An old book by Llewellyn George

When out of town last weekend we explored a couple of big antique shops. On casually inspecting some shelves filled with books, but finding little of interest, I pushed one heavy old tome aside and found another smaller volume hiding beneath it. "Student Chart Reader of Horoscope Indications" by Llewellyn George, published in 1934, hardcover, somewhat battered and bruised, spine supported by sticky tape.

"This one's for me", thought I, ignoring a rather inflated price tag and concentrating on a notice which declared "20% off all books".

It's the first sample I've seen of the work of astrologer Llewellyn George. He was born in Wales, but at some point emigrated to the United States. A Memorial with a link to his natal chart can be seen HERE. I note that he had Sun in Leo with Uranus close to the ascendant. Astrologer C.E.O. Carter also had Uranus close to ascendant, very apt as Uranus is said to rule astrology.

The book I bought is a straightforward text book offering interpretations of planetary positions in signs and houses, and in aspect, also some information on progressed horoscopes. I find Mr George's interpretations quite gentle and diplomatic. For instance, his take on Sun in Aquarius:


"In Aquarius the Sun gives a quiet, patient, determined, unobtrusive and faithful nature, as a rule. The Aquarian is refined, pleasant, friendly, generous, charitable, dignified and humanitarian; fond of art, music, scenery and literature; cautious, steady, intelligent, intuitive, discriminative, concentrative, studious, thoughtful and philosophical. Good reasoner, practical as well as theoretical; strong likes and dislikes and often with very radical and advanced ideas; is cheerful, sincere and honest, easily influenced by kindness, slow to anger, but will not be driven; loves liberty and is fond of occult research."

I'll take that, thank you very much, sir ! (Preening and forgetting all about the sidereal zodiac and its charms for the moment!)

Mr George was much kinder than Grant Lewi, whose work I admire, but who scared me off initially by his negative take on Sun Aquarians with Aries Moon - I swear he'd had a nasty experience with one of these natives at a tender and impressive age!

It's interesting to note that Mr Llewellyn pointed out:
"At the present time, March 1934, very little is yet known of Pluto's influence upon human affairs.......There will be no new immediate effect except to stimulate investigation as to its influence upon the human, animal vegetable and mineral kingdoms. The stranger may have been recently discovered but it has not just arrived. It has long been circling its orbit just as the other planets. But when man arrived at the place in his unfoldment where he could think and believe there were bodies beyond his sight, he also acquired the skill to find them. That does not mean however that he suddenly becomes capable of registering and manifesting the influence of its rays".

The idea of planetary "rays" has been mainly discredited I think, in today's astrology world, but I like it. I wouldn't ever completely discount the idea of a causal relationship to account for at least some of the factors we can see working with the aid of astrology. "Rays" may be a clumsy description, but it'll do for now.

I enjoy the writing of 20th century astrologers C.E.O. Carter, Carl Payne Tobey, Grant Lewi, and now Lleywellyn George. This is not to say there's anything wrong with contemporary astrology authors, but I feel somehow very comfortable with the astrologers of yesteryear. Maybe it's because, at heart I'm just an old fashioned gal!

Experimenting Sidereally

Yesterday's post, concerning the sidereal and tropical zodiacs, calls for a little experimentation. The natal chart of one who could well be the next president of the USA, Hillary Clinton, may be a good subject. It's unfortunate that there's a question mark over her time of birth: 8am, 8 pm or neither? I'll use 8am for this purpose, keeping in mind that it's not necessarily correct.

Hillary Clinton, born 26 October, 1947, Chicago, Illinois (using 8am birthtime, and sidereal zodiac). Click on it to enlarge.

For the tropical version of Ms Clinton's chart,see AstroFutureTrends HERE

Did I ever see Hillary Clinton as a (tropical) quadruple Scorpio? I didn't - not really. Sidereally Ms Clinton would have three planets and ascendant in Libra instead of Scorpio, and Jupiter in Scorpio rather than Sagittarius. Her Saturn, Pluto and Mars in tropical Leo would be in Cancer sidereally. Tropical Pisces Moon becomes Aquarius Moon sidereally.

I like that sidereal Aquarius Moon for her, better than tropical Pisces - but the softness of a Pisces Moon is transferred to the stellium in Cancer - Saturn, Pluto and Mars - three planets with hard reputations. Were this a male's natal chart I'd say the tropical Leo positions fit better. As it is the chart of a female, albeit a female in the spotlight of the public stage, I think the planets in Cancer, softened slightly, may be appropriate. Hillary Clinton can hold her own with the most determined male politician, but her experience as a mother and a daughter has to provide a very different base from that of her male colleagues. I understand that in her past career she has often championed children, and the underprivileged. She fought to improve the health care system in the USA some years ago, long before many politicians saw it as being an important issue. There has to be a deep-seated compassion there, well-hidden by a tough exterior.

Sidereal Libra Sun, ascendant, Mercury and Venus replace the passionate, sexy tropical Scorpio planets. Jupiter in sidereal Scorpio retains passion and determination, but Libra the diplomat takes center stage. Some say that Libra can be a flip-flop, indecisive sign. Hillary Clinton appears to be very decisive, and one who can think on her feet when under attack, but she always remains cool and diplomatic. Aquarius Moon trines Mercury/Venus in Libra, indicating an easy, sharp intelligence, and quick-thinking mind. Whilst not the epitome of charm, as in textbook Libra , she does seem to be well-liked by many politicians who know her personally - politicians of both stripes.

As mere onlookers at her performance on the public stage, we cannot hope to know what kind of a woman she really is - I suspect that predominantly Libra may be a closer match than predominantly Scorpio. Would a quadruple Scorpio have stayed with her husband after being publicly humiliated? Not in my book. Do I rest my case? No, but this is food for thought.

The 2 Zodiacs

Now and again I experience a "crisis of faith" with regard to the tropical zodiac. Writing about Aquarius recently spun me into one such mini-crisis. I see so much Capricorn in Aquarius.

Very briefly, the tropical zodiac is around 23 degrees adrift (ahead) of the ancient sidereal zodiac which is calculated in relation to the constellations. The tropical zodiac is calculated mathematically, in relation to the seasons, with vernal equinox point always at 0 Aries. Precession of the equinoxes has meant that the tropical zodiac no longer aligns with sidereal (calculated by the stars), as it would have done long ago, in the third century AD.

My interest is primarily natal charts, but I can't ignore the fact that if we used the sidereal zodiac, Pluto has not just moved into Capricorn, it moved into sidereal Sagittarius towards the end of 2006, after years of traversing sidereal Scorpio. Hmmmm - I wonder! And sidereally Saturn is in Leo, not Virgo. Uranus in sidereal Aquarius, and Neptune getting towards the end of sidereal Capricorn. We become so used to tropical values that it's hard to get the head around another perspective. But what if sidereal is the correct perspective? Are we squinting, tropically, our vision slightly blurred?

The sidereal zodiac is that used by most Indian and other Eastern astrologers, but the complete system they use, Vedic or Jyotish, is quite different from the commonly used western system. However, there are a few western astrologers who use the sidereal zodiac while keeping largely to the western system. I don't see anything wrong with this, though some folk comment that "you can't mix the two".



A transcription of an interview with western sidereal astrologer Kenneth Bowser, reported by Colleen Mauro in The Mountain Astrologer around 3 years ago provides much food for thought, especially this paragraph:

"Q: Some people say sidereal astrology is best for the timing of events but that tropical astrology better describes trait characteristics. Do you agree?

No, I strongly disagree. My view, and I’m sure I speak for the western sidereal community on this, is that you can’t have it both ways. The matter is basic: if you have competing propositions, it’s possible for one to be right and the other wrong, or they can both be wrong but they can’t both be right. There is no question but that sidereal astrology is very effective for events because it disposes of the timing problems associated with precession. The problem is how to make somebody like Dick Cheney, our current vice president, into both a sidereal Capricorn, and a tropical Aquarian. Can he be seen as liberal, bohemian, egalitarian, humanitarian, counter-culture oriented or a rebel? I don’t see it. It’s like saying that someone could simultaneously be primarily liberal and primarily conservative or simultaneously primarily emotional and primarily intellectual. My experience is that you don’t get two diametrically opposite persons, in terms of character, in the same body.
A tropicalist and a siderealist with similar experience in the art, who both understand the intrinsic natures of the planets, will tend to say much the same thing about planet combinations. The parting of the ways comes when someone who has the sun in tropical Aquarius but sidereal Capricorn is evaluated according to what those positions mean to a tropicalist and a siderealist. The contrasts are pretty sharp.
Another glaring issue that bowls over former tropicalists who make the leap to the sidereal zodiac is how the dignities and debilities come alive in a sidereal context. Astrology is mostly a matter of reading character and I submit that to do that, the tropical and sidereal twain cannot meet. "

I have pondered on Dick Cheney's natal chart too, (HERE), comparing it with my own. Of course, using the sidereal zodiac we'd both have Sun in Capricorn. But, with sidereal as with tropical it's no use looking simply at the Sun's natal position. We have to consider the whole chart. In doing so, and comparing charts for the same person using the two zodiacs, it often turns out that a kind of planetary musical chairs takes place, the same signs being emphasised, but by different planets. This makes it very difficult to decide which zodiac works better.

I have often been puzzled by the charts of some people I've known well, and felt sure the Sun sign was "wrong". There can be a variety of reasons for this, the sidereal/tropical zodiac question is but one of many. There's the controversial matter of sign cusps - whether planets in the very early or last degrees of a sign take on some of the qualities of the previous or following sign. Or perhaps the reason could be connected with the strength of the rising sign, Moon sign, or a stellium in a different sign from the Sun.

In future I'll look at any chart I study with the sidereal zodiac in mind, as well as the topical, and shall note how often one fits better, equally well, or how many times sidereal just doesn't seem to fit at all.

Because sidereal positons are around 23 degrees behind tropical, any planet or point which lies beyond 23 degrees of a sign will remain in the same sign as tropical, but any planet earlier than 23 degrees will move into the previous sign. To avoid fiddly calculations, a natal chart calculated sidereally can be obtained, free, HERE.

In my own case, and that of my husband, sidereal versions of our charts are an equally good fit, perhaps even better, than the tropical versions, but we both have "splash" pattern charts, so most of the same signs remain emphasised. I've experimented with some of the charts I've saved, and have not yet found one where I'd say that sidereal feels totally wrong. The reason may be because of the still relatively small difference of 23 degrees between the two. Venus and/or Mercury are often found in the sidereal (tropically previous) sign, retaining some focus there. In centuries to come, when sidereal and tropical move much further apart (if man survives) it may be a different story.

Case still open, jury still out!

Isaac Pitman and "Greatness"

I taught myself Pitman shorthand when a teenager, but never became truly proficient. I did use what I learned, along with my own abbreviations, to make quick notes or take dictation. Amazingly, I still remember a lot of the basic principles. I stumbled upon information about Mr. Pitman which is interesting, and involves some astrology.

Isaac Pitman's father cast his son's horoscope at birth, but later abandoned his faith in the "celestial science". Born 4 January in 1813, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, Isaac Pitman was to develop a system of phonetic shorthand which, in future years, was to become the most used system in Britain and second most popular in the USA, after being introduced on that side of the Atlantic by Isaac's younger brother, Benjamin.

In a biography written by Alfred Baker, published in 1908 (at Google Books) the author tells us that Isaac's father Samuel, a highly intelligent, self-educated man had made "a thorough study of astronomy, and acquired the skill necessary to calculate eclipses and other celestial phenomena. The imaginary science of astrology was largely cultivated in his time, and he was a diligent student of Ebenezer Sibly's erudite quarto volume, " A New and Complete Illustration of the Celestial Science of Astrology." As each of his children was born he cast the infant's horoscope, which was duly inscribed in the family Bible. ""

Additional copy of the horoscopes of both parents and children was also made by him, and has been preserved in the family. In the case of his son Isaac, the horoscope did not indicate in any way his future greatness as a shorthand inventor, and possibly this was one of the reasons which led Pitman pere in later years to abandon his faith in the 'celestial science.' "



That chart indicates Libra rising at 17*, which means Isaac must have been born less than an hour after midnight - around 12.44am Here's a modern version.



I doubt that a natal chart could "indicate future greatness", the achievement of which depends on much more than astrology. The popular perception of greatness - renown and fame, depends on being in the right place at the right time and connected to the right contacts and opportunities.

I wonder why Samuel Pitman didn't think Jupiter in Leo (10th house) not that far from midheaven might be a sign of, at least, fame? Jupiter could be said to be (almost) the funnel planet in a chart pattern, it's not closely opposite the Moon in the last degrees of Capricorn, but near enough. I'd have liked to see Moon just into Aquarius - I wonder if Samuel did record the time of birth accurately enough?

Even if 'greatness' wasn't apparent to his father from Isaac's natal chart, a good example of Capricorn/Saturn characteristics can be seen, using a couple of extracts from Isaac's biography by Alfred Baker.

I fail to understand why Samuel abandoned his faith in astrology.

Sun, Moon Saturn and Mercury all in Capricorn, Mars, strong in Scorpio sextiles his Capricorn Sun and powerful Saturn in its own sign of Capricorn - here's a combination of hard work, and boundless energy. Doesn't the following describe it well?

Isaac's younger brother, Benn, says, " Isaac in his youth was of a diligent and studious habit. He was of a sensitive nature, inclined to be thoughtful, regarding life and its duties as matters of grave concern." His elder brother, Jacob, observes, " Isaac never had any of that rollicking nonsense about him peculiar to most of us boys, nor do I remember his ever stopping on his way from school to play, but home directly he went, either to his books or to his work."

Further examples:

(Isaac)" begged his father to allow him to return to school and resume his lessons, but the latter did not see his way to accede to his son's request. He advised Isaac to continue his studies at home, and indeed provided the means for doing so. Although the office hours were from six in the morning to six at night, the young clerk found time for systematic study. He and his brother Jacob rose at four each morning, and devoted nearly two hours to their books, till they left home to begin the duties of the day, and in the evening they gave one or two hours to study."

Isaac had difficulty with pronounciation, though familiar with words' meanings -

"With characteristic energy and thoroughness, he set himself a task, which to most persons would be little less than repulsive, and which probably few have undertaken. He carefully read through Walker's Dictionary, with the double object of extending his knowledge of words, and of correcting his errors in orthoepy. The words which he thus discovered that he had mentally mispronounced were copied out with their proper diacritic symbols of pronunciation. They numbered about two thousand, and their correct pronunciation had to be fixed in the memory by repetition... This reading of Walker was made at about the age of seventeen. He read through the book a second time, with the same object."


What dedication, and determination!

Knighted in 1894, Sir Isaac Pitman died 8 days after his birthday in 1897. There's greatness for you - his Dad was quite wrong!

For anyone who has never seen Pitman shorthand here's an example:

"Hard to be Humble" birthdays.

Happy Birthday(Sunday 27th), to Keith Olbermann, American news anchor and political commentator; US Chief Justice John Roberts; British medium, Derek Acorah; billionaire Mohamed al Fayed (father of ill-fated Dodi, companion of Princess Di when they both died).
Also.... to little ol' me!

A very mixed bag. I could also add a few more, who have gone before, such as Lewis Carroll, Jerome Kern, and Mozart. Concentrating on the living, though - a few interesting tidbits:

Billionaire Mohamed al Fayed has his Aquarian Sun closely conjunct Saturn. Mercury and Venus are in Capricorn, and Uranus in Aries. Aquarius' modern ruler fires his Sun, and Aquarius' traditional ruler drives his business skills, which must be considerable. Two other personal planets in Capricorn (ruled by Saturn)connect to his talent for business and making money. (Born 27 Jan. 1933, Alexandria, Egypt)

US Chief Justice John Roberts has Sun and Mercury in Aquarius, with Aquarius' modern ruler Uranus conjunct Jupiter in Cancer. Jupiter is traditionally connected with law, and government. Incidentally, with his natal Moon almost certainly in Pisces, Sun in humanitarian Aquarius, and that conjunction in sensitive Cancer , I'd say Chief Justice Roberts is a compassionate man, it's good to see such a person occupying that lofty position.(27 Jan. 1955, Buffalo, New York)

Derek Acorah, a well-known British medium, isn't well-known to me, but I have read a little about him. He has Sun Jupiter/Venus in Aquarius, Uranus in Cancer. I'm not sure where to look for any psychic ability, but I notice that mystical Neptune, in Libra, trines the Venus/Jupiter conjunction in Aquarius. Saturn in Virgo trines Mercury in Capricorn - a very down to earth combination. Perhaps Neptune lies close to one of the angles, but without time of birth it's not possible to know that.(27 January1950, Liverpool UK)

Keith Olbermann's chart was featured in an earlier blog post HERE.




I'm the odd one out - I have only Sun in Aquarius, the four named individuals have at least one additional planet there.




Oh!.......... I forgot my (almost) astrological twin, Brugh Joy MD. (See here)

In common with Chief Justice Roberts (though very loosely), I worked for the government (UK) in a department which dealt with aspects of the law (I have natal Jupiter close to midheaven). In common with Mr Acorah and Brugh Joy I'm interested (though not talented) in psychic and mystical subjects ( Neptune trine Mercury). The only thing I have in common with Keith Olbermann is Mercury in Capricorn - and a lively interest in politics. With regard to Mohamed al Fayed, again Mercury in Capricorn in common, but, it's interesting, as our birthdays are on the same day, that his son, Dodi died exactly two weeks after my mother died in August 1997, while Uranus retrograded within 2 degrees of our natal Suns.

Bad Temper ?

Back in the 20th century, British astrologer C.E.0. Carter wrote the "Encyclopaedia of Psychological Astrology". It was reprinted many times between 1924 and 1976. The author lists, in alphabetical order, many and varied psychological traits, spanning "Ability" to "Youthfulness". Mr. Carter describes astrological configurations which he found often present in people who exhibited certain traits.

Under the heading "Temper", Mr Carter has this to say:

"Temper must be judged from the rising sign, Mercury, and the general appearance of the horoscope. The usual characteristics of the signs when rising are:

Aries (rising) ....... Easily angered and then often go to great lengths.

Taurus (rising).......Not readily moved, but may when aroused become furious.

Gemini (rising)...Not bad tempered, but can be "waspish" and malicious.

Cancer (rising)...Not easily angered, though soon hurt. Timid.

Leo (rising)......Often hot tempered, though affectionate.

Virgo (rising)....Temper is usually controlled and seldom violent. Often uses "the retort courteous". Tends to shun conditions that are liable to upset it.

Libra (rising)....Seldom the first to quarrel. Easily appeased.

Scorpio (rising)....Hot-tempered, especially when its affections are touched. Implacable and rarely forgets.

Sagittarius (rising)...Good tempered.

Capricorn (rising)....The temper is generally cold, and the tongue controlled.

Aquarius (rising)...Courteous.

Pisces(rising)...Good tempered.

In cardinal signs the temper is usually sharp; in mutable nagging, and in fixed, sudden and violent. The above remarks apply, of course, to ordinary everyday persons. Mercury and to a somewhat less extent the Lights or ascendant afflicted by malefics usually corrupts the temper. Fiery signs are usually the most explosive. Mars afflicted by Uranus in Fire generally causes bad temper, and Mars and Saturn are also often evil. On the other hand, Venus conjunct Mercury, the Lights or ascendant will usually cause the moods to be harmonious and equable. Jupiter in similar circumstances, inclines to good spirits and bodily health.

It must not be forgotten how often a bad temper is really the direct result of some functional disorder, such as liver trouble or nervous derangement.

Often the signs of good and bad temper are contradictory and in such cases a person's disposition will vary."

I have Cancer rising, natally. That description is accurate for me, though I'm no longer timid, I probably was though, back in the mists of time. Obtuse is a better description these days!

HWK (the husband) has Leo rising. He has been known to flare up, but temper comes and goes very quickly. He also has Mercury conjunct Saturn, and a tendency to use sarcasm as a defence, rather than frequent hot temper.

Sun/Uranus in Scorpio & The Lobotomist.

A reader left a comment on yesterday's post and kindly asked for my "comments on a very interesting chart. It is of one Walter Freeman born 11/14/1895.He is the Dr. that introduced and promoted lobotomy as a treatment for insanity across the US at the early half of last century.I watched a fascinating program on his life on PBS this past weekend.Do google him,research and share! "

Thank you for providing the idea for this post!

I didn't see the PBS show about Walter Freeman, but via Google I've collected a brief outline of his career, and a few indications about his personality.

The PBS programme was based on a biography of Walter Freeman, "The Lobotomist" written by Jack El Hai. The book's title expands to: "The Lobotomist: A Maverick Medical Genius and his Tragic Quest to Rid the World of Mental Illness". A review HERE describes the book: " gripping as a medical thriller, The Lobotomist examines the motivations of a man whose personality combined brilliance with arrogance, compassion with egotism, and determination with stubbornness. The result is an unforgettable portrait of a physician who permanently shaped the lives of his patients, as well as the course of medical history. "

Among other reviews and comments, Dr Freeman is described as "part genius, part maniac", "a monster", "a criminal", as well as "probably a compassionate man motivated by humanitarian reasons. But people have a way of acting horribly in the name of compassion and humanity".

Passing readers who need a little more detail about Walter Freeman's practices will find more HERE about his ways with an ice pick.

This is Walter Freeman's natal chart, drawn up for 12 noon. I've been unable to find a time of birth - it's a pity, his ascendant and midheaven could have told us a lot more.



I hesitate to judge a man who lived in a completely different medical and social environment from that which we know today. I doubt that he was a monster, or a criminal. Rather, from his chart, I suspect he was a man obsessed by his mission, so much so that all common sense had up and left! He refused to refrain from performing further operations, even when results proved to be poor. Obsession can be one of Scorpio's traits, as can a persistent stubbornness (being a Fixed sign) and in this case these traits were well-multiplied.

A multiple Scorpio personality: 5 planets in Scorpio with a possibility of Moon being there too, had the Dr. been born from 9pm onwards. Significantly, Scorpio is thought by astrologers to rule surgery.

Even more significant than the Scorpio cluster though, to my eye, is the fact that Sun and Uranus are conjunct(less than 2 degrees), and Mars and Saturn are conjunct (less than one degree).

Two words used to describe Walter Freeman from the snippets above, "maverick" and "genius" are often applied to those with Uranus prominent in their natal charts. Being conjunct natal Sun is almost as prominent as could be - I'd not be at all surprised to find these two close to one of the angles, but without a time of birth it's impossible to say.

The other conjunction in Scorpio, Mars/Saturn, may be an indication of the seemingly unfeeling, aggressive, almost inhumane approach this man seemed to have had to his patients. Yet his actions were rooted in compassion - he was always trying to help, of that I feel sure. Compassion, driven by this Fixed Water element, came clad in an iron fist!

Jupiter in Leo squares some of the Scorpio planets, in particular the Mars/Saturn conjunction. Here is the challenge, with drive enough to accept it. However, Jupiter inclines to excess, and excess here proved to be the doctor's downfall. Robert Pelletier, in his book "Planets in Aspect", says with regard to this square, that it can indicate a potential to be accident prone because of a reckless disregard for safety measures. The doctor surely did play recklessly with patients' lives and wellbeing, not to mention his own reputation !

A final thought: Walter Freeman's natal chart shows no planets in Earth signs. No grounding. I mentioned earlier in this post, that he seemed like a man so obsessed by his mission that everyday common sense had up and left. Perhaps it was never there in the first place. What was there was a potential for genius (Uranus conjuct natal Sun). He was in many ways, a man before his time, stuggling to do things for which the world was not ready, and medical science not yet prepared.

Real-life, non-textbook Aquarians

I'm going to attempt to illustrate a remark in last Saturday's post - the comment that I've long wondered whether textbooks have Aquarius slightly wrong. Well, maybe not all textbooks, nor for everyone, but wrong for some age groups.

The position of a Sun sign's ruler is likely to modify the way the Sun sign manifests. I suspect that such modification is most easily identifiable in the case of Aquarius and its modern ruler, Uranus.

Uranus, moves very slowly, taking a long human lifetime(around 84 years) to make full circle of the zodiac. (Even Aquarius' traditional ruler, Saturn, is the slowest mover of the inner planets, but I'll ignore that for now, to avoid confusion.)

While Uranus is traversing each zodiac sign, a very wide swath of Aquarius-born folk will be be affected. Rulers of most other Sun signs cover the full zodiac in fairly quick order. There are millions of Sun Geminis with Gemini's ruler, Mercury in Capricorn, for instance, but they are not all of the same age group, they're scattered. The same applies to almost all other rulers of Sun signs.

I can confidently say that any Sun Aquarian who went to school when I did had their Sun's ruler in Taurus, and consequently were a similar variety of Aquarius. This would not be so for most other Sun signs. Pisces and Scorpio may experience similar effects - their modern rulers, Neptune and Pluto are also very slow moving.

An additional thought - Saturn, Aquarius' traditional ruler, may still figure quite heavily in the makeup of Aquarius, and more especially when Uranus, the modern ruler, is in an Earth sign.

So... some real-life examples which I see as support for the above. A few Aquarians I have known and loved. All these were born between 23 January and 8 February.

First, my father. I have enough of his birth data to know that from him I inherited Sun Aquarius, Mercury in Capricorn and Saturn in Aries. He was a master baker first and foremost. He and my mother spent their lives running their own small businesses, first a bakery and shop, later a small hotel, a cafe, a fruit shop, and latterly sub-Post Offices. They were an Airy pair (Aquarius/Libra) with itchy feet, loved to move house and location, and had a variety of talents. Was my Dad in any way typical of Aquarius ? Not the textbook kind. He had Sun and Venus in Aquarius, but in many ways he seemed more like Capricorn. He worked very hard and long hours to keep the businesses going, especially the bakery. He was very good at what he did, a perfectionist when it came to bread-making. People came from miles around to buy his bread and baked goods. He was in no way rebellious, or revolutionary, he was quite predictable. Very easy going, kindly, liked and respected by everyone, and absolutely devoted to my mother, and to me. (URANUS IN CAPRICORN).


Second non-textbook Aquarius, a close schoolfriend from around age 9 to 16 (on the right). She was born one week after me. She had a talent for drawing and painting and went on to Art School, while I attended Grammar School. She abandoned hopes of a career in art early on though, left home to work in the south of England as a children's nanny, after taking training. She soon married, settled down, had two children, and never did return to the north of England. After many years out of touch we located each other again just last year. Sadly her husband died in 2005. She still paints, knows nothing of computers, and still lives where she moved after marriage.

Is she typical of Aquarius? Again, not really. Both she and I had a great need for freedom and a devout wish to leave the small market town where we grew up. We both did by age 18. No clear sign of textbook Aquarius, other than that need for freedom.(URANUS IN TAURUS).


Third non-textbook Aquarian was my very first boyfriend, around age 15 or 16. He was born two days before me, but either in the previous year or two years before. A farmer's son, very quiet and shy, and an only child (like me). We "courted" for two years. He decided to ask if we should get engaged..... at which point it was I who did the Aquarian thing and fled. I could never see myself as a farmer's wife.

Was he typically Aquarian? Definitely not. Least typical of any so far. He was a sweet, good natured lad, very easy going (like my Dad). But I can't think of a single textbook Aquarian trait he had. Perhaps he developed some in later life. He married the girl he befriended after me, and still lives in the same place as when he was a boy. (URANUS IN TAURUS).


Fourth, my cousin (my father's sister's son), born four days before me, same year. He's had a very varied career, including teaching, draftsman, and member of the police force. He, like my friend and I, left the small market town early on, to find a future. He is very intelligent, not at all outgoing, a little old fashioned in many ways. He won't have anything to do with computers, though he used them at work, but he loves playing bridge. Interestingly, our lives have followed similar time-lines regarding marriage, divorce, deaths, and caring for ailing loved ones. I see a little of both Aquarius and Capricorn in my cousin - heavily weighted towards Capricorn.
(URANUS IN TAURUS).


Lastly, Uncle Ted, my father's brother. His birthday was 4 days after mine, he was a couple of years younger than my Dad, always my favourite uncle. He served in the RAF (Royal Air Force) during the war, and worked for the airforce in civilian capacity afterwards. He was great fun, witty and lively. Probably the most Aquarian of all those mentioned.
(URANUS IN AQUARIUS).


Another Sun Aquarian I've met more recently, is my husband's younger daughter. She is the most like a textbook Aquarian I've ever encountered. She, in common with most of those above, left her home base at an early age to find her future. Her birthday is the day before mine, but obviously she's of a different generation from me, or any of my friends and relatives listed above.
(URANUS IN LEO).

As for yours truly, it's impossible to say how others see me, but I believe I'm a little like my cousin, but with the Capricorn/Aquarius mix reversed - a bit more Aquarius than Capricorn for me - or so I like to think.

Conclusion: The only common traits I can detect, in most of the Sun Aquarians above (and myself), is a fair amount of versatility and a need for freedom and variety - all very appropriate for an Air sign. None of the rebellious, inventive, eccentricity. No cold unemotional approach (unless you count shyness as such).

It seems to me though, that Sun Aquarians born when Uranus lay in Taurus or Capricorn are the most unlikely to match textbook descriptions, and may better match Capricorn in many respects. Sun Aquarians with Uranus in Virgo, the third Earth sign, are an unknown quantity to me. It would be interesting to compare them with other age groups who have Uranus in an Earth sign.

In an attempt to keep this as clear as possible, the very important part played by ascendants, angles, Moons, houses etc. in birth charts has been put aside for the purpose of this post. In most cases, due to lack of birth times, I don't know the details anyway.

Now.....my head hurts!

May as well try to rope the Moon.....

I read recently about a virus prevalent in Britain which causes "projectile vomiting", well HWK and I have a variation of this - "projectile whingeing". It was brought on by being summoned to travel again to Oklahoma City, in potentially wintry weather, for USCIS to re-take my fingerprints. This is in connection with my application for citizenship. I had fingerprints taken already, on 17 December, but it appears the FBI couldn't read them satisfactorily, so I am to report at 9am, 22nd January for a re-take. They must already have at least three other sets on file from previous visa processes. Sigh.

22 January is the date of Full Moon in Leo, it's a few degrees away from opposing my natal Sun. Mars is still retrograde, Mercury is about to turn retrograde close to my natal Sun. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that things are not progressing smoothly.

Putting whingeing on hold for a moment, trying to be optimistic, I might consider this Full Moon to represent a culmination of the delays I've been experiencing since July, in connection with my citizenship application. From here on, perhaps all will be plain sailing.

I'll be back in blogland on Wednesday, all being well.

Trace Adkins - A Capricorn/Aquarius Mash-up

On Friday evening Bill Maher had Trace Adkins as one of his guests on his show "Real Time". By the way, John Townley recently wrote a brilliant interpretation of Bill's natal chart. HERE).

I'm sworn off country music and its attendant politics, so wasn't too impressed when I saw Trace sitting there complete with black Stetson hat. He didn't have much to say, as it turned out. He did come out with a couple of funny one-liners though which warmed me to him, and he does have a gorgeously deep speaking voice.

Next morning curiosity overcame me and I looked at his natal chart, or a 12 noon version of it. Ahaaa! Another Saturn Hybrid. Born 13 January 1962, Sarepta, Louisiana. Of course, 1962 was the year of the Aquarius pile-up. Garth Brooks and Clint Black, two other country luminaries, came into the world a few weeks later.

All Trace Adkins' personal planets, except the Moon, are in Capricorn or Aquarius. Moon could be in Aries or Taurus depending on birth time, but because of his musical background I'd guess Taurus. Ascendant is unknown.



Via Google links, I found that Trace Adkins has written a book, "A Personal Stand, Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck", in which as well as the story of his early life, he gives his views on many things, politics, the state of the world and the USA included. This is probably what gave him credentials enough to appear on Real Time. He had also been interviewed by Hannity and Colmes in December. There's a transcript of that interview HERE. It throws some light on his political views, which do indeed reflect a mix of Capricorn and Aquarius, as does his chart.

A good illustration of what I see as the Capricorn/Aquarius mash-up appears in this extract from his conversation with Alan Colmes. There's a typical conservative view muddled up with a decidedly more Aquarian stance here - and he's not "saying which one's better":

COLMES: You say in the book, you say "liberalism is less moral and more civil and conservatism is more moral and less civil."
ADKINS: Yes.
COLMES: What do you mean by that?
ADKINS: When I wrote that particular line, I was in the context of the way that we deal with the rest of the world is really what I was trying to say. And what I mean by that is I feel like liberals tend to just give everybody a pass, no matter what kind of egregious acts they may be perpetrating on...
COLMES: You really think so?
ADKINS: I do. I do.
COLMES: Have you heard about any of the Republican congressional scandals over the last year or so?
ADKINS: Dealing with international...
COLMES: Just dealing with sexual hijinks, dealing with all kinds of things.
ADKINS: Well, that's not what I was talking — that's not what I was talking about.
COLMES: I wanted to give your audience a chance to know what you're talking about.
ADKINS: Well, I'm trying to say it's in the way that we deal with the rest of the world. And I think that conservatives from time to time will try to force their moral objectives on somebody else, and they will do it sometimes at the point of a gun and be a little less civil about it, is the point that I was trying to make. I'm not saying which one's better. But that was an observation I was making.
COLMES: A lot of people — a lot of people think that going and trying to install, let's say, democracy at the point of a gun or a bayonet doesn't really work that well, as evidenced by some of the fallout we've seen from having done it over the last few years...

I prefer Trace Adkins' approach to that of some other flag-waving country singers, he obviously thinks for himself about issues, rather than simply following the herd and pandering to the crowd. But I'm still sworn off country music.

Aquarius Dominant & Uranus Dominant

The Sun is now at the gates of the zodiac sign Aquarius. I've made a video pic-book (sorry - now removed) of well known folk who have the sign of the water bearer dominant in their natal charts. These people do not necessarily have Sun in Aquarius. They may have Aquarius rising, or Moon in Aquarius, or several planets bunched together in the sign.

There are one or two high scorers here due to the Aquarius pile-up in 1962. Michael Riley 83.19%, Jennifer Jason Leigh 77.66%, Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Axl Rose all have scores over 65%, the rest featured have between 62 and 39% Aquarius in their charts.

There are a lot of actors and actresses here, some musicians and singers, and the usual mixed bag. What I found a little odd though, is that, with a handful of exceptions, these people (or as much as we know of them) are not yer typical textbook Aquarius. I've thought for a long time that textbook writers have had Aquarius slightly wrong. What textbooks talk about is more akin to the people with Uranus dominant in their natal charts. Hmmmmmm. Food for thought.

It's interesting to consider Aquarius dominant individuals in comparison with those listed below who have Uranus (modern ruler of Aquarius) dominant. Isn't there a slightly different "feel" to Uranus dominant people? I think there is.

As always, data comes from Astrotheme
Astrotheme has a long list of people with Uranus dominant in their natal charts. Many names are unfamiliar to those of us in present-day USA, UK and other English speaking countries. I've picked out a small collection who are well-known to us, and who seem to best represent the flavour of Uranus.

Note From Cafe Astrology.com

"In Astrology, the energies of Uranus are electric and crammed with change. Uranus is forward-looking. It balks at tradition, and celebrates originality and individuality. Uranus is associated with technology, innovation, discovery, and all that is progressive. On the up side, Uranus is associated with enlightenment, progressiveness, objectivity, novelty, and ingenuity. Negative expression of Uranus is rebelliousness without a cause and irresponsibility.

When Uranus is not developed, it reacts; but when natives are truly in tune with its energies, Uranus is highly intuitive. It represents the spark of intuition that spurs invention. We can see Uranus as the intuition that sparks further studies or investigation."

(In addition, Uranus is thought by some to "rule" astrology.)

Individuals named below have between 25% and 20% Uranus in their natal charts, most do not have Sun in Aquarius.

Percy Seymour of whom it has been said "one of the boldest and most exciting scientific thinkers of our time. He is one of a small group of pioneers who have created a revolution...." (Capricorn Sun)

Russell Grant, British astrologer (Aquarius Sun)

Manly Palmer Hall, Canadian, mystic, astrologer and metaphysician (Pisces Sun)

C.E.O. Carter, British astrologer (Aquarius Sun)

Karl Marx scholar, political activist and revolutionary (Taurus Sun)

Newt Gingrich American politician...."In 1995, Time magazine selected him as the Person of the Year for his role in leading the Republican Revolution in the House, ending 40 years of Democratic Party majorities."(Gemini Sun)

Sally Ride - Astronaut, in 1983 she became the first American woman to reach outer space. (Gemini Sun)

Douglas Adams, British author of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" trilogy of five, and other books. (Pisces Sun)

Also:

Tommy Lee Jones (Virgo Sun). Is there any wonder that his "Men in Black" role suited him so well?
And.....
Spike Milligan (Aries Sun)
John Denver (Capricorn Sun)
Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin (Leo Sun).

Ms Clinton & Bible Code

Here's some dubious support for those astrologers who've gone out on a limb to predict that Hillary Clinton will be the USA's next president.

This prediction is based on a so-called Bible Code. The narrator also makes reference to astrology in part of the video.

For information on the bible code, see Wikipedia HERE, and for a skeptical version Skeptics Dictionary HERE.

On this particular subject, I'm skeptical. I suspect that it would be possible to find whatever one decided to look for. If I had the necessary software, and looked for long enough, I'm confident I'd find a few references to John Edwards and the White House, not to mention Barack Obama and all the other hopefuls. Neverthless, it's interesting to hear what the researcher/narrator has to say.

I had intended to embed the video here, but as it appears to start automatically, without prompting, it's wiser to provide a direct link to the presentation:

Who will win the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election? Using the King James version English Bible Code and Astrology

Also a link to what seems to be the text of the presentation.


An example of the code. (Words visible here include: Hillary, senate, white house, two thousand eight, house of she.)



PS:
For a brief, down to earth assessment of the three leading candidates on the Democrat side (sans Bible Code, sans astrology), I recommend Hank Edson's recent article "The Survivor, The Meteor and The Champion".

Signs signing off

After a few serious blogs this week, I'm ready for something lighter. An article "Modern Manners: How to end your E-mails" by Samara O-Shea, presented me with an idea. Her article begins:

"There's just something about the sign-off. The absence of an e-mail closing, even if it's from someone you know well, makes the message seem cold and abrupt. A thoughtful ending, however, whether it's polite and professional or a clever conclusion from a friend, can verify the tone of the e-mail and set the stage for future correspondence. Letitia Baldrige, the manners expert, told the New York Times that sign-offs are especially important because, "We need grace in our lives, and I'm not talking about heavenly grace. I'm talking about human grace. We should try and be warm and friendly.""

Mercury is the planet most involved in communication, so the sign in which it's found in our natal charts may indicate how we'd be most inclined to end e-mails to friends and/or lovers. A few thoughts off the top of my head:

Mercury in Aries: Yours in haste, catch you later,

Mercury in Taurus: With much love,

Mercury in Gemini: More chat soon, stay tuned,

Mercury in Cancer: Cuddles, kisses and lots of love,

Mercury in Leo: Signing off with a warm embrace,

Mercury in Virgo: Yours,

Mercury in Libra: Thinking of you with affection,

Mercury in Scorpio: Always be mine alone, as I am yours,

Mercury in Sagittarius: Huge warm hugs,

Mercury in Capricorn: Sending love,

Mercury in Aquarius: Love and peace,

Mercury in Pisces: Wrapping you in tender wishes.


Back in the days when HWK (the husband) and I used to correspond by e-mail, his usual way of signing off was (he has Mercury conjunct Saturn in Pisces) : "Yerbasicfred". Saturn has a lot to answer for!

Me? Natal Mercury in Capricorn: I use variations of a non-frilly yet informative ending, it's often "Sending love".

Hopes that didn't float

One year ago I was writing about my hope that Al Gore would run in the presidential election, and looking eagerly for signs in his astrology. ("Al Gore, his transits, our chance?") That hope sank, gradually, and without trace. I was bitterly disappointed in my hero, in spite of opinions that "he can do more for the environment outside of politics".

As hopes of Gore's entry into the presidential race faded, I pinned hope on Dennis Kucinich gaining popular support. I've written several blog entries about him and his astrology (linked via the Label Cloud in the sidebar). His policies are truly what the nation needs, many can see this, but few have had the confidence to give him their support. Another hope sinking fast. He is now routinely excluded from debate in spite of fighting against his exclusion.

My third hope, John Edwards, has a reasonable level of support from the people, but little or none from the mainstream media, whose bosses, the corporations, fear his policies. There's still time for his campaign to gain strength, time for the people of the USA to see the light, to see past what they are being force fed by the media. If change is what they truly crave, then I believe Edwards is the best one to bring it about. Others may speak of it, they may have good intentions, but I doubt they'd fight as hard and fearlessly for it as I believe Edwards would.

If my third hope fails to float, wishes must once again be modified, and I'll be prepared to hope that whichever of the three current "front-runner" Democrat candidates wins the nomination, also wins the presidential election in November. Any one of them would be an enormous improvement on what the USA has had for the past seven years.

"We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope."(Martin Luther King Jr.)

My last political hope, albeit a forlorn one, is that I'll achieve citizenship in time to register and vote in the November election. Senator Schumer's plan for speeding up the processing of applications by re-appointing retirees to assist (mentioned here) has been approved. There's an outside chance that my last hope may float.

In my re-located chart, the 11th house of hopes and wishes is occupied by Mercury in Capricorn - and it's beginning to look as though writing (Mercury) about them may be the best outcome I can expect !

"Come what may, I am bound to think that all things are ordered for the best; though when the good is a furlong off, and we with our beetle eyes can only see three inches, it takes some confidence in general principles to pull us through".(Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Lord Longford - The Perils of Neptune ?

The Golden Globe Awards whizzed past on Sunday evening's TV, barely pausing to draw breath! Thanks to the writers' strike here in the USA the usual glitz, glamour and sappy acceptance speeches were missing - no bad thing in my opinion!

Among the nominations, with its leading actor winning an award, was a TV film, "Longford". I was curious to see it, and luckily found a used copy of the DVD in our local video store yesterday.

I clearly remembered the brouhaha in the UK press at the time when Lord Longford campaigned for the parole of Myra Hindley, an infamous child murderer involved in the killing of five young innocents. He was a regular prison visitor, and champion for all those he saw as outcasts of society. This film provides fascinating insight, especially for someone with an interest in astrology.

Lord Longford, because of his aristocratic title was entitled to take part in The House of Lords - one half of Britain's parliament. An archaic relic of times past, and one which in my opinion should be abolished. But that's another story.

Here's a 12 noon chart for the date of birth of Francis Pakenham, 7th Earl of Longford, "Lord Longford". Confirmation of his exact place of birth eluded me, I've guessed London, it's unlikely to be far off mark - Britain is not vast in size like the USA.



Lord Longford could almost be termed a "Saturn hybrid", but natal Sun lies in Sagittarius. Mercury and Uranus are in Capricorn, Mars and Saturn in Aquarius. Uranus, modern ruler of Aquarius in Capricorn, and Saturn ruler of Capricorn in Aquarius - is that mutual reception ? Well, kind of, but Saturn was also traditional ruler of Aquarius. I suspect this mixture added emphasis to Aquarian and Capricorn traits in his nature.

(I love this almost textbook description of Aquarius, from an obituary in The Independent)
"Lord Longford was the kind of figure who gives British eccentricity a good name. As a supporter of worthy and batty causes in equal measure, he was unashamed to invite ridicule and hostility in order to pursue his chosen goals of social reform.
Lord Longford had a merry disregard for what others would make of him – an essential quality in anyone who wishes to change things against the grain of opinion. In an age when so many politicians strive to project normality and consensus as the highest virtues, we will come to miss those who, whether we agree with them or not, defend their beliefs with vigour and defiance."

The mix of Sagittarius, Capricorn and Aquarius describes very well his connection with law, politics, religion (he was a devout Roman Catholic) and social reform. He was no saint, but he was certainly a good example of how the rigidity and structure of law can be, at the same time, respected and opposed. Lord Longford might have been a good example of a Saturn hybrid were it not for a thick Neptunian mist, proving how, in pursuit of the highest principles of Christianity, one can fall victim to delusion.

There's a Yod formation in his natal chart, linking a sextile between Sun in Sagittarius and Mars in Aquarius, via inconjunct aspects forming an arrow point at Neptune in Cancer, so chanelling the energy of the two sextiled planets and signs through the swirling mists of of Neptune in sensitive Cancer.

There is certainly a very Neptunian feel to his history. Without a time of birth it's impossible to know whether natal Moon lay in Aries or Pisces, or which sign was rising as he came into the world. I'd bet that Pisces (ruled by Neptune) figures in the picture somewhere.

(From BBC News)
"Soon after the outbreak of World War II he was invalided out of the army through illness. He suffered a nervous breakdown at the feeling of humiliation he felt and he said the experience left him with a deep compassion for the underdog.
He decided to contribute to the nation's future through government instead
He worked with Lord Beveridge, during the war, in his researches on social security - the ensuing Beveridge Report laid the foundations of the post-war welfare state."
I think this supports Moon in Pisces, rather than Aries, also more evidence that Capricorn/Sagittarius/Aquarius were well to the fore in his character: work for legislation leading to social reform.

The opposition, between Venus in sexy Scorpio and Jupiter in more staid Taurus, could be said to symbolise his campaign against pornography, which some commentators said was hypocritical.

Two quotes from an excellent article in The Guardian The first could link to his Venus/Jupiter opposition and, with regard to Myra Hindley, self delusion stemming from Neptune lying at the arrow point of that Yod.

"Though conducted simultaneously, the two crusades that made Frank Longford, who has died aged 95, a household name in Britain were an odd combination. The first, launched in the early 1970s, aimed to outlaw pornography and presented him as a prurient reactionary and a shameless hypocrite touring the sex clubs that he wanted to close down. The second, which continued for the last three decades of his life, attempted to win parole for the moors murderess, Myra Hindley. Here Longford was at his most liberal, Christian and naive, building on a lifetime of interest in prison reform, to argue that Hindley, and indeed all offenders, could be rehabilitated if society was prepared to forgive."

And the following could be said, perhaps, to support Moon being in Aries (regarding his mother):

"In Elizabeth Harman, whom he married in 1931, Longford found the emotional warmth and love denied him as a child by a difficult, and often cruel, mother. Made painfully aware of his insignificance in her eyes next to his elder brother, he only recovered a sense of self-esteem while at Oxford. At a summer ball, he was asleep on a couch when spotted by Elizabeth, one of the most beautiful and sought- after undergraduates of her generation."


Lord Longford died, age 95, in 2001. Amazingly, he continued prison-visiting up to the time of his death.

The small image is a portrait of Lord Longford and his wife from the National Portrait Gallery.

Three Talking Heads and their Planets

Watching TV coverage of the New Hampshire primary election last week, I couldn't help but notice the difference in approach between commentators engaged in analysis. We had Chris Matthews, Tom Brokaw, Keith Olbermann, and several others, bombarding us with their views. Differences in approach, of the three named, came over very clearly. Let's see how their astrology shapes up.

Time of birth for just one of the three is available (via Astrotheme)other charts are set up for 12 noon.

Chris Matthews 17 December 1945, Philadelphi, PA



Chris Matthews' Sun, Mercury and Venus are all in outspoken, mutable sign Sagittarius, Uranus (and quite possibly Moon) in mutable, communicative Gemini opposes the three Sagittarius planets, producing some dynamic energy between chatty, mentally driven Gemini and exaggeratedly outspoken Saggitarius, which may manifest in some rather memorable, but not necessarily reliable commentary. Mars in Leo trines Mercury in Sagittarius, possibly an argumentative trait there? Polarity is very heavily weighted to positive, and there are no "grounding" planets in Earth signs. It's a pity I can't find a birth time, I'd guess at a Water sign rising - Pisces ? Chris tends to jabber and waffle, unlike the other two commentators whose style is more deliberate and incisive.

Tom Brokaw 6 February 1950, Webster, South Dakota @ 3.40am



Tom Brokaw - Sun and Mercury in Aquarius, Moon in Capricorn - one of those "Saturn hybrids" I mentioned HERE. But Mr Brokaw is a Saturn Hybrid with a good dollop of Aries in his nature with Jupiter, Mars and Saturn all in that sign, and Jupiter just 2 degrees from the IC (angle opposite midheaven - the nadir). If Astrotheme has the correct time of birth, Mr Brokaw had Sagittarius rising, Sagittarius is Jupiter's rulership, so with Jupiter's added strength, being on an angle, and with its ruling sign rising, it gives Mr Brokaw some of the same qualities as Chris Matthews. However, in Brokaw's chart there's a grounding Grand Trine in Earth signs, linking Moon/Neptune/Uranus. Tom Brokaw comes over as a solid and reliable individual - careful, steady and grounded. He'd be much less likely than Chris Matthews to veer wildly off point. Both have a certain warmth about them, however. Mr. Brokaw's Sun is square its modern ruler Uranus. I think this aspect modifies the more revolutionary and rebellious traits of Aquarius, calming them down to a more reasoned, well-argued approach. (Coincidentally, I have an Earth Grand Trine, and Uranus square Aquarius Sun, so hope I've interpreted these factors objectively.)


Keith Olberman 27 January 1959, New York City, NY. (Hmmmm - same birthday as me - different year though).



Keith Olbermann's chart has been interpreted recently by professional astrologer Lynn Hayes HERE
I'll concentrate only on comparison with the others, but mention that he is another Saturn Hybrid, like Tom Brokaw, with personal planets in both Aquarius and Capricorn. The Grand Cross formation in his chart which links the fixed signs - Mars in Taurus, Venus in Aquarius, Jupiter in Scorpio and Uranus in Leo seems highly significant. Astrologers see this formation as indicating a constant state of tension and challenge - it's certainly not a relaxed and harmonious indication as is the Grand Trine in Tom Brokaw's chart. Neither does Keith have the warm Sagittarian element found in the charts of the other two commentators. Whenever I've seen Keith Olbermann on TV or video he has looked and sounded very angry, and quite cold (rightly so, considering the subject matter - often President G.W. Bush's adminstration). Perhaps the Grand Cross fuels these passionate diatribes, especially as Mars is involved.

So, these are three very different characters, doing similar work. I honestly wasn't aware when I started preparing this post that two of the three individuals I'd chosen were Aquarians, with a few similarities to my own natal chart. I'm conscious that all three lean left, towards the Democrats, but can't bring myself to watch right-leaning pundits for long enough to get a useful impression. Any bias on my part is admitted, and inevitable.