A fleeting astrological titbit, based on marginally dubious birth times but with intriguing coincidences – comes from two UK celebrities, who rose from poor beginnings to success and money and have gone bankrupt twice.

 Martine McCutcheon, 14 May 1976 7.40am London, had a tough childhood with little money and a violent, abusive father, became a sit-com actress, then on screen with Hugh Grant in Love Actually, then on stage in My Fair Lady. Despite the headline successes, her career has been patchy and she has gained a reputation for being tricky to work. Now she has been declared bankrupt for the second time.

The other is glamour model Katie Price, 22 May 1978 8.30am (rectified) Brighton, England, who is addicted to cosmetic surgery and has had a chaotic emotional and financial life – also with two bankruptcies.

 MM is an acquisitive Sun, Venus, Jupiter South Node in Taurus and KP is Gemini – but there are similarities in that both have a Saturn Mars conjunction in their 2^nd house of finances, both have Pluto in the 4^th house of childhood, both have Chiron in the 10^th, both have Jupiter Venus conjunctions and both have Scorpio Moons opposition their Sun.

Jupiter Venus is frivolous, keen on outer appearance – especially true in Taurus and Cancer for Katie Price. Pluto in the 4^th hints at a scary childhood.

   Chiron in the 10^th hints at childhood issues affecting later ambitions, often leading to an unsettled career. What intrigues me is the Mars Saturn conjunction, signifier of a childhood in which unfairness played a significant role. There was little room for fun or for fulfilling personal needs and wants.

  While intuitively I might have assumed Mars Saturn in the 2^nd to be disciplined about money, hoarding it to ensure a security that was not there at the start, here it obviously works in a different way. Anger about childhood deprivation is acted out by compensating for lacks by refusing to put limits on spending and temptations.  Martine was evidently once quoted as saying: ‘I love nice things – I consider Ralph Lauren sheets to be a necessity, not a luxury – but I’ve known what it’s like to be poor.’ There may also be an eerie sense, courtesy of Freud’s repetition compulsion, of an unconscious pull to getting back to where it all started in an attempt to regain control of a childhood out-of-control situation. Start broke, end broke

 An oddity but might have a nugget of truth about it.

Cleo Laine, Britain’s most successful jazz singer, who straddled jazz, classical, pop and musical theatre with a four-octave range, performed with the greats like Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra and collaborated for decades with husband, jazz musician John Dankworth has died aged 97. The Sunday Times once described her as “quite simply the best singer in the world.”

 She was born 28 October 1927 4.05 am (rectified) Hayes, England, with a Jamaican WW1 veteran father, who sometimes sang on the streets for money, and set her sights on the stage very young singing in community centres at 3 and acting in her first film at 12. Though it took to her mid twenties to have her talents recognized when she joined the Johnny Dankworth Seven, an established jazz group.  She later acted on stage and screen as well as singing through a long career which found her still giving occasional concerts into her 90s.

 She had a determined Sun Mars in Scorpio on one leg of a yod sextile Neptune exactly conjunct Regulus inconjunct Uranus – destined to carve out her own path and become a trailblazer. Her influential Pluto in her 10^th was in a creative Water Grand Trine to an intense Mercury in Scorpio and a lucky/confident trine to Jupiter in Pisces. Her Jupiter was in a charming opposition to Venus.  Her Sagittarius Moon was conjunct Saturn, a testament to her non-stop working career.

  She had a second marriage to Johnny Dankworth which lasted over fifty years till his death with two children who are both jazz performers.

 Johnny Dankworth, born 27 September 1927 London, a month before her but was a strikingly different temperament. He had a Sun Mars conjunct as well as Moon Mercury all in Libra – as opposed to her Scorpio stellium.

 That apart the other placings are similar and both had Venus in Virgo.

 Her yod focal point Uranus opposed his Sun which would suit two busy careers with some separations and may also point to him being pivotal to the start of her professional singing career and being a constant companions thereafter as she built a standout reputation. There was no one quite like her.   

Ukraine has seen the first public demonstrations against President Zelensky since the Russian invasion as he attempted to remove the independence of anti-corruption agencies, bringing them under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president. It would have given him the de facto power to halt corruption investigations that target senior officials.

   After public unrest and strong words of warning from the US and EU, he has reversed the decision but it could still have damaging international ramifications, perhaps jeopardizing relief efforts and tarnishing his reputation as a courageous wartime leader. He had claimed the reforms were necessary because Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure had been infiltrated by “Russian influences”.

  Zelensky’s administration chart, 20 May 2019 10am Kiev, is under increasing pressure at the moment with an undermining tr Neptune square the Mars exactly now, repeating into 2026 and running into even more setbacks/failure as tr Saturn joins in.  Tr Pluto will also square the Uranus from February 2026 and on into 2027 which is a destabilizing influence and can accompany a loss of position. Tr Uranus is also conjunct the Term Sun  this December and mid March to early April 2026, which also suggests significant upsets and change of direction, perhaps forced.

 His personal chart, 25 January 1978 2pm Krivoj Rog, Ukraine, has understandably been under considerable strain as tr Pluto opposed his Mars through 2023/24 and then picked up the transiting Pluto squares to the Sun and Venus/Mars midpoint, before moving on to conjunct Sun and Venus from late March 2026 till late 2027. Plus this winter he has a high-tension, jolting tr Uranus square his Saturn this December and mid March to early April 2026.

  Also exactly now he has a discouraging, deadlocked Solar Arc Saturn conjunct his Pluto and a fading popularity Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Sun Venus.

  He has carried an almost impossible burden for several years it seems a tragedy that he has tripped himself up at this stage but he might oddly be relieved to be free of his role eventually and with tr Pluto moving into his 9^th to become an international spokesman in another role.

Hulk Hogan, the US wrestling icon, known for his flamboyance and massive physique, his trademark blond moustache and his performance in Rocky 111 and television shows has died of cardiac arrest.

 Born 11 August 1953 6.13am (unverified) Augusta, Georgia, he had fittingly Pluto in Leo on his Ascendant conjunct a Leo Sun sitting midway between Jupiter in Gemini in his 10^th/11^th trine Neptune Saturn in Libra – a powerful personality, lucky and confident. His Mars is also in Leo further boosting his desire to attract attention.

  His Neptune Saturn was in the generational square to Uranus and Mercury in Cancer so he would never be backward about voicing his opinions. His only had one Earth planet, his Moon in Virgo – like other body builder types he was not as earthy astrologically as one might imagine.

 If his birth time is accurate then tr Pluto moved recently into his 6^th house and over the years he has had multiple surgeries for back and other joint problems. Plus a brush with steroids early on.

 He famously sued Gawker magazine over a sex tape and won, bankrupting them. His last marriage was only contracted two years ago.

Nicola Sturgeon, former Scotland First Minister, is gearing up for the publication of her memoir boldly named “Frankly” in which she says she has poured her heart with candid reflections on her heartbreaks as well as triumphs.

   Scottish novelist Andrew Hagan is not sparing with his praise. ‘A triumph. Frankly is the most insightful and stylishly open memoir by a politician since Barack Obama’s Dreams From My Father’. Unsurprisingly it has attracted sharp comments from political opponents. The Scottish Conservative deputy leader, said: “Bookshops might have to stock this in their fantasy section given the brass-neck title chosen by Nicola Sturgeon. Unlike the former first minister, Scots won’t forget how her memory suddenly failed her when she was grilled at the Covid and Salmond inquiries or over her role in the ferry scandal.”

 J.K. Rowling, a fervent critic of Sturgeon’s gender identity stance has also been volunteering to pitch in with a review.

 Sturgeon negotiated a £300,000 advance from publisher Pan MacMillan and has announced she is quitting frontline politics and will not seek re-election next May. Her former husband Peter Murrell, was charged last year in connection with embezzlement of SNP funds. Sturgeon was arrested and released without charge but remains under investigation.

 Born 19 July 1970 3.16 pm Irvine, Scotland, she has a late Cancer Sun conjunct Procyon (= rise and fall) conjunct Mars in Leo and Mercury in her communicative and opinionated 9^th house in a confident/overly confident square to Jupiter, an intense sextile to Pluto and trine Neptune – making her uber-ambitious as well as lucky. She also has her Neptune opposition Saturn in Taurus in her 7^th, described by  Ebertin as having a dual character, and a struggle between lower and higher nature. Plus an Aquarius Moon in a short-fused opposition to Mars, trine Uranus and inconjunct a good-at-PR Venus in her 10^th.

  Publication date has been announced as August 14^th which gives an explosive, maybe aggressive/hostile Air Grand Trine of Mars in Libra trine Uranus trine Pluto; with Mars opposition Neptune Saturn and a seriously argumentative Mercury opposition Pluto. It won’t launch quietly, for sure.

 Her own chart has lost the frustrating, trapped tr Pluto opposition her Mars and before that her Cancer Sun which have marred the past four years which will be a relief for her. And she does have tr Jupiter moving through her 9^th house of publishing and communication this year. But she’ll also be nerve stretched now with her Solar Arc Uranus conjunct her Neptune through this year. Tr Uranus is also opposition her Neptune as well as opposing her calamitous Mars/Pluto midpoint in this December and mid March to mid  April 2026. Followed in late 2026/early 2027 by an even more stressful, dead-halt Solar Arc Mars conjunct her Pluto.   Her glory days won’t be back anytime soon.  

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A silly season story to distraction from miseries elsewhere.

  The French President and his wife are suing an American one-time Maga influencer and wild conspiracy theorist Candace Owens, after she falsely claimed France’s first lady was a man. And along the way, to her gzillion Insta and youtube fans, Candace also alluded to Emmanuel Macron being connected to MKUltra, a “secret CIA programme that conducted human experiments to develop mind-control techniques using drugs, psychological manipulation and torture”, and that he and Madame Macron are blood relatives.

  Despite repeated legal attempts claiming she was making false statements  “to promote her independent platform, gain notoriety and make money”, she has refused to retract and is venting about her First Amendment rights – which appear to protect fabrications, fantasies and falsehoods.

 Despite following Trump’s playbook, Candace has abandoned her former support for him and says she is “embarrassed” she once campaigned for him.

  Born 19 April 1989 Stamford, CT, she has her Sun Venus in Taurus opposition Pluto in Scorpio probably square an Aquarius Moon, and trine Saturn Neptune (Uranus) in Capricorn – stubborn to the nth degree, drawn to making provocative statements to stir up a reaction (Aquarius Moon), manipulative (Venus Pluto), dislikes letting go, intransigent (Uranus Neptune).

   Her can-be-neurotic/paranoid Neptune Saturn sextile Pluto are inconjunct a yod focal point Jupiter which can be influential out in society but can also be self-defeating if ego and self aggrandisement get out of hand. Her excitable Mars in Cancer  is in an uncompromising, explosive opposition to her Uranus. Quite some lady.

  Her Jupiter won’t be brought to task for several years but her Mars opposition Uranus will be firmly squelched by tr Saturn Neptune in Aries in square from now and over the next two/three years.

 Quite why she singled out Brigitte Macron for her bizarre theories isn’t clear though CO’s Jupiter does fall in BMacron’s 10^th house so maybe Candace thought that the Macron’s international standing would give her a leg-up publicity-wise. CO’s South Node in Virgo is also conjunct BM’s Virgo Ascendant which would tend to make CO uber-critical of Brigitte’s appearance and image, perhaps with an underlying streak of envy.

   Brigitte Macron, 13 April 1953 3pm Amiens, France, has an 8^th house Sun, Venus, Moon in Aries trine a 12^th house Pluto so she will tend to attract strong reactions.  She and Candace have a relationship chart that is dominated by a yod of Pluto sextile Saturn Neptune inconjunct Sun Venus which is being challenged by tr Pluto, tr Uranus and tr Saturn Neptune over the next three years. Bounded together by fate – quite a sticky chemistry between them though I fancy they have never actually met.

 Candace’s Pluto is conjunct Emmanuel’s 9^th house Uranus and opposition his Taurus Moon for a disruptive interface; with Candace’s South Node conjunct his critical Saturn in Virgo; and her Saturn Neptune in Capricorn square his Pluto for confusion. Their relationship chart has an unpredictable, differing-agenda composite Sun Venus square Uranus, trine Saturn Pluto – which again is under significant pressure for several years ahead.

  All too weird.

  Her Virgo South Node seems very entangled in all of this so anyone with experience of such do pitch in with helpful thoughts.

https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/candace-owens

ADD ON: Titbits on her from the Daily Mail:

The Duchess of Sussex is ‘despicably racist’, the Covid-19 vaccine is ‘pure evil’ and ‘secret Jewish gangs’ are doing ‘horrific things’ in Hollywood. The Macrons were blood relatives ‘committing incest’ and that Emmanuel came to power as the result of a CIA ‘mind control’ programme.

She said: ‘We are revolting against the perverts that run the world.’

 She tweeted that ‘Russian Lives Matter’ following the invasion of Ukraine.

She described ‘political Jews’ as ‘some of the most vile, dishonest, manipulative people that I have ever met’. Last July, after she dismissed the appalling medical experiments of SS concentration camp doctor Josef Mengele as ‘bizarre propaganda’.

 She has no time for women who allow themselves to become victims of predatory men – castigating the MeToo movement for ‘turning sexual assault into a trend’ and encouraging women to be seen as ‘stupid’ and ‘weak’.  

She called Black Lives Matter advocates ‘whiny toddlers’ and compared black Democrats to slaves on plantations.

She’s dismissed climate change as a lie to ‘extract dollars from Americans’ and abortion as the ‘extermination’ of black babies.

  Tinfoil hat country.

Ozzy Osbourne, wild rock star, pioneer of heavy metal with Black Sabbath who became a global star with a “prince of darkness” reputation  has died. The two oddities of his life are that he became and stayed famous from unlikely beginnings as an under-educated loser with a prison record who couldn’t sing. And that he lasted to 76 after a drug and alcohol fuelled life and Parkinsons. He left Black Sabbath for a successful solo career before reuniting with the band and latterly became the unlikely star of a hit TV reality show which showcased his erratic domestic life. 

  He was born 3 December 1948 10am Coleshill, England, with a Sagittarius Sun Mercury square an 8^th house Saturn in Virgo. He did have an intense 7^th house Pluto square Venus in Scorpio and Midheaven giving weight to his approach. But what more than anything marked his temperament was a rumbustious Jupiter Mars conjunction in Capricorn opposition Uranus – high-vitality, adventurous, volatile, explosive. Mars Jupiter is associated with successful creative activity and also childbirth – the baby’s first cry – so kickstarting a new musical genre was in his astrological genes.

  His Capricorn Moon was square Neptune.

  It isn’t an especially horrifying chart but he was blessed by finding a stalwart wife in the formidable Sharon who stood with him for 63 years through thick and thin, revived his career and even managed to absorb a murder attempt when he was drunk.

 She was born 9 October 1952 (2 days after Valdimir Putin) and is a Sun, Saturn, Neptune and Mercury in Libra square Uranus; with a determined Mars in Sagittarius trine Pluto; with Pluto in a super-confident square to Jupiter in Taurus.

 Their wedding chart from 4 July 1982 had a can-be-cruel/unfair Mars Saturn (Pluto) conjunction square Sun conjunct the North Node; and wounded Chiron exactly conjunct can-be-destructive Algol – which seems fitting for all the drama that followed.

 Their relationship chart did have an affectionate composite Sun, Venus, Mercury trine a reassuring and lucky Jupiter trine Uranus so there would be enough to hold it together, even with an unfair-treatment composite Saturn South Node square Mars.

 On July 5^th this year with Black Sabbath he gave his last concert in Birmingham to thousands of fans, which raised his spirits but took its toll and he passed away unexpectedly quickly in the aftermath.

  For fans – a rundown below on his life and music from Alex Petridis, the Guardian music critic.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/22/ozzy-osbourne-the-peoples-prince-of-darkness-took-heavy-metal-into-the-light

The indefatigable Nicola Benedetti, celebrating her 38th birthday,  is gearing up for the Edinburgh International Festival starting in three weeks of which she has been the first female director since 2022. Heralded as one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation, she was a child prodigy, continues to play and record prolifically to international audiences, and act as an enthusiastic advocate of classical music through her music education charity The Benedetti Foundation. She has a new Classic FM radio series  ‘The Truth About Classical Music’ in which she will take listeners behind the scenes of the classical music world and is inspired by the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival theme, ‘The Truth We Seek’. In October she sets of on her first solo tour in over a decade performing at 14 venues across the UK and Ireland. And all this after just giving birth.

 She was born 20 July 1987 7.40 am Irvine, Scotland, with an Italian father and an Italian-Scottish mother, and an older sister who is also a violinist. She started to play the violin aged four and at eight became the leader of the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain; and later went on to win the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

 She has a Cancer Sun on the cusp of her 12^th house square a confident, enthusiastic Jupiter in pro-active Aries in her far-travelled 9^th house. She also has Venus Mercury in Cancer in her friendly, socially-minded 11^th house. Her musical Neptune in her performing 5^th house opposes Mercury and squares a North Node in Aries hooking her into the culture of the times.  

 Her Mars in Leo in her 12^th squares Pluto on her IC giving her formidable determination, and a never-say-die approach. Her home life will also be dominated by her work ethic with Saturn there and probably was throughout her childhood. Her Uranus sitting close to her Saturn won’t make domestic contentment easier but will make her innovative and keen on effecting positive changes.

  Her 10^th house Taurus Moon conjunct Algol and Pholus are clearly intent on doing good by reaching out to inspire audiences and children.

Her ‘Master’ Harmonics of 11 and 22 are strong as is her genius/breakthrough 13H.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the American actor, musician and poet best known for his role in the Cosby Show had drowned while on vacation in Costa Rica, apparently dragged out to sea while swimming by a strong current.

He was born August 18, 1970 at 2.43 am Jersey City, New Jersey, named after Malcolm X, and had an upfront, vibrant Sun Mars in Leo square Neptune in his creative and performing 5^th house and square Saturn in Taurus. He had a full 4^th house of family and childhood with an intense, controlling Mercury Pluto in late Virgo conjunct an unpredictable Uranus and Venus in Libra as well as Jupiter in Scorpio.

His 9^th house Moon in Pisces was unaspected which would make him feel disconnected and can be emotionally disorganized and vulnerable. His Moon was very much to the forefront when he died with his Progressed Moon exactly conjunct his natal Moon. And when his chart is relocated to Costa Rica near Limon it put his Moon exactly conjunct the Midheaven.

  I have no idea why that should be accident prone in itself. But in addition his 4^th house Pluto opposition the shipwrecking Scheat in his 10^th was due for a shake-up from the September Solar Eclipse. And his Progressed Mars was sitting on his Mercury/Pluto midpoint, sending vibrations ahead to the conjunction with Pluto which is accident prone.

  When he died around 2pm on July 20 the Gemini Moon conjunct Hyades was on the Descendant. Hyades according to Dark Star Astrology is stormy and; “give tears, sudden events, violence, – and contradictions of fortune.”