January 4, 2002

Neptune Launches the Euro

Europe took one giant step closer to becoming the United States of Europe
last week as twelve national currencies were officially replaced by the Euro.
The eurozone's 300 million citizens uneventfully traded in their kroner,
marks, and francs for coins and banknotes denominated in Euros.

The Euro's political and economic origins were established by the Treaty of
Rome which created the European Economic Community (EEC) on March 25, 1957 at
6:30 pm. For financial developments, look to the second and eighth houses.
The second house contains Neptune, which is the natural ruler of currency
(it's regulated in the same way as water or oil supplies, using hydraulic
principles). The eighth house of shared resources contains Ceres, and these
two are opposed to each other.

From this, one can see the underlying tension between a shared EEC currency
(Neptune), and the pooled, national currencies symbolized by Ceres. As
transiting Neptune formed it's opening square to this second house Neptune,
the Euro was established on January 1, 1999. Neptune was also trine
transiting Ceres at the time, showing how the two currency systems were now
harmonized.

For the past three years the Euro was only a virtual currency used by
financial traders and banks. That testing phase is now complete, and the Euro
can directly challenge the dollar as the world's dominant currency. The
Euro's horoscope set for midnight, January 1, 2002 (Brussels) features a
Ceres-Neptune conjunction, showing how the natal challenge is resolved by
coming together as one.

Mars Hits Aries Point

The beginning of the 360-degree zodiac is known as the Aries Point, and is
determined by the spring equinox when the day and night are exactly equal.
Many astrologers consider the Aries Point to be extremely sensitive to any
natal, transit, or progressed planet. It's everyone's connection to the
larger world, and when activated, the individual projects onto the public
according to the nature of the planet.

On January 18 at 5:53 pm EST, transiting Mars enters Aries, which is to say,
it arrives at the Aries Point. While Mars enters Aries about every two years,
this year is exceptional when considering the U.S. Scorpio Rising horoscope.
This chart features a progressed Midheaven also entering Aries, so that Mars
triggers the underlying progression.

The progressed Midheaven symbolizes the nation's destiny and international
image, which is shifting toward the militant Mars vibration. President Bush's
War on Terrorism is the most obvious manifestation of this new national
direction, and his own horoscope resonates deeply with the activated Aries
Point*. For the first time since the Vietnam War began, Americans are
relatively united in targeting a defined enemy, the terrorist networks.

The Vietnam syndrome, the fear of getting involved in a military quagmire,
has been laid to rest after the experience in Afghanistan, and the country is
now embarking on a new path, filled with confidence in its military strength
and technological superiority. As January 18 comes into view, expect the Bush
administration to begin a new phase on the War against Terrorism.

Katie Couric, $65 Million Superstar

As TV's most famous working mom Katie Couric celebrated her birthday last
week, she had much to be thankful for, including a new four-year, $65 million
contract with NBC which makes her the world's highest paid news reporter. NBC
executives feel Couric is worth the money since she is the "jewel in the
crown" of the Today show, the network's top earner with annual revenues of
$350 million.

Katie Couric was born an ambitious Capricorn (January 7, 1957; Arlington, VA;
time unknown) with her Sun exactly square a bold and energetic Mars in Aries.
The tension generated between a Capricorn Sun and Mars in Aries is referred
to be astrologers as the "steamroller combination" and in the studio she has
long had the reputation for being a hard-driving boss.

Couric also has something else, some ineffable mystique which makes her
believable and intellectually attractive to audiences. Astrologically this
quality is generally attributed to the magical side of Neptune. The closest
aspect Neptune makes in this horoscope is a very favorable trine to the
political asteroid Pallas. Couric's reputation as a savvy interviewer is
enhanced by an obvious compassion that derives from this Pallas in sensitive
Pisces trine Neptune.

Over the past year Couric became the object of an intense bidding war. Her
value in securing market share escalated as her progressed Sun was conjunct
Pallas, also known as the Goddess of Wisdom. The deal was finally secured on
December 7 as transiting Saturn exactly opposed her natal Saturn. The
astrological lesson here is work hard, and the payoff comes under a major
Saturn transit.

Reader feedback is welcome. Email: [email protected].

* Bush's progressed Mars, the ruler of his Aries Midheaven, is squaring his
Sun, exact on March 15, 2002. See NewsScope November 26, 2001 for more on
Bush.