Astrology of Today’s News

Constantly in the news, bubbly, scatty, rich, aristocratic, strong Royal connections – Tara Palmer Tomkinson was an effervescent personality who at one point seemed to have it all. Yet scrape off the glitter from the famous-for-being-famous IT girl of the 1990s, and inside was bleakness and zero self-worth.

A friend wrote: ‘At parties, she would put on a good show for the cameras and then want to leave 15 minutes later. Then she would be up all night Googling herself to find out what pictures had come out and what they were saying about her. If this sounds self-absorbed, it wasn’t that, it was simply – and rather sadly – that she was deeply insecure and craved the validation – they hadn’t forgotten about her.’

Another friend from a similar background: ‘We were from a generation and family background in which girls were brought up with low expectations that didn’t extend much beyond a good marriage and becoming a mother. For people with insecurities and self-doubt, publicity can become an addictive drug that bolsters confidence and reassures them of their place in the world.’ Shades of Princess Diana.

She herself said: ‘Of course, I haven’t earned [fame] and I didn’t feel I was worth it, and going to all those endless parties, it made me feel worth a pile of s***.”

On taking drugs – “Because I had no confidence. Didn’t feel worth anything.”

On being posh: “Holidays, princes and cashmere, those are the best bits. And the drugs are quite good with being posh, because you can afford better ones.” The downside: Posh people don’t have a lot of love in their lives, to be honest.”

Born 23 December 1971, with a landowner, Olympic-level skier father, a close friend of Prince Charles, she was a Capricorn Sun square a Mars in late Pisces opposition Pluto – so trapped, frustrated, feeling she had no choices in life. Plus a tough, loveless Air Grand Trine of Venus in Aquarius trine Saturn trine Pluto, formed into a Kite with a neurotic Saturn opposition Neptune – making Neptune the leading planet, so no surprises she ended up with a serious drug habit, into which she had possibly relapsed when she was found dead at 45 this week by her twice-weekly cleaner, living alone in her £4 million London apartment.

Donald Trump was born three hours 15 minutes after a Lunar Eclipse, with an almost exact Full Moon in place. His Moon is conjunct the South Node in the 4^th, which will anchor him in the past, to his father, his childhood and the attitudes he grew up with, especially where women are concerned.

As far as I can see this Lunar Eclipse occurred before in 1973 when the NY Times headline read: “Major Landlord Accused of Anti-black Bias in City,” the headline stated. The Department of Justice had brought suit in federal court in Brooklyn against Mr. Trump and his father, Fred C. Trump, charging them with violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968 in the operation of 39 buildings.”

Again in 1984 when he opened Trump Tower to great fanfare though it ran into problems within two years [see previous post Jan 20]. Again in 1992 when he almost went bankrupt, his net worth zero and in debt. And most recently in 2011 when he was the butt of jokes by President Obama and comedian Seth Meyers at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after his birther campaign. Trump was so “humiliated by the experience, it accelerated his ferocious efforts to gain stature in the political world.” (New York Times). He campaigned initially for the 2012 election, but then withdrew.

So those specific Lunar Eclipses do seem to trigger major events in his life, though there isn’t another on his Full Moon until 2030.

The upcoming Great American Solar Eclipse at 29 Leo in late August this year is in a Saros Series (1 North) that does seem significant for the USA. It is exact on the MC through mid USA and Canada, due north south from roughly Kansas City.

The world’s first atomic bomb was dropped by American forces on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, four weeks after the 1 North solar eclipse with an exact conjunction of Saturn squaring onto Neptune. It killed 130,000 people and led to the Japanese surrender.

On the next cycle of this eclipse 18 years on, John and Jackie Kennedy’s premature baby son, Patrick Kennedy, died on 9 August, two weeks after the solar eclipse in 1963. Martin Luther King was delivering his rousing civil rights speech in Washington to 200,000 African-Americans campaigning for black civil rights four weeks after the solar eclipse. Three months later President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas. The same cycle repeating in 1981 saw US forces shoot down two Libyan planes, and the US air traffic control strike. Then in July 1999, with tragic and eerie synchronicity, J. F. Kennedy’s son John was killed in a plane crash three weeks before the 1 North solar eclipse.

In previous 1 North eclipses, Charles Lindbergh made the first solo, non-stop transatlantic flight, from New York to Paris, in 33 hours, in 1927; and in 1909 a major earthquake destroyed Acapulco, two weeks after the eclipse. The next eclipse in this series occurred in August 1999, in the midst of the Balkans Kosovar crisis, with NATO forces, at war for the first time since 1945, trying to halt the Serbian ethnic cleansing and genocide of Albanians.

This Eclipse is conjunct Trump’s Mars and Ascendant which will exacerbate his tendency to blow off angry steam in all directions and could cause health problems if he does not become more aware of his physical needs. Anger can be destructive not only as far as others are concerned but also by over stressing the individual. The challenge for him will be to face up to how people see him – 1^st house issues magnified. For normal people it can be a time of self-improvement, though that seems unlikely here.

Other Eclipse tit bits: Prince Charles married Diana two days before a 1 North Eclipse in 1981. Bernadette Brady says of this cycle: ‘The individual would be wise not to make any hasty decisions since information is distorted and possibly false.’ Tiredness or health problems are also associated with it. Prince William was born on the day of a different solar eclipse cycle in June 1982.

On the day of the 6 South lunar eclipse on 24 April 1986, seen as manic and forceful, a major accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station near Kiev in the USSR sent out nuclear fallout greater than 1000 Hiroshima bombs.

Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, had a curious affinity with eclipses. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964 on the day of the Gemini solar eclipse in the 2 Old North series (which also oversaw the birth of Prince William), hinting at separations and challenges but with an ultimately hopeful outcome. His release from prison 26 years later came two days after the Leo lunar eclipse in the 10 North series, which was also in place in the weeks before his birth in July 1918. Its core meaning is linked to communications, frustrations, inhibitions and the need to move quietly. He became president of South Africa on the day of a Taurus solar eclipse in 1994 in the 14 South cycle, generally though to be successful after a long period of hard work.

Before everyone gets worked up to the point of hysteria, there was an highly afflicted Solar Eclipse in 1999 across the UK for which doom laden omens were pronounced in advance. It came and went with remarkably little to show, though there were major UK catastrophes almost two years after when certain planets moved back to the Eclipse positions.

Ifs, maybes and buts are hovering over the EU or more precisely the Eurozone as Le Pen talks about reverting to a French coin. Even if she doesn’t win, the pressure from the southern EU states about their failing finances will become untenable in the not too distant future. If/when the euro collapses as a currency, commentators reckon that ‘France might emerge in rough equilibrium, the least destabilized of the big eurozone states. It is Germany and its northern satellites that would have to deal with a violent revaluation shock, you might say the delayed retribution for their chronic current account surpluses within monetary union.’

The Bundesbank (German Central Bank) chart, 26 July 1957, is under acute pressure from this March from tr Pluto square the Solar Arc Mars in 2017/18/19; with tr Uranus opposition Pluto in May starting a jolting run of upheaval into 2018. There’s a financial disappointment/bubble-busting Solar Arc Neptune square Jupiter in a few months time; and two unpleasant Solar Arcs in 2019. With more significant disruptions in 2019/2020.

The Germany chart, 1 Jan 1871 12am, looks shocked in about two months’ time with Solar Arc Moon conjunct Mars; and being elbowed into a sharp change of direction from late April with tr Uranus square Uranus, on and off into early 2018. Plus a subterranean, forced change with financial consequences from tr Pluto trine the 8^th house Pluto in 2017/18.

From this New Year into 2018 tr Saturn moves into Capricorn squaring the Germany Mars, meeting a Saturn Return and then moving on through Germany’s 4^th house to conjunct the Sun and Venus from late 2018 and through 2019. With more huge upheavals in 20121/2022 as tr Pluto opposes the 10^th house Uranus. So Germany is moving into a highly critical phase in its history; with some similarities to the 1930s when Uranus in Aries squared Pluto in Cancer opposition Saturn.  Not entirely similar since tr Pluto is now in the Germany 4th rather than 10th, but still a seismic shift.

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Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic Senator and progressive, was silenced in a debate on the nomination of Jeff Sessions for Attorney general. She was attempting to read a letter written by Coretta, Martin Luther King’s widow, when she opposed Session for a federal judgeship 30 years ago. “Mr. Sessions has used the awesome power of his office to chill the free exercise of the vote by black citizens in the district he now seeks to serve as a federal judge.” Warren is now disbarred from taking part in the rest of the nomination debate for ‘impugning’ a senator. But the result is she’s been elevated to headline and hero-status and it has fuelled her determination to continue to criticise Donald Trump.

Born 22 June 1949 1.51pm Oak Hill, OK (astrotheme), she’s a Sun Uranus in Cancer with Venus also in Cancer; and has a tough-minded, argumentative Saturn in Virgo square Mars Mercury in Gemini.

Her Mars Mercury are conjunct the USA 1776’s free-thinking and speaking Uranus in Gemini; with her innovative Sun Uranus in the USA’s 10^th conjunct the USA’s Venus Jupiter; with her Venus conjunct the US Sun and Mercury; and her Jupiter in the USA 5^th – so a popular figure; though feisty and keen to keep the floor open for reform and opposing views.

Her sensible Saturn in Virgo is conjunct Trump’s Leo Ascendant and Mars, so she’ll try to damp down his ardour and cut him down to size. Her argumentative Mars Mercury are in his 10^th, which can be competitive.

She doesn’t look too happy moving ahead; highly emotional in 2017/18 with tr Pluto opposing her Venus; and brought to a complete, enraged halt in late 2018 with Solar Arc Mars conjunct her Pluto.

Her relationship chart with Trump has a differing-agenda composite Sun Uranus Mercury; a chained together and hating it Saturn Pluto; plus extra. It looks hostile and angry through 2017/18. Her relationship chart with the USA looks to be facing disappointment in 2018.

Greece is facing yet another existential crisis as the IMF warns that its debts are on an “explosive” path, despite years of attempted austerity and economic reforms. The IMF has called on the EU to provide “significant debt relief” to Greece, though Germany (and others) as per usual have ruled out any further relief before the current rescue programme expires in 2018. It could threaten the sustainability of the Eurozone with Italian politicians also openly talking of exiting the euro and returning to the lira.

The Bank of Greece chart, 7 Dec 1927, certainly looks in a panicky slide at the moment with Solar Arc Mars opposition Neptune; and tr Neptune square Saturn and Sun in Sagittarius through 2017 till late 2018.

The ECB (European Central Bank) start/EURO chart, 1 Jan 1999 12 am, is also in fair meltdown with tr Pluto square Mars, exact now and running till late 2018; with a jolting tr Uranus conjunct Saturn picking up from May; plus tr Uranus square the Mars/Saturn midpoint and the financial Venus this year as well – so all hell breaking out.

The EU chart, 31 Dec 1957 12 am, is still recovering from the Brexit shock of mid 2016 and the aftermath with the Solar Arc Moon opposition the Capricorn Sun and Solar Arc Uranus square the EU Sun a coupler of months later. It’s facing a ratchety, jolting, frustrated and enraged 2017 but its acute problems pick up in 2018 with tr Saturn hitting the chart axis as it moves into the 4^th; with complete panics, devastation and rolling crises and confusion in 2019 and thereafter.

That politics in Russia is a blood sport becomes clearer by the day. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Putin critic, who was in Russia promoting a film about Boris Nemtsov, a liberal opposition politician who was assassinated in 2015, has been taken ill with suspected toxic poisoning. This is a recurrence of an earlier organ collapse two years ago when he succumbed to the same symptoms. At present he’s in a medically induced coma.

And Alexi Navalny Russia’s main opposition leader, has been today found guilty of embezzlement and handed a five-year suspended sentence. It bars him from running for president next year against Putin.  He has vowed to take part in the race regardless. He denies the charges and says he will appeal against the verdict.

His conviction came in a retrial after the European Court of Human Rights ruled the first trial to be unfair.  He is known for his anti-corruption campaign, which targeted senior officials close to the Kremlin. He says the case against him is an effort to keep him out of politics.

Kara-Murza born 7 Sept 1971 Moscow, is a Sun Venus Virgo, with his Uranus conjunct Putin’s Libra Sun and Saturn – so a rebel versus the old guard. He doesn’t look great ahead with tr Neptune opposition his Sun; and his Solar Arc Mars moving to oppose his Pluto. He may not survive as Livtinenko didn’t, dying of polonium radiation in London in 2005; or the long term effects of the poisoning will stall his life.

Navalny, 4 June 1976 has a Sun Venus in Gemini which is also catching the transiting Neptune hard aspects through the next year, lowering his morale and ability to be pro-active. His Pluto is conjunct Putin’s Sun and his Uranus is conjunct Putin’s Ascendant (9.30am birth time). Their relationship chart has a trapped tr Pluto square the composite Mars over 2017/18 so bitter hostility, even more intense than usual.

These are brave men.

Nicolas Sarkozy, former President of France, will stand trial on charges of illegal campaign financing for the 2012 election.

Not only is it a blow to him, it’ll also further damage Francois Fillon who beat him for the centre-right party nomination and who is himself facing charges of misusing state funds to pay his family. Fillon has apologised but refused to stand down. It makes them all seem much of a muchness. Which leaves the French election even more open to a possible Le Pen win than before. Emmanuel Macron, the independent who soared to popularity recently, married to a woman 24 years older than himself, is being smeared with suggestions he is gay; with further suggestions that the Russian dirty-tricks department are full steam ahead, sowing chaos in all directions. Macron never looked that hopeful over the election. [See Jan 31 post.]

Sarkozy, 28 January 1955 10pm Paris, has his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his 2^nd house Neptune exactly now which is devastation; plus his Solar Arc Saturn is moving to oppose and dampen his ‘lucky’ Jupiter in Cancer within months. He’ll get some lift from tr Uranus square his Jupiter in March, but there’s nothing much of joy thereafter for two or three years.

The orange volcano spouting ever hotter molten lava about a ‘so called’ federal judge blocking his Muslim immigration ban as unconstitutional poses an interesting question ahead. His Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is deemed conservative on social policy but he’s a meticulous lawyer who believes that judges must strive “to apply the law as it is”. They should examine only “text, structure and history”, not personal visions of how they would like the world to look. “It seems to me that the separation of legislative and judicial powers isn’t just a formality dictated by the Constitution,” he declared. “To the founders — their separation was among the most important liberty-protecting devices of the constitutional design.” His record suggests a willingness to enforce constitutional limitations on the excesses of Congress and the president. Which is probably true of the other members. The Supreme Court may find the most pressing issues ahead focus on questions of civil liberties and the separation of powers.

The Supreme Court, 2 Feb 1790, sits very uncomfortably with Trump’s chart with its Saturn in Pisces square his Sun opposition Moon; its Uranus conjunct Trump’s Pluto; its Pluto (conjunct Sun) opposition Trump’s Mars/Pluto midpoint; and it has its very own Mars in Leo conjunct Jupiter sitting on top of Trump’s Mars Ascendant – all of which suggests it will squelch his wild enthusiasm, overturn his more draconian measures, and prove more than a match for his desire to run the USA as Emperor Caligula (who threatened to make his horse a senator.)

The relationship chart has an irritable, blocked composite Saturn square Mars; and a high-tension composite Sun opposition Neptune square Uranus. The relationship will be under considerable pressure through this year with tr Saturn square the composite Jupiter; and tr Pluto square the composite Sun in 2017/18; with heavier challenges in 2019/2020.

Neil Gorsuch, 29 Aug 1967, is a Sun, Venus, Mercury in Virgo with Pluto Uranus also conjunct in Virgo. His Uranus Pluto squares Trump’s Sun and Moon, so he’ll spring a surprise or two on his patron. The relationship chart indicates 2018/19 will be times when the gulf between them widens.

John Roberts, the Chief Justice and chief judge on the Supreme Court, also actively (though no doubt discreetly) dislikes Trump.

Trump in the past blithely ignored legal attempts to curb his business methods and brushed them aside with disdain.  He won’t find it as easy having moved up a notch or two.

It’s instructive to look back over Trump’s legal ongoings. A few months back he claimed Judge Gonzalo Curiel suffered from “an inherent conflict of interest” in the fraud case over Trump University because he was of “Mexican heritage.” Trump had to settle the lawsuits for $25m, despite bragging that he never backed away from such litigation.

One of the Trump Organization’s most senior executives, now serving the president as a lawyer, is Michael Cohen. When The Daily Beast wrote a story about Ivana Trump using the word “rape” in the context of her marriage to the now-president, Cohen’s response was less than diplomatic. “So I’m warning you, tread very fucking lightly, because what I’m going to do to you is going to be fucking disgusting,” The Daily Beast quoted him as telling its reporter. “I’m going to mess your life up … for as long as you’re on this frickin’ planet … you’re going to have judgments against you, so much money, you’ll never know how to get out from underneath it.”

Trump’s first mentor was Roy Cohn, a Republican lawyer and attack dog who served as an aide to the witch-hunting Joe McCarthy. Cohn helped elect Nixon and was later disbarred for flagrant ethics violations. He famously countersued the federal government for daring to file a civil rights lawsuit against Trump for discrimination against black tenants.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/06/donald-trump-federal-judge-immigration-order

The Australian refugee site Nauru, was slammed last year by Amnesty International as a ‘concentration camp’. Around 1,200 men, women, and children from Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Bangladesh, Kuwait, and Afghanistan, were forcibly removed off to a remote Pacific where they suffered severe abuse, inhumane treatment and neglect. Amnesty argued it was a deliberate policy to deter further asylum seekers from arriving in the country by boat. “Few other countries go to such lengths to deliberately inflict suffering on people seeking safety and freedom.”

Australia has a fairly hard chart with a Sun Saturn in Capricorn trine Mars in Virgo, so not overflowing with sentiment. Four planets in Sagittarius make for a colourful, adventurous image as well as an outspoken one, but it is still a deeply conservative country. Though not feeling too ecstatic right now with Solar Arc Mars conjunct the AU Saturn

Australia’s aggressive immigration policy makes it all the more surprising/hypocritical that Malcolm Turnbull should lambast Trump for his stance in not taking immigrants off Australia’s hands. The Guardian said: “It is a collective race to the bottom between two of the world’s wealthiest nations on failing to offer sanctuary to the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Certainly Turnbull, a Sun Saturn in Scorpio with his Pluto exactly conjunct Trump’s Mars, was never going to be a comfortable fit with this President. And Australian straight-talking certainly would hit a red-hot button. Their relationship chart is a never-the-twain-shall-meet affair with a composite Mars, maybe conjunct Moon, sextile Saturn, square Pluto and trine Uranus – so outright dislike.

Australia has always been an important ally for the USA militarily, sending troops to Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Iraq, with more recent co-operation and trade deals.

The alliance has hit a blip clearly at the moment with this month’s Pisces Eclipse conjunct the composite Uranus; and from 2018 for a couple of years tr Saturn will make diplomatic relations a touch frosty as it hits the composite Jupiter Pluto Moon Sun and Mercury.