NewsScope for November 4, 2001

Mars Heads into Battles on Three Fronts

The Bush Administration is attempting to win the War on Terrorism on three broad fronts, adding the public relations campaign to the already nettlesome battles in Afghanistan and against domestic terrorist plots. The war planet Mars is the lead indicator in tracking all these developments astrologically. Now that Mars is in Aquarius, networking and the building of broad-based coalitions is the natural strategy for winning these various wars.

This coming week the President hopes to clarify his message with major speeches to his fellow Americans, to European allies and to the United Nations. Transiting Mars is entering Bush's Seventh House of others, and activating his persuasive Mercury-Pluto conjunction. Then, underscoring the importance of transiting Mars is the transit of Uranus, which has just turned direct while trine the U.S. Mars. (Editor's Note: WolfStar uses a Scorpio rising U.S. chart.)

This connection energizes the U.S. military forces to begin their most intense bombardment and deployment of special operations against the Taliban. In the U.S. Scorpio rising chart, Mars is found in the Eighth House of corporate capitalism: the Uranus link perfectly timed the Pentagon's assigning Lockheed to build the next generation of fighter jets, worth an estimated $200 billion over the next 20 years.

Mars goes on to hit the most critical points on November 19 and 20 in mid-Aquarius, activating the U.S. Midheaven, and the troublesome Mars in the Bush inauguration horoscope (see NewsScope for January 15, 2001). Whenever transiting Mars makes a hard aspect to the U.S. Midheaven, as it does on these two days, the country is often subjected to major incidences of violence. These are red alert days.

Anthrax Baffles Investigators

After weeks of investigation the government remains baffled by who sent anthrax through the U.S. postal system that so far have killed four people. A million dollar reward for information leading to the apprehension of the perpetrator has gone unclaimed, and the FBI has made no tangible progress in determining the source of the deadly microbes, or even if it's domestic or international bioterrorism.

The fledgling federal government created the post office system by an act of Congress on September 22, 1789 (set for noon, Philadelphia). This horoscope features strong connections to the U.S. horoscope, most notably mutual Mercury-Mars links. The postal Mercury, as the natural ruler of letters, trines the U.S. Mars in the communications sign of Gemini; Mars in the postal chart is conjunct the U.S. Mercury.

The Post Office horoscope is currently under tremendous stress*. The letter received by Senator Tom Daschle's office on October 15 kicked off the anthrax scare, with transiting Mercury and Mars being the immediate culprits as they resonate with the Mercury-Mars mission of delivering the mail. A retrograde (deceptive) Mercury was conjunct the Post Office Mercury, and a hostile Mars was opposing natal Mars as the anthrax-laden letter arrived.

One of the major dynamics in the Post Office horoscope is the T-Square configuration made of an intense Scorpio Moon square to expansive Jupiter on one side and networking Pluto in Aquarius on the other. Watch as transiting Mars enters this set-up between November 19 and 26 for major developments in this case.

Daniel Radcliffe Stars as Harry Potter

The much-anticipated Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone opened in London Sunday amidst a frenzy of excitement and record-breaking advanced ticket sales. The movie, based on J.K. Rowling's popular books, stars child actor Daniel Radcliffe, who is now poised on the brink of international stardom.

Daniel Radcliffe was born with his Sun in radiant Leo (July 31, 1989; UK; time unknown) with his Mercury and Mars also located in Leo. This preponderance of Leo planets makes him comfortable being the center of attention, but what planetary qualities might indicate that he would be selected from among the 60,000 hopefuls to play Harry Potter? One factor may be that he was born on the same date as J.K. Rowling (July 31, 1965), and both were born in years of major outer planetary alignments. (Editor's note: Recent evidence has come to light suggesting that July 23, rather than July 31, is Daniel's correct date of birth. For more information on this issue read this article.)

In 1989 Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were all huddled together in early Capricorn, and these three planets channel their generational influence via their aspect (quincunx, or 150 degree angle) to Radcliffe's Sun. Practical Saturn and mystical Neptune are the closest connections, and this combination invokes such fantasies as children flying on broomsticks, magic hats, trolls, and dragons-just the ticket for an audience looking to escape from a real life phantom menace.

Radcliffe's Sun also squares Pluto, and this link is known in some quarters as the magician. Pluto bestows an awareness of multi-dimensional realities and how they interact with the visible world. Pluto prefers to remain invisible to dwell in the true power centers shaping our manifest world. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Radcliffe's favorite prop from the movie set is the boy wizard's invisibility cloak.

*The Saturn-Pluto opposition is right on the Post Office Ascendant. Advanced astrologers will want to check the progressed chart. Note that progressed Saturn opposes the Post Office Sun, progressed Mars opposes Pluto and squares the Moon, and progressed Moon conjunct Uranus.