New Economy Still Lagging

Major economic indicators continue in their lackluster mode, dimming hopes
for a recovery before year’s end. Unemployment and bankruptcies are rising,
and the Fed’s robust strategy of lowering interest rates so far has failed to
turn sentiment around. President Bush’s tax-rebate plan also failed to
engineer any recovery.

Many astrologers have cited the ongoing Saturn-Pluto opposition as the
planetary culprit in the present economic malaise. Saturn-Pluto aspects lead
to major restructuring programs, and businesses are certainly experiencing
this as a compelling need for survival. However, Saturn-Pluto aspects occur
about every eight to nine years, and the last one in 1993 brought no
significant economic hardship.

When the current Saturn-Pluto opposition is placed into the U.S. horoscope
(July 4, 1776; 2:21 pm; Philadelphia), the reason for the stagnant economy
becomes clear. Saturn and Pluto are transiting through the 2nd and 8th
houses, the financial houses, so that their impact is felt across the
national economy. Factor in transiting Neptune’s square to the Scorpio
Ascendant, and a pervasive climate of uncertainty prevails.

A return to booming times would inevitably lead to a collapse under these
astrological indicators. Recall that the market crashes of 1929 and 1987
happened when Saturn was transiting through Sagittarius (and the U.S. 2nd
house). Now for the first time in U.S. history Pluto is in Sagittarius, and
restructuring the nation’s values and financial assets. In 2002 transiting
Saturn-Pluto and Neptune continue to assault the nation’s financial health.
Not until 2008 does Pluto enter Capricorn and leave behind the risk of market
crashes and economic collapse.

Back to School with Ritalin

Last year doctors wrote nearly 20 million monthly prescriptions for Ritalin
and similar drugs designed to sedate children with emotional and behavioral
problems while in school. Thepharmaceutical companies earned $758 million
from these prescriptions (up 13 percent from 1999), and for the first time
this summer are directly targeting parents with seductive ads, breaking a
30-year international marketing agreement.

Astrologically, this trend is bound to come under attack in the coming weeks
before school starts. The leading planetary indicator is Chiron, known for
its correlation with health issues. Chiron is now slowing down to a near stop
in its apparent backward motion, and very close to forming an exact square to
the U.S. Neptune, the natural ruler of drugs. On August 26 Chiron makes its
station, and then begins to move forward again.

Adding fuel to the controversy is transiting Mars which over the coming week
is in the same zodiacal neighborhood as transiting Chiron and also squaring
the U.S. Neptune. Mars brings a contentious atmosphere to the pharmaceutical
companies agenda of selling more Ritalin. Mars here opposes the U.S. Mars, so
that a battle of agendas takes place.

Under this influence many state legislatures have begun an earnest campaign
to prevent schools from requiring that parents put their children under
medication. Media reports note that Ritalin, Metadate CD, and Adderall are
known as Schedule II controlled drugs, and are the most addictive drugs that
are still legal. Watch over the coming week as transiting Mars activates this
controversy, and generates other breaking stories about drugs and the
pharmaceutical companies.

Prince Charles to Wed?

British press reports bring the news that Queen Elizabeth “has come around,
somewhat grudgingly” to the idea that Prince Charles and his longtime
mistress Camilla Parker-Bowles may be allowed to marry. According to the
Royal Marriages Act of 1772, Charles needs his mother’s permission to tie the
knot, and the Queen is in the process of sorting out their relationship,
rather than pretending it doesn’t exist.

Prince Charles was born a persistent Scorpio (November 14, 1948; 9:14 pm;
London) with his Moon in slow-to-change Taurus placed at the top of his
chart. The Moon here represents his mother and the dominant influence she has
over his life. Queen Elizabeth is a Taurus with her Sun in the exact same
degree as Charles’ Moon.

Partnership status and changes can frequently be tracked by Juno, the
marriage asteroid. In Charles’ chart Juno is found in independent Aries, and
its closest aspect is an unsettling square to eccentric Uranus. This
combination leads to unconventional and unusual experiences regarding the
institution of marriage. When Charles and Diana were married on July 29, 1981
a stately, traditional Jupiter-Saturn conjunction opposed his Juno, but was
harmoniously trine his partnership house.

Camilla Parker-Bowles (July 17,1947; 7:00 am, London) has her Juno conjunct
Charles’ Mars. The story of their potential wedding broke as transiting Mars
had returned to its natal place in Charles chart, and Camilla’s Juno. At the
same time Charles’ progressed Juno is now conjunct his Midheaven, a celestial
portent for marriage. Watch in 6-7 months* for Queen Elizabeth to OK the
process.

* Charles’ progressed Moon and Juno will be conjunct on Mar 30, 2002 very
near the Midheaven.

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