Geoffrey Cox – AG ranting in the bear pit

The House of Commons descended into screeching and unappealing rage yesterday with the warm up being provided by Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, whose legal advice on prorogation had been so firmly squashed by 11 Supreme Court judges. Blithely ignoring their ruling he declared with a full Shakespearean flourish: “This Parliament is a dead Parliament!” “It has no moral right to sit on these green benches!” And of his Remainer-opposition he declared there would come a time “when even these turkeys won’t be able to prevent Christmas!”

Born 30 April 1960 in Wroughton, England, he studied law, became a barrister and then an MP in 2005. At one point he was the highest earning MP from his outside law practice which earned him £820,000 in 2014; during which time he submitted expense claims for a 49p bottle of milk, £2 worth of tea bags and £4.99 for “weed killer for space in front of the constituency office” – all of which were rejected; and in 2016 apologised to the Commons authorities after forgetting to declare about £400,000 in outside earnings from 2015. As is standard practice he gave up his law practice on becoming AG in 2018.

He’s an indulgent and stubborn Sun Taurus in a good-for-business Earth Grand Trine to Pluto in Virgo in a confident and lucky trine to Jupiter in money-magnet Capricorn; formed into a Kite by Sun opposition an idealistic or slippery Neptune in an uncompromising square to Uranus. He’s also – like Dominic Cummings – got Mars in Pisces, in his case sextile Saturn.

Mars is always written up as if it is a wuss, but clearly not. Taurus can be placid but has a ferocious temper when provoked.

He has mixed fortunes ahead with several discouraging Saturn hard aspects to midpoints in early and late October to late November; and an uncertain tr Neptune conjunct his Solar Arc Saturn mid November to mid December – though over that latter few weeks he also has tr Uranus opposition his Jupiter/Pluto, trine his Jupiter and his Pluto which could bring lucky breaks – which isn’t remotely what’s showing for Boris or Cummings. Over the New Year looks fraught. And from May 2020 onwards tr Uranus will oppose his Neptune and then move on to conjunct his Sun after mid year which will catapult him onto a totally different trajectory.

Pic Chris McAndrew

 

Demi Moore – a life of extremes

Born with a silver spoon she definitely wasn’t. The story from former Hollywood megastar Demi Moore – Ghost, A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal- in her memoir Inside Out is of a tormented childhood. She and her brother survived her parents’ chaotic and destructive lifestyle of drugs, alcohol and mental illness. From age 12 she continually rescued her mother from suicide attempts, learnt her mother’s partner was not her biological father, and at 15 was raped by a man who gave her mother money for drugs. She married at 17 which lasted four years, then married Bruce Willis with whom she had three children. That lasted a decade and she then married Ashton Kutcher which also collapsed. Her career went from high to low and she descended into drugs from which she extricated herself a few years back.

She was born 11 November 1962 2.16pm Roswell, New Mexico which puts her Scorpio Sun, Neptune, Venus and Mercury all in the intensely emotional, deeply buried 8th house square Mars in showy Leo. Her maternal grandfather had an alcohol problem as well and died drunk in a car crash – 8th house will point to the grandparental psychological ‘legacy’ which in her case was a heavy burden to bear. She also has a super-confident Jupiter in Pisces in her 12th opposition Uranus Pluto, which would be one of her saving graces – the ability to be happy in her own company with Jupiter in the 12th  and the optimism from Jupiter Pluto and Uranus when life got on top of her. Her Taurus Moon opposes her Sun, Venus, Neptune, Mercury and squares onto Mars – describing a very complicated relationship with her mother, affection mixed in with anger, confusion and ambivalence.

What a life story and still here at 56 with clearly a good deal of bounce in her.

Brexiternity – blow winds, rage, blow

What’s to say that hasn’t been said before? The Boris Government chart is riven with argument – picking up September 22nd till late October with tr Uranus square the heated Mercury/Mars midpoint; and is having a minor nervous breakdown with tr Neptune square the Mercury/Uranus midpoint now till mid November when it gets a great deal worse. At that point tr Neptune squares the Jupiter for four weeks of dashed hopes; but much worse is the catastrophic tr Uranus opposition the Mars/Pluto midpoint which picks up mid November till mid December,returning in February, if his government is still standing.

From post August 28 2019: Boris’s own chart is panicking at the prospect of failure from September 22nd to late January 2020 with a run of tr Neptune hard aspects to various Mars midpoints. September 22nd to October 19 will be leadership upsets, martyrdom, suffering and being forced to adjust to new circumstances. November 11 to December 18 looks high-risk, blocked and powerless.

The two leading proponents of the push towards the Supreme Court appeal – Joanna Cherry and Gina Miller – despite their stunning ‘victory’ don’t look that sanguine ahead. Joanna Cherry QC, an SNP MP, 18 March 1966, is looking very enthusiastic mid October to mid November and again in March, but that apart is edgy, insecure and disheartened. She’s a Sun Pisces with the signature 1960s Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn square Jupiter in Gemini.

Gina Miller, 19 April 1965, is a Guyanese-British businesswoman, who has been initiating legal action to prevent Brexit without parliamentary approval. She’s a last degree Aries Sun with Saturn opposition Pluto Uranus Mars in Virgo square Node in Gemini – quite a fighter. She will have her upbeat phases but will also be facing some losses before this year is out.

The UK 1801 chart is struggling through indecision and confusion with tr Neptune square the 3rd house Mercury in Sagittarius and the Solar Arc Mars over the next few months until late February 2020. With the January 10th 2020 Lunar Eclipse in Cancer which opposes the tr Saturn Pluto in Capricorn sitting almost exactly on top of the UK 10th house Moon – which certainly suggests a crisis in direction and rulership.

Where the financial pain begins to hit is in 2021 and 2022 as first tr Uranus is conjunct the 8th house Mars; and the following year the Solar Eclipse in Taurus is conjunct the UK Mars – the 8th house rules joint and business finances, but also deep-rooted transformations which are often accompanied by major calamitous accidents and/or natural disasters.

Trump Impeachment – hope over experience

Nancy Pelosi finally caved and announced Congress would move towards an impeachment inquiry on Trump’s dealings with Ukraine where he allegedly threatened to withhold aid unless it dug dirt on his electoral rival Joe Biden. The chart for 5pm on 24 September does have a successful or at least enthusiastic Jupiter in the 10th but it’s also in an over-hopeful square to Neptune which is never a great sign. Jupiter Neptune is known as the aspect of false happiness and over-optimism. There’s a dirty-dealings-behind-the-scenes Pluto trine an even more deeply buried Mars in Virgo which could either lead to an exceptionally toxic struggle or stalemate. Mercury is also inconjunct Neptune suggesting mis-speaks, evasions and lies. Late December and January 2020 is when the Saturn moves to conjunct the Pluto and trine the Mars, which will be high-risk, irritable and could see a setback or two – which in any event need a two-thirds majority in the GOP-controlled senate which suggests it is a stretch.

Previous impeachment proceedings – in the case of Clinton were launched in October and went to Senate trial the following February where he was acquitted. In Nixon’s case it was a longer drawn-out process starting October 1973 and ending without trial when he resigned the following August.

The White House reckons it can fend off this “outrage du jour,” as one senior administration official called it. Having skated through Mueller; the Charlottesville uproar; Stormy Daniels; the “Access Hollywood“ tape; and dozens of other threats to his presidency, they see no reason why this one shouldn’t be swatted aside.

The key danger point for him is undoubtedly late February next year till early July with tr Pluto opposition his Sun/Mars midpoint; winding up beforehand as well with tr Pluto opposition his Saturn. That’s just after the exact tr Saturn Pluto conjunction of January which could throw up a major distraction of a different order to push all this into a corner.

Late February 2020 is when tr Pluto starts the two-year opposition to the USA Mercury bringing hostile debate of an exceptionally virulent and intense variety. Lies and fraudulent misrepresentation will run rife. The previous time there was anything similar astrologically was 1933/34 with tr Pluto in Cancer conjunct the USA Mercury; and prior to that in 1844/45 with tr Pluto in Aries square.

Trump & Biden – smears and tears

 

Another day, another egregious Trump transgression to which he responds in typical style by muddying the waters and hurling the same accusation back. On his scenario he’s not corrupt for using US Foreign policy for personal political ends to attack and undermine his leading opponent Joe Biden. Instead Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, is guilty on the basis of allegations that have been thoroughly debunked and relate back to a corrupt Ukrainian prosecutor who would threaten lawsuits if he wasn’t paid off and who has been denounced by a tranche of international bodies. Regrettably Trump’s muckraking tactic appears to be generally successful given that his spurious claims are repeated ad nauseam by the right wing media and a complicit GOP stays silent. The general public who don’t read the detail just shrug and reckon they’re each as bad as the other. Of which more anon.

But the drumbeats for impeachment have grown louder with even Nancy Pelosi shifting ground in that direction. Trump’s chart does have an enthusiasm-dampening tr Saturn square his Jupiter (which may be financial) in late November; and an exceptionally jumpy and overly-excitable tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Uranus midpoint in late December till early February. But his real trials begin late January and wind up a considerable head of steam from late February till early July when he looks trapped, cornered and enraged. His relationship with Pelosi is at daggers drawn in that early year phase and again mid year; and is undergoing a jolting turnaround at the moment with tr Uranus square the composite Pluto – as well as this year’s July Cancer Eclipse catching the composite Mars in combative mode.

Hunter Biden, 4 February 1970, has had business dealings in the Ukraine and with China, which latter have had Steven Bannon hot on his trail looking for dirt. He’s a Sun Venus in Aquarius with Jupiter in money-magnet Scorpio in a wobbly opposition to Saturn in Taurus. His Pluto falls in Biden’s senior’s 10th house which can suggest the relationship may have an adverse effect on the reputation of one or both; his Neptune is on senior’s Ascendant opposition his Uranus Saturn; and Hunter’s Saturn is conjunct senior’s Moon – not an easy relationship all round. Though there is an affectionate Sun Venus on the relationship chart. Hunter appears to have had a coke habit which saw him tossed out of the Navy Reserve. He looks on edge over the New Year with a jolting tr Uranus conjunct his Saturn

It is one of the many drawbacks of the American political system that it attracts very wealthy individuals or their money-seeking relatives which can give hostages to fortune where it comes to this kind of situation. It’s not that Trump isn’t a million times worse and quite blatantly so, but it really doesn’t help.

Greta Thunberg – “how dare you”

 

Greta Thunberg has given a blistering, heartfelt speech at the UN summit on climate change. “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she told governments – “you are still not mature enough to tell it like it is. You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal.”

Trump ducked the UN climate change summit opting for one on religious freedom (hah!) and put out a sneery tweet about her looking happy.

Her unyielding and critical Saturn in Gemini opposition Pluto in Sagittarius sit firmly on and squash down on his Gemini Sun opposition Sagittarius Moon; and her innovative, reforming and explosive Uranus opposes his Mars – so ‘twas never going to be meeting of minds and hearts. She has an immoveable Fixed T Square of Uranus opposition Jupiter square Mars Venus in Scorpio plenty of courage, topped up by charm and confidence.

Her relationship chart with Trump is stark and hostile with a composite Sun in an argumentative opposition to Mars squaring onto a critical Saturn; with Saturn in an implacable-dislike square to Mars Pluto.

Her Capricorn Sun caught the opposition from the July Cancer Solar Eclipse as did her Solar Arc Saturn which is moving to oppose her Sun in 2020; and her Solar Arc Mars is opposing her Gemini North Node – so she’s very much in the eye of the storm and feeling she’s not winning. Her Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct her Uranus now which is highly-strung but can also be inspired.

Her humanitarian 9th Harmonic is strong, as is her ‘obsessive dream’ 11H; and her leaving-a-legacy 17H and her superstar 22H.

From previous Greta post March 15:

Young people in more than 100 countries have walked out of class today to demand action on climate change. Greta Thunberg, the Swedish schoolgirl who started the international movement, has been nominated as a candidate for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

She was born 3 January 2003 to an opera singer mother and an actor father. She has described herself as having been “diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism; and says she can’t let things go once she has seen them.

a Swedish political activist seeking to stop global warming and climate change. In August 2018, she became a prominent figure for starting the first school strike for climate, outside the Swedish parliament building.[1] In December she addressed the United Nations Climate Change Conference and in January 2019 was invited to talk at Davos where she berated business leaders for putting profit before the future security of the earth.

She has a Sun and Moon in Capricorn; with an ultra-determined and unyielding, prone-to-depression Saturn in Gemini opposition Pluto. She has a passionately enthusiastic Venus Mars in intense Scorpio in a volatile square to Uranus. Her Jupiter in flamboyant Leo is in an idealistic opposition to Neptune and a confident trine to Pluto.

Her Saturn Pluto and five Fixed planets – Mars Venus, Jupiter and Uranus Neptune – will give her staying power and obstinacy. Her Capricorn Sun and Moon give her initiative.

At the moment her Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct her Uranus which can be highly-strung though also inspired. She’ll have her down moments this year as well. It won’t ever be that easy for her with her underlying psychological issues. Tr Neptune will start an undermining square to her Pluto from this year and moves on to square her Saturn by 2022, aspecting the midpoint in between which will be droopy; and in 2021 her Solar Arc Saturn opposes her Sun which is downbeat and stuck.

She’s got guts but it’s a beyond-huge project she’s taken on.

Thomas Cook – reborn and then eclipsed

The collapse of the travel agent Thomas Cook has led to the largest ever peacetime repatriation with 155,000 British tourists being flown back home in Operation Matterhorn, expected to cost around £100 million. The failure of last-ditch talks to raise fresh funding will put 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK.

The company was founded in 1841 ferrying temperance supporters between major English cities, sadly without a start date; and after being acquired by German owners merged with another travel company on 19 June 2007.

The 2007 chart has an entrepreneurial though sticky Fire Grand Trine of Mars in Aries trine Pluto trine Saturn Moon in Leo, formed into two Kites by Saturn opposition Neptune in Aquarius and Pluto opposition a Gemini Sun squaring onto Uranus in Pisces. There is potential wrapped up in this chart though also rolling crises from Uranus Pluto, setbacks from Saturn Mars and Mars Pluto; and impracticality from Neptune. One of the driving rods of this chart – the Sun opposition Pluto – had moved by Solar Arc to catch the July Cancer Solar Eclipse head on. Tr Neptune had also started to undermine the Mutable T Square with a conjunction to the Uranus.

What is intriguing is that in 1841, certain of the major planetary positions were the same – Uranus was in Pisces, Neptune in Aquarius, Jupiter and Saturn in Sagittarius – so not a million miles different from the 2007 chart.

UK Supreme Court – another potential Brexit pothole

 

The UK Supreme Court is expected to give its answer about whether Boris Johnson’s cessation of Parliamentary business for five weeks was legal or not, within a day or so. Legal insiders say there’s a real possibility the decision may go against the government. If so, there’ll be more feathers flying in the henhouse.

The Supreme Court was first convened at 10am 1 October 2009 in London which suitably enough gives a Libra Sun with the scales of justice as the ruling symbol. There’s also a Uranus opposition Saturn which can be dictatorial and inconsistent, not given to humility. Plus a Yod of Mars in excitable and patriotic Cancer sextile Mercury in meticulous Virgo inconjunct Jupiter Neptune in Aquarius. Jupiter on the point of a Yod can be influential in setting social patterns and promoting development of ideals, though tends to be self-righteous. A Yod apex Neptune can be fairly ivory-tower and needs seclusion to operate best if it is not to become disorganized.

Neither Boris nor Dominic Cummings look altogether settled with the Supreme Court chart at the moment. Boris has an emotionally jangled, separating tr Uranus square the composite Venus Mercury now; and a disappointing tr Neptune square a composite Saturn opposition Uranus mid-November to mid-December. Dominic Cummings has tr Uranus opposition the composite Sun now and then Venus within weeks – and he regards them with real dislike with a composite power-struggle exact Pluto opposition Mars.

George Blake – the regretful spy

 

George Blake, the British spy who gave information to the Russians which did great damage to western intelligence in Eastern Europe  is still living in Moscow and evidently regretting his choices. He was convicted of treason in the UK and sentenced to 42 years but managed to escape after five years and was smuggled across Europe.

He was born 11 November 1922 at 2.40 pm Amsterdam, Netherlands, and had a peripatetic childhood, mixing with Communists in Holland, involved in the Dutch resistance during the German invasion and having escaped to the UK worked for British intelligence. After World War 11 finished he was posted to Korea and taken prisoner there for three years, during which his dislike of US bombing turned him towards Russia. He volunteered his services and was a valuable asset for the KGB during his MI6 time in Berlin until he was arrested eight years later. He spent five years in prison and then escaped with two other prisoners and was smuggled across Europe into Russia where he has been for nearly 55 years.

His chart is astonishingly similar to Eli Cohen’s (see post below) – with an 8th house Scorpio Sun, a 4th house Pluto in Cancer and a 12th house Uranus; and both shared Moon Neptune in Leo. Both have Fire Water charts.

The other spy of note Oleg Gordievsky, 10 October 1938, Moscow, no birth time sadly, was a former KGB colonel who became disillusioned after the building of the Berlin Wall and invasion of Czechoslovakia and passed secrets to the British for a decade until he was uncovered by a mole within the CIA and summoned back to Moscow, but managed to escape after interrogation. He’s unlike the other two being a Sun Libra opposition Saturn; with his Sun inconjunct Uranus; and his Jupiter in Aquarius inconjunct Mars Neptune – so would have felt like an outsider. He’s still alive living under protection in the UK. Ben McIntyre wrote a revealing biography of him last year – The Spy and the Traitor.