Empire State Building – a towering monument out of the recession

  

 

The Empire State Building rose out of the gloomy depths of the Great Depression and was opened on 1 May 1931 11.30 am Manhattan, NY. At the time of construction with 102 storeys, it was the world’s tallest and was built largely by immigrant labour from Europe plus hundreds of Canadian Mohawk iron workers.

The opening chart reflects the bleakness of the time as well as its resourceful inventiveness with a super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Cancer opposition Saturn in Capricorn square Uranus conjunct MC in Aries; with a stalwart, enduring Taurus Sun Mercury opposition a Scorpio Moon square Mars and Ascendant in flamboyant Leo. The Empire State Jupiter is conjunct the USA Cancer Sun; with the Mars Asc conjunct the USA leadership North Node in Leo – so a prized national symbol.

There have been two major incidents involving the Empire State Building (ESB). One a plane crash in thick fog on 28 July 1945 which hit the 80th floor and killed 14; the other a shooting on 23 Feb 1997 on the 86th floor observation deck when a Palestinian killed one, injured six others and then suicided.

In 1945 at the plane crash, tr Saturn in Cancer was minutes (of a degree) past the Jupiter/Pluto midpoint and past the ESB Uranus; with Solar Arc Pluto exactly on the Ascendant; and tr Pluto in Leo approaching within a degree of being conjunct the ES Mars and square Sun – so quite a dampening dent for its image though it was reopened the following week and quickly renovated.

At the 1997 shooting, tr Saturn in Aries was trine tr Pluto and both were hitting on the ESB Venus in Aries; with the Solar Arc Sun square Mars impacting on the ESB Jupiter, and thus shaking the ESB’s Cardinal T Square.

David Hockney – a people watcher

 

 

The artist David Hockney has just celebrated his 80th birthday with a major exhibition at Tate Britain. His work has always met with ambivalence from critics, given his tendency to use garish colours and almost graphic-art techniques, especially in recent years.

He says: “People want meaning in life. That’s a desperate need, and images can help. Unfortunately there is within modern art a contempt for people . . . I do want to make a picture that has meaning for a lot of people. I think the idea of making pictures for 25 people in the art world is crazy and ridiculous.” He was the first to use television to popularise art and has always worked as it suited him, no matter what the reception. One review described his work as ‘touching, tender, ribald, raunchy, innovative, annoying.’ Another said ‘Whether or not Hockney is a great artist, he is a great cultural figure.’

Born 9 July 1937, Bradford, England, he is a Sun Mercury in Cancer with Pluto also in Cancer, with all three planets trine a determined Mars in Scorpio;  a rebellious Mars opposition Uranus; and Pluto in a confident opposition to Jupiter in Capricorn. His Sun trine Mars, sextiles onto Neptune which is turn is in a creative trine to Uranus. And he has a self-reliant Saturn in Aries.

Cancer Suns usually have a nose for what the public want and can home into the zeitgeist.

Not surprisingly he as several quintiles and septiles in his chart. His 5th harmonic has a light, bright, passionately enthusiastic Air Grand Trine of Venus Mars linked to the North Node; and an ambitious, influential Pluto Neptune Sun tie up. His 7th Harmonic also veers to the superficial and frivolous with Jupiter and Venus linked together with the North Node. His making-a-mark-on-history 17H is also well aspected with an Air Grand Trine of Saturn Pluto to Venus Mars.

Brexit – a lose-lose scenario

Who to believe? Juncker breaching diplomatic protocol and leaking a private dinner conversation to trash Theresa May; or May doing her usual schoolmarmy barking orders at the EU as if they were her civil servants. Does Juncker’s snarl indicate supreme confidence or underlying panic and fear? Is May’s steely disdain a cover for a devilishly clever plan or is she relying on luck to pull a rabbit out of the hat? The poor voters are left none the wiser – and at the end of it all could be raining a plague of curses on all their heads. As in the US and French elections – the mainstream don’t much like either choice.

Maybe it is part of Pluto in Capricorn’s slow and inexorable grinding down of the old politics and forms of government.

None of the main players look happy moving ahead and it’s not a zero-sum game where one side wins and the other loses. Both could/will suffer considerable losses.

Michel Barnier, 9 Jan 1951, 4.40pm La Tronche, France, EU Chief Negotiator, looks mighty confused in 2017/18 with tr Pluto square his Neptune, conjunct his Capricorn Sun and trine his Mars/Pluto; with a catastrophe opening up under his feet this October to Jan 2018; and highly agitated and insecure through 2018.

Martin Selmayr, 5 Dec 1970, Juncker’s Head of Cabinet, has his up moments this year, but is fending off brush-fires in 2018/19, feeling devastated – with tr Uranus opposition his Mars, tr Pluto square his Mars/Uranus and his Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Neptune.

Oliver Robbins, 20 Apr 1975, the UK civil servant known as Mr Brexit, will be a key player. He’s bullish through 2017 and 2018; but into 2018 has his Solar Arc Sun opposition his Neptune which will produce a nasty sinking feeling; and an edgy tr Uranus conjunct his Sun.

David Davis, the UK Cabinet Minister who is Brexit Secretary, is walking into tr Pluto conjunct his Mars in 2018/19 which is cornered, enfuriated and impotent.

[From a March 24 Post]. Davis’s relationship chart with Barnier, is showing signs of strain, discouragement, devastation and some mighty outbursts in 2017/18; with worse in 2019. Davis’s relationship with Theresa May isn’t easy at best with a composite Mars opposition Pluto square Sun Mercury, and is ploughing through heavy, depressed and disruptive waves in 2017/18.

Although Theresa May will have no direct negotiations with Barnier, she’s clearly setting the agenda, and her relationship with him will be highly-strung, and stressed this year; and in a complete upheaval in 2018/19 with tr Pluto opposition the composite Uranus and tr Uranus opposition the composite Saturn.

Her relationship with Juncker is most at odds in 2018.

Neither Juncker or Barnier are exactly fans of UK Inc. The relationship between Juncker/UK has an impatient, hostile composite Saturn opposition Mars square Venus; with a fight-for-control composite Sun quincunx Pluto; and Pluto being on the focal point of a T square to Uranus opposition Node, which doubles up on the intransigence between the two sides. Late 2017 will be especially frosty as tr Saturn is conjunct the Sun; with irritability and dislike growing in 2018/19 with tr Saturn conjunct Venus, square Saturn and Mars.

Barnier is also instinctively drawn to seeing the UK as a pushy entity that needs put down, with a composite Jupiter Pluto conjunction in a disruptive square to Uranus. There’ll be a good deal of jockeying for position in 2017/18 with tr Pluto trine the composite Jupiter; suspicion and paranoia from tr Neptune opposition Saturn in 2017; bad temper over the New Year as tr Saturn squares the composite Mars; and separated initially in 2018 by tr Uranus conjunct the composite Moon, and more so in 2019 when tr Uranus opposes Neptune.

Tony Blair – the Second Coming (sigh)

 

 

Tony Blair, having divested himself of his questionable commercial wheelings and dealings with some of the world’s most dubious political leaders is staging what was described as ‘a sort-of comeback tour of newspaper pages and broadcaster’s studios.’ He says he has no current plans to return to frontline politics or become an MP, but hopes to throw his weight behind the anti-Brexit lobby and turn it into a political movement.

He does have tr Saturn on an upward trajectory in his chart aiming for his midheaven and the second peak of his career/ambitions from 2020 onwards until 2024. And he does have tr Uranus square his MC within days for the first time, which does suggest a change of direction, running into 2018. However however, he has a fair minefield ahead as well. His Solar Arc Pluto is conjunct his Saturn, exact in 3 months, which is slow to no progress. Tr Saturn squares his Sun/Moon midpoint late in 2017 which is unpopularity for a politician as well as a marital chill. 2018 looks sagging and inhibited. He’ll buck up marginally in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto trine his Sun/Jupiter so he might make a push then.

In 2020 he’s got the tr Saturn Pluto conjunction on his MC. That’s tricky to interpret since tr Saturn into the 10th can be consolidation of career but is also a time chickens come home to roost and did for Richard Nixon. Similarly tr Pluto across the MC can destroy a reputation totally, or can begin a mighty push for control. And tr Jupiter then trails along behind into his 10th which is usually successful. So mixter maxter. What is clear is in the aftermath nothing much is going right. Tr Pluto trines his frustrating Sun/Mars in 2020/21; and worse his Solar Arc Sun squares his Neptune in 2022 and then Saturn in 2023, which looks like bad news.

By 2020 his Solar Arc Sun is conjunct the UK 10th house Cancer Moon, which might suggest a more prominent position; with his Solar Arc Moon conjunct the UK North Node. So there are hints at least of a try.

His relationship chart with the UK is under disappointing Neptunian influences till late 2019; thoroughly jangled in 2018/19 by tr Uranus; and highly aggravated and discouraging in 2019/2020. It’s difficult to see how he could recover any good feelings on either side of the political divide, given what a series of catastrophes his reign wreaked upon the kingdom and not just Iraq.

Anthony Joshua – a Libran charmer with a deadly punch

 

Anthony Joshua, the British professional boxer, rated the world’s best heavyweight, beat Wladimir Klitschko this week in London, winning himself £15 million.  He has a 100% knockout-to-win ratio; and is the second boxer, after Joe Frazier, to win a world heavyweight title whilst still reigning as Olympic champion (Gold Medal from 2012) at the top weight. He hopes to become the first boxer billionaire.

Born 15 October 1989 in Watford, England, he spent some of his childhood in Nigeria and took up boxing after he returned when he was 18.

He is a Sun Mars in Libra with the triple conjunction of Uranus Saturn Neptune in Capricorn opposition Jupiter in Cancer; with Jupiter in a confident trine to Pluto and an Aries/Taurus Moon. His Mercury in Libra is sextile Venus in Sagittarius. He’ll be scattered with three outer planets in Capricorn, but boxers usually have Capricorn or Taurus strongly in their charts; and is also a good communicator with all that Libra.

His get-it-together 5th Harmonic has an Earth Grand Trine; his obsessively determined 11H has an Air Grand Trine and Kite onto a disciplined, can-withstand-harsh-treatment Saturn opposition Mars; and an emphasised Jupiter. His 16H, usually found where extreme endurance is demanded, is also strong with an inspirational Fire Grand Trine, and Kite, and a Grand Cross.

He’s been through a tricky time in recent years with the tr Pluto square tr Uranus bouncing off his triple conjunction, though it doesn’t seem to have held him back. Tr Pluto this year (as last) is square his Mars and his Sun/Mars midpoint, which is normally highly pressured and frustrating; and then moves onto square his Sun in 2019/2020. Around now he has his Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Pluto which is normally not good news, very deadlocked and risky. Maybe he needs extreme influences to pull out the best in him, but it does look very challenging.

Ueli Steck – a Libran legend of the mountains

 

Ueli Steck, the greatest mountain climber of his generation, known as “the Swiss machine”, has died during the acclimatising phase of an attempt to climb a new route on Mount Everest. His extraordinary feats included solo speed ascents of the north face of the Eiger and climbing six of the 14 mountains over 8,000m (26,246ft), including Everest, without bottled oxygen. In 2015, he climbed all 82 of the Alps’ 4,000m peaks in 62 days, travelling between them by bicycle.

Born 4 October 1976 in Langnau, Switzerland, he was a Sun Pluto in Libra on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine of Neptune trine Saturn in Leo, so tough, overly-controlled, visionary and ambitious beyond the norm. His Mars was also in Libra in a high-adrenaline conjunction to Uranus in Scorpio. Only Mercury in Virgo in his chart was in an Earth sign. Although counter-intuitive for a very physical sport, it can suggest an ability to detach from the body and push it past its limits.

When he died he had tr Pluto square his Sun/Mars and Mars/Pluto midpoint, both of which are risky.

EU versus UK – smears and threats

     

 

The gloves are coming off with the UK government being accused of ‘fantasy, illusion and living in a parallel universe’ as Theresa May’s negotiating demands for Brexit are laid out. And the EU coming back, with a rapidity rarely seen, to indicate flatly that a divorce bill must be paid, EU citizens’ rights secured and the Ireland question settled, before any trade deals are discussed.

Right on cue to dispel any illusions about the EU’s murky tactics, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has published his book: ‘Adults In The Room, My Battle With Europe’s Deep Establishment’. [URLs below] The dirty deals that pushed Greece into a decade of depression with unemployment running now at 45%, but saved the German and French banks, appears to have been firmly controlled by Merkel. The Telegraph reviews says: ‘What happened in Greece over those strange days in July 2015 raises disturbing questions about the character of Europe’s monetary union. One might conclude that when push comes to shove, the euro system is held together by fear rather than democratic consent.’

The EU chart is not only relentlessly Fixed and stubborn; but has Mars square  a 12th house Pluto, which would certainly point to secret, ruthlessly coercive power brokers.

The UK is a different beast to Greece and not at risk of manufactured coups to topple governments, or oligarchic string-pulling behind the scenes, but it does raise huge questions about how power is wielded in the EU.

The relationship between Merkel and May is very Plutonic with a composite Sun Venus Pluto with Pluto conjunct Mercury; and perhaps square the composite Moon – so together they could change the world, but when their agendas differ there will be a bitter, protracted tug of war with neither giving an inch. Tr Uranus will be trine the composite Pluto from May 11th onwards and opposing the composite Neptune at the same time, for an upheaval with fanatical overtones; and thence through the next three years with multiple bumps and jolts.

May’s relationship with the EU is surprisingly amiable and constructive at core, with a friendly composite Sun Venus, and a positive-change Uranus trine Saturn, sextile Jupiter. There will be upsets and outbursts in December 2017/January 2018 as tr Uranus squares the composite Mars; but the worst of the aggravation will be in 2020/21 when tr Pluto is conjunct the composite Mars for a total and infuriating stalemate. (That’s without May’s birth time, so there may be earlier influences from chart angles).

The EU/UK relationship chart is sagging and disappointing under tr Neptune square the composite Moon this year and next; and opposition the composite Jupiter in 2018/19, which will erode good feelings. Tr Pluto opposes the composite Saturn in 2018/19 which will bring very very slow progress in meeting agreements. The separating tr Saturn conjunct the composite Sun hits exact in December 2018.

The EU chart itself is in a tense and trapped phase in 2017/18 with tr Pluto square the Mars/Pluto midpoint; and waylaid by disasters to which they have no solution in Sept/Oct 2017, Jan/Feb 2018. They’ll have some luck in 2018 with tr Uranus opposition their Jupiter; but their real problems come in 2019 with Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the 2nd house financial Neptune and Solar Arc MC conjunct Pluto; and into an exceptionally bumpy ride from 2021 as tr Uranus starts to hard aspect their Fixed (and financial) Grand Cross.

The European Central Bank will run into a shock and collision in late 2018 with Solar Arc MC conjunct their Mars; and in 2019 with Solar Arc Uranus opposition their Moon; and before then in 2017 has multiple discouraging Saturn transits to Solar Arc planets.

The economic hole that Brexit will leave will raise fear levels in the EU, and therefore hackles, and bring out punitive-protectionist tactics. Which as Varoufakis points out was the driving priority which saved the German and French banks at the expense of the bankrupted Greeks.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/04/29/yanis-varoufakis-inside-darkness-french-politics/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/04/29/unsettling-account-raises-disturbing-questions-europes-monetary/

 

Brigitte Macron – a singular wife

   

 

Brigitte Macron, the most likely next First Lady of France (though polls are drawing closer and much hinges on the turnout), was born 13 April 1953 3pm Amiens, France (Astro com BC). She hitched up with her husband Emmanuel when she was 39, then a married mother of three, and he was 16, which is a staggering age gap at that stage, after he appeared in a school play she was producing. His parents understandably took it badly and sent him away to school elsewhere, but the relationship continued. She divorced her husband ten years later and married Emmanuel in 2007.

She has an 8th house Sun, Venus Moon in Aries opposition Saturn Neptune, trine a 12th house Pluto – so undoubtedly a powerful and charismatic personality. She also has an exuberant and determined Mars Jupiter in Taurus with Jupiter conjunct her MC.

He has Sun Venus Mercury and Neptune in Sagittarius which falls in her 4th; and her Aries planets and Mars Jupiter fall in his 3rd so there is undoubtedly a strong domestic and intellectual connection.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus MC conjunction square Neptune, so it would be loving, ethereal, idealistic but also prone to disappointment along the way. Neptunian relationships are tricky to hold at that head-in-the-clouds stage. A midheaven Sun would certainly put the focus on career, ambition and outside appearances. There’s also a harsh composite Saturn square Mars, and an unsettled Uranus Pluto in the 4th so it won’t all have been sunshine and roses.

She looks stressed over the next three years with enormous pressures bearing down on her as tr Uranus opposes her Saturn into early 2018; and then in 2019/20 tr Pluto squares her Venus, Neptune and then Sun. It will set up considerable challenges in her relationship and possibly on her popularity with her Sun/Moon midpoint catching the tr Pluto square through 2018/19. But she’ll be back on confident top form by 2020 as tr Pluto is trine her Jupiter and following that her Midheaven.

Princess Beatrice – desperately seeking a life

 

 

Princess Beatrice is photographed continually at social events but still seems to be struggling to get her life together. Having left her umpteenth job to set up her own start-up company, she is reportedly not making much progress, having been badly affected by the split from long-time boyfriend Dave Clark. And the ongoing argument from her father that she should be given Royal duties isn’t making much headway with Prince Charles either, who feels a slimmed down monarchy is more suited to the modern day.

She really needs a partner with a 7th house Sun Mercury in Leo; and children with Moon Venus in Cancer in the 5th, but domestic bliss seems a while away. She’s in the middle of her Saturn Return this year so might well get her career knocked into shape hereafter. Though her Solar Arc MC conjunct her Neptune in 2018 doesn’t look too sprauncy; nor indeed does Solar Arc Pluto conjunct her MC. And 2019 looks log-jammed with Solar Arc Mars opposition Pluto. So a sticky time ahead.

Her Secondary Progressed Moon moves into her 7th from late 2018 till early 2022, which is often a time people settle down to marriage. In 2019 her Sec Prog Moon will conjunct her Sun which might well be a possibility. And her Solar Arc Jupiter is conjunct her 5th house Venus and then Moon in 2018 and 2021 respectively, which should be good for romance and children. But it still looks hugely challenging and pressured around that time.

Prince Charles’s relationship with his brother Andrew looks troubled in 2018/19/20 so that may have something to do with her angst.

There is also from photographs some froideur between Beatrice and the ever-immaculate, slim-line Duchess of Cambridge, who gets centre-stage attention. Their relationship chart is dire with an intense composite power-struggling Sun Pluto conjunction; and a Mars Neptune opposition Moon which will certainly leave one bruised ego and an irritable interface. That link will worsen considerably also in 2018/19/20.