NewsScope for November 4, 2003

California Wildfires and Global Warming

Last week while Senator John McCain was displaying NASA photos of the melting polar ice cap to demonstrate global warming, most of the news media were displaying the mesmerizing video clips of California's raging wildfires. Although the Senate rejected McCain's proposal to set limits on industrial emissions, the wildfires successfully wiped out 2,600 homes, 730,000 acres, and caused an estimated $2 billion damage.

California's most devastating fire can be seen in the state horoscope (September 9, 1850; noon, San Jose). Fire is governed by Mars, and with transiting Saturn in a long term square to the California Mars, the underlying potential was waiting to happen. Also, by secondary progression, California's Mars is highly prominent (with hard aspects forming to natal Venus and the Sun).

California's four year drought set the stage for the current eco-disaster, and environmentalists expect extreme conditions, like France's recent heat wave that killed some 13,000 citizens, to only get worse as temperatures climb. The primary cause of global warming is the combustion of fossil fuels, a Neptune-ruled substance. The Neptunian oil and gas industries are the major opponents to any congressional efforts to slow down global warming.

Leading the charge against McCain's bill was Senator James Inhofe, an oil man from Oklahoma. The bill went down as Mars was in Neptune's sign Pisces, and opposing McCain's Sun. Neptune is known for creating dependencies, and the nation's and the world's dependence on oil can be directly related to California's fires. Astrologers, like ecologists, know that everything is connected.

Putin and the Oligarchs

The Russian stock market went into a free fall last week, as investor confidence plummeted following the arrest of Yukos Oil CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky on tax evasion charges. President Putin defended the imprisonment of Russia's wealthiest tycoon, as well as the freezing of billions worth of Yukos stock, saying, "Everyone must be equal in the eyes of the law."

Vladimir Putin's horoscope (October 7, 1952; 9:30 am; Petrgrad) is under exceptionally strong pressure now. His chart is uniquely set up to put him in a position of political power, or as some would say, as a dictator. With Scorpio Rising, the ruler of his chart is Pluto, which is located in the Tenth House of authority. This Pluto is supported by favorable aspects to his Libra planets and given enormous dynamism by a trine to Mars.

The only challenge to Putin's Pluto, and his personal authority, is a square from Jupiter in Taurus, which is found in the Seventh House of open enemies. Jupiter, the planet of abundance, attracts financial security by being in Taurus. Jupiter here represents the oligarchs, the powerful communists-turned-capitalists who are also growing in political influence. Putin acted as transiting Saturn turned retrograde while squaring his Sun.

Mikhail Khordokovsky (June 26, 1963) also has a powerful Mars-Pluto aspect(the conjunction), so the battle between these two men is so intense that it's shaking the entire fabric of Russian society. Khodorkovsky's Saturn, representing his personal authority, is exactly opposite Putin's Pluto. Watch for a major turning point when Uranus turns direct on November 8*. Uranus then goes on to square Putin's Moon in February ‘04, indicating a lengthy financial crisis.

Angelina Jolie and Val Kilmer

Angelina Jolie's off screen activities are capturing more attention than her acting. The same week that the U.N. presented her with a Citizen of the World Award, she confessed to Barbara Walters on 20/20 that she hadn't had sex in over a year, but the latest buzz has her paired with Val Kilmer, her co-star in Oliver Stone's new epic Alexander.

Angelina Jolie was born with the action planet Mars in Aries (June 4, 1975; 9:09 am; Los Angeles), a placement said to be "dignified" because it's in its own sign. Mars here bestows courage, self-confidence, and a competitive spirit. Located in the Ninth House, her Mars is given a missionary zeal by being conjunct Jupiter and trine Neptune, and is highly motivated to overcome major obstacles by the square to Saturn.

Jolie's Mars is under celestial activation now by transiting Saturn and Neptune (as well as progressed Sun). In a woman's chart, an activated Mars often reflects a new man in her life. Capricorn Val Kilmer (December 31, 1959) has an exact Sun-Saturn conjunction, a combination that forms a sharp square to Angelina's Mars. This dynamic connection can be sexually charged at first, but after a while can transform into a battle of wills.

Transiting Saturn is currently in the family sign of Cancer, and going through Jolie’s Twelfth House of the subconscious. Over the next few months, it returns to square her Mars and oppose his Sun-Saturn, challenging the viability of their relationship. At the same time, she may feel like she's re-working her relationship with her father, Capricorn actor Jon Voight (December 29, 1938), who also has a Sun-Saturn aspect aligned with her Mars.

*The Russian national horoscope (November 8, 1917; 2:12 am; Petrograd) reflects the current crisis, as transiting Uranus opposes the natal Moon, and then goes on to oppose Mars at the same time it squares Putin's Moon. This connection describes the runaway emotional crisis atmosphere that is tearing up the markets. Two popular alternatives charts drawn up for post-USSR Russia also show major activation now: June 12, 1990; 1:45 pm BADT; Moscow and December 8, 1991; 8:45 pm EET; Moscow. See NewsScope March 26, 2001 for more info.

Personal readings are available from Michael WolfStar.