Astrology of Today’s News

Roy Horn, half of the famed Siegfried & Roy exotic animal illusionist act which for decades was a top Las Vegas attraction has died from coronavirus complications. He levitated tigers, made elephants disappear, turned himself into a python in an extravaganza of sequined costumes, feathered headdresses and smoke-and-laser magic and made mega-millions for Mirage Casinos who custom-built the act their own hotel.

Horn, born on 3 October 1944 at maybe 8.45pm in Nordenham, Germany, grew up in the confused aftermath of WW11 and as a child played with wild animals in a local zoo. He met his partner amateur magician Siegfried Fischbacher on a cruise ship where he was a 13 year old cabin boy and had smuggled a cheetah onboard. They combined their talents, struggled through the early years and after a rave notice from Princess Grace in Monaco they took off, moving to the USA and becoming one of the most successful acts in Las Vegas history. Their career ended after a tiger attacked Roy Horn on stage in 2003, crushed his windpipe and left him semi-paralysed after a stroke. Because they worked with endangered species they did become involved in conservation work.

Horn was a dreamy Sun Neptune in Libra trine Uranus sextile Pluto and square Saturn –  influential, stubborn, innovative, creative and wounded by his childhood. If the birth time is right then his Sun, Mars and Venus were in his performing 5^th house with Pluto giving him added influence. That was magnified with his Pluto being on the point of an obstinate and enduring Fixed T Square to his Moon in earthy Taurus opposition a charming Venus in Scorpio. Plus an adventurous Jupiter in Virgo square Uranus. Curiously for someone who was immersed with animals all of his life he only had one Earth planet – his Taurus Moon.

Siegfried Fischbacher was born 13 May 1939 7.20 am Rosenheim, Germany, with his father a POW in Russia and he survived through poverty-stricken war years, entertaining himself learning magic tricks. He has a stark chart from harsh early conditions and suiting him for a dangerous career with a Mars in Capricorn opposition Pluto square Saturn Venus in Aries. His earthy Sun Uranus in Taurus in an inspired trine to Neptune would definitely help for their unique animal act.

Their synastry isn’t that remarkable but their relationship chart was with two composite Grand Trines of Venus trine Neptune trine Saturn Uranus formed into a Kite with Venus opposition a powerfully influential Sun Pluto conjunction. And another Grand Trine of composite Sun Pluto trine Mars trine Moon; with Mars opposition Saturn Uranus. Glamour and creativity mixed with risk.

When Horn’s accident with the tiger happened on his 59^th birthday in 2003 tr Neptune was in a devastating opposition to his emphasised/afflicted natal Pluto; with tr Saturn in a setback square to his Solar Arc Midheaven – with Solar Arc Pluto moving to conjunct his Sun in the difficult aftermath.

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Trump at the moment is frustrated and furious with tr Pluto opposition his Sun/Mars midpoint running since February when the virus started to take centre stage and the economy tanked. That influence rolls on till early July and returns late January into February 2021 at the same time as tr Pluto opposes his Venus/Saturn midpoint pushing him into his emotional wound of being unloved and creating depression.

From 5^th July he picks up the catastrophic tr Uranus square his Mars/Saturn midpoint, to which Ebertin ascribes accidents, illness or tests of nervous strength. At the same time he has the disruptive tr Uranus square his Pluto. Both keep running till late September, and return in April 2021 along with a blocked tr Saturn in opposition to both his Pluto and Mars/Saturn, and those run on and off till early 2022.

July 6 to August 18 he has the discouraging tr Pluto opposition his Saturn, returning late November till late December.

He will get some uplift mid August to late November from tr Pluto trine his Mars/Jupiter midpoint though that’s minor and it won’t outweigh the fraught tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Uranus running at the same time and the other influences.

He’s got an extended run ahead of Neptune transits this year and more so next which tend to lower energy and undermine ego-driven ambitions, and can also indicate underhand and deceptive tactics. He’s nerve-stretched at the moment and not thinking clearly with tr Neptune square his Sun/Uranus midpoint late April to late August. Tr Neptune squares Uranus/Node through September; and opposes his Progressed Moon over the election which are much the same.

Into 2021 from late March 2021 tr Neptune squares his Moon and then his Sun, on and off till early 2023.

The June Lunar Eclipse this year will be opposition his Uranus for a shake up; and more significantly the December 23 Sagittarius Eclipse will conjunct his Moon and oppose his Sun. A Solar Eclipse opposition a natal Sun usually brings a realisation of not always being right and needing to acquire a fresh perspective. A Solar Eclipse conjunct the Moon brings up the past and tests the foundations of life in a major way. It can bring public image under scrutiny. Robert Jansky says: ‘If society considers you a valuable person it will let you know. If they don’t think much of your efforts, they’ll let you know that as well.” These Eclipses repeat through 2021.

His Solar Return was horrific from June 2019 to 2020 with the Saturn Pluto conjunction in his 10^th opposition Mars Mercury in the 4^th – career blockage resulting in temper tantrums. The Solar Return June 2020 to June 2021 isn’t as stressed though it does indicate a change of career direction with Uranus in the 10^th.

His Term chart which has the central Jupiter opposition Uranus square Pluto T Square – opportunistic, control-freaky, arrogant and contemptuous of rules, running legal battles – is being exacerbated by tr Pluto square the Jupiter from mid August to late November, so dirty tricks are not beyond the bounds of possibility.

At the election the Progressed Moon will be exactly square the Term Mars and conjunct Saturn, which sounds like a setback, though it’s a fast-moving influence.

From previous April 11 post:

His relationship chart with the USA sees tr Pluto opposition the composite Mars from late January 2020, returning July to mid August, and late November through December; with jolts and jangles from tr Uranus opposition the composite Pluto and trine Saturn in March.

The June Cancer Eclipse will conjunct the relationship composite Sun which could be a critical turning point; with the July Capricorn Lunar Eclipse hitting the composite Venus for an emotional shock.

His relationship charts with both Republican charts, 28 February 1854 and 22 February 1856, are stressed this year and on. The 1854 chart especially from exactly now to mid-June with tr Saturn square the composite Sun and inconjunct Mars; with a disappointment-writ-large tr Neptune square the composite Pluto.

Individual charts are always a mess running into elections though admittedly his wasn’t in 2016/17 with a wealth of Jupiter to speed him into the White House against the odds. He has none of those this time round, quite the reverse. Even GW Bush who didn’t win the 2000 election against Al Gore had more encouraging transits than he does this time round.

 

 

A combination of narcissistic rage at being criticised by a loathed rival and knee-jerk diversionary tactic sent Trump into a 100-a-day twitter frenzy attacking Obama, as the US virus death toll reached 80,000. He charged Obama with ‘the biggest political crime in American history’ though it’s not clear what he’s supposed to have done. Obama in a leaked private support-Biden conversation with Democrats had warned “the rule of law is at risk” over the decision to drop the criminal case against Michael Flynn for lying to the FBI.

The relationship between Trump and Obama has always been fraught with a composite deeply-suspicious Saturn opposition Neptune in a fanatical, high-tension square to Uranus opposition North Node. Their connection is under heavier pressure this year and next with tr Pluto square the composite Saturn and conjunct North Node. Which may not mean much in terms of predicting Trump’s likely departure date since relationships continue on even after splits, no contact and even death.

But Obama’s personal chart looks ominously downbeat in 2021 and 2022 with tr Neptune in a disheartening opposition to his Mars from April 2021 onwards till early 2023; and even before then he has a discouraging tr Pluto conjunct his Saturn from late January onwards till late 2022. He’ll be in better fettle come 2023/4 with tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter; and tr Pluto sextile his Midheaven. He will get some uplift from tr Uranus opposition his Sun/Jupiter midpoint and that’s around over the 2021 Inauguration but he looks exceptionally nerve-stretched over the November election date with tr Uranus opposition his Neptune and tr Uranus then moves to square his Sun from late May 2021 – so not an easy transition into the new presidency. Though there could be other non-presidential factors at play.

Michelle Obama is also heading into stressful times with tr Saturn conjunct her Capricorn Sun over the election and tr Pluto conjunct her  Sun in 2021/22. Like Obama she does have some Jupiterian rays of sunshine but more downers than uppers. Her relationship chart with Trump has active dislike written all over it with a composite Saturn Venus opposition Mars which is being triggered with tr Uranus in hard aspect through this year and the next two. She also looks uncertain about Joe Biden this year and in 2021/22 with tr Pluto square their composite Neptune and then tr Neptune square the composite Mars.

I cannot believe that even the United States with its tolerance for corrupt and wayward politicians could stomach another four years of Trump or even a Trump replacement given how complicit the GOP have been in his aberrant behaviour. And that’s not a partisan thought, just common sense. But the thick-as-a-brick, true-believing Trumpers tapped their approval of his twitter-mania in their millions. So who would know?

 

Florence Nightingale, a well-bred English lady who almost single-handedly turned nursing into a profession, was born 200 years ago today. She rebelled against her wealthy background to focus her attention on nursing and when the Times wrote of the appalling conditions suffered by injured soldiers in the Crimea War, many dying unnecessarily of septicaemia and neglect, she volunteered and was given the task of recruiting a team of largely untried and untested women. Hospital nurses of the time were deemed morally unsuitable and unreliable for bedside nursing. Nuns were chosen since they came free along with unpaid, genteel lady volunteers who supervised the nurses who were chosen to ensure they did their jobs properly without engaging in promiscuous conduct with the soldiers.

In later years she set up a nurses training school in the UK and wrote prolifically. She had many male friends but never married.

She was born 12 May 1820 2pm (unverified) Florence, Italy and was a single-minded New Moon in earthy Taurus in the far-travelled and communicative 9^th house sextile Jupiter in compassionate Pisces in her hard-working 6^th house – which makes the birth time sound feasible. She had an intense, persuasive and intimidating Pluto conjunct her Descendant which squared a 10^th house Venus, so she could turn on the charm though usually with an agenda. Her Saturn in self-reliant Aries was trine Mars and square Venus suiting her for difficult and dangerous circumstances and a life of emotional sacrifice.

Her 4^th house Neptune Uranus was square Pluto and opposition her 10^th house Venus for an unsettled domestic life but one bent on pushing through reforms which with a focal point Pluto would be against heavy resistance since many were ahead of their time. She emphasised the need for good sanitation, improved sewage systems and cleanliness (washing hands) – all of which are very Taurus and Pluto.

Her humanitarian 9^th Harmonic was well-aspected; as was her ‘healer’ 12H; leaving-a-legacy 17H; and global reputation 22^nd Harmonic.

 

Northern Ireland with relatively few Covid-19 related deaths, half of them in care homes, is edging towards a cautious lift of the lockdown. The differences in health policy between the three regions of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have heightened tensions with Westminster with the approaching Brexit guddle no clearer. It has a key significance for Northern Ireland since bumbling Boris has thrown a smokescreen over precisely what it means in practical terms for an EU customs border between north and south.

The regional government was restored earlier this year after a three-year period of political paralysis and dysfunction.

The NI 7 December 1922 3.28pm chart is stressed with tr Pluto opposition the Cancer Moon running till late this year indicating an emotionally conflicted populace and there’s also a panicky Solar Arc Neptune square Mars exact in four months’ time. There might (?) be a confidence and enthusiasm-lift come late May into early June with tr Uranus opposition the Jupiter, repeating late October/November this year and early 2021. With the tr Saturn Jupiter conjunction this December moving to conjunct the Midheaven which will set the region on a new path. It won’t be easy since tr Pluto is following behind to move into the 10^th from 2023 onwards (start time being accurate) which suggests a radical rethink of direction and purpose.

The relationship with the UK chart is under disappointing and worrisome influences this year with tr Neptune opposition the composite Jupiter Saturn and square Uranus; and tr Neptune moves on to form an undermining square to the composite Sun by 2023. So the relationship won’t improve in the short term.

Although some have claimed that a unified Ireland is more likely because of Brexit the relationship chart between north and south (1949), at best highly aggravated, looks less than harmonious ahead for several years with tr Neptune opposing the composite Saturn and conjunct Mars; with emotional upsets in 2021 and great challenges till 2024.

 

 

Harry S Truman took over as US president when Franklin D Roosevelt died in office in 1945. He authorized the first and only use of nuclear weapons in war, implemented the Marshall Plan to rebuild the economy of Western Europe, established the Truman Doctrine and NATO, engaged in an internationalist foreign policy and renounced isolationism, successfully guided the U.S. economy through the post-war economic challenges, pushed forward with civil rights legislation, starting racial integration in the military and federal agencies and oversaw the start of the Korean War. He was re-elected in 1948 but corruption in his administration became a campaign issue in the 1952 election. He entered a financially difficult retirement since in those days former presidents did not receive any payment. Despite criticism when he left office, later reassessment has been favourable.

He was born 8 May 1884 4pm Lamar, Missouri and had an intense, stalwart and deeply buried 8^th house Sun Neptune conjunction in Taurus with a persuasive Mercury Pluto in Gemini also in the 8^th. His Saturn in Gemini was in his philosophical 9^th along with a friendly-to-foreigners Venus. But what is most notable about his chart is a 10^th house Jupiter in Cancer which brings luck, success and increasing respect in older life. His Jupiter was sextile a 12^th house Uranus which in turn was trine his Sun Neptune making him innovative, a modest risk-taker. His Sun Neptune were also square Mars in Leo, suiting him for a publicity-attracting career. His Moon in intense Scorpio was trine Venus and his midheaven but was otherwise unaspected.

His Cancer Midheaven was conjunct the USA Cancer Sun and his Venus in Cancer sat comfortably with the USA Venus Jupiter.

An interesting, heavyweight and surprising chart with so much in the 8^th house and Uranus in the 12^th, which would not make for a standard, routine life but clearly suited him for high office.

His leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17^th Harmonic was heavily aspected; as was his global-personality 22H; and his workmanlike, creative-builder 5^th harmonic.

 

Concern about Trump interfering with November election results are mounting after he went on a twitter rampage against Californian Democrats push for mail-in ballots. “They are trying to steal another election. It’s all rigged out there. These votes must not count. SCAM!”

A former White House ethics director Walter Shaub responded “… and right on cue, here he is laying the groundwork for a refusal to leave office.” Previous tweets from Shaub showed other examples that he believed proved Trump was working to discredit the upcoming election in case he lost, including consistently tweeting about the “rigged” system.

Most Americans, including a majority of Republicans, are in favour of a mail-in voting system for the general election to avoid gathering in public places, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published in April. About 72 per cent of Americans wanted mail-in ballots. Researchers have not found proof election security would be impacted.

Shaub, born 20 February 1971, trained as a lawyer, worked as an attorney for various federal agencies and was appointed by Obama to head Government Ethics in 2013. He resigned in 2017, having complained about Trump not divesting his assets and saying later that under Trump the government had become a kleptocracy.

He’s a Sun Pisces square an idealistic Neptune Jupiter in Sagittarius with Mars (maybe Moon) also in the legalistic sign of Sagittarius. An Aquarius Node will suit him to pursue a humanitarian cause.

He is deeply frustrated through this year and next with tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Mars midpoint, which is angry and blocked. And he looks particularly setback on his heels over the November election with a catastrophic tr Uranus opposition his Mars/Pluto midpoint. He does have a couple of rays of sunshine but there are more minuees than pluses ahead in his immediate future.

His relationship with Trump will be at its most vehement over the election with tr Pluto Jupiter square the composite Mars and tr Saturn square the composite Sun – and that rolls through into 2021.

Given the fraught nature of the Inauguration chart it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that there’s an unholy punch up and Shaub’s worst fears are realised. The state of his chart could be due to other factors in his life but they may also be a pointer.

Another recent Shaub tweet: “After Barr issued a deceitful summary of Mueller’s report, dropped Flynn’s charges despite a guilty plea & reduced the sentencing for Stone, I’m concerned he could try to influence the election with similarly bogus arrests, accusations or the announcement of new investigations.”

 

Little Richard ‘the Master Blaster, the Innovator, the Black Angel of Soul’ burst onto the music scene and revolutionised the sound in the transition phase in the mid 1950s as Pluto was leaving Leo to move into Virgo. In three short years between 1955 and 1958 his world changing hits – Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, Lucille and Good Golly, Miss Molly – made him the influencer par excellence for Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran, Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, Elton John etc.

He has just died aged 87 of bone cancer five Pluto cycles after his only top ten hits. Born 5 December 1932 2.50pm (unverified) in Macon, Georgia, the son of a bootlegger, he was trained as a boy to sell snake oil in a Travelling Medicine Show. Neil McCormick writes: “He was raised singing gospel and incorporated the shrieks and ululations of religious ecstasy to a souped-up Rhythm & Blues style, adapting the New Orleans Boogie Woogie piano stride of Fats Domino. The songs he wrote and recorded in that first burst of fame were raunchy and rude, drawing on his own sexual voraciousness and confusion. He was black, he was camp, and he was in many ways a tortured soul.”

His anguish about the conflict between his religious beliefs and his bisexuality and homosexuality drove him to drink and drugs and effectively sabotaged his best-selling career after his early starburst. Though he continued working throughout his life.

His egocentric Sagittarius Sun and Mercury were on the point of a T Square to a showbizzy, publicity-attracting Mars Neptune in Virgo opposition North Node in musical Pisces. His Sun was also in an expansive square to Jupiter; with his Moon in Pisces. Colourful, scattered, exuberant, not short of self-confidence despite his inner turmoil. He had a Fire Earth chart so was blessed with a tankful of energy and high spirits.

His leaving-a-legacy 17^th Harmonic was marked; as was his superstar 22H.

Victory in Europe Day yesterday brought back a flood of wartime memories from the older generation with stalwart words of hope from the Queen.

Unconditional surrender in Europe was signed on 8 May 1945 at 9.20pm in Berlin when Jupiter in Virgo was conjunct the Midheaven and trine a Taurus Sun; and there was a tricky Neptune opposition Moon Mars in Aries square Saturn in Cancer – so elation mixed with anger and sadness. Saturn had moved through two signs during the course of the six year way starting at zero degrees Taurus in a tough, warlike square to Pluto in early Leo. A Jupiter Saturn in Taurus conjunction with Uranus in later Taurus came together in 1940 for the Battle of Britain and the London blitz when Britain was under punishing attack from the Luftwaffe and the refusal to give way ultimately became Germany’s first major defeat.

In May 1945 the Germany chart had the transiting Taurus Sun exactly conjunct the 8^th house Pluto with tr Jupiter in trine, so the surrender was both restrictive and a relief. The Solar Arc Uranus was in a jolting square to the Germany Sun; with the hard-edged, aggravated Solar Arc Saturn square Mars moving to hard aspect the Germany Jupiter in the immediate aftermath denting confidence and enthusiasm.

The UK chart had tr Jupiter square the 3^rd house Mercury exactly at VE Day bringing a celebratory mood. But that apart the mood was sombre with hints of the austerity and difficulties to come with tr Saturn conjunct the Midheaven and Solar Arc Venus. The early war years had seen the tr Saturn square tr Pluto hammering on the UK 8^th house Mars which is always a sensitive and disaster-prone point in the UK chart.

France, 21 September 1792 3.30 pm Paris, delightfully had their Solar Arc Uranus exactly conjunct the Ascendant as the occupation was lifted with tr Pluto square the Solar Arc Moon – which rather verifies that start time. During the war years tr Neptune was moving through the France 8^th house conjunct the Virgo Sun.

What’s intriguing looking at the war leaders charts  is that Churchill, Hitler, Roosevelt and Truman all had marked 8^th houses. Normally the 8^th house is seen as tricky to handle for an ordinary individual life, but it appears frequently in public figures charts who have a (probably) unconscious ability to project an aura out to the public at large.

Hitler had the super-ambitious Neptune Pluto conjunct in his 8th and he, for all his less-than-appealing looks, had a mesmerising effect on large crowds.

Churchill also had Neptune and Pluto in the 8^th though not conjunct. Franklin D Roosevelt had Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter in Taurus in his 8^th. Harry S Truman who took over in the spring of 1945 had a Taurus Sun Neptune plus Pluto Mercury in Gemini in his 8^th.  JFK had Mars, Mercury, Jupiter in Taurus and Gemini Sun in his 8^th.

The 8^th house is traditionally associated with strong ancestral links, hooking the individual back into previous generations; and often allowing them to see below surface reality to what lies beyond rational awareness. Clearly it also gives them the strength to bear tremendous weight and the projections of millions.