneficiaries of this 'Experiment in Democracy' has been the elevation of education (Aquarius in the 3rd house) among the people (Aquarius), in the form of colleges, universities and local libraries (information outlets, Aquarius) for the general populace. Variations of 'We the people', from Jefferson to Lincoln embrace this notion. The Moon casts the soft glow of fond remembrance over our national pastime in the form of our technological and scientific achievements, such as Thomas Edison, Eli Whitney and NASA.
But when Neptune, the Lord of Sea, conjuncts someone's Moon, our perception of ourselves changes. We are sensitized. Neptune often deals with material loss, as it slowly slips beneath the waves. As we explored last week, as Neptune pivoted on the US Moon, the papers reported that the mystique of having a new car as part of a national habit was coming into question.
Yet seeing the USA in your Chevrolet was as American as Mom, home and apple pie.
In another automotive story released at the end of May, GM's entire European division was looking to be purchased by the Russians. From the NYT,
Rolling off the assembly line |
DETROIT "The global reordering of the auto industry took a big step forward on Friday as an unlikely alliance led by Magna International, a Canadian auto parts maker, and Sberbank of Russia tentatively agreed to buy the European operations of General Motors."
"The deal was brokered by the German government in Berlin, with negotiations stretching from Moscow to Washington, Detroit, Ontario and New York, where G.M.’Äôs board gathered for a meeting ahead of an expected bankruptcy filing on Monday.
"With sales plunging to levels not seen in decades, auto companies are seeking refuge in mergers or bankruptcy court. Other companies, like Magna and Fiat, are seeing opportunities in beaten-down automakers, hoping to buy them or form alliances on the cheap.
"With sales plunging to levels not seen in decades, auto companies are seeking refuge in mergers or bankruptcy court. Other companies, like Magna and Fiat, are seeing opportunities in beaten-down automakers, hoping to buy them or form alliances on the cheap.
"The deal in Germany will have ripple effects in the United States."
Brokered by the Germans, bought by the Russians. Ripple effects, indeed. Neptune's ripples.
Neptune will conjunct the US Moon on March 7th, September 2nd, 2010 and January 7th, 2011. Neptune will pivot on November 4th, 2009, May 31 and November 7th 2010. On each of these dates, likes stepping stones along the same path, we will come a little closer to better understanding our changing national personality, by simply watching what is going on in the news.
For the time being our national identity is becoming a little murky.
