The trickiest phase of Joe Biden’s term in office is approaching fast, as questions are being increasingly asked about his health – verbal and physical stumbles, high cholesterol, acid reflux, frequent coughing, osteoarthritis of the foot and spine, and now sleep apnea. Age increases the risk of developing sleep apnea which can lead to cardiovascular disease and other symptoms such as forgetfulness, fatigue and sleepiness as well as sleep deprivation which is one of the strongest causes of cognitive decline. If he stood and won in November 2024, he would be 86 at the end of his second term.

 On his 2^nd Term, chart the Solar Arc Saturn closes the square to Mars exact in three months but in effect before then (and after for a few months) and then square to Uranus in four months. Followed by the Term Solar Arc Sun closing the conjunction to Saturn, exact in six months. All of which is accident-prone and obstacle-strewn, suggestive of setbacks, explosive and unsettling events, which may not be health-related but an indication of internal or external political turbulence.  But a high stress time, for sure.

  His personal chart highlights major confusion this month and through July, returning across the New Year into January, and September, October to late November 2024. Late this November to late December looks disaster-strewn, could be ill health or outer calamities.  March 2024 will be jangled and high stress, even more so July into August 2024.  On the positive side he will rev up his engine confidence-wise from late February 2024 with tr Pluto opposition his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint and that returns late May to mid July, and is in place across the Inauguration – it usually means a hint of success. But at the same time tr Pluto squares his Moon which could suggest a domestic/family or emotional period of crisis and forced change.

  He has such a raft of negatives it is tricky to see how it will work out. Through 2025 tr Uranus in his 6^th house of health opposes his Sun and Venus for significant change; plus a confused and calamitous midpoint extending through 2026 – which does not suggest clear thinking or resourceful action.

  He is enormously stubborn with a stellium in Scorpio with his Mars Mercury in Scorpio square Pluto and his stubborn Taurus Moon also square Pluto.

 Solar Returns can be less than helpful at times, though accurate at others. But for what they are worth:

His Solar Return from November 2022 to November 2023 has Sun Mercury in the 6^th house of health and work with a nervy Uranus in the 12^th and Saturn on the midheaven which can be restrictive.

SR Nov 2023 to Nov 2024 – a held-back, hidden Sun Mars in the 4^th opposition a change-of-career-direction Uranus on the 10^th square a dependent Moon on the Descendant; with Pluto in the 6^th house of health.

SR Nov 2024 to Nov 2025 – all systems-change Sun opposition Uranus; and a frustratingly stuck and enraging Pluto opposition Mars on the midheaven.

  Even if he did scrape through, he’ll never make it to the end of a second term in any kind of compos mentis shape. The party elders should be exerting pressure except there is no obvious replacement. But there might be if he did the graceful thing and step back.

Actor Alan Arkin who found success early in his career as Captain Yossarian in Catch-22 and more recently won an Oscar as the heroin-snorting grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine, has died.  Once rated America’s best actor by Mike Nichols, he worked constantly through five decades. He also played the deadpan dad and working man, Bill Boggs, in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands and after that he excelled in the film of David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross.

 He was born 26 March 1934 4.17am New York with a film set designer father who was blacklisted unfairly during the McCarthy era.

 Arkin was a lively Sun Mars in Aries with Mars inconjunct Neptune in his 7^th house of relationships. His Sun was sparsely aspected making him independent and not reliant on others for mirroring. Most notably he had a lucky, adventurous Uranus opposition Jupiter square an influential and controlling Pluto on the cusp of his 6^th house. Secretive, intense, insightful, enigmatic, he would not be the easiest personality to fathom.

  He had a cool Venus Saturn in Aquarius conjunct his Ascendant so would come across as restrained and understated though both of these were trine his 8^th house Jupiter giving him tremendous depth. His Leo Moon suited him for performing  and does trine his Sun Mars though seems relatively disconnected from the major configurations in his chart.

  Maybe it was what made him a consummate character actor, the ability to slough off his real personality to become Another.

Ann Leslie, the formidable leading lady of Fleet Street who for nearly 35 years covered the Balkan wars, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Zimbabwe, China, El Salvador, Iran, the Gulf War, almost every US presidential election since 1975 and five superpower summits, has died. She went to war with heavy make-up and false eyelashes. “Crying” she once said, “is pointless. It just smudges your mascara.”

  Described as “gravel-voiced, courageous and opinionated” she didn’t allow frequent bouts of ill health to stop her hopping on the first helicopter available to a dangerous trouble spot. She also became a familiar figure on television and radio, on Question Time, Stop the Week and Any Questions. She once punched Mohammed Ali for not paying attention and told George W Bush to his face he was “two sandwiches short of a picnic”, which was intended to rile but it merely puzzled him.

  She was born a child of the Raj in Rawalpindi on 28 January 1941, with an oil industry father and a distant mother who sent her off to boarding school in India aged five and thence aged 9 to the UK to another boarding school. Oxford followed which led into newspapers. As a showbusiness correspondent initially she was flashed at by Salvador Dali, dallied with several notables from the entertainment world; James Mason wanted to marry her, and she had to fend off the unwanted attentions of David Niven. Then she moved over as foreign correspondent to roam the world’s hotspots.   

  She had a robust chart and temperament, similar to Dick Cheney’s born two days later, with an Aquarius Sun opposition Pluto square Jupiter Saturn in Taurus.  Her Moon was also in Aquarius. Her Mercury in Aquarius was in an outspoken square to Uranus and sextile Mars so she would not be backwards about stating her views. She also had an Earth Grand Trine of Uranus trine Neptune trine Venus which would keep her grounded and give her a business head.

  An old style trouper – and her appalling childhood did not seem to hold her back, indeed seemed to fuel her determination to push her luck in the face of danger.

Sue Johanson, a much loved sex educator, who provided candid advice to Canadian and US audiences, has died. She was a registered nurse who opened the first school birth control clinic in Canada and put out her message first on radio and then on her TV Sunday Night Sex Show, which eventually  moved to the US as well.

 She was born 13 March 1930 in Toronto with a decorated war hero father and an Irish-Protestant mother. She was a Sun Pisces with a trailblazing and innovative (and status-quo upsetting) Uranus in Aries square a tough-minded Saturn opposition Pluto. She would inherit her go-getting, brook-no-interference streak from her father. Her Virgo Moon may have been conjunct Neptune opposition Mercury and square Jupiter in Gemini which gave her a softer side and her Jupiter in Gemini would give her an ability to spread the word in a simple form to the masses.

  What is also relevant is her determined  Mars in Aquarius. Aquarius is often found amongst campaigners for sexual openness – Alex Comfort, Havelock Ellis, Germaine Greer, Betty Frieden amongst others were all Sun Aquarius.   

  France is in flames as riots broke out over the police shooting of a teenager without a driving licence who drove away from a traffic stop.  The state prosecutor said the circumstances of the shooting did not meet the criteria for the legal use of firearms by the police. Macron said the killing was ‘unforgiveable’ but then described the resulting violence as “unjustifiable”. Public buildings have been burnt and at least 130 police officers injured in the worst rioting in 18 years, as the simmering tensions between young people and police in disadvantaged neighbourhoods boiled over.

  Whether it was racially motivated or not, and it seems likely, since the youth was French of North African origin, it could spell trouble ahead.

 The France chart was always due to have it revolutionary Uranus opposition Pluto square Mars detonated by tr Uranus square Uranus and Pluto exactly now and moving on to oppose the Mars through the first half of 2024, all ramped up by the Solar Arc Sun square the Fr Uranus and Pluto in 2024. So the country will rock on its axis. Tr Uranus on Mars does tend towards violence so it won’t be easy to calm.

 The France 29 degree Virgo Sun and Macron’s 29 degree Sagittarius Sun will both be undermined by tr Neptune in hard aspect from spring 2024 on and off into 2025 – so an ineffectual and lacklustre response is likely to be the outcome.

 Macron’s 2^nd Term began officially on the 14th May 2022 with a 23 degree Taurus Sun square Saturn at 24 Aquarius – all of which will be severely rattled by tr Uranus from this August onwards into 2024.

 The insanities of the 2008 financial crash are well-matched by the latest greed bubble to burst in broken Britain in the unlikely arena of water and sewerage. The story starts in 1989 when Margaret Thatcher, against strong public feeling, fully privatized the water and sewerage systems, the only country in the world to do so. Financial scavenger investors were handed a debt-free monopoly and proceeded to load up debt to pay dividends and did nothing to fix the infrastructure with raw sewage dumped into rivers and water pipes leaking. More than three decades later they have a collective debt burden of £60bn.

 Thames Water, the largest, on the brink of being renationalized has been through several owners in three decades – first Germans who didn’t factor in maintenance/renovation costs, then Australian ‘vampire kangaroo’ McQuarie who ran up £10.6bn of debt, while extracting £3 bn for shareholders and paid corporation tax of just £100,000, followed by George Osborne-sourced Chinese investors and Canadian, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait money types. It reads like a  bad novel, with as per usual hapless governments and regulators looking the other way.  

‘Only when the tide goes out’, as Warren Buffett once observed, ‘do you learn who has been swimming naked.’

The financial health of up to four other English water companies is being monitored. Between 1989, when the Government sold off the 10 main regional water suppliers, and 2015, water bills rose by 40pc more than inflation. Customers have been told to brace for rises of another 30pc over the coming years. ‘It amounts to a massive transfer of wealth from bill payers to investors, while the country’s Victorian water system leaks a scarcely believable 3bn litres of water every single day – enough to meet the needs of more than 20m people – and Britain hasn’t built a new reservoir since 1989.’

  The Water Act was given Royal Assent on 6 July 1989 when the triple conjunction of Uranus, Saturn, Neptune were in place. The Saturn Neptune at that point being exactly conjunct the UK Capricorn Sun – which might have given a hint of the mayhem to follow. There was also a ruthless, brutally determined Mars in Leo square Pluto in Scorpio.  The Water Act Cancer Sun was trine Pluto and opposition Neptune Saturn hinting at overwhelming ambition.

  At the moment the Water Act Saturn Neptune has moved by Solar Arc to oppose the Mars and square Pluto for a major standoff, indeed terminal catastrophe – as the scandal has finally breached, with rising public pressure for restraints and fines on the water companies. But the horse has bolted and renationalization at this stage would land eye-curling debt on the taxpayer with decades of costs ahead to upgrade neglected infrastructure.

 Not normally a subject I would get excited about. Nor do I usually spit teeth about the Tories. But I will make an exception this time round. What an unholy screw up.

I suspect we have still not grasped the scale of the changes wrought by the late 1980/early 1990 triple conjunction which crossed the UK Sun. Historians looking back may well point to that as a key turning point – and not in an upward direction.

Add On:

Add On: Sir Adrian Montague, a City veteran with experience in turning around infrastructure firms, has been has been hauled in as chairman of Thames Water to raise crucial funding. Born 28 February 1948, he has a strong-willed Sun Pisces on the focal point of a Yod inconjunct Neptune sextile Pluto; and is certainly tough enough with Saturn conjunct Pluto and Mars in Leo plus an adventurous Jupiter opposition Uranus.

  But even he will have his work cut out. Tr Uranus will square his Mars from mid August, which will be explosive and test his mettle; tr Neptune squares his Jupiter this year also denting a few high hopes; and his Solar Arc Sun will run into a car-crash square to his Mars in coming months into 2024. His Solar Arc Uranus is opposition his Sun in 2025 for a jolting upheaval – he’ll be glad to be out of what looks like a relatively short run.

  The company records have Thames Water Ltd as registered 1 April 1989, before the Water Act was agreed. If correct, it has a ruthless Plutonic yod onto Mars sextile Sun Venus which sounds about right for a financial rip off entity. Plus another aggressive yod of Saturn Neptune sextile Pluto inconjunct Mars. Not exactly a public service icon.   

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Madonna, on the eve of an 84-date “Celebrations” tour next month has had to postpone, as she was admitted into intensive care. She was reportedly found unresponsive in a hotel room with serious bacterial infection and was intubated for a time, remaining in ICU for several days.

  She had hip and knee injuries in 2020, a consequence of years of strenuous professional dancing and her brother died earlier this year, so not a good phase.

  She was born 16 August 1958 Bay City, Michigan with an unverified time of 7.05am; although she says she has an Aquarius Ascendant which would mean 7.05 pm or thereabouts which might make more sense.

   On either birth time she has her Progressed Mars square her Pluto now which tends to be a dead-halt aspect – and it hangs around for another two years or so ahead.  And tr Uranus will square her Sun from mid this August on and off into early 2024 which will bring sudden changes. She is at the end of an upbeat Solar Arc Sun conjunct her Jupiter which may have boosted her hopes too high and committed her to more than she can handle. Her Solar Arc Saturn is moving to a discouraging opposition to her Sun within a few months which will also face her with a few realities, delays and obstacles. Tr Pluto is moving to square her Neptune in 2024 and tr Uranus to square her Pluto in 2025 – muddled thinking followed by forced changes.  

  On the Aquarius Rising she has tr Saturn moving into her lower profile First Quadrant – the super-ambitious tend to ignore the signs and plough on regardless but then slip and slide on banana skins of bad judgement or run into health problems which force them to slow down and step back. Tr Saturn is also squaring the Midheaven on this chart this year which is usually a career setback.  On both tr Saturn will oppose her Pluto Mercury till the New Year which also points to a slow down.

  Not what she wants to hear but it comes to us all.   

The Montecito roadshow appears to be hitting bump after bump with cancelled contracts, a coach-crash fandango on their recent New York trip with hysterical claims of death-defying paparazzi chases being firmly slapped down by the NY police and now being described as “grifters” and “talentless” by top industry types.

 Hilary Rose in the Times apt as ever remarks: “Their career over there seems to be following the same trajectory as over here: fanfare, adulation, trouble, recriminations, exit stage left in a huff.”

   Quite how much of the disaster is hitting home with Meghan is not overly obvious from her chart. Harry is certainly on a downhill slide through an obstacle course for the next two or three years and won’t climb out of his pit of woes until 2027 or so. [For previous Prince Harry post see May 9^th.]

  But Meghan is on a different part of her journey, still fuelled by ambition and aiming upwards. She is certainly beset by irksome and discouraging Saturn transits to a plethora of midpoints this year and next. Saturn also opposes her Sun/Moon midpoint, the close relationship significator, in 2024 which hints at a marital chill.

  She has tr Uranus square her Solar Arc Midheaven (and Chiron) jolting her into a career change from early next month; with a catastrophe or two which even she can’t ignore from mid this August to mid September – and those two transits repeat on and off till mid 2024. Uranus then moves into her 11^th house from 2024 onwards for seven years altering her future plans and changing her friendship circle.

  On second thoughts, although it is marginally obscure, her Solar Arc Midheaven conjunct her Chiron at the moment does suggest a painful change in career attitude, which can lead to healing, if a more spiritual direction is taken in future.  

  Tr Saturn through her 8^th from December 2022 till early 2025 will throw her back on her own resources emotionally as well as money-wise. Reorganising her finances during this time will be a priority since there will be less generosity coming her way with tighter joint and business finances.

  However she does have tr Jupiter moving through her 10^th house of career and public reputation from March 2023 to May 2024 which is generally successful and will help to offset the negatives. Her Progressed Moon will also start to move through her 10^th from this September for three years which is a time of striving at work which usually brings results. By 2026 tr Saturn will reach her Midheaven to start an eight year phase of consolidation in her career with usually good results – though where there has not been good preparation in the years before it can be when chickens come home to roost.   

  She’ll have patches of good luck and new opportunities in 2024/25 alongside a few dashed hopes and failed plans. 2024 is also the time when her mid-life crisis peaks as tr Uranus opposes her Uranus – she may feel an urge to act recklessly and push to fulfil all the old ambitions which have not yet been realized.

  From 2026 tr Neptune and Saturn in Aries will oppose her Moon for a downbeat family and domestic phase, moving on to oppose her Saturn Jupiter and finally square her Mars by 2030 – making the second half of this decade emotionally troubled. Tr Pluto will cap it by opposing her Sun by 2030 which will be a challenging time of forced change.  

  She has strong 10^th and 16^th harmonics which are the self-defeating ones. The 10^th is the wheel of fortune which brings success then the fall – much the same as her Jupiter Saturn conjunction (for those who aim too high). The 16^th can bring dogged determination as well as shoot-in-the-foot tendencies. She also has a prominent 9^th harmonic which can be humanitarian though also money minded. A well-aspected global-presence 22^nd harmonic and her leadership Leo North Node suggest she can’t be written off just yet as a total waste of space. Though the astrology only provides the map, it needs a helping hand to make it live out its full potential.

  The MegHaz duet will splutter on for a while yet to provide media fodder and a diversion from weightier and gloomier matters elsewhere.

Jon Hamm of Don Draper fame has married actress Anna Osceola in Big Sur, California, which was the setting for the Mad Men finale a few years back. 

  Born 10 March 1971, he is a Sun Pisces widely opposition Pluto and in a high-octane and determined square to Mars in Sagittarius; with his Venus in detached and friendly Aquarius in a wide square to Saturn; and a Leo/Virgo Moon.  

  His bride, 8 April 1988, is a Sun Aries with Venus in social-butterfly Gemini; and a powerfully confident Jupiter in indulgent Taurus opposition Pluto and Jupiter in a high vitality square to Mars in Aquarius. Her Moon is entangled with the triple conjunction of Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn.

  Her North Node in Pisces is conjunct his Sun so it will be a strong connection though not easy since his Mars in Sagittarius is conjunct her Uranus, Saturn and maybe Moon with his Pluto in square for a few heated moments ahead. His Mars is also opposition her Chiron – working out anger issues will be crucial.  Her Mars is conjunct his Venus for attraction with her Pluto square his Venus bringing passion. But her Pluto opposition his Saturn will bring a few stubborn standoffs.

  Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus conjunction; with a power-couple Jupiter trine Pluto. But there is also a dominating Mars square Pluto hinting at a power imbalance which will ultimately lead to resentment.

  His previous long relationship with actress Jennifer Westfeldt, 2 February 1970, had certain similarities since her North Node was also in Pisces conjunct his Sun.  She was a Sun Venus in Aquarius which chimed with his Venus in Aquarius and her Chiron was conjunct his Chiron though it was also conjunct her Mars in Aries. Her Jupiter in Scorpio was, like Anna’s, square his Venus for an indulgent pairing.  Not a million miles different and he clearly likes a hint of Mars in his relationships.

    Hmm, now that I look the wedding was Saturday so just before an explosive Mars square Uranus which will be exact within a year. Tricky.  But it did have a heavenly send off with a beyond beautiful setting.

Jack Kerouac:

“Big Sur is the edge of the known world, the end of the continent.”

“There’s something about the beauty and solitude of Big Sur that makes you feel free.”

“The beauty of Big Sur is so overwhelming that it can leave you speechless.”

“There’s nowhere else in the world like Big Sur — the beauty, the peace, the silence, it’s all so unique.”

“Big Sur is where you go to find yourself and lose yourself all at the same time.”

“There’s magic in the air in Big Sur—you can feel it all around you.”