Category Archives: Companies and Countries

Parting Shots from a Wall Street Muppet Master

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“For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10)

When Greg Smith publicly resigned from Goldman Sachs with a letter in the NY Times on March 14, 2012 he mentioned how callous and money-hungry the company has become. He added new words to our lexicon as he detailed how company executives called clients ”Muppets” and were told to “hunt elephants.”

After twelve years with the company Greg Smith, a Goldman Sachs executive director and head of the firm’s United States equity derivatives business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa left with his own elephant guns blazing, stating that the company had become selfish and no longer cared for the best interests of the clients.

He said, “It astounds me how little senior management gets a basic truth: If clients don’t trust you they will eventually stop doing business with you. It doesn’t matter how smart you are.”

Even in my own small way, working with my own clients, I can testify to the truth of this statement. As well as what he said below.

He said, “Make the client the focal point of your business again. Without clients you will not make money. In fact, you will not exist. Weed out the morally bankrupt people, no matter how much money they make for the firm. And get the culture right again, so people want to work here for the right reasons. People who care only about making money will not sustain this firm — or the trust of its clients — for very much longer.”

The negative publicity and the accusations of “selfishness” in senior management coincide with the transit of Saturn square natal Sun of the Goldman Sachs incorporation chart. A transit of Saturn square the natal Sun of a company chart may point to criticism to those in authority, which Greg Smith certainly offered.

 

Goldman Sachs astrological chart

Click on chart to enlarge.

But, as pointed out last April in an article posted right here  when Goldman Sachs was sued, the progressed chart has a long term Saturn square to the Earth/Moon that makes ambition for material gain to the exclusion of all else the focal point of the company. Without principles a company cannot succeed and no matter how much money employees make, they will eventually bite the hand that feeds them if that company is unscrupulous and callous to the needs of the clients.

Greg Smith may have burned his bridges on Wall Street, (one comment from another executive said that Greg Smith may need to enter the witness protection program) but he brought home exactly what astrology tells us.

Face It, Facebook is a Phenomena

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Facebook went public on February 1, 2012 making even secretaries rich as each Facebook employee and shareholder cashed in on Facebook’s success.

This social media networking tool has insinuated itself into all facets of the internet in a powerful way and its popularity is unbelievable and almost unstoppable.

Why did Facebook become such an instant success when it launched?

Consider the chart of the day Facebook went public.

First and foremost the company launched Facebook on a day when the Sun and Chiron were in a trine. Chiron, in Magi Astrology, rules the public, likeability, charisma so we can translate this to mean that this chart shows success (Sun) with the public (Chiron). Since Chiron has to do with one’s public image how apt that a social network called Facebook was launched on such a day.

For popularity with the general public you can begin a project when the Sun and Chiron are in a trine aspect, and if the chart also creates golden linkages with your chart, you can make a great deal of money, too.

Notice also that on the day of the IPO that chart’s Sun trine Chiron is accentuated and highlighted by transiting CHIRON and JUPITER—a sure sign that the company can cash in on Facebook’s popularity.

Here is the chart showing the date that Facebook went public compared to the day of the IPO.

Goldman Sachs – Part 2

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See Goldman Sachs – Part 1

AND THE UGLY

In April, when the SEC filed the lawsuit transiting Saturn was opposing Goldman Sachs’ natal Jupiter and t. Saturn contraparallel Jupiter in the  declinations, making this a bilevel aspect and doubly powerful.  With Uranus at the same degree they received huge amounts of publicity. On May 30th Saturn will turn direct and once again oppose their Jupiter—this is a 5 RED Light event (my clients will be familiar with this term), and in Magi Astrology considered one of the worst possible transits  because anything that can go wrong will, and at the same time support from others seems to disappear. Saturn will be opposite their Jupiter in mid May, then again through mid June when the aspect peaks again during its looped transit. Goldman Sachs is likely to continue to be hounded by the media, the SEC, and the public.

Click here to see chart

In the Heliocentric system transiting Saturn paralleled their natal Chiron in April 2010, another highly negative transit that impacts the reputation negatively if any transgressions come to light.

Worse, it reminds us that the company has a natal aspect and long term PROGRESSION of Saturn contraparallel Chiron in the Heliocentric chart. This is a highly negative Progression that means that if this company steps out of line and gets caught, they will be punished severely or their reputation will suffer greatly.

In August 2010 a Grand Cross will be formed by the transiting Saturn square Pluto (Saturn is conjunct Goldman Sachs JUNO, while Pluto is opposite their VENUS). This is almost an exact repeat of the planetary pattern in November 2009 when the Saturn and Pluto square previously aligned with the Venus Juno square. This time Jupiter adds its influence.

Click here to see chart

This might be the most prominent “shell” to keep your eye on this  summer: Juno square Venus can represent things that aren’t what they seem. If we consider Venus as representative of “pocket money” or money that can be easily lost or spent (unlike long term investments) then we can see that Goldman Sachs can be deceptive – or appear to be deceptive – when handling small transactions. Juno is associated with gullibility so the very people most apt to be mesmerized by a financial shell game will be attracted to Goldman Sachs.

With Saturn crossing Juno, while Pluto squares the asteroid, and both  stirring up Venus, the extent of the deception will probably be revealed, released and reviled.

The repeating Saturn square to Pluto in the world chart speaks of problems coming to light within the financial industry and attempts to take control and obtain power through regulation. It is entirely possible that Goldman Sachs will be held up as an example of why regulation of the industry is needed, even if everyone else on Wall Street conducted business in the very same way.

Note from Magi Bette: The fact remains that no one can be swindled,  hoodwinked, or taken advantage of unless they agree to it. People could keep their money in their pockets when tempted to invest. No one is forced to invest. People may be misled, misdirected, or bamboozled by financial sleight-of-hand or read into material what they want to believe, or miss the fine print. It is easy to do so when a company has a Venus square Juno in their chart, or someone has a Juno square in their own chart. In any case, anyone who expects to get something for nothing usually gets exactly what they paid for.

May the stars be with you,

Magi Bette

Goldman Sachs – Part 1

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A reputable Wall Street firm faces fraud charges and many people want to know just what is going on. Did they really commit fraud? Can we blame them for contributing to the Great Recession? Will Goldman  Sachs fail?

We can’t know ever what will happen but we can know the astrological conditions of the chart in question.

On April 16, 2010 the SEC announced that they were suing the prestigious investment bank, Goldman Sachs.

In a nutshell, Goldman Sachs is accused of knowingly packing investment packages with securities (such as subprime mortgages) that were extremely likely to fail and then selling them short, making a profit while investors lost their shirts.

A nutshell is an entirely apt term since trading in CDOs, hedge funds, and securities can be a shell game since the person controlling the shells can control the outcome.

Goldman Sachs was founded in 1869 by German immigrant Marcus Goldman, who brought his son-in-law Samuel Sachs into the firm in 1882. In 1885, Goldman’s son and another son-in-law joined the business and the firm began using its present name.  Goldman Sachs & Co. joined the New York Stock Exchange in 1896. During the Crash of 1929 their reputation was tarnished because they offered closed end  funds that resembled a Ponzi scheme.

The venerable Goldman Sachs partnership incorporated on July 21, 1998 as an initial step before going public, which they did in 1999.

The most recent incorporation date chart is the one to use when looking at the  fortunes—or misfortunes—of any company.

Should you invest in Goldman Sachs or pay attention to their advice?

Rather than tell you directly, let’s shuffle the shells around and see if you can find the answer. Every shell game on the street corner starts with three shells.  In  this case these shells are called: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Pick the right one and you will find your answer about Goldman Sachs.

THE GOOD….

The chart itself looks promising. The Sun and Jupiter create a trine—a lucky—aspect. The company is successful and guided by high minded principles (Jupiter) and this is one of the “super aspects” in Magi Astrology that indicate success.

click here to see chart

Juno is the planet of wishful thinking, illusions, unrealistic dreams,  self-deception and deception.  Notice that Juno is trine Neptune and that Neptune rules long term financial security.  This company can give the illusion (Juno) that financial security (Neptune) is available with their products and may even inspire others to invest.

Mars (energy) trine Chiron (reputation) is a sign that the company will  work hard to maintain their reputation, but this is not a super aspect.

We can even point out that Pluto trines Sappho (The asteroid SAPPHO is associated with extreme neurotic behavior, including intense fear and can act like a financial vortex catalyst), so the company can be a powerful (Pluto) player in the financial arena  when people react irrationally and huge amounts of money are involved.  Remember that Pluto rules mortgages, as well as most financial instruments, such as bonds. It also represents gambling and betting, and the trading and profits from all types of financial instruments.  We might even say that the company can profit from irrational behavior.  The term “financial vortex” is especially reminiscent of the way money was sucked away and value was lost during the height of the mortgage crisis.

In the heliocentric chart, Jupiter and Chiron form another valuable trine, which is considered in Magi Astrology to be a “super aspect” for success.  This company simply oozes sugar and spice and everything nice. This  aspect indicates that the general public (Chiron) thinks highly of the company and will give them the benefit of the doubt. This explains why, even during the height of the U.S. financial economic meltdown, that Goldman Sachs was considered one of the best companies in the U.S.

THE BAD…

Point one: Juno also squares Venus in the geocentric chart. Juno is the  planet of wishful thinking, illusions, unrealistic dreams, self-deception and  deception. This company can give the illusion (Juno) of financial security (Neptune), but by including Venus there is yet another financial planet involved with Juno, but this one is a turbulent formation.

Click here to see chart

Juno and Venus make a T-Square with Pallas that we won’t discuss here, although it is pertinent.

Juno (illusions, delusions) square Venus (social activity, pocket money,  quick financial transactions) can represent things that aren’t what they seem and Goldman Sachs may give the impression of being better than they really are.  On the other hand, Goldman Sachs might be deluded about their assets and the value of their goods, too.

Point two; note the T-Square with Saturn at the focal point of the  opposition of Sappho and Neptune (long term investments, such as real estate).

The Sun is applying to an opposition to Neptune, a turbulent aspect for long term investments. With the Saturn square aspect to Neptune the company will struggle to attain long term security (Neptune).

Point three:  The most important trends are observed in the Progressed Chart.

The “birth chart” has the benefit of the Sun trine Jupiter, but the  trine is separating in the progressions.

In heliocentric, by progressed transit Saturn applies to a square to the  Earth/Moon complex for more than 40 years. The benevolent, lucky company shown in the geocentric chart has a turbulent square only seen in the heliocentric chart. Some people might describe this as an indication of greed,  heartlessness, and calculation. As a progressed transit this shows an unfortunate trend over time and is a sign that the company can be judged harshly by the public and authority figures, including the SEC.

Click here to see chart

The Progressed Earth/Moon is involved in a turbulent T-Square–conjunct Uranus, opposite the financial vortex asteroid Sappho and square to Ceres, the finanical asteroid that is so important to business. Goldman Sachs is having difficult financial transits, to say the least.