Billy Connolly – Sagittarius turning tears to laughter

 

 

Scots comedian Billy Connolly is celebrating 50 years in showbusiness with a TV special this week to mark his career with Dame Judi Dench and Sir Elton John expected to be there to do the honours. Connolly is best known for his improv standup global tours and playing Queen Victoria’s close companion after Prince Albert died in the film Mrs Brown.

Connolly has been with actress turned therapist Pamela Stephenson for nearly 40 years; he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago which has stopped him playing the banjo and touring.

Born 24 Nov 1942 4.30am Glasgow, he was abandoned by his mother when he was four, his father away fighting in WW11, and was looked after by aunts who were unkind. His father abused him physically and sexually when he was 10 to 15 years old, which was the subject of a memoir he wrote.

His Sun Venus are in Sagittarius (a typical comedians’ sign) opposition Uranus Saturn in Gemini; with his Moon in Gemini conjunct Saturn. He says he has struggled for most of his life with low self-esteem because of his childhood. Plus Pluto square Mars, pointing to the brutality he suffered.

He has a talented Half Grand Sextile of Saturn Uranus sextile Pluto sextile Neptune sextile Sun Venus, so he managed to turn the wreckage of his early years into performance art. Plus a lucky Jupiter conjunct his Midheaven.

When he was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2012, tr Neptune was square his Sun Venus Uranus and then Saturn; with his Solar Arc MC conjunct his Neptune along the way – so an undermining time.

He’s got tr Uranus square his Jupiter later this month for an enthusiasm boost; and hopes he can return to touring if new medication works. Though with tr Neptune moving to square his Moon in 2018 he won’t be as energetic as he was.

There’s a fair amount of Saturn cross-overs in his relationship with Pamela Stephenson, as with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. She was born 4 Dec 1949 and is a Sun Mercury in Sagittarius square Mars Saturn in Virgo, so would have her own demons to work out. His Saturn opposes her Sun and her Saturn squares his Moon. There’s a Yod in their composite chart of Saturn sextile Moon inconjunct Venus – which would bring strains initially but clearly settled down.

Goldie Hawn – meditating her way to eternal youth

 

 

Goldie Hawn is back on screen after a 15 year absence playing Amy Schumer’s mother in Snatched, a comedy about a young woman who gets dumped by her boyfriend just before the pair are due to set off on an exotic holiday and persuades her risk-averse mother to accompany her on the trip instead.

Now an incredible 71 years old and still looking 39, she’s been talking about her interest in meditation, her Hawn Foundation Mindup programme to help traumatised children cope by meditating; and her 34 year old partnership with actor Kurt Russell, after two failed marriages.

She was born 21 November 1945 9.20am Washington DC with a Jewish mother and a Presbyterian father and her only ambition was to be a dancer. But Hollywood grabbed her and she was very bankable for three decades.

She has a friendly and intense Sun Scorpio in the 11th in a practical trine to Saturn in Cancer; with Jupiter conjunct her MC trine Uranus, so lucky breaks would come easily to her. She also has a megaton Mars Pluto in Leo in her 8th – often bubbly blondes who never seem to age like normal people have heavy charts. Her Mars Pluto squares a seductive Venus in Scorpio.

Kurt Russell, 17 March 1951 10.42am Springfield, MA, is a Sun Jupiter in Pisces opposition Saturn; with a Cancer Moon; and Mars and Venus in Aries trine Pluto.

Their Water sign Suns click, though it won’t always have been the easiest of relationships with her Saturn conjunct his Moon and square his Venus. But he is quite Saturnine with his own opposition; and his Saturn is sextile her Sun. Usually long running relationships require a fair amount of Saturn to give them durability.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus; although the composite Sun is on the focal point of a Yod to Uranus sextile Saturn, which would give rise to strains. But they will communicate well with an Air Grand Trine which will help. Plus a successful Jupiter in the 10th opposition a happy-family 4th house Moon square a filmic Neptune.

Harper Beckham – mini-entrepreneur to be reckoned with

 

Harper Beckham, all of five years old, now has her own patented trademark in the UK and Europe. It will allow her (Mum?) to bring out branded products including toys and clothing, and also protects Harper’s name in the entertainment industry. The names of Victoria and David Beckham’s three other children have also been registered.

Dynastic commerce wherever you look.

Harper, 10 July 2011 7.55am Los Angeles, looks the most likely of the clan to overtake her mother’s success in time. She has Jupiter in Taurus exactly conjunct her MC trine Pluto in the grandstanding 5th; with Pluto in a Cardinal Grand Cross opposition Venus in Cancer square Saturn opposition Uranus. Hugely restless, overflowing with initiative, grittily stubborn, determined to be seen as a person of substance, who’ll have a life sparkling with luck and revolving crises from the Grand Cross.

Not that the other three Beckham boys are short of Jupiter’s bounty. Brooklyn has Jupiter in Aries conjunct his Descendant trine Pluto. Romeo has Jupiter in Leo in the 10th trine Pluto. Both he and Brooklyn have the ‘rock star’ Uranus in the 5th as well. Cruz looks the quietest of the four but still has Jupiter in his hard working 6th in Libra sextile Pluto and trine Venus. [Chart details on astro.com]

Victoria Beckham, if 10.07am is a sound birth time, has Jupiter Venus on her MC which would fit with a successful and superficial life in the fashion business. David, pa, has a Jupiter in Aries opposition Pluto square Saturn. So a definitely expansive and pushy family.

Mind you nothing comes without a cost. None of them have easy Moon aspects. Victoria has an Aquarius Moon trine Mars Saturn in Gemini trine Uranus. Brooklyn has Moon Mars square Uranus; Romeo Moon Saturn trine Uranus trine Venus; Cruz Moon Saturn on his IC. Harper has least in the way of Moon problems with her Scorpio Moon trine her Cancer Sun; though her Moon does hard aspect her Saturn/Node and Uranus/Pluto midpoints, which suggests a cool, unsettled emotional life and mother. David has a Moon square Uranus and otherwise unaspected.

Alec Baldwin – parodying a mirror image of himself

     

 

Alec Baldwin’s career has had a reboot thanks to Donald Trump, with his satirical take offs on Saturday Night Live proving immensely popular. Though observers say it’s because Baldwin, famously hot-headed, ego-centric and thin-skinned, recognises himself in his comedy portrayal.

His memoir just out paints a picture of a talent mis-spent in drug and drink addiction, fighting with studio bosses and an ugly divorce from Kim Basinger and damaging custody disputes over their daughter.

Baldwin was born 3 April 1958 in New York, and is an upfront Sun Aries perhaps opposition a Libra Moon, trine Uranus in Leo and sextile Mars in Aquarius. His Uranus opposition Mars hits on Trump’s Pluto; his Pluto is conjunct Trump’s Asc and Mars; and Baldwin’s Saturn in Sagittarius is conjunct Trump’s Moon and opposition his Sun, so no surprises that the president regards him with extreme dislike and as a damaging influence on his image.

Their relationship chart has a deep-hatred composite Sun opposition Mars square Pluto, which is being challenged till late 2018 by Pluto transits.

What is intriguing is that Baldwin’s tempestuous affair and failed marriage with Kim Basinger, 8 Dec 1953 11.04am Athens, GA, also mirrors Trump, in that she was born only two weeks after Stephen Bannon. She has the same volatile Mars Neptune in Libra on the focal point of a T square to Uranus opposition North Node; and a Sagittarius Sun – all like Bannon. So clearly those of a volcanic temperament are attracted to similar – for as long as it lasts.

He and Basinger had a daughter, Ireland, over whom there was a protracted and toxic custody battle. She was born 23 Oct 1995 1.52pm Los Angeles, and has a 9th house New Moon in Libra; an ambitious and controlling Pluto Mars in the 10th; and her New Moon squares Uranus Neptune in Capricorn. So neither parent come across as exactly good news. Father is a chaotic and unpredictable Uranus Neptune; and her Mars Pluto in the 10th echo Natalie Wood with her famously pushy mother who also had the same. At present Ireland is a model with some acting experience. With her 9th house emphasis, she’ll probably live abroad at some point.

Baldwin is due for more success into 2018 as his Solar Arc Pluto is conjunct his Jupiter.

Jean-Marie Le Pen – unpleasant cv

   

 

Jean-Marie Le Pen, father of Marine, who started the far-right French Front National party in 1972, has been prosecuted for xenophobia and racism, Holocaust denial and hatred towards Muslims; has been convicted of assault; and accused of torture in Algeria when in the French army. Marine split away from him politically, reckoning rightly, that his views were too toxic for voters and has to some degree sanitised the Front National since taking over the leadership.

He was born 20 June 1928 3am Nantes, France, and has a 2nd house Sun Venus in Gemini, sitting on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine of Mars in Aries (conjunct Jupiter in Taurus) trine Neptune in Leo; with Saturn in Sagittarius; and Uranus in Aries square Pluto Mercury in Cancer. So plenty of Fire for hot air; an Air Sun for ideology; and Uranus square Pluto for troublemaking and a desire to upset the status quo. He also has a patriotic Cancer Moon in the 4th.

His relationship with Marine would always have been troubled with her Mars in an angry conjunction to his Moon; her self-reliant Saturn in Aries conjunct his aggressive Mars for more aggravation; his Pluto on her Midheaven creating a power struggle; his Saturn square her Jupiter and Pluto, so he’d be critical, dent her enthusiasm and try to block her will to power.

She’s more practical than he is with her four planets in earth signs.

Their relationship chart does indicate some affection from a composite Sun Venus Mercury; but the Sun is quincunx Saturn and Saturn is trine Mars and opposition Pluto. This would result in blockages, major irritations, a sense of being chained together and resenting it; and with the composite Mars trine Neptune, not mutually supportive. Their connection, not good at the moment, will be seriously shaken across the French election and after with tr Uranus square the composite Venus Mercury.

He has his Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Moon this year which does suggest a happy family event. Though tricky to say how he’d react if she won – he wouldn’t know whether to smile or rage.

North Korea – Trump’s Bay of Pigs moment

   

 

As the insults and threats escalate between North Korea and the USA, with China warning of the possibility of outright war, some additional thoughts to earlier posts (below). Kim Jong Un’s leadership chart is certainly at daggers drawn with tr Pluto trine Mars at the moment till the start of this June; and returning on and off till late 2018. Though he may have toppled before then.

China’s patience with North Korea looks at an end this year with tr Saturn square their composite Mars, Venus and exactly now Sun, all repeating on and off till later in 2017. Though they certainly don’t want a united Korea under American protection on their doorstep.

South Korea who are on the front-line look nervous, braced for an assault with tr Uranus trine their Saturn from April 24th till early May, and repeating Nov and Feb 2018. [Soft aspects often act like hard where country charts are concerned.) And trapped in a high-risk situation with tr Pluto square their Mars in mid July to early Sept, and late Oct to early December this year.

More concerning is the tr Uranus opposition Mars in the South Korea/North Korea relationship chart, which sparks off April 24th to early May, Nov, Feb 2018. That is disruptive, agitated, insecure and prone to explosive disruptions.

The USA/China relationship chart is at its most fraught in June to early July, across the New Year and on and off till late 2018 with tr Pluto square their composite Mars. So tempers are running very high in what appears to be at the very least an aggravated impasse, but could be more dangerous.

 

Post March 4 2017: North Korea will be the urgent headache were President Obama’s words to Donald Trump as he exited. With Kim Jong-Un now proudly proclaiming that their nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles are almost ready and fears in the USA that their defences against such an attack isn’t robust enough, tensions are mounting. And since the missile sites are widely dispersed and mobile, destroying them on the ground in advance isn’t an option.

The upcoming Leo Solar Eclipse in late August this year could be a crisis-point. The relationship chart between the USA and North Korea has Mars at 27 Leo, close to the Eclipse – which will also set a fuse under Donald Trump’s Mars Ascendant in Leo. The North Korea 9 Sept 1948 chart has Saturn at 28 Leo; and Kim Jong-Un’s leadership chart has Neptune on the Eclipse. He may be more delusional even than usual.

Kim Jong may be destabilised altogether by 2018 with the Solar Arc Uranus square the Sun Pluto on his leadership chart, 29 Dec 2011 11.57am. And the country looks even more bedraggled and impoverished than ever in 2018 with tr Neptune opposition the Virgo Sun.

James Mattis, Secy of Defense, does looked shocked around the August Eclipse with his Venus at 28 Leo; and is certainly facing a major jolt as his Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct his Sun, either later this year or into early 2018.

This may be joining too many dots together and whatever transpires could be entirely unconnected with several different scenarios running simultaneously.

If anything the USA/N Korea relationship chart points up 2017 as high tension; and 2018 as more likely for an engagement with tr Pluto sextile the composite Mars, tr Uranus square Uranus and trine Pluto.

Donald Trump’s astrocartography does have his Mars Desc running through western North Korea and China; with his Pluto Desc through eastern China – so it is a hot spot for him.

 

Post: Jan 5 2017

Twit-in-chief has been taking to the airwaves to sneer at North Korea’s claim to have a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the US. Experts believe N Korea hasn’t the technology to get most missiles off the ground never mind across 6,500 miles to the US. Not content with tramping Kim Jong Un underfoot, Trump took a sideswipe at China for not reining in North Korea. In turn, China warned the President-elect about not escalating the situation by provoking Kim Jong Un, who is a loose cannon at the best of times.

Trump has Mars on his Descendant relocated to North Korea so it is a region that will stoke his aggression. With both his Mars and Pluto in his relationship 7th house through China, matching the China natal Mars Pluto in the 7th – so a combustible combo.

Kim Jong Un’s birth date is questionable, ranging over 1983/84 with maybe different months. However his Leadership chart of 29 December 2011 11.57 am P’yonggang is sound. That chart is struggling through stormy seas in 2017/2018 from this March onwards with tr Pluto trine the Mars – enraged, frustrated and high-risk. Where he may come a cropper altogether is in 2018 with the Solar Arc Uranus square the Leadership Sun Pluto. That could tip him off his perch, with tr Uranus also opposition the Saturn in Libra.

He is facing internal problems from poverty and more so from the possibility of an assassination and coup. His brutal executions of reams of high level officials, including relatives, makes it more likely a last-resort retaliation comes at some point.

The North Korea, 9 September 1948 5.27pm? P’yonggang chart is deflated over coming months with the Solar Arc Mars squaring Neptune, so facing failure; with some change possible with an element of risk come 2018/19 as tr Saturn is conjunct the NK Uranus; and tr Uranus is trine the NK Saturn and opposition the Mars in Scorpio. It’ll be a time of change and insecurity.

The USA/NK relationship chart is intense and spitting this year with tr Pluto opposition the composite Venus; but not really getting agitated until 2018 with tr Uranus trine the composite Mars; and tr Pluto trine Saturn.

South Korea on the other hand looks on high alert this year vis a vis NK, especially March, April, May. China looks frosty in the extreme with tr Saturn square the composite Sun, Mars, Venus late this month and through February, as well as twice more before the end of this year.

Jeff Sessions – falling out of favour

 

 

Trump may be pirouetting on past campaign utterances but his new Attorney General Jeff Sessions is holding fast to hard-line policies – pressing pause on implementing police reforms, withdrawing Obama-era protections for transgender students in public schools; ramping up the rhetoric about illegal immigrants, which could see the system collapse under the weight of prosecutions; and giving a benign wave to private prison contractors who see a glorious profit ahead.

The intriguing question is how does Stephen Bannon’s fall from grace and perhaps exit in the not too distant future impact on Sessions, who was his mentor? Together they promoted many of the ideas, white nationalist and other, on Breitbart which proved a winning formula for Trump – until he started to ditch some of them.

Sessions relationship chart with Trump is under a chill till early May with tr Saturn square the composite Sun and Mercury, then moving on to square the composite Venus and repeating those on and off till later this year. With serious jolts and aggravation in 2018 as tr Uranus squares the composite Saturn and opposes Mars.

Neither Jared or Ivanka Kushner are comfortable with Sessions.

He looks bullish at times through 2017/18 with tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter; despite a tranche of discouraging Saturn transits to midpoints this year; and a definite cataclysm this month with tr Uranus opposition his Mars/Pluto. But where he strikes really rough seas will be in 2018/19 as tr Pluto squares his Sun/Saturn and Mars/Saturn midpoints, which will see him cornered and enfuriated. Plus tr Saturn conjunct his Sun and Mars and then square his Neptune. He won’t be so ebullient by that time.

Aung San Suu Kyi – the shine has come off the saintly martyr

 

 

Aung San Suu Kyi has proved a disappointment to her international admirers, hopeful of a new era of democracy, human rights and respect for minorities, when she took over as de facto political leader of Myanmar. Her significant failure has been to speak out against the army killing of Rohingya Muslims which amounts according to observers to a crime against humanity, a genocide. Her attitude was described by the NY Times as a ‘cowardly stance.’ The immense authority retained by the military does mean she has limited power over what happens in conflict areas. But she has gone further than stay silent and is trying to discredit the Rohingya victims of rape, accusing human rights groups and foreign journalists of exaggerations and fabrications.

Recent elections have seen a slide in her party’s popularity amid a deluge of bad press pointing to the slow pace of changes and over-centralisation of power. Foreign investment is set to plunge 30%. Those who know her say she inspires both devotion and fear – ‘charming and charismatic, as well as sharp and authoritarian. very keen to be the sole decision-make.’ ‘In meetings, she is dismissive, dictatorial – in some cases, belittling. The government has become ‘so centralised, there is complete fear of her’.

Born 19 June 1945 in Rangoon, she is a Sun Gemini with Uranus also in Gemini, both square Jupiter in Virgo. What hardens her chart is Mars Venus in Taurus square Pluto. She looks confident in 2017/18 with tr Pluto trine her Jupiter; though tr Saturn opposing her Sun will give her a few downers this year. Where she starts to get really unsettled will be in 2019 as tr Uranus is conjunct her Mars, moving onto square her Pluto, which will upset her applecart; with tr Neptune opposition her Jupiter in 2020.

The Myanmar (Burma) chart, 4 Jan 1948 4.20am Rangoon, does have a mutinous population this year with feelings running her as tr Pluto continues to square the Moon; and tr Neptune opposing the MC moving into the 4th, also indicates confusion about direction and internal uncertainty in the years ahead. Tr Neptune will square the Myanmar Jupiter in 2018 for a period of financial disappointment running till late 2019. And with tr Saturn running down through the first quadrant, aiming for the 2nd house of finances come 2018 onwards for two years, it won’t be a quick economic turnaround.

She’s certainly still hemmed in by the military but is clearly anti-Muslim and not the shining hope of the liberals who supported her through her years of house arrest.

Iraq & Haider al-Abadi – the winding road away from chaos

   

 

Iraq, under Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, is still trying to sort out the chaos following on from the botched aftermath of the 2003 US attack; get economic and political reforms in place; root out corruption, especially in the army; and fight off ISIL. After al-Abadi’s March Washington meet with Donald Trump he left heartened by promises of increased support. US senators said there needs to be more power-sharing with the Sunnis and progress in resolving tensions with the Kurds, with both of which al-Abadi seems to be making some headway against resistance.

His term started on 8 September 2014 with a Virgo Sun in a practical sextile to Saturn in Scorpio; with Saturn in a military/ultra-determined conjunction to Mars. This year and next tr Pluto sextiles the Saturn for an uphill struggle; with disappointments and weakness in 2018/19 with tr Neptune opposition the Sun.

His birthdate (unverified) is 25 April 1952 which would make him a Sun Taurus opposition Mars in Scorpio, with Mars square Pluto – so not short of grit or courage; with a reformist Uranus in Cancer square Saturn opposition Mercury in Aries. If accurate, this year and next look confused with tr Pluto square his Neptune; and jolted in 2019.

The Iraq, 23 Aug 1921 6am Baghdad, chart looks emotionally intense and wound up in 2017/18 with tr Pluto opposition Venus; and an unsettled population with tr Uranus square the Solar Arc Moon. This August’s Leo Solar Eclipse is also conjunct the Iraq Sun Mercury which may flare up a crisis. It’s a time at a cross roads for the country where significant decisions will be made which will have an impact on the road ahead. To date al-Abadi has been leaning towards Putin and Russia for help in quelling ISIL, but that relationship looks less settled ahead. As indeed does the USA/Iraq relationship which looks blocked and angry in Sept/Oct this year and heavily disrupted by 2019/2020.

Where there may be more confidence economically and otherwise is by 2019 when tr Pluto is trine the Iraq Jupiter for two years, though it’ll be one step forwards one step backwards since tr Pluto then moves on to trine the Iraq Saturn in 2020/21.