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.