“There is a tide in the affairs of men

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat;

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose our ventures.” Shakespeare, Julius Caesar.

  Out of the shallows and shadows for a brief spotlight of attention have popped a handful of 1970 minnows hoping for the big time. Which after consideration of the astro-coincidence could well be the effect of the Aries/Libra eclipses hitting their Pluto and Uranus respectively.

 Kristi Noem, 30 November 1971, right-wing governor of Dakota, a Trump VP hopeful, is an imaginative though not realistic Sun Neptune opposition Saturn with Jupiter and Mercury also in outspoken (=no filter) Sagittarius. She dashed her chances with ill-advised bragging about putting down an ill-mannered dog. Even in gun-loving US this seems to have been a misstep as she discovered when tr Saturn squared her Jupiter, dampening her enthusiasm. She was born only five days after Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s weird, wild and wayout aide, who is never short of an acerbic barb of criticism.

Natalie Elphicke, 5 November 1970, a Tory MP who has defected to Labour despite being noticeably right-wing, causing consternation to a deserted Sunak as well as Starmer heavily-criticised by his own followers. She is a Sun Jupiter Mercury Venus in Scorpio  with Neptune also in Scorpio – and more significantly her volatile, overly excitably Mars Uranus conjunction in Libra is in line for the upcoming October Eclipse with her Pluto in late Virgo catching the late September Lunar Eclipse in opposition.  

 Marjorie Taylor Greene, 27 May 1974, a Gemini who is another loose cannon with her Uranus in Libra square Mars in Cancer and her Pluto in Libra square Saturn. The two Solar Eclipses and March Lunar Eclipse are all rattling up her Uranus and Pluto.

Russell Brand, 4 June 1975, fending off allegations of sexual assault has taken the unusual step of embracing religion in a much publicised immersive baptism. A Sun Gemini opposition Neptune, he has his Mars Jupiter in Aries as well as his Pluto and Uranus in Libra – all catching the eclipse fever this year.

 As indeed does his buddy Bear Grylls, 7 June 1974, tv presenter, survival expert and adventurer, with whom he dunked together. Grylls is another Sun Gemini opposition Neptune with Pluto and Uranus in Libra.

 And last but not least Jay Blades, 21 February 1970, tv presenter of The Repair Shop, now on sabbatical after the breakdown of his 18 month marriage and murder of his uncle. He is a Sun Venus in Pisces with Uranus in Libra and Mars in Aries and Pluto in late Virgo. All of this year’s eclipses are rattling up his Uranus, Mars and Pluto.

  The Saros cycle of the April Solar Eclipse hinted at relationship strains and a need for freedom – presumably whether wished for or not. That would be magnified as the eclipse collided with their respective Uranus above. Eclipses connecting with Pluto hunt at the need for a radical change or stagnation will set in.  The October Solar Eclipse is in a Saros series of separation or at least closure, finishing up what belongs to the past.

  All eclipses have a potential for making positive changes if handled in the right way.

Vladimir Putin was sworn in on May 7 around 12 noon for his fifth term, looking unassailable having overcome his dip of last year. He is now set to hold power in Russia until at least 2030, which would make him the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The US, UK and most EU states, except France, refused to send ambassadors because of the invasion of Ukraine and the rigged election in March in which he won with 87 per cent of the vote.

 His swearing in chart is not as brutal as the 4^th term chart which had a Mars Pluto conjunction square Uranus though there are diluted hints from an 8^th house subversive Mars sextile Pluto. As last term and the term before, Lady Luck is on his side with Jupiter in the 10th conjunct Uranus and Sun. If the timing is around 12 noon or just after there are hints of financial disappointments and problems with Neptune and Mars in the 8^th house of international and business finances.

   Looking for (faint) hopes of him exiting stage left, his initial Presidency chart, 31 December 1999 which sagged badly last year with heavy Neptunian influences, looks jarred and jangled this August, perhaps because of global unrest. That is when tr Uranus squares the Mars – and that continues into 2025. But it is 2026 which looks de-stabilising with SA Uranus square the Pluto and blocked in 2027 with SA Pluto conjunct the Sun.   This coincides, if his 7 October 1952 birth date is accurate, with signs of disruption  between himself and both the Russia 1991 and 1917 charts with 2026/27 looking particularly high stress.

Although at first sight not similar, there are astro-connections between Catherine the Great and Putin with both having a North Node in Aquarius (= wedded to a cause) and a ruthless Mars, Pluto, Saturn tie. Catherine reigned as empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, having come to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter III.

  Catherine, 2 May 1729 2.30am Stettin, Germany was a Sun Mars in Taurus sextile Saturn inconjunct Pluto so despite her reputation as an enlightened promoter of culture and the arts she had a power-hungry streak. Under her long reign, Russia experienced a renaissance of culture and sciences and the recognition of Russia as one of the great powers of Europe. It makes sense why Putin might wish to emulate her though he is falling short on culture and international respect.

English actor Bernard Hill, best known for movies like the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Titanic, Clint Eastwood’s True Crime and tv dramas like Boys from the Blackstuff and Wolf Hall, has died.

 He was born December 17 1944 in Manchester, a few weeks after Michael Douglas, Anne Robinson and Angela Rippon. His father, a miner who was in the Royal Navy during WW11, had a diseased lung removed. During his convalescence the family lived with his grandmother in her two-bedroomed flat and he shared a bed with his parents. He trained as a quantity surveyor and then a teacher but met director Mike Leigh who persuaded him to persevere with his acting ambitions.

 He had an enthusiastic Sun Sagittarius in an expansive, easy-going square to Jupiter in Virgo; with a hard-working Capricorn Moon. But what gave his chart weight and influence was an Air Grand Trine (= knowledgeable, thoughtful, quick-witted, communicative) of Uranus in Gemini trine Neptune trine Venus in Aquarius, formed into two talented Kites by a seductively persuasive Venus opposition Pluto and a risk-taking Uranus opposition Mars. He also had the creative Saturn Neptune square of the time tied into his Mercury in Capricorn with Neptune as the focal point planet heading him into movies. 

  With Pluto and Mars as leading planets plus an emphasized Neptune  he was all set to go.

 His actors’ 15^th Harmonic was his strongest with creativity, an ability to communicate, charm and enormous determination all marked.

Kendrick Lamar and Drake, two of the most acclaimed rappers of their generation, have been offloading a string of long-held  resentments, insinuations and innuendo, in the way they know best by releasing a series of diss tracks. Drake denies allegations by Kendrick Lamar of underage sex and harbouring a secret child.

 Since Friday, both have released songs “aimed at each other at a rapid clip, igniting pro-sports levels of spectating and driving hip-hop media personalities into overtime,” according to the Washington Post.

 The feud dates back to the March release of a Lamar track boasting of his superiority to Drake which reached No 1 in the US. Whatever the ins and outs there is no doubt the spat is good for business as a pair of alpha rappers fight it out for dominance.

  Drake, 24 October 1986 2.31 am Toronto, Canda, is a Sun Pluto in Scorpio square Mars in Aquarius – super-determined, not about to let slights go unchecked and a bit of a bulldozer. He also has Venus Mercury in Scorpio and a 5^th house Neptune. A creative though not always realistic Water Grand Trine of Jupiter in Pisces trine a Cancer Moon trine Pluto and Venus will make him self-protective.

 Kendrick Lamar, 17 June 1987 3.04 pm Compton, California, is a completely different temperament with a Gemini Sun opposition Uranus and Saturn in Sagittarius square a Pisces Moon. With Jupiter in Aries square Mars in Cancer.  

 Lamar’s Mars clashes with Drake’s Cancer Moon; and Drake’s Sun Pluto square Mars will make cooperation tricky no matter what the circumstances. Their relationship chart is volatile and competitive with a composite Sun Venus trine Mars trine Uranus, opposition Midheaven – but there is a sense of the aggravation being played up for reasons of ambition rather than genuine dislike.   A cynic might say it is “a tale  told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,  signifying nothing.” (Macbeth) But maybe I am just too old to tune into the deeper ramifications

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Mama Cass Elliot who died fifty years ago had a clear, earthy voice that turned her into one of the central figures of the 1960s music scene with hits that still resonate – Dream a Little Dream of Me, Make Your Own Kind of Music, Lovin’ Spoonful, Do You Believe in Magic, Summer in the City, California Dreaming. As an overweight Jewish girl she didn’t fit the usual mould but she was talented and determined.

 Her daughter has written a memoir about her life, dispelling the myth that her mother died from choking on a ham sandwich when in reality she died of a heart attack at 32.

  Born 19 September 1941 9pm Baltimore, MD, Cass battled obesity from a young age and as a teenager she was prescribed amphetamines to speed up her metabolism. Crash dieting and drug taking would feature over the course of the rest of Cass’s life though she had no drugs in her system when she died – spookily in the same London hotel bedroom Keith Moon died in four years later.

  Cass Elliott had two brief marriages and produced one child, who did not learn of her paternity until she was 19 and has gone on to become a singer.  “When she was in town, she was very involved,” is how she diplomatically sums up Cass’s mothering style.

  Which fits with Cass Elliott’s 5^th house Sun, Neptune in Virgo – musically talented, a performer, produced a creative child, but less than hands-on because of her touring and performing career.  She also had Venus in Scorpio in her 6^th which would be prone to over-weight, especially since it squared Pluto. Her Moon in Virgo was in her 4^th, unaspected apart from a mild sextile to Venus – she would be hyper-anxious with a Moon Sun in Virgo and would have difficulty integrating a home and family existence into her lifestyle.

  Her Sun Neptune were trine Saturn in Taurus conjunct Uranus close to her Ascendant from the 12^th – inventive, inspired, earthy, stubborn. With an upfront, outspoken Mercury opposition Mars in Aries.

 When she died on 29 July 1974, tr Uranus was opposition her Mars (which can be a heart attack signature for some) with tr Mars also exactly square her Uranus. Her Solar Arc Sun Neptune conjunction were also just moving into her 6^th house of health.

 Her daughter, Owen Vanessa Elliot, 26 April 1967, who was brought up by Cass’s sister from aged 7, is a Sun North Node in Taurus (a favoured singer’s sign since it rules the throat). She also has a yod of Mercury in Aries inconjunct Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune;  with Mercury opposing Mars (like her mother but in reverse signs). A yod apex planet Mercury starts life scattered but can become a good communicator and teacher.   Owen’s Taurus Sun homes in on her mother’s 6^th house Venus, which may be why the rumours of the ham-sandwich death have bothered her so much. Happily her Mercury opposition Mars squares onto Jupiter in Cancer giving her luck, optimism and enthusiasm.

ADD ON: I forgot to mention at the time her Chiron sitting on her IC in Leo seems significant. It would attract her to unattainable men – and she never seemed able to forge a meaningful commitment to a partner.  Plus it may point to the wound her weight struggle played, damaging her Leonine wish to be the fairest of them all and spontaneous in her self-expression.

Big Tory losses in the local elections in England but no Labour landslide seems to be the consensus about what is undoubtedly a resounding defeat for the Tories, the worst since 1998. The political statisticians have been number crunching pointing to a near ten percentage-point swing from the Tories to Labour since December 2019 which repeated at a general election on a uniform swing would lead to a hung parliament with Labour as comfortably the largest party but still short of a majority.

  Keir Starmer’s Leadership chart, 4 April 2020 10.45am does have tr Uranus square the Moon now for an emotional result but there is not exactly a celebratory feel about this chart this year with the slog-on Pluto conjunct the Saturn, worse through 2025 when tr Pluto is in a frustrating conjunction to the Mars and then tr Pluto makes a topple-off-perch square to the Uranus in 2026. This reflects his own personal chart, 2 September 1962, which looks unsettled in 2025 and grid-locked by 2026. Though this could be personal circumstances not necessarily reflecting the destiny of the Labour Party.

 The Labour Party, 12 February 1906, has a liberating tr Uranus square the Sun Venus exactly now. With a lucky, upbeat, confident and successful tr Uranus conjunct the Jupiter from this August/September, repeating May 2025 and January to March 2026. But 2026 is when its problems really kick in with a blocked Solar Arc Sun Venus conjunct Pluto; and major-setbacks tr Saturn in hard aspect to its Cardinal Mars square Uranus opposition Neptune T square. That runs through 2027/28 as tr Neptune follows to undermine the T square.

The Conservative Party, 9 May 1912, is jangled and prone to internal eruptions with tr Uranus conjunct the Saturn now and SA Uranus conjunct the Saturn by 2026. Tr Neptune through this year into 2025 is ebbing away its influence; with a significant upheaval coming through 2025/2026 with tr Pluto conjunct the Uranus, hinting at a total turnaround – of a back-to-the-drawing board variety perhaps.

 The LibDems, 3 March 1988, being of the early triple conjunction generation with Mars in the middle won’t enjoy success when tr Saturn Neptune move into and through Aries – with mid 2025/26 being panicky and there is not much cheer thereafter for several years as tr Neptune squares the Uranus, Saturn, Mars, Neptune.

  The Reform Party, which is talking up a good win, in reality did not collect too many votes. But their leader Richard Tice, 13 September 1964, does look to be on the receiving end of a fair amount of good fortune from this July onwards till May 2025 and will stay buoyant despite a few setbacks. The Reform Party may benefit from tr Uranus moving into Gemini through 2026/27 with tr Uranus opposition the Sun and Jupiter in Sagittarius but alongside that will also face losses.

  There is much water to flow under the bridge between now and the next election (before early 2025 at the latest) with tr Uranus square the UK Saturn in the 11^th house (ruling the legislature) from next week to late May and again late December to mid March 2025 – that will see high tensions and a push for change within Westminster. 2025 will also see the Solar Arc Uranus conjunct the UK 8^th Mars. While not a political pointer it may have financial or other ramifications since it will give the UK a tremendous jolt. And by 2026 tr Uranus in Gemini will be square the UK Pluto for more upheavals and change.

 Nothing too settled for a while.

ADD ON:

Rishi Sunak’s Term chart of 25 October 2022 11.15 am is certainly under pressure with tr Pluto square the Sun, Moon and Venus this year into 2025. It has lost the panicky-failure tr Neptune square the Mars and SA Mars which was around all last year until recently. And will be partially buoyed up by tr Pluto sextile the Jupiter mid July to early September and again late November through December – though alongside that is tr Pluto sextile the Saturn/North Node midpoint which is a discouraging slog.  And an outright-failure Solar Arc Neptune is moving to close the square to Mars to exact before the end of the year and into early 2025.

  His own chart, 12 May 1980, (maybe 2.40pm) Hampshire, England, had tr Uranus conjunct His Taurus Mercury and Sun recently for the final time but with the tr Uranus opposition his Uranus in place through the second half of this month and again late December to mid March 2025 – which suggests a major upheaval with old ambitions still to fulfil. Which may lie far sway from Westminster or maybe he just has a’ sod-it’ moment and decides life is too short for the hassle of the political whirlpool. From July 2025 he has tr Uranus square his Jupiter -maybe for a sign of relief as he bales and heads for California. 

 He will have a stroke of luck this August and September and again May 2025 with tr Uranus square his Jupiter/Node midpoint.  His Term chart won’t overcome the SA Neptune Mars but he will have a few upbeat moments.

Actor Tom Selleck, best known for Magnum PI and Blue Bloods and still going strong at 79 has written his memoir. He’s had a long and prolific career playing cowboys early on before his breakout role in the long running Hawaii Magnum series. His membership of the NRA and right wing politics have raised a few eyebrows.

  Born 29 January 1945 8.22am Detroit, Michigan, he does have a powerful and charismatic chart with an Air Grand Trine of an Aquarius Sun trine an 8^th house Neptune trine Uranus in Gemini in his 5^th house of entertainment; formed into a talented Kite by Sun opposition a 7^th house Pluto. He also has a wide yod of Mercury in Capricorn (Mars and South Node) sextile Venus in Pisces inconjunct a 7^th house Leo Moon.

  A yod focal point Moon tends to be private and emotionally vulnerable as well as disorganized initially though will present an ability to connect with the public. UK Actor John Nettles of TV Bergerac and Midsomer Murders renown also has a Yod focal point Moon.

  It may be significant that Selleck escapes the madness of Hollywood to plant trees on his ranch – hinting as gardeners did (see post Piet Oudolf) that finding harmony in nature helps overcome the troublesome nature of the yod in his emotional life.

  When he got his breakout role in 1980 tr Uranus was conjunct his Midheaven and more pertinently square his Moon nudging his yod onto a different track.

 His actor’s 15^th harmonic is successful.

Neptune, the shape shifter, creative, compassionate, idealistic, ethereal, escapist, evasive, downright dishonest, chillingly cruel, addictive-prone and commitment-phobic is a complex, multi-faceted energy and tricky to pin down. Its’ artistic repertoire tends to focus on music but also the image – photography and films.

  On the Ascendant Neptune can give ‘bedroom eyes’, an attractive, appealing appearance which draws bystanders in with a magnetic power though may hide a ragbag of self delusion and confusion. Sensitive, impressionable, easily led.

Neptune in the 2^nd house of personal finances at best gives the ability to earn money through creative or helpful ventures, can be idealistic and humanitarian about resources, but tends to be unrealistic, impractical and careless when it comes to money management.

Neptune in the 3^rd house of siblings and everyday communications, tends to make for muddled and/or disappointing relationships with brothers, sisters and cousins, as well as workmates and neighbours in adult life. A tendency to trip into misunderstandings through mixed messages, not concentrating on details or stopping to check what was intended. Generally head-in-the-clouds. Finds it difficult to give straight answers.

Neptune in the 4^th house of family and roots produces dreams and delusions of a perfect home and family, preferably near water as a compensation for a chaotic childhood family life.  It can bring an idealized view of father in particular, which overlooks his weaknesses. The father is often unable through incapacity or temperament to be a solid, sensible presence. The family often demands sacrifices of the individual so there is a sense of having to choose between personal identity and belonging to the family. It is one or the other, not both.

Neptune in the 5^th house of children, romance and creativity. Musicians and singers abound, as do romantic dreams and illusions but emotional staying power and commitment is often absent. Yearning for the perfect love leads to disappointment as reality falls a short. Children, as with Paul Auster below who had a drug addict son and a singer daughter, can be creative or prone to Neptune’s failings. Often there is confusion around children, sometimes a lack of responsibility in caring for them. The 5^th house also rules speculation and Neptune can be intuitive though taking risks with money can backfire.

Neptune in the 6^th house of work and health – can be good for those in the healing and helping professions though suggests slightly delicate physical constitution. Not ill health so much as needing to take care and not over push excesses, whether with overwork or eating/drinking too much. There can be unreliability where work is concerned.  

Neptune in 7^th house of one-to-one relationships can give a telepathic understanding of partner’s needs and unspoken thoughts, though can lack commitment and responsibility in cooperative ventures and in relationships. Will tend to attract Neptunian partners who can be spiritual, creative or evasive and unreliable.

Neptune in the 8^th house of joint finances and sexuality. Caution needed when handling business finances or taxes, credit cards etc since there may be confusion about responsibilities and paying back loans. Partners will tend to be equally lax when it comes to practical financial matters. Secrets will tend to slide out into the open, financial and other, at inopportune moments. Film stars often have Neptune in the 8^th since it seems to bestow an ability to project an aura, probably unconsciously. Gives an interest in the occult, clairvoyance and psychic matters. Suggests a psychic grandparent.

Neptune in the 9^th house of religious and spiritual beliefs, higher education, knowledge and legal affairs. Inclines the individual towards mystical beliefs rather than organized religion. Creative with words though not always good at concentrating so education can suffer.

Neptune in 10^th house of career and reputation. Good for caring and healing professions and creative ones. Personal glory is less important than following the vision. Can bring confusion about direction, indecision or irresponsibility at work. Mother will be Neptunian – and the child may be the carer, forced into adult responsibilities too young. Lack of psychological boundaries with mother can carry over into adult life which can be helpful vis a vis intuition but can also bring confusion.

Neptune in 11^th house of friends and future plans. Idealistic, spiritual and/or creative friends, humanitarian group activities. Can also be unreliability in friendships either because of lack of commitment to the responsibilities involved or because Neptunian friends prove to be evasive.

Neptune in the 12^th house of the unconscious and secrets. Escapist, dreamy, intuitive, can be addictive-prone. Mystical beliefs, creative sensitivity Not good psychic boundaries so need to protect self. Peace and seclusion needed along the way to clear out psychological clutter soaked in from other people.

University students voicing displeasure with authorities and the status quo is practically a rite of passage from the anti-Vietnam uprisings in the mid 1960s alongside anti-apartheid and pro-civil rights demos when the revolutionary transiting Uranus Pluto conjunction was in place. French students staging mass protests in 1968, involving street fights, demanded democratic and educational reforms, cultural liberation, social justice, and better working conditions. The protests had a lasting impact on French society and politics and also on a global level, inspiring similar movements in other countries.

  There are armed clashes at the moment at Columbia University in New York and UCLA over the Palestine situation, with some blaming outside agitators. The 1960s protests had the advantage of being fought on simpler issues – apartheid is wrong, the Vietnam War is a disaster and should be stopped, freedom of speech should be inviolable.

 That Gaza and the Palestinians have been badly treated by successive Israel governments with the complicit (and inexplicable) support of USA governments over the years is not in question. But as Janet Daley argued, the pro-Palestine demonstrators are putting their bodies on the line for – an alignment with forces supported by the most illiberal, authoritarian, repressive regime in the world.

  I’m not sure I have much that is illuminating apart from a few pointers.  Assuming the students who are demanding their right to be heard are around 20 at the moment they were born, some of them, with the Uranus in Pisces square Pluto in dogmatic Sagittarius so will be rebels by nature; with the added turmoil of the North Node in Taurus.

 Columbia University, 25 May 1754, oddly enough also has Uranus in Pisces square Pluto in Sagittarius, so echoes of the past have come back to set off a few firecrackers of resistance.  If this chart is anything to go by the disruptions will continue for another two years at least, if not five.

 UCLA has had a muddled history since the start, with the earliest version being founded 2 May 1862, which has a determined Taurus Sun and Pluto square Mars and trine Jupiter Saturn in Virgo; with Saturn Jupiter square Uranus. The Mercury is conjunct the can-be-fanatical Uranus Neptune midpoint.

  Perhaps the USA 4 July 1776 11 am chart with the Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the 9^th house (= higher education) Mars almost exactly now is stoking up some of the destructive, fractious, irritable energy.

  The students may be embroiled in a more complicated issue than they know but if they could exert enough pressure to persuade the US government to insist on a civilized solution to the Palestinians’ seventy five year ordeal, then it may not all be wasted effort.

ADD ON: A later date for UCLA is 23 May 1919. This certainly shows up a propensity for ructions, disruptions and violent protests with its Sun in Gemini conjunct Mars in Taurus conjunction square Saturn in Leo. Tr Uranus is square the Saturn exactly now and moving on to conjunct the Mars and Sun in 2025 – so it won’t settle anytime soon.  This chart in particular clashes with Israel’s Taurus Sun square Mars in Leo.