NewsScope for March 5, 2002

Bush Installs Shadow Government

Pundits and politicians are a-buzz after finding out that President Bush has created a shadow government of about 100 senior managers to live and work secretly outside of Washington D.C. According to The Washington Post, the execution of a top secret Cold War plan is to ensure continuity of federal rule in case Al Qaeda terrorists set off a portable nuclear bomb at the nation's capital.

Astrologers familiar with George W. Bush's horoscope would not be surprised by last week's revelation. With his Sun located in the shadowy Twelfth House of secret activity, Bush has a lot he keeps to himself or his closest advisers. Another secret project, the Office of Strategic Influence, was jettisoned last week (see NewsScope February 5, 2002 for details) after the story broke that Pentagon intelligence would be manipulating international opinion by releasing phony reports.

Over the next two weeks the most important developments in Bush's secret life will be shaping up across the geopolitical map. Bush's progressed Mars is now nearly squaring his Twelfth House Sun (exact on March 15), and from this we can see that he's rapidly widening the secret war against international terrorism.

Last week American advisers began training military troops in Yemen, Singapore, Colombia, and surprisingly, in the former Soviet nation, Georgia. Adding celestial fuel to Bush's military goals, transiting Saturn squares his Mars (exact on March 17) and transiting Mars squares his Pluto (exact on March 16). Each of these measurements points to a dramatic expansion of the military dynamics over the next two weeks.

Jupiter Ends Recession

Several favorable economic reports arrived late last week, inspiring Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan to express a cautious optimism that the U.S. economy is recovering. The Commerce Department said GDP rose 1.4 percent in the last quarter, much better than most analysts expected. And the Dow Jones Industrial Averages capped a strong week by securing a niche well above the psychologically important 10,000 level.

The optimistic economic news corresponded closely to Jupiter's favorable station, as the planet of growth and expansion turned direct in March 1. As a general economic indicator, Jupiter's retrograde phase, lasting some four months, tends to bring markets down. When Jupiter is direct, enthusiasm returns. Jupiter brought an extra dose of enthusiasm this time since it was conjunct the U.S. Jupiter, underscoring the essential expansionist vibration. (Editor's note: WolfStar uses a Scorpio Rising chart for the United States.)

Other planets describe modifying conditions. As described in recent columns, the Saturn-Pluto opposition is a long-term influence bringing about major corporate and financial restructuring. At the moment, restrictive Saturn is nearing a conjunction with the U.S. Eighth House Uranus, the natural ruler of high-tech industry. Not until this transit passes on March 10 can we expect the tech sector to begin rising.

The computer and telecommunications industries are associated with the asteroid Pallas, which is conjunct the Aquarius Moon in the U.S. horoscope. Transiting Uranus will be conjunct the U.S. Pallas on March 16, which would support a sudden move around that time. Uranus brings a big change, but the move could be sharply up or down, perhaps depending on geopolitical circumstances associated with Bush's War on Terrorism.

Julia Roberts and "The One"

Hollywood insiders are reporting that American sweetheart Julia Roberts may be ready to settle down and get married with Danny Moder, a cameraman she met while filming The Mexican. The two have been constant companions for the last several months, and have been spotted kissing and holding hands, and partying until the early morning hours. People magazine speculates that he might be "The One."

Julia Roberts is a smoldering Scorpio (October 28, 1967; 12:16 am; Smyrna, GA) with her Moon in flamboyant Leo. The conditions around the love planets Venus and Mars help the astrologer determine if this current boyfriend is really "The One." Her Venus, placed in modest Virgo, is conjunct Pluto, indicating a powerful urge toward intimacy, but also a fear of commitment.

Roberts' Mars reflects the relationships struggles she encounters. Her Mars is strongly placed in Capricorn, but challenged to win, to be victorious, by squaring Saturn in Aries. This combination often leads to intense disagreements within relationships. Roberts' previous boyfriend, Benjamin Bratt, was with the Pretty Woman star for four years. But the two separated shortly after her Mars was hit by the December 25, 2000 solar eclipse.

Since Julia's Mars is in line with a lunar eclipse on June 24, 2002, we can venture to say that Danny will also be eclipsed. This is confirmed by the transit of Saturn squaring her Venus on June 6, a major astro-event that tends to end a rebound romance. The interested astrologer will find several other break-up indicators* pointing to late May or early June for the end of this One.

*Her progressed New Moon takes place in the Fifth House on April 26, and her tertiary progressed Uranus squares Mars on May 25.