Astrology of Today’s News

 

Mississippi has dropped the Confederate battle flag symbol from the state flag, the last remaining state to do so.  A statewide referendum in 2001 voted overwhelmingly to preserve it despite 4 in 10 residents being black but opinion shifted after a white supremacist’s massacre of nine black parishioners at a church in Charleston, S.C. His manifesto was riddled with images of the Confederate battle flag. The recent killing of George Floyd pushed the issue to the top of the agenda.

Background for non-Americans (wiki) – the Confederacy existing between 1861 to 1865, was formed by secession of seven slave-holding states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas whose economy was heavily dependent upon agriculture, particularly cotton, and a plantation system that relied upon the labour of African-American slaves. Convinced that white supremacy and slavery were threatened by the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency the Confederate states rebelled which led to the American Civil War. In a speech known today as the Cornerstone Address, Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens described its ideology as being centrally based “upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and normal condition”. Lincoln was assassinated by a Confederate sympathizer in 1865.

Mississippi, 10 December 1817, has a stellium of Uranus, Sun, Jupiter, Neptune and Mercury in Sagittarius. With all these planets being opposition Mars in Gemini square Pluto in Pisces, with Saturn also in Pisces. Highly-strung, self-righteous, opinionated, controlling, a malcontent prone to anger and hostility. Although heavily Mutable, it’s not an adaptable temperament with such an afflicted Pluto.

The American Civil War started with the North Node retrograding through Capricorn and was fought mainly under transiting North Node in Sagittarius. That keyed in with the chart of Robert E Lee, Commander of the Confederate Army, 19 January 1807 11.45pm Stratford Hall, VA, a Sun Jupiter in Capricorn whose Node was in Sagittarius at the same degree as the Mississippi Sun. His Sun Jupiter was conjunct the USA 1776 Pluto in Capricorn opposition Mercury in Cancer – so hooking into that fanatical streak in the USA temperament.

Moving ahead, Mississippi has a surfeit of Neptune transits to slog through in square to the Sun, then a financial-bubble-bursting square to Jupiter in 2021 and a devastating conjunction to the Pluto running into 2022 which will be a deflating time. With the additional woe of a confidence-denting Solar Arc Saturn square Jupiter, then a panicky square to Neptune, Mercury and a blocked opposition to Pluto between 2021 and 2023 – perhaps more economic than anything else.

 

Graham Linehan’s trajectory from much-loved comedy writer of Father Ted and the IT Crowd to a hated and permanently banned Twitter-ranter has bemused onlookers. He’s an outspoken liberal: a self-professed supporter of feminism, opponent of harassment of women in the gaming industry, a critic of Brexit who has spoken out about anti-Semitism. But he became embroiled in the trans debate after a 2013 episode of The IT Crowd was criticised for transphobic jokes and over the years has become more vociferous, some say bullying in defence of his position.

He wrote “I believe trans people – those unfortunate enough to suffer body dysphoria – are having their condition exploited and trivialised by abusive, controlling and authoritarian trans rights activists. And I think women and children are suffering because of it.”  He says trans activism has aggressively shut down debates and is misogynistic and erasing women’s and children’s rights.

Born 22 May 1968 in Dublin, he’s a vocal and argumentative Sun Mars in Gemini; with Mercury also in communicative Gemini in an intense and obstinate square to Pluto and outspoken Uranus. He has a Fixed T Square of Venus in Taurus opposition Neptune square Jupiter in Leo – such a Fixed Jupiter can be self-righteous and intolerant of other views and Venus in Taurus tends to be unbudgeable over emotional matters.

He’s also got a problematic Yod of Pluto Uranus sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn in Aries which does require maturity and self-discipline to operate at its full potential. Plus another Yod of Mercury sextile Saturn inconjunct Neptune – such a Neptune can be emotionally disorganized and self-defeating.

His Aries Moon may or may not be conjunct his Aries North Node and sextile his Sun Venus but it’s not that well integrated into his chart.

It’s not that I don’t agree with his generally stated views (not having seen any of his twitter tirades) but the mystery is why he has walked himself up a cul-de-sac which will over-shadow his career. It’s not that good fights don’t have to be fought – in protecting vulnerable women’s spaces and ensuring children aren’t pushed into irrevocable gender changes before they are mature enough to decide – but his strategies are clearly not working and volunteering to be in the middle of a twitter tornado is insane.

His Solar Arc Sun is exactly square his focal point Saturn this year which may bring a sobering reality and the need for a rethink.  His Solar Arc Saturn has been moving across the conjunction to his Sun and Mars throughout this past seven-year battle which would tune up his need to argue every point. Over the next two years he’ll be slipping and slithering under Neptunian transits to various midpoints as well as one leg of his Yod. With tr Pluto trine his Uranus, also a Yod leg, from early 2021 to late 2022 – for more upheavals and also more personal insight. He may emerge as tr Pluto moves towards Aquarius to trine his Sun by 2024 a transformed personality.

Inigo Philbrick, the handsome, fast-living Art World Wunderkind with galleries in Miami and London who was making mega-millions double-selling the same artworks to different investors at engorged prices has been found. He fled the USA months ago as lawsuits mounted and was arrested by the FBI on the Pacific island of Vanuatu

“As alleged, Inigo Philbrick was a serial swindler who misled art collectors, investors, and lenders out of more than $20 million,” U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said in a statement. “You can’t sell more than 100 percent ownership in a single piece of art, which Philbrick allegedly did, among other scams.” He’s now been dubbed a mini-Madoff after the Ponzi selling financier who was sentenced to 150 years in prison.

Born 23 April 1987 in Connecticut, Philbrick is a Sun Taurus in a controlling opposition to Pluto with his Sun also in a creative and evasive trine to Neptune and trine an innovative Uranus in late Sagittarius.  He has Jupiter North Node in pro-active Aries sextile Mars in Gemini.

Bernie Madoff, 29 April 1938, is also an acquisitive Sun Taurus; both have Mars in Gemini and Mercury in Aries and Jupiter quincunx Pluto.  But Madoff has an Earthier chart with Uranus, Venus, maybe Moon also in Taurus.  Philbrick’s chart leans towards Fire. Both have strong 9th Harmonic charts which tells what brings pleasure and is often notable amongst those inclined to financial scams.

He’s not looking remotely happy at the moment with his Solar Arc Pluto moving to oppose his Mars over the next few months which is scary, trapped and acutely frustrated as his life grinds to a dead halt. Plus tr Uranus has been elbowing his Sun opposition Pluto over the past two years and into 2021, upending his life and forcing him to let go control.

Milton Glaser, the graphic artist forever identified with the I Love New York logo, has died. He was also responsible for the psychedelic Bob Dylan poster and logos for DC Comics, Stony Brook University and Brooklyn Brewery. His artwork is in permanent collections in many museums worldwide and he was the first graphic artist to be awarded the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama in 2009.

When he designed the NY logo in the mid 1970s the city had an escalating crime rate and was on the verge of bankruptcy. “Glaser loved New York so much that he gave his work to the city for free, hoping it would become public property.” The logo earns New York state $30 million each year and has become a pop culture icon and is reproduced on everything from coffee cups to T-shirts and hats.

Born 26 June 1929 in New York he was a patriotic, creative and ambitious Sun Cancer in an innovative square to Uranus; with Uranus in turn in a revolutionary square to Pluto. His Sun was in a hard-working opposition to Saturn. He also had the publicity-attracting, showbizzy Mars Neptune in Leo opposition his Aquarius Moon and trine his Saturn. Cancer is not only associated with creative design as a sign but has its nose on the public pulse so often homes in on the trends of the moment.

His Sun square Jupiter sits neatly with the New York Capricorn Sun square Jupiter for a serendipitous mix. With his marketing-genius Mars Neptune in upbeat Leo square the NY Chiron and trine the NY Mars Venus in Sagittarius; and his communicative Mercury in Gemini was conjunct the NY Pluto.

The Milton/NY relationship chart has a mutually-supportive, morale-boosting composite Sun Mercury trine Jupiter with a creative Neptune trine the composite North Node in Pisces maybe conjunct Moon.

 

The weird life of Charles Webb, author of The Graduate novella made into the smash-hit iconic Dustin Hoffman Anne Bancroft movie has come to light with his death. He and his wife, both from moneyed backgrounds, gave away their wealth, homes, paintings and inheritances and lived off the grid with their children in poverty, taking itinerant jobs to eat. Latterly he and his wife appeared to be in England supported by state benefits.

“He had a very odd relationship with money,” a literary agent said. “He never wanted any. He had an anarchist view of the relationship between humanity and money.” He did write a few other novels but none clicked in the same way as his first.

He was born 9 June 1939 and was a Sun Mercury in Gemini but what dominated his chart was a truly difficult and hard T Square of Mars in contrary Aquarius in an angry, frustrated opposition to Pluto in an unyielding square to Saturn in forced-to-be-self-reliant Aries. Not a remotely easy or sentimental man.

He had another T Square from Mars opposition Pluto square North Node in Scorpio – which is interesting since that Node can carry with it a pattern of losing everything in order to transform and leave behind an overly materialistic way of life (= South Node in Taurus.) For many with these Nodes it can happen force majeure but he clearly volunteered for it.

His Jupiter in pro-active Aries was sextile Mars and trine Pluto so he wouldn’t be short of confidence. His Pisces Moon may have been opposition Neptune and square his Sun which would add another layer of ‘idealism’/delusion into the mix.

The driving planet of his chart was undoubtedly an afflicted Saturn imposing a harshly ascetic lifestyle on himself and his children. His wife (no date regrettably) appeared to be of a mind with him.

The end of civil war politics was declared the result of a historic governing coalition agreed in Ireland after the recent election produced no overall majority. The three-way coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green party is the first time the first two parties – former civil war rivals – have been in government together.

Micheal Martin, the Fianna Fail leader, was sworn in as Taoiseach at 13.58pm yesterday although the role will revert back to Fine Gael’s Leo Varadkar halfway through the government’s term.

The new Government chart has an idealistic 9^th house Cancer Sun with Mercury on the Midheaven so will talk a good talk. The Sun is in a combative square to Mars and sextile a financially unstable 8^th house Uranus. With a publicity-attracting but unrealistic and indecisive 6^th house (health and employment) Mars Neptune opposition a 12^th house Moon. There’s also Jupiter Pluto and Saturn in the 4^th which does suggest a major transformation of domestic issues – a collapse of the older order and after a degree of chaos the growth of a new.  It’s a messy chart and going off in several directions at once.

Micheal Martin, 1 August 1960, isn’t going to have his troubles to seek with frustrations and disruptions this year and 2021 is worse with disasters to handle and an uphill slog till late 2022.

The Bank of Ireland chart, 1 January 1972, has financial upsets from tr Uranus square the Venus from this July onwards into 2021; and hints at major financial disappointments from spring 2021 on and off till late 2022 with tr Neptune square the Jupiter, which is being triggered in addition by this December’s Solar Eclipse and the following June Eclipse, which can lead to over confidence and then a let-down.

The Ireland 6 December 1922 chart has an upbeat tr Uranus opposition the Jupiter this month, releasing tensions and that repeats on and off into 2021; but the Eclipses, both Lunar and Solar do point to critical challenges ongoing through 2021 as well.

The 18 April 1949 chart equally is being pressured by the Eclipses to make changes with the June Lunar Eclipse conjunct the Solar Arc Midheaven, and the December Sagittarius Eclipse being opposition the Uranus – so quite a rock n’ roll phase – with upheavals in 2021 from tr Uranus square the Pluto; and tr Pluto stuck in a frustrating bind as it wades across the Sun/Mars midpoint and then the Sun Venus in 2022/23 – which suggests a time when past certainties and securities will be pulled away and old structures removed to make way – with difficulty – for new ones to be put in their place.

Ireland won’t escape the general economic pain which is affecting virtually all countries and especially the EU over the next several years.

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The love affair that almost tore apart the Royal family, caused an irrevocable rift between brothers who had been close friends, and caused a stand-off between two senior ladies is the subject of a new book, The Crown in Crisis by Alexander Larman. Researched from newly released archival papers and private letters from the time it throws light on the problems caused by the Wallis Simpson Duke of Windsor liaison to his appalled family and the Cabinet Ministers of the day, who threatened to resign if she ever became Queen. The Queen Mother (as she became) took offence at Wallis’ diva-like arrogance and carelessness of protocol. The two brothers were never reconciled in the 16 years after the abdication.

Lady Duff Cooper on seeing them together had remarked: ‘She is a nice woman and a sensible woman – but she is hard as nails and doesn’t love him’; and added that his infatuation with her made him seem small and that Wallis clearly held the power and wielded it.

Both Wallis and Edward had an overdose of restless, scattered Mutable planets in their charts – she had Sun, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, Pluto in Gemini and an excitable Mars in Aries in the money-minded 2^nd house. He had Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto in Gemini and a Pisces Sun with his Cancer Sun stoked up by a hard Mars aspect. (details in an older post below). She was detached Air sign while he was an overly emotional (and delusional) Water type.

Four of her Gemini planets fell in his sociable 5^th house so she’d be a good playmate; and her Jupiter fell in his 7^th for at least an aura of support. But his Saturn was conjunct her 8^th house Moon setting up a defensive barrier to deeper sexual and emotional connections and his Saturn also opposed her Mars for an aggravated chemistry and a one-side partnership with a streak of cruelty in it. Her Mars in his 2^nd hints that money being a motive for her. It would have been a fun fling but it became a lifetime’s cage.

Comparisons have been drawn between Wallis and Edward and Harry and Meghan though the two situations are not the same with Harry being down the succession line when he married.  But there are parallels. Both the Duke of Windsor and Harry were/are Sun square Mars types – impulsive, hot-headed, prone to leaping first and thinking second – and both have half their planets in scattered, overly adaptable Mutable signs. Harry with a Virgo Sun and Mercury with Uranus, Mars and Neptune in Sagittarius.  And they shared an indulgent emotional planet in Taurus – the Duke had Venus in Taurus while Harry has Moon in Taurus – emotionally fixed and stubborn.

The parallels between Wallis and Meghan aren’t that obvious at first glance. But they are there. Meghan is Sun Leo, Wallis had her Gemini Sun in the 5^th, Leo’s natural home – both entertainers and demanding of the limelight. Both have socially ambitious Libra Moons. Both have strongly Air charts – emotionally cool. Both have Pluto in the 4^th so need to be in control of their domestic arena and family. Both have afflicted and argumentative Cardinal Mars – Wallis opposition her Libra Moon and Meghan square her Libra Moon Saturn Jupiter. Both have Uranus in Scorpio which is forceful and determined.  And both have their Uranus in a stressed aspect to their Mars – with Wallis a quincunx and with Meghan a sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) which would/will tend to make them self-willed and resistant to interference.

Though whatever happens with Meghan and Harry, it isn’t going to rock the Monarchy in the same way.

The chart for the start of the Hanoverian Monarchy, 1 August 1714 JC, was acutely stressed at the 1936 Abdication with the Solar Arc Saturn square the Mars. There’ll be a minor blip in 5 years from now with the Solar Arc Uranus Mercury conjunct the Mars; but the most critical phase comes between 2029 to 2035 when first Solar Arc Saturn and then Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the Mars. Which does run into 2036 when there is the final Eclipse in the Saros Series under which Prince William was born, which some astrologers have said is a sign he’ll be the last king. His chart in 2036 is certainly under heavy stress though whether that is an abdication or reigning over a country under stress isn’t too clear.

Prince George’s chart is also at a key turning point and labouring under poleaxing influences.  As indeed now that I look is the UK chart.  (a post for another day).

From a previous post on Edward and Wallis:

Edward, late Duke of Windsor, was born on 23 June 1894 at 9.55pm Richmond, England. He was an impulsive not to say reckless Cancer Sun square a 2^nd house Mars in Aries. He had a playboy’s, party-loving Jupiter in Gemini in the 5^th. His Venus in indulgent Taurus was widely opposition Uranus so he’d like constant variety and change socially and romantically.

His Pisces Moon was square a 4^th house Pluto Neptune, hinting at an over controlled and confused childhood which expected much of him in the way of sacrifice. His mother would be a Neptune Pluto type which does rather fit the decidedly odd and rigid Mary of Teck. His father would be Mars, Neptune, Pluto so angry, ready to erupt, scary and not easy to understand. Edward also had a defensive Saturn in the 8^th so wary of intimate relationships.

He had a Water Grand Trine of Moon in Pisces trine Cancer Sun trine Uranus – Bil Tierney says of the Water Grand Trine that it can ‘foster an escapist temperament – with exaggerated need for dependency, general mothering’. It’s not a bad chart just not very together.

Wallis Simpson was born 19^th June 1896 at 10.30 pm Blue Ridge, PA, USA and was a highly sociable, superficial 5^th house Sun Gemini with Venus, Neptune, Pluto and Mercury also in Gemini in the 4^th. Her charming Libra Moon was deeply buried in the intense 8^th house so she would hide away her feelings. She also had an obsessive Saturn in Scorpio which has hints of Saturn in the 8^th; as well as an impulsive Mars in Aries in the 2^nd, like the Duke, so money would be a driving force plus Jupiter in flamboyant Leo. It’s an odd chart – with a weighting of detached Air planets but mainly in Water houses. Not someone who was comfortable with too much feeling in her life though she was driven by her emotions.

Both their Suns fall in the other’s 5^th house – so it was a relationship designed for an active social life. It made each feel more spontaneous as long as fun was on the agenda. Her Jupiter also fell in his 7^th which is positive for marriage. His Moon was in her 1^st which is also often a marriage placing. It indicates that his domestic and family affairs would have a strong effect on her image and reputation. Her Moon was conjunct his Saturn so he would block her out emotionally and perhaps sexually.

Their relationship chart has that odd Venus Pluto Neptune conjunction in the 4^th – so passion, mixed with disappointment and confusion over home, family and domestic affairs. Jupiter in the 5^th – good for parties though in square to a 2^nd house Mars – compulsive, impulsive and none too practical over money. A Sun trine Saturn gives longevity; a Jupiter trine Uranus gives adventure. The 4^th house is the strongest so domestic and family matters were the focus of attention. A 10^th house Moon puts too much attention on externals – reputation, career, appearance. There’s also a North Node in the 1^st suggesting the relationship had problems establishing its identity.

He had a fairly similar relationship chart with the married Freda Ward who was his long-time mistress in his twenties – also a Pluto Venus Neptune conjunction in their relationship chart. So he was presumably in some odd way trying to repeat the Moon square Neptune Pluto relationship he had with his mother but with Venus thrown in to add more affection.

When he abdicated tr Jupiter was exactly triggering his hasty/reckless Sun square Mars; and his Solar Arc Venus was conjunct his Sun saying that love conquered all. His Sec Prog Moon was midway through his 8^th house which is always a time in purgatory sliding from one extreme to the other.

Tr Saturn was also exactly opposition his 8^th house Chiron with tr Neptune conjunct Chiron and both tr Saturn and tr Neptune square his 5^th house Jupiter.  An 8^th house Chiron suggests a wound in the area of sexuality and intimacy. Tr Saturn opp tr Neptune doesn’t have great judgement. Tr Neptune may try to heal and tr Saturn in opposition does the opposite.

So he was obviously wrestling with himself and healing his personal wounds clearly won out over duty.

Interestingly he did have a North Node in Aries suggesting that one of his karmic challenges was to learn to stand on his own two feet. In some perverse way abdicating did bring that result though it is arguable that giving up Wallis and staying to fulfil his duty might have been more what was needed.

He strikes me as a man who didn’t have a strong sense of values and was so driven by anger that he ended up shooting himself in the foot out of spite – without considering the consequences of his actions.

 

A virtual Glastonbury has had to mark the cancelled 50^th anniversary gig of what started as a ‘hippie fete’ in Somerset on 19^th September 1970 with 1500 revellers and Marc Bolan topping the bill, and went on to become the greatest music festival in the world, attended annually by over 200,000 people.

It was the vision of farmer Michael Eavis on whose land it takes place and is now run by his daughter Emily. The company that runs the festival reported revenues of £44 million over the year to 31 March 2018, and after administrative costs the profits go to charity. After the 2017 bash, Oxfam, Greenpeace and WaterAid received £2.35 million and  £750,000 was distributed between hundreds of smaller worthy causes.

The opening one-day gig kicked off around mid day when there was a powerful Sun Pluto conjunction in Virgo in place which was trine/sextile Saturn Moon in Taurus opposition Neptune in Scorpio; with Mars Mercury also in Virgo in the 10^th sextile Jupiter Venus in money-oriented Scorpio. It’s a power-packed chart – enduring, workmanlike, intense with a musical Pisces North Node – and suitably earthy for a festival that is often a sea of mud.

Michael Eavis, whose madcap vision it was, born 17 October 1935, is a Sun Libra in a determined, controlling square to Pluto and sextile a colourful Mars in Sagittarius; with his Pluto in a confident trine to Jupiter in Scorpio and his Mars in a showbizzy square to Neptune.

The festival will be under pressure until tr Pluto clears the sextile to Neptune in 2023 and 2021 looks edgy with the Solar Arc Uranus conjunct the Neptune. The organisers have said if another year is cancelled they could go bankrupt. Tr Neptune will also undermine the Glastonbury Sun Pluto in opposition in 2023/24.  But it’s impossible (sad) to believe the muddy five day feste of fun and love won’t go on and on.

 

Naomi Campbell, for three decades a super-visible supermodel, has found a new lease of life as a digital media phenomenon, sharing her daily workouts, fronting a new makeup line, and taping “No Filter” interviews with old friends and colleagues like Sharon Stone, Marc Jacobs and Cindy Crawford for her “Being Naomi” You Tube channel.

Born 22 May 1970 1am London, England, with a professional dancer mother and an unknown father who jumped ship before she was born, she was brought up partly in Italy. She had a reputation for being tantrum-prone and there have been several assault charges against her over the years but she seems to have mellowed considerably. André Leon Talley, once called “a self-made cyclone of energy, style and drama.”

She has a Gemini Sun opposition Neptune on her Midheaven, so she’s creative, slippery, sometimes helpful. Her 10^th house colourful Sagittarius Moon has only one aspect in sextile to an 8^th house Uranus – so not domesticated though she credits her mother in particular but also other strong women in her family for her ability to thrive and survive.  She’s had a string of high-profile liaisons which isn’t surprising with a passionate Mars and Venus in Gemini in her romantic 5^th house. But those two planets also square an 8^th house Pluto for deep-seated anger issues and intense frustrations which may have been what sent her into a cocaine and alcohol addiction (though modelling is a very druggy business).

Uranus Pluto in the 8^th would make emotional stability tricky for her and it would be ramped up by the squares to Mars. But for all the difficulties she’s had a fair streak of luck with her Jupiter in the much-travelled 9^th trine her Venus Mars – Jupiter Venus is common amongst high-fashion types attracting them to glossy exteriors.

She has had questionable associations with Epstein for one (another Mars Venus type) and war criminal and former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor (a Venus opposition Mars), which latter emerged at his Hague trial with questions over his present to her of blood diamonds.

Although she’s firing on all cylinders at the moment she does have a late Capricorn Ascendant which tr Saturn is about to dip below from 2021 onwards which will lower her motivation and ambition and her ability to succeed as easily. With an undermining tr Neptune square her Mars in 2021 as well; and moving on to oppose her Pluto and then square her Venus through till mid decade. Neptune can be a healing planet but tends not to support ego-driven ambitions. And there may be financial implications as well with tr Neptune moving through her 2^nd, so perhaps unwise investments causing her some worry. This year and next year’s Eclipses will also rattle her performing and career planets, so she will be up and down. Though she’ll be raring to go in 2022/23 with tr Pluto square her Jupiter.

Photo: Georges Biard