Hunter S Thompson, was a writer and journalist, associated with Rolling Stone magazine and an icon of the counter-culture, known for his drink and drug abuse and his dislike of authority. He committed suicide in 2005, aged 67.

His son Juan, a remarkably normal IT manager, has written an affectionate but warts-and-all memoir of his father. He writes in the book. “[My father] didn’t care what she [his wife] was trying to say, he cared about breaking her,” he said. In the book, he also recalls his father’s “deliberate distortions and carefully chosen words that would inflict maximum hurt”. Astonishingly they made an effort in later years to come to some acceptance of each other.

Hunter S Thompson was born 18 July 1937 10pm Louisville, Kentucky and had a ferocious chart with an ego-driven, controlling 5^th house Sun Pluto in Cancer in a pushily confident, rules-don’t-apply-to-me opposition to Jupiter in Capricorn; with Sun Pluto trine Mars in vengeful Scorpio. Talented certainly with an Earth Grand Trine of Neptune in Virgo trine Jupiter trine Uranus but a nasty streak as well.

His son, Juan, 23 March 1964, is a Sun Jupiter in Aries with a Leo Moon which probably helped him bounce above the emotional cruelty of his childhood. His Sun did conjunct his father’s hard Saturn in Aries so his father would come across as cold and block him out. Though he’d also induce shame in his father since Saturn is always one of the wounds in the chart. It clearly mellowed with age as Saturn usually does.

Their relationship chart is a curious mix of an affection Sun Venus in an argumentative trine to Mars, square a dominating Pluto; with an idealistic composite Jupiter Saturn conjunction. It says a lot for the son that he tried to reach across the abyss and make some kind of connection.

The new right-wing Catholic government in Poland is facing not only demonstrations at home but also an unprecedented EU inquiry into whether new Polish laws break EU democracy rules and are a threat to fundamental EU values. President Andrzej Duda approved controversial laws enabling the government to appoint the heads of public TV and radio, and choose judges for Poland’s constitutional court.

There are several charts for Poland – 5 Nov 1916; 11 Nov 1918; and 24 August 1989 1.05pm Warsaw. All of them are sagging under Neptune transits through 2016 suggesting a discontented population. The 1989 one looks directionless this year with tr Neptune opposition the MC, moving into the 4^th; and tr Neptune square the Moon.

President Andrzej Duda, who belongs to the ruling party, was born 16 May 1972; and sworn in on 6 Aug 2015 around 10.05 am. He’s a tough Sun Taurus in a controlling trine to Pluto trine North Node in Capricorn. With the Sun and Saturn in Gemini opposition Neptune – so quite idealistic/fanatical. He’s certainly confident/over confident at the moment with his Solar Arc Sun opposing his Jupiter.

His Term chart has a harsh Mars in Cancer trine Saturn in Scorpio; with a 4^th house Pluto square a 7^th house Uranus – so empathy and sentiment not strong; with a mutinous domestic electorate and splits with neighbouring countries or partners. A divisive administration.

The Prime Minister Beata Szydio, 15 April 1963, has a fairly disjointed chart (without a birth time). Her Aries Sun is sextile Saturn; her Jupiter in Aries is trine Mars in Leo; her Venus in Pisces trines Neptune. But none of it really hangs together. She’ll have a very bumpy ride from mid 2016 with tr Uranus conjunct her Sun into 2017.  And looks to be taking gambles and reckless decisions in 2017 with Solar Arc Mars opposition Jupiter.

Her swearing in chart, 16 Nov 2015, is confident enough with Sun Mercury sextile Jupiter and Jupiter trine Pluto Moon. And controlling with Venus opposition Uranus square Pluto. Her enthusiasm will take a dip when tr Saturn squares the Jupiter through this year. But that apart there are no major disruptions showing (without a start time).

You’d think Poland had survived under enough dictatorships not to want a heavy-handed government.

David Bowie, one of the most influential singer/musicians in 20^th Century rock and pop has died of cancer. His stage persona was flamboyant, androgynous and constantly changing.  One obituary said: ‘Where before, artists and groups either evolved their musical style and appearance or remained unchanging, David Bowie seemed to be in permanent revolution.’ He moved from 1960s hippy, through Ziggy Stardust and later became a soul rocker.

Born 8 January 1947 in London at around 9am (from memory), he had a 12^th house, creative and private Sun Mars in Capricorn on one leg of a Yod, in sextile to money-attracting Jupiter in Scorpio in the much-travelled 9^th inconjunct Uranus in Gemini. A focal point Uranus would make him unconventional, erratic, willful, intolerant of rules, original, a trail blazer. He did drugs, experimented sexually and refused to toe anyone’s line but his own.

His Sun Mars Mercury was also square an 8^th house Neptune hinting at an attraction to showbiz glamour, strongly creative especially musical talents. The 8^th house Neptune would also help give him a superstar aura.

His Leo Moon was conjunct Saturn Pluto, so fairly locked down emotions. Though his Moon Saturn did trine Venus in Sagittarius which would help marginally.

His Venus was 9^th house suggesting romantic attachments with foreigners and his first wife Angie was a Cypriot-American, his second Iman, a Somalian model.

Angie, 25 September 1949, was a Sun Libra with a passionate (and unforgiving) Moon Venus in Scorpio square Mars Pluto in Leo.  Her Mars Pluto was in Bowie’s 7^th house so a fiery relationship.

Iman, 25 July 1955, was a Sun Leo conjunct his Moon; and her Libra Moon fell in his 8^th so a deep connection. Her Mars is also in Leo but conjunct Jupiter which would make it less aggressive, more enthusiastic.

The relationship chart between Bowie and Angie did have an adventurous composite Uranus opposition Jupiter square Moon; and an affectionate Sun Venus conjunction. But that Sun Venus was also square Saturn Pluto with Pluto sextile Mars – so all manner of blocks, lack of empathy to go along with passion.

His relationship with Iman didn’t look that easy with a controlling Sun Mars Neptune sextile Pluto; and a cool, too-much-work composite Venus Saturn conjunction.

When he died this week his Secondary Progressed Moon was exactly opposition his 6^th house Saturn; and tr Uranus square his Mars and Sun/Mars midpoint.

His creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonics are strong; as was his enduring 8H and 11H; and his superstar 22H was also marked.

Described as naïve, arrogant and dangerous, Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, appears to have manoeuvred himself into a situation where he holds the power. Favoured son of the ailing King Salman, he became Minister for Defence, in charge of oil and economics, and has outflanked his rival Mohammed bin Nayef, by pulling his court into the King’s, to which he is gatekeeper. He has launched an ill-advised war in Yemen and Syria, and is now ramping up tension with Iran.

Born 31 August 1985, he has a Sun Virgo in an innovative/rebellious square to Uranus and inconjunct Jupiter. But what gives him his lust for power is a Fixed T square of Venus in Leo opposition Jupiter in Aquarius square Pluto in Scorpio.  Plus he has a hard-edged and flamboyant Mars Mercury in Leo square Saturn in Scorpio.

Depending on his birth time he could have a Pisces Moon opposition Sun square Uranus – making him a trail-blazer, but also scattered, impetuous, erratic, nervy.

His synastry and relationship chart with Saudi Arabia are extraordinarily strong. His focal point Pluto is conjunct the Saudi 1902 MC so he will want to be in the dominant position; with his executive and obsessive Saturn in its 10^th; and his Jupiter conjunct the Saudi Mars which together could lead them into over-confident adventures, especially financial ones.

The relationship chart is even more starkly controlling with a composite Sun Mars opposition Venus square Pluto; with Pluto trine Uranus Saturn. He’s certainly very popular with the Saudi youth because of his economic reforms. Hence the Venus in there.

His relationship charts with the Iran 1906 and 1979 charts indicate a challenging and tense time ahead with major upheavals, on the 1906 chart as early as mid 2016, and on the 1979 into 2017. But both show serious hostility and grinding pressures. It’s a high risk game he’s playing on several fronts.

The bromance between Bill Clinton and Tony Blair has been revealed in declassified transcripts (heavily redacted) of conversations they had when they were both premiers. They refer to each other as ‘bud’ and ‘mate’. Blair always said Clinton was his soul-mate, but then along came Dubya, who once confessed to Condoleeza Rice that Blair was the only person he could talk to.

Certainly Clinton’s Taurus Moon being conjunct Blair’s Sun Jupiter would bring a shared resonance. And Blair’s Aquarius Moon was in GWB’s 7^th, conjunct his Descendant, so there would be a nurturing, supportive friendship there.   Though GWB’s Cancer Sun was conjunct TB’s focal point Uranus – so he would be the catalyst for a major change in TB’s life, and not for the better.

The relationship chart between TB and both US Presidents have warm-hearted composite Sun Venus conjunctions; and composite Jupiter Pluto conjunctions which would make them together supremely confident, pushing each other onto possibly over-optimistic actions.

Though in the case of TB and GWB there is also a composite Sun Uranus conjunction which again reflects the potential for causing major change – both in joint ventures and in each other’s lives.

What is also interesting is that both Clinton and GWB have their Saturn Pluto Mercury falling in TB’s 4^th house which also contains his own heavily aspected Pluto. I always thought TB’s ruinous love affair with GWB was motivated by his need to side with the superpower ‘father’ to whom he was in thrall.

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Vidya Balan is an established, award-winning Bollywood actress who usually plays strong female protagonists. She married Siddarth Roy Kapur, film producer and MD Walt Disney India, in 2012.

All internet sites including astrology ones put her birthdate as 1 January 1978 with a putative time of 10.35pm in Palghat, India. This would give her a 4^th house Sun Venus in Capricorn square Pluto; with Neptune Mercury in Sagittarius also in the 4^th – so keen on her roots, determined and probably attracted to quite controlling partners. She also has a successful, much-respected Jupiter in Gemini in her 10^th; and a feisty Mars in Leo square Uranus. She’s likely to become a pillar of the community the older she gets.

Siddarth Roy Kapur, 2 August 1974, is a Sun Leo trine Neptune so good for the filmic entertainment business; with a serious Saturn Venus in Cancer.

If the birth dates are sound, it isn’t an ideal match since his Saturn opposes her Sun which suggests he blocks her out; with his Mars in hard-working Virgo conjunct her Saturn; his Sun conjunct her Mars – so argumentative after the initial passion subsided.

Their relationship chart is very focused on work; with hints of an upheaval in 2017.

If her birth time is sound then her Progressed Moon is moving through her 6^th house of health until 2017, as is tr Neptune, so a low energy time when care would be needed.

The sexual assaults on German women at New Year have provided another headache for Angela Merkel’s open-door to migrants policy. No one seems to have thought through the consequences of letting in large numbers of young men from cultural backgrounds which denigrate women. Sweden which has always had a liberal approach to immigration is now finding that its rape and gun crime statistics are soaring upwards. It’s not that violence against women is exclusively a Muslim crime but there is a particular problem which multi-culturalists are now being forced to face.

Sweden, 7 December 1865 3.30pm Stockholm, is in a seven year phase of huge challenges as the Solar Arc Sun Mars crosses a conjunction to its Pluto and opposes its Saturn. Three years past and four years ahead. Mars Pluto is especially associated with rape and criminal behaviour; add in Saturn and gun crime fits as well. Tr Uranus is also square their Solar Arc Moon for the final time early in 2016, which will bring women’s issues to the fore.

Germany, like the EU and indeed the UK, has tr Pluto moving through its 4^th house for many years which suggests domestic pressures and a mutinous domestic population. They also have tr Pluto trine their 8^th house Pluto in 2016/17 which will bring up conflicted and very intense emotional responses, which is also echoed in tr Pluto conjunct their 4^th house Venus this year. Plus Solar Arc Moon is conjunct the Germany Mars, building in influence through this year into 2017, which will bring angry responses from the population, especially women.

I’ve added below the mid December post on Merkel, which has disappeared in the changeover, though will be back once the Search function is re-instated.

She’s still not out of the woods politically, however much admiration her humanitarian stance has brought her. Local councils are struggling to manage basic amenities for the 1 million who arrived in 2015. Tr Neptune continues to oppose her Jupiter/Saturn midpoint till mid January which is usually career losses. Then she has the challenging tr Pluto square tr Uranus hitting on her Midheaven next year. Uranus is conjunct her IC opposition her MC in February which heralds house moves if not instantly then certainly in the near future; and then tr Pluto square MC from March till late 2018 and that could bring her reputation to a new low.

2016 has some ups from tr Uranus to a couple of Jupiter midpoints in Feb/March, but tr Uranus is moving to square her 8^th house Uranus Sun in Cancer from late May onwards which will be jolting and uncomfortable. And tr Saturn is heading for her Ascendant which it briefly crosses early in the year and then makes the final move in October. She’ll run out of energy, enthusiasm and ambition as tr Saturn heads downwards through her 1^st quadrant thereafter.

Though she won’t go easy. She’s got endurance with four planets in the 8^th.

Her 3^rd Term chart, 17 Dec 2013 12.06pm Berlin, has the destabilising Solar Arc Uranus square Pluto exact in two months’ time. Though before is usually more significant than the exact date. On that chart she’ll get a lift in February and be pushing – possibly over-pushing with too much confidence which could backfire – from March onwards till late 2017. Late 2016 looks discouraging with tr Saturn conjunct Mercury, square Ascendant and then conjunct Sun in 2017. The very insecure, reckless, solar Arc Mars opposes Uranus also in 2017, which is when the next election is.

The late Queen Mother’s dislike for Wallis Simpson, who caused the abdication of Edward V111, was well known and continued for decades as she blamed her for undermining the monarchy and hastening the death of her husband, George VI.  Wallis referred to Elizabeth as “the Dowdy Duchess” and “the fat Scottish cook”, and Elizabeth dismissed her as “that woman”. All of which is meat and drink for a drama documentary on BBC tonight – Royal Wives at War.

Wallis Simpson, 19 June 1896 10.30pm Blue Ridge, Pennsylvania and the Queen Mother, 4 Aug 1900 12.52am (?)

Wallis Simpson had a social-butterfly Sun Venus in Gemini which the Queen Mother’s Neptune Mars was conjunct and the QM’s Saturn opposed. So definitely a sour chemistry with the QM putting her down and blocking her every which way. Wallis’s Saturn in Scorpio was also conjunct the QM’s Scorpio Moon – so it worked both ways. Interestingly the QM’s Uranus was exactly conjunct W’s MC – so she was the catalyst for major, unexpected changes in Wallis’s life, sending her off into lifelong exile with her husband, the Duke of Windsor.

Their relationship chart was also explosive with a composite Mars opposition Uranus which was sextile/trine the composite Sun; and a resentful composite Saturn opposition Pluto.

The stock markets are all on a downward slide after China caught a dose of the panics about their economic situation and, according to commentators, made the situation worse by imposing a brake on their markets.

The Shanghai SSE Composite Index, 19 December 1990, does have a dead-halt Solar Arc Saturn square Pluto around now. That will ease as the months go by. They also have the mild but bubble-bursting tr Neptune opposition Solar Arc Jupiter all year and the disruptive, high-tension tr Uranus square Saturn from mid 2016 on and off into 2017.

The Hang Seng Index (HK) has a completely-blocked Solar Arc Pluto square Mars now; and a devastating tr Pluto conjunct the Solar Arc Neptune as well which returns later in the year; plus tr Uranus square the Solar Arc Sun from late February – so much the same confusion and jolting as Shanghai for this year. Though once the Solar Arc Pluto squares move on it should ease up considerably.

The Hang Seng looks mighty relieved to see April 2017 when an uplifting tr Uranus opposition Jupiter will turn the corner into better times.

The New York Stock Exchange, 17 May 1792 7.52am New York, has an undermining Solar Arc Mars opposition its Neptune, exactly now. That should start to ease as the months go on. Tr Uranus will oppose the NY SE Jupiter from this May which might bring some confidence back. Though generally it’ll be an unsettled year with tr Uranus sextile Pluto following immediately behind.

The Dow Jones, 26 May 1896 9.11 am New York, has an uncomfortably discouraging set of influences for the year ahead with tr Saturn opposition Pluto Neptune through till late October; and a high-tension Solar Arc Uranus square Neptune, exact in 6 months’ time. Plus an uncertain tr Neptune conjunct Solar Arc Neptune from mid February till the New Year 2017.

The FTSE First Trade, 3 January 1984 10am, London, has an upsetting Solar Arc Uranus conjunct its Moon for the next six to eight months. And it is still labouring under the wet blanket of Solar Arc Sun square Saturn which has been running for the past seven months and will be in effect for another five months. There’s another dampener ahead from tr Saturn conjunct Jupiter Neptune in early 2017. Though again there may be more cheer further into 2017 with tr Uranus trine Jupiter which should get confidence back up.

None of it looks terminal, just very edgy and not buoyant.