Lily Allen – telling it like it was

  

 

Lily Allen, a successful UK singer and TV presenter, has written a brutally honest (over-sharing according to the Guardian) memoir about her first 33 years. There’s drugs, drink, sex which was good, rape and indifferent, bulimia and erratic parents.

Born 2 May 1985, no birth time, in London to a film producer mother and a Welsh-comedian father who left when she was young, she appeared first on TV aged 3, attended 13 different schools and was expelled from two for drinking and smoking. In her adult life she had best-selling albums, multiple relationships, a miscarriage and a still birth with post-natal depression, was stalked for several years and was recently diagnosed as bi-polar. An exhausting life.

She’s a Sun Taurus widely opposition Pluto with her Sun square Jupiter – so stubborn, over-hopeful and drawn to situations where she felt trapped.

What marks her chart out are two Yods – Neptune sextile Pluto inconjunct Mars in scattered Gemini. And Mars sextile Venus inconjunct Pluto. Neither are easy to handle well. An apex Mars will tend to go off in all directions at once. An apex Pluto – a tendency to go to extremes and become self-destructive; and veering between being manipulative or withdrawn.

What would save her is her emphasised Jupiter, also on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine to Uranus and Mercury, as well as square Sun giving her optimism despite setbacks. She’ll be due a significant relationship in 2020 with her Progressed Venus conjunct her Sun; with a change in her lifestyle the year after with her Progressed Sun opposition her Uranus. Though next year won’t be calm with tr Uranus opposing her afflicted Pluto – another major upheaval.

Stephen King – lord of the dark path

    

 

The unstoppable popular novelist Stephen King, known mainly for his horror, supernatural, suspense, fantasy and science fiction was 71 yesterday. He has written 58 novels, sold 350 million, written innumerable short stories, won multiple awards and is omnipresent on other authors’ book covers with complimentary puffs and on twitter. The litterati tends to look down on him since he sells but a reviewer commented favourably on his “pungent prose, sharp ear for dialogue, disarmingly laid-back, frank style, along with his passionately fierce denunciation of human stupidity and cruelty.”

Born 21 September 1947 1.30am Portland, Maine, he was brought up by a single mother in relative poverty with his father abandoning them when he was two. He wrote at school and was first published at 20. Thereafter he wrote to earn a living and taught.

He has an intelligent, communicative 3rd house Virgo Sun conjunct Venus in Libra in a dynamic sextile to Mars in Cancer and a maverick square to Uranus. His outspoken, adventurous Sagittarius Moon is in the performing 5th and is really the key to his chosen genre since it trines a bleak Saturn Pluto in Leo trine his Aries Midheaven; with his Midheaven opposition Mercury Neptune in Libra on his IC.

Saturn Pluto is drawn to the dark side – Pluto, lord of the underworld and Saturn, the grim reaper, combining to focus interest not just on the worst side of humanity; but also, in its guise as the black magician, to connect to fantasy and the supernatural. All of that channelled through his driving planet Mercury.

He’s due yet another major success in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter and bowling along in good style in 2021/22 with tr Pluto square his Sun/Jupiter. Possibly also heartened as his twitter bete noir Trump stumbles.

Pluto in Capricorn – lessons not yet learnt

    

 

Pluto in Capricorn is the great tracker of all matters economic on a macro-level. You could write a history of money through the times of its appearance, roughly every 250 years.  Charlemagne in the 8th Century –  had an important role in determining the immediate economic future of Europe. He standardised the monetary system which unified the complex array of currencies in use at the start of his reign, so simplifying trade.

Kublai Khan two Pluto in Capricorns later: is considered to be the first of fiat money makers (i.e. paper money not gold or silver). The paper bills made collecting taxes and administering the huge empire much easier while reducing cost of transporting coins.

The next Pluto in Capricorn in early 16th Century Europe saw the start of Mercantilism. And exactly on cue by the next Pluto in Capricorn in 1776 the Scottish economist Adam Smith was critiquing and rejecting Mercantilism in his book Wealth of Nations – Smith’s work helped create the modern academic discipline of economics and provided one of the best-known rationales for free trade.

The present Pluto in Capricorn picked up in 2008 with the resounding US and global financial crash. Little was learned from the meltdown; and the wholesale rethink of the system that was needed never took place. So it was always on the cards that the necessary correction would happen sometime before Pluto’s exit into Aquarius in 2023/24.

Saturn moving into Capricorn last year heading for a last decan conjunction with Pluto in 2019/2020, on its own, is an indication of a recession. But given the larger picture, it could be the catalyst for a tectonic shift that should have happened after 2008.

And by 2022 Saturn in Aquarius is square Uranus in Taurus which is usually also a sign of a financial crunch. There was a Saturn opposition Uranus in 2009/2010 just after the 2008 crash.

In 2010 Edmund Conway of the Telegraph wrote: ‘The international monetary system has failed, and there is no one willing or able to come up with a reconstruction job.’ He suggested that a coherent international monetary system would only come either 1) after another crisis (perhaps sovereign debt, perhaps a full-blown currency war). Or 2) when one economic superpower gives way to another after a period of chaos.

The EU, UK, Germany all have Uranus moving through their 8th house of international and business finances from now onwards for the next few years until after 2025, so they are into an unpredictable and unstable phase.

The previous time Uranus moved into Taurus in the mid 1930s, it was just under way for the Jarrow March against poverty and unemployment in the UK, as well as Hitler’s rise to power and ran till 1941.

Addendum for economic not-quite-illiterates like me: Bretton Woods Conference in 1944 started a process to avoid the disaster of the 1930s, when US insistence on repayment of Allied WW1 debts, plus an isolationist, ‘beggar thy neighbour’ attitude led to a breakdown of the international financial system and a worldwide economic depression. Governments had used currency devaluations to increase the competitiveness of their exports and worsening other nations’ deflationary spirals, which resulted in plummeting national incomes, shrinking demand, mass unemployment, and an overall decline in world trade.

Brexit – bulldozers and brick walls

    

 

Well there’s a surprise – the EU digging in their heels. Actually it’s not. What was more of a surprise were the emollient words coming from the EU before the Salzburg Summit raising false hopes which didn’t fit with any of the UK politicians’ charts.

Theresa May looks poleaxed and devastated despite her customary stalwart utterances. She has tr Pluto square her Sun/Neptune midpoint this month and next over the Party Conference – Ebertin describes that as ‘a tragic deception or illusion.’ With perhaps a jolting shock from Solar Arc Uranus conjunct her Sun.

Her Government chart is also in convulsions from a nervous crisis with tr Uranus conjunct the Sun/Neptune now till mid October; with a bad-tempered setback in the first half of October over the conference with tr Saturn square the Mars.

Theresa May is pretty much all downhill over coming months till late 2019 – hopes dashed, undermined, frustrated, powerless. If she goes, I’d hazard a guess at April 2019 onwards, just after either a hard Brexit or a mushy fudge to extend the agony for another two years. Dominic Raab, her negotiator, looks even more squelched than she does until late 2019.

Olly Robbins, the senior civil servant, who seems to be the senior hand on the wheel, is being battered every which way through October, November and early 2019 with tr Uranus conjunct his Sun and opposition his Pluto. But seems in better shape than the two above – golden pension pot to fall back on and a glittering City job, no doubt.

Philip May, who as chief PM domestic support might give a clue, is looking totally crushed this November and December as is his lady wife and Raab. So either the whole thing is shot or they trail miserably on, praying for a miracle.

Her relationship with Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, who’s been fairly aggressive and contemptuous, is mutually upsupportive at best and being kicked around like a football through this autumn and on till mid 2019.

Yanis Varoufakis was right in his advice not to negotiate at all with the EU – waste of time. Though it would undoubtedly have helped if the Brexiteers had understood let alone explained the complexities and costs of backing out of 40 years of agreements.

As to the nation chart, I’m none to wiser than I was the last time.

Tr Saturn is conjunct the UK and EU Sun 21st to 28 December this year, which certainly looks downbeat and could indicate a breakdown of talks.

On 29 March 2019 tr Saturn will oppose the UK 10th house Moon exactly and conjunct the EU Secondary Progressed Mars also exactly. So it could come to a hard split with the UK feeling isolated; and the EU irritable since they won’t get their money and various continental businesses including German will be tearing their hair at the disruption.

The EU certainly looks in financial meltdown with Solar Arc Pluto conjunct their 2nd house Neptune, exact in 8 months’ time, though in effect beforehand.

On the UK chart as well on 29 March 2019 tr Uranus is square the Jupiter for a moment of relief – though whether that means freedom or a deal isn’t obvious. Solar Arc Pluto is within less than a degree of being conjunct the UK Ascendant (taking back control). Politicians are certainly massively unpopular with Solar Arc Moon exactly opposition the 11th house Saturn (legislature and future plans) which is hardly a surprise given how hapless the entire bunch have been across the spectrum. But there aren’t the catastrophic economic upheavals you might expect to see with the chaos of a hard Brexit until 2021. Though the Bank of England will be on disaster-watch.

It was always going to go down to the wire and over. But with TMay being intransigent and anyway stuck with an unsolvable conundrum vis a vis Northern Ireland, it’s difficult to see where an agreement could come from.

Chris Evans – double trouble

    

 

Chris Evans, larger-than-life presenter, producer and businessman, late of BBC Radio 2 and Top Gear, has added twins to his brood. They arrived on Wednesday night at 10.10 pm and 10.22 pm in Frimley, Farnborough, being dubbed Ping and Pong. Thank heavens for decent birth times.

They have Sun and Mercury in Virgo trine a Capricorn Moon and Mars in early Aquarius; with Sun Mercury also trine an 8th house Pluto, sextile Jupiter in Scorpio – earthy, practical, noisy, confident. Their money-making Jupiter in Scorpio is trine a creative/musical Neptune in the 10th, sextile Pluto. An 8th house Pluto can feel trapped but can also wield behind-the-scenes power. Their charming and theatrical Venus in Scorpio opposes Uranus and squares Mars opposition Node, and sextiles a 7th house Saturn.  Saturn in the 7th hints at possible late marriages, perhaps when their Solar Arc Sun is conjunct their Venus aged 40. Though if they follow their father’s footsteps they’ll have multiple liaisons which looks not unlikely with Venus and Mars tied into unpredictable, ever-changing Uranus.

It’ll be interesting to see how they turn out – sometimes twins split the chart’s energy with one living out one strand and the other living out another. Or one taking the positive traits and the other the negative.

Evans, 1 April 1966, is a fiery Sun Mars in Aries with a Leo Moon; and the erratic Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn squaring onto a lucky and voluble Jupiter in Gemini.

Christine Blasey Ford – in the eye of the storm

    

 

Christine Blasey Ford, the professor who has made allegations of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh, is being trashed by Republicans and right-wing commentators. So much for #metoo making a difference. After the alleged incident when she was 15 years old she evidently dropped out of social circulation for several years and has said it ‘derailed her’. Ultimately she moved to study psychology and only recounted the incident in detail a few years ago when in couples therapy with her husband.

Mark Judge, a friend of Kavanaugh’s, whom she claims was present and is refusing to give testimony, wrote a memoir in recent years about his time as a ‘teenage alcoholic.’ One of Kavanaugh’s mentors, who spoke on behalf of him when he was seeking confirmation to a federal judgeship in 2006, Judge Alex Kozinski, abruptly retired from the appeals court last December after several female former law clerks and colleagues accused him of sexual misconduct that included touching, inappropriate sexual comments and forced viewings of pornography in his chambers. And a Yale professor was known for instructing female law students who were preparing for interviews with Kavanaugh on ways they could dress to exude a “model-like” femininity to help them win a post in his chambers, according to sources. (That latter from the Guardian).

Christine Ford, 28 November 1966 is a Sun, Venus in Sagittarius trine Jupiter in Leo; with a Gemini Moon; and Pluto, Uranus, Mars conjunct in Virgo opposition Saturn in Pisces. Half confident and upbeat; half troubled.

Kavanaugh, 12 February 1965, is a Sun, Mercury in Aquarius squaring onto Jupiter in Taurus opposition Neptune; with a Cancer Moon; and Uranus, Pluto and Mars spread out through Virgo with Saturn in Pisces across the zodiac.

Both have Mars in Virgo within less than a degree; her Saturn is opposition his Mars which does suggest cross purposes; and his Sun is square her Neptune. But there’s nothing much to be concluded from that.

Their relationship chart has a composite Sun in a changeable, chaotic trine to Uranus Pluto and sextile Saturn; with a composite Mars, Uranus, Pluto square Jupiter (maybe Moon). Which again isn’t too informative.

She has been receiving death threats, had to move home and hire security guards to protect her family since her privately made allegation was leaked. Although in some ways she may be relieved she spoke out which a Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct her Mars could suggest; she’s also got a run of agitated, insecure, risky and jolting transits to midpoints right through into early 2019; with more pressures in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto sextile her Saturn and trine her Uranus, then later trine her Mars – which will run on for several years ahead.

Jane Fonda – a complicated and influential talent

  

 

The redoubtable Jane Fonda, actress, activist and keep-fit guru, is still going strong at nearly 81 and looking twenty years younger. In a new HBO documentary, Jane Fonda in Five Acts (out Sept. 24), she opens up about growing up with a bipolar mother who suicided when she was 12 — and how she eventually learned to understand and forgive her.

Born 21 December 1937 at 9.14 am New York, with actor Henry Fonda as a father, she studied art, did some modelling and had her life turned around when she met acting coach Lee Strasberg. She said: “It was a turning point in my life. It was like the roof had come off my life.”  A prolific stage and screen career followed, littered with awards and some controversies, especially over her anti-Vietnam War activism and support for the Black Panthers.

In her forties she was the leading influence in the fitness craze that kicked off and has never flagged with her best-selling fitness videos. She took more than a decade off after sixty, then re-emerged to relaunch her career in her seventies on Broadway and in TV series like Grace and Frankie and several highly acclaimed movie roles.

She has a staggeringly strong and complicated chart with two Grand Trines in practical Earth and emotional, self-protective Water, two T squares one stubborn/enduring Fixed and one scattered Mutable; and a powerful Yod of her Sagittarius Sun sextile Mars inconjunct Pluto. A Yod most often produces a fated turning point in life which leads to a single-minded sense of purpose. Pluto on a Yod can be immensely influential but can also mis-use power.

Her 7th house Leo Moon opposes Mars, which reflects some of the difficulties with her mother and that squares onto her midheaven, so she’d channel her angst into her career. She’d need a relationship in life for security but with her Yod apex Pluto on her Descendant, marriages would be tempestuous and she’s been married and divorced three times.

Like many movie stars she has ethereal, filmic Neptune in her 8th in a creative, neurotic opposition to Saturn square her Sun and Venus in Sagittarius.

When she met Lee Strasberg in 1958 her Yod had moved by Solar Arc to have Mars on one leg in a showbizzy opposition to her 8th house Neptune; her natal Sun on the other leg was being anchored by a tr Saturn conjunction and  her Solar Arc Pluto was conjunct her 7th house Moon – so all three ends of the Yod were being triggered sweeping her into a long and illustrious career.

She suffered badly for decades from bulimia as her mother did. And has been active in women’s rights since the 1970s and campaigning for Native Americans.

J Paul Getty – a monstrous patriarch

    

 

J Paul Getty, whose name became a synonym for great wealth (made from Middle Eastern oil) and extraordinary frugality, is the subject of FX’s TV drama series Trust along with his splintered dysfunctional family. He married five times, had five sons, was a serial womaniser, manipulated his relatives over his will and took stinginess to extreme lengths, including infamously refusing to pay a ransom for his oldest grandson. Eventually he lent his son money at 4% interest to pay it, but only after an ear arrived through the post.

Born 15 December 1892 8.43 am Minneapolis, MN (biography), he had no planets in either of his financial houses or an especially afflicted Saturn. His Sagittarius was in the 12th square Mars in the 3rd, so competitive, secretive and outspoken.

What leaps out is Neptune Pluto conjunct in his 5th house of children and love affairs, which is tied into a so-called Mystic Rectangle in opposition to Mercury and trine/sextile Saturn opposition Jupiter in upfront Aries. Neptune Pluto is associated with megalomania, scandals, the supernatural, and a tendency to deception. Neptune would give him commitment problems while Pluto made him possessive, hence the unkind games of dangling carrots of money before relatives and then pulling his promises back.  His North Node in Taurus on his IC would also prompt him into secret battles over money and property.

His Scorpio Moon Uranus in the 10th suited him for an individualistic career in the public eye which he pursued with ferocious determination.

His love life was clearly driven by that Pluto Neptune in the 5th, plus Venus in Scorpio trine Mars.

His 9th Harmonic which shows what brought him pleasure is exceptionally strong with a New Moon; a confident, lucky Jupiter trine Pluto; and a cruel Mars Saturn Venus trine MC, Uranus. The 9th often shows up as heavily aspected with money-men.

Clare Foy – a turbulent Aries Scorpio mix

  

 

Clare Foy who won the Emmy for lead actress playing the young Queen Elizabeth 11 in The Crown has had a sterling career from the start with acclaimed theatre and television performances in Little Dorrit and Wolf Hall amongst others. She is playing Stieg Larsson’s flawed heroine Lisbeth Salander in the film The Girl in the Spider’s Web out later this year.

Born 16 April 1984 in Stockport, England, she has a see-saw chart with Sun Venus in Aries and Mercury in Taurus on one side and a fearsome collection of Pluto, Moon, Saturn, Mars in Scorpio on the other; along with Uranus, Neptune, Jupiter. Not quite the steady HM Queen she played to perfection.  She will have problems finding a balance in her life, constantly hopping between opposites. Aries and Scorpio are a tricky mix.

She has charm aplenty with her Venus in a frivolous square to Jupiter in Capricorn and in a sparkling trine to Uranus.

Her Solar Arc Uranus was conjunct her Jupiter when she was cast in The Crown in 2014 for a considerable lucky break.

Her actresses’ 15th Harmonic is exceptionally strong joining Sun to Venus to Jupiter Pluto.