NewsScope for March 23, 2004

Pluto Targets U.S. Neptune

On March 24 Pluto makes its annual retrograde station, an astro-event generally coinciding with major geopolitical developments. Last year within a few days of the station, Bush launched the invasion of Iraq . Since Pluto was nearly opposite the U.S. Mars at the time, the manifest military conflict makes astrological sense. What can we expect this time as Pluto turns while forming a square to the U.S. Neptune?

On the geopolitical level, Neptune 's natural rulership of drugs translates into pharmaceuticals and the giant corporations that produce and market them. American pharmaceutical companies are among the most profitable in the world, and have immense influence over national legislation, a fact of life that has become evident in the passing of the landmark Medicare bill signed by President Bush on December 8.

Pluto's station to the U.S. Neptune is unearthing the sordid details of how this bill made its way through the political landscape. The most scandalous incident reported is the ordered silence of Richard Foster, the actuary who knew Medicare's cost would be closer to $550 billion rather than the proposed $400 billion. Tangential issues include the bribing of a Congressman, drug imports from Canada , and the selling out of the AARP.

As previously forecast,* this Medicare bill is celestially scheduled for a re-write. A hint about the possible financial fall-out can be found in Martha Stewart's horoscope. In both Martha's and the U.S. charts, transiting Pluto is in the Second House of money, and forming a square to Neptune in the Eleventh House of friends. Having high-powered friends in the pharmaceutical industry is not always a good thing.

Al Qaeda's Horoscope Under Stress

Last week's military offensive into the mountainous recesses along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border produced an intense confrontation with suspected Al Qaeda forces. Early reports suggested that Ayman Al-Zawihiri (June 19, 1951), the #2 man in the Al Qaeda network, was among those cornered, although an Al Qaeda spokesman later said both he and Osama bin Laden were safe and out of harm's way.

The horoscope for Al Qaeda can be dated to the partnership formed between the religious leader Osama bin Laden and the military strategist Ayman Al-Zawahiri in 1998. Their joint fatwa was published in the Arabic newspaper Al Quds on February 23, 1998 (5:00 am; London **), and the World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and the Crusaders.

A key feature of this horoscope is the Sun-Jupiter conjunction in Pisces, which squares Pluto, reflecting a faith-oriented leadership (Sun-Jupiter in Pisces) with an extremist mission (Pluto). The Moon Rising in Capricorn is ambitious and authoritarian (square Saturn), while the many planets in Aquarius and Pisces reflect the global nature of this terror network. Mars in Pisces is the spiritual warrior.

Currently, transiting Uranus is right on Al Qaeda's Sun-Jupiter conjunction, indicating upheaval in their leadership. The war planet Mars has just entered Gemini and is rapidly heading for a square to Uranus on March 28. The dynamic tension between Mars and Uranus will undoubtedly foster explosive events around the world, but is most troublesome for Bin Laden and Al Zawahiri.

Courtney Love, America's Sweetheart

Singer and actress Courtney Love was behaving badly last week, and making headline news for her antics. First, she was two hours late for her court appearance to determine custody of her daughter. Then she did a Drew Barrymore on David Letterman's show, followed by a night on the town that ended with charges of reckless assault. What's going on here?

Courtney Love was born with both her Sun and Moon in family-oriented Cancer (July 9, 1964; 2:08 pm; San Francisco). Unfortunately, she arrived during an epochal outer planet alignment that tended to tear families apart. In her case, Venus (the ruler of her chart) opposes Ceres, the mother-child asteroid, underscoring the trans-generational conflict between mother and child. Courtney's mother abandoned her when she was just three.

Her recent troubles began last October when transiting Pluto entered this Venus-Ceres axis, kicking off the custody fight for her daughter. Now transiting Uranus is right on her natal Saturn, upsetting her career and getting her in trouble with the authorities. Her latest CD America's Sweetheart is meant to be a parody on her dysfunctional family, but it's only sold 65,000 copies.

Many families are experiencing major challenges now as Saturn weaves its way through Cancer. Saturn, as the voice of authority, will force Courtney to clean up her act, or lose the fight for her daughter. In late October her Ceres receives a very favorable trine from her progressed Sun, indicating that she can win. At the same time reform-minded Pluto remains in her Venus-Ceres zone, so it will take a huge personal effort.

*See NewsScope June 24 and December 2, 2003

**The 5:00 am time is to be taken as an approximate time of birth until rectification can determine a more precise birth time. According to personal correspondence with Al Quds , the paper is published in the "early morning." For perspective on this fatwa, see www.satp.org/satporgtp/usa/IIF.htm
or www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/980223-fatwa.htm

Advanced astrologers will note how well this chart reflects major terrorist incidents attributed to Al Qaeda. Most significantly, the progressed Sun was exactly square to Pluto (orb 0'03) on September 11, 2001. The Madrid bombings on March 11, 2004 occurred as the transiting Sun-Pluto square aligned with Al Qaeda's Mars. 

Personal readings are available from Michael WolfStar.