Recently I watched a documentary on TCM which reminded me just how unusual 1939 was for the US film industry. So many classics were released that year, including “Gone With the Wind”, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “The Wizard of Oz”. Eighty years later now, I wondered why that should have been, so of course as an astrologer, for greater understanding, I reached for the ephemeris.
On Thursday 25 April 2019 former Vice President Joe Biden entered the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. Biden’s Macbeth routine, “letting ‘I dare not’ wait upon ‘I would’,” was wearing thin, and at his announcement Biden joined an already crowded field of some twenty rivals who dove into the political (cess)pool ahead of him. Before officially becoming a candidate, Biden’s name recognition kept him at the top of most polls; now that he’s an actual contender, that may change. Fast.
On Palm Sunday 2019 South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg became the first openly gay candidate for the Democratic nomination for US President, in a speech before more than 6,000 supporters. Known affectionately as “Mayor Pete”, Buttigieg had been turning heads with a $7 million haul for his campaign in the first quarter of 2019, even before making his candidacy official. Third place showings in recent polls of Iowa and New Hampshire, as well as several attention-grabbing interviews and speeches, mark him as a potential force to be reckoned with in the Democratic Primary contests.
Beto O’Rourke officially announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president on March 14th, in a taped announcement that was aired online and in several media outlets simultaneously, such as MSNBC. I kinda sorta hate technology at times like these, because it overly complicates matters, astrologically speaking.
Like, where do you cast a chart for an online announcement? I chose El Paso, Texas, since in the 3+ minute statement, O’Rourke specifically invites supporters to join him “here in El Paso” for a kick-off rally on the 30th. The implication is that, whenever it was actually recorded, the filming was done in El Paso, his home base, though since the release time there was 4 AM, and Beto was pressing the flesh in Iowa on the campaign trail a few hours later, I doubt he was in El Paso and awake at the time the statement aired.
On Sunday February 10th 2019, in the midst of a blinding snowstorm, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar announced her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic nomination for President of the United States. The open-air Minneapolis venue quickly had Klobuchar looking something like the Adorable Snowwoman of the North, but lent force to her argument that she has “grit.” Americans are famous for making 180 degree turns in their successive presidents. Having gone from the first black president in 2008 to an apparent racist in 2016, they may be willing to make a change from the harsh, bullying misogynist Trump to a female “Minnesota Nice” candidate.
When the curtain rings up on the 91st annual Academy Awards in Los Angles on February 24th, there may not be an official host below, but the celestial stage above will be crammed with asteroids representing the nominees, ready and waiting to collect Oscar gold for their performances. A disproportionately large number of Best Picture contenders have good PNA (Personal-Named Asteroids) matches, and a galaxy of mini-stars well reflects their human counterparts vying for Best Actress and Best Actor, lead and supporting.
