Harper's Titanic Tories: Watership Down

With all the errors of judgement committed by Cdn PM Stephen Harper in his cabinet appointments, it's hard to know what else could possibly go wrong now. There's Liberal David Emerson crossing the floor days after the election to join the Conservatives, appointing unelected campaign buddy Michael Fortier to the Senate in order to allow him to be Public Works minister, putting a defense lobbyist in the Ministry of Defense portfolio, and a unilingual English speaker Ted Menzies to be parliamentary secretary for official languages. And all this from a party that was touting itself as the only way to clean up corruption and lax ethical standards in Ottawa.

As I've said on previous occasions, some of these problems can be seen in the approach of Jupiter, representing the government since it is 10th lord in the Canada chart, to natal Saturn. Saturn is placed in the 8th house of scandal so having Jupiter approach that point and then station just minutes away on March 3 guarantees that Harper's woes are certain to continue in the coming weeks. I expect his problems to get worse with the probability of Emerson to resign since he is currently seen as the most egregious example of Tory hypocrisy.

Harper will gain some respite once Jupiter begins its retrograde motion away from scandalizing Saturn around mid-March. New troubles will emerge in the summer, however, that will precipate an early exit of this government, most likely in November.

NHL gambling investigation

The hockey world is in chaos today (especially up here in Canada) as news of charges laid in an illegal gambling ring sink in. Former player and now Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet is at the centre of the storm, but others have also been implicated including most notably Wayne Gretzky's wife, Janet. (Gretzky is currently head coach of Phoenix.) Read about it here.

Gretzky's horoscope is getting pummeled by the dual action of Saturn and Ketu (south node). Gretzky (Jan 26 1961 7.45 am EST Brantford, Canada) has Ascendant at 12 Capricorn (5 AQ trop) and Sun right there as well at 13 Capricorn (6 AQ trop). Malefic Ketu casts its trinal aspect exactly to both of these points, and Saturn is conjunct his 7th house cusp representing his wife.

It's worth remembering that Ketu is a bit of a chameleon and isn't always a problem, although it tends to have a disrupting influence. One has to consult dispositors, etc to get a handle on its energy. Here however, it is currently transiting Virgo, so Mercury's situation gives a clue. Yesterday when the charges were announced, Mercury ( 3AQ) was involved in a t-square with natal Uranus (1LE) and transit Mars (1TA).

With Saturn not yet finished with Wayne's 7th house cusp, it's clear that Mrs Gretzky's problems are very real and will not go away anytime soon. I'll venture a prediction on her fate after I can secure her birth data.

Gold drops $20

Yesterday, the price of gold fell almost $20 back to about $555. I believe a single day drop of this size should appear in any correct chart for gold.

The chart I'm currently using to track gold is the futures chart (Dec 31 1974 10.00 am NYC). This chart has 3 Aquarius rising in Lahiri.

What's intriguing is that Mercury was conjunct that ascendant yesterday. But why would Mercury be such bad news for gold? I think the answer has something to do with rulership.

Following sidereal whole signs, Mercury rules the malefic 8th house Virgo. This is an unhappy conjunction. By itself, it should not have generated such a large drop in price, however.

The other thing you notice about this chart is that Venus has just stationed exactly conjunct natal Mercury (that nasty 8th lord) at 22 Sagittarius and opposite natal Saturn at 22 Gemini.

This stationing on the Mercury-Saturn opposition was likely a ticking time bomb for the short term price of gold and the malefic Mercury (by rulership) coming to the ascendant was the lighting of the fuse.

I still think gold has a ways to go on the upside as Uranus 16Aquarius approaches the 2nd house Jupiter 19Aq44. The station near that point in May/June may be a medium/ong term high in the price.

PM Harper's bad start: a sign of things to come

The Tories must be a little rusty. They've been out of power for 13 years and they've already fumbled the ball. Stephen Harper's controversial appointment of an unelected campaign chair to the cabinet via the Senate has ruffled some feathers in his own party. This reeks of hypocrisy and is not what they were expecting from a party that had run on a ethical and squeaky clean image. Read about it here.

I believe these problems for Harper may be linked to the approaching Jupiter station on the Canada Saturn. Jupiter is the 10th ruler for government in the midnight chart and Saturn being malefic and 12th ruler of hidden enemies and loss, etc and placed in the natal 8th house spells trouble for the government in those areas.

Since I don't expect this government to last to Christmas, perhaps this miscue will still be in voter's minds come election day in the Fall. The reason why I believe this government won't last is partially linked to the Canada chart and the station of Uranus on natal Jupiter as I have mentioned previously.

However, Harper's swearing-in horoscope (Feb 6 2006, 11.18 am EST Ottawa) is very troubled. Saturn represents the 10th house or government (especially the PM) and it is closely aspected by malefic Rahu (north node). This is a disruptive influence that can cause distortions of judgement and corruption in the government. 12th lord Mars being placed in the 1st house is also an unhelpful influence as suggests a reclusive or secretive influence on matters of state. the natal chart, combined with a what will be a powerful and painful Saturn station in November that will simultaneously aspect Mars and Mercury is certain to bring extreme stress and hardship. While it's possible that it may be a reflection of troubles in Canada generally, I believe the more likely scenario will be the defeat of the Harper government. Mars rules the 12th house of loss and it is being aspected by Saturn, the ruler of the 10th house of government.

anti government protest in Thailand Feb 4

There will be the largest protest against the unpopular Thaksin government this Saturday Feb 4. Foreigners have been warned to stay away.

Astrologically, you can see this very clearly since tr Mars will be conjoining the ascendant (29Aries Lahiri) of the Thailand chart (Apr 21 1782 6.55 am LMT Bangkok) as tr Rahu (NN) conjoins natal Mercury in sidereal Pisces in the 12th house. Rahu usually ramps up the energy to a point where it is often too much for a stable system to bear without disruption. This configuration certainly describes the fact of a large protest (>100,000) but I believe there will be some violence as well.

This event may presage greater problems in Thailand in March and April when the Saturn station occurs on the natal Moon. Expect to see Thailand in the news a lot then.