Month: February 2017

 

 

That politics in Russia is a blood sport becomes clearer by the day. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Putin critic, who was in Russia promoting a film about Boris Nemtsov, a liberal opposition politician who was assassinated in 2015, has been taken ill with suspected toxic poisoning. This is a recurrence of an earlier organ collapse two years ago when he succumbed to the same symptoms. At present he’s in a medically induced coma.

And Alexi Navalny Russia’s main opposition leader, has been today found guilty of embezzlement and handed a five-year suspended sentence. It bars him from running for president next year against Putin.  He has vowed to take part in the race regardless. He denies the charges and says he will appeal against the verdict.

His conviction came in a retrial after the European Court of Human Rights ruled the first trial to be unfair.  He is known for his anti-corruption campaign, which targeted senior officials close to the Kremlin. He says the case against him is an effort to keep him out of politics.

Kara-Murza born 7 Sept 1971 Moscow, is a Sun Venus Virgo, with his Uranus conjunct Putin’s Libra Sun and Saturn – so a rebel versus the old guard. He doesn’t look great ahead with tr Neptune opposition his Sun; and his Solar Arc Mars moving to oppose his Pluto. He may not survive as Livtinenko didn’t, dying of polonium radiation in London in 2005; or the long term effects of the poisoning will stall his life.

Navalny, 4 June 1976 has a Sun Venus in Gemini which is also catching the transiting Neptune hard aspects through the next year, lowering his morale and ability to be pro-active. His Pluto is conjunct Putin’s Sun and his Uranus is conjunct Putin’s Ascendant (9.30am birth time). Their relationship chart has a trapped tr Pluto square the composite Mars over 2017/18 so bitter hostility, even more intense than usual.

These are brave men.

 

Nicolas Sarkozy, former President of France, will stand trial on charges of illegal campaign financing for the 2012 election.

Not only is it a blow to him, it’ll also further damage Francois Fillon who beat him for the centre-right party nomination and who is himself facing charges of misusing state funds to pay his family. Fillon has apologised but refused to stand down. It makes them all seem much of a muchness. Which leaves the French election even more open to a possible Le Pen win than before. Emmanuel Macron, the independent who soared to popularity recently, married to a woman 24 years older than himself, is being smeared with suggestions he is gay; with further suggestions that the Russian dirty-tricks department are full steam ahead, sowing chaos in all directions. Macron never looked that hopeful over the election. [See Jan 31 post.]

Sarkozy, 28 January 1955 10pm Paris, has his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his 2^nd house Neptune exactly now which is devastation; plus his Solar Arc Saturn is moving to oppose and dampen his ‘lucky’ Jupiter in Cancer within months. He’ll get some lift from tr Uranus square his Jupiter in March, but there’s nothing much of joy thereafter for two or three years.

     

 

The orange volcano spouting ever hotter molten lava about a ‘so called’ federal judge blocking his Muslim immigration ban as unconstitutional poses an interesting question ahead. His Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is deemed conservative on social policy but he’s a meticulous lawyer who believes that judges must strive “to apply the law as it is”. They should examine only “text, structure and history”, not personal visions of how they would like the world to look. “It seems to me that the separation of legislative and judicial powers isn’t just a formality dictated by the Constitution,” he declared. “To the founders — their separation was among the most important liberty-protecting devices of the constitutional design.” His record suggests a willingness to enforce constitutional limitations on the excesses of Congress and the president. Which is probably true of the other members. The Supreme Court may find the most pressing issues ahead focus on questions of civil liberties and the separation of powers.

The Supreme Court, 2 Feb 1790, sits very uncomfortably with Trump’s chart with its Saturn in Pisces square his Sun opposition Moon; its Uranus conjunct Trump’s Pluto; its Pluto (conjunct Sun) opposition Trump’s Mars/Pluto midpoint; and it has its very own Mars in Leo conjunct Jupiter sitting on top of Trump’s Mars Ascendant – all of which suggests it will squelch his wild enthusiasm, overturn his more draconian measures, and prove more than a match for his desire to run the USA as Emperor Caligula (who threatened to make his horse a senator.)

The relationship chart has an irritable, blocked composite Saturn square Mars; and a high-tension composite Sun opposition Neptune square Uranus. The relationship will be under considerable pressure through this year with tr Saturn square the composite Jupiter; and tr Pluto square the composite Sun in 2017/18; with heavier challenges in 2019/2020.

Neil Gorsuch, 29 Aug 1967, is a Sun, Venus, Mercury in Virgo with Pluto Uranus also conjunct in Virgo. His Uranus Pluto squares Trump’s Sun and Moon, so he’ll spring a surprise or two on his patron. The relationship chart indicates 2018/19 will be times when the gulf between them widens.

John Roberts, the Chief Justice and chief judge on the Supreme Court, also actively (though no doubt discreetly) dislikes Trump.

Trump in the past blithely ignored legal attempts to curb his business methods and brushed them aside with disdain.  He won’t find it as easy having moved up a notch or two.

It’s instructive to look back over Trump’s legal ongoings. A few months back he claimed Judge Gonzalo Curiel suffered from “an inherent conflict of interest” in the fraud case over Trump University because he was of “Mexican heritage.” Trump had to settle the lawsuits for $25m, despite bragging that he never backed away from such litigation.

One of the Trump Organization’s most senior executives, now serving the president as a lawyer, is Michael Cohen. When The Daily Beast wrote a story about Ivana Trump using the word “rape” in the context of her marriage to the now-president, Cohen’s response was less than diplomatic. “So I’m warning you, tread very fucking lightly, because what I’m going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting,” The Daily Beast quoted him as telling its reporter. “I’m going to mess your life up … for as long as you’re on this frickin’ planet … you’re going to have judgments against you, so much money, you’ll never know how to get out from underneath it.”

Trump’s first mentor was Roy Cohn, a Republican lawyer and attack dog who served as an aide to the witch-hunting Joe McCarthy. Cohn helped elect Nixon and was later disbarred for flagrant ethics violations. He famously countersued the federal government for daring to file a civil rights lawsuit against Trump for discrimination against black tenants.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/06/donald-trump-federal-judge-immigration-order

   

 

The Australian refugee site Nauru, was slammed last year by Amnesty International as a ‘concentration camp’. Around 1,200 men, women, and children from Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Bangladesh, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, were forcibly removed off to a remote Pacific where they suffered severe abuse, inhumane treatment and neglect. Amnesty argued it was a deliberate policy to deter further asylum seekers from arriving in the country by boat. “Few other countries go to such lengths to deliberately inflict suffering on people seeking safety and freedom.”

Australia has a fairly hard chart with a Sun Saturn in Capricorn trine Mars in Virgo, so not overflowing with sentiment. Four planets in Sagittarius make for a colourful, adventurous image as well as an outspoken one, but it is still a deeply conservative country. Though not feeling too ecstatic right now with Solar Arc Mars conjunct the AU Saturn

Australia’s aggressive immigration policy makes it all the more surprising/hypocritical that Malcolm Turnbull should lambast Trump for his stance in not taking immigrants off Australia’s hands. The Guardian said: “It is a collective race to the bottom between two of the world’s wealthiest nations on failing to offer sanctuary to the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Certainly Turnbull, a Sun Saturn in Scorpio with his Pluto exactly conjunct Trump’s Mars, was never going to be a comfortable fit with this President. And Australian straight-talking certainly would hit a red-hot button. Their relationship chart is a never-the-twain-shall-meet affair with a composite Mars, maybe conjunct Moon, sextile Saturn, square Pluto and trine Uranus – so outright dislike.

Australia has always been an important ally for the USA militarily, sending troops to Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, with more recent co-operation and trade deals.

The alliance has hit a blip clearly at the moment with this month’s Pisces Eclipse conjunct the composite Uranus; and from 2018 for a couple of years tr Saturn will make diplomatic relations a touch frosty as it hits the composite Jupiter Pluto Moon Sun and Mercury.

  

 

Milo Yiannopoulos, the senior Breitbart journalist, whose appearance to speak at Berkeley University caused a riot with property damage by protestors, was born 18 Oct 1983 and brought up in England. He is an avowed Trump supporter whom he refers to as ‘daddy’. He has allied himself with right-wing, racist and anti-semitic organisations, is against feminism and although gay himself thinks homosexuals should be back in the closet.   He sounds like a screamer who’ll say anything outrageous just to get a reaction.

He is a Sun conjunct Pluto in Libra sextile Neptune in Sagittarius; with Pluto conjunct Saturn in early Scorpio. So a bleak chart, control-freaky and with fantasies of grandeur from Neptune Pluto. His Moon is in Pisces probably opposition Venus Mars in Virgo square Uranus Jupiter in Sagittarius, so high-wire with all that Mutable; erratic, volatile.

His chart is being depressed this year with Neptune opposing his Mars this month, and Solar Arc Saturn conjunct his Jupiter later this year; and is being shaken up by tr Uranus opposition his Sun this year, Pluto in 2018 and then Saturn; with a major setback in 2019 from Solar Arc Saturn square Mars. So quite a rocky ride.

The other Trump fan is Alex Jones, a radio show host and conspiracy theorist, whose Infowars site has been described as a fake news site. Born 11 February 1974 in Dallas, Texas, he’s a Sun Jupiter in Aquarius square a belligerent Mars in Taurus. Aquarius can be far-right/fascist as well as humanitarian (in different individuals, I mean). His Sun Jupiter are in an Air Grand Trine to Saturn in Gemini trine Uranus (Moon) in Libra; formed into a Kite by Saturn opposition North Node. Again a weighting of Air signs often appears in the charts of ideologues – all mouth, less heart.

He’s having a jolting year in 2017; looks exceedingly stuck in 2018; and completely tramped underfoot in 2019/2020 with Solar Arc Pluto opposition his Mars and square his Sun. He’ll have apoplexy if Trump goes down.

     

 

This is pulled up from late December: 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 should 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 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.  It’s exactly on the MC/IC through mid America – Kansas City to Winnipeg and west.

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.

 

Spiro Agnew, Richard Nixon’s vice president, resigned in 1973 having faced charges of extortion (financial kickbacks), tax fraud, bribery and conspiracy. The charges were pled down and he later claimed they were an attempt by Nixon to divert attention from Watergate, though they seemed to have been true.

He was born 9 Nov 1918 9am Forest Hills, Maryland. He was a Sun Venus in Scorpio square Neptune and trine Jupiter Pluto in Cancer in the 8^th, so no slouch when it came to making money or being slippery.

When his fall came tr Pluto was conjunct his Midheaven starting to move through his 10^th and conjunct his Solar Arc Neptune, which is a double whammy of devastation and career disgrace. Tr Saturn was conjunct his Pluto and moving to conjunct his Jupiter.

So it was very clear from his chart that his career was going to end in catastrophe.

There’s nothing remotely similar on Donald Trump’s chart. The only financial aspects he has are a double dose of Pluto Jupiter by Solar Arc, and two transits: of Jupiter through his 2^nd and tr Pluto square his Jupiter – so he’s in full over-blown confidence gear and reckoning that rules don’t apply to him – for this year anyway. He does have Neptune, ruler of his 8^th, in his 2^nd house square his Mercury, so he has an inbuilt evasiveness when it comes to cash and disclosing his secrets. Tr Saturn will catch up to his Neptune but not for another four years plus.

   

 

The Australian Tennis Open brought out the best in the oldies and goodies with Roger Federer and Serena Williams winning, and Rafael Nadal making it to the final.

The first round on 16^th January kicked off at 11 am, Melbourne, putting Saturn conjunct the Midheaven, which seems apt for experience and age. Federer, 8 Aug 1981, and Williams, 26 Sept 1981, both have several planets in Libra which will have been boosted by tr Jupiter in Libra, though nothing too exact. Williams had tr Pluto square her Jupiter in Libra; and Federer had tr Pluto trine his Venus in Virgo – so success and popularity.

Federer has tr Saturn out of his low profile seven years which will have helped; Nadal is still in his though has tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter in 2018/19 which will give him a lift.

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In the febrile and chaotic atmosphere after Trump’s inauguration with hysteria mounting (just the way he likes it) it’s all too easy to be drawn into apocalyptic fears of the fascism of the 1930s returning. That came on the back of the Great Depression of 1929/30 with Pluto in Cancer opposition Saturn square Uranus; and Hitler came to power in 1933 when Uranus in Aries was square Pluto. That certainly upset the status quo but not in the libertarian sense that we saw with the Uranus Pluto conjunction in the 1960s or the recent square which oversaw the Arab Spring and an Obama Presidency.

More than anything what drove fascism in Europe was the temperaments of the leaders involved. Hitler as well as being a sadistic thug, had the megalomaniac Neptune Pluto conjunction in Gemini, which historically has been associated with Attila the Hun and Tamerlane The Great, both vengeful empire builders; and Neptune Pluto spawned the great nasties of the 20^th Century – Stalin, Mao Tse Tung. Hitler, Mussolini, all born towards the end of the 19^th Century, who either had it exact in their chart or spent their formative years under its influence. Mercifully we’ve been spared that. Though Bannon does have the fanatical Uranus Neptune hard aspect, which he shares with Lenin and Joseph McCarthy.

It’s more likely that the convulsions ripping the USA apart at the moment are more connected to the tr Uranus square the USA Mercury opposition Pluto this year, plus the Leo Solar Eclipse this August [see post ‘USA 2017’, Dec 26^th 2016.]

Richard Nixon came to power on the back of the Uranus Pluto conjunction of the 1960s, signed treaties with China and the USSR, pushed through desegregation, ended the Vietnam War and established the EPA. So he wasn’t all bad though his time in office was tarnished by his VP Spiro Agnew’s resignation over financial corruption and Watergate – both Nixon’s and Agnew’s resignations happened on the tr Uranus square the USA Mercury opposition Pluto. Nixon was followed by Gerald Ford (more power to Congress, less to the President) and then Jimmy Carter.

The approaching Saturn in Capricorn (from 2018) conjunct Pluto in 2019/2020 will certainly be repressive economically – and emotionally downbeat – with the likelihood of a more major war than usual. (In addition to the normal endless squabbles going on somewhere at any given time.) Saturn Pluto tends also to be suppressive when religious beliefs are concerned.

Not a brilliant year ahead for the USA but it’s a high- stakes game astrologically from the Leo Eclipse and Uranus on Mercury Pluto, so the fall out could be considerable.

What will be interesting is to see how some of the ‘big beasts’ that Trump has nominated cope with his self- ( and Bannon) generated mayhem. Mattis and Tillerson especially are not men who will appreciate being hauled into their private game of anarchic pandemonium.

[See also: Narcissism Dec 2^nd; and Post-Truth Dec 17.]