Archive for February 9th, 2009
A lesson from ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’
Sci-fi writer Robert Heinlein: July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988.
It’s been many years ago that I first read Robert Heinlein’s ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ which turned out to be one of my favorite peak moments in literature. I must have been a teenager at the time.
The main concept I remember from the book, the one that most adjusted my own thoughts and behavior, was the Witness being called on to demonstrate to the main character what a Witness’ job is…so when shown a house on a hill, the Witness was asked, ‘what color is the house?’
(In my memory the house in the story was white, and I believe that’s correct. Pardon me if it isn’t – my old copy of the book was borrowed and not returned long ago. Obviously I need a new one!)
So what did the Witness reply, with Truth and professional credentials on the line?
“Three sides are white.”
Today I’ve sassily added a link to the Heinlein Society’s website under the category ‘Writers Write.’ Or you may wish to check it out here for writing contests, Heinlein info, and more:
http://www.heinleinsociety.org/
Now somewhere I still have a copy of ‘The Cat Who Walked Through Walls’ – I hear it purring now….and here’s an interesting critique of the usual critiques of a controversial Heinlein:
The Aims of Tim Geithner
Bloomberg News has information on Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s plans for the economy which he will present tomorrow, Feb 10:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a9no2RQe9kP0&refer=home
Update Feb 10: Geithner speaks but his aims are viewed as vague and you know how stock markets don’t care for vague – the DOW fell almost 382 points today…oopsy daisy:
Alec Baldwin April 3, 1958
An actor on one of my favorite comedy shows ’30 Rock’, Alec Baldwin, has been expressing his views for some time over at Huffington Post.
Below is a link to one from Friday Feb 6 in which Mr. Baldwin calls for Tim Geithner’s resignation from the Treasurey Dept, demands that Hank Paulson’s use of TARP money be investigated and that he be prosecuted for fraud, and sends a message to John McCain to ‘shut up’ – his political career is over.
Whew! that’s a lot of direction from an actor, isn’t it?
Born in Massapequa, New York on April 3, 1958, Alec Baldwin would have had to be born between midnight and 12:54 am est on that date to have natal Moon in Earthy, modest Virgo. So I suspect his natal Moon sign is Airy Libra, don’t you?
Now I half expected to see a planet or two out-of-bounds in his natal chart given the actor’s extreme professional success and his rather brazenly expressed views, but not so.
There is an interesting midpoint picture (not dependent on an exact birth time) relating to society (Jupiter and Saturn) and power (Pluto)
Saturn-Pluto = Jupiter (28Lib26 Rx): religious or social fanaticism; plainness and simplicity.
Plus, natal retrograde Jupiter is a ‘maverick’ signature – and he does express himself in gung-ho fashion.
Mr. Baldwin’s planetary combo of Jupiter and Neptune, who together make up the ‘speculator duo’ is on his Nodal axis…
Jupiter-Neptune = NN: associations with swindlers and speculators; placing false hopes on ones associations.
And perhaps his Sun-Moon blend is of interest…
Sun Ari-Moon Lib: independence vs dependence; head vs heart; ebullient sociability and charming hospitality; idealism and hopefulness; capacity to inspire optimism; artistic imagination and talents; naturally romantic and devoted in heroic proportions; chivalrous; an almost childlike desire for social involvement; eager for life.
Negatives may include: tendency to think great guns then peter out; letting frustration eat up confidence; need for appreciation can fuel vanity rather than creativity; vacillation; resting on laurels when new strides should be made.
‘Image for Integration: A conductor leads an orchestra with passionate conviction and a vibrant, pulsating organism of musical perfection is created to the ecstatic uplifting of the audience.’ (‘Sun Sign-Moon Sign’ by Chas & Suzi Harvey.)
This Sun-Moon blend is shared by several other entertainers:
Pearl Bailey, Jean Paul Belmondo, Richard Chamberlain, Shirley Jones, Julian Lennon, Simone Signoret, Gloria Swanson, and Jack Webb (‘Dragnet’.)
Also with Sun Ari-Moon Lib: Wilbur Wright of Wright Bros fame, and essayist-journalist William Hazlitt, who said so aptly that:
“The love of freedom is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.”
You’d think America – and Washington DC – had that down by now.
Check out Alec Baldwin’s post here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alec-baldwin/enough-with-the-first-hun_b_164797.html
