Showdown over Spaceship Earth

The current celestial confrontation between combative Mars and authoritative
Saturn is shaping the political environment across the global village.
Astrologers can see the intense, mean-spirited conflicts implied by this
hostile combination of planets in the major developing stories, from the
energy crisis in the western states, to the pending congressional battle over
Bush's cabinet appointments, to the complex issues surrounding Jerusalem.

Mars is extra powerful now since he's in Scorpio, the sign of the warrior.
Saturn is in Taurus, instilling a vibratory pattern that is extraordinarily
fixed and stubborn. Mars, the faster of the two, is charging like an
unstoppable force meeting an immoveable object head on. Expect maximum crises
around the time Mars squares Uranus in the heavens (January 25-27), followed
by the showdown for power and control.

The energy crisis in California is often referred to as an issue about power,
and although the reference is to electric power, the underlying corporate
fight between competing utility companies (Mars) and the federal overseers
(Saturn) could lead to rolling blackouts. The zodiacal location of the
Mars-Saturn opposition squares the U.S. Moon, the symbol for American
consumers who are caught in the middle by this planetary battle.

Israel's situation is likewise momentous since Israel's Taurus Sun is exactly
aligned with the Mars-Saturn showdown. Ariel Sharon, the militant
"opposition" leader now holds a commanding lead over the present Israeli
Prime Minister Ehud Barak in pre-election polls. Sharon has stated that he
will not honor any agreement signed between Barak and Arafat before the
February 6 election.

Fed Rate Cut Sends Stocks Soaring

The day after the Nasdaq fell to its lowest close in almost two years the
Federal Reserve issued a surprise interest rate cut of half a point. The
stunning move sent stocks soaring, with the Nasdaq gaining a record 324
points on a record 3.1 billion shares traded. The NYSE was up 300 points on a
record 1.8 billion shares.

Tracking these developments astrologically is a difficult task. While
financial astrologers are faced with a bewildering set of variables, a
general feel of the economic trends can be found in the dominant outer planet
configurations. As discussed in the December 18 NewsScope, the Saturn-Pluto
opposition this year points to recession and ongoing stock market woes.

Those interested in the volatile technology sector can best understand
current developments and trends by looking at the Nasdaq horoscope (February
8, 1971; New York, NY; 10:00 am). For the last year transiting Uranus has
been near the Nasdaq Sun, creating a general atmosphere characteristic of the
wildly volatile, zigzag energy implicit in any Uranus transit. At the moment,
transiting Uranus is less than half a degree away from the exact conjunction,
and within the window of its strongest influence.

Last Wednesday at 1:13 pm the Fed made its surprise announcement as the
transiting Sun formed an exact square to the Nasdaq Uranus. The Sun-to-Uranus
acted as a catalyst for the underlying Uranus-to-Sun energy, a kind of double
whammy that produced immediate results. Uranian energies tend to be
short-lived, however, and the market quickly settled back down due to
continuous negative earnings reports.

George Rivas, Armed and Extremely Dangerous

The search for seven violent and heavily armed escaped convicts has grown
into the most urgent, massive manhunt since Bonnie and Clyde, say Texas
lawmen. "The Texas Seven" drove away from a maximum security prison on
December 13, and ever since have stuck together like a well-disciplined
military unit.

The FBI has identified the group's likely mastermind as George Rivas* (May 6,
1970; El Paso, TX; time unknown), a convicted armed robber serving a life
sentence. Rivas has a Sun-Saturn conjunction in Taurus, giving him a steady
hand in the face of adversity, and dogged determination and perseverance to
carry out his goals.

Authorities say Rivas is an ambitious, cunning criminal who "has the ability
to persuade and motivate others into doing what he wants." This persuasive
ability can be seen in the magnetic Venus-Mars conjunction in talkative
Gemini, which is further enhanced by a trine to Uranus in likeable Libra.

Watch for developments over the next few weeks as transiting Mars hits key
planets in Rivas' horoscope. The action may begin as soon as Mars opposes his
Saturn around January 13-14. Mars then goes on to hit his Sun and Mercury.
His Mercury is currently under long-term pressure from a square by transiting
Uranus, giving him a quick trigger finger and making him highly
unpredictable. The most dangerous, dynamic time is when Mars joins Uranus to
pressure his Mercury around January 25-27.