Month: December 2016

12 holiday shoppers and sight seers are dead with 48 injured from last night’s atrocity in Germany as a truck drove into a Christmas market in Berlin at 7.14pm. It is being viewed as a “probable terrorist attack” with the driver, reportedly a Pakistani asylum seeker, being questioned. The Polish driver was apparently stabbed and his lorry, carrying steel girders, hi-jacked.

Uranus was opposition Jupiter square Pluto – and that is a signature carried through next year’s US Inauguration Trump First Term and the February Eclipses. Jupiter despite its merry reputation often appears critically placed in disasters. The negative aspect of a Jupiter Uranus opposition can lead to wild optimism and grandiose get-rich-quick-schemes far removed from common sense; and can stir up religious conflict. Which latter this will certainly do. Angela Merkel has already had to back away from her open-hearted welcome-to-all approach; and called for a ban-the-burqua policy.

Germany was always due for an emotional shock with the Solar Arc Moon conjunct its 12^th house Mars now, though not exact until four months’ time, so there may be more to come.

The next Solar Eclipse on 26 February 2017 is at 8 Pisces conjunct Neptune in a Saros Series Bernadette Brady describes as bringing pleasant surprises, sudden happiness, joyful events and lucky breaks or wins. Positive changes in people’s lives.

There is also at the time of the eclipse an adventurous Jupiter opposition Uranus Mars square Pluto which could go several ways – over-confident pushes to prove a point, too much control and an aggressive Saturn trine Mars Uranus – but none of these are in aspect to the Eclipse itself so should have less long term effect. Eclipses tend to cast a shadow over the following six months, and just before.

It’s difficult to tell where it will brew up events in the world. The midheaven runs through Greenland and down through Brazil. UK/London is catching Mars Uranus.

The Lunar Eclipse of 11 February 2017 is at 22 Leo/Aquarius in a Mystic Rectangle trine/sextile Uranus opposition; a three-quarters Grand Sextile with Saturn involved – it could be lively. Jupiter always helps. New Zealand is catching it on the MC/IC axis.

The 21 August 2017 Solar Eclipse is at 28 Leo, conjunct Mars and trine Saturn and Uranus. A Fire Grand Trine. With a Cardinal Grand Square of Jupiter opposition Uranus square Venus opposition Pluto. [See previous post November 11th]. It’s in a series which puts pressure on personal relationships, with tiredness and maybe health issues. Hasty decisions warned against.

It’ll be seen across the USA and does impact on Donald Trump’s Ascendant Mars, so could be quite a jolt. Mars triggered by an Eclipse tends to go into fighting gear and usually provokes a crisis.

The Lunar Eclipse of 7 August 2017 is at 15 Aquarius/Leo conjunct Mars and trine/sextile Jupiter, so confident and combative. The USA catches that on the MC/IC axis.

Poland seems to be rolling backwards in terms of democratic rights which is giving Brussels yet another headache and pulling demonstrators out onto the street. They are protesting about government plans to restrict journalists’ access to parliament. And the outgoing president of Poland’s highest constitutional court has accused the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS) of a systematic attempt to destroy oversight of government activity, describing the country as “on the road to autocracy”. The European Commission is to consider sanctions for what it has described as a “systemic threat to the rule of law in Poland”.

The Poland 24 Aug 1989 1.05pm Warsaw chart has a panicky-failure tr Neptune opposition Mars, on and off till late 2018; and Solar Arc Pluto opposition the Gemini Moon in late 2017 which suggests a mutinous-population feeling oppressed.

PM Beato Szydio’s swearing in chart, does have an uncertain Solar Arc Saturn square Neptune now. Though there’s a bullishly confident tr Pluto triune Jupiter in 2017/18 which doesn’t suggest much back-tracking.

The relationship chart between Poland and the EU looks very stressed through 2017 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Uranus and Mars; with a radical shift in the relationship come 2018/19 with tr Pluto opposition the composite Uranus. By 2019 tr Uranus will oppose the composite Sun, which may well lead to calls to break away altogether.

Poland acceded to the EU on 1 May 2004 which has a highly restrictive, enraged Mars Venus opposition Pluto square Moon – which is under severe strain in 2017 from tr Saturn in hard aspect to all four planets; with a disruptive tr Uranus trine Pluto and sextile Venus Mars as well. Plus Solar Arc Uranus opposition Moon, exact in early 2017; and a bad-tempered Solar Arc Mars conjunct Saturn just after mid 2017.

So it’ll be tense times and not just for Poland. Other countries also joined that day – Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. All in different ways will be feeling aggravated and uncertain about the EU. Tr Uranus moves to conjunct the Taurus Sun of that 2004 accession chart by 2020, which is when the EU chart itself is under hugely challenging influences as tr Uranus catches its Fixed Grand Square.

Brexit may be just the beginning. .

Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hollywood socialite and one of the first ‘famous for being famous’ celebrities, has died aged 99. She married nine times, outstripping her elder sister’s six weddings, and her mother and other sister’s three weddings apiece.

Born 6 February 1917 8.08pm Budapest, Hungary she came to the US during World War 11. Her mother had a jewellery store and pushed her daughters towards acting and publicity.

Zsa Zsa was unashamedly flamboyant and wittily upfront about her approach to men and marriage.

“I never hated a man enough to give him his diamonds back.”

“To be loved is a strength. To love is a weakness.”

“Husbands are like fires. They go out when unattended.”

On former husband George Sanders: “We were both in love with him. I fell out of love with him but he didn’t.”

She had a 5^th house Sun Uranus Mars in Aquarius, so loved socialising and having an audience, was volatile, explosive, stubborn and never scared to take a risk. Aquarians often make good comedians. She also had Saturn in Cancer (and Neptune in Leo) opposition Venus Mercury in Capricorn square an 8^th house Jupiter in Aries. Venus Saturn can be promiscuous which plus an independent-minded Aquarius Sun Uranus and argumentative Mars would not make long term relationships easy. Her Jupiter in Aries hints at an ability to attract money as does her Jupiter square Neptune. She was born at the time of the Leo Full Moon so she’d certainly enjoy a five-star lifestyle but again would be ambivalent about close relationships .

She also had Pluto in the 10^th which can often go with becoming a ‘legend’, is highly controlling, and a sign of her mother’s stage-pushiness at getting her daughters out into the public arena. Her mother died aged 100.

The bitingly-funny television and food critic AA Gill died a week ago from cancer leaving a gap for many Sunday newspaper readers for whom his eviscerations of actors, directors and restaurants were the week’s highlight. Those on the receiving end would laugh ruefully (mainly) since despite, his fierce sarcasm, he was much loved.

He had an ongoing feud with the Isle of Man after he wrote: “The weather’s foul, the food’s medieval, it’s covered in suicidal motorists and folk who believe in fairies.” Later despite complaints in the Isle of Man parliament he said the citizens fell into two types:  “hopeless, inbred mouth-breathers known as Bennies” and “retired, small arms dealers and accountants who deal in rainforest futures.”

Born 26 June 1954 7.55pm, Edinburgh, Scotland (Astro com BC) to a TV director father and actress mother, he had a brother who was a Michelin-starred chef but mentally fragile who disappeared in 1998 and has not been seen since. Gill himself was severely dyslexic and had a major drug and alcohol problem which nearly killed him in his twenties. He cleaned up and despite his problems with reading and writing was amazingly erudite; and compassionate about wider world problems amongst refugees in the Congo, Jordan and Lampedusa.

He was a Sun Jupiter in Cancer in the 8^th opposition Mars in Capricorn; with Mercury Uranus in Cancer in the 8^th square his MC and 10^th house Neptune. His indulgent Taurus Moon was in the entertaining 5^th. Very intense with four planets in the 8^th and influential. Plus a much-travelled Venus and opinionated Pluto in the 9^th; a conscientious Saturn in Scorpio was trine his Sun and sextile his Mars.

He had multiple quintiles and septiles – 5^th and 7^th Harmonics – artistic, creative, could make his life work and the 7H can be prone to addiction.

Not an easy chart or easy life but he surmounted significant problems to shine.

Kellyanne Conway, the first woman to lead a successful US Presidential campaign as manager and strategist for Donald Trump, was born 20 January 1967.

She has quite a chart with an ambitious (probably) Capricorn Sun opposition Jupiter square a combative Mars in Libra. She’s also got (possibly) two Grand Trines.  A definite Water Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Saturn in Pisces trine Neptune, formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition Sun – so creative, healing for others, talented and ego-driven.

She’s also got her Sun trine Uranus (Pluto) in Virgo maybe trine a Taurus Moon, which may in turn be opposition Neptune; so possibly two Kites off that with the Sun opposition Jupiter as well. She’s quite a powerhouse. An Earth Water chart with no Fire – practical, business-minded with a strong intuition and finger on the public pulse with Water and Moon highlighted.

Her Moon may be conjunct Trump’s Taurus MC with her innovative Uranus Pluto and Sun trine his MC. It wouldn’t be the easiest of relationships since her focal point Mars squares his Saturn in Cancer, which would be aggravating.

She has evidently turned down his Press Secretary role and says she’ll work outside the White House/West Wing but still in support of him. Their relationship chart has a heavily aspected Uranus square the composite Venus and trine Sun, so they’ll need space from one another; plus there’s a jockeying-for-the-upper-hand Jupiter Pluto, which can work well short-term but will probably be better suited to an arm’s length connection. Plus an irritable Mars trine Saturn.

She certainly looks in for a major success with her Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct her Pluto in 2017; though with some losses from tr Neptune; and insecurities or shocks as well from tr Uranus opposition her focal point Mars in late Feb/March.

Crime writer Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution which was the short story turned drama that turned her from a success into a phenomenon in 1953 has been remade for the BBC’s Christmas schedule. She is the best-selling writer of all time with 80 detective novels. Only the Bible has sold more than her four billion copies. No mean achievement especially for someone known as slow as a child, possibly dyslexic.

Born 15 September 1890 4am Torquay, England, she had an isolated childhood, home educated with her two elder siblings off at boarding school. She started writing to stave off boredom encouraged by her mother. Her first marriage produced one child. It lasted 12 years until her husband left her, at which point she disappeared for 10 days causing a hue and cry. She subsequently, aged 40, married an archaeologist who was only 26, which lasted for 36 years, though he seemed to have a mistress in the background.

She was a Sun Virgo square Mars in Sagittarius, so hard-working and feisty. She also had a communicative Air Grand Trine of a Libra Moon trine a creative, slightly paranormal Neptune Pluto in Gemini in her 10^th trine Jupiter in Aquarius. Pluto in the 10^th makes for influence, Neptune is artistic and the combination of the pair can be larger than life as her output and achievements showed.

Her 2^nd house Mercury in Libra was widely trine Pluto Neptune and the North Node in Gemini. She was clearly designed for a money-making and ambitious life from unlikely beginnings.

Her second husband, Max Mallowan, 6 May 1904 had a Taurus Sun which fitted well with her Virgo Sun and possibly an Aquarius Moon conjunct her Jupiter and trine her Libra Moon. His Jupiter was in her 8^th so a deep and supportive bond; with his Mars Mercury on her midheaven so he’d promote her ambitions.

It was an adventurous match with Mars Jupiter conjunct in their relationship chart and his Venus falling in her 9^th house of travel – she accompanied him to the Middle East on digs. But not always easy or overly emotional. With so much Air in her chart and a self-sufficient Virgo Sun she’d be quite detached.

Jude Law who was the unexpected lead for Paolo Sorrentino’s sumptuous 10-part television drama The Young Pope rose to the challenge and inhabited the part to the manner born. He played a young American laid-back, smoking, cherry-coke drinking primate who turned out to have hardline views on the key issues for the Vatican. As to be expected from Sorrentino who directed Oscar-winning The Great Beauty, it was gloriously shot, awash with red and gold, sliding in and out of dream sequences, with a wittily quirky plot as well as some telling jabs at the Vatican.

Law, 29 Dec 1972 6am Lewisham, England, made his name with The Talented Mr Ripley and more recently The Grand Budapest Hotel and Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes. But he’s been in need of a splash and he will certainly be in line for awards for this, with a second series planned. He’s had a complicated love life, which at times overshadowed his acting career, with five children by three different relationships.

He’s a Sun Capricorn square Pluto on his Libra MC with Jupiter also in Capricorn in his 2^nd. He has a handsome and charming Neptune, Venus, Mercury and Ascendant in Sagittarius opposition a 7^th house Saturn; and a restless Moon Uranus in Libra. Not an easy chart for emotional relationships, with Moon Uranus, Venus Saturn; and such a strong Pluto.

His creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonics are strong, as is his actor’s 15H.

In 2016/17 he’s got tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter which usually accompanies a great success and confidence and financial boost. Though he may also be taking it more quietly with tr Saturn dipping below his Ascendant.

Paolo Sorrentino, 31 May 1970 11.50pm Naples, Italy, has filmic Neptune in his 10^th house of career on the focal point of a Yod to Mars in Gemini sextile Moon in Taurus. A Yod focal point Neptune yearns for calm and beauty and times of seclusion – Leonardo Da Vinci had one such as did Marlon Brando. His Gemini Sun is trine an 8^th house Uranus, with Pluto also in the 8^th; and Mars in Gemini in the entertainment 5^th is square both Pluto and Uranus – so driven, risk-taking and volatile. It’s an Air Earth chart with no Fire, so he’d be drawn to a subject like The Young Pope which focussed on the struggles around faith – his missing element.

He also has strong creative harmonics – 5^th and 7^th – and leaving-a-legacy 17H.

Sorrentino’s Sun falls in Jude Law’s 7^th so a good partnership; with PS’s Uranus conjunct JL’s Pluto MC – so a catalytic relationship that moved him in a new direction.

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How did we get to a situation where truth and facts appear to be disposable entities and opposing viewpoints are clung onto with aggressive and closed-minded hostility? Politicians have always lied and humanity for millennia have fought over the ‘we’re right and you’re wrong’ scenario, especially in religious conflicts. But those tendencies have magnified to a pathological degree in recent times.

‘The late US senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan used to say: “You’re entitled to your own opinion, but you’re not entitled to your own facts.” But that distinction seems to have broken down. Now people regard facts as very much like opinions: you can discard the ones you don’t like.’ [URL: goo.gl/2Ox0Zy]

Part of it can be ascribed to the emergence of the internet which gave free rein and a free platform to vicious trolls and conspiracy theorists, letting loose an underbelly of anger and wild fantasy. Plus admittedly more beneficial things.

The WWW was launched on 6 August 1991 with a highly-strung Uranus Neptune North Node in Capricorn trine Mars in Virgo, sextile Pluto in Scorpio. Uranus Neptune can be inspired leading to advances in social thinking, science and art, but what the combination can lack is common sense. With no Earth grounding and thus no limits, it can rise to magnificent achievements; or it can foster irrational fanatical thinking, so extreme that it misleads. Uranus Neptune is impervious to rational discussion since it clings onto its vision/ideas even when faced with evidence to the contrary. Mars Pluto Uranus in aspect can be transcendentally enraged, brutal, explosive, especially with an immoveable Fixed Pluto on the midpoint.

The downside of Neptune can be destructive as well as oddly powerful and almost impossible to argue with.

The tendency to shut out opposing views is only likely to worsen as Saturn Pluto draws closer. In the 20^th Century Saturn Pluto was around through the birth and rise of fascism first in Italy on a Saturn Pluto conjunction in Cancer; and then the rise of Hitler on the back of the Saturn Pluto opposition in 1932 which also saw the early BNP spawned in the UK which was later reformed on the Saturn Pluto conjunction in the early 1980s. Saturn Pluto comes round reasonably regularly in hard aspect so its function won’t be to precipitate radical shifts, but it will consolidate what other influences have initiated.

Fascism which went hand in hand with an obsession for nationalist identity had/has a peculiar mindset based on delusional narcissism. There is a false idealization of the self, a delusional grandiosity which seeks to sweep away the past and forge a future entirely of its own creation. It’s a group delusion where those who do not think as the group does are excluded, harassed, killed or declared insane. It entertains no doubt or uncertainty and distorts the views of opponents to render them less intelligible and credible. They have to be discredited because no separation of view is possible from the accepted one. They are smeared, denigrated, caricatured and then deleted from mind. It’s us or them, black or white, no room for middle ground. Or for complex thinking which can appreciate there is good and bad in the same situation or person.

Keeping an open mind and admitting to mistaken opinions as new information comes to light is no easy matter, harder for some temperaments than others. It’s more difficult in an atmosphere where the ‘true believers’ rain bile on the heads of anyone who dares disagree and dismiss any new facts as fakes, false flags and the like – and never EVER admit they were wrong, even way down the line after events have conclusively trounced them. But all the more important, as Michelle Obama, said not to stoop to their level but stand firm for truth and real facts and, even more importantly, decency. And if there’s one thing Saturn Pluto is helpful for, it’s grit and perseverance in the face of repression and suppression.

Roll on Jupiter Saturn in Aquarius in 2021.