John McCain – Senate stalwart battling on

John McCain, Arizona senator and chairman of the Armed Services Committee is recovering after surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. There are concerns his recovery may take longer than expected. He has a history of malignant melanomas, the most recent in a location near the eye which had been causing him problems.

He was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for five and a half years, badly injured and severely tortured.

He has a successful (especially in later life) Jupiter in his 10th which is square his Virgo Sun and trine Mars in Leo, so despite being pushed past his breaking point by the Vietcong, he’ll always have harboured a nugget of optimism inside about the future. He’ll be 81 this September so it’s a miracle he’s done as well as he has given the ordeal he went through.

Tr Uranus is square his Pluto this year suggesting a significant change of lifestyle; and what is minorly worrisome is that the early August Lunar Eclipse will be exactly in opposition to his 6th house Mars; and the late January 2018 Lunar Eclipse is conjunct his Mars. He’ll be lower in energy and enthusiasm with tr Neptune square his Jupiter in 2018. He may not feel like battling on with his old vigour, but hopefully will be around pitching in his contribution for a while yet.

His victim/healer 12th Harmonic and his grittily-persevering 16H both have Saturn Mars Pluto tied together, so he’s got courage in the face of brutality. His 17H is even more marked suggesting his influence will live on.

R Kelly – grim childhood fuels success & problems

 

R Kelly, the most successful R&B singer of the past 25 years has added another scandal (hotly denied) to his resume, after several parents allegedly reported they hadn’t seen their daughters in months and that he was holding them in an “abusive cult”.

A Buzz Feed report accuses the singer of brainwashing women, who got closer to him in an effort to boost their musical careers. That included rules about what they could eat and wear, when to bath and sleep and how to engage in sexual encounters recorded by him. In 2008, he was acquitted of 14 charges of making child pornography after a videotape emerged allegedly showing him having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

Born 8 January 1967 in Chicago, he grew up with a single mother and a house full of women and was sexually abused by a woman 10 years older than him, which left him ashamed he said in his autobiography. He’s certainly got a heavyweight chart. His Capricorn Sun is in an assertive square to Mars in Libra and trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo and trine a Taurus North Node; with Uranus Pluto opposition Saturn almost certainly squaring onto a Sagittarius Moon. Such a focal point Moon will point to a public career but he’ll be controlling, unpredictable, emotionally chaotic, highly ambitious and quite aggressive.  (Check wiki for his previous brushes with the law).

He’s under huge pressure at the moment with tr Pluto conjunct his Sun and square his Mars, exact now till early September and again in November. Plus tr Saturn square his Uranus and Saturn, possibly conjunct his Moon till late this year. And his Solar Arc Venus will conjunct his Saturn and oppose his Uranus either 2017 or 2018, so emotionally stressed.

He’ll no doubt bounce back and it probably won’t harm his street cred. But worrisome that he’s an icon for a good many fans.

Garbine Muguruza – a force to be reckoned with

 

The Women’s Wimbledon Champion is Garbine Muguruza, a Venezuelan-born Spanish player, who won last year’s French Open, beating Serena Williams in the second round; and is currently ranked No 5.

She started playing tennis at 3 and turned pro in 2012 when she was 19.

She’s got a confident, enthusiastic Sun Jupiter in Libra trine Saturn in meticulous Aquarius, and square highly-strung Uranus Neptune in Capricorn. Her Venus in Virgo trines Uranus Neptune, sextiling onto Pluto; and Pluto is in an unyielding square to Saturn. Plus a fierce Mars Mercury in Scorpio. Her playing style is explosive, aggressive with a powerful and very fast serve.

Her ‘obsessive’ and can-be fanatical 11th Harmonic is exceptionally strong; as is her 5H and her ultra-determined 8H. Her IIH and 8H tie together Mars Pluto and Saturn, so she gives no hostages to fortune.

Despite her upbeat, optimistic Sun Jupiter in Libra, she looks quite a tough nut and will attract strong responses from others not always favourable. But barring injury, she certainly looks likely to last.

Jodie Whittaker – lady Time Lord enchants and irks fans

 

 

Dr Who fans are split between jubilation and outrage at the news that actress Jodie Whittaker will take over the role of the sci-fi time lord Dr Who in the next TV series when Peter Capaldi steps down at the end of this year. She’ll be the 13th reincarnation of the ever-changing time traveller, who has a massive and vocal cult following.

The BBC series first launched at 6.15pm on 23 November 1963 with a 5th house Sagittarius (much travelled) Sun and mysterious Neptune also in the entertaining 5th. Jupiter in Aries in the 10th points to success especially after time; and there’s a pushing-the-boundaries, on-the-leading-edge Uranus Pluto conjunction square Mercury. Mars Venus are the other two planets in adventuring Sagittarius; and there’s a Saturn Moon in scientific Aquarius which sit in Sagittarius’s natural house the 9th.

Jodie Whittaker, 3 June 1982, has a solid career behind her on stage, TV and film – Broadchurch most recently and also other sci-fi dramas. She’s a Sun Mercury in Gemini with Uranus and Neptune in Sagittarius. So her Uranus is conjunct the Dr Who Sun for a radical change. Her Mars in Libra aspects her Mercury and Uranus, so she’ll be sparky and with Saturn Pluto conjunct also tough; plus she has an indulgent sociable Venus in Taurus opposition Jupiter (Moon) in Scorpio. Quite a mix of light and shade. Tr Uranus will oppose her Jupiter from mid 2018 for several months for an enthusiasm bounce; and conjunct her Venus in 2019 – so an exciting time. She’s certainly looking energised and upbeat from now till early September and again in November.

Bernie Sanders – on a slippery slope downhill

 

A major Democratic donor has been pushing to get Bernie Sanders back into the race for 2020, saying his fight against inequality is the only that matters. But an investigation into a land deal done by his wife in 2010, according to the NY Times, “is threatening to take some of the luster off the senator’s populist appeal, attaching the phrase “bank fraud” to the biography of a politician practically sainted on the left for his stands against “millionaires and billionaires.” His supporters say it’s a politically motivated and a conspiracy, but it will bring unwelcome publicity all the same.

Born 8 September 1941 12.27pm, New York (time is astrotheme so questionable), he has a Virgo Sun square Jupiter in Gemini, which is being undermined by tr Neptune opposition in 2018; and square Jupiter in 2020. And by 2019 he’s also picked up the trapped, enraging tr Pluto square his Mars for two years. His Solar Arc Neptune is also square his Sun in 2020.So not looking good.

Maryam Mirzakhani – leading edge thinker gone too young

 

Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman and Iranian to receive the prestigious Fields Medal for mathematics for her work on complex geometry and dynamical systems, has died in the US of cancer aged 40. Born in Teheran on 3 May 1977, she moved to do post grad at Harvard and was married to a Czech theoretical computer scientist and mathematician with a daughter.

She had an extraordinary and very high pressure chart with her Taurus Sun Mercury opposition inventive Uranus (Moon) in Scorpio square Saturn in Leo – so had perseverance in spades and sudden flashes of insight, and she would want to build a reputation with Saturn in Leo. She also had an inspirational Fire Grand Trine of Saturn trine Venus Mars in Aries trine Neptune in Sagittarius, formed into a Kite by Venus (Mars) opposition Pluto – so ultra-determined and influential, pushing back the boundaries of knowledge with that Pluto. Neptune oddly enough is often found emphasised in the charts of high-level mathematicians. Plus a Yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct her Sun – so an outsider who found her niche and mission in life.

Those configurations which dominated her chart – a Fixed T Square, Kite  and Yod – had moved by Solar Arc to collide four years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer which spread to her bones. Her Solar Arc Mars was opposition her Uranus in 2013, moving on to square her Saturn and then conjunct her Sun last year. Her Neptune was also under assault from Solar Arc Saturn and Uranus, so it would be a truly punishing few years.

Her 5th Harmonic (quintiles) was strong. It indicates an ability to see the connectedness in what initially seems disjointed, forging links; and is associated with the mind and its ability to construct, arrange, put together.

A sad loss for someone so young and so talented.

Walking Dead – high kill rate and ratings – Andrew Lincoln

 

 

A fatal accident on the set of The Walking Dead stopped filming temporarily when a stunt man fell to his death. The Walking Dead, launched 31 Oct 2010, now on season 7, is a post-apocalyptic, zombie horror television series, which has the highest viewership for a cable show ever. It is most popular, as are other zombie shows, in rural areas, particularly Appalachia, southern Texas, and eastern Kentucky, and overall is split 50-50 between men and women, with a lean towards younger viewers.

The launch chart has an intense Sun Venus in Scorpio with the Sun sitting on the midpoint of Saturn and Mars which fits for a drama about the undead. Pluto North Node in Capricorn is in a bleak square to Saturn and semi-sextile Mars as befits the grim subject – one fan blogger totted up 1200 slaughtered in season 6 (500 more than Game of Thrones), some of them non-human – presumably the latter can’t be undead, since they won’t be killable. Never having watched it I’m not sure which alien species this covers. There’s also a Mars trine Uranus for high-adrenaline action and Uranus in a lucky conjunction to Jupiter. Evidently this season is losing viewers, perhaps to do with tr Saturn squaring that Jupiter Uranus. Tr Pluto is also square the Solar Arc Saturn over the tragic death of the crew member; and Solar Arc Pluto is exactly square Saturn within 18 months so perhaps it is drawing to an unnatural end.

Lead actor is Andrew Lincoln, 14 September 1973, London, UK, who is a Sun Virgo. He, like the show, has a Pluto square Saturn, formed into a T square by his North Node, so he is tough enough to fit the genre and quite controlled. Plus he has an earthy, determined Mars in Taurus opposition Venus in Scorpio square Jupiter in Aquarius; with Jupiter trine Pluto, sextile Neptune. His emphasised Fixed Jupiter will make him idealistic, confident and  indulgent. He also has two Yods – Jupiter sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn, and Mars sextile Saturn inconjunct Neptune. The first is challenging to live up to and the second will suit him to the creative, movie business. Though he’ll never feel he fits in.

2018/19 will be years of radical change for him with tr Pluto square his Uranus, though he has a healthy CV behind him for much lauded parts in Brit TV as well as films. He’ll pick up tr Uranus square his focal point Jupiter in 2018 so new doors will certainly open for him when this is over.

Bastille Day – the reign of terror – Trump, Macron and Merkel

       

 

Donald Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron have been pomp and circumstancing their way through Bastille Day in France. Both have Mars in Leo and Macron has Sun Venus Neptune Mercury in Sagittarius to chime with DT’s Moon. They revel in flamboyance, military parades and gaudy shows.

Bastille Day celebrates the first storming in 1789 of the hated mediaeval fortress and political prison in Paris, a symbol of royal tyranny. It was the flashpoint of the blood-drenched French Revolution, which led to the Republic being formed in 1792.

When the Bastille fell on 14th July there was a risk-taking, lucky-breakthrough Jupiter Uranus conjunction which usually helps those who act against the established order. And the North Node was at 26 Scorpio, which was the exact degree of the midheaven three years later for the moment the French Republic was established on 21 September 1792 at 3.30pm; and only one degree away from the Republic Mars. A harbinger of what was to come. In the intervening three years tr Uranus had moved to form the exact revolutionary opposition to Pluto squaring onto Mars. During these years of the Reign of Terror, an estimated 20 to 40,000 civilians were executed.

The Macron/Trump relationship chart does have a composite Mars Jupiter in Leo which will energise them when together, though could push them into rash actions if they allow their enthusiasm to run away with them. There are other less favourable aspects – a suspicious Saturn square Neptune; and tr Saturn will throw a chill on their wilder schemes when it squares the composite Sun this November and then Mercury Venus in 2018.

Trump has his Pluto exactly conjunct his MC located to Paris, which is usually a line that is best avoided, since it brings up heavy issues, inner turmoil and can be high-risk. Grandstanding around the Elysee Palace is unlikely to bring much jeopardy but his visit does coincide with an escalating furore about Don Jnr and Jared K’s meet with a Russian lawyer last year and now it emerges a suspected, former Russian intelligence operative was there as well.

Macron is throwing out his opinions with great vigour having already upset the east European countries like Poland by denigrating their contribution to the EU; and is certainly setting Merkel’s teeth on edge by continually pressing home his point that the German economy thrives from the “weakness” and dysfunction of others. His Pluto sits on her midheaven so she will feel he’s trying to manipulate and control her; and his Sun Mercury are conjunct her Mars, so she’ll not be backwards about batting back. Their relationship chart certainly looks fraught till late 2018 with tr Pluto square the composite Mars; and increasingly separated from tr Saturn square the composite Moon late this year, then tr Saturn opposition Jupiter in 2018; and square Sun, Mars, Venus in 2019. She’s making any moves towards more economic convergence, which would effectively put Germany on the hook for the poorer EU countries’ debts, conditional on Macron getting economic reforms in France in place.  Which is probably her way of politely saying no, since it’s by no means clear, how he is going to achieve that.

Dunkirk – rising to the challenge

     

 

‘Truly thrilling from first to last second’ is one of the early reviews of the movie Dunkirk which has just launched, starring Harry Styles, Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy.

It’s the story of the evacuation at Dunkirk in northern France in 1940 when 340,000 British, Belgian, French and Canadian troops, surrounded by the German army, were evacuated under fire to the UK in the few days after May 26 by a flotilla of hundreds of merchant marine boats, fishing boats, pleasure craft, and lifeboats as well as destroyers. Winston Churchill called it ‘a miracle of deliverance’ in one of his most rousing oratorical performances in Westminster. “We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”

At that point on the UK chart tr Mars and Venus in Cancer was conjunct the UK MC, giving rise to high enthusiasm; with a jolting tr Uranus square Saturn; and a relationship-undermining Solar Arc Neptune exactly on the UK Descendant.

Winston Churchill 30 Nov 1874 1.30am Woodstock, England, did have a colourful, ever-optimistic (despite his black dog depressions) Sun in Sagittarius in his communicative 3rd house. And an energy-and-enthusiasm-generating and patriotic Mars Jupiter in his 1st. His Solar Arc Saturn was exactly opposition his Mars at Dunkirk for a major setback and another shock from the approaching Solar Arc Sun opposition his Uranus. But his Solar Arc Uranus was moving to conjunct his Jupiter two years later as the tide of the war started to turn.

This movie is directed by Christopher Nolan, 30 July 1970 – the Dark Knight trilogy etc – whose movies have taken over $4 billion worldwide and earned 26 Oscar nominations and he is being talked about as a possible Bond director. He’s a Sun Mars in Leo sextile Uranus, so well designed for the entertainment business; with a creative Saturn in Taurus opposition Neptune square Mercury again in flamboyant Leo. He’s got a raft of good Jupiterian aspects this year – tr Uranus opposition his Jupiter in Libra, and tr Pluto trine Sun/Jupiter, Mars/Jupiter and square Jupiter/Uranus – so he’s on a roll.

Harry Styles, an unusual choice for lead, been given ‘great’ reviews for his performance. Born 1 Feb 1994, he’s Aquarius where Nolan is Leo. Styles has a Sun Mars, Venus and Mercury spread out; with his Sun Mars square Jupiter, giving him bountiful energy and confidence; plus a tough Pluto square Mercury Saturn.

Principal photography started on 23 May 2016 with an Earth Grand Trine of Jupiter Node trine Pluto trine Mercury, which certainly augurs well for a good box office.