Venezuela – Cancer’s patriotism pushed beyond its limits

   

 

With Venezuela at starvation point and the world’s fastest inflation rate, President Nicolas Maduro is flailing around to find a solution to a problem caused largely by his own and his predecessor Hugo Chavez’s left-wing policies. Hundreds of thousands have fled to nearby Colombia with the economy near collapse and food and medicines out of reach for most of the population.

His Presidency chart, 19 April 2013 2.05pm Caracas is heading for an inflammatory collision come late April into May this year and again in early 2019 as tr Uranus is conjunct the Sun Mars in Aries. He’s under sanctions by most governments and described as a dictator.

Venezuela, 5 July 1811 3pm Caracas, if the time is sound, is certainly at its nadir financially and tr Saturn will soon conjunct the 2nd house Moon within weeks, making the population even more deprived. There is a Solar Arc Pluto square the Cancer Sun, exact now, which is a dead-halt; with the country continuing to be fractious throughout this year. With regrettably more Neptunian slumps over coming years. There’ll be a high in 2020 and then more setbacks with even more disenchanted citizens in 2020/21.

There’s no real indication from the charts of Maduro, 23 Nov 1962 9.03 pm – a reckless and chaotic Sun Sagittarius square Jupiter opposition Uranus Pluto – disappearing soon. Though he’ll continue to slide from mid 2018 onwards for eighteen months.

Hill & Bill – back in the firing line of scrutiny

   

 

The Justice Department has launched a new inquiry into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged in any pay-to-play politics or other illegal activities while Hillary Clinton served as secretary of State according to The Hill. Denials are flying along with accusations of political pressure from the White House. Though there have been stories in the New York Times and elsewhere for several years about donations to the Clinton Foundation or speech fees that fell around the time of favorable decisions by Clinton’s State Department.

Hillary never did look happy, astrologically speaking, around now with Solar Arc Saturn conjunct her Sun, within two minutes of a degree, so exact exact. Tr Pluto is also opposition her Mars/Uranus midpoint this month for a ‘violent intervention’ and high-stress. And tr Uranus is moving in February to oppose her Solar Arc Mars Pluto, which will be a hugely unsettling jolt; at the same time as an undermining and disappointing, power-eroding tr Neptune opposition her Jupiter/Pluto midpoint. A confused and devastated phase courtesy of tr Pluto as it starts to oppose her Sun/Neptune midpoint from late March, on and off for two years. With tr Uranus starting the disruptive opposition to her Sun from July onwards into 2019. All in all not a great year or two for her.

Even Bill’s customary aplomb may slip when tr Saturn squares his Ascendant, Mars, Neptune in February/March and on and off till late year, which will feel like a worrying setback. Plus he has an ‘emotional shock’ Solar Arc Venus opposition his Uranus now. Plus a drift of undermining Neptune transits to midpoints through this year and next. Assuming this is not health related, he’ll reboot his confidence in 2019 when his Solar Arc Pluto is conjunct and tr Pluto square his Jupiter.

Misha Glenny – treading on McMafia’s toes

   

 

Misha Glenny is steeped in the ways of a dangerous world. His book McMafia has been turned into a rip-roaring, quality BBC series but this isn’t fiction. He’s an investigative reporter and his thesis is that organised crime is a greater threat to the world than terrorism and now accounts for 15 per cent of the world’s economy. He said in a Times interview: “The McMafia culture has broken out of the confines of crime to politics and the whole super-rich culture. Leaders everywhere — Putin, Erdogan, Trump, the entire elite of Brazil — are engaged in financial dealings and activities which are absolutely outrageous but seen as the way of the world. Enron . . . was organised crime on a grand scale. What was going on in Fifa was mafia-style behaviour.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/mcmafia-culture-has-spread-to-politics-and-the-super-rich-says-misha-glenny-kz038qht8

He is convinced Russia interfered with both the US election and the Brexit referendum in order to spread chaos, especially in the EU, which is Putin’s greatest economic fear.

Born 25 April 1958 in London with a Russia studies academic father, he became a war reporter, covering the Yugoslav Wars, before turning his focus onto crime. After his McMafia book was published he advised several European governments on policy issues and has written another book, DarkMarket, on cyber criminals.

He’s a stalwart Sun Taurus opposition Neptune and trine Pluto in late Leo, so has that Neptune Pluto instinct for ambitions which hit the zeitgeist and in this instance also hook into Neptune Pluto’s propensity for scandal. He has a tough-minded Saturn in philosophical Sagittarius trine Pluto and more significantly Pluto opposition Mars in uncompromising Aquarius. Mars Pluto if mishandled could have sent him walking down a very dark road. But he chose to live out its ruthless energies in observing a brutal war at first hand; and then moved on to focus on the scary world of ferocious criminal masterminds.

Lily Cole & Heathcliffe – stirring up angst and fury

    

 

There’s a hissy fit going over at the Bronte Society over Cambridge Double First Lily Cole’s inclusion as a ‘creative partner’ for the bicentenary celebrations of Emily Bronte’s birth. She has made a short film about Wuthering Heights and its anti-hero Heathcliffe, which also focuses on women’s rights. All of the Bronte sisters initially published under pseudonyms for fear they wouldn’t be taken seriously. Lily Cole’s sin appears to that she was once a supermodel and is now an actress.

Emily Bronte was born 30 July 1818 at 2.49pm? Thornton, England and died aged 30 only a year after Wuthering Heights, her only novel, was first published. It’s now taken to be a classic of English literature.

Lily Cole was born 27 December 1987 in Torquay, England and is a creative and ambitious Sun, Mercury, Neptune in Capricorn with a fearsomely determined Pluto and Mars in Scorpio.

Emily Bronte’s Jupiter is conjunct her Sun, Neptune, Mercury so they are a good fit. Lily has an innovative Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius which is conjunct Emily’s highly-strung Uranus Neptune in Sagittarius; and Lily’s North Node in Pisces is conjunct Emily’s Pluto.

When Wuthering Heights came out it was assumed the author was a man because of the sex and violence. Victorian readers were ‘shocked and confounded by a tale of unchecked primal passions, replete with savage cruelty and outright barbarism.’ Lily Cole certainly tunes into that with her Mars Pluto in Scorpio. And with tr Mars now back in Scorpio, boosted by Jupiter, it’s clearly stoking up the same angst and fury.

Nothing like the literati for getting on their high horse about irrelevancies, when they perceive an outsider moving onto their patch.

“Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I can not live without my life! I can not live without my soul!” Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights.

Michael Wolff – playing Trump at his own game

   

 

Michael Wolff, who has lit a fuse under Trump with his Fire and Fury expose, is known as a ‘provocateur and media polemicist’ with a liking for stirring up arguments and is not above adding his own creative touches to his tales and inventing quotes. Not all of what he writes can be taken as gospel, however appealing the juicier titbits are.

Born 27 August 1953, he is, as befits a sort of journalist, a Sun Virgo. But what drives his chart is a ruthlessly determined, angry and flamboyant Mars Pluto Mercury in Leo, sextile expansive Jupiter on one side and Saturn Neptune on the other. When push comes to shove, he’ll bulldoze his way ahead.

This looks a year of high excitement, lots of publicity and some major disruptions for him. His Solar Arc Mars is conjunct his Neptune and square his Uranus, around now – which will certainly draw him into the public eye, though he may be quaking in his boots with trepidation since Mars Uranus can be insecure. February looks bullishly confident. In March tr Pluto will start to oppose his Uranus and square his Neptune from late month which looks confused, devastated and a complete turnaround in his life. That will run on through 2019, when he’s up against all manner of obstacles. April looks very jangled but also confident at the same time. These Uranus influences can go either way, perhaps tipping him into the history books as the man who brought down a president; or collapsing his life as it stands at present. It certainly won’t be the same by the end of this year.

His Pluto Mercury is conjunct Trump’s Mars, so a mighty clash of personalities – mind you they don’t seem that different. Wolff’s Uranus is conjunct Trump’s Saturn with Wolff’s Neptune Saturn square – so he homes in on Trump’s fear of being unloved. Their relationship chart does have a friendly composite Sun Venus, but that is being blown to smithereens come March/April this year. More pointedly it also has a megaton composite Pluto Jupiter Mars – plenty of scope for one-upmanship games in there.

This was always going to be Trump’s month from hell, running on from December, with tr Uranus whipping up a storm as it crashes into his Sun/Mars, Mercury/Pluto and Venus/Saturn midpoints – 1) impulsive, over-excited, overtaxing strength; (2) fanatical, great mental strain; 3) emotional stress, acute loneliness. Mercury/Pluto especially is usually highlighted when there are huge psychological pressures bearing down.

His Progressed Moon is now in his 12th house, always an introspective and can-be-discouraging time especially for those with no insight into themselves. It will be conjunct his 12th house Pluto in less than a month, bringing dark thoughts and a sense of being humiliated and trapped; and the Progressed Moon stays in his 12th for another 18 months.

Also building up a head of steam for him are two Solar Arcs – Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Mars, exact in less than six months’ time and Solar Arc Mercury square his Uranus in about 7 months. Both of those will put considerable strain on his self-esteem, perhaps to breaking point, given what we can see at the moment; and could trigger early. He’s likely to continue to be intemperate, hot-headed and determined to prove its machismo by wild actions – unless he’s stopped by colleagues or Mother Nature.

Harry destined to find a foreign bride

   

 

An astrologer spotted that Prince Harry would have a significant connection to America years before he proposed to Los Angeles-born Meghan. He does have Venus in his 9th house, suggesting that he would pick a bride from another country. And often one of the Venus lines on an astrocartography chart (birth chart plotted onto the world map) does indicate where love is likely to be found.  In Harry’s case, relocating his chart to Los Angeles puts his Venus on the Ascendant.

Yoko Ono born in Japan had her Venus midheaven line through Liverpool where John Lennon was born.

Relocating to a new place can highlight the energy of planets in a way that brings out a new side to the personality. In Meghan’s case, her entertaining and showy Leo Sun moves to the midheaven located to London, giving her an even greater chance to shine in the spotlight. Though suppressing some of her emotional needs since her Moon Saturn Jupiter Pluto all disappear into the hidden 12th house.

Fire and Fury in the Trump madhouse

   

 

Lest you’re suffering Trump withdrawal symptoms, now that everyone has got bored with same as same as/mine’s bigger than yours, there’s going to be renewed excitement with the publication next week of Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. Leaks to date suggest that Steve Bannon is getting his vengeful boot in describing Don Jnrs’ June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower as treasonous.

Letting Bannon go was always a risk (better inside p***ing out, than outside p***ing in) and he’s making the most of it, pouring venom over Don Jnr and Ivanka/Jared. Relationship charts with all three have a tumultuous composite Sun square Uranus Pluto which is adept at collapsing structures, turning everything upside down and generally creating havoc. Ivanka especially since in her and SB’s case a vicious Mars is added into the mix. And on cue, both Jared and Don Jnr’s relationship with Bannon is taking a sharp dip this month with tr Neptune square the composite Mars, causing panic. With Jared ploughing through very heavy seas vis a vis Bannon come mid March onwards. Jared does, of course have tr Pluto grinding its way across his Sun from next month on and off till late 2019.

Himself, the overlord, is certainly not enchanted with Bannon this month with tr Neptune returning to oppose their composite Mercury, moving on to oppose the composite Sun Saturn from early March, so relations can only deteriorate.

Just to add to the madhouse mood, the Foreign Policy team (is there one?) are evidently at each other’s throats with National Security adviser HR McMaster and Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State, warring constantly. That is hardly surprising since their relationship chart has a hostile, power-struggling Mars Pluto square Sun – and that was never going to work. It’ll come to a head by mid April, if Tillerson stays around. Not that Donald Trump finds McMaster an easy bed-fellow with a composite Mars Uranus square Neptune as their chemistry, which was at boiling point in December and again through this year.

Ahed Tamimi – Israel running scared of a 16 year old

   

 

Ahmed Tamimi is a 16 year old Palestinian girl who was arrested for slapping an Israeli soldier (in full protective battle kit) after he and his colleagues had parked on her family’s land, fired a rubber bullet into her 14 year old cousin’s face and fired tear gas into their house. She is described as ‘a risk’ to Israel, has been held in isolation and denied access to her parents during interrogation.

She comes from a family who have been engaged in active resistance to Israel’s occupation. From 2013 onwards, they have staged regular demonstrations against the military and the nearby settlers who have taken over their lands and water spring. The protests are met with tear gas, rubber bullets, skunk water and live ammunition. In 2012, Ahed’s father was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. In 2013, her uncle was killed by a tear gas canister shot to the head. In 2014, her mother was almost permanently disabled when she was shot in the leg. In 2015, a video of Ahed preventing her younger brother from being arrested went viral. Her cousins and her older brother have spent time in Israeli prisons.

She’s a feisty and charming Sun Venus in Aries sextile Neptune in Aquarius on one side and Jupiter in Gemini on the other – so pro-active and idealistic. She’s also got an angry, frustrated Mars Pluto in Sagittarius; and a fairly autocratic Saturn in stubborn Taurus square Uranus. Not one, even at her young age, to be compliant to the transgressing occupiers.

Her Saturn is conjunct the Israel Taurus Sun and squares the Israel Mars in Leo with her Uranus in opposition to the Israel Mars so it’s an inflammatory and unyielding combination. The relationship chart has a bleak, chained-together Saturn (Moon) square Pluto; and an explosive composite Mars opposition Uranus.

When will the Israelis ever learn that you cannot take people’s land, force them to live without electricity, food, water and medical care at times and then expect them to come up smiling sweetly and saying ‘yes sir.’  They should be hanging their heads in shame, except they won’t.

 

Paris Hilton – triumph of hope over experience

   

 

Paris ‘famous for being famous’ Hilton, American socialite, model, singer, actress, own-brand promoter and media celeb, has ventured for the third time into betrothal. Twice promised before, never married. She’s the great granddaughter of the Hilton Hotels founder and has been a regular tabloid headline since her teens, with a sex-tape scandal, a DUI charge, jail time for driving over the speed limit on a suspended licence, arrested for cannabis possession, and making derogatory comments about gays.

Born 17 February 1981 at 2.30am (rectified) New York, she’s a freewheeling Sun Mercury and Venus in Aquarius with a flamboyant Leo Moon. She has a Yod of Mars in Pisces in the 3rd (drives too fast) inconjunct Moon sextile Saturn Jupiter in Libra in her 10th – which will make her reckless and self-willed as well as self-defeating. Jupiter in her 10th guarantees her luck in her career and social standing; Saturn should make her a good organiser.

Whether this hitching on a pricey $2 million engagement sparkler, will work out any better than her previous attempts is questionable.

Actor Chris Zylka, 9 May 1985, whom she’s been walking out for two years, is a minorly successful actor from a Ukrainian family. He’s a Sun Taurus opposition Saturn in Scorpio, so determined and stubborn; with a hard-working Capricorn Moon and Venus in upfront Aries. His Saturn is conjunct her Uranus so there will be tensions from differing lifestyle choices – she wildly rebellious; he more focussed on practicalities. His Pluto is also square her Moon which will be cosily close initially but could turn possessive. His Jupiter is conjunct her Venus and his Venus is opposition her Jupiter – so great for superficial frivolity and indulgence but less so for the nitty gritty of even a super-wealthy everyday life. She’s an Air Sun, Fire Moon, so flies around in a hot-air balloon; while he’s a more grounded Earth Sun and Moon. Opposites can attract but often don’t stay the course.

Their relationship chart has an adventurous composite Sun trine Uranus Jupiter which will provide excitement and high jinks; though the composite Venus square Uranus Jupiter hints at a switch-on, switch-off emotional attachment. Worse there’s a power-struggling (and could turn bitter) composite Mars opposition Pluto. The composite Moon may be conjunct either Pluto or Saturn, or both, which is a touch bleak. It’ll catch a draught before late 2018 with tr Saturn square the composite Sun; and be seriously aggravated in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto square the composite Mars. Though even before then from April 2018 onwards it looks to be getting progressively rockier. Not even a happy-ever-after fairytale romance to cheer the USA up.