Why I Borrow Such Excellent Titles

It should be made clear from the start that the title of this blog is ironic and in no way reflects a belief in the efficacy of astrology in any way or form by Bill Ramey or myself:

I got the idea from Chris Benedict's website, MONSTERS FROM THE ID:

"Welcome to my ultra-elaborate, pop-culture jubilee of a web-site. Eventually, my mad dream is to make this a multi-media extravaganza, a deranged amalgam of the visual and literary arts that will set forth to conquer the world. But for now, we have this. The Name of this page is taken from Forbidden Planet, for those of you who don't get the reference. It was either that or Saturn in Retrograde (I'll let that cultural reference remain cryptic)."

Monsters from the Id

Chris helpfully decrypts the reference in his review of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: "Things start out bad for our group of young people. Pam (Teri McMinn) is into astrology: at the begining of the movie, she notes that Saturn is in retrograde. Saturn is an evil planet and retrogradation makes its influence stronger than normal."

Monsters from the Id-Texas Chainsaw Massacre Review

In classical astrology, Saturn in Retrograde stands for subtle degeneration in social structures and rationally-attainable goals. It is also a sign of skepticism towards authority and of a need for re-examination and defense of basic ideals. I can't think of a better purpose for this blog than an examination of said decline in the spirit of defending rationality and right living. Finally, and amusingly, I didn't know it until after I titled the blog, but Saturn -is- in retrograde right now, and will be so until February 22, 2003.