Tiger Woods who has had three back operations in the space of 19 months and not played competitively since last August has withdrawn from this week’s Safeway Open, saying his game was “too vulnerable”.

Other top golfers said it is a hard grind to come back and compete against the best. Nick Faldo: “Everything is stacking up against him now. Physically, mentally and obviously competing.” Luke Donald who had his own off-time through injury said: “There’s a lot of mental anguish when you take time away.”

He’s certainly suffering from the uncertain, nervy Saturn Neptune effect, with tr Saturn exactly conjunct his 3^rd house Neptune now with Solar Arc Saturn square, also exactly. So a double whammy of psychological droop. He hopes to return in December and he’ll be brighter then with tr Pluto trine his exuberant Mars/Jupiter midpoint. Though he’s got tr Saturn opposition his Mars in the final days of November which could be accident-prone and a setback.

Into 2017 tr Saturn opposes his MC which could be the beginning of a cut-off period for him. He’ll have some highs and successes in 2017/18 with tr Pluto trine his Jupiter/MC (birth time being accurate to the minute), but mid 2018 sees his Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Saturn which is going to be a collision of sorts, certainly a tough obstacle to overcome and could exacerbate his back problem or make it the final closure on what has been a sterling career.

There’s an indication from a Russian website that state officials and government workers have been told to bring back their children studying abroad immediately and re-enroll them in Russian schools. As with all net scare stories it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt until absolutely verified. One reason could be that Moscow is concerned about the children of the political elite being educated abroad, while their parents appear on television talking about patriotism and being “surrounded by enemies.” If true, it may just be a Putinesque macho gesture to show oligarchs who is boss and to send a message that the west is no longer a welcome destination for Russia’s rich kids. But it would underline the ongoing diplomatic crisis of the moment with the US backing off, France accusing Russia of war crimes in Syria and UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson rabble-rousing for demos in London.

What’s for sure is that Obama’s relationship with Putin is in the freezer through this month, worsening and separating after the 19^th till the 28^th. So the Mars Pluto conjunction on the 19^th followed by the Mars Uranus square on the 28^th will certainly be racking up the tension and not just around the US Election.

November looks fraught between Francois Hollande and Putin, ditto Boris Johnson, though he’s a minnow in the pond.

Marilyn Bell is an extraordinary woman who started long distance swimming aged 10 and was the first to swim across Lake Ontario in Canada when she was sixteen, against two experienced adults who had to give up.  She was in the water for nearly 21 hours, swimming more than the planned route because of strong winds and the lack of modern navigation equipment. Waves were almost 5 m high, (up to 15 ft), water temperature was 21 °C (65 °F) and eels were attacking her legs and arms.

Born 19 October 1937 6am Toronto, Canada (Rodden:A) she has a strong and confident chart. Her Libra Sun Mercury are conjunct her Ascendant, so a larger-than-life personality – Libra is surprisingly common amongst athletes. Her Sun opposes a 7^th house upfront Aries Moon squaring onto Jupiter in Capricorn (conjunct Mars) – so she’s bouncing with energy and exuberance and blessed with luck. More obviously for an endurance athlete, she has an Earth Grand Trine of Jupiter Mars trine Uranus in Taurus trine Neptune – so tuned into her body and attracted to competition, excitement and risk. Her Venus opposes Saturn, so she’d be able to do without indulgences. Probably also key is a 10^th house controlling Pluto which is square her Sun and trine her Saturn – she’s tough and hates not being in charge. Such a Pluto often gives rise to a legendary reputation of some influence.

When she made her epic swim in 1954, her Solar Arc Mars was within five minutes of a degree opposition her Pluto which suggest brutal effort. Just goes to show really tough influences can have a good outcome if directed the right way.

In 1955 she became the youngest person to swim the English Channel and the following year after another Pacific swim, retired altogether. She’s had many awards and a film made about her in 2001.

The Trans-Siberian Railway, the longest train line in the world, stretching more than 5,700 miles from Moscow to Vladivostok, crossing two continents, 16 large rivers and eight time zones, was officially opened 100 years ago in 1916. Though it was set under way by an Imperial Edict from Tsar Alexander III on 9 March 1891. It was built by convicts and labourers in fiercely cold temperatures, fending off passing bandits and even tiger attacks. Nowadays the journey takes a week. When it started, it took a month and the original train housed a library, a gym, a grand piano, marble bathrooms and a lavish dining room that served caviar.

The start chart has a Pisces Sun opposition Saturn – so a dream plus exceptionally hard work. With a risky and explosive Mars opposition Uranus – they did have to tunnel through mountains – and no doubt lost a fair few lives from the extreme conditions. That opposition squares onto an indulgent Venus in Aquarius.

More pointedly it had the Neptune Pluto in Gemini of the time, which has fairly megalomaniac ideas and it squares Jupiter – so definitely a gargantuan project. Pluto puts the power behind Neptune’s vision.

Another 100^th anniversary is next year for the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia of 1917.  One hundred years has no astrological significance. What was and is interesting is that Russia 1917’s Uranus Return happened when Putin was first elected President in 1999 (along with a Half Neptune Return). The revolution come full circle. Assuming he gets in for another 6 year term in 2018, he’ll maybe exit in 2024 when tr Uranus in Taurus will be square the Russia 1917 Uranus – another marker in Russia’s history.

Who’d have thought Julian Assange would have become the cheer-leader for the alternative right, giving Trump a helping hand by releasing Hillary emails? There are various theories, ranging from 1) he’s mentally disintegrating being stuck in an Ecuador Embassy box room in London; 2) he’s opportunistically hoping for a Trump win since he reckons he’d be a softer mark when it comes to a US prosecution over wikileaks and with Ecuador changing president next year Assange’s day of reckoning may be approaching; 3) it’s the ultimate power trip upending one of the political dynastic families and hell mend the consequences. Other factor to consider is some experts have warned about taking the leaked Clinton information at face value. Thomas Rid, a professor in security studies at King’s College London,  wrote on Twitter: “The US Intelligence Community jointly & explicitly named WikiLeaks as an outlet of a Russian influence op. They did not do so lightly.” He continued: “Hacked & leaked files may – or may not – be altered or forged. Note that WikiLeaks have no way of knowing individual files are doctored or not.”

Will this sleazy election ever finish? To which the answer is a resounding NO. No matter which gets in there’ll be an avalanche of legal cases/impeachment attempts through the time ahead, derailing any chance of sensible government. [See post 10^th August on past tr Uranus square the USA Mercury and then Pluto – “Corruption and wild right-wingers to the fore”.] These influences turn up again in 2016/17 and 2018.

Assange’s ornery and uncompromising Mars in Aquarius opposes Hillary’s Saturn Pluto Mars and squares her Mercury Venus – so at cross purposes. Most significantly his Pluto squares her Uranus (8^th house?) – so he has the power to unearth her maverick secrets. Their relationship chart is explosive with a composite Mars square Uranus; and a struggle for the upper hand with a composite Sun Pluto. If birth times are accurate tr Pluto is now conjunct the composite Moon (opposition Saturn) – bitter feelings.

Assange doesn’t look overly cheerful till January with tr Neptune square his Mars/Pluto though that can also be ‘implacable and a tendency to harm others secretly.’ (Ebertin).

He’s much more tuned in to Trump with A’s Venus conjunct Trump’s Gemini Sun and A’s Sun conjunct DT’s Mercury; plus A’s Jupiter sitting cosily on DT’s IC. And A’s Pluto square DT’s Sun which presumably means A thinks he can pull Trump’s chain. Their relationship chart is friendly though built on a delusion with composite Sun Venus trine Jupiter Neptune.

They could probably share a few girlie stories. I never bought Assange’s self-righteous grandstanding from the start, even if some of what he was pointing at needed sorted.

The USA and Russia are in a new standoff over Syria, with the US breaking off talks and recalling its negotiators from Geneva, and Russia suspending an agreement on the destruction of plutonium and insisting on an end to Ukraine-related sanctions. The German Foreign Minister Steinmeier says that strained relations are worse than during the Cold War.

However there are less apocalyptic voices saying not so. They argue domestic politics are partly to blame for the present tensions. It is important for Obama’s legacy and for Hillary Clinton’s prospects that he does not appear spineless. Putin is struggling to raise national morale in the face of falling in living standards for many Russians. Plus there is a realisation behind the scenes that the two super-powers alone can’t control the Syria situation.

Having said that the relationship charts between the USA 1776 and Russia 1917 and 1991 do indicate deteriorating diplomatic relations especially from mid May 2017 till late 2018 with tr Saturn opposing the composite Sun Saturn on one and opposition Mars on the other. And that could be cued up in the final days of this October into early November with tr Saturn square the composite Sun Saturn and Mars respectively. Plus all manner of other discouraging separating Saturn transits through 2017.

Putin’s personal and Presidency charts are looking very confident and pushy over coming months and through 2017/18 with tr Pluto trine Jupiter in both cases, which may prompt him into taking decisive steps that won’t sit well with the West. He’s coping with myriad problems beside so it won’t all be plain sailing for him. But he certainly doesn’t look as if he’s withdrawing within his own borders and bunkering down.

The Russia 8 Nov 1917 2.12am chart has a financially worrisome tr Neptune square its Jupiter till early 2017; and a seriously stuck, deprived Solar Arc Saturn opposition Pluto by 2018. With a good deal of agitation from 2019 with Solar Arc Uranus square the Russia Mars; and tr Uranus moving to square the Saturn Neptune and then oppose the Sun in the early 2020s – so very unsettled.

The Russia 8 Dec 1991 7.45pm chart has a financial and enthusiasm denting tr Neptune opposition Jupiter through 2017 into 2018; and tr Neptune then moves on to the undermining square to the Sun in 2018/19; plus a jolting shock from Solar Arc Sun conjunct Uranus in mid 2017.

There’ll be a good many internal problems but that is often when leaders look to stir up trouble on the outside as a distraction and to pull national esprit de corps together.

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The Mars Pluto conjunction’s brutality, hostility and bad-temper is certainly showing its ugliest face and the  conjunction doesn’t come exact until October 19^th, so there’ll be more and possibly worse to come. With a couple of Uranus thunderbolts mid month and on the 29^th.

Re-running part of the August 28^th post which was headlined ‘Gladiatorial contest gets more vicious into October’ – and how.

The tr Mars tr Pluto in Capricorn will fall in Trump’s grandstanding 5th house so he’s likely to be incandescent with rage and hostility.

Hillary is in worse shape for the two October debates than for the September one. For the October 9th debate: she’s got tr Saturn square her Mars/Neptune which is weak-willed, low energy, feeling inferior or unstable – so not on top confident form. The October 19th debate sees her with tr Saturn square her Jupiter/Uranus – disadvantages, losses, obstinate, inhibited; and square her Neptune/Pluto – pessimistic, muddled, tormented. These midpoint Saturn transits are relatively minor but she’ll be sagging slightly and she’s not a good extempore speaker at the best of times.

Donald Trump has tr Uranus opposition his Mars/Uranus midpoint through October which is inclined to over-react and become aggressively argumentative. Like Hillary he is sagging over October 19th with tr Saturn square his Jupiter/Pluto = unable to make progress, for a few days up to October 28th.

If I may be allowed a personal, non-astro-thought. I’ve walked through the wall of worry on this election. Not that UK politicians are exactly covering themselves in glory. But if the US wants to elect Trump, on their own heads be it. Just remember to pull up the drawbridge after November 8^th and protect the rest of the world from the fall out. Hillary may be many shades of awfulness but she has a smidgeon of competence and experience. A dodgy businessman with a hair-trigger temperament and zero political track record really doesn’t cut it.

The pound may have chuted south last week because of a technical market fault (though it has been drifting down since June anyway and is unlikely to go back up in the short term). But there’s no doubting that UK and global business leaders and others are beginning to get seriously worried about the direction Theresa May’s policies are heading. A hard Brexit means losing half of the UK’s export market, never mind blowing holes in the City of London’s prosperity (and thus decimating tax revenues). And anti-foreigner rhetoric is only likely to harden the EU’s already flinty hearts.

Her birth chart over the next two years shows a mix of great confidence side by side with panic about dashed hopes and plans dissolving under her feet. Her steady-pair-of-hands image may be an illusion which events drive a spear through. She has a singleton Mars in Pisces in an opportunistic opposition to Jupiter natally and that is being seriously shaken first by tr Saturn square Mars from the 19^th of this month for about eight days; much worse is tr Neptune conjunct her Mars from April next year on and off till late 2018. That latter is usually straight failure, weak-willed and an inability to make progress. She has on the upside tr Pluto trine her Jupiter and sextile her Solar Arc Jupiter through 2017 which will keep her confidence up and bring some successes. But it will be a struggle. She’ll suffer a major shock of sorts with her Solar Arc Uranus conjunct her Sun in 2018, maybe early or late in the year depending on her birth time.

In addition, transits to her midpoints next year are with one exception bad news – disasters in February and total confusion. That latter rolls on and off till late 2018 and is described by Ebertin as a ‘tragic delusion or deception.’

The CBI (Confederation of British Industry), 30 July 1965, are up in arms and at daggers drawn with her. The relationship chart between the PM and the CBI has a composite Sun Pluto trine Mars, so a brutal and hostile power struggle. The CBI chart looks hugely stressed through 2017 with tr Pluto square their Mars and sextile their Saturn; with a discouraging Solar Arc Saturn square Sun in 2017; a stuck Solar Arc Pluto square Sun in 2017/18; and a real jolt from Solar Arc Uranus square Sun in 2020.

Theresa May has already indicated she’s not overly happy about the Bank of England’s policies and her relationship chart with chairman Mark Carney, much like the CBI is fraught with a Pluto square Mars and that is being steadily undermined by tr Neptune in2017/2018; and ploughing through exceptionally heavy seas (if he stays the course) in 2017/18 with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Saturn.

The Chancellor Philip Hammond, who is murmuring words of caution, is anxious about the buccaneering Brexiteers – Johnson, Fox, Davis – making negotiations more difficult with inflammatory and delusional claims. He clearly favours a ‘soft Brexit’ with access to EU markets. His relationship with Theresa May is inherently friendly but under disappointing, unsupportive influences through till January next year. His own chart is sagging badly right through until late 2017 with tr Neptune square his Sagittarius Sun Mercury.

Theresa May had some real disasters as Home Secretary but seems to have a Teflon knack of emerging unscathed. Whether that will last through her term is questionable.

What’s to say? The lewd sex tape from 10 years back which has Donald Trump boasting about groping women’s genitals and describing women as sex objects who could not resist his advances, has sent the GOP into a tail spin. Even his chosen running mate Mike Pence has backed off. Though it’s a touch late in the day to be thinking of throwing Trump overboard.

Trump even made suggestive comments about his daughter Ivanka’s body. She’s a redoubtable Sun Scorpio with an ambitious and tough-minded Saturn Pluto Jupiter in Libra – 30 Oct 1981. But her relationship chart with her father is beyond difficult with a composite Sun Mars Saturn Uranus – that’s a bucket load of aggravation, unkindness and a volcano waiting to blow.

None of his relationships with three wives are exactly harmonious. With Melania and middle-wife Marla Maples there are strong Pluto Sun aspects on the composite charts – so very controlling marriages. Melania has a Sun Saturn conjunction natally so would be used to being put down as a child. Marla has a Venus square Saturn so attuned being unloved. Ivana, the first wife, has a Sun Mars opposition Saturn natally probably square her Moon – so again used to hard-edged relationships where her needs weren’t considered.

Even Kellyanne Conway’s relationship chart with Trump has a Mars Saturn aspect – which is negative, destructive energy. I’ll bet she’s regretting the move big time since it won’t help either her or Pence’s career for that matter going forward.  Pence’s relationship chart with Trump has tr Pluto moving to oppose the composite Uranus just after mid this week, which could upset the entire applecart.