Sajid Javid – onto the graveyard shift

    

 

Sajid Javid is the new Home Secretary as Amber Rudd departs. The Home Office is known as the graveyard of political careers and Theresa May is the first to step from thence to No 10 since Jim Callaghan nearly 50 years ago.

Javid, born 5 December 1969 to Pakistani parents was brought up in relative poverty by his bus driver father along with six siblings. After Exeter University he joined Chase Manhattan Bank in NY becoming vie-president and moved to Deutsche Bank ending up on the board of directors, working in Asia and London. When he left aged 40 to move into politics his salary would have been around £3 million a year.

He’s a Sun Sagittarius sextile Uranus; with an enthusiastic Jupiter (Moon) in Libra trine Mars in Aquarius, sextiling onto Mercury in Sagittarius – with Mercury in an intense square to Pluto. His Jupiter opposes a workmanlike Saturn in Taurus, so he’ll hate to fail. He’s clearly very capable. Though the sprawling Home Office can be a poisoned chalice.

Tr Uranus is opposing his Jupiter now which brings sudden promotion; though it moves to conjunct his Saturn by July onwards which will provide a jolt or two. He’s got ups and downs this year as to be expected from a taxing job with tr Neptune square his Sun in November/December; but it’s 2019 when he looks most on edge.

His relationship with Theresa May is superficially friendly though with an explosive edge. Their synastry isn’t great, since his Uranus is conjunct her Sun, his Mars opposition her Pluto, and his Neptune is conjunct her Saturn – so she’ll find him a handful, constantly pushing his own agenda, fairly slippery at times and as bullishly obstinate as she is.

May has the discouraging tr Saturn square her Sun exactly now as she loses an ally in Rudd, and that repeats later in the autumn. And her Solar Arc Uranus conjunct her Sun draws ever nearer. An early morning birth could make it soon, or if a later day birth then into 2019. And tr Neptune continues to undermine her Mars opposition Jupiter this year and next.

Michelle Wolf – a joke too far

  

 

Michelle Wolf, the comedian, caused sharp intakes of breath with her caustic jokes while hosting last night’s White House correspondents dinner. The WP described her performance as ‘a routine that swerved from raunchy to downright nasty.’ One journalist remarked that “the spirit of the event had always been jokes that singe but don’t burn.’ Hers was deemed as mean.

She compared Sarah Huckabee Sanders to an “Uncle Tom” for white women; remarked of Ivanka that ‘she’s about as helpful to women as an empty box of tampons’. Trump she suggested didn’t have the wealth he claimed and began by saying “Like a porn star says when she’s about to have sex with a Trump, let’s get this over with.” “It’s 2018 and I’m a woman so you cannot shut me up. Unless you have Michael Cohen wire me $130,000.”

Others suggested in the Trump era of indecency, with a press office who repeated his lies, the gloves were off. But for all that it hardly followed Michelle Obama’s dictum – when they go low, you go high.

Born 21 June 1985, Wolf is a last degree Gemini or Cancer Sun conjunct Mars opposition Neptune trine Pluto in Scorpio –abrasive, excitable, keen on showbiz with a ruthless edge. Her Venus in Taurus is in a chilly opposition to Saturn in Scorpio square a clearly over-expansive focal point Jupiter in Aquarius. With a flamboyant, attention-seeking Leo Moon.

She’s not on top form at the moment with tr Neptune opposing her Mars/Saturn midpoint, which may explain her tone-deafness about her jokes and also the critical reception she got from other journalists. Tr Saturn is about to retrograde in opposition to her Mars from mid this week which will throw up a setback or two, so there may be a comeback.

Pic: Erin Nekervis

Amber Rudd – a political car-crash

  

 

A quickie on UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd in deep trouble over the Windrush and immigration scandal with increasing calls for her resignation.

Born 1 August 1963, no birth time, she didn’t look in bad shape this year with tr Pluto squaring her Jupiter in Aries. There is nothing too noteworthy showing up on transits, Solar Arcs or midpoints as a major career catastrophe at the moment.

When in doubt look at the Progressions. Her Progressed Mars is square her Sun around now; and that is certainly enough to cause a major collision of sorts in her life. There’s no start and finish date especially without a birth time. And she could have tr Pluto conjunct her MC for all we know – except we don’t.

Theresa May isn’t a great one for firing ministers and since she was Home Secretary herself when many of these decisions were made, no doubt some of the blame attaches to her. If Rudd hangs on she’ll bounce again in July and late year. Though her Solar Arc/Progressed Sun will conjunct her Mars in 2020 which will be another dose of the same.

Roxane Gay – a prolific talent in troubled times

    

 

Roxane Gay, An American writer and commentator, author of the Bad Feminist essays and a memoir Hunger has announced that she had weight loss surgery this January. She has been super-morbidly obese and has fought against the fat-shaming culture, so she was unsure how her public would react to her news. Talking about it she says ‘The dominant narrative around weight-loss surgery is that it changes your life and makes everything better.‘ But she points out that people who have weight-loss surgery are more likely to commit suicide or get divorced because their spouses cannot cope with the changes. Evidently the first year is the worst and she says she feels miserable and cold most of the time.

Born 15 October 1974 7.48am Omaha, Nebraska to a family of Haitian descent, she was gang raped aged 12 which she says, not surprisingly, changed her life irrevocably. She does have a very challenging chart with a New Moon in Libra conjunct Uranus on one side and Mars Venus on the other all square Saturn in Cancer. Mars Saturn is one of the significators of cruelty, sometimes sexual abuse, and tied into her New Moon would make it all the more central to her life’s experience. Her Mars Venus makes her passionately enthusiastic and she is very prolific with several books out, writes for the NY Times and has various other publishing and writing interests.

She also has a Water Grand Trine which is creative and healing for others, if not for herself – of Saturn trine Mercury in Scorpio trine Jupiter in Pisces.

She’s facing the toughest test of her life as tr Pluto is square her exact Mars, Sun, Moon conjunction from early 2018 to late 2019. Pluto is the planet of transformation but it grinds slowly through, dismantling old structures and old attitudes and can feel extremely bleak and stuck on the way through. In her case it is hitting three planets at once which will make it all the more stressful. And her Solar Arc Mars, Sun, Moon will conjunct her Neptune in 2020, in the middle of the purgatory of  her Progressed Moon going through her 8th, from this autumn for two years thereafter. So it won’t be remotely easy for her.

One thing weight loss does is face the individual up to the psychological reasons why they gained weight – often as a defence against the fear of being vulnerable. It also removes the comfort blanket of eating, so feels punishing. Poor lady, she’ll need a great deal of support.

Korea – uncertain steps ahead

    

 

Historic talks between the leaders of North and South Korea have agreed to work to rid the peninsula of nuclear weapons. Details of how denuclearisation would be achieved were not made clear and many analysts remain sceptical about the North’s apparent enthusiasm for engagement. Previous inter-Korean agreements have included similar pledges but were later abandoned after the North resorted to nuclear and missile tests and the South elected more conservative presidents.

Kim Jong Un’s Leadership chart, 29 December 2011 11.57 am Pyonggang, certainly indicated a major turnaround now with the Solar Arc Uranus moving to square the 10th house controlling Sun Pluto exactly. But that apart the astrology is not at all clear.

South Korea, 15 August 1948, does have Solar Arc Neptune conjunct Jupiter exact now but that often accompanies a bubble of false happiness which evaporates.  And there’s an unsettling tr Neptune opposition the Mars/Pluto midpoint from early May, on and off till late 2019; along with some upbeat, more successful influences.

The North Korea, 9 September 1948 chart, looks undercut with tr Neptune opposition the Virgo Sun also from May onwards till late 2019; with jolts, jangles and a few shocks and surprises as tr Uranus hard aspects the Fixed T Square in square to Venus, in an insecure, disruptive opposition to Mars in 2019 and conjunct the Taurus Node.

South Korea’s President Moon’s term chart, 10 May 2017 8.09am Seoul, looks buoyant in June and across the New Year, with major frustrations in early 2019 and on; and panicky uncertainties and high risk in 2020.

Mike Pompeo – a term of rolling crisis ahead

  

 

Mike Pompeo survived a bruising confirmation hearing to be sworn in as Secretary of State at 2pm 26 April 2018.   That puts the ferociously determined and ruthless Pluto Mars in the grandstanding 5th square Uranus in the foreign-affairs 9th. Since Uranus is all about radical change it does suggest a new direction in US foreign policy. The Taurus Sun is also 9th house in a sensible though not sentimental trine to Saturn. And given the Cardinal Mars Pluto Uranus it will be a term of rolling crises. Neptune in the 7th lacks commitment to agreements and undermines co-operation. Jupiter in the 4th will make for greater harmony within the State Department than was evident during Tillerson’s unhappy time with his Term chart having  Saturn in the 4th.

Pompeo’s relationship chart with Trump is a deal more fractious than might appear from his nomination. Trouble will brew up in earnest between them from July onwards with aggravations piling up, high-tension and teeth-gritting moments through till late year.

Pompeo’s astrocartography does suggest Iran is one of his hot spots but with Mars on his IC, not one where he could expect major success. That apart, Australasia/Philippines looks irritable; as does Canada bizarrely.

Alfie Evans – a heart-rending dilemma

  

 

There’s a sad tale in the UK of a baby suffering from an incurable neurological disorder which has eaten away his brain and induces epileptic fits. His parents understandably have been fighting to keep him alive while the doctors and courts say the kindest thing would be to let him go. It has become a toxic debate with ideological Christians and others pushing their agenda; and the Pope and Italy offering sanctuary with the hope of more investigations. The judge, for whom the interests of the child are paramount, refused permission for him to travel to Italy. The father recently threatened to sue the hospital for murder and hospital workers are having to be given extra security because of the virulence of campaigners. He has been taken off ventilation and is breathing on his own and his father has now backtracked over his criticism of medical care and wants to take him home for palliative care. While doctors have been known to be wrong, all the outside experts consulted as well say his brain will never function.

Alfie Evans, born 9 May 2016, has his Sun, Venus and Mercury in Taurus trine Pluto trine Jupiter North Node in Virgo, forming an Earth Grand Trine, which should be robustly physical and confident. It’s formed into a Kite by Jupiter opposition Neptune, making Neptune the driving planet. The Jupiter opposition Neptune also squares Saturn Mars in Sagittarius, which is tough. His Moon is late Gemini or early Cancer.

This is one of these instances where the astrology is no use whatsoever. Even with a birth time, there would be little to add.

Joseph James DeAngelo – a Sun Scorpio with a twisted Venus

  

 

The Golden State Killer has been nailed by DNA after nearly half a century. He reputedly committed at least 12 murders and 45 rapes between the years of 1976 and 1986, and terrorized California communities.

Joseph James DeAngelo, 8 November 1945, was a decorated Navy veteran from the Vietnam War, who on his return earned a degree in police science and another in criminal justice. Many of the crimes were when he was an acting police officer.

He’s a Sun Scorpio square Pluto in Leo, so doubly intense and sexualised, into power and control. Even more significant is his Mars Saturn in Cancer conjunction square Venus in Libra. Mars Saturn can be cruel and many of the crimes included torture. His emotional responses would be very twisted. His Moon is probably late Sagittarius.

His 9th Harmonic – what gives him  pleasure – has a brutal Mars Pluto Sun tie up. And his 18th Harmonic, common amongst mass killers, is heavily aspected.

At the moment his Solar Arc Sun is opposing his Mars as he got the shock of his life and was finally arrested.

[Harmonics are degree aspects than can’t be easily seen with the naked eye. The standard squares, oppositions, trines and sextiles and quincunxes can be spotted quickly. For the others – 40 degrees (9th harmonic) and 72 degrees (5th harmonic) etc it’s easier to calculate a harmonic chart. Each carries a specific tone or meaning.]

Iran – moving towards boiling point

    

 

Rhetoric is heating up as the May 12th nuclear deal deadline approaches with Trump deciding whether to restore U.S. economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 pact between Iran and six major powers, including France. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Muslim nations to unite against the U.S. saying: “The Iranian nation has successfully resisted bullying attempts by America and other arrogant powers and we will continue to resist… All Muslim nations should stand united against America and other enemies.”  In turn the Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman threatened Iran during an interview saying that if the Islamic regime attacks Tel Aviv, Israel “will strike Tehran and destroy every Iranian military site that threatens Israel in Syria, whatever the price.”  Putin has announced he is sending long-range surface-to-air missiles to provide effective defence for the Russian military in Syria and has already supplied them to Iran in 2015. So it’s moving towards danger point with the Trump/Pompeo/Bolton hawks keen to upset the applecart. Though to what end isn’t obvious since their options are limited.

What is clear is that Ayatollah Khamenei’s life and leadership is moving into an unstable time. He’s been in poor health in recent years and may be about to exit one way or another. His personal chart, 17 July 1939, has a formidable Fixed T Square of Pluto opposition Mars in Aquarius square Saturn in Taurus which from mid May is picking up jolting tr Uranus hard aspects, first square to Pluto and conjunct Saturn, then square Mars in June, repeating late summer and into 2019. His leadership chart, 4 June 1989 is wilting under tr Neptune square Sun, Sun/Jupiter and next year Jupiter. The risk is if the USA tries to exert muscle it’ll harden attitudes and an equally conservative leader will be appointed to replace him.

Both the Iran 1906 and 1 February 1979 charts are labouring under swampy Neptunian influences this year. Though bouncing back with vigour in 2019/2020.

Russia, Iran, Syria versus USA, Saudi Arabia, Israel – not a good prospect.