Music mogul Russell Wendell Simmons who resigned from his positions at Def Jam Recordings and other companies after multiple allegations of serious sexual misconduct and assault, has popped back up in a radio interview proclaiming his innocence. A recent documentary featuring some of his accusers lost Oprah Winfrey’s support. In 2018, it was reported that Simmons had moved to Bali, Indonesia, where there is no extradition treaty to the U.S.
Born 4 October 1957, Simmons is a pro-active Sun, Mars, Jupiter in Libra in sextile to Saturn in Sagittarius on one side and Uranus on the other – a risk-taker, confident, innovative. His Saturn is also in a tough-minded square to Pluto. His Venus in seductive Scorpio squares onto an Aquarius Moon.
It’s not a particularly alarming chart (without a birth time) but his way ahead looks less than upbeat. He has a car-crash Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Saturn this year, as well as tr Uranus opposing his Mars/Saturn for a run of calamities from this month, on and off to early 2021; plus jolts and jangles from tr Uranus square Uranus, Sun/Saturn and Jupiter/Saturn midpoints from this July on and off into mid 2021 – which suggest losses, upset and forced change. And tr Neptune is in a disastrous opposition to his Mars/Pluto midpoint now till early 2021. In 2022 Solar Arc Neptune squares his Mars for panicky failure. Photo: David Shankbone
Continuing protests in Hong Kong have been marking the first anniversary of major clashes between police and pro-democracy demonstrators as well as voicing protests about the new national security law imposed by Beijing. The Chinese government say it will target subversion, succession, terrorism and foreign interference. But critics fear it will bring mainland-style political oppression to a city supposedly guaranteed freedoms and autonomy for 50 years after its handover. Hong Kong enjoys liberties unseen on the mainland as part of the “one country, two systems” deal made when colonial power Britain handed it back to China in 1997.
The Hong Kong 1 July 1997 12 am chart does have tr Pluto conjunct the Solar Arc Midheaven exactly now and continuing till late 2021 which is a fair description of blocked progress and crushed ambitions; with a deflated Solar Arc Neptune conjunct Jupiter as well this year, which could dent finances as well. With nothing much showing ahead that is upbeat – tr Pluto will conjunct the Neptune in 2023/24 which will be even more devastating.
The Hong Kong 25 January 1842 chart is no more cheering with outbursts of tension from this month, into 2021; a panicky, nerve-stretched 2021 and more of the same in 2022. It all looks like, muddle, mayhem and disappointment.
Relationship charts with both China 1912 and 1949 look to be on a downward slide until almost mid-decade.
The China 1 October 1949 3.15pm chart is pushily confident till this year end but then has tr Saturn moving across the Ascendant into a lower profile First Quadrant for several years thereafter. It may take a while to bite but there will be a less bullish attitude as the old success becomes more difficult to achieve. 2022 will be particularly turbulent, explosive and insecure with the likelihood of hasty over-reactions as tr Saturn square tr Uranus hits on the 7th house China Mars Pluto in Leo and by 2023 tr Uranus opposes the financial Venus, which will bring financial upsets.
The 1 January 1912 China chart is in a state of upheaval this year with Solar Arc Sun square the Uranus and a devastating and confused tr Pluto Saturn opposition the Neptune – presumably CV-19 plus economic damage. Tr Saturn moves onto to conjunct the Uranus later this year for more tension; and by 2022 tr Pluto will conjunct the Uranus for a phase of disruption and perhaps rebellion. Tr Neptune will also square the Mercury opposition Pluto in 2022/23 for further discontent.
So the overlord China will be going through a series of convulsions.
Xi Jinping’s First Presidency chart – 14 March 2013 11.51 Beijing is possibly the more accurate since he’s now abolished the two-term rule. It indicates major problems from next year onwards. In 2021 the economically-challenging tr Uranus square tr Saturn will hit the speculative 5th house Saturn in Scorpio; tr Neptune will also make an undermining conjunction to the Pisces Sun and Solar Arc Midheaven, so it’ll be dither and indecision. By 2023 there are two poleaxing Solar Arcs of a dead-halt, trapped Mars square Pluto; and mutinous-population Pluto square Moon. He won’t emerge from that looking like a victor.
None of which may do Hong Kong much good. It may be helped by tr Pluto moving into Aquarius after 2023/24 since on the 1841 chart the Sun is in early Aquarius; and on the 1997 Uranus is at 7 Aquarius – both of which could (maybe) bring about significant reforms.
The mystery of Melania Trump is under scrutiny in a new book ‘The Art of Her Deal’ which suggests her reluctance in moving to DC after Trump’s election was because she was using her leverage to renegotiate her prenup and protect her son Barron’s financial interests.
It makes sense from various astrological pointers. She is a Sun Saturn in Taurus opposition Jupiter in Scorpio, with Mercury Venus also in Taurus trine Pluto so she will be obsessive about material security and money. The other is that tr Pluto in Capricorn was opposing the composite Mars in her relationship chart with Trump suggesting a bitter tussle. Tr Pluto was also squaring his 2nd house Jupiter, lifting his confidence certainly with a win but also pointing to a financial tug of war. Plus tr Saturn in Sagittarius was conjunct his Moon, opposition his Sun and in hard aspect to his marriage signature Sun/Moon midpoint through late 2016 and 2017 pointing to marital separation.
The book also says she is more like Trump, supports his general outlook and is closer to him than was suggested initially. They are different types since she has a predominantly practical earthy and Fixed chart with a Capricorn Moon as well as a stellium in Taurus and Pluto in Virgo, while he lacks Earth altogether. She has no Water planets and only one Fire – so out of touch with feelings and lacking trust in life, which is why she needs to accumulate security and possessions. They may well complement each other – she’s pragmatic and steady while he’s scattergun and disorganised.
Her Mercury and indulgent Venus in Taurus sit on his Midheaven with her Pluto trine so she’d be attracted to his status for what it could give her. Her Mars in his 10th will throw her energy behind his ambitions.
Their relationship chart has a controlling composite Sun square Pluto which describes a relationship in which power plays a major role. Initially that might have suggested she was the submissive partner and she is certainly adept at playing the silent, one-step-back half of the duo. But her Pluto squares his Sun and Moon, so she could well have the measure of him and be the subtle string puller.
Her own chart is agitated and in crisis-mode at the moment with tr Uranus conjunct her Saturn/Uranus midpoint; with a mountainous struggle picking up from early July till mid August as tr Pluto opposes her Saturn/Uranus midpoint, opposes her Solar Arc Mars and trines her Mars/Saturn midpoint. And that influence returns late November through this December. In 2021 she has a seriously blocked Solar Arc Sun square Pluto which could even pick up late this year depending on her birth time which isn’t known. And she will be badly affected by the tr Uranus square tr Saturn hitting on her Saturn in 2021 as well, so could be economically damaging for her.
Her relationship chart with Trump is in facing-a-disaster-mode from now till early July, again in October and early 2021. The two Lunar Eclipses this month and next are rattling the composite Saturn Mercury in Gemini and Mars respectively; and the December Solar Eclipse is opposing the composite Venus – so plenty in the way of upsets, chickens coming home to roost, irritability and emotional shocks late year. With a major turnaround from spring 2021 onwards as tr Uranus square tr Saturn hits on their composite Uranus. But without her birth time not showing much more.
Jessica Mulroney, who is/was Meghan Markle’s best friend, fashion stylist and wedding planner, has become embroiled in an extraordinary spat with a black Instagram influencer which has led to her being dropped from Good Morning America and having her reality TV show cancelled. What’s bizarre is that given Mulroney’s associations she should have been tripping herself over backwards to be supportive of Black Lives Matter, not lashing out with a spiteful response.
What is also odd is the lack of much crossover between Meghan and Jessica’s charts given their long friendship.
Jessica was born 14 March 1980 in Montreal, Canada, and is a Sun Pisces opposition Saturn in Virgo square Neptune – creative, neurotic, scattered; with a flamboyant Mars in Leo in a go-ahead and adventurous conjunction to Jupiter. And the classic fashionista/indulgent/superficial Jupiter trine Venus in Taurus; and a publicity-attracting Mars trine Neptune.
The main connection with Meghan is money and extravagance with Jessica’s Mars Jupiter falling in Meghan’s 2nd house. Material gain is what drives the relationship and it can be good for joint business ventures. But resentment can arise in a personal relationship about ulterior motives of personal gain on one side or the other.
Their relationship chart is no more illuminating having a needs-space and differing-agenda composite Sun Mercury opposition Uranus; and a confused, suspicious composite Jupiter Saturn square Neptune. (Unless her birthdate is wrong it is v weird.)
Jessica gets on even less well with Prince Harry with her Saturn in a dampening conjunction to his Virgo Sun. Their relationship chart has a seriously aggravated composite Sun trine and composite Venus square a loaded Saturn, Mars, Pluto conjunction, plus an illusory/disappointing composite Sun opposition Neptune. This was never going to last.
Jessica herself looks unsettled and nerve-jangled now with tr Uranus conjunct her Venus and tr Pluto conjunct her Sun/Uranus midpoint as well as tr Neptune square her Sun/Neptune – so the birth date may well be right. Next year looks littered with failed plans as tr Neptune opposes her Saturn and then moves on to conjunct her Sun in 2022.
Astro-point to watch out for. Meghan and Harry’s relationship chart has a composite North Node at zero degrees Cancer catching this month’s Solar Eclipse exactly. The Lady Colin Campbell reveal-all book is out later this month followed by the semi-authorised ‘Finding Freedom’, both of which will no doubt provoke attention and the usual divisive for and against arguments. They are already wading through thick mud with tr Pluto square their composite Saturn this year and next, followed by tr Pluto square the composite Pluto and worse opposing the composite Moon in 2022/23. Tr Saturn is also square the composite Saturn Pluto and opposition Moon from this July right through until December this year. Not all hearts, flowers and picnics to put it mildly.
Bashar Assad of Syria’s fortunes are running on track with the astrology. It was always puzzling when he was generally deemed to be the victor of the brutal civil war, aided and abetted by Russia and Iran. Yet what his Presidency chart, 17 July 2000, showed was escalating pressure, fear and devastation from 2019 for several years therafter. Tr Pluto has been in a dead-halt opposition to the Mars, then Sun/Mars midpoint and is now aiming to oppose the Cancer Sun (conjunct Procyon, lord of rises and falls) in 2021/22.
In his desperation to stay on top and quell dissension he has almost destroyed the country and its economy. In recent months there has been hyperinflation, mass business closures, food shortages and widespread unemployment. Not only is coronavirus a major threat but there could also be a famine coming. Assad has already started targeting his own wealthy relatives and seizing their assets. His popularity out on the street and amongst the elite is sagging and there are even suggestions he may be ousted altogether.
It Pluto opposing his Administration Sun in 2021/22 could be the turning point – transform or implode – and its difficult to see what options there are for rebooting a destroyed Syria. Though if he does go he’s likely to be replaced by another establishment figure.
His personal chart, 11 September 1965, has a panicky, undermining tr Neptune opposition his Virgo Sun till January next year; but much worse is a catastrophic run of Solar Arcs stretching from 2022 to 2027 which will collide his central configuration of Sun, Uranus, Pluto opposition Saturn in its Solar Arc position with his Mars Neptune in Scorpio. Shocks, collisions, setbacks, high insecurity, violence – it will be the crisis of his life, worse than anything he has lived through over the past decade. Difficult to see how he will come out of it intact. See previous post October 8 2019
Cristiano Ronaldo is on track to become football’s first billionaire, about to join golfer Tiger Woods and boxer Floyd Mayweather in the sports super-wealthy club. Ronaldo has been a shrewd marketer of his brand as well stratospherically well-paid for his on-field talent.
He was born 5 February 1985 Funchal, Portugal at 10.20 am according to his mother. This puts his Aquarius Sun and Mercury in the 11th house; with a serious-about-business Saturn in obsessive Scorpio in his financial 8th; with his North Node in money-minded Taurus in his 2nd house. Not a sharer, that’s for sure. If the birth time was a few minutes out it might even put his Pluto in the 8th as well. His Jupiter in ambitious Capricorn is also inclined towards money and status; and oddly enough Aquarius does appear in the lists of the world’s most wealth.
His Pluto is in a successful and pushily-confident square to his Jupiter. His Sun is square his tenacious and tough-minded Saturn/Pluto midpoint; his Uranus is conjunct his Jupiter/Pluto for a lucky streak; and his Jupiter is conjunct his Mars/Saturn midpoint so he revels in the discipline required to get to and stay at the top. He’ll do even better by 2023 when tr Pluto is conjunct his Jupiter.
Tiger Woods, 30 December 1975 10.50pm Long Beach, California, is a Sun Capricorn on the point of a T Square to a confident and successful Jupiter in Aries opposition Pluto. With his Sun opposition his Mars/Saturn midpoint.
Floyd Mayweather, 24 February 1977 Grand Beach, MI, is a Sun Pisces with a hard-edged Mars opposition Saturn square Uranus; and a talented Half Grand Sextile from Venus opposition Pluto, sextile Neptune sextile Mars. His Jupiter (and Moon) are in indulgent, materialistic Taurus. His Pluto is square his Sun/Jupiter midpoint; his Jupiter is conjunct his Sun/Saturn and square his Sun/Mars; and his Uranus is opposition his Mars/Saturn.
So he has the same mix as the other two of luck along with the ability to succeed and very hard-driving aspects which push them on through pain, injury, exhaustion and the sacrifice of fun to reach the sporting heights.
I’m never convinced that these guys are good role models. While it may be motivating to see someone succeeding despite coming from a poor background in the case of Ronaldo and Mayweather, it does give ordinary mortals over-inflated expectations of what’s possible. I worked a fair amount in India and used to be continually asked by clients when they were going to earn or win their billion. To which my response was – try to be satisfied with what you achieve, whether it’s ten, fifty or a hundred thousand. But none of them wanted to be a millionaire, it was only ever billionaire. For 99.99% of the population it’s never going to happen. The unattainable makes people feel like a failure which is a shame.
Spike Lee’s latest movie Da 5 Bloods about four African American veterans returning to Vietnam in search of the remains of their team leader, releasing this week on Netflix, couldn’t be more timely. Peter Bradshaw described it as “an explosion of satire and emotional agony about … the fact that black deaths count.” “It’s a rip-roaring adventure yarn, a modern-day remake of The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre and a deeply heartfelt tribute to the black men who risked their lives for their country overseas, only to find their country barely valued theirs once they returned home.”
African-Americans at the time complained they were disproportionately drafted, assigned to combat units and killed in Vietnam. In the early years of the war African-Americans, approximately 11 percent of the civilian population, made up 16.3 percent of draftees and 23 percent of combat troops. Yet few Vietnam War movies reflect their experience.
Spike Lee has been outspoken in his criticism of Trump describing him as Agent Orange and “that Klansman in the Oval office”. He says: He will “go down in history as the worst president of the United States Of America”. “If this guy wins (in 2020), the world is in peril. Not just the United States Of America. The world.”
Spike Lee was born 20 March 1957 in Atlanta, Georgia, his mother a teacher of arts and black literature and his father a jazz musician and composer. He was making films in college and never stopped with his company producing 35 films since 1983, earning multiple awards.
He’s (probably) a final degree Sun Pisces in an expansive opposition to Jupiter in Virgo and trine an innovative Uranus and sextile Mars in argumentative, outspoken Gemini. His Mars is also in a frustrated and do-or-die determined square to Pluto. He’s got a couple of Yods of Sun sextile Mars inconjunct Neptune; and Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Sun Mercury – a unique individual, who uses his outsider status to good effect.
Spike Lee’s Pluto is conjunct Trump’s Mars for an inflammatory chemistry of hostility and dislike; with his Saturn opposition Trump’s Uranus for more tension.
He looks aggravated this year with his Solar Arc Sun Mercury conjunct his Mars, and his Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Uranus. Though that may be more social and political than responses to his career. He’s on a good roll ahead with tr Pluto in a successful trine to his Jupiter from March 2021 through to late 2022 and beyond since tr Pluto moves onto a super-confident opposition to his Sun/Jupiter midpoint in 2022/23 and then forms an influential sextile to his Mercury Sun in 2023/24.
Possible Joe Biden VP choices – limited to women – are deemed to be five possibles but won’t be chosen for several more weeks. This is a speed read through what info is available in the near future from the charts, most without birth times.
Of the three showing Jupiterian bounty: Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta, 18 January 1970, a Sun Venus in Aquarius, has a lucky-break tr Pluto square her Jupiter/Uranus midpoint from mid August and through till after mid-November.
Stacey Abrams, 9 December 1973, a Sun Neptune Sagittarius, has tr Uranus square her Jupiter in Aquarius from today through to early July, though quite a raft of downbeat influences thereafter into 2021 and beyond.
Kamala Harris, 20 October 1964, a Sun Libra, picks up a lucky-break tr Uranus square her Sun/Jupiter midpoint in early July running to late September and again in early 2021; though she looks very blocked over the election itself.
Susan Rice, 17 November 1964, Sun Neptune in Scorpio, hasn’t much of note showing in either direction. Val Demings, 12 March 1957, a Sun Pisces opposition Jupiter, has been pushing hard against serious resistance and looks in for a setback at the election and trapped through 2021.
Prince Philip is 99 today, locked-down in semi-isolation with the Queen at Windsor. Since his retirement from public life three years ago he has lived mainly at Sandringham, 100 miles away, and this is the longest they have spent together in years.
He was born 10 June 1921 (with an unverified birth time) in Corfu, Greece, into a European Royal family, his father Prince Andrew having claims to the thrones of Greece and Denmark and his mother, Princess Alice, being a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Having been exiled in the aftermath of WW1 the family settled in France, his older sisters married pro-Nazi Germans, his mother was hospitalised with schizophrenia and his father retired to Monte Carlo. Philip was educated partly in England, then in Gordonstoun, Scotland at a school, whose Jewish founder Kurt Hahn had fled Nazi persecution. After which he went into the British navy and served during World War 11.
Elizabeth fell in love with him when she met him aged 13, he proposed when she was 20 and they married a year later in 1947.
Philip is a feisty, assertive and none-too-patient Sun Mars in Gemini square Saturn in hard-working Virgo. His tendency to speak too abruptly comes also from Mercury conjunct Pluto trine Uranus. Pluto adds intensity and Uranus has a reputation of being outspoken.
In some ways he is not unlike his mother Princess Alice, 25 February 1885, who was a Sun Mars in Pisces opposition Jupiter in Virgo square Pluto in Gemini with Saturn also in Gemini – so highly Mutable and scattered.
Queen Elizabeth is the exact opposite with an incredibly Fixed and enduring chart. She would offer stability and his Venus in Taurus in an affectionate conjunction to her Sun and both sharing Moon Neptune in Leo, there would be resonances. Though it wasn’t always the easiest of matches with his Sun Mars square her Uranus for differing agendas. On the other hand his Sun Mars falls in her 5th so children will be a strong connection, as well as sport; and he’d liven her up to have fun and play more than she might otherwise.
His father Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark was a Sun Venus in Aquarius, with a stellium in Taurus of Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Pluto and perhaps a Leo Moon – so in many ways Philip’s parents had the same kind of marriage – one partner incredibly Fixed and the other incredibly Mutable.
Philip and the Queen’s relationship chart has a passionate composite Venus trine Pluto and a smoothing-rough-edges Venus trine Jupiter which would bring a strong bond. Though there’s also a bad-tempered, restrictive composite Mars opposition Saturn indicating a one-sided relationship where one partner has to sacrifice a good deal of their identity to make it work.
Their wedding chart was in part delightful with Venus and Jupiter both trine Pluto and sextile Neptune; and the other part quite horrific with a composite Mars Saturn opposition Moon square Sun so considerable amounts of aggravation and resentment ahead.
Philip’s relationship with Princess Anne was always easier than with Charles. Philip’s Leo Moon is conjunct Anne’s Sun and his Jupiter in conjunct her Moon and his Venus falls in her 7th – good cross overs. With Charles there is a connection with Philip’s Venus conjunct Charles 10th house Moon but otherwise it’s not so harmonious. Their composite chart has a Sun, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune and a Moon square Mars – so suspicious, undermining and irritable.
Though admittedly it would be an impossible relationship for Philip who had already had to step back and down because of the Queen’s position; and an eldest son, who would assume prime importance would be another sacrifice for him to make.
