Astrology of Today’s News

Al Franken was a satirist and comedian, a staple on Saturday Night Live for 15 years before he got serious and became a Junior Democratic Senator for Minnesota. He kept a low profile for his first term as he learnt the Washington ropes, but now on his second lap he’s become the ‘breakout star’ of the confirmation hearings, skewering several of Trump’s nominees.

A CBS political corr said of him: “Perhaps the SNL writer-turned-progressive pugilist is the ideal Democratic politician for the Trump era. Like the president-elect, he excels at insult comedy. Also like Mr. Trump, he can come across as kind of a jerk, although that’s likely to be considered less of a liability than it has been in the past…. Given the sorry state of the Democrats, a newfound prominence may be unavoidable. He knows what he’s talking about, as the hearings have shown, and has a comic’s natural ability to notice and exploit weaknesses. In the Age of Trump, those will be particularly skills for any Democrat. Moreover, Franken has a sense of theatre that few politicians possess. Show business is better training for politics than we sometimes acknowledge, particularly when it’s combined, as it is in Franken’s case, with some genuine wonkery.”

Born 21 May 1951 6.15pm New York, he has a biting Sun Mars in Gemini on the cusp of his 8^th house opposition a Sagittarius Moon; with a confidently entertaining Jupiter in Aries in his performing 4^th. Plus an influential Pluto on his midheaven. And his Mercury in heavyweight Taurus sits exactly on the midpoint of his Sun Mars and Jupiter which will give him the confidence to speak his mind.

His Solar Returns show him on good form from his birthday 2018 for a year; and high-profile from birthday 2020. Though he’ll be discouraged in 2018/19 as well from tr Saturn square his Jupiter and opposition his Uranus Venus. He’s not really firing on all cylinders right now with tr Saturn moving through his 2^nd. It’ll be into his 3^rd by the 2020 election which isn’t too wonderful either. But tr Jupiter will be there as well which might help. There’s no way of telling whether he’ll stand for or get the Democratic nomination; and his stars are comme ci comme ca at in November 2020 – tr Jupiter giving him a life; and tr Neptune and tr Uranus not helping him remotely.

Another name popping up as a possible Dem candidate is the newly elected Junior  Democratic Senator from California, Kamala Harris, 20 October 1964, who made headlines after her tough questioning of Jeff Sessions during a Senate hearing. She has a hard-driving, intellectual and determined chart with an Air Grand Trine of a Libra Sun conjunct Mercury in Scorpio trine Saturn in Aquarius trine North Node in Gemini, formed into a Kite by Saturn opposition Mars. And that opposition squares onto an expansive, confident Jupiter in Taurus. Her Moon is in Aries. While she has the downbeat tr Saturn square her Sun over the 2020 election, she has tr Pluto trine her Jupiter in Taurus picking up from February 2020 and exact over the 2021 Inauguration, so she’s definitely on a roll. Maybe even VP.

As Brand Beckham grows stronger and more lucrative the lifestyles of David and Victoria appear to be drifting apart. She’s full-time fashion designing while he oversees a ‘monster’ business empire, plays with their four kids and seems bored with post-football life, so is constantly off partying.

Both of them are on their mid-life crisis of tr Uranus opposition their natal Uranus, which is affecting Victoria more since she has a complicated Air Grand Trine of Uranus trine Saturn Mars in Gemini trine Aquarius Moon, formed into a Kite by Uranus opposition her Aries Sun – so hugely talented, disciplined and driven, emotionally cool. But the tr Uranus opposition running this year into early 2018 is rattling up a substantial chunk of her chart, including her Sun and shaking her Moon on one leg of the Trine. David’s picks up in early 2018, squaring his Moon at the same time.

Both also have outer planets moving through their 7^th house of marriage – he has tr Saturn now heading for his 8^th, which will make him more self-sufficient emotionally for a couple of years ahead, as well as his Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his 7^th house not-always-committed Neptune in early 2018. He’s also got his Solar Arc/Progressed Sun conjunct his Venus this year which usually accompanies a significant romantic relationship. She has tr Pluto moving through her 7^th which often puts strain on close relationships, worsening into 2018/20 with tr Pluto conjunct her Solar Arc Neptune.

Their relationship chart always was going to hit its bumpiest patch in 2018/19 with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Venus, Mercury and then Sun, Mars. With tr Uranus also opposing their composite Uranus this year. So everything is rocking on its axis, perhaps trying to find a way of staying together while living separate lifestyles. There is a chained-together composite Saturn square Pluto so it wouldn’t split easily.

He looks disappointed and discontented in 2018 with tr Neptune conjunct his 11^th house Mars, so unsure about future plans; with his enthusiasm further dampened in 2018/19 with tr Saturn square his Pluto and then his Jupiter.

Victoria also looks undermined in late 2017/18 with her Solar Arc Sun opposition her Neptune followed by Solar Arc Uranus conjunct her Neptune.

They may manage to sort it out over time since there’s a good deal of affection between them.

PS Victoria’s birth time is very iffy and should be ignored; his from a biography.

Mark Zuckerburg has now overseen his baby Facebook officially hitting 2 billion monthly users, making it the largest, most influential social network in the world. A Harvard dropout, he co-founded Facebook in 2004 aged 19, and is now worth $63.3 billion, the world’s fifth richest man. He and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook stake over their lifetimes.

Born 14 May 1984 Boston, Massachusetts (2.30pm astrotheme), he’s got an ultra-determined, fiendishly stubborn chart with a Taurus Sun and Venus opposing a raft of Scorpio planets – Mars, Moon, Saturn with Pluto also in Scorpio opposition a late Aries Mercury. If the birth time is accurate it puts his Scorpio planets in his 2^nd house of finances which would make sense. His Sun and North Node are in the broad-communication and far-travelled 9^th house; with his Mars and Uranus in his 3^rd house, also of communications, giving him a hyper-active brain. Mercury Pluto can be dogmatic but can also give deep insights.

Not an easy man to live with but his wife, 24 Feb 1985 12.16am Braintree, MA, has her Venus Mars in his 7^th and her Moon in his 8^th; and his Sun is conjunct her Descendant – so there’s enough good connection there to withstand the obsessiveness of his personality. She’s got Neptune in her 2^nd so is probably the more philanthropic of the pair; and a lively Venus Mars Moon in her 5^th house of children and fun; and a bright, intelligent, expansive mind with Jupiter and Sun Mercury in Pisces in her 3^rd.

Their relationship chart has an intensely emotional composite Venus opposition Pluto square Moon Mars, so there will be jealousies and arguments. But her adaptable Pisces Sun and never-hold-a-grudge Aries planets including the Moon will help to absorb the storms. Though their marriage will get a shake up through 2018/19 when tr Uranus is conjunct Venus, opposition Pluto and square Mars Moon. Tr Saturn is moving through his 5^th conjunct his Neptune from this New Year and then his 4^th house Jupiter, which will put a damper on the domestic mood.

His money/humanitarian 9^th harmonic is strong; even more so are his breakthrough-genius 13H; and his leaving-a-mark-on-history 17H which are both powerfully aspected.

Unholy practices of an eye-blinking variety have led to Thai Buddhist monk Wirapol Sukphol being extradited from California to his home country. He denies eight charges relating to false advertising, statutory rape, tax evasion, drug use, false academic representation, money laundering, claiming to possess supernatural powers and manslaughter.

His story went viral in 2013 when images of him appeared with shaven head and orange robe, sitting in an executive jet. A subsequent Thai investigation uncovered a lifestyle of staggering decadence. $6m (£4.6m) in ten bank accounts was tracked down, as were 22 Mercedes Benz cars, a mansion in southern California, a large house in his home town with a giant replica of the famous Emerald Buddha statue in Bangkok’s royal palace, which he claimed contained nine tonnes of gold. There was evidence of sexual relationships with a number of women, one of whom claimed he had fathered a child when she was 15 years old, backed by DNA analysis.

Followers have described being beguiled by his soft, warm voice, and convinced by his claim to have supernatural powers – the ability to walk on water and talk to deities. Many still support him. The Thai’s love of superstition tempts them to donate generously to monks in the belief this will ensure greater fortune in the future. Monks often bless new cars or houses for good. Lottery tickets are sold inside temples. Last year several hundred Thailand’s monks were reprimanded for various misdemeanours and criminal acts – having sex, being in possession of drugs and pornography, using methamphetamine, raping a 14-year-old girl and procuring a 14-year-old boy for their abbot.

Sukphol was born 18 September 1979 and wanted to be a monk aged 5, though presumably not with all the above in mind at that stage.

He’s a Sun Saturn in Virgo which should be hard-working and diligent, though Virgo is an Earth sign which in the male of the species can be indulgent where the pleasures of the flesh are concerned; and Saturn in one of his guises is the goat-god of the orgy. His Sun Saturn square Neptune points to an idealistic though also neurotic streak. He also has Moon Jupiter in flamboyant Leo; and a ruthless Mars in Cancer square Pluto and in a high-octane square to Uranus. He liked walking on the wild side. His Mercury is conjunct Venus in Libra, which would give him a smooth charm.

His 9^th Harmonic is strong – supposedly humanitarian, but often found in the charts of financial con men and pleasure-seekers. His wheel-of-fortune 10H is also marked which contains the seed of both rise and fall, the good and the bad. His 16H is also heavily aspected – which warns against  catastrophes. ’Life as you know it might change completely. Sometimes this is self-inflicted, sometimes it is not.’

Years ago I read about a researcher studying religious gurus. He kept asking himself which were fakes and which genuine. Until he realised that was the wrong question. The right question was what proportion in each was genuine and what was fraud. This one had clearly moved so far from his monastic training that he was 100% on the downside.

He looks completely blocked at the moment with his Solar Arc Saturn square his Mars; tr Pluto trine his Saturn, square his Pluto and sextile his Uranus. Tr Pluto moves to oppose his Mars in 2021/2022 which will be scary and cornered.

The drift of eastern EU countries away from democracy towards authoritarianism and Russia is causing considerable concern. A 2017 report described 18 of the 27 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries as being in democratic decline. The most worrisome are Poland and Hungary, in the 1990s seen as success stories.

Hungary under Viktor Orban is described as a hybrid regime, where democratic institutions barely work. Their role as a check on those in power has been gradually restricted. The government has taken control of every institution that could keep its power in check. The independent press has been almost liquidated.

And Poland is now being threatened by Brussels with suspension of their voting rights as they push ahead with plans to bring the judiciary under government control, strictly against EU regulations. (Shades of Trump).

Two thoughts astrologically. One is the looming Saturn Pluto conjunction, in shadow effect in 2018 and in orb in 2019/2020, which is repressive, anti-libertarian, leaning towards authoritarian rule.

The other is that Poland and Hungary both joined the EU on 1 May 2004, in the A10 enlargement which included 7 countries from the former Eastern bloc, 3 formerly under Soviet rule. That Accession chart is moving through troubled times – at the moment suffering under a bad-tempered Solar Arc Mars conjunct Saturn and Solar Arc Saturn square Mercury. The 2 Scorpio Midheaven is also being jolted from mid 2018 as tr Uranus opposes the MC and moves across the IC into the 4^th, so major disruptions in relations, worsening by 2020 when tr Uranus conjunct the Sun could blow the relationship apart altogether.

Similar influences are afflicting the Poland 1989/EU relationship chart in 2019 with tr Uranus opposing the composite Sun. And the Hungary 1918 and 1989/EU relationship charts.

The 2019/2020 marker is when the EU chart itself starts to be seriously destabilised with tr Uranus moving in hard aspect to its Fixed Grand Cross. Brexit may be the least of their worries by that time.

The helter-skelter carousel of Trump’s administration just turned into a freefall for the benighted White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, as he voluntarily jumped from the podium at the news that wealthy financier Anthony Scaramucci has been appointed as Communications Director. “A major mistake” in his view, shared by many who think Scaramucci lacks the political experience. His back-slapping braggadocio has not endeared him to many, especially Reince Priebus, who may well also go. But he’s been a ferocious defender of Trump on cable television and close to Don Jnr.

Born 6 January 1964 he’s certainly got a combative chart with a Sun conjunct Mars in Capricorn; and his Sun Mercury square Jupiter in pro-active Aries; and trine Uranus Pluto in Virgo, sextiling onto Neptune – so a go-getter, high-octane ambitious, fairly chaotic.

Capricorn is Trump’s 5^th house so no surprise that the Trump kids support Scaramucci and he’s probably a good playmate for Trump senior, evidently sharing the same gaudy tastes as him. But what was OK as a fairly arms-length relationship may not be as comfortable in close confinement. AS’s Mars opposes DT’s Saturn, and AS’s Saturn opposes DT’s Mars – and that’s a fair amount of friction.

Their relationship chart has an unpleasant composite Venus Saturn opposition Mars – it will inevitably end in tears and rancor.

Scaramucci does look fairly boxed in and jangled this year with his Solar Arc Saturn square his Sun, and his Solar Arc Sun opposition his Uranus – with many more minuses than pluses ahead in 2018, which looks cornered, aggravated and swampy, with career losses.

Sean Spicer, a controlled Sun Pluto in Virgo was never a great match for Trump with a composite Sun Mercury Uranus square Mars in their relationship chart – volatile, not comfortable in the same space. He’ll buck up in 2018 and probably greatly relieved to be out of the madhouse.

The upcoming late August Leo Solar Eclipse conjunct the Israel Mars is certainly making its influence felt as clashes break out at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, revered by both Jews and Muslims as a holy site. Nearly 3000 Palestinians have been in clashes with Israeli forces, with 193 wounded. Tensions have soared since two Israeli policemen were killed last Friday.

Haaretz, the liberal Tel Aviv newspaper said protests could turn into an intifada in the blink of an eye. An Eclipse conjunct Mars tends to produce a roar of anger and exacerbates any tendencies to fly off the handle or in an individual to do too much. It revs up the engine to overload. Trump has Mars hitting the Eclipse as well, as does Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Not only is the Eclipse conjunct the Israel Mars, tr Uranus is trine the Israel Mars right through till early September which is explosive, angry, uncompromising, tending to lead to macho gestures to prop up self-esteem. Israel also has the Solar Arc Moon conjunct the 12^th house Neptune, (exact to 4 minutes of a degree = one fifteenth of a degree), producing a highly uncertain mood. In general it’s a discouraging year for Israel with the Solar Arc Mercury conjunct its Saturn; and tr Saturn conjunct Jupiter opposition Uranus, running till November. Plus two more jolts from tr Uranus square the Israel MC in December this year and February 2018, which will send it off track.

If the start time of 11.40pm GMT is correct for the Palestine Declaration of Independence 14 Nov 1988, then their Capricorn Moon is not only picking up the square from tr Uranus exactly now till early September, but also the conjunction from Solar Arc Uranus, exact 3 months’ time and running into next year. So emotionally on edge and overly excitable; with tr Pluto square the Palestine Venus in 2017/18 intensifying the mood. They’ll be thoroughly discouraged from December into 2018 with tr Saturn conjunct Uranus, then Saturn, Neptune and square Mars.

Both the Palestine 88 and Gaza relationship charts with Israel are also highlighting the late Leo Eclipse point – Moon, Mercury, Mars conjunct for Gaza/Israel; and Venus Mercury Sun for Palestine/Israel. So very much a flash point.

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Princess Charlotte, all of two years old, has been delighting Europeans with her smiles and curtsies, as she steals the limelight on her parents’ state visit.

Born 2 May 2015 8.34am London, she’s remarkably similar to Zara Phillips, Princess Anne’s daughter – both have a determined, stubborn and lively Sun Mars in Taurus; social-butterfly Venus in Gemini; and intense Libra Moon Pluto hard aspects. Both also have a Uranian streak of rebelliousness with Zara’s Sun opposition Uranus; and Charlotte’s Libra Moon opposition her Uranus. Different houses, so the energies will go out in different directions. Zara is relationship-oriented with a 7^th house Sun Venus; while Charlotte will adore a large circle of friends with an 11^th house Sun Mars, but be less gregarious with a 12^th house Venus.

Charlotte’s Moon is not only opposition a maverick 10^th house Uranus but also square Pluto in the 7^th – which will make her home and emotional life quite a roller coaster ride. Constant changes, unpredictability, especially in relation to her mother, who always looks so perfect in public. But clearly another reality behind the scenes. Charlotte also has Saturn opposition Mercury square Neptune MC which points to a caring streak, though also quite nervy as well. Her Pluto is trine her Sun and Mars, so when she makes up her mind, not much will budge her.  Her Jupiter in Leo in the 3^rd suggests an enthusiastic connection to siblings.

Prince George looked less enamoured of the Royal trip. Born 22 July 4.24pm London, he has a much less robust and even more complicated chart than his sister. His 9^th house Cancer Sun opposes a Capricorn Moon, which will make him ambivalent about what he wants, always pulled between his head and his heart. It also suggests he sees his parents as two entirely opposing types, not always compatible. His Pluto opposes an 8^th house Jupiter Mars Mercury squaring onto Uranus in the 5^th – grandparental influence both in genes and circumstances will have a strong effect on him, making him intensely secretive, quite controlling especially over money, pushed around by circumstances beyond his control. He has a Water Grand Trine of Jupiter Mars trine a 12^th house Saturn trine Neptune in the 3^rd trine Jupiter Mars in Cancer, formed into a Kite with Neptune opposition a 9^th house Venus in Virgo. He’ll be creative, healing for others, but not always able to heal himself, highly self-protective, shielding himself from reality at times, a dreamer rather than a doer. Not ambitious. Certainly he doesn’t have the sense of duty his great-grandmother HM Queen has, or even his grandfather Prince Charles, who is designed for a public career.

OJ Simpson, the former high-profile football star, has been granted early release from prison. He was given a nine-to-33-year sentence in 2008 on charges of assault, kidnapping, and armed burglary after attempting to steal pieces of his own sports memorabilia from a hotel room. This was 13 years after being acquitted in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. His lawyers previously argued that his sentence was inordinately long; intended as a payback for his controversial 1995 acquittal instead of a punishment for his 2007 crime. He will be released as early as 1 October of this year.

Born 9 July 1947 8.08 am San Francisco, he has a Water Grand Trine of Sun Mercury in Cancer trine Jupiter in Scorpio trine an 8^th house Pisces Moon. Certainly highly emotional, he’ll live in a protected bubble of his own inner world, and, while creative, will at times be detached from reality. His competitive, combative Mars in Gemini in the 10^th is in a showbizzy trine to Neptune, sextile a depressive Saturn (Pluto) in Leo in his 12^th. His Jupiter in Scorpio (often good at attracting money) is square his Pluto Saturn, as well as being trine his Sun Mercury – so he has the confidence and luck to balance out the negative traits. It’s not an ultra-violent chart but none too stable psychologically.

In October tr Pluto will be sextile his Jupiter and trine his Sun/Jupiter midpoint to give him a morale boost. Though it won’t be an easy transition with many (including in the media) trying to trip him up. Tr Jupiter moves into his 4^th through 2018, followed late in the year by his progressed Moon for two years plus thereafter. So if he has any sense he’ll lie low and stay close to home.