Self-made billionaire John Caudwell, philanthropist and co-founder of Phone 4U, a mobile phone retailer, has said that 11 members of his family are suffering from the potentially crippling Lyme’s Disease. Medical wisdom says only ticks can spark off the ailment but his experience appears to show there may be other ways of contracting it. He says there may be a link to other devastating conditions including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and myalgic encephalopathy (ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome).

What’s intriguing is that he was born on the same day as Vladimir Putin, 7 October 1952. His father died when he was a teenager, so he left school without A levels, worked for Michelin and then moved into retail. He’s got the Libra Sun Saturn Neptune Mercury conjunction square Uranus in Cancer; and the ultra-determined Mars in crusading Sagittarius trine Pluto. Pluto in turn is opposition his North Node in Aquarius square Jupiter so not short of confidence or luck.

Clearly he’s turned his talents in a different direction to Putin’s but he’s got the same trajectory from a standing start up to great heights. His Aquarius Node will give him a passion for a cause which he’s now focused on wakening up governments about the prevalence and lack of sensible diagnosis/treatment for Lymes’ Disease.

Michael Caine picked up the best actor prize at the European Film Awards for his portrayal of a retired composer in Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth, as well as an honorary award.
There are even murmurs he could get an Oscars nomination.
Born 14 March 1933 10.10am London, he has Jupiter at 17 Virgo which will pick up the tr Pluto trine just days after the Oscars at the end of February. So he could be on a winning streak. Whichever way it goes he looks in for a confident two years ahead. Though with some bumps and jolts from tr Uranus conjunct his Uranus, square his Pluto and opposition his Moon.

There are increasingly strident demands for President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to depart. His latest idiocy was to fire a respected Finance Minister which sent the rand and markets tumbling, debt-servicing costs rising, and will cost the country billions.

His term chart 24 May 2014 11.35am Pretoria has a crisis-ridden Cardinal Grand Cross of Uranus opposition Mars square Pluto opposition Jupiter. The Pluto Jupiter probably alludes to his cavalier tendency to throw taxpayers’ money at personal projects as if there were no restrictions. The Pluto moves by Solar Arc to square Uranus exactly in 6 months’ time so the run up will be very unstable. Ditto tr Pluto back to square Uranus from the New Year through January 2016.

His own personal chart, 12 April 1942, has tr Uranus conjunct the Aries Sun from late April which will be a jolt; and he has four midpoints being undermined by tr Neptune and tr Saturn hard aspects, now and through 2016. So definitely sagging.

The South Africa 1910 chart looks uncertain, undermined and indecisive next year with the Tr Saturn square tr Neptune hitting on the 9 degree Gemini Sun. Plus a high panic tr Uranus opposition Mars Neptune in Cancer early in 2016 and tr Pluto square Neptune, then Mars – huge frustration, anger and devastation.

The Golden Globe nominations are out for the awards on January 10 next. Too many to cover and most without birth times.

Just on a brief scan. Cate Blanchett up for Carol has tr Jupiter trine her Taurus Sun exactly that day which has to help.

Leo di Caprio – The Revenant – Scorpio Sun Libra Moon. Has a couple of useful Jupiter transits to Jupiter midpoints though they aren’t that strong. He’s certainly very emotional with tr Pluto square his Libra Moon and Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Venus – which is either making him feel much loved or seriously jealous.

Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn – Aries Sun Taurus Moon. Looks happy in the aftermath but not necessarily on the day itself.

Maggie Smith – The Lady in the Van – Capricorn Sun Virgo/Libra Moon. Fairly mixed. Tr Pluto will sextile her Jupiter in the immediate aftermath and across the Oscars but tr Pluto is also trine her Solar Arc Saturn which in turn opposes her Jupiter. A dashed hopes tr Pluto square Jupiter/Neptune and an upbeat tr Jupiter to a Jupiter midpoint. Pleased to be nominated maybe but not quite there, maybe more of a shot in the Oscars.

Mark Rylance – Wolf Hall/Bridge of Spies – Capricorn Sun Virgo Moon. Looks frustrated and irritable, rather uncertain.

Damien Lewis – supporting, Wolf Hall – Aquarius Sun Leo/Virgo Moon. Nothing too good, blocked and irritable with Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Mars; and tr Neptune square too Mars midpoints which are sinking.

Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation/Luther – Virgo Sun, Moon Leo/Virgo. Could be chipper with tr Jupiter trine his Sun/Pluto but his life is certainly in a state of upheaval with the tr Uranus square tr Pluto hitting his Uranus – a mid life crisis and then some.

Bryan Cranston – Trumbo – Pisces Sun Capricorn Moon. Tr Pluto trine his Solar Arc Sun and moving to sextile his Pisces Sun in the weeks thereafter suggest he feels his life is coming together satisfactorily. But he looks jagged and rather lacklustre over the Globes, though with one upbeat tr Jupiter to a Mars midpoint showing.

I’ve been puzzling over the USA 1776 and First Presidents’ chart to see if I could gauge the mood of the country over the election and inauguration – and am not much wiser.

When GWB was inaugurated after the dodgy 2000 election, there was a Sun Neptune, Mercury Uranus in the 10th – so vague, indecisive, ineffectual, impulsive. Mars was opposition Saturn square Uranus Mercury – so militarily inclined and explosive. There was a secretive (dirty tricks behind the arras) 8th house Moon Pluto which through 9/11, the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars tr Saturn moved to oppose.

Barack Obama’s first term had a 10th house Sun Jupiter Mercury with a country largely delighted they had elected their first black president and buoyed up his ‘we can change’ message. Plus an all-systems change Saturn opposition Uranus.

Ronald Reagan’s inauguration had a 10th house Sun Mercury Mars trine Saturn Jupiter and with Sun opposition Moon. Mars was also trine Pluto. So reasonably dynamic and idealistic.

The 2017 inauguration, assuming 20 January 12 noon, has a solo 10th house Sun square a Scorpio Moon so out of step at times with the mood of the country. A pushily over-confident Jupiter opposition Uranus square Pluto – looks controlling, inclined to take risks and arouse resentment (perhaps abroad) or with dogmatic views. There is a balancing Saturn in Sagittarius trine Uranus and sextile Saturn which may help as an antidote. Though Saturn trine Mars also looks military. I can’t decide whether that looks more like Hillary than Trump.

The election will be held on 8 November 2016 with a Scorpio Sun trine Neptune and Neptune square Saturn – so arousing paranoia and some confusion, maybe undecided. Though there’s also the pushy Jupiter opposition Uranus square Pluto with Uranus square Mars – so much heat generated.

The USA 4 July 1776 11am chart is trudging through thick mud, feeling discouraged in 2016 with tr Pluto square Saturn; and undermined with tr Saturn square tr Neptune hitting on the Solar Arc Sun – not knowing what to do for the best. Tr Uranus will be square Mercury in Cancer so outbursts of excited utterances, ie. arguments and insults; with tr Uranus moving to square Pluto in 2017 for quite an upheaval.

On the First Presidents’ chart 30 April 1789 12.45pm New York, there’s a good deal of passion being aroused through 2016/17 with tr Pluto opposing the FP Moon; with a lacklustre feel over the inauguration.

On reflection and you can argue these things round all ways – Jupiter Uranus Pluto could be the not-entirely-humble Trump; and the election North Node opposition Neptune square opinionated Saturn in Sagittarius could be ditto, for a conservative result.

I hate US elections, they go on for aeons of time. And this one seems even more obscure than most.

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo, had twin girls on 10 December early morning presumably San Francisco. Thus they have roughly the same charts as Kim Kardashian’s latest (see below). In their case a Moon Saturn in Sagittarius squares Neptune so a fairly neurotic mother, cool or overly hard-working and rather inaccessible. Their Sagittarius Sun squares Jupiter in Virgo and trines Uranus – so definitely upbeat, enthusiastic and quirky. Plus that megaton Uranus opposition Mars square Pluto.

Marissa Mayer’s focal point Saturn in Cancer opposes their Pluto and squares their Mars Uranus – so her need to prove herself by excelling won’t sit too happily with them. Her Gemini Sun opposes their Moon Saturn so she may find they block her out.

Their relationship chart with her does have an affectionate composite Sun opposition Venus but that sextile/trines onto a composite Moon Mars conjunction – so some aggravation as well.

The twins’ relationship with their brother, 30 September 2012 11.59pm San Fran, looks very stressed with a composite Sun conjunct Saturn on one side and Mars on the other; with the composite Moon possibly square all three.

He’s a 4th house Sun Libra opposition Uranus square Pluto with an Aries Moon opposition Saturn; and a vengeful Mars in Scorpio. So he won’t have an easy personality. He’ll not only have to cope with a new cuckoo in his nest, but two of them.