Sun into Scorpio: Turning Kool-Aid into Coffee

During the Scorpio cycle of 1978, a mother stepped before a large crowd and gave her four-year-old child the first dose of Jim Jones’ infamous suicide potion. She then drank her death sentence. Four minutes later the two were dead from the cyanide laced Kool-Aid. Before that ominous November afternoon was over, 909 People’s Temple members participated in mass suicide, and one United States Congressman and four journalists were shot to death by Jones’ followers. We want to dismiss this dark and shocking incident as the unfortunate fate of those unwise enough to recognize and reject brainwashing, the tragic end for “cult members” under the hypnotic control of a madman. We tell ourselves that we are more sophisticated than them, smarter and stronger. Yet we silently endure the latest news of record setting executive bonuses (to the tune of $144 billion on Wall Street alone), while we watch the unemployment rate hold firmly at 9.6 percent and see home foreclosures surpass the 100,000 mark in one month. Instinctively, we know that something is terribly wrong, yet, like Jones’ followers, our conformity persists. With the personal planets, the Sun, Mercury, Mars and Venus, all transiting the sign of truth, destruction and creation during this Scorpio cycle, we are being asked two very important questions. One, are we drinking the Kool-Aid? If so, are we ready to trade our complicity in for a new paradigm?

On November 2nd the American public will weigh in via a national election. Though fiery Mars will have moved on to cheerful Sagittarius by that time, Venus will be the planet to watch in this election. That’s because Venus represents our possessions and our money. Many years ago a political science professor explained it this way. When it comes to elections, it all boils down to how that voter in the booth feels about what is in his or her wallet. If things are going well economically, the incumbents are likely to be reelected. But a thinning wallet generally results in pink slips for those in power. Louise Hay has famously said that she finds that talking to people about their sex lives to be easier than talking to them about money. A retrograding materialistic Venus in do or die Scorpio on Election Day, along with a retrograde Jupiter (the other money planet), will likely put the almighty dollar front and center in the minds of voters. With Mercury, our thinking, also filled with Scorpio’s life or death clarity, the public is unlikely to swallow the usual dose of lies and half truths proliferated by pandering politicians either. For example, those shamelessly promoting themselves as heroes of the working classes, applauding the triumph of Chilean minors, but who have effectively killed the bill to bring worker’s safety into the mines of West Virginia, where 29 American minors died in April, will likely be taken to task. Pluto ruled Scorpio after all has to destroy what is unsustainable, untenable and unacceptable. With Mercury, Venus and the Sun in the fixed water sign, Americans will vote what they feel the most fervently this election.

Elizabeth joins astrologer CA Brooks on Tuesday, October 26th, at 11:00 A.M. PST on 12Radio.com

Out of the ashes, the phoenix rises. On the heels of the election, a new moon in Scorpio occurs on November 5th. This moon is notable not only for its birth in the sign of mystery and regeneration, but because of its wider cosmic context. At 14”19’, it falls next to the midpoint of the Galactic Center of our Milky Way and close to the asteroid Vesta, associated with the Sacred Feminine. The North Node, transformative Pluto and Ceres, the asteroid representing female reproduction, are conjoined in at 3 degrees Capricorn on the 5th. Within hours of all of this, healing asteroid Chiron and spiritual Neptune station from their retrograde motion in visionary Aquarius. It’s as if the Cosmic forces are aligning with the Feminine Mysteries in Scorpio’s deep dark waters to support us in birthing a new path.

How it will all turn out will likely take another five months to determine. In part, that is because we have just begun a cycle of five full moons at 29 degrees of their respective signs. In astrology 29 degrees marks the final point, the end of a phase. That series of full moons coincides harmoniously with the Goddess cycles of death and rebirth. In the dark days of November we may step before the Great Cauldron to give all that is not supporting us to the wise and ancient Death Crone. Throughout the winter she vigilantly tends to our petitions until the Spring Maiden emerges with the form our paths are to take. Expansive Jupiter will also be assisting her and us with the expression of these energies when it moves into action oriented Aries on January 22, 2011. But we won’t have to wait until that final 29 degree full moon of February 18, 2011 to begin seeing the shapes of things to come. That’s because three planets begin direct motion during this Scorpio cycle, Neptune on November 6th, and Venus and Jupiter on the 18th. Instigating Mars and active Mercury will also make the transition from intense Scorpio to lighthearted Sagittarius, on Oct 28th and November 7th respectively, bringing a sense of optimistic movement to the atmosphere. So as this Scorpio cycle descends, we are being forced to look honestly and soberly at the corruption, greed and abuses of power in the forces that govern our lives. Concurrently, we are being given the opportunities and tools to replace those structures for good. See you at the cafe!

Sun into Libra 2010; It’s a Unity Thing

On September 22nd at 8:09 P.M. PST the Sun heads into the sign of harmony, balance and relating. Austere Saturn is already transiting Libra’s diplomatic terrain, and Mercury is poised to join them on October 3rd when it enters this cardinal air sign. With Mars and Venus traveling through intense Scorpio and Uranus and Jupiter resting back in gentle Pisces, 2010’s Libra cycle offers some keen insights into that most powerful of realms and popular of subjects, our relationships.

Setting the stage for the Sun’s entrance into the sign of grace and fairness are alluring Venus and aggressive Mars in the deep impassioned waters of Scorpio. Scorpio enjoys its renown for sexual prowess. So the presence of amorous Venus and desirous Mars in its sensuous depths can be an ideal influence for deepening levels of intimacy. However, Scorpio’s real purpose (obsession some would argue) is getting to the truth, in and out of bed. To that end, this Pluto-ruled sign is ruthless, indeed willing to exert even its destructive tendencies, in its pursuit. With forceful Mars in intent Scorpio, secrets will be unearthed and real motives and needs will be revealed. So, during this transit we can expect not only the blooms to come off a few roses, but many a stone to be overturned. Ultimately, courageous Mars will help us get our needs met, and Scorpio’s clarity will help us see our relationships more honestly.

Because relationship is inherently a two-way street and because one person’s or partner’s truth can be vastly different from the other’s, the Cosmos is bringing in a celestial officiating crew of sorts. Saturn, the Sun and Mercury will travel through objective, reciprocal and cooperative Libra. Like no other sign, Libra asks us relate to “other” and it insists that we play nicely. Venus-ruled Libra’s aim after all is wholeness. With unyielding Pluto in realistic Capricorn sitting 90 degrees away however, Libra’s mission will not be an easy one. That’s because Pluto will form exact squares to the Sun, on September 25th, and Mercury, on October 5th, as a general square to Saturn churns away in the background. And all four planets will be in those provocative cardinal signs. Add two full Aries moons, on September 23rd and October 22nd, to the mix, and balancing individual needs with the whole is bound to be challenging.

Elizabeth joins astrologer CA Brooks every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 11:00 A.M. PST on 12Radio.com

With head referee Saturn firmly at the Libra helm, we are in capable Cosmic hands. But we must be prepared to embrace those Libra standards of Truth and Justice. Any of our complaints about what “other” is doing will be met with stern judicious review. In addition to asking us to walk the proverbial mile in “other’s” shoes, the taskmaster is equally likely to remind us that we choose to be in a given relationship, or not. According to Saturn, we are not so much victims as we are the consequences of our choices. LIke a line judge, Mercury, whose spheres of influence include our thinking and communication, will echo Saturn’s sober sentiments. He lives in our minds and will likely be asking some pertinent and controversial questions of his own. Whose filters are we using to come to our conclusions? Have we genuinely tried to see the situation from “other’s” point of view? Are we are holding “other” in high regard or simply conveniently labeling to suit our own story? And most importantly, what is our end game in this situation? The Sun, representing our will, will help us answer that last question, as it also works to help us see our circumstance from Libra’s exalted, communal view.

On October 8th loving and virtuous Venus will go retrograde. The planet of exquisite beauty and immeasurable tranquility will diligently work to guide our relationships into a state of deep and abiding peace. If we are willing, through her we can see the Divinity in all things, including our foes. Her retrograde motion in Scorpio will aid Mars in his quest for the truth. Only she will take a much softer and more harmonious tact.

Aiding this kinder, gentler form of enlightenment will be Jupiter and Uranus in supremely serene and subtle Pisces. Under calm, spiritual Pisces influence, unorthodox Uranus may present us with a completely unique perspective, as expansive Jupiter offers us a broadened view of our reality. Though Libra is a cardinal or initiating sign, and Pisces a mutable or completing one, and Libra is air and Pisces water, the two have something important in common. Both are committed to unification. They are charged to explore the energies around them and to assimilate them, and they ask the same of us. To phrase it euphemistically, relationships offer us life’s greatest growth opportunities. This year the planetary hookups in Libra, Scorpio and Pisces will give us some stellar revelations about them and the tools for cosmic conflict resolution.

Sun into Virgo 2010: Review, Regroup, Relax

During a recent visit with astrologer C.A. Brooks on her radio show “Simple Tales” I joked that the best way to send a Virgo over the edge is to put a few soup cans in the cereal section of his/her cupboard. One Virgo in the 12Radio.com chat room instantly commented on just how unsettling that proposition was. While perhaps amusing to the rest of the zodiac, Virgo’s painful and often solitary quest for order is not the clear cut case of OCD this caring and gentle sign often gets the rap for. Virgo’s search for perfection is in actuality born of a deep, sincere and abiding drive to restore harmony in the world. The constellation Virgo is in fact home to the mythological Goddess Astraea. She was the last deity to leave earth and its inhabitants as they plunged into their self created darkness of greed, war and competition. She desperately wanted to help humankind restore the world to a perfect state, and we enter her intricate, detailed realms on Sunday, August 22nd at 10:27 P.M. PST when the Sun enters the mutable earth sign of Virgo.

Like her fellow mutable sign companions, Virgo closes her respective season and gives us an opportunity to wind down and clean up loose ends. Closing the tumultuous summer of 2010 is no easy task. But the Sun will get ample assistance with slowing things down from Mercury retrograding from August 20th through September 12th in Virgo, and wild card wielding Uranus safely recessed back into easy-going Pisces where it will be joined by generous Jupiter on September 9th. Uranus and Jupiter in flexible Pisces also offer a heavenly counter weight to Virgo tendencies toward excessive control and rigidity.

So how exactly does that meticulous Virgo mind work in the real world? Let’s take the common desire of losing weight as an example. Virgo needs the cold hard facts to formulate her methodical plan. Translation; get on the scale (and look). Next assignment; count calories, all of them, for one entire week, no exceptions. Once Virgo has calculated your average daily caloric intake, she will logically conclude that if you want to lose one pound per week, you will need to deduct precisely 500 calories per day from your diet, no cheating. Aries would likely suggest an intense crash diet to instantly shed the unwanted pounds and Leo is likely to opt for those pills that lose the weight for her while she sleeps. Both would make a run for the nearest plastic surgeon. Virgo patiently insists that small consistent steps toward life’s objectives are much healthier and more sustainable and effective in the long run. Her devotion to service and concern for health also strongly advocate a realistic exercise plan, 3-5 days per week. Fortunately In 2010, Virgo’s rules and regulations are sweetly counter balanced by Uranus and then Jupiter in adaptable Pisces. Translation; you get to eat whatever you want with your calorie allowance and you get to pick the day, different ones every week if you please, for any exercises you enjoy.

Elizabeth joins astrologer CA Brooks every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 11:00 A.M. PST on 12Radio.com.

It is worth noting here that all of 2010’s Mercury retrogrades have been in those grounded and practical earth signs. The earth signs help us put ideas and feelings into form. The support offered via Mercury’s current retrograde in Virgo will be reinforced by Pluto in earthy, disciplined Capricorn which forms favorable trines to Mercury and the Sun. Whether the goal is weight loss, debt elimination or improving one’s business, this Mercury through Virgo transit provides an ideal climate for uncanny analysis, synthesis and planning. So if a long forgotten New Year’s resolution fell hopelessly off the wagon sometime earlier this year, this cycle can help you get things in order and back on track.

As the saying goes, “No one likes a critic.” No one likes a cheapskate either. For that matter, an overzealous neat freak can be downright disturbing. So how does Virgo overcome her astrological reputation? She learns to accept life’s unavoidable chaos, inherent messiness and inevitable unpredictability. In short, she surrenders to element of mystery. Life’s greatest experiences cannot be defined purely by fact, comprehended by the rational mind, nor fully articulated by words alone. In her enlightened state, Virgo reveres the unseen, the intangible and the unexplainable, and she warmly welcomes them in to rattle her otherwise orderly world. In 2010, oppositions to the Sun and Mercury in Virgo by rebellious Uranus and jubilant Jupiter in unfathomable Pisces, encourage even the most persnickety Virgo to enthusiastically embrace the unknown. Because that, is where life happens.

Sun into Leo 2010: Got Lemonade?

Several days into the average heat wave, many a withering spirit desperately searches for news of an impending cooling trend. During 2010’s massive T-Square and Grand Cross, many of those with strong Cardinal sign placements in their charts are similarly seeking refuge from the intense Cosmic action. Then there are those Souls who love the heat, those oddballs who thrive in its infernal ferocity. No matter your preference, this year’s solar journey through the spirited fire sign of Leo is going to be a scorcher. Cooler winds will begin to prevail by the time it winds down on August 23rd. In the meantime, a July 25th full moon is set amongst more massive squares and oppositions, Mars and Venus will add more fuel to the T-Square by joining Saturn in Libra, and a Mercury retrograde starts on August 20th. If ever a sign was invented to cheer us all up and on to the completion of this celestial marathon, it is Leo. The Sun arrives in the effervescent, magnanimous sign of the lion at 3:21 P.M. PST on July 22nd.

Gallant, confident and boundlessly enthusiastic, Leo loves to lead, inspire and perform for others. To earn their adulation, this fixed sign is ever willing to roll up his sleeves and work hard for those coveted applause. His natural tendency toward extroversion, seemingly endless supply of creativity and passion, and lion-sized heart make Leo a magnet for those seeking encouragement and optimism. And generosity? Leo has learned that the true gift of his wealth lies in his ability to share his riches with others. With the sky heating up, in 2010 Leo is in fact on a singular mission to turn every lemon in the Kingdom into ice-cold, thirst-quenching lemonade. Given the Cosmic forecast, sitting down and sharing a glass with this regal creature might be just the recipe for getting through the dog days ahead. After all, the King of the Jungle knows a thing or two about conquering beasts and living sovereignly.

On July 21st, Saturn moves back into Libra thus reenergizing the T-Square by forming a more precise square to Pluto in Capricorn and closer oppositions to Uranus and Jupiter in Aries. Remember that Pluto is already simultaneously squaring Uranus and Jupiter. On July 25th indeed the square between Pluto and Jupiter will be exact, recurring on August 3rd. Also on July 25th, the moon will be full in the fixed air sign of Aquarius, and on July 26th the next Saturn Uranus opposition will be exact. Squares and oppositions bring matters to the fore and tensions to a head, and all the planets involved in these are in the provocative Cardinal signs. Under such challenging aspects, what’s a glamourous, pampered and pleasure seeking sign like Leo to do? That’s simple; he dawns his designer shades and views it all through those famous Leo-tinted glasses.

For example, while some will claim that the Pluto Jupiter square is a clash of conflicting values with Pluto in stern Capricorn imposing the rules while exuberant Jupiter in Aries wants to run amok. Leo sees this as a winning combination for life’s go-getters. Capricorn builds stamina and Aries just can’t say no to taking action. To Leo, the 25th is a fabulous time to launch an exciting, long term venture. On July 29th Mars, the Warrior, will join Saturn in Libra. With Mars’ infamous battle-lust and Saturn’s reputation for restrictions, some fear these two in league. Leo agrees with astrologer Sue Tompkins who maintains that this pair teaches us how to balance fear with courage, assertiveness with control and impulse with discipline. With the two sitting under heavenly arbitrator Libra’s watchful eye, the potential for conflict resolution is even greater. And really, who wouldn’t want to master this stuff? On August 7th Venus arrives home to join these two, bringing her quest for beauty to the affair.

Then there’s that pesky Mercury retrograde sitting at end of this cycle ready to roll on August 20th. Mercury will be in discerning Virgo, the meticulous sign that the Sun will travel through for most of this retrograde. The perfect opportunity to review details says Leo. Moreover Leo asserts, by then Uranus will have already ducked back into peaceful, dreamy Pisces (on August 13th) where it will be followed by Jupiter on September 9th. This is a great chance to rest, relax and let the our intuition mingle with those newly discovered facts. For somewhere between the two, along that Virgo Pisces axis, lies a solution to one of life’s persistent questions or problems. Ah, a golden opportunity to rejuvenate reasons Leo. With that, his official royal proclamation is announced:

“Spa time! Leo-tinted glasses and lemonade for all!”

For more astrology news, be sure to listen to Elizabeth’s visit with astrologer CA Brooks on Tuesday, July 20th, at 11 AM PST on “Simple Tales” on 12Radio. Then, to celebrate the Sun’s arrival into Leo, Elizabeth joins Julia Stonestreet Smith on Thursday, July 22nd, at the “Stonestreet Cafe” at 7PM PST also on 12Radio.com. You can also sign up for Elizabeth’s free monthly newsletter at her site..

The Geniuses in Corporate - Suntrust Bank

This week I closed a recently opened account at Suntrust, namely because I found out that they received a federal bailout. I have no patience for Wall Street types who gamed and looted our financial system, all the while knowing that if it all went bust, the FDIC (taxpayer) would get stuck with the mess while they pocketed their enormous bonuses. It didn't help that Suntrust wanted to put a two week hold on my paychecks, yet have the right to immediately cash checks I write. I'm fine with the bank cashing any checks I write instantly, but I'm not so fond of them making money on my money while I wait two weeks to access it. If only I could charge them Pay Day rate interest on that short term loan.... So, though I live in NC, I still bank in Beverly Hills, ridiculous as that is. It's a shame also because the people at my local Suntrust office are extremely nice to do business with and those relationships help bond communities in small towns like the one I live in.

Anyhoo, as I was saying, I finally got around to closing the Suntrust account this week. Today I received a call from "the" Gallup organization who were conducting a customer satisfaction survey on behalf of Suntrust. Several questions in, the poll taker asked if I was still a customer. Upon discovering that I closed my account, I was rendered an unacceptable participant. HOW STUPID IS THAT SUNSTRUST????? And really, shouldn't those brilliant folks at Gallup ask that question first??

Wouldn't Suntrust want to know why people leave? It just might help them improve service and retain customers. The other part of this equation that was not lost in me is this. The next time you or I read about how outstandingly high Suntrust customers rate their bank, we'll know who was disqualified from TELLING THE TRUTH. This consumer satisfaction survey is clearly skewed from the get go by weeding out potentially negative respondents. I think allowing those of us who close accounts to share would paint a far more accurate picture of satisfaction levels with Suntrust. A big bank, manipulating information??? Say it aint so! If nothing else, the Gallop incident has confirmed my decision to bank elsewhere.

Sun into Cancer 2010: Tidal Waves of Love & Light

“Do what you have to to be happy in this life. There is so much beauty. Go well my children.” The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller

In the film’s final scene, the ashes of Francesca Johnson waft elegantly off a covered wooden bridge while Meryl Streep tenderly reads those perspicacious words to her character’s grown son and daughter. The story is about a mother’s devotion to her family and the eternity of true love. Richly emotional, these themes are fitting ones for the Sun’s entrance into watery, maternal Cancer. On June 21st at 4:29 A.M. PST the Sun enters this passionate, moon-ruled sign and thus activates this summer’s greatly anticipated Grand Cross. A full Capricorn moon eclipse takes place a few days later on June 26th with Mercury, newly moved into Cancer, adding more energy to the Cardinal sign thrust. On July 11th a total solar eclipse occurs with the new Cancer moon. Meanwhile Saturn is forming its final opposition to Uranus in the series that began on Election Day 2008. Finally, Neptune, the only large outer planet not directly involved in the Grand Cross, continues its retrograde motion through Aquarius, subtly adding an oceanic element to the mix. While the celestial stage is set for some of 2010’s most seismic astrological activity, Cancer, completely committed to caregiving and emotional integrity, calmly embraces the incoming waves. For her wisdom is as ancient as the moon, and she has long anticipated the needed changes these powerful tides are bringing.

Like no other sign, Cancer protects, nourishes and nurtures, and accessing its insights, instincts and ability to support are our keys to the cycle ahead. While the internet is awash in fears about the Grand Cross and T-Square, complete with doomsday scenarios, here in the world of 12, astrology is not dogma. Astrology is a language of symbols and set of tools for self-empowerment, and you the reader, not the planets, are in charge. Intrinsically psychic, the sign that starts the summer is compelled to forge ahead, and It offers us both its uncanny sixth sense and perpetual drive. This year that Cancerian quest to break on through to the other side will be abundantly aided by revolutionary Uranus and expansive Jupiter in bold, pioneering Aries and transformative Pluto moving through the sign of achievements and physical manifestation, Capricorn. Add exacting Saturn moving toward the 4th Cardinal sign of the zodiac, Libra, and welcome to the Grand Cross. As if by design, the Cosmos’ Great Mother, Cancer, has assembled some of her strongest allies to move us past unhealthy and unsustainable habits into brave new worlds. The navigation system she suggests is simple, the heart’s longing. Desire knows and lights the way.

On the eclipse of June 26th, the moon will be full in the sign of Capricorn where life-altering Pluto is sitting. Pluto is the planet that must to get to the ultimate truth in any matter and the moon puts us in touch with our intuition and real feelings. They will be opposite of Mercury and the Sun in Cancer. The Capricorn/Cancer axis asks us to reconcile ambitions and accomplishments in the outer world with our emotional and domestic needs. On a personal level this is the classic career versus home-life struggle. In the wider world, the moon and Pluto in Capricorn, ruler of banks, government and real estate, will be pitted against Mercury, information, and the Sun, individual will, in the sign ruling housing. While it’s impossible to predict how these aspects will play out precisely, news about the banks releasing more of their toxic housing assets is likely to surface. In an even wider context, Capricorn is about material success and Cancer about security, the home and emotional satisfaction. So more sober discourse on how we collectively balance the monetary needs of a capitalist society with Mother Earth’s needs is also likely to continue to be a central issue at this time. Yes, more debate about the oil spill, the environment and public policy will be in the spotlight. New ideas and new templates are needed. While innovative Uranus in brazen Aries portends support for the introduction of these radical new solutions, more esoteric Information and instruction will be downloadable on July 11th.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, temporarily blocking the Sun and the energy it emits. Mountain Astrologer’s Stephanie Austin has suggested the following interpretation.

“Solar eclipses are thus extra powerful. New Moons - and a total eclipse even more so, as the interruption of electromagnetic support facilitates a greater shift from one template to another. The more prepared and receptive we are to this upgrade of our biochemical circuitry, the easier it is to spiral up to the next octave of consciousness.”

With the Moon in her native home of Cancer, the eclipse of July 11th offers an opportunity to unplug, receive and reboot. Spending this eclipse near water is a stellar way to tune into these new energies.

In the background during this solar Cancer transit, heavyweights Saturn and Uranus head toward their final clash on July 26th. Since its beginning on Election Day 2008 when the two first met, this series of Saturn Uranus oppositions has played out strongly in the political arena. Conventional wisdom has been challenged by new ideas at each of their encounters. During the healthcare reform debate we saw the conflicts between stern Saturn in practical Virgo at odds with ground-breaking Uranus in utopian-minded Pisces. Now the two planets meet along the Aries (individual rights) Libra (group harmony) axis. The battle lines this time are forming around those whose livelihoods and wealth depend on the oil industry and the growing chorus of those who want to completely cease offshore drilling until environmental protection and safety can be assured.

Imbuing that and other global conversations with its nearly imperceptible yet considerable influence is Neptune. The planet most strongly associated with the ocean is transiting through humanitarian minded Aquarius, and its sagacity continues to subtly emerge from its watery depths. From the sinking of a South Korean naval ship (allegedly) by North Korea and subsequent calls for harsh sanctions against nuclear-armed North Korean, to the Gulf oil disaster, to the attack in international waters of the Mavi Marmara, the catalyzing events of this time are playing out in Neptune’s domain, water. In fact, the seeming sleeping giant went retrograde on May 31st, the day the Israeli commandos attacked the Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

When planets are retrograde they give us an opportunity to review the areas they influence. Pluto in Capricorn is presently retrograde while historic banking reform is before Congress. Uranus turns retrograde on July 6th, heightening the chance for advances in science and technology. Joining those two substantial forces, the Neptune retrograde factor suggests a spiritual dimension to the situations now presenting themselves. With its placement in broad-minded Aquarius, the call to social consciousness is also being sounded. In the case of the Koreans, in early June the South opted for a constructive and conciliatory tone, thus deescalating the threat of nuclear conflict. In the case of the BP oil spill, President Obama is championing green energy as the wider-ranging solution. In the case of Israel and the Palestinians, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is brokering a compromise that will protect Israel’s security interests and yet allow food, medicine and construction materials for home-building to move through the four-year-old blockade to the people in Gaza. Food for the hungry, healing for the sick, security and peace, perhaps inspired by reflective Neptune waves from visionary Aquarius, they are most agreeable to Cancer’s fiercely maternal disposition. These conflict resolutions are instructive and hopeful signs of the times ahead. This summer’s Grand Cross and the T-square (lasting through late 2012) are duty bound to bring critical issues to the fore. Cancer aligns us with emotional honesty and our compassion for others. Then it gently prods us to take the next step with love. Catch its sweet waves!

Seriously Oxfam?????

OMG, this is not a raving, ranting post, just an S.O.S. being sent out in a state of complete exasperation by a completely mystified individual. Has anyone on planet Earth ever successfully gotten their name and contact details removed from Oxfam, the Charity from Hell’s, list? Please tell me how this is done, please.

Last year I posted about what a nightmare Oxfam is, how despite my numerous phone calls, written requests and a move clear across the entire United States of America, they refuse to stop sending me solicitations. I don't even remember what it is that they do it has been so long since I donated to them. In that post I mentioned a good friend who unwittingly gave to animal rights orgs, and who is still to this very day inundated with horrifying images of animals from orgs, including PITA, to whom she has never donated. In my compassion for non-profits and the difficulty they must surely have raising money in this economy, I removed that Oxfam post, hopeful that maybe Oxfam would follow through on its last promise to stop mailing me. Subsequently, I also raised the amount of my monthly donations to other orgs.

On Sunday I donated to the USO online with only one request, to NOT be added to any lists, snail or email. On Monday they wrote back to thank me for my donation and to assure me that I would not be added to more bloody lists. I questioned whether or not I had needed to be so harsh and defensive about my contact details with my donation. Then on Tuesday, Oxfam, who suck beyond belief and description, mailed me again. I have asked to be off of their list for YEARS now. I honestly believe that they continue to mail me with the intent of harassment. I guess I need to report them to those charity watchdog groups or my local Congressman. But I thought, it’s just Oxfam being well, Oxfam, as usual and I sent my request to be removed back to them in their postage paid envelope. Today the USO emailed me their general mailer. I’m not one to curse and swear on the internet, but insert a torrent of expletives. WTF???

Honestly, it makes me want to say insert expletive them all. It’s my money and why bother?? That is truly sad as I honestly budget monthly donations with the best of intentions, understanding that others are struggling in the world. Why these orgs cannot honor simple and polite requests from donors is truly beyond my comprehension.

I apologize for the negative post, but Oxfam deserves the slap, no a pummeling. This time I will never take the post down. I’m incredulous. I have another $150 in the budget for June and right now, I want to spend it on a new org, TED, Take Elizabeth Drinking! It will only help bartenders and liquor companies, but at least I will NOT be added to yet another ..... mailing list. Email me if you would like to contribute.