A committed anti-feminist who mobilised an army of fellow homemakers fifty years ago to campaign against the Equal Rights Amendment that would have offered women protection from discrimination has been dramatised in a Cate Blanchett FX mini-series – Mrs America. Phyllis Schlafly was no sock-knitting, apple-pie baking, stay-at-home mom, but a frustrated defence and nuclear policy expert, a mother to six children with an unsuccessful bid for Congress under her belt, who fell on the happy notion of using ‘feminine’ issues to further her political ambitions.

She had all the usual hair-raising right wing views – anti-abortion,  anti-same-sex marriage, didn’t think marital rape existed, was anti-arms control with the USSR, against WTO and globalization, criticized a Supreme Court judge for making the casting vote to abolish the death penalty for minors.

She was born 15 August 1924 11.25pm St Louis, Missouri, and had a 4^th house Sun, Neptune and leadership North Node all in Leo. Her ambitious 10^th house Mars in Pisces was conjunct her Moon; with Uranus in Pisces on the focal point of a wide-ish Yod to Neptune Sun sextile Saturn. Such a Uranian Yod is self-willed and fated to play a trail-blazing role as a catalyst – in this case against rather than for change. But she was definitely a power in the land.

She had Jupiter in the 7^th and clearly a supportive marriage. Though what is odd is that her Sun/Moon midpoint which is the marriage significator was square her Mars – so she was hardly the submissive type, more a raging lioness.

Her husband Fred, 30 August 1909, was a Sun and Jupiter in Virgo – and their relationship chart had an argumentative composite Mercury opposition Mars; a needs-space Uranus opposition Venus and an affectionate Sun Venus conjunction.  But nothing that remotely suggests a doormat wife.

She clearly hoisted her flag up the flagpole to see what would fly – and what ensued was a piece of political opportunism which turned her into a hardened ideologue. Trump attended her funeral in 2016.

Rishi Sunak, the UK Chancellor, is the man of the moment, making himself popular (pro tem) by throwing money out of his chopper and spreading largesse far and wide though not always hitting the right targets.  But in the mare’s nest of clashing egos that is Westminster getting more positive coverage than the boss and other rivals for the top seat isn’t always career-friendly.

Sunak, born 12 May 1980, has an Oxford University, Stanford, Goldman Sachs background, and is a stalwart Sun Mercury in Taurus opposition Uranus squaring onto a leadership North Node in Leo; with his Sun in a sensible trine to Saturn in hard-working Virgo. His Saturn is further emphasised being on the point of a T Square to Neptune opposition Venus which can be good for meticulous work but tends to be scattered. He’s also got Jupiter Mars in Virgo – so he fits the Boris Cabinet pattern of multi-Mutable types.

He’s not as confident as he looks at the moment with a panicky, uncertain tr Neptune opposition his Saturn exactly now, and that runs on and off till late 2021. With more confusion and some dithering now and again late year; with failed plans through 2021/22. Not brilliant. Nothing that looks like a move into No 10 (without a birth time).

Both the Tory and left-wing press are sceptical about whether what he’s doing is productive – and the debt will have to be paid somewhere down the line.

His relationship chart with Boris is riddled with suspicion and doubt at the best of times and prone to tensions erupting.  The Eclipses, Solar and Lunar, are triggering various composite planets this year, especially the December Sagittarius one.

Sunak’s relationship with Michael Gove, who might fancy his chances were Boris to depart the scene, is hostile, argumentative and due for a series of upsets before the year is out.

Though his chemistry with Andrew Bailey, head of the Bank of England, is worse with more than a few red lights flashing later this month and late November, as well as stressed in 2021.

He’ll be ploughing through heavy seas with Dominic Cummings from late this August and on for two years – if both are still in situ.

Tearing the scab off a bad marriage to Amber Heard, Johnny Depp went into graphic and sordid detail on the first day of his libel suit against The Sun newspaper, who had labelled him a ‘wife beater’ and branded those accusations ‘sick and completely untrue’. He called his former wife  a ‘calculating, narcissistic sociopath’ who married him to further her career, denies ever hitting her and his defence listed a string of incidents in which she had allegedly attacked him throughout their marriage.

He was born 9 June 1963 8.44am Owensboro, KY and she 22 April 1986 in Texas. Both have their Venus in late Taurus conjunct the destructive Fixed star Algol which kinda fits.  He’s a Sun Gemini square Pluto (Mars Uranus) in Virgo so fairly volatile.  His Capricorn Moon is in the line of fire of this week’s Capricorn Lunar Eclipse shaking up his domestic life and history.

She is a stubborn, controlling Taurus Sun opposition Pluto so not one to give way easily. That Sun Pluto is trine/sextile an ambitious Mars Neptune in Capricorn, so she’ll be fiery and like attracting attention.  The Lunar Eclipse this week is conjunct her Mars which her Solar Arc Saturn is also conjunct – so quite a car crash.

Her Pluto is closely conjunct his IC making her want to control his domestic life; and her Saturn in Sagittarius squares his Pluto, Mars, Uranus so it was hardly an ideal match. Plus her Mars is conjunct his Moon which would make for an argumentative interface.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus but there’s also a volcanic composite Mercury opposition Uranus and Mars and a power-struggling Jupiter opposition Pluto.

The wedding took place in 2015 with a neurotic/paranoid Saturn square Neptune in place as well as a turbulent Uranus square Pluto.

He’s not looking too chipper ahead with an undermining tr Neptune square his Gemini Sun from this October to early 2021, with hitches and glitches after middle of this month through this autumn from tr Saturn to various midpoints; with aggravations and frustrations in 2021 though he’ll be making a confident push all the same.

She’s equally looking agitated at the moment, in a disruptive phase with tr Uranus opposition her Pluto till early 2021; and then facing a string of losses through 2021/22.

Neither will emerge from this feeling better.  He may have felt it essential if he had been lied about but it’s all an unholy mess.

Ylenia Carrisi, the grand-daughter of Tyrone Power and Mexican actress Linda Christian, is a tragic missing person, about whom recurring rumours circulate that she’s still alive. Though since she disappeared in 1994 and her father had her declared dead in 2014, it seems unlikely.

She was born 29 November 1970 12.25 pm Rome, Italy, the daughter of daughter of Italian singer/actor parents and had planned to become a novelist, having excelled at university in London. She took a break from her studies to travel the world solo with nothing but a backpack and her journal, beginning in South America, then to bus to New Orleans.  She was last seen there around January 6 and a security guard testified that he saw a woman vaguely matching her description jump into the Mississippi River saying the words “I belong in water”. But no body was ever found.

She had a full 9^th house, which rules foreign travel, with her Sagittarius Sun and Neptune there as well as Jupiter in Scorpio. She would be a communicator as well as avidly interested in faraway places. Her Sagittarius Moon was conjunct her Midheaven with Mercury in Sag in her 10^th – fiery, adventurous, not always practical. Her Mercury was also square a 7^th house Pluto so she’d be intense and not inclined to listen to advice. She also had a full 8^th house of Uranus, Mars in Libra and Venus in Scorpio so would be driven by forces she did not entirely understand or could control. Her Jupiter was in an up-and-down opposition to Saturn in Taurus. It is a troubled and also wild-and-way out chart.

The family background looms large with her mother Romina Power having had a peripatetic childhood in Mexico and Italy after her mother Linda Christian divorced Tyrone. Linda Christian was half-Dutch and half-Mexican with also a much-travelled childhood. Tyrone came from several generations of Irish stage actors. So drama was in her blood though a solo round-the-world jaunt was high risk.

When she disappeared the highly strung transiting Uranus Neptune conjunction was conjunct her Midheaven and square her Progressed Moon, which latter was moving through her 8^th house at that point, which is always an intense time emotionally. Tr Saturn was conjunct her North Node on her Ascendant for a karmic moment of destiny. Oddly enough her Solar Arc Jupiter was conjunct her Moon (and Midheaven) and tr Jupiter was exactly conjunct her Progressed Mars, both of which are upbeat. I could quite see that not-entirely-stable transiting Uranus Neptune conjunction fuelling a delusional mood and sending her into a fit of mania.  It wouldn’t surprise me if the “I belong in water” tale wasn’t true.

Kanye West has indicated he intends to run for the 2020 Presidential election though it’s not clear whether that is even possible this late in the game let alone worth the money. Though no doubt would be good for stirring up publicity for his brand.    All the USA needs is another narcissistic, unstable and grandiosely delusional Gemini at the helm and we can write the country off for good.

He is the most successful rapper of the 21^st Century, but does go off the rails from time to time, at one point causing outrage among fellow musicians and civil rights activists by implying black people were to blame for their enslavement. In an interview he said: ‘Slavery – for 400 years? That sounds like a choice. It’s like we’re mentally in prison.”

He’s had a history of instability including one psychotic break with hallucinations and paranoia, suicidal impulses and opioid addictions; and did at one point declared his love for Donald Trump.

Born 8 June 1977 Atlanta, Georgia with an unverified time of 8.45am, his mother was an English Professor and his father who left the family when Kanye was three was a former Black Panther. He spent some of his childhood in China where his mother was teaching. And is now married to Kim Kardashian with three children.

He’s a Sun Jupiter in Gemini opposition Neptune square a Pisces Moon; with his Sun Jupiter also trine Pluto and sextile Saturn in self-important Leo. The Neptune Pluto contact is often seen in mega-successful charts, having a hint of megalomania about it. And that Mutable T Square is very finely balanced mentally.  His determined and passionately enthusiastic Venus Mars in Taurus opposes Uranus for a high-octane, volatile temperament which likes an adrenaline-rush and dislikes compromise.

He’s on his mid life crisis this year with tr Uranus opposition his Uranus and moving to a ratchety, high-tension square to his Saturn in 2021. But there’s nothing much showing on his chart which would indicate elation or deflation around the time of the election.

He’s supported by Elon Musk – sigh – and there’s a Dr Strangelove combo if ever there was on. There are some positive crossovers with Musk’s Venus conjunct Kanye’s Sun Jupiter but it wouldn’t last too long with an argumentative composite Sun square Mars in their relationship chart; and a strained Yod of Mars sextile Venus inconjunct Uranus.

West’s interface with Trump with whom he supposedly had a bearhug bond is sliding from now onwards into 2021 with tr Neptune square the composite Sun and a jolting tr Uranus opposition the composite Neptune.

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Ennio Morricone, the Italian composer whose credits include the Sergio Leone “spaghetti” Westerns that made Clint Eastwood a star – A Fistful of Dollars and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly amongst others –  has died in Rome aged 91. He scored more than 500 films over seven decades, including Once Upon a Time in America, The Untouchables and Cinema Paradiso and received an Oscar in 2016 for Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight.

He was born 10 November 1928 10.25pm in Rome with a jazz trumpeter father and started composing aged 6. His classmate at the conservatory he attended was film director Sergio Leone, whose offer of a film score later set Morricone off on his movie career.

He had his Sun and Moon in Scorpio in his 4^th attaching him to his roots. Despite his success he never left Italy or learned English. He had a heavyweight Moon trine Mars and Sun trine Pluto; with a high-esteem Jupiter in his 10^th opposition his Moon and trine/sextile Neptune. His musical Neptune was in his financial 2^nd house fittingly for a creative money-earning talent.  He also had his colourful Venus in Sagittarius conjunct a workmanlike Saturn in his 5^th house which rules the performing arts and entertainment.

His superstar 22^nd Harmonic was heavily aspected as was his musical creative 7H.

Sergio Leone, his collaborator, was born 3 January 1929 12.30am Rome with a cinematic pioneer father and he in turn became known as one of the most influential film directors of 20^th century with his super-successful westerns and others. He had an influential and controlling Pluto on his Midheaven opposition a 4^th house Capricorn Sun square a Libra Moon on his Ascendant. His focal point Moon would suit him for a career interfacing with the public. He had a short-tempered and disciplined Saturn opposition Mars; an easy-going Jupiter in his 7^th trine Neptune. His artistic Venus was like Morricone in his performing 5^th.

It wouldn’t always be the easiest of partnerships but the relationship chart indicates an intense creative connection with a composite Venus opposition Pluto square Moon; and a business-like composite Sun Saturn; plus a visionary and enthusiastic composite Neptune trine Jupiter sextile Mars.

Actress Olivia De Havilland turned 104 this week and is still riding a bicycle, well truthfully a tricycle. She was one of the leading movie stars during the golden age of Classical Hollywood between 1935 and 1988 appearing in 49 features, winning two Oscars and a nomination for her role in Gone With the Wind.

She had an almost-romance with Errol Flynn, then flings with Howard Hughes, James Stewart and John Huston, before marrying and then divorcing seven years later a journalist/author in the States and finally marrying a French Paris Match executive for another seven-year stint before separating. Though she continued to live in Paris till the end of her life.

She famously feuded with her younger sister actress Joan Fontaine, with conflicted feelings stretching back into their dysfunctional childhood. They were the only siblings ever to win a leading actor Oscar each.

Olivia was born 1 July 1916 10.30 am Tokyo, Japan with a stage actress mother and a womanising father who split early on. Oliva was brought up in England and then the USA, acting in school plays and winning her first studio contract aged 18 after she had run away from an overly strict stepfather.

She has a stellium in Cancer of Sun, Pluto, Venus, Moon and Saturn all in her career 10^th house so was always destined to lead a public life. Pluto will make her controlling though also contribute to her legendary influence. Her Cancer Moon Saturn sextile Mars in Virgo, inconjunct Uranus would make for a defensive emotional life which along with her need-to-hold-the-reins Pluto and ambition-focused chart will have contributed to her short-lived marriages. She’s also got a financially lucky 8^th house Jupiter in a super-optimistic square to Neptune.

Her actresses’ 15^th Harmonic is well aspected as is her super-star 22H. But most notable of all is her 17^th Harmonic which promises “immortality” in creating a mark on history and gaining wealth and fame, which can continue after their death.

Her sister Joan Fontaine, 22 October 1917 6am Tokyo, Japan, also appeared in over forty feature films, winning an Oscar for Hitchcock’s Suspicion and latterly moved over to stage and television work. She was married four times, all short-lived affairs and died in 2013, still estranged from her sister.

She had an upfront Libra Sun on her Ascendant, a filmic Neptune on her Midheaven with Saturn Mars in Leo also in her 10^th opposition Uranus, so she would be volatile, short-tempered and hard-edged. Like her sister she had Jupiter in the 8^th opposition Venus so she could turn on the charm when it suited her. And she had a 3rd house Capricorn Moon opposition a possessive and opinionated 9^th house Pluto.

Joan’s Pluto fell in Olivia’s 10^th so there would be a tussle for the upper hand and with Joan’s Mars in Olivia’s 12^th opposition her Uranus there would be inflammatory moments and too short a fuse on both sides.

Their relationship chart had a high-tension, blurt-out-the-truth composite Uranus opposition Mercury; and a competitive and argumentative composite Sun Mars conjunction; with an emotionally intense composite Moon square Pluto; and a suspicious composite Saturn Neptune, so it would always seem worse than it actually was.

It wasn’t ideal but it wasn’t a vicious fight to the death either. A standard sibling rivalry magnified in the Hollywood bowl.

The Lunar Eclipse at 13 degrees Capricorn/Cancer tomorrow falls exactly across the USA Sun so it will be stirring up more challenges than usual in the coming months. It’s also within orb of the UK, Germany and EU Capricorn Suns so there will be also be pivotal moments coming.

The midpoints are stark with both the Sun and Moon in aspect to the Mars/Pluto midpoint which will make it super-intense,  accident-prone and/or excessively trapped.

Located to Washington, DC it puts Mars in Aries on the Ascendant which will be combative and argumentative.  Hong Kong gets the Saturn, Pluto Jupiter conjunction in the 4^th with Moon on the IC which certainly fits for considerable domestic unrest and the sense of a momentous change as the repressive Saturn Pluto bulldozes across citizens’ rights.

Located to the UK it puts the triple conjunction in the relationship 7^th with a directionless Neptune on the Midheaven. Falling across Boris’s 12 Cancer Midheaven it will surely set up a crisis decision about his future path ahead in coming weeks and months.

It’ll also ruffle a few Royal feathers – falling across the Queen’s Pluto in Cancer her 6^th house of health and work as the Andrew and Harry/Meghan woes rear their head. It will also hit Meghan’s 12^th house Mars in Cancer as her unwise law suit against the Daily Mail drags yet more criticism out in the open making her highly insecure and even more reactive. The Duchesses of Cambridge and Cornwall (Kate & Camilla) also have Cancer planets in the line of fire.

This is the third eclipse within a month  which makes for an edgy complicated mood as challenges are set off in various arenas of personal lives as well as out on the globe.

Carl Reiner, one of the towering greats of American comedy has died aged 98. He was best known as creator of the Dick Van Dyke Show which won 15 Prime Time Emmy awards, six of which went to him as writer and producer. He then collaborated with Mel Brooks on The 2000 Year Old Man, a largely improvised show in which a deadpan Reiner interviewed Brooks to reflect on what he’d seen in his two-millennia life. They remained friends to the end.

Reiner was born on March 20 1922 in the Bronx, New York, to Jewish immigrant parents, who took him every week to the movies. He entertained troops during WW11 and afterwards had his big break in 1950 in his TV debut as second banana in Sid Caesar’s Your Show of Shows.

He had a last degree Pisces Sun opposition Saturn square Pluto, a hint of his determined personality and upbringing in tough conditions through the depression. What softened the hard edges of that Saturn Pluto was Venus Chiron in Aries opposition Jupiter North Node in Libra square Pluto – so he could see light in darkness and vice versa.  He also had an inspirational Fire Grand Trine of Mars in lively Sagittarius in a showbizzy trine to Neptune trine Venus Chiron. That was formed into an even more talented Kite by Venus opposition Saturn Jupiter.  He’d be immensely hard-working as well as lucky.

Mel Brooks who latterly visited him regularly at home to swap jokes was born 28 June 1926. He’s also got a tough chart with a Sun Pluto in Cancer square Mars (Uranus), a testament to a childhood where his father died very young. he was bullied and learned to use comedy to protect himself.

Reiner had Mercury in Pisces conjunct Uranus trine Pluto and quincunx Saturn – quirky, punchy and serious.  Brooks has Mercury in Cancer trine Uranus and trine Saturn – so not that dissimilar.

Two of a kind and now one gone.  But a good life, fully lived.