Amidst all the Brexit carnage and panic, a moment of fun, well high farce anyway. The witless and ill-starred Transport Secretary Chris Grayling managed to prepare for a no-deal Brexit by agreeing a £14million contract with a ferry firm that didn’t own any ferries. Mystifyingly he and the deal stayed in place until the latter finally fell to bits. Calls for his resignation appear to be falling on deaf ears, especially his own since he, as ever, stalwartly refuses to apologise or admit wrongdoing.

Looking back on his career, he has staggered from one crisis to another, being promoted time after time for no apparently obvious reasons. Most recently he was responsible for a calamitous reworking of railway timetables, shelved plans to regulate the use of drones shortly before they brought Gatwick to a standstill, and then outshone himself with this latest misstep.

Born 1 April 1962, he moved from university into the media, then public relations and thence into politics. He has a pro-active Aries Sun on the apex of a Yod to Neptune sextile Pluto. Such an emphasised Sun will make it difficult for him to modulate his use of will-power, pride and authority. He needs to learn to rein in his tendency to abuse his power. His Sun is also exactly in opposition to his Neptune/Pluto midpoint which will lead to confusion and the pursuit of odd ideas.

He also has a pushily-confident Jupiter opposition Pluto; and an ultra-determined Pluto opposition Mars – with his Pluto exactly in opposition his Mars/Jupiter midpoint giving him unshakeable self-belief. His Uranus conjunct Regulus opposes his accident-prone Mars/Saturn midpoint. So he’ll lurch merrily from one self-created mishap to the next, while bullshitting his way out of trouble every time.

This month looks swampy and failure-ridden with tr Neptune conjunct his Mars and that returns this November/December.

His relationship chart with Theresa May is business-like, opportunistic, a tug of war for the upper hand and surprisingly private. There’s nothing much to suggest an outright rupture either on this or his own personal chart (without birth times).

There are people and I’ve known a few who rise from failure to failure and never seem to look back. Weird world.

Pic Chris McAndrew.

More February anniversaries. Sky TV is 30 years old this month. Launched by Rupert Murdoch on 5 February 1989 at 6pm, it had a shaky start and haemorrhaged money for several years to the tune of millions of pounds a week but merged with BSB and eventually turned round to make a tidy profit.

As befits a high-tech operation it has not only the Sun but New Moon as well and Venus all in airy, IT-oriented Aquarius.  The 5^th house of sport and entertainment is well-populated though changeable, with Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn there. But what really marks the chart out as special is a successful Jupiter in Taurus in the 10^th hinting at success in later life; and even more so a ruthlessly determined Mars in Taurus opposition Pluto square Sun and Moon – so when push came to shove, there was no doubt who’d win through. And Regulus, the regal planet, is on the late Leo Ascendant.

There’ll be a period of some forced change and disruption as tr Uranus moves into hard aspect round Mars, Moon, Pluto and Sun between 2020 and 2023. But also a confident and successful push in 2022/23 when tr Pluto will trine the Sky Jupiter.

This month is the 40^th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 which brought the hard-line clerics to power, with the country grappling with rising protests, strikes, acts of civil disobedience and an aging supreme leader rumoured to have cancer. The population are restive, complaining about corruption, wishing for a sectarian state and freedom from sanctions and restrictions on personal freedom.

The Iran 7 October 1906, first Parliamentary Democracy chart, is sagging badly this year with tr Neptune opposition the Mars which usually induces a sense of failure. What might be a key time is late year when the Capricorn Solar Eclipse is conjunct the Uranus which will bring upheavals, disruptions and rebellions in the months thereafter.

Bizarrely – or maybe not – Uranus is at the same degree of Capricorn on Ayatollah Khameini’s leadership chart, 4 June 1989, so the December Eclipse will also tug sharply at his chart; and indeed the earlier Eclipses this year in Cancer in July and Capricorn in January are also in hard aspect to the Leadership Neptune Saturn in Capricorn as well; plus tr Pluto in a cornered, frustrated opposition to the Leadership Mars in 2019/2020; and tr Neptune in an undermining square to Sun/Jupiter and Jupiter. So his term is in crisis-mode.

He’s extraordinarily tough and there’s no saying when he goes another similar won’t take his place.

The 1 February 1979 Revolutionary Iran chart is on edge this year with a restless tr Pluto sextile Uranus; and outspoken from this July with tr Uranus square Mercury; with an even more volatile mood in 2020/2021 as tr Uranus square the Mars and Sun, bringing in sudden dramatic changes.

But it may well be the mid 2020s as tr Neptune nears the end of its term in Pisces when there’s a chance of settling into a more constructive phase.

Anti-EU populist parties could do well enough in the coming European Parliament elections to “paralyse” the bloc in a range of policy areas, a pro-EU thinktank report warns. They predict that nationalist, euro-sceptic, and far-right parties could win around a third of seats.

The elections will be held on May 23 to 26^th when the Saturn Pluto conjunction has drawn closer. And the opening session of the newly elected parliament will be on July 2^nd, the day of the Total Solar Eclipse which is exactly opposition the EU Sun. That usually indicates a crisis or at least a sharp prompt for change. The Eclipse located to Brussels puts disruptive Uranus on the IC and the New Moon on the Descendant, so significant events are likely. In addition the heavyweight Saturn Pluto is still together and there’s also an overly-optimistic (financially) Jupiter square Neptune. It will be a key point in EU’s destiny.

The EU 31 December 1957 11pm chart, has the devastating and confusing Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the 2^nd house Neptune, exact to three minutes of a degree (one twentieth) at the time of the election. Though that may be a financial meltdown as well; with tr Uranus exactly opposition the EU Neptune as well, which is highly strung, can be fanatical, certainly not good for clear judgement.  The Solar Arc MC is also moving to conjunct the 12^th house Pluto  five months later which could create blockages as well as shine light on behind-the-scenes dirty dealing and power-broking.

Looking at some of the key players, it is – as ever (sigh) – not that clear about winners and losers.

On the pro-federalist side: Martin Selmayr, who legend has it runs the EU, is looking deflated and out of sorts. Macron is running gently downhill into 2020 but has nothing much showing. Merkel has her life turning upside down with tr Pluto opposition her Uranus from April this year on till late 2020 as she stage manages her exit.

On the other side: Matteo Salvini, the rabble-rousing Italian Deputy PM, is poised for major changes in May with tr Uranus conjunct his Solar Arc Sun exactly over the election; as well as tr Pluto square his Uranus; but less helpfully has tr Pluto conjunct his Solar Arc Neptune; and a complete muddle of tr Neptune conjunct his Solar Arc Jupiter which is conjunct his Sun  – enormously high hopes and then the bubble bursts. Mind you that could be the Italian economy rather than the EU election result.

Steve Bannon, who has been doing the Grand European tour stoking up support for his wild and wayout schemes is jangled and tense with tr Uranus opposition his Saturn in Scorpio; intense and argumentative with tr Pluto conjunct his Mercury and again in the midst of far ranging changes in his life with tr Pluto square his Uranus.

Viktor Orban, the dictatorial Hungarian PM, who would benefit from a populist, far-right bloc, isn’t looking exactly ecstatic either over the election or into 2020/21.

I’d think it wouldn’t quite be the rout which is feared by the pro-EUers. Though the new parliament does look exceptionally fraught.

Albert Finney, the irrepressible talent who shot to fame in the kitchen sink drama Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, roistered his way through Tom Jones and latterly counterbalanced Julia Roberts in Erin Brokovich, has died. Throughout a long, sometimes erratic career, he received five Oscar nominations, but never won, and refused a knighthood. He was hailed on stage as a worthy successor to Olivier, but stuck mainly to film and occasionally TV work.

Born 9 May 1936 in Salford, England, he had four planets in Taurus with his Sun widely conjunct Mars and Venus conjunct Uranus so he was a heavyweight personality who exuded a good deal of power and sexuality – no doubt contributing to his legendary love life given Taurus’s propensity for indulgence. His Moon in adventurous Sagittarius was close to Jupiter and was square a creative Saturn opposition Neptune. His Saturn was also in a tough trine to Pluto, sextiling onto his Sun and Mars – so he had grit and perseverance and a defiance which came across in his screen performances.

His Sun was square his other-worldly Neptune/Pluto midpoint and his 7^th Harmonic was strong so he was more fey than he appeared. His strongest harmonic was the 9^th – what gave him pleasure – and the impression from his long career was that he very much suited himself.

The tentacles of what could have been just an embarrassing expose of Jeff Bezos’ affair with intimate photos have crawled outwards to hook in Trump and Saudi Arabia’s bin Salman.  Bezos has suggested that his ownership of the Washington Post, which is fervently anti-Trump and employed the assassinated Jamal Khashoggi as a correspondent were perhaps behind the Enquirer’s sewer sweep.

David Pecker, CEO of the parent company which owns the National Enquirer is a close buddy of Trump, responsible for ‘catch and kill’ stories about him is invested in Saudi Arabia, putting out puff pieces on the country and its young Crown Prince with no reference to human rights violations.

What astrologically eye-catching is that all three – Pecker, Trump and Bin Salman – have their Mars in last decan of flashy, flamboyant Leo which opposes Bezos’ more sober-sided, analytical Saturn Venus in Aquarius.

In Trump’s case his Saturn Venus in Cancer opposes Bezos Sun Mars in Capricorn for a gritty, irritable interface.

Pecker, 24 September 1951, has a ferociously determined and vengeful Mars Pluto in Leo which locks horns with Bezos Saturn in Aquarius and Pecker’s Neptune is in an evasive square to B’s Sun.

And Bin Salman’s Virgo Sun is conjunct Bezos’ rebellious Uranus Pluto.

All the relationship charts between Bezos and the three are in essence combative and competitive and don’t look like settling into peace and equanimity anytime soon. Indeed if anything the early 2020s looks even more heated.

Bezos has guts and he’s fighting the good fight but he’s got a tough road ahead until Pluto exits Capricorn around 2024 since it will be conjunct his Sun this year, then his Sun/Mars midpoint, then his Mars which looks trapped and frustrated as well as at risk.

See previous post January 9 2019

Samantha Markle, half sister to Meghan, is back grabbing for her sliver of fame by rubbishing a recent magazine piece in which friends of the Duchess tried to counter recent negative media coverage.

The griping and clearly resentful Samantha was born in November 1964 and in a recent interview said she’d spent Nov 22nd Thanksgiving and her birthday with her father and I’m informed it is in fact November 24th. That would make her a Sagittarius Sun square Saturn in Aquarius on one side and square Mars in Virgo on the other. Hard Saturn aspects will dent her self-esteem and in Aquarius can be cold and domineering. Sun square Mars is impulsive and competitive. She’ll have her head in the clouds with perhaps delusions of grandeur from Jupiter in indulgent Taurus opposition Neptune. With Jupiter in see-saw square to Saturn and Neptune in a neurotic square on the other side.  Most significantly it gives her a Mars, Uranus, Pluto in Virgo triple conjunction which is extremely volatile, with major anger issues. Mercury in outspoken Sagittarius is in an intense, contemptuous and unpredictable square to Pluto and Uranus.

She also has flamboyant, attention-seeking Moon to match Meghan’s Leo Sun. Both of them aspire to a five star lifestyle. Samantha’s Sun is also conjunct Meghan’s Uranus so not great for sharing the same space; and Samantha’s Saturn squares Meghan’s Uranus so she’d constantly be trying to curb her freedom.

The relationship chart has a tightly bound together composite Sun, Pluto, Venus on the focal point of Mars trine Neptune. Pluto makes for control and possessiveness; Mars Neptune for a mutually unsupportive interface – only one can win. Mars Pluto is hostile; and the composite Mars is also trine Saturn which is dislike and irritability.

Like the relationship between Meghan and her father, it looks like trailing on unhappily through this year with this April being a sore point; and is even more unsettled in 2020.

Envy is a deeply unpleasant emotion. ‘I’m not happy and feel my life is lacking so I’m going to try to destroy another person’s happiness to make me feel better.’ Contemptible.

Emmanuel Macron has taken a hissy fit over recent verbal attacks by the two populist political Italian leaders, Salvini and Di Maio, over immigration and the gilets jaunes (anti-French government demos) as they ramp up the rhetoric for the EU May elections. Macron has taken the unusual step of recalling the ambassador from Rome in the worst crisis between the two neighbouring countries since the second world war. Salvini is now trying to sound placatory but says France must stop pushing migrants back into Italy, end lengthy border checks blocking traffic and hand over Italian leftist militants who have taken refuge in France in recent decades.

There’s little likelihood that the spat will die down soon since both Salvini and Di Maio’s relationship charts with Macron have tr Uranus in opposition to the composite Mars picking up right on cue today and running till early March – that is explosive, impulsive and tends to lead to sharp words and hasty actions. With Salvini it’ll continue to rock n‘ roll through this year as tr Uranus hard aspects the composite Venus and Uranus; and with Di Maio there’ll be a lengthy Saturnine chill. Both Italians have Mars in Capricorn square Macron’s Pluto, so it’ll be a teeth-gritter with no quarter given.

The France/Italy relationship chart is jangled exactly now by tr Saturn opposition the composite Uranus; and that lingers on and off till late 2019 with uncertainty and suspicion added to the mix since tr Saturn will also conjunct the composite Neptune.

Emmanuel Macron has been bruised by the gilets jaune continuing demos and has had to make budget-bursting promises to calm inflamed feelings at a time when the economy is creaking. His Government chart, 14 May 2017 11.25 am Paris, is at a low ebb this month with tr Neptune square the Mars, returning till late 2019; with the over confident Midheaven opposition Jupiter square Pluto running into a series of setbacks on and off all year courtesy of tr Saturn in hard aspect.

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Pope Francis keeps saying the right words but he doesn’t appear to be making much headway in cleaning out the Augean stables at the Vatican. There is ample evidence that his religious colleagues and underlings are dragging their heels determinedly over child abuse allegations and now over admissions that nuns have been and are being abused by priests. He said the Church was attempting to address the problem but said it was “still going on”.

Last November, the Catholic Church’s global organisation for nuns denounced the “culture of silence and secrecy” that prevented them from speaking out. Speaking to reporters while on a historic tour of the Middle East on Tuesday, the pontiff admitted that the Church had an issue, the roots of which lie in “seeing women as second class”.

   Pope Francis’s Election chart, 13 March 2013 7 pm Rome is aggravated and divisive to start with having a volatile Mars Uranus conjunct the Descendant; though also with a potential for having a positive effect on mass consciousness with a Yod apex point Jupiter. It’ll be at boiling point in six months time with the Solar Arc Mars closing the conjunction to Uranus to exact; and in for more massive jolts by 2021, if he stays around that long.

He’s probably now all too aware why Pope Benedict chose to resign against tradition and may take the same route out. On his own chart, 17 December 1936 9 pm Buenos Aires, he does have tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven (time being accurate) which suggests a sharp change of direction in his life/career very soon. 2018 was a year of upset and upheaval; with another disruption or sudden decision almost exactly now as his Solar Arc Moon is conjunct his 10^th house Uranus. He also looks disheartened till late this year with tr Neptune conjunct his Saturn.

His relationship chart with the Vatican mirrors those feelings and experiences with disappointment and evasion; and sudden change on the cards with Pluto Uranus influences picking up this month and running on and off till late 2020.

The Vatican itself, 7 June 1929 11 am Rome, with its confident Jupiter in indulgent Taurus on the midheaven and a slippery Gemini New Moon looks deflated this year and is getting a sharp elbow from tr Uranus conjunct its Venus to alter course, but I wouldn’t hold my breath or wager the family silver on it making a significant difference anytime soon. Maybe as tr Pluto moves across the midheaven around 2023/24 might shift it marginally in a better direction.