Tone deaf, brass neck, shameless – it’s difficult to wrap your head around Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawsuit against convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s estate for legal fees and security costs. She insists a): she had no knowledge of any wrong doing on his part; and b): she had “a legal and special relationship” with him which obligated his estate to compensate her, since she was out of pocket because for personal protection and safe accommodation costs after multiple death threats. It’s breathtakingly self-absorbed.

Born 25 December 1961, she was the favoured daughter of crooked media proprietor Robert Maxwell, who lavished her with money until his mysterious death by suicide/murder as his financial sins were about to emerge. She was left bereft – and short of cash – until hooking up with Epstein, who effectively bankrolled her in exchange for her social contacts.

She has her Sun, Mars, Mercury in money-minded and socially ambitious Capricorn in a changeable and restless trine to Uranus and Pluto in Virgo. Her Saturn is also in Capricorn. Her Venus in late Sagittarius is in a charming and passionately enthusiastic conjunction to her Mars and Sun. Her five-star-lifestyle Leo Moon is almost certainly in an indulgent opposition to Jupiter and square an evasive, unrealistic Neptune. A steady supply of cash to fund an opulent lifestyle probably seems like a basic essential to her.

She hasn’t yet been charged in connection with Epstein though that may come. This year is a mix of risky catastrophes late this month and through April; with radical changes from mid April, on and off into 2021; with a morale-boost in June this year as tr Uranus square her Jupiter – though since that tugs on her Neptune it may be a short-lived bubble of happiness. Where she really hits the skids is in 2022/23 as tr Pluto is conjunct her Saturn for deprivation and hardship; and her Solar Arc Pluto is in a devastating conjunction to her Neptune in 2023.

Her Second Saturn Return this year isn’t knocking much sense into her. She’d have been more sensible to disappear into a bunker and stay there.

 

 

It’s a baptism of fire for the two new UK finances chiefs – Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Andrew Bailey who took over from Mark Carney as Chairmen of the Bank of England just three days ago.

Rishi Sunak, ex-Goldman Sachs and former hedge funder, 12 May 1980, is a steady Sun Mercury in Taurus opposition an innovative Uranus. He does have a Mutable T Square of Venus in Gemini opposition Neptune square Saturn in Virgo, plus Mars Jupiter in Virgo so will be adaptable when circumstances demand it. He’s possibly a better bet than Sajid Javid whom he replaced since the latter had three planets including his Sun in Sagittarius; and a not altogether helpful Mars in Aquarius square Neptune plus a see-saw Saturn opposition Jupiter.

Sunak’s relationship with Boris is inherently suspicious, untrusting and doubting with a composite Sun Mercury opposition Neptune Saturn. His connection to Dominic Cummings who seems to be running most things from his privileged eyrie, is highly strained with a composite Uranus inconjunct Mars; and an even more stressed and fated Yod of Saturn sextile Venus inconjunct Sun. Extraordinary circumstances have thrust them together and the trajectory of both lives will be inevitably changed by their coming together, for good or for ill. Though that composite Sun suggests ego conflicts. There’s also an argumentative and evasive composite T square of Neptune opposition Mars square Mercury – so quite a complicated interface and more significant than with Boris.

Andrew Bailey, 30 March 1959, is a Sun Mercury in Aries in an understated square to Saturn in Capricorn; with Saturn in a determined mini-Grand Trine to Pluto, sextile Neptune. He looks understandably unnerved from mid this April, on and off into early 2021 with tr Uranus opposing his Neptune. But 2021/22 are his all-time horror years with a panicky-failure tr Neptune square his Mars and a Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Saturn. He’ll catch a few rays of sunshine this year but generally will not be making career progress, will be suffering losses and not feeling successful.

He takes over with the Saturn Pluto Jupiter triple conjunction also conjunct Mars and sextile Neptune, so gigantic pressures to face. 2021 will be upsetting financially with tr Uranus conjunct the Term Venus; with worse in 2022/23 as tr Neptune is conjunct the Term Sun.

Bailey isn’t exactly on the same wavelength as his political masters. With Boris he does have a gung-ho Uranus opposition Jupiter square Sun; but also an evasive Mercury opposition Neptune, which is being shaken up from this July onwards; and an aggravated Mars trine Saturn.

His relationship with Cummings is worse – a composite argumentative Sun square Mars, being severely shaken late this month into the first half of April; and generally sliding downhill this year into next with tr Neptune conjunct the composite Saturn.

In times of crisis it helps to have strong leadership and everyone on the same page – alas not.

Vladimir Putin has put in gear a process that would allow him to remain as President until 2036 which has attracted protests from opposition politicians. It has still to be ratified but with his grip on power it probably will be.

Although his popularity with the electorate is sagging with a stagnant economy; and his promises about making improvements have been badly hit by the double shock of the global coronavirus economic instability and the plummeting oil prices. There’ll be a fair amount of water passing under the bridge before 2024 when the next election is due; with tr Pluto then just into Aquarius, so nothing is certain.

Putin’s birth date is iffy, so his Term chart of 7 May 2018 11.05 am Moscow is more reliable. It indicated a ruthless and unstable administration, prone to disruption and violence with Mars Pluto in Capricorn square Uranus Mercury in Aries.

This year, tr Saturn is conjunct the Term Mars and square Uranus, on and off till late year, which will see rolling setbacks and significant irritations. Tr Pluto then moves onto a frustrating and trapped conjunction to the Mars in 2021/22; with the Solar Arc in an explosive upheaval in square to the Uranus. That’s followed by a forced-change tr Uranus conjunct the Sun in 2022/23. In late 2023/early 2024 the Term Pluto will have moved by Solar Arc to conjunct the Mars, which will be exceptionally blocked and enraging and scary.

Though, as ever, there’s a lucky Jupiter in there opposing the Sun which may produce some undeserved good fortune along the way.

The Russia 8 November 2017 chart suggests a period of turbulence ahead with tr Uranus in a nerve-stretching square to the Russia Neptune picking up this May and running off and on into early 2021. That’s followed by even more major jolts from tr Uranus square Saturn and opposition the Sun in 2021/22 – which suggests that the economically-recessive tr Uranus in Taurus square tr Saturn in Aquarius will have a particularly negative impact on Russia. Then in 2023 tr Uranus squares the Russia Uranus for a forced-rethink of direction; with setbacks in 2024 from Solar Arc Saturn square the Russia Mars.

The modern Russia 8 December 1991 7.45 pm chart points to confusion and disappointment in 2021/22 from Solar Arc Sun conjunct Neptune. [I confess I don’t get this chart – maybe need to look back and see what other of the proliferation of dates around this break up make sense.]

The two Bank of Russia charts, 12 June 1860 and 13 July 1990, both suggest setbacks as tr Saturn moves into Aquarius; with discouragement and forced upheavals; leading into financial disappointment in 2021/22. With some effort at a stimulus but that heads into an even more major brick wall by 2023.

Russia looks in no better shape than anyone else over the next several years – all of which may throw Putin’s plans off track.

Drawing parallels between 2020 and the Great Depression of the 1930s seemed far-fetched last year, although both Uranus moving through Taurus and the Saturn Pluto conjunction in Capricorn did point to the strong possibility of calamities, going by past experience.

Below is a precis of previous posts.

Uranus moved into Taurus from May 2018 staying for 7 years, the first time since 1934 to 1941. Outcomes last time were good and bad – with major advances in technology, aviation, radio, and film. On a previous occasion, in the late 17^th Century, street lighting was introduced in London; there was widespread exploration across the globe and major advances in astronomy, as well as the development of sewage systems and toilets. Trade was also a key issue with expansion and disagreements, leading to the Bengal famine during the 18th century Uranus in Taurus as the Brit East India Company took revenues back home; and to the Boston Tea Party which preceded the breakaway of the American colonies. There was another famine during the mid 19^th Century Uranus in Taurus in Ireland when a million starved to death and a million emigrated, with the British overlords continuing to send foodstuffs to the UK.

The most similar to this one would be the 1767 Uranus in Taurus with Pluto in Capricorn about to oppose Saturn in Cancer, with Neptune in Virgo. Apart from the horrors of the Bengal famine, James Watts’ steam-engine inventions drove the Industrial Revolution into being; and the first mechanical spinning frame for fabric weaving also appeared.

The most recent 1935 to 1941 Uranus in Taurus came on the back of the Great Depression, with widespread poverty and unemployment leading to authoritarian regimes emerging in several countries, most notably Germany with Hitler rising to power from 1933; and Stalin’s Great Purge of 1936-38 with 600,000 being executed in Russia by the state.

In 1935 Uranus was just over the square to Pluto in Cancer, so not dissimilar to now – and it ended with a Saturn Uranus conjunction trine Neptune in Virgo in 1941. Territorial greed is clearly also one of its manifestations; as well as inhumane methods in the pursuit of power.

From Hugh: “For me  the big similarity looks to be the comparison to the Uranus transit of Taurus between 1515 and 1523 which also occurred when Pluto and Saturn were in Capricorn and formed a Conjunction in January 1518. That occurred at the start of the Reformation and had huge global significance not just for the UK but also for the entire planet.”

For more on Uranus in Taurus see previous post May 13 2018, especially with regard to English and UK history, courtesy of Hugh’s insightful conclusions.

Saturn, bringer of woes and hardship or of rewards for hard work moves into its own sign Capricorn December 2017 to stay until December 2020. The 1959/1961 Saturn in Capricorn was generally prosperous in the US, UK and Europe, although the US was running a major deficit for the first time. During that phase there was a Saturn Jupiter conjunction in Capricorn.

The more worrying similarities crop up with the 1930/32 Saturn in Capricorn which occurred just after the Wall Street Crash and through the Great Depression. At that point Saturn moved in square to Uranus in Aries, which is usually a time of economic instability, then opposed Pluto, bringing great hardship to some and Jupiter in Cancer, which would bring a harvest for the lucky few. In this next phase Saturn will conjunct Pluto in early 2020, which usually brings its share of deprivation, though mercifully Saturn misses the economically unstable square to Uranus which has moved into Taurus by then – that won’t turn up till 2021. In 2020 expansive Jupiter moves into Capricorn for a year which will make it a watered down version of the early 1930’s Saturn in Capricorn; with a hint of the 1960s one which was more upbeat.

The only Saturn Pluto Jupiter conjunction over the past 300 years, as we have in 2020, was in 1819/20. Wiki :‘The Panic of 1819 was the first major peacetime financial crisis in the United States followed by a general collapse of the American economy persisting through 1821. The Panic announced the transition of the nation from its colonial commercial status with Europe toward a dynamic economy, increasingly characterized by the financial and industrial imperatives of laissez-faire capitalism. Though driven by global market adjustments in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, the severity of the downturn was compounded by excessive speculation in public lands, fuelled by the unrestrained issue of paper money from banks and business concerns.’

What that indicates is financial collapse followed by a resurgence.

My own tuppence worth is also a sense that Pluto grinding its way towards the end of its sixteen year stay in Capricorn may be tidying up loose ends – dismantling shaky governmental and financial structures that managed to stay afloat after the 2008 crash.

Cleaning out the Augean Stables with a final whammy to ensure a fresh start, for the phoenix to arise out of the ashes sometime ahead.

The other relevant factor are the Eclipses this year.  From February 6 2020 post.

The Solar Eclipses this year are in spine-straightening Saros Series. The late December 2019 at four degrees Capricorn heralded a sense of traumatic transformation and significant endings running in effect for several months across the beginning of this year.

The 21st June 2020 Solar Eclipse at zero degrees Cancer is associated with difficulties, restrictions, inhibitions, separations and illusions. Bernadette Brady remarks in The Eagle and the Lark that this eclipse brings blocks and ’the individual is prone to misjudging his or her strength and is best advised to wait before taking any real action.’ It was around previously in 2002, 1984, 1966, 1948, 1930 and 1912.

The 14th December 2020 Sagittarius Solar Eclipse casting its shadow over the following months is strongly emotional about relationships or money. There is a sense of fatedness and individuals feel they are caught up in situations or relationships beyond their control. This will bring acute frustrations and the advice is to avoid rash actions. It was around before in 2002, 1984, 1966, 1948, 1930, 1912.

Please add below.  Older posts under News on top bar.

 

Taylor Swift appears to be still going strong after three years with UK actor Joe Alwyn, spending time in London as well as the USA.

He was born 21 February 1991 in London, and most recently appeared in The Favourite and Harriet. He’s a Sun Pisces in an assertive square to Mars in Gemini; with a charming and seductive Venus in Pisces trine Pluto.

His Sun is trine her Jupiter Moon in Cancer for a free-flow of affection. His Venus is trine her Mars in Scorpio for a spark of passion though he might find her Scorpio intensity quite rich meat for his Pisces’ sensitivities. Arguments will flare from his Mercury square her Mars and widely square her Pluto; with his steady Taurus Moon either opposition her Mars or Pluto or both, which would be sticky if it were a 24/7 arrangement.. His Saturn in Aquarius opposition Jupiter in Leo connect with her Venus in Aquarius which will blow feelings cold and hot.

If 5.17 am is the correct birth time for her, his Taurus Moon falls in her 7^th house which is positive for partnerships, though his Mars is also there for arguments.

Their relationship chart is again up and down with a composite Sun Saturn opposition Jupiter – Saturn gives longevity but cuts down on warmth and can suggest work gets in the way of enjoyment together; but Jupiter will help to smooth rough edges. The composite Venus opposes Mars for affectionate flames, though it can at times be one sided with one partner feeling the other isn’t always sensitive to their needs.

She’s not the easiest of personalities with the triple conjunction in Capricorn and she leads a very high pressure life, so their bond will come under strain – with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Saturn this year and the composite Sun in 2021/22 which will throw challenges their way as a couple.

A quick skid round a few of the top bank charts points obviously to this year being stressful and bumpy. But more alarmingly it indicates more major problems in 2021/22/23.

HSBC, 2 January 1990, is feeling car-crashed now with Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Sun; and is facing a grinding slowdown in late 2020 with Solar Arc Saturn square Pluto; with major upheavals and road-blocks in 2022/23.

Barclays Bank 20 July 1896, has a blocked/hardship Solar Arc Saturn square Pluto now and tr Saturn opposition the Cancer Sun; but 2021 looks more strained by far with tr Uranus opposition the Barclays Saturn and conjunct Mars.

Barclays, 7 April 1690 JC, paralysed this year with a surprising lift in 2022, but mayhem in 2023/24.

Royal Bank of Scotland, 31 May 1727 JC, has an undermining tr Neptune square the Gemini Sun from later this month into 2021; with an anguished and blocked tr Pluto opposition the financial Venus in 2020/21; and a jolted and jangled with the economically stressful tr Uranus square tr Saturn hitting on the RBS Uranus square Saturn at 14 degrees in 2021 and 2022.

Santander UK, 12 November 2004, is fairly paralysed and devastated this year with tr Neptune square Pluto; but is even more disrupted in 2022 with Solar Arc Uranus square the Pluto at the same time as the discouraging and deprived tr Pluto opposition Saturn picks up and extends into 2023. With a shocking crash of sorts in 2024 with Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Sun.

Santander, 15 May 1857, is devastated and jangled this year; panicking through a major trough in 2021; with a forced reorganisation in 2023 and more high anxiety in 2024.

BNP Paribas, 23 May 2000, nerve stretched this year but much worse in 2022 and 2024.

JP Morgan Chase, 31 December 2000, is having a major uphill struggle through 2020/21, a bubble-bursting panic in 2021; and more financial dips in 2022.

It fits the general pattern of economic and financial upheavals and major strain until mid decade. Though none of the charts looks terminal which some of the 2008 finance house charts did. My impression is that banks are nowhere near as much of a worry as they once were.

ADD ON: March 15 2020.

European banks are particularly hard hit by the coronavirus/oil crash pressures. Although more robust than in 2008 or 2012 their shares are now trading at the lowest level since the 1990s – and are worth 0.4 times their net assets, half of the 0.8 ratio for the top six US banks.

The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, 26 February 1998, has a disastrous-setback Solar Arc Mars conjunct Saturn now; and the unstable Solar Arc Saturn moving to square the Uranus within weeks/months – and both of those will be severely jolted by tr Uranus at 10 degrees Taurus from July onwards into 2021. 2021/22 look heavily stressed with tr Pluto conjunct the financial Venus; with a meltdown from tr Neptune conjunct the Mars in 2022/23.

Mediobanco, the Italian bank, 10 April 1946, is especially hard hit. It has a trapped tr Pluto opposition Mars in 2020/21; a panicky-failure Solar Arc Mars conjunct Neptune and financially restrictive Solar Arc Venus conjunct Saturn, both this year. With significant disruptions from tr Uranus conjunct Venus and square Pluto from this April on and off into 2021; with worse in 2024/25.

Credit Agricole, the French bank, 5 August 1920, is showing 2021/22/23 as even more pressured than this year.

KBC, the Belgian bank, 9 February 1935, is trapped and nerve-stretched this year and in considerable turmoil in 2022/23.

Natixis, the French investment house, 17 November 2006, follows the same pattern of a highly unsettled 2020, extending into upheavals, major shocks and panics in 2022/23.

So confirming the pattern of the original list above – knocked off course this year and not recovering for several years ahead.

Add ON 2: March 16 2020

Switzerland will not be immune from the meltdown. The Switzerland chart, 12 September 1848, 12.55 pm Bern, has an undermining tr Neptune opposition the Virgo Sun this year and next; with a disruptive Solar Arc Pluto opposition Uranus in 2021; moving onto a depressed and anxious tr Neptune conjunct the Switzerland Saturn in 2022/23.

The Bank of Switzerland, 20 June 1907, points to much the same timeline with 2021 to 2024 being panicked, crisis-ridden and unhelpful.

That is reflected also in the UBS and Credit Suisse charts – the latter looking especially blocked this year.

Michel Roux Sr, the chef’s chef, who along with his brother Albert brought French classical cuisine to the UK in the 1960s, first with Le Gavroche and then the Waterside Inn, has died.

He was born 19 April 1941 to a feckless father, a third generation charcutier, who abandoned his family young. Michel, aged 14, followed his elder brother into the food business, starting as a pâtissier and moving on to chef for one of the Rothschild family.

The two brothers started Le Gavroche in the last 1960s, with their signature dishes of souffles and an insistence on proper attire, ties and suits for the male diners. Other restaurants followed, and twenty years later they split the business with the respective sons of each taking over.

Michael Roux Sr, was a charming and go-ahead Sun Venus in Aries with three planets in indulgent Taurus – Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus – with his Saturn square Mars in Aquarius – ultra-determined and a quixotic mix of adventurous from Uranus Jupiter and used-to-hardship Mars Saturn.

His elder brother Albert, 8 October 1935, is a Sun Libra with a publicity-attracting Mars in Sagittarius square Neptune and a confident Jupiter in Scorpio trine Pluto. Both brothers shared an Aquarius Moon.

Michael Roux Jnr, Albert’s son, born 23 May 1960, took over Le Gavroche. He’s a Sun Gemini square Pluto with Mars in pro-active Aries and Moon Venus in Taurus; and his Pluto is in a confident trine to Jupiter in money-magnet Capricorn. His Mars is trine Uranus and square Jupiter, so adventurous and a risk-taker.

Alain Roux, Michel Sr’s son, took over the Waterside Inn, and he’s a self-reliant Sun and Saturn in Aries with Mars also in Aries; a flamboyant Jupiter in Leo; and a charming Venus in Pisces opposition Pluto.

And so it rolls down the generations – food is the family business.

As if the world didn’t have enough to worry about CNN floated the notion of Ivanka Trump for USA president in 2024 as a solid possibility.

Born 30 October 1981, she is a determined Scorpio with a pushily-confident Jupiter Pluto conjunction in Libra conjunct Mercury. Her Jupiter Pluto is catching the tr Pluto square this year and next which will stoke up her enthusiasm and belief in herself, though it could exacerbate her tendency to assume rules don’t apply to her, which can backfire into arguments with authorities. Tr Uranus will oppose her Sun this May and on and off into early 2021, which suggests a radical shift in her direction, perhaps forced by outer circumstances.

Tr Uranus will zig zag across that opposition before during and after the election and Inauguration of 2021; with tr Jupiter in Aquarius square her Sun in late January 2021, but rapidly followed by tr Saturn in square – so quite a muddle of influences, some good, others not.

2021/2022 don’t look easy years with a panicky, disaster-strewn tr Pluto trine her Mars/Saturn midpoint picking up in late January and a discouraging tr Pluto square her Sun/Saturn midpoint following from late February, both repeating on and off till late 2022. Late 2021 she has the car-crash Solar Arc Mars conjunct her Saturn which will see a significant setback and shock. In 2022 she has her Solar Arc Jupiter Pluto square her Mars which will bring huge frustrations and an equal amount of determination perhaps pushing her into risky decisions. By the time she gets to the 2024 election she’ll have picked up the failed-plans tr Pluto square her Mars/Neptune, exact at the election; plus a major confidence dent and paralysis from tr Neptune opposition her Mars/Saturn.

Heavy aspects to that Mars/Neptune midpoint are generally a no-hoper for wins and successes.

Her relationship with Jared is undergoing a massive upheaval between 2023 and 2026.

 

Chelsea Manning is recovering in hospital after a suicide bid at a Virginia detention centre where she has been held since last May. She was remanded for contempt of court for refusing to testify before an inquiry into Wikileaks and was due to appear before a court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Friday.

Born 17 December 1987, she has a truly difficult chart with a tormented Mars Pluto in Scorpio conjunct Moon and a highly-strung Sagittarius Sun conjunct Saturn, Mercury and Uranus trine Jupiter in Aries. Innovative certainly with Saturn Uranus and do-or-die-determined with Mars Pluto, but at times lacking in common sense and too stubborn for her own good.

Her Solar Arc Mars is catching the tr Neptune square at the moment and through this year which produces feeling of panicky failure. Plus an emotionally intense and conflicted tr Pluto conjunct her Venus on and off till late 2021.

Sadly for her it isn’t going to get easier with tr Neptune starting several years of undermining her Sagittarius planets including Sun by square from 2021 onwards – and worse from 2024 as her Solar Arc Mars Pluto (Moon) start several years in conjunction to her Sagittarius planets.

Both her parents were alcoholic and she appears to have had fetal alcohol syndrome. She had a very troubled childhood which is certainly reflected in her chart. Not an easy hand of cards the fates landed her with, for sure.

Pic: Tim Travers Hawkins