Argentina lurching through yet another financial crisis has elected a centre-left president Alberto Fernandez, whose chances were boosted by support from former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. She’s seen as an Eva Peron figure, a populist favourite despite allegations of corruption and economic irresponsibility with her high social spending leading to debt. “Populism is an easier sell but Argentina is broke,” says a political analyst. “Opposition voters who expect a return to the easy spending of the Kirchner era will be quickly disillusioned.”

The Argentina 9 July 1816 chart does indicate financial woes with the Solar Arc Neptune conjunct Venus this year. And tr Neptune moving round the Mutable T Square of Node opposition Neptune square Pluto will 2023 also suggests a long trough of disappointment.

Fernandez, an Aries trine Uranus looks limp, lacklustre and panicked in 2021/22 with Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Saturn followed by a failure-ridden tr Neptune square his Mars. Even Cristina de Kirchner, looks at the end of her tether and confused with tr Pluto square her Neptune and then Saturn through from this year to 2023.

The Bank of Argentina, 28 May 1935, is certainly undergoing a few shocks and upheavals with tr Uranus on its First Return now into early 2020; a tumultuous Solar Arc Uranus conjunct Pluto in coming months and a grinding, forced-change tr Pluto opposition Pluto in 2020/21.

One voter said: “The most important thing is stability. I’ve been through all the cycles, dictatorship, everything. What I hope is that at some point we will leave this cycle of stagnation and poverty and that we have the model of country we all want, regardless of party.” Another country sick of incompetent politicians.

The death of the ISIS leader Baghdadi still hasn’t been confirmed by DNA corroboration but Trump is already grandstanding his final moments in graphic detail. The Kurds claim it was a joint effort with USA while Trump thanked the Russians who weren’t involved. He’s also angling to have it seen as a bigger event than Bin Laden’s capture (to do down Obama); and appeared along the way not to have notified the relevant Congress chairmen who would usually be informed. Putin always, Adam Schiff never.

If wiki is to be believed Baghdadi was born 28 June 1971, five days earlier than Julian Assange; with the same Cancer Sun in a square to rebellious Uranus; and an uncompromising Mars in Aquarius. His chart is bedevilled by undermining Neptune transits to midpoints at the moment.

The ISIS 15 October 2006 chart did indicate 2019 to 2021 as the point at which it would hit major setbacks as tr Pluto squares the Libra Sun and then Mars. The Scorpio New Moon opposition Uranus tomorrow will hit their Solar Arc Sun in Scorpio exactly which seems apt.

It was always a more brutal chart than Al Quaeda, which was nasty enough with an afflicted Mars in Aries quincunx Pluto. But the ISIS chart has Saturn in wannabe-important Leo in an unyielding trine to Pluto, sextile Mars Sun – ruthless and brutal. With a lucky Jupiter in acquisitive Scorpio square Neptune and Saturn.

It remains to be seen whether another leader will step into his shoes – if he is truly dead this time – and how the group will reorganise itself, since there are now sleeper cells spread around the Middle East and Europe, as well as fundamentalist groups opposed to ISIS who could cause headaches in their own way. It’s a hundred-headed Hydra – chop off one and others appear.

An unusual friendship between Queen Elizabeth and her personal dresser Angela Kelly has given rise to an unusual book which details their 25-year working relationship, with unseen pictures and “charming” anecdotes about their friendship. Normally Royal servants publishing books are frowned on, but the Queen once famously remarked “We could be sisters” so permission was given in this instance.

Angela Kelly was born 4 November 1957 (net sources) with a docker father and has worked at Buckingham Palace since 1994, first as the Queen’s Senior Dresser before rising to the role of Her Majesty’s Personal Advisor and Curator and In-house Designer. She is known inside as AK47 for her famously short-temper and her position as the Queen’s confidante has attracted a good deal of jealousy.

She’s a Sun Mercury in Scorpio so will give as good as she gets. She probably has an inspirational and entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine of an Aries Moon trine Saturn trine Uranus; and a super-enthusiastic Jupiter Mars in Libra.

Her synastry with the Queen isn’t too pass remarkable apart from her Jupiter Mars being trine the Queen’s Mars Jupiter in Aquarius. But the relationship chart is a different story with an affectionate composite Sun Venus conjunction in a possessive opposition to Pluto which forms a Mystic Rectangle in sextile/trine to Saturn opposition Uranus. With a morale-boosting and exuberant composite Mars Jupiter.

Their relationship will be going through some major shifts ahead with tr Uranus square the composite Sun Venus and then Pluto over the next year; as well as an undermining tr Neptune square the Jupiter.

PS The Daily Mail appears conflicted about her birth date but now seems to have settled on 61 years old which fits 1957.

A street protest yesterday of a million people brought Santiago, the Chilean capital, to a halt as they demanded the resignation of President Pinera and urgent economic reforms in response to spiralling inequality. It was the largest in a week-long series of demonstrations across the country that have left 19 people dead and hundreds injured.

The Chile country chart 5 April 1818 has an explosive and uncompromising Solar Arc Uranus conjunct Mars now and for weeks ahead. Emotions are running high with tr Pluto square the Chile Venus till mid-December as well. The mood will continue highly strung through 2020/21 with tr Neptune in a can-be fanatical square to the Chile Uranus before moving on to conjunct the Chile Pluto in 2022/23 which can be devastating confusion and can sometimes accompany natural disasters of some magnitude.

Sebastian Pinera, a right-winger was formerly president 2010 to 2014 and ended up with a 22% approval rating, the least popular leader since Pinochet, so it’s all the more surprising he ended up voted in this time round. Born 1 December 1949 he’s a Sun Sagittarius square an unpleasantly hard-edged Saturn Mars in Virgo and widely trine Pluto. He’s having a nose-diving couple of years with tr Neptune in a debilitating and failure-ridden opposition to his Mars Saturn this year and on end off till January 2021. With cataclysmic glitches come 2022 as his Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct his Mars Saturn.

His Second Presidency chart, 11 March 2018, indicated an angry, volatile, crisis-ridden term with Mars square the Sun and trine Uranus; and Uranus in an unstable square to Pluto. It’ll also be slipping and slithering through 2020 with tr Neptune conjunct the Sun from late April.

His Cabinet choices were heavily criticised for including pro-Pinochet members as well as pro-Nazi sympathisers.

Melania Trump was flying solo this week on behalf of her anti-drugs campaign in Washington, brushing aside questions about impeachment. She’s a mysterious figure as First Lady, often invisible, away presumably at Mar-A-Lago, or as an adjunct to the president as a spectacularly chic piece of silent arm-candy. Stories from Mar-A-Lago have her locked in conversation with Trump for three hours on their own over dinner; while one celebrity who dined with them said she spoke for 0.1% of the time which sounds more likely.

That she likes the good life is not in doubt with an acquisitive Taurus Sun opposition Jupiter in money-magnet Scorpio; and a super-indulgent Venus Mercury in Taurus trine Pluto.

Her relationship with Trump is based on control and possessiveness with a composite Sun square Pluto and perhaps Moon trine Pluto as well. Plus there’s a superficially frivolous Venus trine Jupiter. There’s a fair amount of disappointment and concern coming up between them from mid November, worsening in February 2020 with tr Neptune square the composite Saturn. And there’ll be a sense of major crisis come June 2020 with tr Uranus square the composite Mars/Pluto midpoint, which runs into 2021.

Her own chart has tr Uranus conjunct her Taurus Sun which was around earlier this month when impeachment proceedings ramped up; and that repeats next April. And she’ll be seriously aggravated late this December and on and off throughout 2020.

Her relationship with Ivanka, never good at the best of time, is under heavy strain with tr Pluto opposition the composite Mars exactly now till mid November; and then into disaster-territory from late March 2020 for two years as tr Pluto opposes the composite Mars/Saturn midpoint.

She’ll do OK though there will be forced changes for a year or two. She signed the contract, got the gilded life, got her parents’ visas and almost certainly has the back-up exit plan that will leave her well off.

All is well in Euro-land as highly respected Mario Draghi exits the Presidency of the European Central Bank, with internal appreciation of the single currency at a high. But behind the rosy facade is the reality that none of the underlying problems have been fixed since the 2008 crash. The divergences between efficient, high-earning, high-saving countries such like Germany and inefficient nations with low GDP-per-capita such as Italy and Greece have widened not narrowed. Christine Lagarde, Draghi’s replacement on November 1, will soon either have to cut back the recent quantitative easing programme which will shock the already fragile economies of the poorer nations. Or persuade the Germans they need to pay out more towards the Mediterranean economies, which is hardly likely to go down well with the country in technical recession. If there is another global downturn which seems likely the euro is not well placed to withstand the crisis.

There are tremors of early quakes running at the moment, through 2020 but it’s really 2021 to 2023 that the real pain bites. The Euro 1 January 1999 chart is muddled at present; has a catastrophic tr Pluto square Mars/Saturn from late March 2020 till late 2021; is under assault from Solar Arc Mars square Uranus in early 2021; with a financial bubble-bursting, false-confidence-denting tr Neptune conjunct Jupiter square Mercury from 2021 into 2022 by which time the deprived, grinding-struggle tr Pluto square Saturn picks up for two years.

Christine Lagarde’s Term, 1 November 2019, has a relatively similar timeline – with jolts and jangles from tr Uranus opposition the Sun from mid 2020; a frustratingly blocked tr Pluto opposition Mars/MC in 2020/21. But the real agony comes by 2022 with a totally trapped Solar Arc Mars square Pluto; a disappointing tr Neptune square Jupiter; and a cornered and scary tr Pluto square Sun/Mars midpoint in 2022/23.

The EU chart itself, labouring at present under the financially devastating Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the 2^nd house Neptune; and a blocked Solar Arc Midheaven conjunct Pluto; moves into an uncertain and panicky 2020/21 with tr Neptune square the EU Saturn. Where the real financial hitches and glitches will come is from July 2020 into 2021 as tr Uranus is conjunct the 8^th house Moon and square the Uranus suggesting major jolts and forced changes of direction. By 2021 the recession-attracting tr Saturn in Aquarius square tr Uranus will also be affecting those two planets; and in 2022/23 tr Uranus will square the EU’s 5^th house (of speculation) Venus.

So it looks like a rough ride with economic and financial jeopardy. Christine Lagarde is exceptionally tough, 1 January 1956, a Capricorn with a Saturn Mars in Scorpio square Pluto Moon Jupiter. But she’s not reckoned as smart an operator as Virgo Draghi.

“The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.” Lewis Carroll

The latest bright Boris idea is to proceed with all haste towards an election on December 12^th – IF Westminster agrees and IF the EU pronounces a delay on Brexit. It’s a risky choice for both Tory and Labour, since the known unknowns include an anti-Brexit SNP, a resurgent Lib Dem Party, never mind Northern Ireland and Wales who are seriously unhappy. If they all pick up more votes it’ll be messy coalition time.

December 12^th was certainly not a date selected by an astrologer since it has a Full Moon squaring onto Neptune which is much of a muchness with Theresa May’s lacklustre, indecisive 2^nd Government chart which ended up fizzling like a deflated balloon having wasted two years. Tr Saturn is exactly opposition the UK Moon for a depressed populace.

Boris’s own chart is road-blocked, panicked, undermined and generally in a lie-down-in-a-darkened-room-until-it-blows-over place and for some weeks after as well. Not a great choice. If the election does come to be decided with certainty I’ll do a more detailed run down of the relevant key personnel. But as everything Brexit-connected it’s a never-ending saga with no decisive turning points.

“Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop.” Lewis Carroll

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?” ― Lewis Carroll

The remains of dictator General Franco, still glorified as a heroic figure by the right-wing in Spain, are being relocated to a low-key grave to fulfil a key pledge of the socialist government. In 1939 Franco won the civil war, which had claimed almost half a million lives, extending his dictatorship to the whole country. What followed was a period of repression of political opponents and dissenters, with between 100,000 and 200,000 dying in forced labour and executions in concentration camps. He ruled for almost four decades, nurturing a cult of personality, initially as a totalitarian regime though that gradually softened and he introduced social and economic reform which brought prosperity. Many believe Spain has never faced up to its fascist part while others still hold him up as a figure of reverence.

Born 4 December 1892 at 12.30 am, he certainly had an unpleasant and cruel chart. His Sagittarius Sun opposed an alarming collection of Neptune Pluto Moon in Gemini in a hyperactive square to Mars in Pisces; with a Mystic Rectangle of Saturn in Libra opposition Jupiter in Aries sextile/trine his Sun and Pluto Neptune Moon.

Sun Neptune Pluto gives stratospheric ambitions and in square to Mars goals are accomplished through violence and publicity (Mars Neptune). It’s a surprisingly scattered chart for a personality who seemed enduring. Though the unyielding Saturn trine Pluto and sextile his Sun would help to anchor him.

His wife, Carmen Polo, was an influential figure in Francoist Spain, appearing at her husband’s side, always elegantly dressed with jewels. Born 11 June 1900, she had the same Gemini Sagittarius emphasis he did. Her Gemini Sun was conjunct Pluto and Neptune; and she had Jupiter Uranus, maybe Moon in Sagittarius. Her Mars was in rock solid Taurus. Their relationship chart had an affectionate Sun Venus conjunction in a wild and way out square to Neptune Pluto; plus a power-couple Jupiter trine Pluto Neptune sextile Mars.

That Neptune Pluto at the end of the 19^th Century had a lot to answer for in terms of the brutality of the century that followed. From my Astrological History of the World.

“These two planets together in the same sign coincide with the rise of great powers, often led by brutal dictators, and a consequent dissolving of previous empires, starting with the fall of the Roman Empire and Britain’s decline into the Dark Ages in the fifth century.

Attila the Hun (born c. 406), who devastated the Eastern Mediterranean in a campaign of terror in the fifth century, and Joseph Stalin (born 1879), the revolutionary Marxist whose brutal purges led to the death of some 20 million Russian peasants by execution or famine in the 1920s and 1930s, were born 1400 years apart but both under the sway of a Neptune–Pluto conjunction in Taurus. Adolf Hitler (born 1889) and Mao Tse Tung (born 1893), the other two major destructive power figures of the 20th century, were born with Neptune close to Pluto in Gemini. When the 14^th-century conjunction was at its peak, Tamerlane the Great was terrorizing the Middle East.

More recently, in the final 20 years of the nineteenth century, the Englishman Cecil Rhodes was forcefully attempting to create a British colonial African super-state from south to north. In a chilling pointer to the holocaust of the next century, the British invented concentration camps during the Boer War. In North America, the Native American Indians were finally driven into total submission, and America was established as an imperial power, having won the Spanish-American War. Germany, now reunified, was rising steadily under Bismarck to become a super-power.

Neptune in its visionary aspect, mixing with Pluto’s power drive, creates a delusional though often devastatingly effective megalomania. Both planets in their negative roles are chillingly inhumane. Neptune puts the dream above reality, writes off human sacrifice as a necessary cost to gain the end. Pluto as the arch controller reduces individual humans to objects, pawns on the chessboard; the puppet-master reigns supreme.”

Cameron Douglas, former drug addict and con, scion of the leading Hollywood dynasty of Kirk and Michael Douglas has written a frank memoir Long Way Home. It winds through his seemingly privileged but in reality tumultuous childhood with inadequate and erratic parenting, both parents being unfaithful and his father doing drugs. He started on marijuana as a young teen and graduated to heroin, liquid cocaine and crystal meth, was dried out myriad times and ended up in prison for dealing, with his sentence lengthened when he was found with drugs inside. He eventually served seven years with two in solitary confinement.

Born 13 December 1978 in Santa Barbara, CA, he’s a Sun conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius in a creative and neurotic square to Saturn in Virgo and perhaps opposition a Gemini Moon – very scattered and unfocussed as well as addictive prone with Sun close to Neptune.

His father Michael Douglas, 25 September 1944 10.30 am New Brunswick, New Jersey, is also a Sun conjunct Neptune, in his case in Libra, square Saturn. He’s got more Cardinal planets with Mars Venus also in Libra, a Capricorn Moon and Saturn in Cancer, so is blessed with more initiative and a self-starting drive. Michael’s partial excuse for not being a better role model for Cameron was that he was trying to get out from under the shadow of his own father Kirk Douglas.

Kirk, 9 December 1916 10.15 am New York, is a hard driving and aggressive Sun Sagittarius, with a ruthlessly determined Pluto opposition Mars in Capricorn which falls on Michael’s Capricorn Moon  and square Michael’s Libra Sun Neptune – so he would make Michael feel trapped and scared.

What may not have helped, though they are very different temperaments, is that Cameron shares several of his grandfather’s planets – Sagittarius Sun, Mars in Capricorn and Venus in Scorpio. And Cameron’s Saturn is also conjunct Michael’s Jupiter in the 10^th, so he’d dent Michael’s confidence and undermine his reputation.

What a complicated family. Kirk Douglas’s tough beginning in a poverty-stricken New York childhood, son of a ragman, straightened his spine but it didn’t make life easier for what came next.

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