The inevitable Brexit stalemate appears to be reaching a crescendo. No one wants a hard Brexit or a Brino (Brexit in Name Only). But neither UK party can make up its mind what policy to follow as they flounder around contradicting themselves. The EU are, as expected and understandably, not only bored with the whole charade they’re sticking to their principles of no cherry-picking.

Two dates to look out for are: December 2nd to 11^th this year when tr Saturn squares Theresa May’s Libra Sun and her Solar Arc Uranus, as she labours at the same time under the panicky-failure tr Neptune conjunct her Mars (through this month and next).

Her own and her Government chart look flummoxed at the moment with Uranus Neptune aspects.

The other is when the UK/EU relationship chart picks up the separating tr Saturn conjunct the composite Sun this December 20^th to 28^th. Which also affects both the UK and the EU Suns individually. The TM Government chart looks excessively stuck over New Year. And the EU/UK chart is very bad tempered through January.

There’s nothing that looks remotely like a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. TMay is all downhill from now onwards but even a new Tory leader wouldn’t fix the unfixable problem; and she’ll never get even her cobbled-together plan through Westminster.

Any alternative – revoking Article 50 to push back the March 29 2019 date or granting a People’s Vote would just stretch out the agony.

The UK chart is looking surprisingly chipper from mid January for a few weeks. The only thing that’s clear is dislike/disgust of politicians with Solar Arc Moon opposition the 11^th house legislative Saturn.

For more detail see post October 18 2018.

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Roald Dahl known as one of the 20^th century’s greatest storytellers for children – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory amongst others – has been turned down by the Royal Mint for a commemorative coin because of his anti-Semitic views. His books which have sold more than 250,000 million copies worldwide were often macabre, darkly comic and unsentimental.

He was born 13 September 1916 in Cardiff, Wales to Norwegian parents and had an extraordinary and tragedy-strewn life. His sister died at 7 (appendicitis) as did one of his own daughters (measles). His father died the same year as his sister when he was 3, and he had an unhappy public school upbringing. He went on to have a high-risk World War 11 as a fighter pilot, surviving a horrific crash; became an air attache in Washington sleeping with the wives of influential men to obtain secrets of the UK Secret Service. And  ultimately married Patricia Neal, a well-known Hollywood actress when she was on the rebound from an affair with Gary Cooper. His first child, a boy, was brain damaged in a car accident at four months old; two years later his daughter died; and three years after that his wife, Patricia Neal, took a near terminal stroke while pregnant.

He had an unaspected Sun Virgo with an outspoken Mercury in Libra trine Uranus. But what marks out his chart as reckless, dark and sometimes cruel was a Mars in Scorpio trine Pluto, and opposition Jupiter square Venus Neptune in Leo. He liked the high life, could be charming though also stubborn and was emotionally a  complex mess. Not an easy man to live with.

Patricia Neal was born 20 Jan 1926 at 4.40 am Gatliff, KY, USA. She was a Sun Capricorn conjunct Jupiter in Aquarius with a hugely complicated chart. She has a bleak, though persevering, self-protective and creative Water Grand Trine of Saturn in Scorpio trine an 7^th house Pluto trine Uranus. She also had an inspirational, confident Fire Grand Trine of Mars in Sagittarius trine an Aries Moon trine an 8^th house Neptune in Leo, formed into a Kite by Venus opposition Neptune. A Fire Earth chart is highly combustible, excitable, impulsive and is relatively common in creative/entertainment business types.

Their marriage had been a disaster since the start though they stuck it out and he bullied her mercilessly after her stroke to improve her motor skills; until after 30 years he left her for a younger model.

Their relationship chart was combative and grim with a  composite Sun, Mars, Mercury sextile Saturn; with an up-and-down Saturn opposition Jupiter; and an illusory Venus square Neptune leading to disappointment.

His creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonics were strong though with a dark streak of cruelty and wayward determination.

Astonishing that he became so popular for children’s stories – modern Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Shades of Enid Blyton who wrote pleasanter kids’ tales but was a thoroughly unpleasant person.

Prince Charles, 70 this week, is stepping up the PR as he moves slowly towards the throne with a firm commitment not to meddle once he becomes monarch. A new BBC documentary following in his footsteps for a year was well received with supportive input from a warmly witty Camilla as well as the two Princes, no doubt making up for blanking him in their tribute to their mother last year.

There’s no hint of the Queen abdicating though she’s gradually handing over the reins with some thought she might agree to him becoming Regent when she’s 95 in 2021.

He looks fairly stuck at the moment with Solar Arc Saturn square his Pluto; though tr Uranus conjunct his 10^th house Moon does hint at emotional/career/family changes running into early 2019.

He should be more upbeat and sociable with his Progressed Moon now into Sagittarius and moving through his 5^th house for the next two to three years. But he’s also at the same time got tr Saturn and tr Pluto moving through his 6^th for a weighty work schedule which could have health implications, though they are a very robust family. He won’t be short of drive and confidence in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto square his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint but it’ll be a fairly bumpy ride all the same.

He looks panicky and undermined in 2020/21 with tr Neptune square his Mars; and is facing a setback in 2022 with Solar Arc Mars opposition his Saturn, which could also be a family death. 2022/2023 have similar as tr Pluto squares his Mars/Saturn midpoint.

If his birth time is absolutely accurate then 2023 looks to be a significant change in his direction as his Solar Arc MC is conjunct his Uranus then. And his Solar Return for November 2022 running till late 2023 has Jupiter Neptune on the midheaven which could be a coronation.

Prince William, who would then step up as Number Two, won’t be in a mood to take on a more onerous schedule for some years ahead with tr Saturn moving through his First Quadrant, although there are some indications of career changes this year and next. He looks rattled and in for a major turnaround in his lifestyle come 2021/22.

Alexander Skarsgard is about to become the latest Le Carre heartthrob for his starring role as the Mossad agent in BBC’s The Little Drummer Girl. He’s best known for his vampire role in True Blood and playing the abusive husband in Big Little Lies along with Nicole Kidman, for which he won several awards.

He was born 25 August 1976 at 4.47am Stockholm, Sweden with an actor father (Stellan Skarsgard, one of the father’s in Mamma Mia)and a physician mother and has five younger siblings as well as two half siblings. He started acting at 7 but gave up in his teens, joined the navy and then university in Leeds, England. He said he was embarrassed as a child by his extrovert father and the hippy anarchist crowd who were around the family.

He’s got a Virgo Sun on his Ascendant conjunct a late Leo Moon in his 12^th, so will be an upfront personality. He’s got a talented, lucky Jupiter in his 10^th square his Sun and Moon; and in a wide, talented Half Grand Sextile of Jupiter opposition Neptune sextile/trine Saturn in the 12^th and Pluto (Mars) in his 2nd.

It’s an interesting chart with a maverick Uranus in his 3^rd square Saturn. His father, 13 June 1951, a fiery, hard-edged Sun Mars square Saturn, trine Neptune sextile Pluto, was experienced by Alexander as fairly inaccessible with a 4^th house Neptune; autocratic with Uranus Saturn and impractical. His mother invested Alexander with confidence given his 10^th house Jupiter – born 3 July 1956, she’s one of the high-octane Jupiter Pluto in Leo square Saturn in Scorpio types, so no slouch.

Alexander’s career is just hitting its stride with tr Saturn heading for his 5^th, so a good deal ahead. He’s still single and living out of a suitcase but with Jupiter square his Sun/Moon midpoint, should settle at some point.

Poor California. Several monstrous wildfires are raging in different locations in the state, one close to Thousand Oaks where a gunman killed 12 earlier this week. More than 250,000 have been forced to flee their homes, including celebrities living in Malibu. Earlier this year the Carr Fire in July and August 2018 caused $1.659 billion of damage. And this on top of 2017 which was described as the most destructive wildfire season on record.

The California chart is pretty much under assault at the moment. It has had tr Pluto square the CA Saturn in Aries thro’ 2017 till mid November this year (exact now) which usually denotes hardship, deprivation and a tough slog. And this year and next there’s tr Neptune opposition the CA Virgo Sun, which is panicky and undermining; and much the same from the Solar Arc Sun conjunct the CA Neptune this year. The Solar Arc Uranus Pluto is moving to oppose the CA Saturn from this New Year till late 2019 which looks disruptive and discouraging ahead. And tr Uranus is exactly now conjunct the CA Uranus Pluto in Aries.

The previous Uranus Return (hitting on Pluto as well) came in the mid 1930s with California struggling with the Great Depression. There was a major earthquake in 1933 in Long Beach, just before the Uranus Return with over a hundred fatalities and multi-million dollars’ damage.

The Eclipses this year did have significant indicators for California – the Aquarius Lunar Eclipse in late July had Uranus on the Descendant located to Thousand Oaks squaring onto Midheaven Sun opposition IC Moon Mars North Node; the August Leo Eclipse had Pluto on the IC; and the mid July Cancer Solar Eclipse had Neptune on the midheaven and Saturn on the Descendant.

ADD ON: Gary Newsom, the Governor-elect of California will be the one overseeing what comes next after he’s sworn in on January 7th. He’s a former Mayor of San Francisco and has been Lieutenant Governor since 2010. Born 10 October 1967 5.13 am San Francisco, he was severely dyslexic as a child, and ran successful winery and restaurant business before moving into politics. He’s a national progressive figure, a prominent early advocate for same sex marriage, universal healthcare, and the legalization of cannabis.

He has a hard-working Sun Libra opposition Saturn in Aries square a Capricorn moon in the 4^th – an emphasised Moon helps in politics and also in catering/domestic businesses being in the 4^th. He’s also got a tough Mars in Sagittarius square Pluto Uranus on his Ascendant, so will be resourceful in crises.

He’ll be coping with confusing situations in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto sextile his Neptune; and worse in 2020 when tr Neptune squares his Mars and his midheaven – it’ll be a fairly roller coaster and debilitating ride ahead.

His Governorship chart has the Sun conjunct Pluto on one side and Saturn on the other – so a tough haul requiring perseverance and grit; with setbacks from Mars square Saturn Mercury; and rolling crises from an emphasised Uranus Pluto. He’ll need all his stamina and courage.

A US Marine Corps veteran with suspected mental health issues killed 12 young people in a busy bar in California, including a policeman and was himself killed. The shooting began at 23:20 local time on Wednesday in Thousand Oaks about 40 miles (65km) north-west of Los Angeles.

Ian Long, born 27 March 1990 (net sources), served in Afghanistan and had several medals and commendations.

He was a Sun Aries on the point of a Cardinal T Square to a Jupiter opposition Uranus Neptune in Capricorn – ego-centric, confident, highly-strung.  His Mercury in Aries was square Saturn as well as Uranus Neptune so he would have problems keeping his thinking straight and not sliding into depression. He also had Mars, North Node and Venus in Aquarius square Pluto, which would ramp up emotional responses, making him volatile, hugely frustrated and angry.

At the moment his Solar Arc Neptune was denting his self-esteem in a conjunction to his self-willed Mars in Aquarius, tugging on his intense emotional reactions. Transits to his midpoints also point to extensive confusion with tr Uranus square his Neptune/Node; tr Neptune square his Uranus/Pluto; and tr Pluto conjunct his Saturn/Neptune, which last would exacerbate paranoid tendencies.

The shooting happened just after the Scorpio Full Moon with an aggravated Mars in Aquarius in the 7^th; and a pro-active, amped-up Cardinal Grand Cross of disruptive Uranus opposition Venus square Pluto and square the North Node; with Pluto also sextile Neptune and the Sun.

The California state chart, 9 September 1850, is exactly on its Uranus Return now with Uranus also conjunct its Pluto – so on high alert for major changes; with a discouraging tr Pluto square its Saturn; and a debilitating Solar Arc Sun conjunct its Neptune.

Incredibly sad for young lives to end so uselessly especially at the hands of a veteran who clearly needed more help than he got.

‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row.’ John Macrae

The Armistice for World War 1 was agreed 100 years ago this Sunday at 11 am November 11 1918 at Compiegne, France. One of the deadliest conflicts in history it was known then as the “war to end all wars” and involved 70 million military personnel. An estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilians died as a direct result and it is also considered a contributory factor in a number of genocides and the 1918 influenza epidemic, which killed between 50 and 100 million worldwide. In certain countries it wiped out almost an entire generation of young men.  It pitted Germany and Austria-Hungary against France, Russia and Britain and later Italy (who switched sides), Japan and the USA.

Given the magnitude of the cataclysm that followed the shooting of Archduke Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 you would think the astrology would have been screaming headlines. But, as in WW11, the signs were not that clear. Pluto has just moved into Cancer with an approaching conjunction to Saturn, exact in the autumn, which is often a harbinger of a more major war than usual. But these come around every forty years or so – 1947/48 and 1981/82 – so not epoch-making.

There were certainly indications on the individual country charts.  The Germany 1 January 1871 chart has its military-minded Mars square Saturn moved by Solar Arc to hard aspect its’ power-hungry 8^th house Pluto in 1914, with the Solar Arc Saturn exactly square the Pluto and Solar Arc Mars in Scorpio moving to oppose the Pluto two and a half years later as the destruction grew and defeat loomed.  At the start tr Neptune was also conjunct the Germany 10^th house Uranus for a fanatical mood of high excitement and misjudgement.

France, 21 September 1792, who suffered the worst losses of all, at the start had a ‘shocking collision’ of Solar Arc Mars opposition Sun; tr Saturn conjunct the Solar Arc Pluto; tr Pluto just off and tr Saturn approaching the square to the France Sun – all of the latter suggesting either war or deprivation.

The UK 1801 chart had tr Uranus square the 8^th house Mars; and tr Saturn Pluto just before and after the conjunction to the Solar Arc Pluto – risk and hardship. The UK Declaration of War 4 August 1914 at 11pm was certainly ferocious with an Earth Grand Trine of Mars trine Algol on the Ascendant trine Moon Midheaven, formed into a Kite opposition Neptune; with the Leo Sun sitting exactly on the Saturn Pluto and Mars midpoint and opposition Uranus – so an unholy mix of all the outer planets.

The Austria, 18 October 1221 JC chart (astrotheme) gave strong indications of brutality, along with delusional optimism and megalomania.

So all the country charts showed up massive strain.

The Cancer and Libra Ingresses of 1914 do link Mars Uranus and Pluto – and Saturn Pluto and Mars – respectively but those will also occur for passing disasters. And the Eclipses aren’t much help either.

The relationship chart between Germany and France shows a strong undermining Neptune square to the composite Mars, pointing to a failure in the bond; tr Uranus opposing the composite Uranus upending the connection between them; and tr Saturn Pluto was square the composite Pluto during the course of the war.

The relationship chart between Germany and the UK had tr Neptune square the composite Saturn exactly at the kick off but not much else.

So really difficult to see how an absolute prediction could have been made in advance.

Comments gratefully received.

As expected astrologically it wasn’t quite the blue landslide that had been poll-predicted a month ago in the US Mid Terms but the Democrats took the House comfortably. This will deadlock some of Trump’s policies ahead and open up the possibility of more legal forays into any possible Russia campaign connection and his financial  affairs.

Nancy Pelosi is likely to be Speaker and intriguingly her Mars in Taurus (conjunct Algol) are conjunct Trump’s Midheaven so that will turn very competitive and argumentative. Her Neptune squares his Sun so he’ll find it difficult to pin her down. Born 26 March 1940 in Baltimore, she’s a tough Sun Aries trine Pluto, with her Pluto in an unyielding square to Saturn in Taurus.

Where Trump’s chart shows real signs of trouble is from mid February 2019 onwards with tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Uranus midpoint, which could be health related since Mars Uranus can indicate an operation, but it can also be a major test of nerves. He’ll respond with his usual bragadaccio, but that will run out by the final day of March. After that he faces two months of savage quarrels, high frustration and discouragement as tr Pluto opposes his Saturn and his Mars/Node midpoint. With retrogrades these influences run until early July, repeating later across the New Year, till late 2020. By which times he’s picked up another dose of aggravating and trapped Pluto transits to his Sun/Mars midpoint till late 2021.

Congress – and presumably the Senate – will kick off on January 3 2019 (time still to be decided) when the sombre Sun Saturn conjunction in Capricorn is in place, three days before the Solar Eclipse – so a significant time.  With Pluto opposition the North Node square Uranus which looks disruptive for both, with changes being spearheaded and perhaps some chaos ensuing. There’s also an over-hopeful Jupiter Moon square Neptune which may be a financial bubble bursting. The Mercury is trine Uranus and square Mars which again looks like a war of words.

See previous post October 11 2018. Democrats – so so result.