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"The natal chart is like a seed and progressions are the unfolding in time of that into the plant it is to become. Transits, are like a daily weather report. In political astrology, these three factors have to be taken into account!"
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Recent NewsScope Articles
Sept. 28, 2015 - Xi and Obama agree; October's top 5 astro-events; Emissions scandal at Volkswagen.
Oct. 5, 2015 - Bernie Sanders and the Debate; the Oregon shooter; Richard Tarnas and Jupiter.
Oct. 12, 2015 - Paul Ryan, next House speaker? Bernie Sanders rectified; Matt Damon as The Martian.
Oct. 19, 2015 - Syria's proxy wars; verifying Hillary's birth time; Erin Andrews sues.
Oct. 26, 2015 - UN summit on climate change; November's top 5; Adele returns with "25".
Nov. 2, 2015 - Barack Obama's Mars Return, other celebrities' Mars Returns at 22º Virgo, Britney Spears.
Nov. 9, 2015 - Ben Carson under fire, Marco Rubio's tax plan, Supergirl star Melissa Benoist.
Nov. 16, 2015 - European Union in Crisis; Donald Trump's Iowa speech; Emma Thompson
Nov. 23, 2015 - Immigration and Saturn-Neptune; the ISIS horoscope; Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.
Nov. 30, 2015 - The insane violence configuration; Dec.'s top five; the Force Awakens the Millennials.
Dec 7, 2015 - Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik; Mark Zuckerberg's $45 billion donation.
Dec 14, 2015 - The Uranus-Eris cycle; Paul Ryan for president? Frank Sinatra centennial.
Dec 21, 2015 - UN forced into action; Martin Shkreli versus the FBI; Ronday Rousey"s UFC title.
Dec 28, 2015 - Russian economic surges; January's top 5; Daisy Ridley of The Force Awakens.
Jan. 4, 2016 - 2016 begins with Mercury retrograde; Bernie Sanders' celestial assets; Natalie Cole.
Jan.11, 2016 - The Lilith-Uranus-Pluto configuration activated; El Chapo captured; Beatlemania.
Jan. 18, 2016 - Hillary fading; Oil prices and Standard Oil; BML- paradoxical, clandestine.
Jan. 25, 2016 - Mike Bloomberg considers run; February's top five; Mike Brown and Planet 9.
Feb. 1, 2016 - Primaries begin and best astro indicators, progressed Part of Fortune; Eris Awakens.
Feb. 8, 2016 - Marco Rubio's momentum; Brazil's Zika epidemic; Steven Avery - guilty or innocent?
Feb. 15, 2016 - Volatile global stock markets, Bernie Sanders' birth time; Einstein and gravity.
Feb. 22, 2016 - Donald Trump and Mars; March's top 5 astro-events; Tim Cook vs. the FBI.
Feb. 29, 2016 - Marco Rubio, GOP's last hope? The 12th Amendment? AlphaGo v. Lee Sedol.
March 7, 2016 - The death of the GOP? the Saturn- Pluto cycle; Megyn Kelly, Fox moderator.
March 13, 2016 - Trump and Mussolini - the astro-parallels; Nancy Reagan's astrology; Marla Maples.
March 21, 2016 - Trump and the GOP convention; Election Day chaos; Mel- anie Trump, 1st Lady?
March 28, 2016 - Paul Ryan, the GOP nominee? April's top five; Bernie Sanders' celestial blessing.
April 4, 2016 - Ted Cruz aims to stop Trump; Uranus in the U.S. 6th house, Drew Barrymore and Juno.
April 11, 2016 - Panama Papers; Uranus-Eris in the presidential contest; Nyle Dimarco on DWTS.
April 18, 2016 - Hillary rising; Dilma Rousseff under fire; Modigliani - another penniless artist.
April 25, 2016 - Prince ruled by Pluto; May's top five; Shakespeare and the Stars - a paradigm buster.
May 2, 2016 - Lilith inspires Trump; Economic flashback to 1929; Audra McDonald stars in Shuffle Along.
May 9, 2016 - Why Trump, why now? To Brexit or not to Brexit; Taylor Swift - Queen of the Goddesses
May 16, 2016 - Brazil's epochal shifts; Amazon's disruptive technology; Miss Suzie Jones' longevity.
May 23, 2016 - Hillary v. Trump - who will win? the astrology of Flight MS108; Mars in the night sky.
May 30, 2016 - Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party, June's top 5 and the Uranus-Eris conjunction.
June 6, 2016 - Hillary's new strategy; pain, fentanyl and Paul Janssen; Muhammad Ali, the Greatest.
June 13, 2016 - Hillary v.s Trump, Part 2; "Dump Trump" fueled by Mars; Christina Grimmie in FL.
June 20, 2016 - Orlando's confluence at 23º, Neptune, the decider? Meryl Streep and Elizabeth Warren.
June 27, 2016 - Brexit and globalization; July's top five; Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish independence.
July 4, 2016 - Bill Clinton - what was he thinking? Nepal's new ally, China; Scarlett Johansson.
July 11, 2016 - Racial tensions intensify; the 2017 Inauguration horoscope; Olivia De Havilland.
NewsScope has been published continually since 1997. Back copies dating from 2009 through 2015 can be found at NewsScope archives.
For NewsScope blogs dating from October 25, 1999 through March 31, 2009, visit StarIQ/NewsScope.
re: Election Day chaos - Maybe someone pointed this out to you already but if no candidate receives 270 electoral votes, the House of Representatives chooses the winner. I suppose someone could challenge that but they would likely lose since the law is quite clear.
A. I wrote about this on February 29 relating to the 12th amendment, which is where this directive comes from. But note how litigious Trump is, and that there's likely to be some counting irregularities, as there were in the 2000 election that was decided by the Supreme Court in Bush's favor.
re: Trump - Was chatting with my astrologer recently, and I was told that there's a very high probability (astrologically speaking) that there will be an assassination attempt on Trump on or about Aug. 11. What's your take on this?
A. Extremely unlikely. I see no astrological evidence for such an irresponsible claim.
re: Sanders - I never miss your column and find it very insightful. Regarding this wild election year, do you see any possibility of Bernie Sanders running as an Independent if HC gets the Democratic nomination? Most of her primary wins have been razor thin, and there is a lot of dissatisfaction among the Dems as well as the Republicans with the status quo. After all, he was an Independent for many years in Congress. I would love to hear your opinion.
A. No, I don't think he will run as a third party candidate. He's content to get his message out and influence Hillary's stance on numerous issues.
re: Trump/Mussolini parallels - Having spent quite a bit of time with my Italian in-laws and their friends in northern Italy I will add a different view. Americans have always looked upon Mussolini only as an evil dictator. Most Italians view him quite differently. While they agree he got Italy involved in WW ll In a bad way they view him as the man who built the infrastructure of their country. Before Mussolini they had no nationwide roads. Roads stopped at the edges of the old city states..
He built the railroads and bridges uniting the country too. The big railway stations we see. Rome, Florence and Milano were all constructed under his leadership. They also felt proud of their nation when he successfully invaded Ethiopia. The parallels with “Make America Great Again” are interesting. Trump frequently talks about repairing our infrastructure, particularly the airports, and making Americans proud of their country again. I think you’ve nailed it. Of course, I do believe in reincarnation.
A. Mussolini was executed on April 28, 1945. Trump was born less than one year later.
re: Prince - If you haven't thought to do it, can you do a little tribute to Prince for Monday's column? Love him, would love to know more about his chart.
re: U.S. Gemini Rising chart - It would seem that this coming New Moon of June 5th~6th (along with its mid-degrees Mutable Grand Cross) might be telling then, whether or not the 9* Gemini Asc. chart may be the true chart.
A. And how will it do that? Perhaps you could make a forecast that will be unique to Gemini Rising and not apparent in Scorpio Rising or other US charts. If you say what will happen ahead of time, your chart makes sense. After there fact is not persuasive.
For example, I recently forecast workers strikes when T Uranus entered the US 6th house and conjoined Chiron while opposing Juno. The 6th house is associated with work, and Uranus brings strikes. Last week's strike by Verizon workers was the largest in five years. It's a straightforward interpretation using basic astrology principles. And it only works when Scorpio is Rising. Making accurate forecasts says more about a chart than any backward or retro look.
Of course you realize that the Gemini Rising chart was created by renowned astrologer Luke Broughton in 1861 based on the fact that it was a revolution, and the practice of the time was to put the planet associated with revolution on the Ascendant. In 1861, Uranus was known but not in 1776.
re: Tesla - I have been a fan of your blog; read every very Early Monday morning religiously. Would you kindly comment on Tesla motors; it hardly produces a couple of cars but wallstreet treats them like king while Ford, which produces millions of cars, sells for $15/share. why??
re: Mars retrograde - You mention in your March 28th piece that stationary Mars opposes the U.S. Uranus. I would have noted that it is exact to the minute of arc! I consider exactitude to be important in predictive work.
re: Election Day chaos - About placements on Nov 8: you would know but let me repeat. Neptune in its own sign on South node (let go of the past or confusion about past) and North node sign Virgo ruler Mercury at 23 Scorpio, dispositors Mars and Pluto. Mars last degree of Capricorn and Pluto 15 Capricorn connecting to Aries Point.
In my opinion, the real agenda is a new constitution and electoral system. Neptune South Node – can help dissolve attachment to past forms. North node Virgo, get to work on the details of new systems. Centralised power is alright if add in the necessary checks and balances.
re: Trump - I really enjoyed--if that's the right word--the May 2nd issue. The Lilith in Astro*Carto*Graphy for Trump is particularly unsettling. You may want to emphasize in future NewsScopes that in many ways the President's chart becomes the US chart during his/her term of office. Also, thanks for your piece on Audra McDonald, she is a wonderfully talented singer and actor who is far too under appreciated.
re: Clinton - If memory serves, Geo. W. Bush's Saturn was on his 1st house cusp, headed south, when he ran the second time and won. Of course, his second term is memorable for a host of bad reasons. Campaigns are battles. Governing is a war. It's possible Hillary wins the battle but struggles with the war, yes?
A. Could be! Technically, transiting Saturn was in Bush's 12th house during the 2004 election and didn't reach his Ascendant until September 2005. But yes, it was downhill from there.
re: ACG maps - I'm a regular reader of your column, and having a question for you is an opportunity to say "thanks". My question concerns Lilith (whether oscillating or mean) and Astro*Carto*Graphy* maps. I've been consulting astrodienst's A*C*G* map service for years, but I've never seen an option to add bodies beyond the normal range of bodies and the north node, such as asteroids or Lilith. I'd really like to run a map for myself with Lilith (or the Liliths) included; possibly also to include the "big four" Goddess asteroids. What software or service did you use to obtain Donald Trump's Lilith lines?
A. I used the Solar Maps function in SolarFire to generate those maps. You can also get Lilith and the asteroids on ACG maps using Halloran's AstrolDeluxe software.
re: Trump - What software program told you that Lilith is angular on Donald Trump's IC when his chart is relocated to California?
A. My apologies, I made an error on this. What I was looking at was Trump’s progressed A*C*G* map, and on this one the progressed Lilith-IC runs just off the coast of California. I blame Mercury retrograde for this error.
re: Brazil - Sorry, but Nicholas Campion is right! A lot of Brazilian astrologers don´t even know secondary progressions. It´s incredible, but they work only with natal charts and transits! Accuracy, precision, systematization are not the strong points of Brazilian astrologers. They create a lot of fantasies that they call “interpretations”, with no connection with professional practices. And, I don´t guess why, they created a fallacious notion that Brazilian ascendant is in Aquarius! Brazilian mentality and inclinations have nothing to do with Aquarius and all to do with Pisces! This is the carnival paradise! After the carnival, it´s the end of the world, but no problem…Let´s wait for the next year carnival party! Do you follow me? Also, another point, I don´t see any reason to use LMT. Why not BZT +3?
A. Unfortunately, most "astrologers" are not using progressions yet. One doesn't have to be from Brazil to miss out on this valuable technique. To clarify Campion's position, independence was proclained somewhere between 4 and 5 pm LMT. He personally doesn't advocate 4:47 pm but states that many Brazilian astrologers do.
I'm sticking with 4:20 pm. Last week I was researching Petrobras to do a piece on it. President Vargas signed the act that created Petrobras on October 3, 1953 when transiting Pluto was at 24º Leo, precisely opposite the 4:20 pm Aquarius Ascendant. No such connection is evident with the 4:47 pm time.
As for the fantasy-oriented carnival, does not Neptune conjunct Brazil's ruling planet (Uranus) convey this? About LMT, time zones were established in 1884, so any time used before then had no systematic reference point except what the local clocks indicated.
re: Brazil - The progressed Sun+Mars on natal Pluto is a powerful combination never seen before. It seems that a transformation of the Brazil State is coming, or even a military action (due to Mars).
In the 80s there was much discussion about Brazil's Ascendent between astrologers. Through rectification the Aquarius rising became more habitual, though some still prefer the Pisces rising one. The Fixed signs are important when one studies historical events, especially 20º-24º Scorpio. The Discovery of Brazil chart in 1500 and Republic Proclamation in 1889 have important points in those signs and degrees.
Every time Saturn enters Scorpio there's some sort of political crisis in the country. In June 2013 we had massive protests in the streets (something unusual for Brazilians). Since then the country has been in turmoil, and every day the situation just worsens.
Most Brazilian astrologers use a Scorpio MC due to several military coups in Brazil's history and 2 deaths of presidents (one of them killed himself while in office). The most popular times are between 16:08 and 16:20, with Aquarius ascending.
re: Eris - Pertaining to the current Uranus/Eris conjunction, I've been wondering how this would affect me and decided to comment as it may provide insight to others going through a similar transit.
Transiting Uranus and Eris are currently making a conjunction to my natal third house Sun/Mercury conjunction, and squaring my ascendant. (Sun 23º50 Aries, Asc 24º20 Capricorn). I've been wondering how having Eris in the mix would manifest, and haven't been able to find much online to prepare. So far, what's been happening is that I've had to become a very goal-oriented, vocal, warrior advocate for my elderly mother in our broken healthcare system. Lately it seems that I am quite effective at it; it's like something powerful comes over me when I'm fighting for my mother's well-being, and all involved do as I say, and I've stopped caring what they think of me. I wonder if this is Eris' influence.
A. Yes, most astrologers aren't aware of Eris yet as a meaningful archetype since it was only discovered a few years ago. Sounds like you've got a handle on it though, doing what you're doing. It does have that warrior energy. Thank-you for your story.
re: Gary Johnson - Good article on Gary Johnson. I like him. He was Governor here in New Mexico. He did a good, solid job. There was no focus on legalizing drugs then. He only does that in his Presidential bids. He was a Republican back then who ran a successful business.
re: Flight MS804 - It occured to me when the Egyptian plane went down that perhaps it is somehow related to MH370. MH370 remains a mystery and it appears that no one has claimed responsibility for MS804 yet. Is this a long playing serial aviation terrorist?
NewsScope for July 18, 2016
By Michael Wolfstar
Eris as “The Other”
In her recently published book, There are More Plutos, Sue Kientz proposes that Eris should be considered the ruling planet of Libra or, at the very least, as the co-ruler along with Venus. The mythology behind Eris associates this recently discovered outer planet with “the Other”, also known as the Stranger, the Unknown, and the Alien.
As Kientz describes, “Eris indicates a person who is so different, we resist considering him as being “one of us.” Eris may arouse suspicion that the other may be a criminal, a terrorist, an illegal alien, or mentally ill. Eris is an awakening archetype now because it’s being activated by a conjunction with transiting Uranus and a quincunx from transiting Mars, which recently turned direct.
Over the last two weeks, the news has been unusually filled with violent events, generally centered on “the Other” who has gone berserk. Terrorist incidents in Orlando, Florida were soon eclipsed by the massacre in Nice, France. Transiting Uranus and Eris will conjoin two more times: on September 25 at 23º16’ Aries, and on March 16, 2017 at 22º54’ Aries. In essence, these two outer planets will be an ongoing influence through April of next year.
As outer planets, Uranus and Eris together create a kind of militant nationalism aimed at keeping out “the Other”. We are witnessing how this mindset has challenged the globalization movement that has been in progress since the end of World War II. In addition to Brexit, the rise of Donald Trump and other authoritarian politicians who aim to protect “us” from “them”, large scale protectionist measures are being taken across the globe. Russia and China both are seeing increased U.S. military maneuvers near contested border areas.
Trump may realize that he needs some Saturn to get him more grounded in policy making, unifying Republicans, and working with Paul Ryan. However, regarding Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, Pence’s criticism (it’s “offensive and unconstitutional”) was retracted last Friday, so Trump is definitely in command. Another factor is that transiting Mars just turned direct on Pence’s Jupiter at 24º Scorpio, which energizes his role as an evangelical Christian. Pence had originally favored Ted Cruz, so his selection is likely also aimed at bringing the Christian right into Trump’s camp.
First the similarities: Like Trump, Mike Pence is a flexible Gemini with an independent Sun-Uranus aspect (June 7, 1959; Columbus, IN; time unknown). And also like Trump, he has Mars in proud Leo. Mars in Leo is a strong location for presidential candidates, with a statistically improbable 10 of the 44 presidents born with this placement. His name was floated as a presidential contender in both the 2008 and 2012 elections.
Saturn is a key player in this selection. Pence’s Saturn in practical Capricorn challenges Trump’s imaginative Mercury-Neptune square. Trump’s Mercury-Neptune is behind his numerous and wild speculative comments that are stated as truisms. Pence’s Saturn may wince and attempt to temper Trump’s more audacious remarks. The transiting Saturn-Neptune square has manifested as Pence’s Saturn square Trump’s Neptune.
Trump’s VP Choice: Mike Pence
A reader observes about Trump’s VP selection: “Mike Pence's rough chart looks a lot like Donald Trumps. Is this a "Minney Me" choice without any dynamic challenges to the Donald's?” Before he was elected as Indiana’s governor in 2013, Pence spent six terms in Congress. He continues to have close ties with colleagues in Washington, and Paul Ryan currently considers him “a personal friend.”
The progressed Moon at 25º Scorpio had passed over natal Jupiter a month earlier (when the coup was likely being plotted). Then transiting Mars turned direct and was exactly conjunct natal Jupiter when the coup began. Over the next two years, progressed Lilith will complete this opposition to natal Jupiter. At the same time transiting Uranus and Eris will continue to upset Turkey’s sense of balance by opposing natal Mercury-Saturn.
Pluto, the planet of extremes, is in the first house where it squares Mars and opposes Pallas. This natal configuration indicates the potential for military coups (Mars-Pluto) when the political situation (Pallas) becomes intolerable. The natal Mercury-Saturn conjunction at 24º Libra helps create a sense of secular balance and fair play. The coup was engineered when the transiting Uranus-Eris conjunction opposed natal Mercury-Saturn, suggesting the attempt to violently re-establish balance.
Intense, fundamental religious views are often depicted by Jupiter in Scorpio, and Turkey’s Jupiter at 24º Scorpio reflects this tendency. Under the pressure of transiting Pluto opposite natal Pluto in recent years, President Erdogan has been moving toward an Islamist government, and other groups have been punished, including those within the military. Meanwhile, progressed Lilith has moved into an opposition to natal Jupiter (orb: 0º11’), fomenting deep, hidden resentment.
Uranus and Eris De-stabilize Turkey
A regular NewsScope reader asks about the situation in Turkey: “Was the Mars-Uranus aspect involved?” The quick and easy answer is “yes,” but the internal conflicts taking place in Turkey have been building up for years. Mars and Uranus merely triggered the seething tension that has Turkey religiously, militarily, and politically polarized. Turkey’s horoscope (October 29, 1923; 8:30 pm; Ankara) tells the story.
