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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!"
Unless otherwise stated, all data is rated A or AA from AstroDataBank
Recent NewsScope Articles
Jan. 5, 2015 - Will Hillary run? Bono's Chiron-Pluto opposition; Angelique Kidjo, Africa's premier diva.
Jan. 12, 2015 - Neptune's anxiety; France under attack; Pope Francis's exciting Venus return.
Jan. 19, 2015 - Court takes up gay marriage; Swiss Bank shocks system; Chris Kyle, American Sniper.
Jan. 26, 2015 - Deflategate: Tom Brady's footballs; February's top 5; Klay Thompson's best quarter.
Feb. 2, 2015 - Greece's Alexis Tsipras; Shake Shack's debut; Katy Perry at the Super Bowl.
Feb. 9, 2015 - Saturn in Sagittarius, Jill Stein's Green New Deal; Elvis meets Nixon.
Feb 16, 2015 - Jeff Jawer, astro-luminary; journalists in transition; Jeff and Scorpio Rising US chart.
Feb. 23, 2015 - Uranus enters the US sixth; Neonicotinoids and bees; Dr. Seuss is back!
March 2, 2015 - The Boris Nemtsov papers; March's top 5; David Tredinnick, the MP favoring astrology.
March 9, 2015 - Ceres into view, AAPL and solar energy; Chai Jing's "Under the Dome" goes viral.
March 16, 2015 - Britain's royal family under the Eclipse; Kate and William; Charles' progressed MC.
March 23, 2015 - Nuclear deal with Iran? April's top 5 astro-events; Krissi Brown remains in a coma.
March 30, 2015 - Andreas Lubitz, unfit for duty; Q&A - Richard III; Bas Lansdorp's Mars One mission.
April 6, 2015 - Obama and the Iran; NJ Senator Menendez indicted; Mad Men's Matthew Weiner.
April 13, 2015 - Hillary makes it official; Bill progressed Venus; Chelsea's prog Mars.
April 20, 2015 - Marco Rubio declares; Hillary and the Inequality bubble; Floyd Mayweather Fight.
April 27, 2015 - "Clinton Cash" and Clinton fatigue; Petrobras scandal; Bruce Jenner is a woman.
May 4, 2015 - Baltimore, a tale of two cities; May's top five astro-events; Marilyn Mosby's meteoric rise.
May 11, 2015 - Scottish independence; Ceres and the food revolution; the Hanneke Wrome.
May 18, 2015 - Rand Paul steps forward; re-thinking the U.S. Moon; Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner.
May 25, 2015 - Ireland votes in favor of same-sex marriage; June's top five; American Pharoah.
June 1, 2015 - The FIFA scandal; Bernie Sanders, the authentic politician; Emma Stone's rising star.
June 8, 2015 - China hacking into American data; Martin O'Malley, the Dark Horse; MVP Stephan Curry.
June 15, 2015 - the Trans-Pacific partnership; Venus and Jupiter; Secretariat, the racing machine.
June 22, 2015 - Lilith and Pope Francis's historic encyclical; July's top five; Eris, the spiritual warrior.
June 29, 2015 - Obama secures his legacy; Minnesota top biz state; New Horizons nears Pluto.
July 6, 2015 - Greece and the New Moon; Donald Trump's remarks; fighting spirit of Eva Longoria.
July 13, 2015 - Mercury-Mars-Pluto alignment; China's bubble; Serena Williams and Roger Federer.
July 20, 2015 - Loretta Young date raped by Clark Gable? Wat happened in filming Call of the Wild?
July 27, 2015 - Uber and the "sharing economy; August's top five; SETI gets a $100 million donation.
Aug. 3, 2015 - Scott Walker and the plutocracy; Donald Trump and Rand Paul; JFK and Gene Tierney.
August 17, 2015 - Will Hillary win? Will Biden? The progressed Part of Fortune . Jen and Justin marry.
Aug. 24, 2015 - Pluto opposes the U.S. Sun; Jerry Brown, dark horse. Megan Fox files for divorce.
Aug. 31, 2015 - China-U.S. trade relations grow; Sept's top five; Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook.
Sept. 7, 2015 - The U.S. Pluto return; China and U.S. power plays; The Force Awakens, part 2
Sept. 14, 2015 - Joe Biden running?; Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood; Stephen Colbert, rectified
Sept. 21, 2015 - Carly Fiorina wins debate; Bernie Sanders's vision; the Pope goes to Washington.
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 20, 2015 - UN forced into action; Martin Shkreli versus the FBI; Ronday Rousey"s UFC title.
Reader feedback
re: Syria - I always enjoy your weekly column. This week's piece on Syria was particularly of interest. When I changed the time (from Campion at 6 AM) to the Tyl time, I saw all you spoke about. Additionally I looked at the astrocartography map and the local space map. The latter shows the BML line going into the heart of Russia. This is particularly ominous...
re: Cubs - You wouldn't, by any chance, have a Chart for the Chicago Cubs Baseball Team? I can't seem to find any definitive date, except for 1870. I love to root for the Underdog.
re: Hillary - As a long term Hillary fan, I am delighted about her good showing in the recent Democratic debate. Those who dislike Hillary just love to drop those "hints of scandal" in an attempt to derail her campaign. The political pundits and the mainstream media are in for a revelation: Hillary is and has always been a great Presidential candidate!
re: mass murders - I think you have provided very convincing astrological details that confirm the Scorpio rising chart for the United States. It looks as though transiting Uranus will move out of orb to progressed Mars before too long. Do you think this will create a respite from mass murders such as the recent one in Oregon? I know there are other factors involved but taking Martian anger out of the set up looks positive for the future. Do you agree?
A. Yes, transiting Uranus will soon be out of range of activating the U.S. progressed Mars, but that definitely does not end the escalating trend of mass murders. Next come transiting Pluto, and also progressed Lilith will be joining progressed Mars in the U.S. 12th house. Progressed Lilith is just entering the U.S. 12th house now and will conjoin progressed Mars in January 2023, with both opposing progressed Chiron in the 6th house of health. This is an extremely dangerous set-up regarding violence as a health issue, and will be periodically activated by numerous outer planet transits between now and 2023.
re: guns - Given that the gun lobby is huge and powerful and that stupid amendment is, like, scripture to people, do you, also given this chart configuration, ever see anything ever being done to mitigate this stupidity? I refer you to Australia taking away everyone's guns after a particularly horrific mass killing. Since that nation-wide confiscation, no more mass killings. Imagine. Surprising how no guns can result in no killings.) I know that this is unlikely to happen to the Australian degree. But do you see gun enthusiasts giving an inch ever anywhere at all? Ever?
A. The Australian government didn't do a nation-wide confiscation of guns, but offered to buyback guns. The program was genius and inspirational, but would Americans follow suit? Unlikely any time soon, to my dismay.
re: NewsScope - I really love Neptune Café. I think NewsScope is the best astrology blog on the net.
re: NewsScope - Thank you, as always, for a column that I check first thing in the morning on Mondays!
re: European Union - Since the refugee crisis, much talk has centered around the difficulties of taking in such a mass of peoples whose cultures are so very different from those of Europe. I do hear more about the urgency of dealing with migrants that are huge in number and in many ways demanding, rather than desiring of fitting in wherever there opens a door. Most recently there's the opinion that this large-scale migration may well signal the end of the European Union. Some even are considering conspiracy theories of how such a movement was initiated, is perpetuated, and who it helps (i.e. Russia, the US and their oil interests). What do you see in the stars for the EU's future?
A. Sorting out the conspiracy theories from what's happening on the ground and the shifting policies of the various nations involved makes this a complex issue. The chart I use for the European Union, set for November 1, 1993, currently has transiting Uranus squaring the natal Uranus-Neptune conjunction, which fits the disrupting influence caused by the flood of immigrants. Beyond that, I can't say how this will work itself out. What happens in Syria is, of course, relevant, and there we have a state of constant flux, not to mention the numerous surrounding players vying for control. How Russia and the U.S. come to terms (or not) with the Middle East is another unknown vector. In short, there are too many variables to make any definitive statement on the effects to the Eurozone. However, I will study the EU chart some more and see if any internally directed effort can be mustered to resolve the crisis.
re: Saturn-Neptune - As you pointed out in your (5) astrological events for November 2015, the Saturn/Neptune square on 11/26/2015 is prominent. You showed in the European Union chart that natal Neptune is being squared by transiting Uranus. I would like to point out that transiting Neptune in the Scorpio Rising USA chart is also squaring natal Uranus in the 8th house.
So Uranus in the US chart has Neptune square to it while Neptune in the EU chart has a Uranus square in effect now. While Saturn afflicts both. Coincidence? I think all this shows the difficulty of maintaining our free Internet(Uranus) while Neptune is showing the downside of a border-free world.
I very much hope that all this is the "irritant" that produces the "pearl" of gained wisdom as you so aptly state in your Newscope article. Sadly, I just do not know if the pearl is wishful thinking or what. People of good will know what this future world might look like but the way there is not at all clear.
re: Mog - Think they'll make Mog, the movie? I think it'd be great fun... love Emma Thompson... Thanks for the "heads up" video---hadn't seen this elsewhere...
re: EU - The last few days have shown a willingness to fight back against the terrorists that certainly does not reflect any "stunned paralysis" in the European Union. France and Russia are now cooperating in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and if the US would get off its duff maybe, just maybe some real progress could be made in defeating these monsters called ISIS. On another note even the hacking group Anonymous has finally realized ISIS is a greater threat than any western government to their vaunted freedom of ideas. All this to say, I do not think your interpretation of the EU chart is telling the real story
A. French president Hollande attempted to get the U.S. and Russia on the same page, but the two external powers do not agree on the fate of Syrian president Assad. But perhaps "stunned paralysis" is not the right interpretation of the progressed Midheaven to the EU's Mars-Pluto square Saturn. The Saturn-Pluto combination is known for its intense nationalism and conservative or tightening policies. Individually, the EU nations are closing their borders and ratcheting up security measures, which is in accord with the activation of the EU's Mars-Pluto conjunction in Scorpio. But it doesn't bode well for the EU as a larger geopolitical entity, which we might say is in a state of paralysis.
re: NewsScope - Around 3 years ago I was having problems with saving your NewsScope web pages and subsequently opening them in readable form in one of my three web browsers. I made no progress with having you getting Homestead to fix this.
On a whim I tried doing it again several days ago. I now can open most of your NewsScope issues with either no or very few rendering issues. I can also easily save the pages as PDF files in Opera. This makes using your articles for research very easy.
I have gone back and made PDF files for all of 2009 and 2010. Unfortunately the link for July 11, 2011 is incorrect. I get the NewsScope for November 7, 2011, Jon Corzine Resigns. If you could correct this I would appreciate it. I will wait to see if you can do it so I can keep my files in chronological order.
A. The software used to build NeptuneCafe's pages was originally designed to be pc-compatible. Those using apple products had some rendering issues, until the host (Homestead) moved the site designer platform into the cloud. It made pages viewable in both pc and apple products. The problem is that due to the hundreds of pages in NeptuneCafe, webpage designing takes much longer to do, and some mis-labling issues may crop up. If the July 11, 2011 page is the only one that got lost since 2009, then that's a decent track record. Readers who want a copy of the July 11, 2011 issue can get an emailed copy upon request.
re: NewsScope - I honestly think you are so incredibly gifted in the astrological world. I love trying to learn from what you write. I wish I had your ability. I've got more knowledge than most people who just dabble, but a Vulcan mind meld would be amazing to have the understanding.......
re: Trump - When will he be gone? I was watching a biography of him last night. Mostly I was rolling my eyes and sighing. What the hell IS that? He so rubs me the wrong way. He is so horribly FULL of himself. That's Mars in Leo, isn't it?
A. Mars in Leo is found in more presidents charts - by far - than any other placement. It shows leadership, decisive opinions, and confidence. Trump's ego is inflated through Jupiter's placement, plus currently his progressed Sun near his Leo Ascendant, which conjoins the royal star Regulus. Most likely, he will be on the national scene through the campaign season since this progressed Sun is still 1/2 degree away from this important conjunction.
re: Zuckerberg rectification - Wow. Really, wow. Do you use any software to aid rectification?
A. I use SolarFire for my calculations, but none that suggest any birth times, such as Jigsaw.
re: Insane Violence - Thank you for the warnings for what's up ahead re: The Insane Violence Configuration --- and for the December 2015 report. Like many, I'm glad to be aware of when the more stressful days might be during the "holiday" season & when to be more mindful of when my own stress is in danger of blowing off too much steam, or when family gatherings might be a bit more testy...yes---a good time of year to remember the peace, love and joy inspirations...
re: NewsScope subscription - Thanks for sending the current NewsScope. Maybe charging a fee for your weekly subscription will be a way for you to monetize your creativity. I've sent you $50/year for the past few years. Happy to pay more. People can pay. You do the work. We pay you. That works beautifully.
Nice to give it away to those in need on your website, but nicer still to receive it on a weekly basis in my mailbox. I think having people pay is important--for you and for them. You are really talented. I love reading your write ups.
A. OK, thank-you. That's something to think about.
Note to Readers – I’ve been writing NewsScope virtually every week since August 1997, making it the longest running weekly astrology blog on the internet. If you’re enjoying, learning, and appreciating NewsScope’s weekly commentaries, you can help ensure its quality and continuity by making a suggested donation of $25 to $120/year.
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NewsScope for December 28, 2015
By Michael Wolfstar
Russia Stages an Economic Comeback
In 2015, Russia’s stock market index was the best gainer of the year in local currency terms, gaining some 23% and far outpacing any other national market. Russian equities were the worst performers in 2014 due to the collapse of oil prices and geopolitical tension with Russia’s western counterparts. This impressive worst-to-best performance gives astrologers a chance to check Russian horoscopes for accuracy.
The chart used in this column (see Russia) is based on when Soviet leaders signed a declaration of Russian independence, and features Jupiter in the 10th house of government trine Pluto. The Jupiter-trine-Pluto aspect tends to attract good fortune, bringing prosperity and large scale projects and ambitions. Currently, and for most of 2015, Russia’s progressed Sun has been at 15º Cancer where it conjoins natal Jupiter, a natural signature for a thriving economy.
The previous year, the progressed Sun was at 13º and 14º Cancer where it opposed Neptune, the natural ruler of Russia’s immense oil and gas industry. At the time, the international furor over Russia’s intervention in Ukraine let to threats of cutting off the oil supplies to Europe as well as western capital fleeing the Russian stock market. The transiting Uranus-Pluto square also hit this same degree area, fueling the crisis and instigating a major recession in Russia.
In 2016, transiting Uranus and Pluto continue to activate key placements in the Russian horoscope, which guarantees that Russian adventurism will continue to be a force to reckon with in international affairs. We might expect a more conciliatory stance vis-à-vis Russia’s military positions (progressed Ceres trine Mars). As for the Russian stock market, transiting Jupiter’s favorable aspects indicate a steady comeback. Also, Russia is getting the benefit of a progressed Midheaven-Jupiter conjunction over the next two years.
January’s Top Five Astro-Events
1. Mercury turns retrograde on the 5th while forming a tight square to Mars in Scorpio, creating an edgy, confrontational vibe from the 1st through 6th. Mercury here tends toward highly opinionated, arrogant, and conversation-dominating behavior. Mercury re-enters Capricorn on the 9th, after which thoughts and spoken words tend more toward caution and introspection. From the 5th through 25th, re-think business plans and avoid signing any important contracts.
2. A powerful T-square links Black Moon Lilith, Uranus and Pluto, an unusually dynamic configuration in effect all month. The Sun in Capricorn activates this T-square from the 4th to 7th, bridging individual needs and ambitions with the collective. Powerful people are on the move, expressing their agendas in uncompromising and controversial ways. The Dark Side becomes an integral part of personal, social, and national scenarios. Expect a variety of extreme weather events.
3. Jupiter turns retrograde on the 7th while octile (45º) Juno and quincunx (150º) Ceres, in effect from the 4th to 12th. Jupiter-in-Virgo’s perfectionist tendencies can put a damper on intimate relationships. Friends can become lovers or vice-versa, but any such reversals are not likely to last. Favorable Jupiter days may bring good fortune on the 10th, 13th, 14th, 17th, and 27th. Look for the silver lining in otherwise trying circumstances.
4. The New Moon in Capricorn takes place on the 9th, marking the beginning of an unusually stressful month that promises to bring major changes on the personal and geopolitical levels. The New Moon horoscope (8:30 pm; Washington DC) features the evil star Algol at the Midheaven, and suggests troubling times ahead. With Mars in early Scorpio conjunct the US Scorpio Ascendant, expect increased American engagement and entanglements in the world’s trouble spots.
5. Mercury turns direct on the 25th while conjunct Pluto, square Uranus, and square Lilith. This news-generating, event-oriented phase, from the 21st through 31st, is effectively the last Uranus-Pluto square. A tensely activated Lilith in Libra makes many social bonds and interactions uncomfortable, testing personal, casual, and business relationships. Expect hacking incidents, compromised databases, and technological glitches with far-reaching consequences. Intense anxiety may lead to healing and/or breakdowns, separations and/or finding true allies.
Daisy Ridley, the Break-out Star of The Force Awakens
With Star Wars: The Force Awakens smashing box office records, both domestically and internationally, the film’s female lead suddenly finds herself a mega star. Newcomer Daisy Ridley was chosen for the part when she impressed director J.J. Abrams with her ability “to take a direction, make it her own, and make it better than I could ever have imagined…. She’s spectacular.”
With her Aries Sun closely aspecting Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Eris (April 10, 1992; Westminster, UK; time unknown), Ridley in astrological jargon is known as an “Outer Planet Person,” a fitting description for her role as the lead Star Wars protagonist. The Sun squaring the Uranus-Neptune conjunction can move her spontaneously from demanding physical exploits to emotional scenes and tears. Off screen, Uranus-Neptune allows her to thrive in the glitter and excitement of global celebrity.
The Sun is also quincunx (150º) Pluto, which confers the power inherent in her personal ambition, and her ability to tap into deep psychological resources. Transiting Saturn conjoined her Pluto when she was selected for the part in February 2014. And check out her Plutonian life-and-death struggle while filming in the Abu Dhabi desert: “There was this bit where I was lying in the sand, and if a scorpion got me, the nearest hospital was an hour away. So I was like, I could die right now.”*
Transiting Uranus was conjunct Ridley’s Aries Sun when filming wrapped up last summer. The synchronicity of The Force Awakens with transiting Uranus awakening her star power will return in April 2016 as she films the sequel, and becomes one of the world’s most recognizable and fascinating celebrities. As the first female star of the Star Wars franchise, Ridley is playing an evolutionary role that befits an Outer Planet Person. “Rey is so strong,” she says of her character. “She’s cool and smart and can look after herself.”
* For more on Daisy Ridley, see elle.com//daisy
