Weekly NewsScope for February 14, 2005

Last Thursday, North Korea issued a statement that it had "manufactured nukes for self-defense to cope with the Bush administration's undisguised policy to isolate and stifle" it. Political observers disagreed whether to push for more diplomatic efforts, or to begin looking at economic sanctions, or even military options. The announcement pre-empted a Chinese effort to get North Korea back to the negotiating table.

North Korea's national horoscope (September 10, 1948; 8:50 pm; Pyongyang *) features a prominent Mars in Scorpio on its seventh house of open enemies. This Mars is very near the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, so that North Korea naturally views the U.S. as a life-threatening enemy. Over the last month, American diplomats reported that North Korea was ready to re-start talks as transiting Uranus formed a favorable trine to this Mars.

However, Uranus often leads to sudden changes of direction. The surprise announcement arrived as the Moon and Uranus were conjunct each other and forming an exact sextile to North Korea's Ascendant. From another angle, NK's Mercury-Neptune conjunction in Libra may be associated with diplomatic efforts. Last week the progressed Moon was exactly squaring this planetary pair.

Meanwhile, transiting Saturn is nearing the IC, the fourth house cusp, where it creates immense security concerns. Saturn turns direct on March 22 while nearly exactly conjunct the IC and inconjunct (quincunx) beneficial Jupiter. North Korea's eighth house Jupiter represents a financial benefactor which traditionally has been played out by China. Watch over the next two months as transiting Saturn links up to Jupiter for the Chinese-North Korean relationship to come under historic pressure.

A New York Times tribute to Arthur Miller called him the most American of the country's greatest playwrights, which is ironic since his strongest plays were powerful criticisms of American culture. In "Death of a Salesman" and the handful of other plays that established his reputation, Miller describes the moral corruption and personal degeneration that arrive after one has sacrificed personal ideals for social dictates.

Arthur Miller (October 17, 1915; 5:12 am; NYC) was keenly attuned to American culture because his personal horoscope resonates so strongly with the national horoscope. Miller's Mercury, the natural ruler of writers, is in Scorpio, very near the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant. Love of writing is shown by Mercury's conjunction with Venus. This Mercury is also given anger and imagination by the squares to Mars and Neptune, and profound insights by the trine to Pluto.

His Moon at 16 degrees Aquarius is exactly conjunct the U.S. fourth house cusp, the foundation of the national chart. This is the exact same degree as Ronald Reagan's Sun, who was also keenly attuned to American culture. Where Reagan's Sun was bolstered by a hyper-enthusiastic square to buoyant Jupiter, Miller's Moon was weighed down by an exact inconjunction to critical, judgmental Saturn.

With his Libra Sun conjunct Juno, his being was charged with an idealistic sense of fairness and justice. Miller hoped for and expected the most from America, and was the most disappointed and angry when it didn't manifest. Saturn stands at Miller's Cancer Midheaven (which is conjunct the U.S. Sun), where it established his professional reputation as the nation's ethical conscience.

Last Wednesday, some thirty-four years after they first met, Prince Charles announced that he will wed Camilla Bowles Parker on April 8. Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was delighted, while most Brits greeted the news with indifference. The civil wedding means that Camilla** will not be in line to be Queen, while public opinion polls indicate that the succession should pass to Diana's eldest son William.

Prince Charles (November 14, 1948; 9:14 pm; London) has one of the most studied horoscopes in the astrological community, but relatively few discussions include his Juno, the marriage asteroid. Using the technique of secondary progressions (one day is symbolically equivalent to one year), Juno becomes the best indicator for weddings, including the one with Diana on July 29, 1981.

On that date Juno had progressed to nearly seven degrees Aries (6AR54) and his progressed Jupiter, the planet of huge ceremonies, had progressed to seven degrees Capricorn (7CP03), a very tight square. The event itself featured many planets in the same degree area to activate the underlying progressions. Mars at 7 degrees Cancer (7CN25) is the most interesting since it's in the 12th house of secrets, and we know now that Camilla was Charles' secret affair.

Last week's announcement arrived as Prince Charles' Juno and Neptune had progressed to an exact opposition. Juno is now at 15 degrees Aries (15AR12) and Neptune is at 15 degrees Libra (15LI10). The royal announcement was prepared last week as transiting Mercury and Neptune were conjunct each other in Charles' seventh house of partners. Perhaps it's no surprise that Mercury and Neptune formed exact aspects to his progressed Juno-Neptune.

* Time is rectified by the author. For more on North Korea, see NewsScope, March 11, 2003 and April 29, 2003.

** For those who wish to study Camilla's horoscope, she was born on July 17, 1947; 7:10 am (GWST which is -2 from GMT); London. This data is from the Astrological Lodge of London, and supercedes previous reports that she was born at 7:00 am BST.