Marjorie

Michael Fassbender has married Alicia Vikander on the Spanish island of Ibiza whom he met while filming The Light Between Oceans three years ago. He’s got a sterling track record of Inglourious Basterds, 12 Years a Slave and Steve Jobs though his recent Snowman has had poor reviews. Alicia Vikander, eleven years younger, has still managed to accumulate a handful of acclaimed performances in Testament of Youth, Anna Karenina, The Danish Girl. He’s born 2 April 1977 12.30am Heidelburg, Germany; she 3 October 1988 Gothenburg, Sweden.

It’s quiet a feisty match since he has an Aries Sun opposition Pluto on his midheaven, while she is a Libra Sun opposition Mars in Aries. He’ll be keen on control while she’ll be pro-active and impulsive. Both have Venus in Fire signs, hers in Leo and his in Aries, which is good for keeping them in tune. He’s got a Virgo Moon sextile her Pluto; while her Cancer Moon falls in his 8^th for a profound connection.

Their relationship chart has a composite Sun square Saturn which hints that too much work may get in the way of pleasure; an adventurous Jupiter opposition Uranus; and a composite Venus opposition Neptune square Mars – ethereal, romantic, passionate, though with a few ego-clashes or conflicts from opposing career needs getting in the way. The composite Mercury squares Pluto and trines Mars – so discussions will get heated. Not the easiest of relationships but it won’t be boring.

From a December 29 2016 post: Actor Michael Fassbender is aiming for some downtime after a making a dozen movies over the past five years. He garnered Oscar nominations and multiple awards for several – 12 Years a Slave, Shame, Steve Jobs and MacBeth and has three in post-production for 2017. He even mentioned perhaps giving up acting in future.

All of which fits with tr Saturn moving below his Sagittarius Ascendant. 2 April 1977 12.30am Heidelberg, Germany. This is a time when old ambitions lose their enthusiasm and there is no longer the physical or mental energy to carry on at the full tilt of the previous few years. It’s a time to stop and re-think a future path, which may take a year or two.

Having said all that, he has a powerfully confident and influential chart so he’s not going to disappear down a rabbit hole. His Aries Sun Venus are in an inspirational, entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine to filmic Neptune on his Ascendant trine Saturn in Leo, formed into an even more talented and hard-driving Kite with Sun Venus opposition Pluto exactly on his Midheaven. I’d imagine he may focus on his production company for a while and perhaps more so as he gets older. Pluto on the MC likes to be in control.

Through 2017/18 he does have tr Pluto square his Mars/Jupiter midpoint which should fuel his fertile imagination and channel his energy into new projects. There’s lots ahead for him though he may wind down some acting commitments for a while.

Iraqi government forces have captured key installations outside the disputed city of Kirkuk from Kurdish fighters, in what threatens to be a new conflict in Iraq. Both sides are seen as Western allies since the Kurds were key to defeating ISIS. The Kurds recently voted for independence; the Iraqi government wants the oilfields and a unified country.

An additional complication is that Iraqi Kurds see themselves as part of Greater Kurdistan, territories of which are in Turkey, Syria and Iran, so a Kurdish victory in Iraq could de-stabilise the whole of the Middle East. The carve up of the defunct Ottoman Empire by the Brit and French super-powers of the day during WW1 took no account of ethnic identities with arbitrary lines being drawn on maps – the consequences of which are still the cause of unrest 100 years later.

Dates are hard to come by though the Iraqi Kurdistan did become a semi-autonomous region on 11 March 1970, which didn’t hold as another war broke out, and a further rebellion in the 1980s which was brutally put down. That chart looks blocked this year; but making some headway in 2018/19 with tr Pluto sextile the Sun; with a fair amount of turmoil in 2019 as tr Uranus is conjunct the Mars Saturn and opposition Jupiter, bringing setbacks and highs.

Masoud Barzani, the President of the Iraqi Kurds, 16 August 1946, has a Leo Sun on the midpoint of a Jupiter in Libra trine Uranus; with Saturn Mercury Pluto in Leo sextile Mars, Neptune, Venus in Libra – a mix of tough-minded, lucky, adventurous, lucky and stubborn. He’s not winning much for a couple of years; but could start to see results around 2020.

The Iraq 23 August 1921 6am Baghdad chart, does show this year as a crisis point with the August Leo Eclipse closely conjunct the Iraq Leo Sun; and the Solar Arc MC opposition the 7^th house Uranus, which is an apt description of rebellions and splits. It’ll be a long haul out of the present mire but 2019/2020 might give some hope with tr Pluto trine the Iraq Jupiter, though it’ll be a stop-start, one step forwards one step backwards process, since tr Pluto then moves to trine the Saturn in 2020/2021 for a tough struggle.

The most iconic spy of all time – Mata Hari – was executed exactly 100 years ago today. Prior to WW1 she had been a legendary ‘femme fatale’ of ‘Belle Epoque’ Paris, where her she more or less invented the striptease as a form of dance and her lovers included ministers, industrialists and generals. Then came the war and information replaced sex as the currency of the moment. Historians argue over whether she was a German spy or a double-agent and she may have died as a scapegoat, sacrificed, some say, because the French needed to find a spy to explain their succession of reverses in the war.

Born Margarethe Zelle on 7 August 1876 1pm Leeuwarden, Netherlands, at 18 she married an abusive, alcoholic officer in the Dutch East Indies and probably contracted syphilis from him which may have killed one of their two children. She ran away to Paris performed as a circus horse rider, became an artist’s model and then gained fame for her exotic dances.

She had quite a collection of Sun, Mars, Mercury and Uranus in Leo squaring onto a super-confident Jupiter in Scorpio opposition Pluto in Taurus in her 7^th. So not shy and retiring – flamboyant, wayward, attention-demanding. Her 4^th house Pisces Moon conjunct Saturn was trine Venus in Cancer, not making for a happy emotional life.

Her creative 5^th and 7^th and actresses’ 15H are all strongly aspected; as was her self-defeating 10H; and her leaving-a-mark-on-history 17H.

Evidently she dressed with style for her death, refused to be blindfolded and blew a kiss to her executioners. At that point she was on her mid-life crisis Uranus Half Return and Neptune quarter Return; with tr Neptune Saturn and Mars all in Leo. Tr Jupiter was just into her 8^th and Jupiter was also in the 8^th on her Solar Return for that year, so at 39 she was somehow at peace for this transition. Her Solar Return also had a brutal, destructive Mars Pluto in Cancer opposition the Node Capricorn. An extraordinary life.

Actor and director Tom Hanks with credits and awards galore – Sleepless in Seattle, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Band of Brothers, Saving Mr Banks – has now produced a collection of short stories. Untypically for Hollywood he appears to live an enviably quiet domestic with his second wife whom he married in 1988.

Born 9 July 1956 11.17am Concord, CA, he’s a Sun Cancer (like Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise) with a Water Grand Trine of Sun to Mars in Pisces trine Saturn in Scorpio, making him private, emotionally self-protective, creative and a healing presence for others. His Saturn is in an enduring square to a confident Pluto conjunct Jupiter; his Leo Moon is conjunct Uranus, suiting him for a constantly-changing career and work relationships; and charming Venus in Gemini on his midheaven trines filmic Neptune in his financial 2^nd house.

His wife, Rita Wilson, 26 October 1956, is an actress and filmmaker, though has concentrated on raising their two children and stepchildren; she had breast cancer and a double mastectomy last year.  She’s a Sun Neptune in Scorpio which squares her Moon Uranus in Leo; with Saturn conjunct her Sagittarius Ascendant square Pluto; Venus Jupiter on her midheaven; and Mars in Pisces – so she’s fairly similar to her husband and each will understand the other’s quirks and lifestyle. His Venus MC falls in her 7^th house of marriage, which is ideal; with his Sun making a deep connection in her 8^th. Her Jupiter Venus falls in his 1^st conjunct his Ascendant which is another positive relationship cross over. Their relationship chart has a mutually supportive composite Sun Jupiter conjunction in an adventurous opposition to Mars.

He’s had a pressured two years with tr Uranus and tr Pluto both in hard aspect to his Cancer Sun but he’ll finish that by this year end. Tr Saturn is now moving into his 2^nd quadrant so he’ll be harder working from here on in – comparatively speaking since he’s not been exactly idle.

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Every family has one. But a black sheep must be toe-curlingly embarrassing for a family as socially ambitious as the Middletons. The Duchess of Cambridge’s uncle Gary, brother to Carole, has been arrested charged with assaulting his wife following a night out at a London charity event. According to the Daily Mail, they are said to have had a furious row about his alleged cocaine use before he punched her in the eye with his left fist and left her unconscious after she struck her head on the pavement. The taxi driver who had brought them home intervened and phoned the police.

Goldsmith, 29 April 1965, is an indulgent Sun Venus in Taurus; with a volatile and explosive collection of Mars Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn; and a Yod of Neptune sextile Pluto inconjunct Mercury in Aries which will make him assertive and impatient.

He’s been in trouble before, being caught on camera snorting cocaine at his Ibiza house, and offering an undercover reporter drugs and Brazilian prostitutes, some years ago. He’s now on his fourth wife, Julie-Ann, a convicted fraudster who siphoned off £250,000 from a luxury car firm, where she worked and blew it on Rolex watches and Mercedes sports cars. She was given a suspended sentence after the judge was told she had endured a troubled and deprived childhood. She then dated a string of rich and successful men, including a self-made communications millionaire before he was declared bankrupt. She then moved on to Goldsmith, who made a fortune by selling his recruitment firm, Computer Futures, for £275 million. No date for her sadly.

Uncle Gary looks suitably dashed until early January 2018 with tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Pluto and square his Mars/Saturn midpoints. Tr Neptune continues to oppose his Pluto and conjunct his Saturn till early 2019. But he still looks all systems-go in 2018/19/20 with tr Pluto trine his Sun/Jupiter, opposition his Mars/Jupiter and then opposition his Jupiter/Uranus, all of which will hype his confidence into overdrive, so he won’t be playing cautiously.

The Royals and Carole backed off after the Ibiza episode; and look to be distancing themselves further, this later this month into November. Both seem fond of him with Carole’s Taurus Moon chiming with his Sun Venus and Kate’s Jupiter in Scorpio ditto. But with strong reservations. Carole’s Mars is conjunct his Mercury Moon which is an argumentative interface. And his rumbustious Mars Uranus Pluto trines Kate’s Sun and squares her Uranus which will unnerve her.

The stock market doomsayers are predicting a massive crash in shares, some saying the US markets are over-valued by 80%. They may be just be being their usual catastropherian selves, so who knows? Markets sometimes have a perverse way of running against the economy. The astrology of finance charts isn’t always that great an indicator but for what it’s worth.

The Nasdaq, 8 Feb 1971 9am NY, points to tough times now, with Solar Arc Pluto opposition Saturn, though that isn’t showing up in the figures. With some dips in December/early 2018; panic and a road-block in 2019/2020. Then a high in 2021.

The Dow Jones, 26 May 1896 9.11 am NY, looks Ok for a few months, though with a setback or two early and late 2018; an odd combination of luck and a shock in 2019; and a definite high in 2021/22.

The New York Stock Exchange, 17 May 1792 7.52am NY, is high tension this year into early 2018; pushing bullishly ahead in 2019/2020 though with an undercurrent of bubble bursting, which runs for several years thereafter.

The UK FTSE 100 and 250 charts, which don’t have the Trump problem but do have Brexit, are both on record highs at the moment. The FTSE 250, 12 Oct 1992, trading on domestic companies, looks to be hitting a major setback in later 2018. While the FTSE 100 is indicating upsets in 2018; and more major frustrations in 2021/22.

Spain is on a knife-edge this weekend with a Monday 10am deadline for the Catalonia leader to clarify if he has declared independence. If the answer is Yes, which the pro-secession hardliners are pushing for, then Madrid would impose direct rule. Either way it could end up with blood on the streets. With Jean-Claude Juncker voicing his fears that a breakaway Catalonia would cause a domino effect that could splinter the EU. Carles Puigdemont, the Catalonia leader has asked Mariano Rajoy, the PM, for negotiations but he’s clear in no mood to budge.

Puigdemont, 29 December 1962, is a Sun Capricorn trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo, so rebellious by temperament; with a confident, risk-taking Jupiter opposition Uranus Pluto. His Mars in Leo square an intensely emotional and idealistic Venus Neptune in Scorpio collides with Rajoy’s Pluto in Leo square Mars in Taurus opposition Saturn – so it’s bulldozer-meets- brick-wall chemistry.

There’s nothing much on either the Spain 1975 or 1479 charts to suggest outright civil war. Though both charts look jangled and undermined in 2018/2019. Puigdemont looks at odds with both charts, especially in November and early in 2018.

A compromise would be sensible but Rajoy isn’t the man to make it. (See posts Oct 1 & 2 2017)

Ronan Farrow is the investigative journalist who swung a wrecking ball through the Hollywood glitterati and set off a tsunami of allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Farrow is the son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen; and has a personal beef against Weinstein who rescued Woody Allen’s career after his acrimonious divorce from Mia and custody battle with allegations of child abuse flying (and denied). Ronan is estranged from his father now married to his stepsister, and protective of his sister Dylan who made the original allegations. Farrow claims that journalists and broadcasters have in the past ignored the allegations of sexual abuse by “powerful men” like his father, and Bill Cosby; and said that too often the legal system “fails the vulnerable” and reporters fail to give victims a voice “as they face off against the powerful.”

Born 19 December 1987 at 10.49am New York, (2 days after Chelsea Manning), he’s got five planets in crusading Sagittarius in his ambitious 10^th house. His Moon is exactly conjunct his midheaven suiting him for a public career, with a collection of serious, well-organised Saturn, communicative Mercury, a rebellious/innovative Uranus and Sun all conjunct. He’s custom-built for hard-work and high ambitions. His 2^nd house Jupiter in pro-active Aries is trine all his Sagittarius planets giving him confidence and luck. He’s also very angry, obsessively so, with Mars Pluto in Scorpio in his publishing/lecturing 9^th house.

Woody Allen is also a Sun Sagittarius with Jupiter Mercury conjunct; and a Mars opposition Pluto; and the Mars Pluto theme repeats in their relationship chart with a hostile Pluto square Sun Mars.

Ronan at the moment has his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Moon and MC, so a significant moment in his career with more influence. Though tr Neptune is also square all three into early 2018, so not altogether easy. He’s also exactly on his first Saturn Return, which is a significant marker. Tr Saturn is now at its career peak in his chart for the next six or seven years. It won’t all be straightforward since his life especially at work will tend to go in ups and downs.

Poor USA, what a perfect storm of rolling catastrophes, with a manic president wreaking havoc from the White House, unprecedented natural disasters, the worst ever mass shooting and now their favourite flagship industry sinking under a sea of sleaze. It’s almost karmic. Plagues, pestilence and famine in their modern-day equivalents.

The August Leo Eclipse did oppose the USA (11am) 5^th house Aquarius Moon, which would point to the entertainment business being in a state of severe shock relating to attitudes to women (Moon); with tr Saturn square the USA filmic Neptune when the Weinstein scandal broke, which is in a showbizzy square to the USA Mars – pointing to a significant setback, anger and uncertainty.

The tr Uranus square Mercury opposition Pluto (2017/18) also probably has its part to play – having been around during ‘Troopergate’ in 1994/5, (Jupiter was in Scorpio in 1994), when sexual allegations against Bill Clinton first erupted, which arguably led four years later to his impeachment over Lewinsky. The tr Uranus square Mercury opposition Pluto was also around during Watergate and when McCarthy was stirring up hysteria about commies-under-the-bed .

What may also be a factor is tr Pluto edging its way towards its first return since the USA’s foundation. That doesn’t hit exact until 2022, but Pluto, being slow moving, tends to cast a long shadow in both directions. And what may be a precursor of scandals and confusion to come is tr Pluto trine the USA Neptune which will shake the USA Pluto as well since they are tied together in trine natally.

Tr Pluto trine the USA Neptune picks up from early 2019 till late 2020 – past experience would connect it to scandals, obsessions and megalomania. The last time tr Pluto hit that Neptune was in a conjunction in Virgo, along with tr Uranus, during the civil-rights and anti-Vietnam War turmoil of the mid-1960s. Then roll back one, to the 1930s Great Depression when tr Pluto in Cancer was sextile the USA Neptune and opposition the USA Pluto.

It truly is a significant game-changing phase in USA history, running over the next several years.