Pension Crisis Looms, Scorpio Rising?, King Kong and the Pluto Cycle

December 26, 2005

Pension Crisis Looms

When New York City's 33,000 transportation workers walked off their jobs last week, millions of commuters were left stranded, and the New York economy ground to a standstill. The transportation union's major gripe was over cutbacks in pensions for new employees. Although the strike was resolved after a few days, the local situation reflects problematic dynamics that will likely ripple throughout the American economy.

Astrologically, the challenges to the U.S. horoscope over the next two months mirror what economists foresee in the financial sector. The main culprit is the U.S. progressed Venus, which is now nearly opposite natal Saturn, and will be exact on February 14. Venus, the natural ruler of money, is being pressured by the adverse aspect to Saturn, which governs institutions, government and city structures (bureaucracies), as well as enduring corporate structures.

Essentially, the Saturn structures that safeguard our money are being pinched. Saturn is also associated with old age, and as the Baby Boomers collectively reach for their pensions, they're finding that there's not enough to go around. General Motors' stock reached a 23-year low last week under similar pension pressures, as the trend becomes apparent as this progressed Venus gets closer to Saturn.

Underscoring the creeping effect of progressed Venus is the more immediate, crisis-oriented transit of Uranus squaring the U.S. Uranus. We've already experienced the first two rounds* of this transit, and on January 27, the third and final square takes place. The U.S. Uranus is located in the eighth house, which among other financial associations, represents pensions. Over the next two months, watch for further signs of money management stresses in government and corporate pension plans.

Scorpio Rising?

Last week's emailbag brought an unusual number of comments about the Scorpio Rising U.S. horoscope used in this column and described in detail in my recently published book Political Astrology.** A few sent kudos, like this one: "I think you have proved your chart like no one else has proved theirs", while others were not convinced: "You're not wrong, but I still think we started out with the Gemini chart."

The sudden influx of interest in the national horoscope is likely in response to the big political events unfolding in Washington, which correspond to recent transits to the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant. Transiting Mars turned direct while exactly opposite the Scorpio Ascendant, and at the same time transiting Jupiter and Saturn were also involved. This led to the forecast a month ago that historic geopolitical events were afoot.

And we have seen Congress grapple with the most important issues of our day, from drilling in Alaska, to passing the largest military budget in world history, to the constitutional crisis surrounding Bush's spying on U.S. citizens. With Mars in the U.S. seventh house of adversaries, we've Saddam on trial, united European opposition to U.S. torture, and global opposition to America's non-participation in the Kyoto Treaty.

As most skilled astrologers know, major transits and progressions to the angles bring major events. For this reason, the question of what the Rising sign is for the U.S. is of paramount importance in making accurate forecasts. The next significant activation of the U.S. angles takes place this coming year as transiting Saturn and Neptune oppose each other while aligned with the U.S. Midheaven. The last time such an astro-event took place was in November 1963.

King Kong and the Pluto Cycle

Naomi Watts, the British-born actress who plays Ann Darrow – King Kong's love interest – had dinner with the 96-year old Fay Wray last year just before she died. Film buffs will recall that Wray starred in the original 1933 classic. The two got along famously, and as they parted, Fay whispered into Naomi's ear "Ann Darrow's in good hands."

Fay Wray (September 15, 1907) was born with her Virgo Sun exactly conjunct Venus, the planet of love and beauty. The Sun-Venus combo makes her well-qualified to play the iconic part of Beauty. And since her Sun-Venus opposes Saturn, she's also astrologically suited to meet the Beast. With Saturn in sympathetic Pisces, the Beast turns out to be a gentle, loveable creature.

Naomi Watts (September 28, 1968; Shoreham, England; time unknown) has her Sun in Venus-ruled Libra, with Venus placed in sexy Scorpio and amped up by a sextile to Mars. With her Sun conjunct Uranus and opposite Chiron, Naomi similarly becomes the Beauty facing unexpected adversity and weirdness, which she plays out in the current $200 million re-make of King Kong, as well as previous thrillers.

Fay Wray is best known for her primal scream when she first encounters King Kong. That genuine, sheer terror astrologically comes from Pluto, which in her chart is placed in vocal Gemini where it squares her Sun-Venus. The evolution of King Kong closely follows the Pluto cycle, since Naomi was born with her Pluto conjunct Fay's Sun-Venus. Now, as transiting Pluto is making the next square, Naomi says of her meeting with Fay, "Those were some great parting words, because I felt like she was giving me the baton."

* See NewsScope June 14, 2005 for a preview of GM and the astrology of these economic indicators.

** Astrologer Rollin Frost from Hawaii actually read Political Astrology. and then sent two DVDs of his TV shows where he discusses points cited in the book. He then goes on to defend a U.S. Gemini Ascendant. You can download these shows (#469 and #470) at www.frak.com/astro.

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

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by WolfStar

December 26, 2005