Joy Archer Takes Aim at Astrology
Potpourri

This is the time to write of candidates, oil prices, IEP’s, and public school 
education.

Mercury went retrograde on June 23 and became direct in motion on July 18. This 
results in such things as a paycheck taking a month to arrive, and other snail 
mail disappearing into the ether! I don’t know of any astrologer who would order 
new software or hardware when Mercury is retrograde. I also chose not to write 
my article while Mercury was retrograde.

The Democrat and Republican conventions are on the horizon. On May 28, 2000 
Saturn and Jupiter were conjunct at 22 degrees Taurus. Astrological past 
observation of this conjunction in an Earth sign indicated the President of the 
USA dies in office. Bill Clinton is President until the third week in January. 
Does he die? Or, if he survives to retire from the hot seat, then the voters 
should look very, very closely at the persons chosen to be Vice President of 
the major parties. Personally, I would prefer the "Green" party but I am aware 
that they are definitely a long shot. But it’s representative, Ralph Nader, is 
saying things that the public need to hear if they want to or not!

The solar eclipse on July 1 at 10 Cancer is near enough to the Cancer Sun in the 
USA chart. This is also a threat to the leaders of our Country. The Lunar Eclipse 
on July 16 at 24 Capricorn, followed closely by the second Solar Eclipse this 
month on July 30, at 8 degrees Leo, indicates it is earthquake season. Japan will 
feel the negative effects of the Lunar eclipse the most of the developed Nations. 
But it will have a worldwide economic ripple effect.

Excessive oil prices will be the pin that pricks the bubble of Wall Street. 
Neptune which rules oil hit the South Node of the USA chart at 6 degrees 
Aquarius in late March. The prices soared. Neptune went retrograde on May 9 and 
it is still at 6 degrees Aquarius. On June 27 it backs off 6 degrees to 5 
degrees and there was a bit of a let up in the Midwest. It goes back to 3 
degrees Aquarius before it goes direct on Oct 16. It doesn’t hit 6 degrees again 
until next year. The high price of gasoline will change the driving habits of 
Americans and it’s effect will filter down to a wide variety of industries.

I have spent a lot of time in a grade school or high school classroom in eight 
different States: Kansas, New Jersey, Illinois, Arizona, Oklahoma, Missouri, New 
Mexico and Oregon. About one third of that time was spent teaching students with 
"Learning Disabilities". These disabilities varies from physical impairments, 
emotional problems, to just plain juvenile delinquents. My life was threatened 
far too many times. These students in Special Education have an IEP, Individual 
Educational Program. They are tested and seen by various specialists which 
results in an educational program tailored to their individual needs. The money 
spent on one of these students is far more than that allocated for the "average" 
or the "gifted student".  

Sometimes these students may have a disability in one area but are very talented 
in another area. I applaud the desire and attempt to fit the educational program 
to the individual. That is what Astrology is about. Each person is an individual 
with strengths and weakness.

My complaint is that the "Gifted" student or the student who excels in many 
areas is not properly serviced by our Public Schools. Most likely they will be 
our leaders of tomorrow. They will be the people who create the inventions, 
improvements, and bring the innovative ideas which will improve society. They 
are given short shift in our Public School. Some of these students, out of 
boredom, get into trouble. Boredom is the most likely reason students in high 
school dabble in recreational drugs. When I was a child, I got into trouble when 
I finished my work early. I sat in the back of my fourth grade classroom trading 
jokes with ever so handsome Dan Sullivan! So I would like to propose that the 
parents of all the students who learn very quickly to petition their Public 
Schools for an IEP for their "exceptional" child. Every student deserves an IEP!

Yes, I will admit that my graduate work is in Special Education concerning 
identifying and teaching the "Gifted" student. Many schools that I have taught 
at don't have ANY money for a "Gifted" Program. For parents who may be interested, 
the one consistent correlation found with "Gifted" children was there were books 
in the home. The parents, and sometimes only one parent was present, read those 
books. This was not videos, or magazines, but real live books. Thank heavens for 
"Harry Potter"!

Joy's Parting Shot: A person who is only wrapped up in themselves makes for a 
very small package!