TMRM: Typical Mercury Retrograde Manifestations

1. The massive earthquake aftershock in Japan: total TMRM.

2. The imminent government shutdown via congressional gridlock over the annual budget, which is already halfway through: also TMRM.

In the first case, this Mercury Retrograde action falls under the category of "natural disaster." In the second case, it is a matter of choice -- although many Left-leaning individuals would consider the RepubliCons and Tea Partiers also to fall under the category of natural disaster. Yet it must also be said that the Democrats do not deserve a medal for refusing (at least as of this posting) to give in to the Far Right's two-pronged agenda of wanting to take away -- on a worldwide level-- women's right to control their own bodies, as well as aiming to evade environmental responsibility. The Dems need to grow a pair (of lungs) and seize this opportunity to point out to the populace now, not in 2012, that the budget standstill has nothing to do with jobs (the number-one concern of most people) and everything to do with social ideology (and extortion).

My feeling is that our planet is growing increasingly upset -- Neptune in Pisces may literally unleash a vail of tears in the form of floods.

And more and more people in the US are growing upset that our so-called democracy, with a government supposedly by and for the people, is transforming into a plutocracy. But will there be enough impetus to vote, protest, march, revolt, strike, whatever it takes to bring about real change, or at least a real option that is not cloaked in spin, hype, and lies? The Uranus/Pluto square, aka 2012, may well see such extreme action and reaction. Right now, with Mercury Retrograde, people are more likely to internalize growing resentment.

And I am sorry to say it, but if the current motto of the US does not change -- which is, "I've got mine [however much or little that may be], so screw you," -- when 2012 rolls around, no one save the "lunatic fringe" will budge from their place in front of their home-entertainment system. In other words, it is our job to educate ourselves and foment change if we are dissatisfied, not just bitch about the do-nothings and know-nothings in DC.

To quote John Lennon, "Strange days, indeed."