NewsScope for July 31, 2007

The Star-Crossed World of Sports

When Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's revered home run record, many fans will discount it since Bonds' feat has most likely been propelled by illegal steroids. Elsewhere in the sports world, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has been taken to task for his promotion of dogfights, while NBA referee Tim Donaghy has been linked to gamblers. What's going on in American sports?

Taking a peek into the U.S. Scorpio Rising horoscope* (July 4, 1776; 2:21 pm; Philadelphia) sheds some light on the recent sports scandals. The natural ruler of sports is Mars, and in the U.S. chart, Mars forms a close square to glamorous Neptune. With dramatic Leo at the Midheaven, the U.S. is renowned for its emphasis on the entertainment industries, and especially sports.

Neptune is also the planet associated with scandal, so its square to Mars shows a propensity for over-hyping and evading legal boundaries. Transiting Neptune is now forming a close trine to the U.S. Mars and a quincunx to the U.S. Neptune, activating this natal potential. Another, more shocking, dynamic has been unfolding in relation to the U.S. progressed Mars, now stopped at 18º42' Libra.

One month ago, Uranus turned retrograde at 18º41' Pisces, when it formed a precise quincunx to the U.S. progressed Mars. Uranus' station took place right on the Fifth House cusp, the house associated with sports, entertainment, and speculation. Aside from the flurry of sports scandals, we've also seen America's pop tart celebrities go scandalously bad, and the stock market plummet. Fortunately, we've had no terrorist event, which could have been predicted from the Uranian activation of progressed Mars, now stationed in the Twelfth House of sabotage and self-undoing.

Top Five Astro-Events for August

1. Jupiter turns direct on August 6, marking a return to enthusiasm for many people. Jupiter is strongly placed in Sagittarius, giving individuals with planets in the 10º area of mutable signs an extra boost of confidence, luck, and opportunities. This is a good time to start new projects, travel, and find meaning in life.

2. Mars enters Gemini on August 7, as it squares a retrograde Venus. This combination may indicate sex scandals in Washington and/or Hollywood. Over the next two months, the global transportation and communication networks are due for disruption when Mars opposes Jupiter, squares Uranus, and then opposes Pluto. Watch for major accidents, sabotage, and technological or weather-related glitches.

3. The New Moon in Leo - arrives on August 12, and is modified by hard aspects from Mercury, Ceres, and Neptune, indicating the eruption of a variety of scandals. The high-and-mighty are prone to heavy criticism and humiliation. Pay attention to the food supply, which may become tainted. Reports and stories may be plagued by misinformation and false data.

4. The U.S. progressed Moon conjunct the Midheaven - exact on August 21, but in effect two weeks before and after this date. Watch for new trends and historic events, especially in military affairs, celebrity news, and sports. Famous Americans will likely pass on during this interval, and we will probably experience one or more natural or manmade disasters.

5. Lunar Eclipse on August 28 (6:35 am EDT). The Sun and Moon are aligned on the Ascendant in Washington DC, reflecting the political showdown shaping up around this time. With Vesta and Jupiter conjunct, religious authorities may also be in the news, perhaps regarding the ongoing pedophile scandal in America's Catholic churches.

UFOs Sighted Over Shakespeare's Birthplace

On the clear night of July 21, the birthplace of William Shakespeare was the scene of a curious UFO sighting, witnessed by over a hundred people gathered in the town center. Five bright lights zipped around and hovered over the town of Stratford-Upon-Avon for a half hour, as stargazers and passers-by gathered to gawk and aim their camera phones at the spectacle.

A horoscope drawn for the first sighting at 10:30 pm places a retrograde Pluto in the Tenth House. With Pisces Rising, the ruler of this chart is mysterious Neptune, which is found in the Twelfth House of the unknown. However, Neptune is opposed by realistic Saturn, and the plentiful video evidence** is enough to contradict the skeptics' explanation of hot air balloons. The UFOs disappeared at 11:00 pm, just as Pluto (and the Galactic Center) was exactly on the Midheaven.

The most recent mass sighting in the U.S. took place in Phoenix, Arizona on March 13, 1997, beginning at 7:30 pm. This horoscope features Saturn in Aries right on the Descendant, and as such, was treated as a potential military enemy. Two F-16s from nearby Luke AFB were scrambled to give chase, but to no avail. The many photographs and videos shot during this sighting took place as the Moon opposed Pluto.

Perhaps the most credible wave of massive UFO sightings took place over Washington DC, beginning on July 19, 1952. Radar picked up the objects at 11:40 pm, and this horoscope also features Saturn conjunct the Descendant. Saturn here is exactly opposite the Saturn in the Phoenix incident, and corresponds to the Mars/Pluto midpoint in the U.S. horoscope. The military again feared an enemy invasion, but once the UFOs proved to be non-belligerent, treated all future sightings as fantasy.

*To find out more about the U.S. Scorpio Rising horoscope, progressed Mars, and other phenomena related to political astrology, visit www.neptunecafe.com.

**For the news story of this incident, accompanied by video of the UFOs, see The Daily Mail. For an annotated, comprehensive listing of major UFO sightings, please visit Wikipedia.

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