Astrology of Today’s News

Douglas Stuart, a reluctant fashion designer, has won the Booker Prize with ‘Shuggie Bain’, an autobiographical novel, about the lonely gay son of an alcoholic mother in 1980s Glasgow. Described as ‘heartbreaking’ ‘both beautiful and brutal’ it fictionalises Stuart’s love for his mother despite her flaws and his determination to survive and thrive in a homophobic early environment.

  Born 31 May 1976 (wiki), in a housing estate in Glasgow, his father walked out when he was 4, died when he was eight. His mother died when he was 16 of alcoholism.  He credits his childhood with giving him “a large amount of self-reliance, determination. I’m incredibly resilient and focused. I see that a lot of my peers don’t have those things — not knowing the keen edge of need, the fear of having no safety net. Those are the positive things of the way I grew up.”

At 16, he rented a room, working on the tills at a supermarket, while he finished his schooling. He went into textiles, without much enthusiasm but it felt like a safe space being a women-oriented environment after his bullying schooldays.  He became a knitwear designer for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic and Jack Spade. “There was no reverse gear,” he says. “There was nowhere to go back to.” He lives now in New York with his husband, Michael Cary, a curator at Gagosian.

  He started writing Shuggie Bain a decade ago and had it rejected by 32 publishers before it came out to rave reviews.

  He’s a Sun Venus in Gemini opposition Neptune and trine Pluto – that’s a combination which has produced many notables both from 1975 Geminis like Angelina Jolie and Marissa Mayer, ex-CEO Yahoo; in 1976 like Cillian Murphy  (25 May) and Colin Farrell (31 May). Neptune and Pluto in aspect to the Sun appear to generate a sense of driving ambition.

  He’s also got a risk-taking Uranus square Mars and square Saturn; and an indulgent Jupiter in money-magnet Taurus. His Moon is in Cancer trine Uranus and square Pluto hinting at a close bond with mother (Cancer plus Pluto) but one who was also erratic and unpredictable (Moon Uranus).

  His writers’ 21^st harmonic is well-aspected. He intends to give up fashion and take to writing full time.

Another inspirational tough-childhood tale.

Jan Morris, the celebrated travel writer and author, well known as a transgender pioneer, has died aged 94. She led an extraordinary life, a cavalry officer during WW11, marrying and having five children, climbing three-quarters way up Everest to witness Edmund Hillary conquer it in 1953, and reporting in Egypt on the Suez crisis with details that led ultimately to Anthony Eden’s resignation as prime minister. And went on to be an acclaimed writer and historian. All this despite having been aware since she was three or four that she’d been born into the wrong body. She only started to transition in her forties and eventually underwent reassignment surgery, after which she wrote a well-received book about her experience – Conundrum.  She remained attached to her wife and although they divorced they stayed together and formed a civil partnership.  

  Born 2 October 1926, no birth time sadly, in Clevedon, England, she was a Sun and Mercury Libra trine Jupiter in Aquarius and square Pluto – so not lacking in confidence or the ability to communicate with insight. What is most striking about her chart is a Fixed Grand Cross of Saturn in obsessively conscientious Scorpio opposition Mars in Taurus square Jupiter opposition Neptune and perhaps Moon in Leo. A Fixed Grand Cross gives immense endurance, perseverance and obstinacy – much like the Queen and David Attenborough both born in 1926. Mars Saturn has a military connotation and gives discipline and the ability to cope with tough conditions but also suggests an element of unfairness, even cruelty, in childhood. The Jupiter and Neptune would soften the effect. If it was an after noon time birth with the Moon is tied in, it would certainly make the feminine a major issue in life.

  Her Venus in workaholic Virgo also opposed Uranus forming a Mystic Rectangle with the Saturn opposition Mars. Having three central oppositions in the chart she would have a constant struggle to balance the opposites in her temperament.

  Her transition started fittingly enough on the Uranus Pluto in Virgo conjunction of the 1960s – Uranus Pluto pushes the boundaries back, and in Virgo, in particular in the area of health and medicine. But the time of her surgery Pluto had just moved into Libra and tr Uranus was just over the conjunction to her Sun – both bringing profound changes to her identity and life.

 Boris’s adviser on ministerial standards has resigned after he found the Home Secretary Priti Patel guilty of breaking the code in a bullying inquiry and had his finding overturned by the prime minister. Ministers are normally expected to resign if they break the code.

   Says it all really. No shame, no moral authority, no decency.

 Patel was born 29 March 1972, of second-generation immigrant Ugandan-Indians, and is a longstanding Eurosceptic. Under Theresa May she was Secretary of State for International Development though was forced to resign after a political scandal involving unauthorised meetings with the Government of Israel. Patel has been criticised by political opponents for defending the tobacco and alcohol industries.

  She is a Sun and Mercury in pro-active Aries opposition both a controlling Pluto (Moon) and a rebellious Uranus in Libra square Jupiter in Capricorn so she will be ambitious for money and success, as well as status; is overly excitable and wayward. She will be pushily confident with her Sun opposition Pluto square Jupiter, never mind short-tempered from Mars Saturn in a slippery opposition to Neptune.

Simon Jenkins wrote in the Guardian: “Patel’s greatest fans would not laud her subtlety and sensitivity. A lack of experience and chequered ministerial career restored her to high office only because Boris Johnson wanted a right-wing loyalist who would carry his anti-Europeanism to extremes. Patel has set about this with a bludgeon.”

   Her relationship chart with Boris is controlling and marginally chaotic, not quite as bad as his with Dominic Cummings but hardly sympatico.  He does attract himself to dysfunctional relationships.  She did not get on with Dom Cummings and her supposed ‘sisterhood’ pact with Carrie Symonds may be shaken over coming weeks and is sagging badly through 2021. Patel and Gove are also not in lockstep now or moving ahead.

  Her own chart indicates a career loss from late January through February 2021 which sometimes accompanies a firing but may be a mishap of a different variety.

   The other Cabinet member whose continued presence is a shameful astonishment is Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, whose planning decisions have raised eyebrows and then some. Born 9 January 1982 (same day as KateM Duchess of Cambridge) a Capricorn square Mars, Saturn and Pluto in Libra, his chart has nothing to indicate anything impeding his progress in the near future. His relationship chart with Boris is an entrepreneurial dream with a composite Fire Grand Trine tied into a Kite with a Sun opposition Pluto – so adventurous, confident, and difficult to unpick.

  While I’m not supporter of an unelected fiancee making political decisions, Carrie, despite her chaotic and volatile triple conjunction in Capricorn plus Mars, does appear to have marginally more sense than Boris. She loathes Jenrick, and vice versa – with a composite Sun Mercury square Mars Saturn in their relationship chart. Mind you she’s not over fond of Rishi Sunak either – perhaps because she sees him as a risk to Boris’s position.

  What a pigs breakfast.

Maybe the Boris government chart with a slippery Neptune trine Mars in vindictive Scorpio sextile a hidden Saturn Pluto Venus in the 12th. Pluto in the 8th and/or 12th in administration charts usually indicates dirty dealing behind the scenes. Saturn in the 1th certainly indicates lack of practicality.

Se previous post: Priti Patel: 24 February 2020

Robert Jenrick 25 June 2020

Lewis Hamilton is now the most successful driver in the history of motor racing with his seven World Championship titles an all-time record (tied with Michael Schumacher). Questions are being asked about why he hasn’t been given a knighthood like other leading sportsmen.

  Motorsport UK chairman David Richards has written to Downing Street saying he deserves it: ‘Throughout Lewis’s journey to the top he has walked a lonely path as the only black driver in F1 and the Black Lives Matter movement has allowed him to speak candidly about his experience. His story is a remarkable one of sheer application, dedication, sacrifice, supreme skill and determination to enter a sport where the odds were stacked immeasurably against him.”

 He does charitable work for the Make A Wish foundation, Save the Children and UNICEF.

 Born 7 January 1985 in Hertford, England, with no verified birth time, he’s an ambitious and successful Sun Jupiter in Capricorn. He was born at the time of the Full Moon in Cancer (split parents) and the opposition is sextile/trine an obsessively conscientious Saturn in Scorpio. He’s also got Pluto in an ultra-determined and courageous trine to a passionately enthusiastic Mars Venus in Pisces; with Mars in a high-octane square to Uranus. He started go-karting when young and progressed on from there.

  This year (and last) are his peak with tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter with Solar Arc Uranus also conjunct his Jupiter. 2021 won’t be as successful with tr Neptune square his Sun/Saturn midpoint at points; but he will bounce back in 2022 with tr Uranus square his Mars/Jupiter.

  Looking at the quandary of why no honour after his 2008 MBE, his relationship chart with the UK has a fraught and hostile composite Mars opposition Saturn square Pluto Sun, so not an entirely amiable chemistry. He is tax resident in Monaco but so are other sportsman and it hasn’t stopped honours for them.  

Marie Stopes International (MSI) named after the controversial birth control pioneer and women’s rights campaigner is to change its name because of concern about her views on eugenics. In her writings she called for new laws that allowed the “hopelessly rotten and racially diseased” to be sterilised, wrote fiercely against interracial marriage, believed in the creation of a super race and corresponded with Hitler.

Born 15 October 1880 4.10am Edinburgh, into an educated and scientific family she studied botany at university. She had a four year marriage which ended acrimoniously as she claimed it had never been consummated and her husband counter-claimed she was super-sexed to an almost pathological degree. She published a sex manual called Married Love after the divorce. Her son from the second marriage aroused her hostility because of his choice of a bride and she tried to sabotage the union, eventually disinheriting him because of it. 

  She had a combative Sun Mars in Libra opposition an 8^th house Saturn in Aries so would be short-tempered, unsentimental, hard-edged. Interesting to note that Sigmund Freud who also ‘emancipated’ sex as a topic had Saturn in the 8^th.  

   Her persuasive Mercury Venus in Scorpio opposed an 8^th house Neptune; and her emotionally erratic Pisces Moon opposed a 12th house Uranus. A see-saw chart leads to relationship problems and a lifelong struggle to integrate opposites. Her Pluto was in the opinionated 9^th.  

  Her get-it-together 5^th harmonic and perfectionist 7H were strong though her most notable is the leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17H. She did open Britain’s first birth control clinic in 1921 in London, despite medical and religious opposition.

Despite being an influential catalyst for positive change, she was not a pleasant human being.

Pic: https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/18/45/f14896c5658187a0a1b687a9e268.jpg

Trump’s tantrums on losing have sent him flailing around to express his frustrated outrage in ways that alarm even his stalwart enablers. Having been dissuaded from bombing Iran (to date) he then decided to summarily withdraw large numbers of American troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. Mitch McConnell called the plan “a mistake” and warned the president against making “any earth-shaking changes in regards to defence and foreign policy” before leaving the White House. Fast reduction of troops will almost certainly weaken the Afghan government’s ability to deal with a resurgent Taliban and bring to a head tensions between the Pentagon and White House.

  Trump’s relations with Secretary of State Pompeo were always a good deal less amiable than the PR suggested, despite Pompeo being a trenchant right-winger. The composite hard-edged Saturn opposition Mars in their relationship chart has been upended over the election and will move into an even more volatile few weeks from today until December 20^th with tr Uranus lighting a fuse under simmering resentment.

  Similarly Trump’s interface with McConnell is under a separating chill with tr Saturn square the composite Sun now; and in turmoil with tr Uranus square the Pluto from today till after mid December.

  Pompeo and McConnell as a twosome are moving through a confused and agitated few weeks till late this year; and will not be winning much together through 2021 with tr Neptune conjunct their composite Mars.

   Pence, as Head of the WH coronavirus task force, is facing even more of a test of loyalty than usual as Trump downplays the crisis in the face of soaring figures. There’ll be a wet blanket on their connection in early December and relief late December to early February 2021 perhaps as they unlatch; with losses and disappointment thereafter.

  Pompeo, it is thought, has his eyes on 2024 though that could cause problems in the unlikely event of Trump surviving long enough (politically or otherwise) to throw his hat into the ring as well. Pompeo’s personal chart shows discouragement by mid 2021 with a Solar Arc Saturn square his Mercury; a car-crash setback in mid 2022 from Solar Arc Saturn square his Mars; confusion and upsets by 2024 including tr Pluto starting to move across his Midheaven – this last can bring disgrace and reputation crashing down or a ruthless push for advancement. Given the state of his Solar Arcs it’ll be questionable whether his time for glory has arrived.  

Hungary and Poland have stuck a spanner into the EU works and threatened to stop Covid recovery funds getting to member states desperately in need. They have blocked approval of the budget over a clause that ties funding with adherence to the rule of EU law. The two countries have been criticised for violating democratic standards and undermining the independence of courts, media and non-governmental organisations. If passed it could cost them billions of euros in EU funding unless they agree to toe the line. Final approval needs unanimity so the entire process hangs in the balance.

  Viktor Orban, the Hungarian semi-dictatorial PM, is yet another Gemini. Born 31 May 1963 2pm, his Sun is square a controlling Pluto and rebellious/maverick Uranus. He has a hard-edged and obstinate Mars in Leo opposition Saturn and Mercury Venus in Taurus opposition Neptune – so slippery Gemini plus a stubborn-to-the-nth-degree batch of Fixed planets. There’s nothing to suggest an imminent collapse. Indeed 2022 may see him pushing harder with yet more luck coming his way as his Solar Arc Jupiter is conjunct his Sun and square his Pluto. Though that can sometimes backfire as arrogance brings a downfall. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.

  His 3^rd Term chart is alarming, 10 May 2018, with a ruthless Mars Pluto in Capricorn in a dram-filled and crises-creating square to Mercury Uranus; and a lucky Sun opposition Jupiter. There will be minor setbacks and irritations now and next month but it’ll be 2023/4 when instability strikes.  

   Hungary joined the EU on 1 May 2004 along with Poland, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia. This chart is stressed to start out with having a frustrated and trapped Mars Venus opposition Pluto square Moon. And there’s nothing reassuring ahead. Tr Neptune is undermining the Virgo Moon till late January 2021, then picks up the square to Pluto and Venus two months later. The economically challenging tr Uranus square tr Saturn will shake up the Taurus Sun all year into 2022 when the panicky-failure tr Neptune square Mars takes over running into 2024 – an extended period of soul-searching, aggravation and disappointments.

   The EU/Hungary 1872 relationship chart is under severe pressure exactly now with tr Uranus square the Uranus with the mood becoming increasingly hostile and explosive from March onwards. This timeline coincides with the extreme pressure and shake-up on the EU chart itself as tr Uranus square tr Saturn hits the 8^th house Moon and 11^th house Uranus.

Trying to turn disparate countries into disciplined soldiers who’d all march to the same drumbeat always was going to be impossible dream for the EU – much though I applaud its ideal.

Rudy Giuliani appears to be causing chaos even in Republican circles with his all-guns-blazing attack on the legitimacy of the election result. His ill-judged news conference in the parking lot of a Philadelphia landscaping business adjacent to an adult bookstore and a crematorium let fly with a conspiracy-filled rant that scared off many lawyers who had been recruited to the cause of highlighting any voter fraud.

  Born 28 May 1944 2.31pm New York, he is Trump on steroids with his Sun Uranus in Gemini sextile a bullying, ruthless Mars Pluto in Leo. Not given to subtlety at the best of times he’s in hysterical overdrive with his Solar Arc Sun conjunct Jupiter and his Solar Arc Jupiter square his Mars – which may run on for a few months in effect. But the Lunar Eclipse late this month will rattle up his Sun Uranus for a shock/crisis or two; and his Saturn will oppose the December Solar Eclipse for another sobering moment.

  He is facing career losses with tr Pluto opposition his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint from later this week till after mid December. 2021 is up and down for him but he’s tough as nails and a survivor so no doubt will find a lucrative niche somewhere.

 His relationship with Trump was never that comfortable, was severely jolted over the election and next spring, is stressed now and on a disappointing slide till late January.

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Des O’Connor, the singer, comedian and presenter, known as the quintessence of niceness, has died aged 88. No one had a bad word to say about him. Fellow comic Jimmy Tarbuck said: “He was a joy to work with, the most easy-going and charming guy. The laidback smoothie you saw on stage was exactly the same in the dressing room – never flustered, always upbeat. What made him unique was his generosity with the laughs. Whether he delivered a gag or left the punchline to me, it made no difference – he just wanted to see the audience happy.”

  What is astro-extraordinary is he had a hair-raisingly difficult chart. Born 12 January 1932 in London with an Irish dustman father and Jewish cleaner mother, the family were so poor he developed rickets as a toddler and had to walk with calipers. He said he blanked out much of his childhood, which had little warmth. He was knocked down by a drunken driver and badly injured; then evacuated during the war to a callous, profiteering landlady who didn’t feed him, so he was skin and bones by the time his father tracked him down.

  He started performing during his National Service and gradually rose to prominence after a long apprenticeship in the variety theatre.

  He had an ambitious Capricorn Sun conjunct a hard-edged and unfairly-treated Mars Saturn in a scary, frustrating, suppressed opposition to Pluto square Uranus.  All the cruelty of his childhood tied up there.

  What was his saving grace was an inspirational and ever-optimistic Fire Grand Trine of Jupiter in flamboyant Leo trine Uranus in a wide trine to Mercury in Sagittarius; with Jupiter opposition Venus in Aquarius. With Venus as the leading planet, he had charm in abundance, backed up by a great deal of self-belief, despite his self-deprecating manner.

  He was married four times, with three divorces, mainly put down to his workaholic tendencies. Though underneath all that easy-going amiability there would be a good deal of tension and a fair few demons chasing him – as is often the case with comedians.

  Oddly enough – in the syncronicity of similar charts popping up the same week – he was born within a week of Matthew McConaughey’s mother, who had a wild and very sexual relationship with his father. Time of birth and houses will make some of the difference.  But Des O’Connor’s public image wasn’t as close to the private reality as you might imagine.