Esther & Lorraine – a tale of two sofa sisters

The tragi-comic pantomime mid Brexit of the Tory leadership election has thrown up colourful, criminal misdemeanours on the drug-taking front and now an unseemly spat between a breakfast television presenter and one of the contestants who was once was a sofa colleague. There are whispers of professional jealousy. It’s all a storm in a teacup but entrancing the media who are bored witless by the rest of the shenanigans.

Lorraine Kelly, 30 November 1959 10.45 am Glasgow Scotland has been a breakfast screen presence since the early 1980s. She’s an enthusiastic Sun, Jupiter, Mercury in Sagittarius in a determined square to Pluto with a sharp-tongued Mars Mercury in Scorpio in her 10th in a risk-taking square to Uranus.

Esther McVey, 24 October 1967, was a GMTV presenter during her media career and then stood for parliament, latterly taking over George Osborne’s safe seat, and becoming a Cabinet member. She’s a Sun Scorpio on the focal point of an exuberant mini-Grand Trine to Jupiter in Virgo trine Mars in Capricorn; with a hard-edged Mars square a self-reliant Saturn in Aries.

It’s definitely an abrasive relationship with Esther’s Mars conjunct Lorraine’s Saturn; Esther’s Sun conjunct Lorraine’s evasive Neptune; and Esther’s Jupiter Mars Sun hitting on Lorraine’s 8th house controlling Pluto.

The relationship chart has a power-struggling composite Mars square Pluto and a suspicious composite Sun Neptune square Saturn. Not well designed to be best mates, for sure.

There’s nothing much on Esther’s chart (minus birth time) to suggests success ahead this year or next. Though tr Pluto square her Solar Arc Jupiter will give her the confidence to keep pushing.

Pic Chris McAndrew

Hong Kong – standing out against tyranny

 

Hong Kong demonstrators against the new deeply unpopular extradition law to mainland China have given Chief Executive Carrie Lam her greatest crisis so far. Many hundreds of thousands were out on the streets demanding the amendment be withdrawn with violence breaking out as the police respond. The government is still backing the bill and although now delayed it is expected to pass on June 20th.

She was sworn in on 1 July 2017 at 9am and since then has had several run-ins with pro-democracy activists. Her Term chart has an argumentative Sun, Mars, Mercury in a ruthless opposition to Pluto square Jupiter – so was always going to bring rolling and high-risk situations.  Tr Saturn is at the moment exactly in a bad-tempered opposition to the Solar Arc Mars, moving back soon to a blocked conjunction to the Term Pluto – and repeating on those influences off and on into 2020 – with the Eclipses also rattling it up this year.

But she’s a stubbornly unyielding Sun Venus in Taurus square Pluto and trine Jupiter, so giving way won’t be an option.

The Hong Kong chart doesn’t look settled ahead. The 1 July 1997 12 am chart of the handover from UK to China has a grinding tr Pluto conjunct the Solar Arc Midheaven in 2019/2020, suggesting a forced change of direction. With the 8 degree Cancer Sun being zapped by the Eclipses this year, especially the up and coming July one.

False hopes and overly high expectations will be dashed in 2020, financially as well as politically, as the Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct the Jupiter; with more ructions come 2022 as the Solar Arc Mars is square the Uranus with tr Pluto in hard aspect to both as well which is a considerable whammy of disruptive and violent influences so that will be a key make-or- break point.

It’s difficult not to say impossible to see the Chinese backing down. But it’s also an indication of the strength of young Hong Kongers feelings about China – and short of turning the former colony into North Korea something’s going to have to be worked out.

See also December 30 2018 post.

Chris Froome – Mars Saturn accident

The bone-breaking, accident-prone Mars in Cancer opposition Saturn, exact this Friday, has claimed its first high profile victim as the UK’s four-time Tour de France cycling champion Chris Froome suffered a serious crash with a reported broken femur. During a practice ride in France in a time-trial he crashed in the downhill section at high speed and hit a wall.

Care and caution in general will be needed for everyone for another week since Mars is also tied into the opposition to Pluto exact next Thursday  June 20th. The violent demos in Hong Kong will also be part of the astro-scenario, and Sudan.

Froome, born 20 May 1985 in Nairobi, Kenya is a dourly determined, high-endurance Taurus Sun opposition Saturn in obsessively conscientious Scorpio; with a dogged Mercury in Taurus opposition Pluto in Scorpio. And a high-octane, excitement-seeking Mars in Gemini opposition Uranus in a talented Half Grand Sextile to Venus in Aries and Jupiter in that odd athletic-superstar mid-Aquarius degree.

That latter configuration has moved by Solar Directions to have tr Saturn exactly opposition the Solar Arc Mars which is classic for accidents involving breaks, and in a jolting conjunction to Solar Arc Uranus at the moment. Tr Saturn is also exactly opposition his Progressed Mercury for a down moment.

He’s not in a great phase in general with tr Neptune moving in square to his Mars opposition Uranus which was around last year and early this and returns late this year into 2020. Recovery may be slow.

July Eclipses – over the top and argumentative

The Total Solar Eclipse at 10 degrees Cancer on 2 July is in a Saros series which is prone to being overly-excessive, either of obsessive worry or large-scale plans that get out of control. It was around in this series previously in 2001 (at zero degrees Cancer), 1983, 1965, 1947.

The Eclipse is opposition Saturn, with Saturn conjunct Pluto so the mood will be sombre anyway. It will have special significance for the UK, EU and Germany all of whom have their Sun opposition this degree in Capricorn or very close. The USA 13 degree Cancer Sun will also be affected.

An Eclipse conjunct the Sun usually indicates a good going crisis, a time at the crossroads where decisions need to be made about whither and how for the future. In opposition it points to the individual/country not always being right and having to rethink their attitudes and approach. It can blast fresh air through a stuck situation.  The events need not occur on the day itself but any time over coming months.

The Eclipse does have a volatile Uranus square Mars Mercury which for the UK hints at significant domestic changes and argumentative relationships. For the USA with Uranus on the Descendant it points to partnership rifts.

Its path is mainly across the Pacific and Chile and Argentina.

The July 16th Partial Lunar Eclipse at 24 degrees Capricorn is likely to be felt most clearly in the USA since it collides with the fanatical, dogmatic Mercury in Cancer opposition Pluto in the USA 1776 chart; and also in Saudi Arabia with its Sun Jupiter in Capricorn (conjunct Saturn) at that degree. It will be especially heavy since the Moon will conjunct Pluto and Saturn and the Sun oppose.

Keanu Reeves – a complicated life

 

Keanu Reeves has been out and about squiring his artist lady Alexandra Grant, promoting a video game he voiced, and basking in the success of the John Wicks and Toy Story franchise movies.

He’s had his ups and downs but has been in work fairly constantly since he was twenty in everything from comedy to Matrix blockbusters to serious; with stage work as well.

He’s a Canadian-American, born 2 September 1964 5.41 am Beirut Lebanon to an English mother and a Chinese Hawaiian father who was imprisoned for dealing heroin. He had a fractured and peripatetic childhood through his mother’s four subsequent marriages after his father abandoned the family when he was three, living in Australia, New York and Toronto. In his twenties his girlfriend gave birth to a stillborn baby and was killed herself later in a car accident, so he hasn’t had an easy adult life either.

He has a 12th house Virgo Sun, Mercury, Uranus, Pluto, with Pluto Uranus conjunct his Ascendant – so definitely a rebel but also quite retiring, preferring to stay off the fame circuit. His Sun Mercury oppose Saturn in Pisces in the hard-working 6th so he will have a downbeat side to his personality. Balancing that he has a friendly and enthusiastic 11th house Cancer Moon Mars Venus; with his Moon trine Neptune, sextile Pluto – well tuned into public taste. Jupiter in indulgent Taurus in the 9th points to an interest in travel and alternative cultures. It’s an exclusively Water Earth chart giving him great inner strength and determination to withstand calamities, as well as a serious, self-protective streak.

Although always regarded as an enduring bankable star, his career ground to a halt in 2008 after a flop blockbuster, The Day the Earth Stood Still. He said in an interview:  ” I call that The Day my Career Stood Still. I kind of went to Studio Movie Jail.” What’s interesting astrologically is that was when tr Saturn crossed his Ascendant and disappeared into her low-profile first quadrant, often a less successful time. As tr Saturn neared the end of this seven year phase he got his mojo back in John Wicks.

Tr Neptune has been opposing his four Virgo planets for the last couple of years which he’ll be pleased to see the back of. Tr Pluto has also been opposing his Mars through 2018/19 which will have brought its share of frustrations. But since his Mars is conjunct Venus it will also have been  intensifying his emotions and that runs through 2020 as well. Though whether he settles to a commitment may be questionable with tr Neptune now moving through his 7th for a few years ahead which can be indecisive about relationships, though having an artist girlfriend will help.

There is a good deal of Jupiterian luck and success coming his way from 2021 onwards for several years with tr Pluto trine his Jupiter and his Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Mars and Venus.

South Africa – paying the price of a lost decade

 

Upsetting figures pointing to a shrinking economy made South Africa President Cyril Ramphosa’s pledge to root out corruption and revive private and state industry a faint hope. He took over in May after a disastrous decade rife with mismanagement and corruption under Jacob Zuma with the ANC’s majority heavily dented. About half of South Africa’s population live below the poverty line, with unemployment nearing 28%. The nation’s income inequality ranks among the highest on earth.

The modern South Africa 27 April 1994 11am chart hints at a nerve-stretched and sticky few years ahead with some ups and more downs. Tr Uranus will conjunct the Taurus Sun from this July, on and off for a year, which can be unsettling though also liberating if a new path is chosen and tr Uranus goes on to square the Sun/Jupiter midpoint and oppose the South Africa Jupiter in 2020 into 2021 which could bring good lucky and fortunate turns of circumstance. But there’s also a devastatingly confused tr Pluto conjunct Neptune in 2019/2020; and then considerable upheaval from tr Pluto conjunct the South Africa Uranus which could also bring civil unrest. Plus a shock collision from Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Sun in late 2021.

This mirrors the SA 31 May 1910 older chart which indicates a considerable blockage by late 2021; with following that there seems to be better luck.

It was always going to be an uphill struggle for Ramaphosa who is facing resistance from rival and corrupt factions intent on hanging onto the old Zuma days. He took over on 25 May 2019 at 11.30 am with the deprived/hardship Saturn Pluto in place and a less than inspiring Neptune in the 8th house of business finances.   He is an ultra-determined New Moon in Scorpio square Pluto but has a hair-raisingly difficult series of Pluto transits in hard aspect to his Neptune, Saturn and then Mars in Capricorn between now and 2023.

It’ll almost certainly defeat him but with some luck what follows might make a real difference.

Hillary Clinton – sad family news

 

Hillary Clinton’s younger brother Tony Rodham has died.  He was at times during Bill Clinton’s administration in the White House accused of “leveraging his ties” for his own business advantage though he also helped with her campaigning.

Born 8 August 1954 he led a fairly wandered life, known for his general consulting work but he was also a prison guard, a private investigator, a repo man, an investor and an insurance salesman. He was a Sun Pluto in Leo (slightly similar to Bill) with his Pluto trine Mars in Sagittarius so not exactly a flexible personality.

Like most (many) family relationships there were good crossovers and not so great ones between himself and Hillary. His Venus in Virgo sits comfortably with her Pisces Moon and his Mercury was trine her Jupiter with possibly his Sagittarius Moon conjunct her Jupiter; and his Jupiter trine her Venus.  But both are/were exceptionally strong personalities and with his Sun conjunct her Mars Pluto Saturn conjunction  he’d find her defensive; and his Saturn in Scorpio was conjunct her Sun bringing another barrier.

Their relationship chart has a composite supportive morale-boosting composite Sun, Jupiter, Mercury but Saturn was also close by – so it also points to the up and down quality of their connection.

She has tr Saturn just on the cusp of her 3rd house which rules siblings at the moment (8 am birth time being accurate) which would make sense and confirm that time.

Katherine Schwarzenegger & Chris Pratt – a Gemini Sagittarius wedding

 

Katherine Schwarzenegger, eldest daughter of actor Arnold and JFK’s niece Maria Shriver, yesterday married actor Chris Pratt – Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame; Jurassic World 11 – in California. Hollywood gold. He’s been married before with one child. The bride sported a $400k engagement sparkler.

She was born 13 December 1989 6am Los Angeles; he 21 June 1979 4.31pm Virginia, Minnesota (both birth times astrotheme).

She’s a Sun Sagittarius with a home loving Moon Jupiter in Cancer; the constantly-changing triple conjunction of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn in Capricorn all conjunct Mercury; and an ultra-determined Mars in Scorpio widely conjunct Pluto, both in her 12th if the birth time is accurate. Not an easy or a settled personality with a good deal bubbling below the surface.

He’s a Sun Gemini with a heated and stubborn Taurus Moon conjunct Mars (conjunct Algol). His Venus in Gemini in the intense 8th opposes filmic Neptune and squares onto Saturn in Virgo  – undoubtedly creative and hard-working though also neurotic and critical.

His Venus and Sun fall in her 7th house of close relationships which is perfect; with his Sun conjunct her Moon Jupiter which is also highly positive. His Venus in Gemini chimes with her Venus in Aquarius.  But it won’t be the most harmonious of matches since his Neptune is conjunct her Sun so she’ll find him tricky to pin down; and her Pluto is conjunct his Uranus so her possessive streak may cramp his style. And both have megaton Mars so there may be standoffs.

Their relationship chart has a showbizzy composite Mars trine Neptune sextile Pluto; a mutually supportive Sun sextile Jupiter and a needs-space Moon opposition Uranus.

The wedding chart has a head-in-the-clouds Sun opposition Jupiter square Neptune; and a truly difficult Mars opposition Saturn Pluto.

This one will take work to make it work.

Neil Woodford – what goes up must come down

 

Neil Woodford, a few years ago described as the rock star of pensions and fund management, has lost his mojo. After 23 consecutive months in which withdrawals from his fund has been greater than the new money coming in, Woodford closed it to withdrawals for 28 days, causing concern amongst the tens of thousands whose pension savings and investments are at risk. His flagship fund at its peak worth more than £10 billion has shrunk to about a third of that.

He was born 2 March 1960 and became renowned for his horse riding, Porsche driving and ostentatious lifestyle as well as his canny stock picks. He is a Sun Pisces opposition Pluto and trine Neptune, so has stratospheric ambitions. He has Fixed planets in all four signs –  an indulgent Taurus Moon opposes Neptune square either Mars or Venus in Aquarius with Mars opposition Uranus. Fixed signs are acquisitive, especially a Taurus Moon; a strong Uranus is impulsive; and a visionary Neptune can be delusional. Though they do bring stamina and endurance.

He’s on his Second Saturn Return at the moment which usually brings a reality check; and his Solar Arc Sun had been opposing his Neptune as the slide began. He’ll be in for jolts, jangles and high insecurity from this July as tr Uranus squares his Mars, off and on into 2020 by which time tr Uranus opposes his Neptune so it’ll be a long nerve-stretched run. Though he’ll pick up a head of steam from late February 2020 as tr Pluto squares his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint running into 2021.

His most recent companies, set up on 11 April and 9 May 2016 – both kicked off with the head-in-the-clouds Jupiter opposition Neptune square Saturn and Mars in Sagittarius – so the ingredients for a bubble-burst with multiple setbacks was there from the start and exacerbated since then by Neptune moving by transit and Solar Arc to close aspects to exact. Plus the 11 April company had the unstable Sun Uranus in Aries square Pluto, which is under heavy assault from tr Pluto exactly now.

If it sounds too good to be true in the money arena – it usually is.