Weekly Political and Entertainment NewsScope

by WolfStar

Don't see the information you searched for? Please visit the WolfStar Archives.

February 21, 2005

John Negroponte, The First Intelligence Czar

President Bush surprised political observers last week when he nominated John Negroponte to be the first director of national intelligence. The newly created post is designed to centralize the $40 billion espionage industry made up of the CIA and 14 other spy agencies. Negroponte, currently the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, is a career diplomat, and his appointment is expected to sail through confirmation hearings.

John Negroponte was born with his Sun in the security-oriented sign of Cancer (July 21, 1939; London; time unknown). The exact degree of his Sun (27) happens to perfectly align with the U.S. Pluto, the nation's ruling planet, as well as the CIA's Mars. Both Pluto and Mars are associated with the warrior, making him a good fit with the nation's military establishment.

Negroponte has a powerful natal configuration made up of Mars opposite Pluto, and both square Saturn. This complex of planets, known as a T-Square, fosters extraordinarily ambition, competitiveness, and determination, and undoubtedly has brought experiences with violence and brutality. In the intelligence business, he will be no pushover in the bureaucratic turf wars over budgets and political agendas.

April 8's Solar Eclipse (see below) path of total darkness passes directly over Honduras, which was one of Negroponte's most controversial assignments. If the Senate hearings register any doubts, the Solar Eclipse path suggests that his ignoring of human rights violations in Honduras may open the issue of torture to collect intelligence. At the very least, his nomination will hurt the U.S. image in Central America.

Solar Eclipse in Aries

This coming April 8 brings a Solar Eclipse in Aries, with the Sun-Moon alignment modified by a close conjunction with Venus and square from Saturn, making this an extra significant celestial event. Individuals with natal planets in the 18-22 degree area of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn) will feel most compelled to take action under this influence.

The New Moon in Aries traditionally marks a new beginning, and since this one is conjunct Venus, the love planet, new beginnings refers to new relationships. The Saturn influence brings a need to create a viable structure around the relationship, or a change of status. In the real world we can expect plenty of celebrity divorces and separations as well as marriages and new partnerships. Already Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles have announced their wedding for April 8.

In the geopolitical realm, Mars becomes another planetary factor since it will oppose Saturn during the first week of March, setting up major confrontations and battle of wills. President Bush's horoscope features Jupiter in the critical eclipse degree zone, and he's already in action mode with his full court press on social security reform. The eclipse date is especially action-oriented since transiting Uranus will be nearly exactly opposite his Mars.

In the U.S. horoscope, the Solar Eclipse is conjunct Chiron, with transiting Mars and Saturn also aligning with Chiron over the next six weeks. With the U.S. Chiron in aggressive Aries in the sixth house of military service, we can expect some new fronts in the battle against terrorism, and perhaps showdowns with North Korea, Syria, and/or Iran.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Artistic Twins

At the end of February the fabulously controversial exhibit known as "The Gates" will be taken down from New York City's Central Park. The artists, known simply as Christo and Jeanne-Claude, were frustrated by questions into the meaning of the 27,000 gates and their saffron panels. "It has no purpose," said Jeanne-Claude, "It is not a symbol. It is not a message. It is only a work of art."

The primary artist and designer of these so-called "installation art" projects is Christo, who was born with his Sun in Gemini (June 13, 1935; Gabrovo, Bulgaria; time unknown). His outspoken wife and public relations manager Jeanne-Claude was born on the same day in France, so that this artistic duo in many ways personifies the archetypal Twins.

Although we don't have a birth time for either, it's a good bet that Christo's Jupiter is conjunct the Ascendant or Midheaven, since only this planet angular would reflect the gigantic size, expense, and inflated sense of purpose that accompanies the projects. Venus, the natural ruler of art, is in flamboyant Leo, and with its square to eccentric Uranus, we get an astrological equation reflecting their unusual style.

Saturn in Pisces opposite Neptune is a doubled message pitting the timeless, inspired vision (Neptune) against the boundaries of space and time (Saturn). In Christo's mind, the effect translates into a kind of Tibetan buddhism, that everything in life is ephemeral. Even the most magnificent, pointless, colorful displays are here only to be enjoyed in the moment before they disappear into the void.

Online classes and personal readings are available. Visit http://neptunecafe.homestead.com/classes.html or http://neptunecafe.homestead.com/reading.html for more information.

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