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NewsScope for October 9, 2001
Economy
Enters Recession
Most economic
analysts agree that the September 11 attack pushed the fragile U.S. economy
over the brink into recession. The unemployment rate will likely increase
to six percent by early next year, meaning an extra million jobs lost
on top of the 500,000 lost since March. More than 700 companies have already
warned of lower third quarter profits.
The astrological
basis for this weary trend, as frequently reported in NewsScope over the
past year, is the Saturn-Pluto opposition that takes place in the Second
and Eighth houses of the U.S. Scorpio Rising* horoscope (see December
18, 2000; August
21, 2001). Then, the key sector within the overall economy
is the passenger airline industry, which suddenly became an instrument
of terror.
 The
first regular passenger airline service was the St. Petersburg-to-Tampa
Airboat Line that began operations on January 1, 1914 (10:00 am; St. Petersburg,
FL**). A chart set for this historic event establishes an astrological
framework for understanding the current plight of the passenger airline
business. At the moment, this First Passenger Flight chart is experiencing
an important Saturn Return.
This Saturn
Return is fundamentally shaped by the simultaneous opposition from Pluto,
leading to an industry-wide restructuring process. Then, transiting Uranus
is passing over the Aquarius Ascendant, lending to the ongoing crisis
atmosphere. The ruler of this horoscope is Uranus, found in the Twelfth
House of secret activity. Transiting Neptune is currently right on this
chart ruler, adding an element of uncertainty and fear of attack. The
outer planet hits to this chart describe a long-term process that won't
improve any time soon.
Bioterrorism,
the Next Attack?
One
of the biggest concerns in this new war against terrorism is a biological
attack, especially in the form of smallpox virus or possibly anthrax.
The U.S. government is now pouring financial and human resources into
shoring up the nation's defenses against bioterrorism, especially in health-related
programs.
From an astrological
perspective, the fear of bioterrorism is well founded. The key planetary
culprit in this scenario is Uranus, which is navigating its way through
the U.S. Fourth House of domestic affairs. Any time Uranus makes a link
to another natal planet in the U.S. horoscope, major domestic actions
can be expected. For example, the 9-11 attack occurred as transiting Uranus
was trine the U.S. Mars from the Fourth House. (Editor's Note: WolfStar
uses a Scorpio
rising U.S. chart.)
The most
important link that transiting Uranus will make is the conjunction to
the U.S. Moon. The Moon here represents the people themselves, and their
basic needs for security. Transiting Uranus to the Moon creates a highly
disruptive political climate, and the people are in a chronic state of
anxiety.
One Uranus
cycle ago (84 years) the first U.S. incidence of an influenza epidemic
was discovered on August 27, 1918 when transiting Uranus was exactly,
to-the-minute conjunct the U.S. Moon. Some 500,000 Americans died and
about 25 percent fell ill from this ravenous bug. Uranus will be conjunct
the U.S. Moon throughout 2002, and will make its first exact hit on February
24.
George
Clooney and Renee Zellweger Team Up
Free-spirited
George Clooney
may be settling down, according to Hollywood reports released last week.
The object of his affection is Renee
Zellweger, who recently broke off a serious relationship with
funny man Jim
Carrey. Clooney and Zellweger have been hiding out in his Hollywood
home over the last month rather than hitting the town.
George
Clooney was born a dependable Taurus (May 6, 1961; 2:58 am; Lexington,
KY) with his Moon in steady, ambitious Capricorn. Ordinarily this earthy combination leads to highly stable relationship patterns, with marriage
or a steady partner over the years the norm. In Clooney's case however,
his Sun and Mercury square unpredictable, wild Uranus, which carries an
inherent disdain for being tied down.
Clooney's
"eligible bachelor" status can be seen astrologically from Juno,
the marriage asteroid, placed right on his Pisces Ascendant. Juno here
gives the impression of being identified as a partner, one half of a team.
But Juno is opposite Pluto, and the intense focus and frequent possessiveness
that go with this Juno-Pluto aspect run counter to his free-spirited Uranian
side. This combination is a classic "fear of commitment" aspect.
At
the moment, transiting Uranus is exactly opposite Clooney's natal Uranus,
offering him the midlife task of reworking his old patterns. Renee Zellweger
(April 25, 1969) is also a Taurus, and the two share dynamic, sexy Venus-Mars
trines, ensuring a healthy love life. Taurus appreciates a good meal,
and with her Ceres on his Twelfth House Jupiter, they probably spend quality
time over a private meal.
**The
Historynet.com
*Adherents
to two popular versions of U.S. horoscopes, the Gemini Rising and Sagittarius Rising horoscopes (sometimes referred to as the Sibley chart), found ample
proof for their convictions since the Saturn-Pluto opposition is taking
place in Gemini and Sagittarius. This deserves some brief commentary.
In this writer's
opinion, the manifestation of the Saturn-Pluto impact is clearly economic,
since the 9-11 attack was aimed at the capitalist system itself as symbolized
by the World Trade Center, which housed the financial assets and shared
resources of the world's major corporate powers.
Capitalism, shared assets, insurance companies—these are all Eighth
House affairs, which is where transiting Saturn is now. The nation's wealth
is symbolized by the Second House, where transiting Pluto is now, and
going through precipitous re-evaluations or restructuring, which are the
keywords associated with Saturn-Pluto aspects.
In defense
of a Gemini Rising horoscope, one NewsScope reader writes "Pluto
transiting an angle is only severe enough to describe an event where people
are saying that America will never be the same." Let's not forget
that Pluto takes 248 years to make one complete orbit, and since the birth
of the nation has only crossed the angles three times. If one is going
to tout a Pluto transit to the angles as the only significator for such
an event, then make sure that historic parallels such as the JFK assassination,
Pearl Harbor, or the outbreak of Civil War have equally significant angle
crossings.
Personally,
I find the Gemini Rising horoscope implausible since the Declaration of
Independence would have to be signed at 2 am or shortly thereafter, which
according to the myth was pre-selected by Benjamin Franklin as being most
auspicious. The Founding Fathers are among the most researched, studied
men in history, and no one has uncovered any evidence that a) any of them were astrologers, or b) that the Continental Congress was meeting
at any time other than normal daylight hours.
As for the
Sagittarius Rising chart, this one is set for a more likely time, but
doesn't fit historical events as neatly as the Gemini or Scorpio Rising
charts. The Gemini and Scorpio Rising charts are set 12 hours apart, and
their MC-IC axes are reversed 180 degrees, and thereby share these same
critical degrees. One of the top reasons given for Sagittarius Rising
is that the American national character seems to fit Sagittarius Rising
so well. These qualities include (as Liz Greene writes) "the undaunted
explorer's spirit, the boundless enthusiasm and faith in the future, the
deeply religious bias, the material and emotional excess, the assumption
of moral superiority, the courageous refusal to accept defeat, the unquenchable
optimism."
While one
can hardly dispute these traits as being typically American, the astrological
correlation can be found in a Sagittarius Ascendant OR a Ninth House Sun,
which is where the Sun is found in the Scorpio Rising chart. In addition,
the Sun is conjunct Jupiter, underscoring these qualities, and the Sun
and Jupiter are trine the Scorpio Ascendant as well. The Sun in the Ninth
House of religion, trine to a Scorpio Ascendant gives an intense morality
not found in the Sagittarius horoscope. Which astrologer can tell the
difference between a Sagittarius Ascendant and a Ninth House Sun? These
are some of the difficult issues to wade through in finding an accurate
horoscope for the United States.
The 9-11
attack ties together the Scorpio Rising horoscope with the WTC and the
Taliban through the 29th degree of Pisces. The 29th degree is the last
degree of the last sign, and is known as the "weeping" degree.
It is aligned with Scheat, a variable star in the constellation of Pegasus.
Vivian Robson describes Scheat's influence as causing extreme misfortune,
murder, suicide (!), nd drowning. The Taliban's horoscope (see NewsScope
March 5, 2001) features Saturn at 29 degrees Pisces. The WTC horoscope
is set for the official first shovel of dirt on August 5, 1966 at noon
(data from Mark Penfield), and shows a Moon-Saturn conjunction at 29 degrees
Pisces.
The U.S.
progressed Midheaven is now at 29 degrees Pisces, and connects the Taliban
and WTC in time. The progressed U.S. Midheaven will enter Aries in a few
months, perfectly describing the long-term war against terrorism that
is now commencing. The U.S. progressed Mars is in the Twelfth House of
secret enemies, but if and only if one uses the Scorpio Ascendant. This
Twelfth House Mars becomes suddenly activated by the progressed Midheaven
entering Aries.
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