Marjorie

Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef and writer, has died, apparently from suicide by hanging in France while on a TV shoot. Born 25 June 1956 in New York, he described himself as a ‘feral child’, a torment to his parents. He developed a drug habit as a teenager which blossomed later into an addiction to heroin, coke and LSD.  His food shows were travelogues and he spoke and wrote with alarming and foul-mouthed frankness – what AA Gill called ‘Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantino’.

He turned stomachs with descriptions of what really happened in restaurant kitchen; staffed on the whole by “people for whom something in their lives has gone terribly wrong … wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts and psychopaths”.

The Telegraph obit said: ‘Bourdain was a superb writer combined an evocative and quotable prose style with an almost pathological honesty about both the restaurant business and his own life, especially his battles with addiction.’ He said: “I don’t eat mussels in restaurants, unless I know the chef personally”; brunch “old, nasty odds and ends”; hollandaise “a veritable petri-dish of biohazards”. He denounced vegetarians and “their Hezbollah-like splinter-faction, the vegans” as “the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food.”

He was a Sun Cancer (good for all matters domestic) trine Mars in Pisces which in turn squared Mercury in Gemini, giving him a forthright way of expressing himself. His super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Leo was in a tough-minded square to an obsessive Saturn in Scorpio; and he probably had an Aquarius Moon opposition Uranus square Neptune which would make him highly-strung, quite fanatical at times – and a focal point Neptune is also escapist.

He’s been struggling this year with tr Pluto in a depressed conjunction to his Mars/Saturn midpoint, though not exact at the moment; also tr Neptune opposition his Sun/Saturn which would exacerbate uncertainty and a tendency to depression. What’s most obvious is his Moon, Uranus, Neptune T Square being triggered by tr Uranus in hard aspect and his Solar Arc Saturn square and Solar Arc Jupiter Pluto conjunct his Neptune. This would bring instability, lack of emotional balance, confusion.

His get-it-together 5^th Harmonic was strongly aspected; as was his ‘seeking soul’ 7H which can tend to addictions and escapism; as well as his self-defeating 10H and 16H.

With Pakistan elections fast approaching the last thing Imran Khan needed was a tell-all autobiography from his ex-wife, of a union that lasted a mere nine months in 2015. Defamation and restraining writs are flying. She claims with bland innocence that it is only a memoir and not politically motivated, despite a publication date in election month; his supporters say she was paid by a rival party to smear. Jemima Goldsmith, his first ex-wife is threatening legal action for invasion of privacy on behalf of her sons.

Reham Khan born 3 April 1973 in Libya, a journalist and film producer, is an Aries New Moon conjunct Venus trine Neptune and opposition Uranus and Pluto in Libra; with a passionately enthusiastic Mars Jupiter in Aquarius sextile Neptune and trine Saturn – impulsive, creative, neurotic.

Her Sun opposes his Libra Sun Saturn in Libra and her Mars Jupiter is square his Venus, so there would be an initial spark. But the relationship chart has a competitive, angry and controlling composite Mars opposition Sun and trine Pluto; with the composite Neptune square Saturn and trine the Sun – aggravation, illusions and disappointments.

What’s interesting astrologically is that her Solar Arc Sun and Venus have been and are continuing to conjunct the destructive planet Algol, as she wrote and is trying to publish her book – a lady on a wrecking mission.

Khan is thought to be supported by the army and in with a chance to be the next prime minister. He does have tr Pluto trine his Jupiter in Taurus exactly over the election on July 25, which can only help. Though he’s also got a couple of Neptunian sinkers and his next two years look confused and fraught.

Peter Stringfellow, known as the King of Clubs and remembered for his flamboyant style, affability, charm, lack of pretension and ability to attract top celebrities to his venues, has died. The nearest thing to a Brit Hugh Hefner he opened first topless table-dancing club in London, which had a reputation for debauchery, with Stringfellow presiding in his leopard-skin suits, gold medallions and pink shoes. His third wife, a Royal Ballet dancer, 42 years his junior gave him two children in his 70s.

Born to a steelworker father on 17^th October 1940 9.45am (astrotheme), he worked in a meat factory before promoting his first rock’n’roll concerts in Sheffield, which kicked off with the Beatles, then Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks.

He had an unaspected Libra Sun, which would make him sociable but also an independent spirit; with a tactile, indulgent, earthy, stubborn collection of Moon conjunct Saturn Jupiter in Taurus square Pluto, and an inspirational Uranus in Taurus trine Neptune. His Moon, Saturn, Jupiter was trine a 10^th house Venus in Virgo so going into a business that depended on physical female beauty and good PR makes sense. His Moon is the most heavily aspected of his planets along with lucky and expansive Jupiter and good-with-money Saturn – he loved women and fun.

It’s a much pleasanter chart than Hefner who was heavily controlling with a 10^th house Pluto square his Sun, trine his Moon and inconjunct his Mars.  HH also had a strongly aspected Saturn in another fixed sign Scorpio.

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A horrific trailer for a new horror movie has been grabbing the headlines though it’s likely to meet a backlash when it launches in November. Italian director Luca Guadagnino has done a remake of Dario Argento’s bloody thriller”Suspiria”. And the first cameo aired showed a dancer who was ripped apart, descending into a mess of broken bones and blood, with worms feasting on a woman’s face. It stars Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton.

Dakota Johnson, the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and granddaughter of Tippi Hedren hit the high spots with her lead in Fifty Shades of Grey, the trilogy. She was born 4 October 1989 2,49 pm Austin, Texas and has quite a chart.

Her Libra Sun and Mars are on the focal point of a T Square to the triple conjunction of Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn opposition Jupiter in Cancer; with her Jupiter trine a 10^th house Pluto. She also has Venus in Scorpio and a Sagittarius Moon. She’s lucky, highly-strung, changeable, controlling and will be influential the older she gets, emotionally intense, ego-centric, pro-active.

She’s in a Saturnine year with her First Saturn Return; and tr Saturn is in a setback and discouraging square to her Mars, Sun and opposition her Jupiter in the aftermath of the launch which is guaranteed not to go down well with the women against violence campaigners. Tr Saturn is also getting ready to dip below her Ascendant from 2019 for a few years. So she may gradually step back for a while but will re-emerge in later years to become quite an influencer.

Joe Biden is being talked up as a possible Democratic candidate to take on Trump in 2020. Although there is pressure for a fresh face, Biden’s eight years as VP gives him gravitas and experience, as do his decades as a Senator. And he’s seen as a politician able to appeal to the blue-collar workers in Rust Belt states who voted Trump in. He’ll decide before the year end.

Born 20 November 1942 8.32 am (from memory) Scranton, PA, he has a charming though utterly determined Sun, Venus, Mercury conjunct in Scorpio in his 12^th, along with Mars also in Scorpio square Pluto – not short on stamina or endurance. His Sun, Venus, Mercury trine an 8^th house Jupiter in Cancer; his idealistic 10^th house Neptune trines Saturn Uranus in Gemini; and he has a Taurus Moon in the 5^th.

He’s not had an easy life with his first wife and a daughter killed in a car crash, a brain aneurysm in his mid-forties, and a son dying of brain cancer in 2015.

He may not run or be chosen as candidate and doesn’t look too upbeat over the 2020 election with tr Neptune undermining his enthusiastic Mars/Jupiter midpoint; tr Saturn in a blocked square to his Solar Arc Pluto; and the tr Jupiter Pluto square his Mars/Neptune. Tr Saturn in any event is still moving through his 1^st quadrant so he’ll not be on his old form.

“The President Is Missing” is the title of Bill Clinton’s first thriller now on the book tour, which he co-authored with James Patterson. Clinton says he’s a great fan of Patterson who is a one man publishing industry, having ‘written’ 147 novels since 1976, though he’s been criticized for being more of a money-making brand than a writer. He has sold 300 million copies globally, has had 114 NY Times bestsellers, and his novels sell more copies than Stephen King, John Grisham, and Dan Brown combined.

He’s a passionate campaigner to make books and reading a national priority, supports universities, teachers, colleges, independent bookstores, school libraries, and college students, donating millions of dollars in grants and scholarships.

Born 22 March 1947 in New York, Patterson is a Sun, maybe New Moon, in Aries opposition Neptune and trine Saturn Pluto in Leo and Jupiter in late Scorpio. So a mixed Fire/Water Grand Trine focused onto Neptune – he had the vision, the self-belief, and the endurance to make his ideas stick. Aries is fearless; Fire is entrepreneurial; Sun Neptune Pluto gives grandiose ambitions; Saturn Pluto determination; and Jupiter attracts money in Scorpio. His Uranus is in a risk-taking square to Mars Mercury in Pisces and trine Venus in Aquarius.

I would have to confess I tried one of his Alex Cross novels and didn’t quite get the simplistic writing style – five word sentences, page and a half chapters.

His central driving Sun (Moon) opposition Neptune falls across Clinton’s Descendant/Ascendant, so not a bad mix; both are Saturn Pluto in Leo types; and Patterson’s Venus falls in Clinton’s 5^th – so it would be a fun partnership for a while.

Clinton isn’t looking too upbeat over the launch though the Lewinsky #metoo backlash keeps getting in the way of puff interviews which is bothering him. He looks undermined by Neptune and Saturn this year. But is powering into a more confident, successful phase in 2019/2020.

Kate Spade, a hugely successful handbag and fashion designer, has apparently committed suicide, leaving behind a husband and teenage daughter. Her sister said she probably suffered from bi-polar disorder which went untreated since she feared it would damage her happy-face brand. Her marriage appeared to have been in difficulties but she had evidently always had a tendency to depression and mood swings, exacerbated by her astonishing success.

Born 24 December 1962 in Kansas City, she was a Sun Capricorn trine Uranus (Pluto) in Virgo and sextile Jupiter in Pisces. Her Sagittarius Moon almost certainly sat on the focal point of a Mutable T Square to Jupiter opposition Uranus Pluto.

A Capricorn Sun is ambitious, financially and in terms of social status, keen to keep up appearances. Uranus is innovative and Uranus Pluto especially has a talent for pushing back boundaries and being on the leading edge. A focal point Moon is well designed to sense public taste. But such a Moon is also super-sensitive, emotionally highly-charged and tends to avoid confronting difficulties where feelings are concerned.

Her Mars in Leo squared onto Venus (Neptune) in Scorpio, so her emotional reactions would be intense. Along with passionate enthusiasm would go a difficulty in understanding the needs and responses of those in relationships with her.

Her chart had been labouring under heavy pressures in recent years with jolting, discouraging and mentally pressured Solar Arcs – around the time Robin Williams died, which had evidently obsessed her. Tr Uranus was opposition her Sun/Mars midpoint this year, so she would be more volatile than usual. On top of all that her Secondary Progressed Mars was opposing her Saturn which would exacerbate her unhappiness. So it has been building for some time.

What a tragedy for her daughter; and for her in not feeling able to seek professional help.

The Van Breda murder case has polarized opinion in South Africa since the son Henri surrendered himself to police and was tried and convicted of murdering his wealthy parents and one brother and injuring his sister in an axe attack. He claimed an intruder was responsible, though he only suffered minor lacerations himself, delayed phoning the police for several hours, tampered with evidence and there was no forced entry. His sister recovered but suffers from retrograde amnesia and refused to testify against him.

It occurred on 27 January 2015 at a golf estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa when the Uranus Pluto square was nearly exact, with a waning Mars square Saturn.

Henri, born 1 November 1994, ‘celebrated’ his 23^rd birthday when he was on the witness stand last year.

Like Oscar Pistorius, he has four planets in Scorpio – in Henri’s case Sun, Venus in Scorpio square Mars in Leo; and Jupiter Pluto in Scorpio sextile a highly-strung Uranus Neptune in Capricorn which in turn squares Mercury in Libra.  His Moon is also in Libra.  Pistorius has Sun Scorpio square Mars in Aquarius.

When the Van Breda murders occurred tr Neptune was within a degree conjunct his Saturn in Pisces with his Solar Arc Mars opposition his Saturn – though those could be as easily explained by the horror of being present as his family was killed. He certainly looks both stubborn and volatile and evidently had a drug problem and suffers from epilepsy. His 7^th Harmonic, which can be addictive and none too stable has a Mars Pluto conjunction semi-sextile Saturn, which might point to drugs releasing a brutal side of his temperament.

Pic: SkyPixels

Excitement mounts, ominous violins quiver towards crescendo, the tortuous path of Brexit is nearing a decisive turn in the road with key votes next week at Westminster. Or so they tell us. Except the great silent majority is so beyond bored by the whole botch up, they aren’t listening anymore.

The latest poll says 55% would now vote to remain, which has probably gone up since the leak of the doomsday no-deal scenario with the UK running out of food and medicine within two weeks. And a French lawyer has managed to get an EU court date on July 5 agreed to argue the EU referendum was illegal because it excluded ex-pats living in the EU – with the hope of annulling the negotiation and forcing a new referendum enfranchising the excluded Britons. It sounds a stretch and almost certainly is, but it would solve several problems, Ireland and Scotland amongst them if he succeeds. And the ‘moonshine’ brigade wouldn’t be able to tell the same lies on a rerun. Not that the EU are exactly covering themselves in glory or being too sympatico, but it is hugely more complicated than anyone ever suggested.  David Cameron should be locked in the Tower for not having put a sensible threshold of 55 or 60% for a decision this important.

The Theresa May government chart is lamentably short on astro-info for the make-or-break votes next week. Way down in the midpoints there is a lucky tr Pluto opposition Jupiter/Uranus as well as a convulsively-nervous Uranus conjunct the Sun/Neptune, which leads to weakness, illness or an emotional crisis.

Both the government chart and Theresa May’s own are drifting along in an elusive, slippery, impractical Neptunian haze into next year. Mind you the EU negotiator, Michel Barnier, looks in no better a state with tr Pluto square his Neptune and conjunct his Capricorn Sun till late 2018; with tr Neptune conjunct his midheaven from April 2019 into 2020.

September/October this year could be more fraught since Theresa May looks more bamboozled than ever at that point; and is in some turmoil with Olly Robbins, the UK civil servant, who is doing the heavy lifting in Brussels.

Michael Gove, now topping Tory popularity polls for reasons unknown as a replacement if she topples, isn’t making much headway over the next eighteen months.

The UK chart looks remarkably upbeat this month with tr Uranus square the 10^th house Jupiter, returning in September and early 2019. Though the Cancer Solar Eclipse in July opposition Pluto will rattle the UK’s 10^th house Moon, signifying the ruling classes. And the other Leo Solar and Aquarius Lunar will also be colliding with various Fixed planets on the UK chart, so there will be challenges around.