Astrology of Today’s News

 

 

Stephen Bannon, ex-Goldman Sachs, owner of the alt-right Breitbart which has hosted anti-semitic, white nationalist and anti-abortion pieces over a decade, has shoehorned himself in to an increasingly powerful position in Trump’s inner sanctum. First campaign manager, now top political adviser, sitting in on conversations with Putin and to be a regular on the National Security Council. In a break with tradition, the Chief of Joint Staffs and Director National Intelligence will only be invited on occasion, which Susan Rice, Obama’s National Security adviser, described as ‘stone cold crazy.’

Bannon was born 27 Nov 1953 Norfolk, Virginia and is a Sun Sagittarius; with a fanatical, angry and slippery T square of Uranus in Cancer opposition North Node square Neptune Mars in Libra. He’s also got Pluto, maybe Moon, in Leo square Venus Mercury in Scorpio so a heavyweight charm, definitely vengeful; with Jupiter in Gemini trine Neptune Mars, sextile Pluto (Moon) – controlling, lucky, determined, loves publicity (if not the media).

Bannon’s Jupiter falls in Trump’s 10^th conjunct his Sun, so will be seen as a luck bringer; but Bannon’s Uranus is conjunct Trump’s Saturn, which is differing agendas; and worse, Bannon’s focal point Pluto is conjunct Trump’s flamboyant Mars, so he’ll attempt to bully him, which may work while Trump is floundering around but it’ll come a cropper at some point. Tr Neptune starts to oppose the composite Mercury Sun Saturn conjunction in their relationship chart from early March, starting to chip away at the foundations of their co-operation, worsening from mid May onwards as tr Neptune opposes the Sun Saturn through till late 2018.

Bannon’s chart hasn’t much of cheer with three tr Neptune hard aspects to midpoints from April onwards pointing to losses; plus several disruptive tr Uranus aspects to his Uranus, Pluto, Neptune. The worst patch for that will be in late April/early Mars with tr Uranus opposition his Mars/Saturn, repeating late in the year which is usually a disastrous setback. He’ll be fuming fit to explode in Sept/Oct 2017 with tr Pluto square his focal point Mars – completely trapped and blocked in. That’s just after the August Leo Eclipse which will conjunct his Pluto and probably his Moon.

What is clear is that no one in Trump’s close circle likes him. Some like Ivanka and Kellyanne especially. Of the relationship charts with Bannon:

Mike Pence: Composite Sun Mars Jupiter square Saturn – sagging badly at the moment. Chilly patches through the year.

Jared Kushner: Composite Sun square Uranus Pluto, a real push and pull relationship; extremely edgy, ratchety and explosive in February with tr Uranus opposition Saturn; with a definite dip in March and through the autumn till year end as tr Neptune squares Mars; and blocked frequently with tr Saturn hitting the Sun square Uranus Pluto.

Ivanka: A fearsome amount of dislike from Uranus Mars Pluto which is getting the separating and impatient tr Saturn square through this year; plus tr Uranus opposition Saturn from late April which will erupt tensions into the open. Plus a composite Sun Neptune square Jupiter – she possibly thought him OK initially but now distrusts him.

Kellyanne: A bad-tempered composite Mars square Saturn which is breaking out into open warfare from early March onwards till late 2018 with tr Pluto square Mars.

James Mattis, Secretary of Defense: Suspicious crossover with a composite Sun Neptune Mercury which is being hammered by separative and tension-erupting tr Uranus opposition Mercury Sun from mid March.

Reince Priebus: Composite Sun opposition Mars and cold/doubting Venus Saturn Neptune.

Rex Tillerson, State: Composite Saturn Neptune square Uranus – suspicious and at cross purposes; with a power-play-for-the-upper hand Jupiter square Pluto. High tension and foot stamping through from mid March onwards; and worse in 2018 if Bannon survives that long.

Mike Pompeo, CIA: V chilly through this year.

Paul Ryan, Speaker: A nasty composite Sun Mars trine Uranus Pluto – serious dislike.

Mitch McConnell: Distrusting with composite Sun square Neptune, under considerable pressure from tr Pluto conjunct the composite Sun from this February to end of 2018.

There are always tensions and professional rivalries bubbling in the hot house atmosphere of a presidency, especially this one. The only comforting thought is that Trump is losing faith in him fairly soon, or Trump goes down and takes Bannon with him.

One additional thought is that Bannon is not a stupid man so the seeming incompetence of the spew of executive orders may well be a smokescreen for deliberate strategy, that of ‘disorienting the ‘enemy.’ Former colleagues from his Hollywood days said: “He always spoke in terms of aggression. It was always on-the-attack, double down… macho stuff. Steve has an obsession with testosterone.” Another: “Never back down, never apologize, never show weakness… He lives in a world where it’s always high noon at the O.K. Corral.”

In 2013 he described himself as a Leninist. “Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal, too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.” [Lenin was a revolutionary communist, who headed Russia’s Government after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and then the Soviet Union, overseeing the formation of a one party socialist state. Opponents were suppressed in the Red Terror, a violent campaign orchestrated by the state security services; tens of thousands were killed and others interned in concentration camps. Critics on both the left and right see him as the founder of a totalitarian dictatorship responsible for mass human rights abuses.]

His chart isn’t like Lenin’s or indeed the Vietnamese General whom he evidently also idolises. So Bannon is more of a teenage wannabe, but still capable of creating havoc. What may spike his plans along the way is that while he may relish being loathed by the enemy, his boss doesn’t.  Trump is pathologically dependent on being loved, adored and admired, so he may start pushing back and indeed blaming Bannon at some point for his plummeting poll figures.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/31/steve-bannon-s-long-love-affair-with-war.html

   

 

The anti-abortion march in Washington on Friday attracted tens of thousands of demonstrators heartened by Donald Trump’s stance and were addressed by VP Mike Pence and his wife Karen, both evangelical Christians.

The USA 1776 chart (various start times) does have an Aquarius Moon probably trine Mars in Gemini and Saturn in Libra, so has hard Moon aspects which will be unfriendly to feminine issues. Plus the Sun and three other planets are in Cancer, which tends to idealise motherhood.

It’s tricky to draw firm conclusions from the charts of several high profile anti-abortion campaigners (without birth times). But for what it’s worth – the Vatican has a New Moon in Gemini sextile Mars on one side and sextile Uranus on the other. Mike Pence is probably also a Gemini Sun Moon as well. Skipping through about 12 anti-abortionists there does seem to be a fair sprinkling of Air Moons and/or Aquarius planets. Air tends to attach themselves to an idea and disconnect from feelings. Sarah Palin notably has an Aquarius Moon and Saturn Mars Sun in Aquarius.

Karen Pence is a New Moon in Capricorn square Mars – and that’s the other theme through several of the charts – hard Moon Mars aspects, (conjunction, square or opposition) which is, simplistically, anger at mother/women. That’s a puzzle since Moon Mars is not sentimental or usually too empathetic. It’s excitable, passionate and can overly blunt. I suppose the Mars operates as the defender of the weak and is directed at women who choose not to be mothers. So the energy goes towards idealisation of the nascent foetus. But mothering is certainly a hot spot in their lives.

A recent poll showed 64% of Americans believed abortion should be legal, 31% against.

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Actor John Hurt has died aged 77, after an illustrious six decade career, spanning films such as A Man for All Seasons, The Elephant Man, Midnight Express, 1984, and latterly the Harry Potters; and television hits like The Naked Civil Servant and I Claudius. He specialised in roles about misfits, victims of fate and eccentrics.

He was born 22 Jan 1940 5.30pm Shirebrook, England to an amateur actress mother and clergyman/teacher father, had a strict upbringing, was married four times with several other long relationships and for many years had a serious drink problem. A full but not easy life.

He had a 6^th house, hard-working Sun Aquarius conjunct Mercury in late Capricorn, both in a bleak opposition to Pluto square a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries and Aries MC opposition North Node in Libra in the 4th. A settled home life and emotional commitment would not have been easy for him.

He also had an Earth Grand Trine of Uranus in the 10^th in a creative trine to Neptune trine Mercury in Capricorn – perhaps one pointer to his resonantly gravelly voice. Luckily as a balance to what could have been a heavily depressive chart, he had Jupiter in Aries trine Pluto and conjunct Mars also in Aries, which would bounce him up and give him confidence. His Cancer Moon was square Jupiter and trine his 8^th house Venus in Pisces, so he would enjoy women’s company.

His role as Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant first brought him to prominence. Crisp, born 25 Dec 1908, was a Capricorn Sun with his Moon conjunct Hurt’s Sun; an emphasised Saturn in Aries like Hurt; and Crisp’s Jupiter in Virgo trined Hurt’s 10^th house Uranus, so a real connection. The Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, born 1862, with a facial deformity which saw him kidnapped onto the freak show circuit, had a Leo Sun exactly on Hurt’s Ascendant; with his Neptune conjunct Hurt’s Jupiter and his Mars also in Aries – so another uncanny resonance.

John Hurt’s ‘actors’ 15^th Harmonic is exceptionally marked with two Cardinal Grand Crosses of Sun, Pluto, Moon Mercury Neptune, and Mars, Saturn, Moon, Neptune.  With his talent he could draw on his own unhappiness to channel his characters.

 

 

The chaos around Trump’s his first days in office isn’t quite addictive but it’s so unnerving it leaches interest out of almost everything else. The desperate inanities of his need to have had the biggest Inaugural crowd and to have actually won the popular vote are either signs of a pathological narcissism that’s off the Richter scale; or a cunning manoeuvre to distract attention from the myriad executive orders he is spewing out at speed. [Don’t get distracted by the dead cat on the table. Url: goo.gl/neQHlO] And indeed how his obsession with voter fraud could well lead to restrictions on who votes in future and possible/probable claims of rigged elections if the Republicans lose the midterms in 2018, never mind the 2020 re-run of this farrago. There may be more method in his madness than appears.

But for all that he isn’t Emperor Nero and even his nominees are refusing to buckle under his over-heated wish-list. Mattis on taking over the Pentagon made his first call to the head of NATO; and he, Pompeo (CIA) and McCain have spoken out firmly against torture. Rex Tillerson in State appears to have lost (or fired) all the top staff which given his lack of political experience is a distinct handicap. The Mexico wall will run into a thousand road blocks, as probably will the pipeline. Federal workers are likely to increase subversive action; swingeing tax cuts and stratospheric infrastructure spending is likely to run into Congress budgetary resistance. His protectionist trade policies run the risk of costing consumers (in the rust belt) more and de-stabilising the global economy. The only world leaders he appears to be on talking terms to are Putin, Netanyahu and (lord help us) Theresa May.

His Gemini Sun Uranus opposition Sagittarius Moon sitting on top of the USA 1776 Mars square Neptune makes more and more sense, given the anger, divisiveness and panic he is creating. His Saturn in Cancer conjunct the USA Mercury opposition Pluto will be interesting to watch when the tr Uranus squares come along from just after mid March onwards, given the history of that aspect on the USA chart in fuelling McCarthyite fascist responses and scandals, financial and Watergate-wise. [See post USA 2017 Dec 26^th.] Trump’s relationship chart with the USA does indicate anger/insecurity breaking out into the open from mid March on at the same time, if not before, since the composite Moon may be at 22 Capricorn and, if so, will trigger late February.

Plus, of course, his bullying, bombastic Mars in Leo is opposite the USA Moon in Aquarius, trampling women’s rights into the ground – and not just in the US, overseas as well – resulting in a hot-tempered response.

His present hardline anti-abortion stance is a new acquisition since he was never that stuck on it as an issue until Mike Pence stepped in beside him. Be wary of praying for an impeached Trump. Pence would move up. In Congress he co-sponsored a bill that would allow hospitals to deny abortions to pregnant women who would die without the procedure. His war against Planned Parenthood when he was governor of Indiana led to the closing of five clinics. (None of them did abortions. They did, however, provide testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and one of the counties where a clinic was closed suffered a big H.I.V. outbreak.) He also voted against the Lilly Ledbetter act for equal pay for women. He once argued that having two working parents would lead to “stunted emotional growth” in children. In 2006, he said same-sex couples were a sign of “societal collapse.” And all this in the name of Christian piety. That Moon on the Inauguration chart squaring the Mars/Saturn midpoint certainly makes sense – cruel treatment of women.

Though if its any consolation  Pence is having a horrible time ahead with tr Pluto square his Mars/Saturn and trine his Mars/Neptune midpoints from early March onwards for two years – which indicates cataclysmic setbacks and plans not working out; tr Neptune square his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint from mid May to late 2018 which usually accompanies career losses; and tr Neptune squaring his Gemini Sun in 2018/19 which is lack-lustre and not ego-friendly.

What intrigues me (amongst a thousand other things) is Trump’s relationship with Stephen Bannon, his faithful buddy, which is hitting a sharp downhill slide from mid May onwards as tr Neptune opposes the composite Sun Saturn. Jared Kushner doesn’t get on with him and their dip comes earlier in mid March. Kellyanne Conway loathes him with a passion and that could lead to open warfare from early March onwards.

Keep an eye also on Trump and Paul Ryan from early April onwards as their uneasy co-operation stalls into suspicion, lack of confidence and uncertainty which will roll on till late 2019.

 

   

 

David and Victoria Beckham have built up a brand through his football and her fashion-related businesses, estimated worth half a billion pounds last year. Reports are that they are buying a Cotswold country home, an area popular with celebrities like Kate Moss, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet, Lily Allen, Michael McIntyre, Jeremy Clarkson and David Cameron.

Although her fashion business with a good turnover still appeared to have made a loss and was kept afloat by a loan from himself. Their spokesman denied there was a problem and said it was in effect merely an accounting matter. Her company was recently given a formal notice of compulsory strike-off by Companies House, having failed to file its annual accounts on time for the third year running.

David, born 2 May 1976 6.17am London, does look unsettled with tr Uranus moving to square his MC from May this year and square his Capricorn Moon in 2018, so considering a change of direction. Tr Saturn exactly now is heading into his 8^th also suggests a two year phase ahead of financial reorganisation; and feeling less emotionally supported. 2018/19 do look difficult with the panicky-failure tr Neptune conjunct his Mars in Pisces and Solar Arc Moon square his 7^th house Neptune; plus Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Neptune so a disappointing time emotionally as well as confusing about future plans.

Victoria, 17 April 1974 10.07am? Hereford, England, will be unsettled domestically and career-wise in 2017 into 2018 with tr Uranus opposition her 4^th house Uranus and conjunct her Aries Sun – so major changes; feeling less popular publicly and in her career with tr Neptune conjunct her 10^th house Venus; and then tr Saturn opposition her 12^th house Mars Saturn late in 2017; with a sagging, lack lustre Solar Arc Sun opposition her Neptune in 2018.

Their relationship always was going to hit its most turbulent patch when tr Uranus moved into Taurus in 2018 moving in conjunction across the composite Venus, Mercury, Sun, Mars until 2020.

They’ve survived through a good deal together but there do look to be relationship stresses and strains ahead.

 

Alexandra Shulman, Editor of Vogue UK, has resigned after 25 years at the helm, giving rise to speculation that her frosty relationship with the icy Anna Wintour of Vogue USA might be a factor. Though other top management changes and a changing market in print magazines may also have swung her decision.

Both ladies are determined Scorpios. Alexandra Shulman, 13 Nov 1957, is a Mars Neptune and North Node in Scorpio with Sun at a later degree; while Anna Wintour, 3 Nov 1949, is a Sun Scorpio conjunct AS’s Mars which is not a great co-operative combo. AW’s Mars is also conjunct AS’s Pluto which is worse – underlying hostility and competition.

Alexandra Shulman, who recently penned two novels, looks uncertain this year but getting back into her stride in 2018/19 with tr Pluto sextile her Sun and square her Jupiter. Anna Wintour looks less enthusiastic ahead with a foot-slogging tr Pluto trine her Saturn this year; and tr Neptune square her Saturn in 2018/19.

 

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, is under increasing pressure with a political deadlock over the Scottish budget and serious problems in locally-run health, education and the police. Plus latest figures which show Scottish trade with the UK is four times greater than with the EU  blow a hole in plans for an independent Scotland in Europe.

Her latest term chart, 12 May 2016 9.35am, always did look wobbly with an over-hopeful Neptune opposition Jupiter square an argumentative and restrictive Mars Saturn. Tr Neptune is moving to oppose Jupiter and square Saturn from April onwards till late 2018 which is a downhill slide, with high hopes being dashed. If the budget is not agreed then a snap election may have to be called.

On her own personal chart, she has tr Saturn moving through the lowest point of her 1^st quadrant which is always a time of banana-skins and disappointments, not ego or ambition-supportive. The February Pisces Eclipse will oppose her 10^th house Venus which will dent her popularity and make her feel unloved.

 

Martin Schulz, a German MEP and former President of the European Parliament, an EU hardliner, buddies with Jean-Claude Juncker and pro-more integration is gearing up to challenge Angela Merkel in September’s Election. (Previous post July 8 2016.)

Born 20 Dec 1955, Schulz is a Sun Sagittarius, like Juncker and both have Saturn in obsessive Scorpio. Schulz, if anything, is more intransigent than Juncker since his Sun is trine a powerfully confident Pluto Jupiter, which latter is also square Saturn; and he has vengeful Mars in Scorpio as well.

Schulz’s relationship chart with the EU is locked-together, over-confident and veering towards the fanatical with a composite Saturn square Pluto, Sun square Jupiter and Uranus opposition Venus square Neptune. Tr Saturn is conjunct his Sun in March/April and again in November; and tr Uranus squares his Venus in Capricorn in May and November this year – so it won’t be a heartening or smooth run through campaigning.

On 24 September 2017 for the German election he has an uncertain and confusing tr Neptune square his Sun/Saturn; with tr Pluto exactly conjunct his Solar Arc Mars which is totally blocked. So (without a time) it doesn’t look too hopeful for him.

His relationship with Merkel is high-tension through 2017; and with his Sun conjunct her 1^st house Mars he’ll bring out hr competitive spirit.

 

The multi-talented Barbra Streisand, 65 years into a singing career that shows no sign of losing its glitter, was born 24 April 1942 5.08am New York. Her father died when she was one years old and her mother struggled to bring up the family in poverty.

She’s got a stalwart Taurus Sun Mercury (rules the throat) square an intense Moon Pluto in Leo in the performing 5^th house; with Saturn and Uranus also in Taurus – so a very Fixed chart, enduring, stubborn, dislikes change. She’s also got four Mutable planets – Venus in Pisces in the 12^th widely opposition Neptune and North Node in Virgo square Jupiter and Mars in Gemini in her 3^rd. So she’ll certainly be a good communicator and outspoken with Mars in her 3^rd. Worth noting: a surprising number of people who lose a father early have Sun Pluto hard aspects which simplistically is the controlling, dominating father but in this instance is the father outwith control.

She’s always been a Democrat, appearing on Nixon’s Enemies list. At present she seems to be working on a film adaptation of the musical Gypsy and preparing to direct a film on Catherine the Great of Russia.

Exact at the moment is her Solar Arc Uranus conjunct her 5^th house Moon, so that will key into the women’s movement of rebellion against Trump. Though Solar Arc Saturn follows hard on its heels to conjunct her Moon late this year which will be a downer. Tr Saturn is aiming to hit her midheaven by 2018 and staying in her upper quadrant for seven years thereafter which is usually hard-working, responsible and high profile. Jupiter through her 7^th this year will find her being more outgoing and meeting an enthusiastic response. But it still looks an edgy, undermining and enraging year with tr Pluto trine her Sun/Uranus midpoint; and tr Neptune square her Mars/Saturn and Mars/Uranus as well as tr Pluto opposition her Mars/Pluto.

2018 will do her popularity the world of good with her Solar Arc MC conjunct her Venus. Tr Uranus is gearing up to oppose her Pluto and conjunct her Sun in 2019/2020 which will either turn her life upside down or see her in full revolutionary gear. Maybe both.