Saturday, September 29, 2007

Saturn in Virgo Heralding New Rules -

Saturn in the early degrees of Virgo is making a showing already.

Three news items this week, from the USA, UK, and New Zealand seem to me to be Saturn in Virgo related. Some of the things astrology connects with Saturn are rules, laws, discipline, restrictions and teaching. In the zodiac sign of Virgo this strait-laced planet will feel quite at home. It's not Saturn's home sign (that's Capricorn) but it is another Earth sign, and friendly to anything connected with service, health, wellbeing, and attention to detail. So we can easily detect the connection in the following, soon to be implemented, new rules:

In the USA: "Could You Pass the New Citizenship Test?" - exam for would-be citizens re-designed for the first time since since 1986.

In the UK, a new updated and expanded version of "The Highway Code", first in 8 years.

My personal interest in the first item leads me to wonder, would it be impolite to suggest that those who administer immigration and citizenship matters in the US should take a new test of competence themselves? I'm waiting very impatiently for the Citizenship and Immigration Service to get their act together and open the packet I sent to them in July, containing my own application for US citizenship. I'd be overjoyed to take their test tomorrow ! But it looks like an extremely long wait is ahead for me, and many like me. Can you tell I'm seething with annoyance? It probably doesn't help that Saturn is at present coming up to be quincunx my natal Sun, with Tr Uranus sextile natal Uranus feeding feelings of rebellion.

I can't comment much about the UK's Highway Code. I've forgotten what it's like to sit in the passenger seat on the other side of the car and travel on the other side of the road. I don't drive, by the way. In the UK I didn't need to - plenty of public transport and sidewalks. For at least a year after I first came here I'd routinely go to the driver's side to get into the car - much to the amusement of HeWhoKnows. One thing I discovered here, which is different (I think) from driving in the UK: when an ambulance or fire fighting vehicle is approaching, or behind, one is obliged to pull over. HWK always does this even if the road is completely clear. It's a caring and courteous requirement (Saturn was probably in Virgo when someone implemented the rule!)

And - the third news item:

In New Zealand: The New Zealand police have launched a wiki open to anyone wanting to edit and make suggestions to the Police Act as part of a wider revamp. New Zealand's current Police Act is nearly 50 years old.

NZ Police Superintendent Hamish McCardle, the officer in charge of developing the new act, said the initiative had already been described as a "new frontier of democracy".

"People are calling it 'extreme democracy' and perhaps it is. It's a novel move but when it comes to the principles that go into policing, the person on the street has a good idea ... as they are a customer. They've got the best idea about how they want to be policed."

Now THAT's what I call democracy! Good for the NZ police!

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