index

february

StarScope: Feb 1-8

FORECAST FOR LAGNA/ASCENDANT

ARIES: Ruler Mars is on Lagna now giving independence and focus, good health, leadership and strong purpose in life. With Rahu [in Lagna] be conscious of : too much self seeking and insensitivity to others. Mars on Rahu-Ketu-Axis is not good for partnerships. Can cause all kinds of problems. Venus the 7th lord goes to the 12th house on Tuesday. While she may not bless partnerships, she is excellent for generating good $$$ in import /export or thru other foreign sources. Mercury comes to the 10th house on Tuesday. Nice for positive energy, and success thru sheer hard work on the workplace but being the 6th lord of aggression watch out for enmity/backbiting. The best is Wednesday thru Friday night when the Moon comes her own 4th house to promote creativity and inner joy and caring

TAURUS: Venus on the 10th house giving power and independence, success in career, good sense of purpose in life, switches to the 11th house of big gain, fulfillment on Tuesday. She will be exalted thru 26th midnight. To have the Lagna Lord exalted means a significant good period for any sign. Equally blissful is Mercury coming to the 9th house of fortune on Tuesday to join the 4th lord Sun. Excellent for success in higher learning, parents' fortune , fulfilling long journeys and meeting with evolved foreigners and spiritual teachers. A very nice month except for partnerships

GEMINI: While yogakaraka or most helpful Venus goes from strength to strength or from the fortunate 9th house to her exaltation in the 10th house Pisces on Tuesday, the lagna lord Mercury goes to the most difficult 8th house on the same day. Mercury then exchanges 1/8 houses with Saturn. This is not good for health and investments. But is nice for research and spiritual work. Mercury goes to the 9th house of fortune on the 22nd .The Sun also in the 8th with Mercury can cause stress to siblings and dad and problems with your arms, lungs and reproductive area. Mars is with Rahu on the 11th house where both are expected to give $ and success, but can cause injury to knees and difficulties with kids and/or childbirth. Jupiter supports career from the 3rd house of prowess and reason. All bets, however, are on Venus: for creative expression, fortune, success in studies and with kids Tuesday thru to 26th midnight. Here is what you missed in the Prozac story in our last column: "This strategy [intimidating doctors and patients] was combined with sponsoring ghost-written journal articles that minimized the bad news from drug trials." [Drug companies hire ghost writers to produce eulogies about the effectiveness of certain drugs using the names of prominent doctors/authorities to endorse them. They are paid between US$ 15000-50000 per piece , one ghost writer told the CBC radio a few months back.]

CANCER: All three benefics or helpful planets: Mars, Jupiter and Venus are strongly placed with ruler Moon coming to Lagna around Wednesday sunset. Venus breaks free from the 8th house [which we have least control of] and heads for exaltation in the 9th house of fortune on Tuesday thru to 26th. Venus as the 4th lord in the 9th gives fortune [to parents as well] success in higher learning, productive long journeys, blessings from gurus and as the 11th lord: mega bucks.

LEO: Ruler Sun gives strong sense of service and strength to successfully deal with enemies /opposition. Mercury joining the Sun on Tuesday can gear up the inflow of $$$ thru career but the flipside side losses to health problems or disputes. This urges you to be more conscious as Mercury exchanges 6/11 houses with Saturn thru to 22nd. Watch Venus too Feb 3-29 on the 8th house. Excellent for research and investigation but can cause enmity, lack of visibility and poor self promotion. On the plus side you have Jupiter in Lagna and Mars on the 9th house of fortune. Yet it pays to be cool. Note that Jupiter also owns the 8th house and Mars is also with Rahu. Be more sensitive to Dad and kids

VIRGO: Except for partnerships and health [reproductive area, chronic problems. Continuing from last column, next time you eat Kellogg's Raisin Bran, note that its raisins are coated with hydrogenated vegetable shortening, another name for trans fats] you will enjoy success on the work place, meet soul mates, fortunate journeys, success in learning, refined emotions and creativity in the first 3 weeks of February. Nice week for $$$ as the Moon passes 9/10/11 houses. The 2nd half looks better.

LIBRA: Ruler Venus goes to the 6th house of exaltation [see Aries down] and Mercury joins the Sun in the 4th house on Tuesday. The Sun and Mercury are very nice for major gain, real estate, vehicles/machinery deals, and for outstanding success in academic programs. Venus gives power to overcome obstacles, and extraordinary skills in healing, stealth, investigation, unexpected wealth. Stay away from gossip, scandals and intrigues.. For career, a very nice week as the Moon passes 9/10/11 houses of fortune and power. PS to the last column: Now doctors and other health care professionals are recommending meditation as a way to treat a variety of ills, from depression to high blood pressure and hyperactivity. Sometimes called "Relaxation Techniques" meditation is prescribed when other treatments, such as prescription drugs, haven't worked or as a complement to drug therapy. Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard U professor and the author of a pioneering work The Relaxation Response, [first published 25 years ago] has shown how 10 minutes of meditative technique a day could increase concentration and counteract the harmful effects of stress.

SCORPIO: Jupiter in the 10th, Sun in the 3rd, Venus in the 4th and Mercury in 2nd are nice for glory in career, excellent cognitive and writing skills, prestige and $$$. Venus goes to the 5th house and Mercury to the 3rd to join the Sun on Tuesday. Taken together the month of February is nice for affairs of the heart, sports and entertainment, investment, communication, music and arts. And don't worry if you got no musical skills. As Dr. Mandelbaum [in John le Carre's latest and the 19th novel] says "Mr. Mundy, music is not your refuge. Maybe later, when you have experienced the emotions that music describes, it will become a refuge for you. But we cannot be sure. So maybe better for now you take refuge in language. To possess another language Charlemagne tells us, is to possess another soul"

SAGITTARIUS: The Sun and Mercury meet again in the 2nd house to crank up fortune and power. Very nice for $$$, inspiring others [with very creative and persuasive expression] higher learning, help from father, and prosperity of the family. Venus [see Aries down] too can help earn more money thru real estate and auto deals, hotels, transportation, food and beverage or family ventures. Note the downside of Venus, Mars and Rahu: Problems with vehicles and buildings, romance and passion and with kids

CAPRICORN: The Sun in Lagna and Mars with Rahu in the 4th can cause aggressive emotions and a feeling of loneliness or restricted but when Mercury joins the Sun on Tuesday helps spiritual expansion and profound knowledge. Venus exalted [see Aries down] is great for reaching goals, creative work, success of siblings and efforts for welfare of children.. What stands out is expansion of the spiritual base. And a chance to earn unexpected wealth

AQUARIUS: Yoga Karaka Venus to the 2nd house on Tuesday [see Aries down] is all about personal appeal and beauty, sweet speech and great fortune. The Sun, Mercury , Saturn and Jupiter look after your spiritual side and can give sudden unexpected glory, and fortune thru a foreign source or in a foreign land. Mars and Rahu on the 3rd house generate awesome energy and determination to succeed. Take care not to hurt yourself and be cool with younger siblings

PISCES: Mercury switches to the 11th house on Tuesday and Venus comes to Lagna [See Aries down] Give more earning capacity and ability to expand assets, help win many new friends and inspire many others thru sweet and persuasive speech and personal appeal. Excellent for those into music and arts, happiness in the family and success in learning. Mercury too can help more financial gain and clinch significant [business/professional] deals. Watch out when you drive/travel as Mercury and the Sun [4/6 house lords] can also cause hurt in the 11th house

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

StarScope: Feb 8-15

FORECAST FOR LAGNA/ASCENDANT

ARIES: The week begins well with Moon and Jupiter together on the 5th house: for fortune, wealth, happiness, creativity. The Sun goes to the 11th house on Friday and connects with Jupiter. This is excellent for material gain with positive support from family, kids, older siblings, partner/spouse and dad. Investment bring good dividends, and gain thru sports, entertainment and hobbies. Plenty of opportunities. For spiritual expansion as well. The downside is the tendency to beat about the bush, to hedge, to be vague like the saying "WMD- related program activities"

TAURUS: On Friday around 13:11 the Sun comes to your 10th house. With Venus exalted in the 11th house of big gain, opportunities and fulfillment, and Mercury on the 9th house of fortune, the Sun can now propel your career to the shining path. Those in academia, tuition shops, real estate, transport, hospitality, vehicles and machinery trades are specially favoured. Help from government agencies and highly placed persons. With Mars on the Rahu- Ketu-Axis along 6/12 houses try best to be above board in whatever you do. You may not be lucky as Blair. Like Sir Malcolm Rifkind, a former foreign secretary said "But don't forget that Hutton did not deal with the far more important question that the country has been grappling with: should we have gone to war in the first place and should the agencies be used for this purpose?"

GEMINI: The Sun comes to your 9th house on Friday. That's lots of power to your elbows, success in teaching, publishing, advertising, sales/marketing. Opportunities for long journeys/adventures, good guidance by gurus, luck plus hard work leading to outstanding success. The Sun loves independence, but it pays to be attentive to detail. It was honourable for Gavyn Davies, BBC Chairman, to resign over the Hutton Report. "The governors and executive of the BBC are put there to serve the British public and no one else" Mr: Davies said in his resignation statement.

CANCER: All three benefics or helpful planets: Mars, Jupiter and Venus are strongly placed, we said last week, and they still are for fortune, $$$, and shine in career. The Sun comes to the 8th house on Friday for a month. On the plus side the Sun can generate more earnings for the healing trades. Also unexpected gain like inheritance, gifts, insurance, funding, alimonies. The downside is financial problems with partner, tensions with family members, problems with speech, ENT, eyes, teeth, food, alcohol and other substance abuse. With Rahu too on the 10th house be very attentive [see Gemini] or may have to apologize like the Trail [Britain's best selling hiking magazine] after its latest issue contained a route that would lead climbers off the edge of a cliff on Britain's tallest peak.. During the editing process, a crucial bearing was omitted from the directions for getting down from Ben Nevis!

LEO: The Sun comes to the 7th house on Friday to connect with Jupiter in Lagna. With Mars the 9th lord sitting strong in his own Moola Trikona/next best to exaltation, this is nice for fortune, power and success on the work place. Note the Mrityu Bhaga/MB transit of the Sun in Aquarius: Feb 16-17. With Venus on the 8th house [excellent for research and unexpected gain], downside [of Venus] can manifest when Sun on MB 16-17: like covert jealousy. These can surface again Feb 26-29 when Venus hits MB and GD/Gandantha in Pisces. The best of the Sun is his Pushkara Navmasa/PN transits Mar 1-4 and again Mar 7-11

VIRGO: The week begins with full of charm and romance with the Moon in Lagna connecting with exalted Venus, your lord of $$$ and fortune on the 7th house. Jupiter will bring bliss in partnerships, inner joy and fortune, and help expand assets [real estate, education, vehicles] when he gets to Lagna in August. Those seeking to build relationships will be helped by Jupiter to some extent in his retrogression Feb 5-Mar 4, that is on the theory that a retro-planet is effective from the previous sign which is the 11th house in your case. Here Jupiter blesses the Kama Trine and also inner joy, learning and happiness at home, and benefits thru real estate and vehicle deals

LIBRA: The Sun comes to the 5th house and connects with Jupiter along 5/11 axis. Note the Sun and Venus MB/PN transits from Leo above. Those seeking kids will be specially helped as the 5th lord of children and your most helpful Saturn is on the 9th house [the alternate house of kids] and aspecting the 5th house in retro thru to Mar 7. The next best period for child birth is Apr 28- Jun 14 when Mars joins Saturn on the 9th house. The MB of Mars in Gemini will be discussed later [as we go along] The Sun is nice for fortune, power and also passion. Go easy on romance as Mars is with Rahu on the 7th house thru to Mar 12, Mars in 8th house Mar 12-Apr 28 isn't good for partnerships either.

SCORPIO: So the Sun comes to your 4th house [prestige, throne, parliament, masses] and connects with Jupiter on the 10th on Friday for a month. This is the "upward mobility" of the Sun, therefore, in your career and public life. Meaning the Sun is heading for exaltation in Aries in April. Before that, he goes to the 5th house [dignity, fortune. high status] on Mar 14. The beauty here is the mutual exchange of 5/10 houses by Jupiter and the Sun. Sorry, I hit the FF button again, but all in good faith. Expect some more glory, period. Couple of times I have briefly discussed the chart of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche here. Here is a another very famous Scorpio. The man widely read next to the Bible around the world [unfortunately not in Sri Lanka] and according the New York Times, the greatest living intellectual Prof Avram Noam Chomsky. He's got four planets sitting in his CPU or Lagna: the Sun, Mercury, Saturn and Ketu. Venus in 3, Jupiter in 6th, Mars in 8th and the Moon the 9th lord in the 12th. This guy is very spiritual too, no wonder.

SAGITTARIUS: This Friday the Sun comes to your 3rd house. This is nice for great positive energy needed for valor/prowess, success in communication, fortune and long travel. Lagna Lord and and the Sun connect which is even better. Any connection of 1/9 lords bring fortune. Mars/Rahu in the 5th house [downside here is passion and addiction. Note that 48,000 deaths last year in Canada's population of 30 million, were directly linked to tobacco smoking] , Venus on 4 [note Venus MB/GD from Leo for hurt/accidents] Saturn in 7 and Mercury in 2nd. Most planets well placed. On Feb 22 Mercury and Sun meet again and connect with Jupiter, all very nice for fortune and glory

CAPRICORN: The Sun comes to your 2nd house on Friday for a month . In Lagna he can cause aggression and all kinds of headaches. The Moon passes the 9/10/11 houses this week helping fortune thru partnerships in the first part of the week and, glory on the workplace in the 2nd half. The Sun in the 2nd house is also nice for unexpected gain, expanding your knowledge of health and well being, research, investigations and espionage/intelligence. Speaking of intelligence, note what David Kay said " we were almost all wrong" about Iraqi WMD. Last week we quoted a line or two from John Le Carre' latest novel Absolute Friends. As I write [Feb 3] Tony Blair is to bow to growing pressure and call an inquiry into apparent intelligence failings over Iraqi weapons after US has agreed to its own probe.

AQUARIUS: The Sun's arrival at your Lagna on Friday for a month [see Aries down] helps relationships and partnerships, fortune and long travel. Foe fortune, however, Venus exalted in the 2nd is your best bet. Mercury is nice for spiritual activities and may cause additional expenditure on children's education. Most planets are well placed. Mercury will also join the Sun on the 22nd. More of this good thing as we go along. Note Sun and Venus MB/GD as these can cause health challenges to mom and dad.

PISCES: The Sun coming to your 12th house is said to give new insights to work and service. Chance to earn job opportunities away from home/in foreign lands. The downside is losses, penalties/running into debts and conflicts with co-workers. Problems with dishonest workers. Unexpected medical bills. Note his fortunate PN and also challenging MB days from Leo above. As the Sun is heading for Lagna in a month and he could cause more aggression in you and health problems. Cultivate cool

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FORECAST FOR LAGNA/ASCENDANT

ARIES: If you are an Arian Quirkyalone ["someone who prefers to wait for the right person to come along"] and which is not about "terminal singleness" or singletons being the "new normal" in the West today, you are likely to meet your soul mate when Venus gets to Lagna on Feb 29-Mar 28. The Moon to the 9th house tonight and you have a nice work week with Moon passing 9/10 houses. Mon-Tue is all about fortune and feeling wholesome, parents bringing luck, fine emotions stimulated by higher forms of knowledge. Wed and Thu is for shine in career. Weekend nice for buying real estate, vehicles, or self-promotion

TAURUS: The Sun, strong on the 10th house can now propel your career to the shining path, I said last week. The 2nd half of the week is much better with Moon passing 9/10 houses [See Aries] We talked about being above board last week. Note these lines from Henry Porter's [a leading British writer and journalist specialising in intelligence affairs] piece in The Observer, London. Feb 1. " His [Hutton's] inquiry was unconsciously skewed in favour of the government..." It is astonishing that Hutton refuses to draw conclusions which are staring him and us in the face" "Compared to the invasion of a sovereign territory [Iraq] on flawed intelligence, they [the omissions of the BBC] are minor"

GEMINI: Venus exalted in the 10th house is the best that helps your career, fortune and creativity thru to 26th. The 28th degree in Pisces is her MB/Mrityu Bhaga and the last Navamsa 26:40-30:00 is GD or Gandantha. That is after 26th. The Sun is nice for fruitful journeys. Mercury is still stuck in the 8th [exchanging 1/8 houses with Saturn] urges you to look after your health and be very cool. Mercury is nice for research though and can cause some unexpected gain. Creativity is fine but watch your health. Janet Frame, New Zealand's best known writer who died recently at 79 was still a patient at Seacliff Hospital when her first book: The Lagoon and other stories was published in 1952. It won New Zealand's only literary award, which led the hospital superintendent to cancel a scheduled leucotomy, an operation that might have left Janet in a vegetative state. She was unlucky to miss the Nobel Prize, having been on the short list several times

CANCER: All three helpful planets: Mars, Jupiter and Venus are strongly placed, we said the last two weeks, and they still are for fortune, $$$, and shine in career. Mercury/Saturn exchange can give unexpected journeys but may not be great for partnerships thru to Feb 29. Yet Saturn can give sudden elevation of status. Most planets are on the Dharma/Moksha houses. Wondering how non-Christians will react to Mel Gibson's film The Passion of Christ [to be released on Apr 25] which is blessed by the Pope and, under attack from Jewish leaders in US. Some in Sri Lanka are sure to call it "biascope" and, cinema halls which play the movie may have to hire fire trucks on the side. See Leo

LEO: Note the downside of the Sun on Mrityu Bhaga/MB on 16-17 : like covert jealousy. These can surface again Feb 26-29 when Venus hits MB and GD/Gandantha in Pisces. Also Mercury's MB in Capricorn: Feb 17th 19:32- Feb 18th 03:35. These two on MB [Sun and Mercury] can cause hurt and sickness as Lagna, 6,7,11 houses are involved. Jupiter is on fortunate PushKara Navamsa. He can help your aesthetic and creative skills. Interesting to see how Mel Gibson's film [see Cancer] does in France which has banned [Jewish and Muslim] headscarves in schools. Here's a line or two from a US reader Catherine Moody of LA writing to the British Guardian Weekly Feb 5-11 "Isn't it better to allow children to learn that a female with a scarf is simply another human being while they are in school rather than sometime afterwards? One would think a few scarves threatened the fabric of French society?"

VIRGO: For the dirty game of politics, and for Samma Ajeevas alike, you can bet on Saturn on the 10th house to take you thru especially after Feb 22, if the natal Moon was in your Leo, , Sagittarius, Aquarius or Aries, or Jupiter aspects the 10th house from your natal Moon and Dashas, AshtakaVargas supporting in your chart. Venus exalted, Mercury in 5th and Sun in 6th are all very nice. Lesser mortals seeking foreign jobs are blessed as well

LIBRA: Mercury is win-win when he goes to the 5th house on 22, The 10th lord Moon is very nice for career/public life this week passing 3/4/5 houses. We have touched on two famous Librans in this column: Mahatma Gandhi and Adolf Hitler. As I will be referring to Carl Jung's chart [see Capricorn next week ] here is his mentor: the Founder of Modern Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud's chart . Libra Lagna with Ketu for sharp perception. Jupiter in Pisces for healing, Exalted Sun in the 7th for glorious fulfillment, with Rahu and Venus probing the sexual responses of the collective mind. The best is Moon in her exalted sign Taurus in her favourite Rohini Nakshatra, with Mercury. These are the best: Dharma/Karma 9/10 lords in the 8th house of mystery and profound knowledge. YogaKaraka Saturn, the 4/5 lord in Gemini, the 9th house of higher side of the mind. Finally, Mars in the 12th. With Rahu and Venus on the 7th aspected by Mars not very nice for partnerships.

SCORPIO: From Noam Chomsky's chart last week. Now, Jupiter on the 10th gives all the grace and power, and Sun in 4th and exalted Venus on the 5th and Mars in 6th very nice for all Scorpios. It was an interesting read about "Milinda [Moragoda] who continues to shine as the brightest star in the Maharajah galaxy' [says Dr: Nalin Swaris]. Caution: there is definitely nothing In Black or White in Vedic Astrology either. If the Hon: Minister is our Global Village Headman, it is worth noting how Kofi Annan [Secretary General of the UN, addressing the World Economic Forum last month] warned of a global system governed by the law of the jungle as he [Annan] launched a strong attack on protectionism in rich countries and America's go-it -alone fight against terrorism" [The Guardian Weekly Jan 29-Feb 4]. Pulitzer Prize winner in 2001 and a Pulitzer finalist three other times since 2000 for his investigative reporting in the New York Times, David Cay Johnston's new book Perfectly Legal [Penguin 2003, and now on the NYT bestseller list] is a must-read for Milinda too. Here is what John C. Bogle founder and former CEO, The Vanguard Group says about the book: " In the highest American tradition, Johnston speaks out boldly and clearly against our nations' corrupt political, legal, and tax-collecting system. This astonishing expose will open your eyes to the urgent need for reform - the sooner, the better. Reading Perfectly Legal is the first step to bringing American government back to its citizens" And remember Chomsky's 101 on US Foreign Policy: "Your land, our resources" And just last week we read about Monsanto, the world's largest GM seed company been awarded patents on the wheat used for making chapathi-the flat bread staple of northern India!.

SAGITTARIUS: The Sun now in your 3rd house. This is nice for great positive energy needed for valor/prowess, success in communication, fortune and long travel. Jupiter and the Sun connect which is even better. Any connection of 1/9 lords bring fortune. Gives merit, father very supportive, stimulates higher side of the mind, productive travel

CAPRICORN: The Moon passes 12/1/2 houses this week. Tonight-Wed AM nice for quirkyalones [see Aries] to meet soul mates esp while traveling, Wed-Thu for exploring hidden knowledge, and Fri -Sat for investigation, 'espionage': sure with elections coming up and getting money from unearned sources

AQUARIUS: The Sun in Lagna helps relationships and partnerships, fortune and long travel. The Moon: Today-Tue for cash flow thru sheer sweat. More opportunities, Wed-Thu: "service brings liberation" and for work behind the scenes: nice for election work, Fri-Sat: strength and courage to struggle, and for self-improvement.

PISCES: The Sun in your 12th house is great for getting new insights to work and service. The Moon is nice for fortune and glory Today-Thursday. Be extra cool with Kids in the weekend. Note the drug cisapride which is used to treat digestive problems has caused many problems [like heart and breathing difficulties] with youngsters that have prompted UK doctors to wrongly accuse parents of MSBP: the controversial condition Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy which suggests some parents harm their kids to draw attention to themselves. In fact, Patricia Cornwell's forensic thriller The Body Farm is built around MSBP

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FORECAST FOR LAGNA/ASCENDANT

ARIES: Mercury is in your 11th house today thru to Mar 9. Teaming up with the Sun, Mercury gives good focus and determination and courage, to struggle and reach goals. Help from siblings and friends plus highly placed people. Generally Sun+Mercury are noted for clear mind, practical thinking, and good savvy. Those researching crime/violence [ideal in the run up another general elections] especially youth violence will perform well. Germany's Internet Cannibal [who will find himself a very rich man with the Hollywood gangs vying to get story and movie rights] is sure to hit the stardom. According to Mr: Christian Pfeiffer [former state justice minister who is now director of the Criminology Institute of Lower Saxony, nearly 2/3 of school violence in Germany is committed by boys like the ones at Hildesheim [where a bunch of immigrant teenagers brutally tortured a fellow student over a period of 17 weeks] , immigrant kids who feel they have no future, and take their anger out on nonimmigrant kids. And then, there is the connection with violent videos and gangs.

TAURUS: The Sun, strong on the 10th house is joined by Mercury [see Aries] and stimulates all good things said above. Reinhold Ebertin [renowned German astrologer and a leading light in Cosmobiology: a holistic and scientific discipline concerned with the possible correlations between cosmos and organic life and the effects of cosmic rhythms and stellar motion on human beings etc etc] adds: The Sun +Mercury give consciousness of objective, the ability to organize, circumspection and prudence and a busy occupation. Sociological correspondence: young people, intellectual workers, business people. Probable positive manifestations: Good chances of developing the practical and mental faculties, success in business. The downside: Inclination to nervousness thru overwork. See Ebertin's The Combination of Stellar Influences. This English translation was first published in 1940.

GEMINI: Finally Mercury has arrived, at your 9th house of fortune and prime values and exchanges Lagna and 9th house with Saturn: the 9th lord. With Venus still exalted in the 10th house [no planet really is badly placed except for difficulties with kids, or injury to you if not careful] this could be an excellent week. Note GD of Venus from last week. It is possible [if born between 7:30-9:30 in the morning, Janet [Jackson] whose turbulent Super Bowl half-time show [the shock-and-awe bodice-ripping thing, and one cheeky columnist even called it unleashing the mammary of mass destruction] has already caused over 200,000 complaints, and a law-suit which was dropped later] is a Gemini. Her birth date is known May, 16, 1966 but the time of birth is not public knowledge yet. She was born at Gary, Indiana. The Moon that whole day was in Pisces with Venus and Saturn. Mars and Mercury in Aries, the Sun and Rahu in Taurus and Jupiter in Gemini. Exalted Venus, and Moon in the 10th house from Gemini is great for music. Saturn as 9th lord is excellent [her father being the persuasive force and inspiration] .

CANCER: Mercury comes to the 8th house today and helps expand spirituality and the the study of secrets of life. Supportive Dashas will help unexpected status/glory relating to foreign affairs or in a foreign land. Be cautious about intelligence work though. Like Kofi Annan said last week "people are going to be very suspicious when we talk to them about intelligence...Or when we try to use intelligence to justify certain actions" So, Mr: Bush was at the Dentist during his Guard Service! On Feb 11, the New York Times editorially commented: " The issue is not whether Mr Bush, like many sons of the elite in his generation, sought refuge in the National Guard to avoid combat in Vietnam. The public knew about that during the 2000 campaign. Whether Mr Bush actually performed his Guard service to the full is a different matter..." George W. Bush is Cancer with a power GajaKeshari Yoga/GKY in Virgo, and again in the 10th house in Navamsha/D9 Scorpio, with Saturn, Mars , Rahu and Uranus.. On Nov 2, the election day he will be running Saturn-Jupiter-Mercury. Can he beat Kerry? See Scorpio [Correction: Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is to be released on Feb 25: Ash Wednesday and not on Apr 25]

LEO: Mercury joins the Sun today in the 7th house [See Aries]. This is nice for business especially import/export and thru partnerships, very outgoing and also makes money traveling. The Moon supports all these well this week. A surprise job offer from an outside source in the weekend.

VIRGO: Mercury comes to your 6th house. See Aries. He helps provide excellent service, and as Lana lord, gives great energy to deal with adversity and win over enemies and conflicts.. With the Sun, Mercury supports profound knowledge. German-American psychoanalyst, professor, author and social philosopher Erich Fromm [1900-1980] was a Virgo. Jupiter in 3rd [with Rahu] and Ketu in 9th gave him magnanimity, and profound interest in enlightenment, glory in foreign lands, Saturn and Moon in the 4th for spiritual peace, Mars in 6th and Venus in 8th for study of human psyche and mysteries of life, the Sun and Mercury in the 7th house for an outstanding career. In Navamsha/Gemini, he had Venus, Mercury and the Sun in Libra, Jupiter moola trikona in Sagittarius, Mars and Moon in Taurus and Saturn and Ketu in Cancer. [Note how in Bill Gates' Gemini Rising, Saturn was exalted in 5th Libra with Venus and the Sun]. Here are a couple of lines from his For the Love of Life [based on a series of reflective radio talks delivered a few short years before his death] "It is clear that Marx [quoting from the Economic-Philosophical Manuscripts] speaks of loving here as a kind of activity. It rarely occurs to modern man that he can create anything through love. His usual and almost exclusive concern is to be loved, not to emanate love himself, not to awaken love in others through his love for them and so to create something new, something that had not existed in the world before..." Fromm's many books include The Art of Loving, Escape from Freedom, Man for Himself, Psychoanalysis and Religion, To Have or to Be?, Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, The Sane Society, Revolution of Hope, Zen Buddhism and Psychoanalysis

LIBRA: Mercury is now in your 5th house. As your 12th lord he is nice for spiritual activities for you and kids, and contributing to youth programs. As the 5th lord he promotes harmony with kids and your dad and cranks up your material fortune as well. Investments bring good dividends. Hobbies, sports and amusements can be very productive. High octane romance.

SCORPIO: Mercury to your 4th house is nice for inheritance from mother's side, intuition and gain thru academic work. Like Bush [see Cancer] , John Kerry [a Scorpio] has fine GKY along 7/10 houses [for glory in public life] Moon and Mars in 7th and Jupiter in the 10th and Sun in Lagna. Venus in 12th, Mercury in 2nd, Saturn in 8th and Rahu in 9th. In Libra Navamsa Saturn in Lagna and the GKY along 8/11 houses. On Nov 2nd he will be running Mercury-Mercury-Mars. Equally important is his Shasti-Poorthi or the 60th year this year. a significant mile-stone in Vedic Astrology. Stay tuned.

SAGITTARIUS: Mercury and Sun, see Aries down. Mercury on the 3rd house [being your 7/10 lord] gets significant support for career/business from partner and siblings, provides great energy and determination, and many successful job-related short journeys. Refines communication skills.

CAPRICORN: Mercury joins the Sun in your 2nd house [See Aries down]. This is excellent for material wealth and for success in learning higher forms of knowledge. A profound inspiration to others around you. Money comes easily. Glory in the work place. Stay tuned for Carl Jung's chart.

AQUARIUS: The Sun is joined by Mercury in Lagna [See Aries down] This is nice for the success of kids, gain thru investments, sudden and unexpected gain, and profits thru hobbies, games and entertainment/amusements. Watch out for flings/infatuations though.

PISCES: The Sun in your 12th house is now joined by Mercury [See Aries down] Excellent for long periods of inner in retreats/isolated locations. Can meet soul mates while traveling or at spiritual places. Very caring. Janssen Pharmaceutica who markets cisapride under the brand name Propulsid [see last week] whose side effects on young children had caused scores of "near death experiences' and may have led to false accusations of abuse against their parents like MSBP or Munchausen's Syndrome By Proxy, is to offer up to GBP 49 million to settle claims involving 4000 individuals affected by the drug, of whom 300 are alleged to have died, reported The Observer on Feb 8. The drug was withdrawn in US and UK three years ago. Last week, the New York Times reported a suicide of a 19 year old at the drug company Eli Lilly and Co where she had been participating in a company drug trial for an experimental anti-depressant and had been given larger than therapeutic doses of duloxetine to be known as Cymbalta if it is introduced as an anti-depressant.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------