Astrology of Today’s News

Kathy Griffin, the controversial stand-up comedian and television presenter, is watching her career disintegrate in front of her eyes after a stunt with a severed head of Donald Trump. Several comedians, including Jim Carrey, have stepped up to support her, saying comedians sometimes step across the line, but she’s had gigs cancelled and sponsorship withdrawn. Her supporters point out that “Obama’s presidency was marked by effigies of our first black president hanging from nooses across the country … or being burned around the world.” Sauce for the goose and all that. Those that give it can rarely take it.

Griffin was born 4 November 1960 6am Oak Park, Illinois (astrotheme), the youngest of six to older Irish immigrant parents, had a paedophile, drug-addicted, abusive brother and suffered from an eating disorder. Not a great childhood.

She is a Sun Mercury Neptune in Scorpio so undoubtedly intense; with her Scorpio planets trine an excitable Mars in Cancer. Her Mars in the 9^th is also opposition Saturn in Capricorn, so she’ll be hard-edged, prone to overstatement, bubbling with anger. She’ll certainly be talented with a Half Grand Sextile off that opposition, of Mars sextile Node Pluto sextile Neptune Sun sextile Saturn – but a happy lady at heart she is not.

Her Uranus is in her 10^th like Jim Carrey as is her Pluto. Her Uranus is conjunct Trump’s Mars, so a recipe for fireworks. She’ll perk up marginally from late this month with a lucky-break tr Uranus opposition her Jupiter/Uranus; but she’s in a generally low-profile, less successful phase with undermining Neptune transits running till late 2018.

Like Carrey, her 7^th Harmonic, which can be mentally on the edge as well as creative is ferociously strong; as is her victim 12H; and she has a strained and aggravated 13H (= breaking with the orthodox).

Much is being made of Leo Varadkar about to become the youngest ever Prime Minister of Ireland after he was voted leader of the country’s main governing centre-right party. He is son of an Indian immigrant doctor and came out as gay in 2015. One commentator said: ’ He has come to personify the liberalisation of a country which was once regarded as one of Europe’s most socially conservative nations – homosexuality was illegal until 1993.’

Born 18 January 1979, with a doctor father and an Irish nurse mother, he took a medical training, became a General Practitioner and went into politics in his mid-twenties.

He’s an ambitious Sun Mars in Capricorn in a determined square to Pluto; with a hard-working Saturn and Moon in Virgo. It won’t all be easy ahead for him with tr Uranus square his Sun Mars into 2018, and tr Neptune opposition his Saturn now until late 2018.

And for all the talk of a liberal Ireland, neither the 1922 nor the 1949 Ireland charts look entirely enamoured.

100 businesses, 80 university presidents, three governors and 30 mayors have so far announced their intention to stick with the Paris climate program, with former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg leading the charge. He said after speaking to Emmanuel Macron that “The American government may have pulled out of the agreement, but the American people remain committed to it.” California’s governor Jerry Brown has flown to China to talk about co-ordinating new green technologies being produced by Chinese manufacturers to the state’s strict environmental standards. “California will resist,” he said and he has been joined by New York governor Andrew Cuomo vowing to stick to the Paris commitments regardless of moves by the Trump administration.

For every action, there’s a reaction and the blowback on this looks likely to be considerable.

Mike Bloomberg, 14 Feb 1942 3.40pm Brighton, Mass, has a very fixed and enduring chart, with a New Moon in Aquarius in the 8^th and Mercury Venus also in Aquarius; plus a megaton collection of Mars Saturn Uranus in Taurus in his 10^th; plus Pluto in Leo in his 1^st. Not a man for turning or tangling with.

His Mars Saturn Uranus are all sitting on top of Trump’s Midheaven, so he could inflict a deal of damage and change the course of his career. Bloomberg’s Sun opposes Trump’s Mars, so a definite clash.

Bloomberg does look frustrated and in the mood for a fight with tr Pluto trine his 10^th house Mars in 2017/18; though there’ll be setbacks along the way and the struggle won’t get easier with tr Pluto trine his Mars/Saturn midpoint in 2018/19; and then trine his Saturn. But he’s custom built for tough times and won’t easily be pushed off track.

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Margaret Court, the Australian 24-time grand slam singles tennis champion turned Christian pastor, has been causing upset with her comments on gay marriage, homosexuality and transgender people. She said she would not fly on Qantas “where possible” in protest at its support of same-sex marriage; and then told a Christian radio station “tennis is full of lesbians”. Martina Navratilova, 18 times Grand Slam champion, retaliated by calling for the Margaret Court Arena (an Australian Open stadium) to be renamed. Margaret Court now says there is a “conspiracy” from the “US gay lobby” against her.

Born 16 July 1942, Court is a Sun Cancer with Mars in flamboyant Leo probably conjunct her Moon – so plenty of mother/female issues tucked in there. Her Mercury (communication planet) is conjunct her bleak Saturn/Pluto and Uranus/Pluto midpoints making her rather negative and contrary. Tr Pluto has been opposing her Mercury/Pluto midpoint which will make her overly intense in her comments and quite fearful.

There’s certainly no love lost with Navratilova, with a composite Sun Saturn square Mars (= outright dislike) in their relationship chart; with a struggle for the upper hand composite Jupiter Pluto.

Court’s fairly autocratic Saturn Uranus opposes Navratilova’s Saturn; with MC’s Saturn square MN’s Mars; and MC’s Pluto is conjunct MN’s Uranus. So wildly different agendas.

There’s no arguing with holy rollers. No one is listening to them – best just let them burble quietly to themselves on the sidelines.

Where has Theresa May’s Jupiter gone, which should have picked up by now? Completely squashed out by her tr Pluto square her Sun/Neptune midpoint, which Ebertin describes as a ‘tragic deception or illusion’, acute sensitivity, emotional or physical suffering. She’s hurtling ever downwards in polls, popularity and stability ratings. Not that polls have been much right in recent years but still. I’m no fan of hers, but I do get nervy when the astrology seems off track.

Her campaign strategist Lynton Crosby, 23 August 1956, Australia, has nothing but negatives showing on his chart (without birth time) – tr Saturn square his Mercury; Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Neptune, and Solar Arc Mercury conjunct his Saturn – and his Solar Return from August 2016 for a year is horrible with Mars Saturn square Neptune opposition Node.

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, 1 August 1963, was shunted onto the televised debate two days after her father died since May refused to attend. She does have tr Pluto square her Jupiter in Aries through 2017/18 so definitely bullish and confident, though it’s not around over the election; and she has some distinctly discouraging transits to midpoints; with one minor up from a Jupiter trine her Sun/Jupiter.

David Davis, the Brexit negotiator, 23 Dec 1948, does have tr Uranus opposition his Jupiter/Pluto now which will give him luck – though facing a grim time thereafter for two to three years.

John McDonnell, the Labour Deputy, has tr Neptune opposition his Virgo Sun now which usually isn’t good news for wins; and possibly tr Pluto square his Neptune which is ditto.

Diane Abbott, Shadow Home Secy, who’s had a series of car-crash media interviews, is also not sitting too prettily with an agitated tr Uranus opposition her Saturn and tr Neptune opposition her Sun/Pluto.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish First Minister, who is also down in poll popularity, looks challenged with her Solar Arc Mercury conjunct her Pluto and tr Saturn square both; though she’ll get a lift from tr Uranus opposition her Jupiter and tr Pluto trine her Mercury/Jupiter so it may not be quite as bad as she fears in private.

So the usual mix and muddle of influences.

Actor Jim Carrey is facing a damaging and painful civil claim over the death of his former girlfriend. Her mother and estranged husband are suing, claiming he provided the drugs used in the 30-year-old make-up artist’s suicide in September 2015. His lawyers described the claims as “malicious” and “predatory”. The lawsuit also alleges Mr Carrey gave his girlfriend three sexually transmitted diseases – oral and genital herpes and chlamydia – and then lied about having tested positive for the diseases and putting pressure on her to keep it quiet before her death. The trial date is set for April 26, 2018, and will last 20 days. A wrongful death suit is a civil claim against the person held liable for a death and requires a lower burden of proof than a criminal murder or manslaughter case.

Born 17 January 1962 2.30am Newmarket, Ontario, Carrey started life as a stage comedian and impersonator before graduating to movies like his breakthrough Ace Ventura: the Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber and went on to do Batman, The Truman Show amongst other hits, mopping up awards and critical acclaim. He has admitted to suffering from depression and has had two marriages and various relationships.

He is a Sun Venus Mars in Capricorn with his Sun conjunct Saturn in Aquarius – all these planets sit in his jam packed 3^rd house along with Jupiter Mercury in Aquarius, so mentally highly strung, prone to self-doubt, argumentative, intelligent. His Gemini Moon is deeply buried in his 8^th and square a controlling 10^th house Pluto; with the contradictory Uranus also in the 10^th conjunct his midheaven; and illusory Neptune on his Scorpio Ascendant.

This August’s Leo Solar Eclipse will conjunct his MC and Uranus, which will provide a jolt – and maybe this is it. With an even greater one in a year’s time or less with Solar Arc Uranus square his Sun. He’s at the lowest ebb of his career with tr Saturn moving now through his 2^nd, the middle segment of his first quadrant and staying there till 2019. Tr Uranus is also in an emotionally upsetting square to his Venus and Sun this year, into early 2018; with tr Pluto conjunct his Mars a couple more times before it exits late this year which is scary and deeply frustrating/enraging. The pressures and challenges will stay heavy for the next few years, with nervy crises in 2018; and in many ways worse 2019 to 2022 and beyond from tr Pluto conjunct first his Sun/Mars, then Mars/Saturn, then Sun and finally Sun/Saturn.

His creative 7^th Harmonic is strong which can also be mentally on the edge. His obsessive 11H is also marked; as is his ‘genius/breakthrough’ 13H. The latter was also emphasised for comedian Peter Sellers.

To almost universal condemnation Donald Trump is about to pull out of the Paris Climate Treaty – maybe. It depends on whether the New York Ivanka pro-lobby wins or the retrogressive Bannon triumphs. China and the EU are to agree a joint statement saying it is more important than ever as a rebuff. It will place the USA beside the only two non-participating countries – Syria (in civil war) and Nicaragua (which thinks it doesn’t go far enough).

On the international front, any such withdrawal “is going to damage the U.S. much more than it’s going to damage the Paris agreement itself,” said one expert. “It provides an opportunity for China to exert itself on the global stage”. And many US business leaders say it will actively harm the US economy.

Jeremy Warner in the Telegraph has another, albeit still critical, view. ‘The fracking revolution alone, by replacing coal with cheap gas, is already causing US emissions to fall precipitously. By pulling the plug on Paris, Trump only unnecessarily compounds the impression of steady withdrawal from international engagement. It serves no practical purpose other than meeting a campaign promise and sticking two fingers up at the rest of the world. It’s not going to bring back coal jobs to Virginia, it’s not going to halt the growth in renewables, and it’s not going to revive Mr Trump’s plummeting approval ratings, either at home or abroad. It is therefore an entirely worthless piece of tokenism.’

ttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/05/31/do-worst-mr-trump-renewables-train-has-left-station-wont-now/

The Paris Treaty was adopted by consensus on 12 December 2015 and received enough signatures to come into effect on 4 November 2016.

Both charts are labouring through heavy seas in 2017/18; with tr Pluto square Mars, tr Neptune square the Sun/Saturn midpoint and tr Saturn square Jupiter on the 2015 chart. And an uncertain, undermining tr Neptune square Saturn in 2017/18; plus a jolting tr Uranus square Mars now until early 2018.

So it was never going to have an easy ride into gear. It doesn’t appear to hold countries to promises in any event and the poorer countries more dependent on fossil fuels would struggle to keep up. Over time as the new technology spreads, it will pull back carbon emissions as a matter of course.

Shakespeare: ‘Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.”

Additional thoughts now the deed is done: The oil and coal barons have swayed Trump, and the isolationist Bannon, whose financial patrons are also invested in promoting fossil fuels . See urls below. A previous attempt by GWB (and Cheney), not just in thrall to oil interests but immersed in them, ended in humiliating defeat.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/01/the-us-tried-to-derail-climate-action-before-and-it-ended-in-humiliating-defeat

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/01/donald-trump-has-ditched-the-world-in-favor-of-big-oils-titans

Trump’s relationship chart with Bannon has just started a tr Neptune opposition the composite Sun Saturn and that will run on and off till late 2018. So it’s going to end in tears or hair-tearing along the way. Though too much to expect an instant rug-pulling.

The bizarre marriage between former schoolteacher Mary Letourneau and pupil Vili Fualaau has ended. She seduced him as 13 year old, became pregnant, was handed out a six-month jail term whose her parole conditions she breached by meeting up with him again and becoming pregnant for a second time, had a further 7 years in prison added, and married him when she came out in 2005.

She was born 30 January 1962 5.51 pm Tustin, California, into a strict Catholic family, though her politically connected father had his career ruined by an affair with a student. She had an emotionally and physically abusive marriage, which produced four children, with affairs by both.

Vili, 26 June 1983 is a Samoan-American; his parents brought up the two children while Mary Letourneau was inside. Her earlier children were given in custody to her  ex-husband, who divorced her when the scandal erupted.

She has an Aquarius Sun, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury in her 7^th, so clearly keen on relationships and sociable. Her Saturn in Aquarius is conjunct her Descendant from the 6^th, so close relationships come at a cost. She has a rebellious Uranus in the 1^st which added to her multiple Aquarius planets would allow her to ignore conventional criticism. Her Moon in Sagittarius is square Pluto, so possessive with mother issues.

He has mother-oriented Sun in Cancer conjunct Mars in later Gemini trine Saturn Pluto in Libra, with Saturn Pluto probably square his Capricorn Moon, so a tough, rather bleak chart. His Venus in Leo is conjunct her North Node and opposition her Aquarius planets so there would be affection; and a sense of adventure with his Jupiter Uranus in Sagittarius conjunct her Moon. Though his Saturn Pluto squares her Mars, so there would be considerable friction

There’s much less affection in their relationship chart, than with Emmanuel Macron and his much older teacher wife. There’s a fairly explosive composite Mars opposition Uranus though softened by both squaring onto Jupiter; the composite Sun trines Saturn giving some longevity to their connection. But it’s not exactly awash with sentiment and will had been under additional strain in recent times from tr Uranus square tr Pluto hitting on the composite Mars Uranus and Sun.

A powerful vehicle bomb has hit the diplomatic area of the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing at least 80 people and injuring 350, the deadliest attack to hit the city in recent years. It is a highly fortified zone with the explosion coming close to the German embassy with many other key embassy buildings in the area, including the presidential palace. Civilians are said to be the main casualties.

For a potted precis of the present mess in Afghanistan with tensions between the US and regional players like Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan complicating what was already a fraught situation, see: www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38582323

The Fire Grand Trine is still in place, with the Moon close to the North Node in Leo trine Uranus Venus in Aries trine Saturn in Sagittarius, formed into a Kite with Saturn opposition Mars – so the overwhelming and destructive power which oversaw the Manchester bomb is still in effect, if anything stronger, since the Moon and Venus have moved up to join in.

The Afghanistan 19 August 1919 12am chart, has an explosive and insecure tr Uranus square Mars in Cancer exactly now, and returning into early 2018. The approaching August Solar Eclipse will oppose the Afghan Uranus and conjunct the Leo Sun and Saturn, so it will be a critical time. 2019 looks highly uncertain, disorientating and confused; and with tr Neptune moving through the 10^th there looks little chance of a fixed direction any time soon.

The 17 July 1973 12 am chart is also in a state of crisis in 2017 with tr Pluto square the Mars and tr Uranus square the Cancer Sun; with continuing upheaval from tr Pluto square Uranus in 2017/18; followed by tr Pluto opposition the Sun in 2020/21. So no quick n easy solutions appearing there either.

Afghanistan has an illustrious and ancient history, going back 6000 years, as a place of great culture, civilization and trade, and whose warlike mountains tribes and difficult terrain saw off quite a few aggressors. Alexander the Great, who made a brief foray in, said it was “easy to march into, hard to march out of”. In the 19^th Century the British Empire and Russia used it as a pawn in their power games; which now seems to be repeating in a different guise. It is thought likely that the Sumerians brought early astrological wisdom with them from the Indus Valley around Afghanistan when they moved west to the Tigris-Euphrates basin around present day Baghdad. And thence it moved into Europe.