Within hours of Uranus entering Aries, a large scale disaster unfolded on our screens coming from Japan: earthquake, followed by tsunami and then nuclear plant meltdown.  The national chart of Japan shows the sword of Damocles which has been present in the form of a Grand Cross between the natal Mercury, Saturn, Uranus and Chiron.  I associate Saturn/Uranus with earthquakes, and Japan has a square between them natally, thus predisposing them to earthquakes.  This earthquake, long expected, occurred as Jupiter activated the Grand Cross by transiting the natal Mercury.  Jupiter comes to that position every 12 years, so what distinguishes this time from other such moments?  The answer may lie in the timings of the eclipses, according to Marjorie Orr on her website.  The Head of Disaster Management for the Red Cross was saying on Radio 5 Live this morning that in terms of unmet humanitarian need the situation in Libya and Tunisia is still more demanding, partly because of the sophisticated level of organization which the Japanese have in place.  The scenes in Japan (brought from mobile phones to satellites to our TVs) have been incredibly graphic and nightmarishly surreal, with especially poignant reports about children being snatched from water or being checked for radiation, and all hearts are with them.  Crossing over to the Libyan situation, we have blotted our copy books with our interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and while the world is agreed that something must be done, we are not morally equipped to save the Libyans from being slaughtered by the man who thinks they love him.   The Arab League however are now declaring the need for a no fly zone, and they certainly have more authority to do so.  Looking at the transits to the chart of the Arab League for this point in time, they may need a little more time to firm up their organization, confidence and thought before significant action can be galvanized, but this week Mars (action) is trine their North Node (karmic mission) and in two weeks time the North Node is sextile their Mars, indicating a theme of karma tied to action.  However the period in between looks tough with Saturn square to their Nodal Axis, and they cannot afford to make things worse.  In the meantime, all power and donations to the Red Cross.  Provided you have got over the shock of Uranus entering Aries yesterday, you can prepare your strategy for Pluto’s square to Mercury today.  Take extra super duper care of your communication equipment today, e.g. don’t put your iphone in the dishwasher.  Communications going haywire today could take a day or so to put right.  On Tuesday (15th) Venus trines Saturn and loyalty and commitment in relationships is the theme.  Tender loving care is the requirement, though not necessarily what can be given, e.g. because of absence.  If the iphone is still drying out, communication may still be difficult, and you will have to fall back on heart telepathy.  Wednesday (16th) may restore communications with a conjunction between Mercury and Jupiter at 11 degrees Aries, a special day for people who have their birthdays around 1st April and who are sick of April Fool’s jokes.  They will be listened to, and their message will be broadcast loud and clear.  Venus will also be semi-sextile with Mars that day, so there is the possibility of mild flirtatiousness mixed in with the improved communication signals, which could be an interesting combination.  But don’t rest on your laurels with caring for your communication equipment, whether it be your ears or something more hi-tech, because on Friday (18th) we are at the mercy of another Mercury wobble in the shape of an opposition with Saturn.  Communications may reach an impasse on that date, and rail travel might be difficult or delayed.  By Saturday (19th) we might be nicely primed for the fever pitch of a Full Moon in Virgo which will see us throwing a Virgoan strop if things are not to our liking.  It requires all the laid back signs (Libra, Taurus and Pisces for starters) to throw their weight into the ring and remind us to get our priorities right.  Think about times gone by when we didn’t have mobile phones – however did we get by?