News of the World - A Mars Cycle

Minderwiz

Here in the UK, the lead story this week has been on the phone hacking scandal, focussing on the News of the World - one of the oldest Sunday Newspapers in the World, but renowned for it's focus on sex, scandal and celebrities.

The phone hacking scandal began in 2006 and led to the conviction and imprisonment of 2 NOW journalists. Much focused on how much the editor, Andy Coulson knew. He denied any knowledge and after the police investigation and convictions it seemed that the claim that 2 rogue journalists were all that were involved the story died down. However the Guardian newspaper kept plugging on, together with some celebs and politicians who claimed that there phones had also been hacked. Coulson resigned, as editor taking the blame but claiming innocence of any involvement. He went on to be employed by David Cameron, then leader of the opposition.

In July 2009 the Guardian ran a story claiming that Coulson actually sanctioned payments to some of the victims to buy their silence. This story dogged Coulson even when he became Director of Communications when Cameron became Prime Minister. As more and more information dripped out and Coulson became more and more associated with the hacking, he eventually resigned in January of this year.

On July 4th (last Monday) the Guardian ran a story alleging that not only were police investigating the hacking of celebs and politicians, but were also investigating the hacking of the phone of Milly Dowler, a teenager who went missing and then was found murdered. The hacking of her phone gave the parents false hope that she was alive, as it involved deleting some of her messages. That started the explosion that eventually led to the announcement of the closure of the NOW, yesterday.

There are many side issues, including police corruption (allegations that the NOW paid police officers for information), a possible corrupt police investigation which had hidden evidence of the NOW criminal activity and the relationship of politicians to the Murdoch press.

This is quite a complex situation but I've cast charts for the 2009 articles by the Guardian, the Milly Dowler story from this week and the announcement of the closure of the NOW.

I've attached charts for the key events.

In the next post I'll say how I see these charts - I'd love comments, as this is a continuing to grow and there are other possible events that might well be worth a chart
 

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214red

Yes very interesting because the tapping issue has been around for years, am curious about the mundane astrology that brought it to the front pages again, and made it bigger and get more headway
 

Minderwiz

Some comments on the charts

The thing that stikes me in these three is that ALL of them have a Scorpio Ascendant, and are therefore ruled by Mars (those of you who are Pluto affecianados are very welcome to see how Pluto and the other outers affect the reading)

The Guardian first story chart has 29 40 Scorpio rising. I take the Ascendant and its ruler to signify both Coulson and the NOW, as they seem to be inextricably intertwined but any one wishing to separate them I'd love any opinions,

The Guardian Milly story has 25 46 Scorpio rising and the NOW closure has 29 31 Scorpio rising - virtually exactly the same as the degree of the story which started it's eventual demise.

In all three cases Mars is angular in the seventh or conjunct the Descendant.

I'm taking the Guardian (and the other complainants against the NOW) as signified by the seventh - the open enemy - as effectively the Guardian declared war on Coulson and the NOW.

In a contest or battle chart, Frawley says that one significator on the cusp of the other's house shows some control over the situation, inside the other's house it shows that the person, organisation or side, being signified is under the control of it's enemy.

In the first chart Mars, although essentially debilitated lies just outside the 7th cusp. Venus significator of the Guardian is in the seventh but in Gemini. It's essentially stronger but should be in a weaker position than Coulson and the NOW in terms or the 'fight' Venus in Gemini is ruled by Mercury - Lord 8 and Lord 10. As Lord 8 Mercury represents the potential 'death' of the NOW and Coulson and as Lord 10 it signifies the government and political system.

However Mercury is combust and itself in the eighth. Combustion basically means that the planet will not be seen nor will it 'see'. The Guardian story is unlikely to bring down the NOW or Coulson, the Government will not take sufficient notice (though eventually a second police investigation was started)

In the 'Milly' chart the same basic configuration is there (rather chillingly) but this time Mars (NOW/Coulson) is within the 7th - it is in the control of its enemies. Venus (the enemies) is stronger than in the chart for the first story. Mercury (the Government) is now free from combustion and is on the cusp of the ninth house of knowledge and understanding - the Government and Parliament are able to see the truth. What is more Mars is ruled by Mercury, and therefore the Government and political system are in a strong position relative to events. However understanding will not be immediate, Mercury is also Lord 8 - Death - and this chart offers the first possibility of the end of the NOW and Mars is also in an applying trine to Saturn, the natural ruler of death, in exaltation in Libra. The Guardian and the victims of phone hacking (or at least those actively campaigning against the NOW, are signified by Venus. Venus this time, although badly placed in the eighth, has more essential dignity than in the first chart includingsignificant mutual receptions (RulerExaltation and Triplicity/Exaltation) with Jupiter which rules the fourth House - the end of the matter. Venus is beginning to sextile Jupiter - the enemies are closing in towards a final conclusion.

Finally in the Closure chart Mars is still in the seventh, and the trine from Saturn has perfected - it's likely that the decision to close was actually taken (at least in principle) the day before. As well as the Saturn trine, the Moon, which has some rulership in the eighth (Cancer intercepted) is in an applying conjunction to Saturn adding her weight and speed to the closure decision. Venus is now by far the strongest planet in the chart and although still in the eighth, has an additional mutual reception by rulership with the Moon. Death for the NOW is a friend of its open enemies.

Interestingly the Ascendant for both the Guardian originally story and the NOW closure are conjunct the star Toliman - learning the lessons of life.

Edited to add

I ended up having to rewrite the last third when my computer went down during editing. so those earlier readers may now notice some changes.

The sources for the three charts are as follows:

Original Guardian story - time and date taken from its first appearance on their website
Milly story - time and date taken from first appearance on the Guardian website
NOW closure - taken from the Guardian News Blog, at the time it was first confirmed (rather than rumoured).

Apologies if the rewrite (done in haste) does not scan as well as the previous version
 

Minderwiz

Rebekah Brooks Resigns

Things have clearly been happening almost on an hour by hour basis over the last 10 days but today's resignation of Rebekah Brooks, the CEO of News Internatioal, looks like being one of the great events of this news story.

I cast the chart for the moment that her resignation began to filter out, at 09:55 this morning (reported on the Guardian News Blog).

The chart has Virgo rising (Brooks is signified by Mercury) and Mercury also rules the MC through Gemini - we're dealing with a communications and media business here. so that is very apt. Mercury has some essential dignity but is it illusory? Mercury's dignity comes from two weak Mutual receptions, with Venus through Terms and with Jupiter through Face - perhaps an indicator of the good fortune which has kept her in her job over the last week. But Jupiter has in some ways turned against her - it's now Lord 7 the ruler of her open enemies, as well as her business partners.

Mercury also rules the twelfth House which is often seen as the House of self undoing, and she herself could be said to be responsible for her current situation. Mercury is in the eleventh House - not a bad position but it's also the house of the King's advisors and servants - and she is the focus of a Parliamentary Committee hearing and her organisation is the focus of a police investigation.

Mars again is angular in this chart being near the MC and is also Lord 8 (the house of Death). But not only is Mars near the MC, so is Cauda Draconis (which is conjunct the MC) and usually seen as very unfortunate and in turn the South Node is conjunct the star Bellatrix, a name familiar to Harry Potter fans but seen by Bernadette Brady as symbolising success through the shadow - phone hacking is a very shadowy activity.

There is an argument that the South Node might be good when significant in charts to do with endings, but the question here is, is it good for News International or good for Rebekah Brooks.

Jupiter rules the other two angles, her family and her partners and open enemies. An odd choice of rulerships but in the past Brooks has been referred to as the 'fifth child' of Rupert Murdoch and there certainly seems to have been a familial relationship between them and also between Brooks and James Murdoch. However there are some claims that Murdoch's younger daughter has been very disparaging recently about Brooks' conduct of NI - I can't quote her due to forum rules but you will find the quote on the Guardian News Blog and elsewhere. Also a partner (major shareholder in NewsCorp) has said she should resign. The chart clearly shows her Part of Fortune (what befalls her) on the Descendant and ruled by Jupiter but even worse her Part of Spirit (what she can control through her own endeavours) is also ruled by Jupiter. Her freedom of action is in the hands of her enemies.

Why now? The answer seems to lie in the sextile between Mars and Mercury. It is only just beginning to separate, indicating that the decision was taken within the preceeding 24 hours - I would guess from the separation, about the time the summons was issued on the Murdochs to attend the Culture Media and Sport Committee hearing. If Lord 8 was looking kindly on her, that kindness is likely to be withdrawn, unless she is seen as the sacraficial lamb to public anger (Aries on the eighth cusp).
 

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AJ

This is so interesting! I'm surprised people are so surprised this goes on.

I see by the Brooks chart you are using 9:51 as the time.
How are you basing your birth? time.
Thank you.
 

Minderwiz

Hi sorry for the delay in replying:

The resignation is an event, so we should take the time that it happens. The problem with events is actually determining the time (in this case the date and place are easy). I used the time that the resignation was first reported o the Guardian News Blog. I used the Guardian as it's central to this story anyway and whilst the resignation decision was probably taken the previous day, this was the time it entered the public domain.

As she notified staff at News International first, I suppose that the time should be brought forward to the time of the email, though I don't have access to that. As the Guardian reported the editor of the Times (a News International paper) Tweeted the news at 09:57, so my guess is that the 09:55 time is very close to the email time.

She has now been arrested in connection with the illegal phone hacking and the payment of bribes to police officers, - the best timing I have for that is 12:00 London Time, 17th July 2011.

Edited to add:

The arrest time was given by the police as 'around 12 noon' the news broke at 1:11 but the police announcement referred to a 42 year old woman (Brooks is 43). They amended this to Brook's correct age at 1:30 and the confirmation of her identity followed soon after (1:37). The 12:00 time has Libra rising, by the 1:11 incorrect public statement of arrest the Ascendant was 29,55 Libra and by the corrected statement the Ascendant had moved to 3, 15 Scorpio. So by the time Brooks arrest was public knowledge we have another chart with Scorpio rising!
 

AJ

I thought that might be the case in the timing, thank you.
My immediate theory behind the actual arrest was to deflect her from testifying this week. Further reading shows I'm not alone in the thought.

Edited to add: I pulled a card from the deck I'm using this week and got the 2 of Wands; there is more to the story to be revealed.

To insert some humor the companion book says: Wotan, God of all gods paid a hefty and dangerous price to build Valhalla...
 

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Minderwiz

Yes, almost immediately speculation began that the arrest was 'convenient' for both Brooks, (who may not even testify now and will give guarded answers if she does testify) and for the police, who diverted news attention from the Met Police Commissioner and also ensured that Brooks could not testify to any question relating to her previous evidence, that the News of the World paid police officers.

It also casts doubt on any testimony to be given by the Murdochs as they will have a stronger ability to refuse to answer awkward questions on the grounds of not prejudicing continuing police investigations.

Incidentally the Commissioner is due to give evidence himself on Tuesday, to the Home Affairs Committee, so no Brooks testifying to payments to police officers whilst the Commissioner is being grilled.