Predictions 2010

JEDWARD

The Grimes Twins


Jed and Ward, I mean Jonathan and Edward, were the surprise success story of this year’s X Factor. They will probably make the most money most quickly of all the acts to appear on the show. But will they have a lasting career or burn brightly for a year or two only?

Without Louis Walsh’s management skills it would have been the later. Indeed they probably wouldn’t have lasted beyond the subsequent X Factor tour. But Louis is now on board as Jedward’s full time manager, so he must be convinced of their durability.

It was so obvious from the off that Louis Walsh was going to warm to the two twins from Lucan. Mr Walsh is not stupid and he clearly has the talent for spotting an act which is going to catch public favour and imagination.

I suspect that Jedward are TV bound; but for the moment they have X Factor touring obligations. Before and after that they will be very much in demand for public appearances. Managed carefully theses two are all set to make a huge amount of money. If they get Max Clifford on side through Simon, they are MADE. I am sure too that Louis Walsh will be clever enough to groom them for the long term.

At the very least these two have a career in children’s TV to fall back on in RTE. But I expect Louis has more grandiose ideas. I am not sure the Americans will get Jedward. But I am sure Louis will try every which way to find a gap for their zany Irish groove.

The twins need to stay London based to succeed and build on the momentum of their popularity. I think it would be a mistake to try for America. These guys need to get an Ant and Deck type slot on Saturday morning UK TV…



Trapattoni PISCES March 17th 1939


As Ireland failed to land their rightful place in the World Cup line up, Trapattoni was feeling the pressure of Uranus retrograde in Pisces. So, shall we all blame it on Uranus rather than T Henry? Nah; I guess not!

Trapattoni’s planetary challenges in the last while translated into a whole lot of stress in the run up to this fated final qualifier. Ireland put in some exciting performances and it looked like a little bit of magic was going to swing it for a while. But this is football and it should not rely on things like magic…or cheating.

Destiny played an unlucky card for the Irish team the day Henry hand-balled the French to victory. I do not actually think he did this deliberately. But it happened.

Will Trapattoni be the fall guy? I doubt it. However, he may choose to retire soon enough. I not think Trapattoni is going to be blamed for the Irish failure to qualify. We are all too distracted by the Henry thing.

As a man of conscience Trapattoni has been hit hard by what happened. You could say that things could have been done sooner to up Irish chances and he is aware of this. But to give him credit, the exciting performances and team turnaround are good testimony to his management skills.

I would be very surprised if Trapattoni stays as long as 2 to 3 more years as manager of Ireland. But watch for what happens during May, it could be very interesting and surprising! Is Roy Keane waiting in the wings for this position? Me thinks he IS!



LADYGAGA March 20th 1986


Is it just me, or is Lady Gaga a bit… well Gaga! She is a cleverly marketed and talented package. She is a she isn’t she? I am a bit suspicious that the camp and very gay Perez Hilton (Hollywood gossip columnist) has adopted her as his Twitter wife. Mm…Says it all really doesn’t it?

Ms Gaga is obviously very creative, eccentric and outlandish. She is off beat and possesses a certain Germanic charm (even though she is American). Ms Gaga is bohemian, off-the-wall and probably descends from Andy Worhal…

Born on the cusp of Pisces and Aries Ms Gaga is an unusual mix of personality traits. She has the googly big Piscean eyes along with the steely determination of a focused Arian. Her unique talent and bizarre dress sense is rightly applauded. In a way Ms Gaga has usurped Madonna’s crown. I expect Ms Ciccione is not best pleased. Here is someone younger, weirder and dare I say it more relevant.

Lady Gaga is not afraid of hard work; indeed during 2010 she will have more than her fair share. Gaga just needs to be a bit careful with temptations on-the-road. To keep her position, she needs to perform like a harlot and live like a nun. Her alter ego clearly walks off the stage with her, so she may have a problem with grounding at times. She has to watch it or her ego will unravel and we will soon be looking at a Britney Spears type melt down.

At the moment Ms Gaga is the epitomy of cool. She is destined to win 101 grammies and awards in the next while. Lets hope she keeps a grip and milks the limelight I am sure she will…


Amanda BRUNKER June 12th

I am under strict orders not to predict any more babies for the delectable Ms Brunker. So…I’d really better not…But But But….

It is great to see Amanda’s happiness; career and family life develop in the last few years. Amanda is a Gemini and although she has achieved an awful lot in the last while it can not have been easy. Astrologically speaking it has not been the easiest of times for Gemini. They have been contending with a lot actually. But knowing Amanda this has only served to strengthen her resolve and make her all the more determined.

I sense a third book coming on for Ms Brunker and of course it will be just as successful as the others. It is a shame the recession is restricting budgets as I am sure The Champagne books would lend themselves to a cool mini series. If we were more ‘Hollywood’ about things here it would have been produced by now.

Amanda is undoubtedly a yummy mummy and being a good mum is her rasion d etre. Perhaps if she had remained young free and single Amanda would have conquered America by now. But some things are more important. Besides there is more than one way to skin a rabbit!

If Amanda incorporated more Americana in her books this would open up the States market in the blink of an eye. Just a thought…



TIGER Woods December 30th 1975


Oh dear oh dear oh dear….Mr Woods has got himself well and truly stuck in a HUGE bunker. My theory is he could check in for sex addiction rehab for 2 or 3 months and get himself out of the Woods. But he is a proud man and a Capricorn who must now be kicking himself at his indiscretions. Is he ever going to lift a golf club again? I’m not so sure. It is wifey who dictates what is going to happen next.

Erin will of course leave Tiger eventually, but on her own terms and in her own time. For the sake of the family they will both do their bext to hold things together and there may even be various attempts at saving face. But really it is beyond this now.

Tiger will get back to the golf and will be on the American Team for the Ryder Cup. He needs to get back to what he is good at (besides pulling waitresses).

It would be a disaster for Woods if his current wife insists he does not play any longer. This would end the marriage even quicker than these infidelities. If Erin does persist to the courts, Tiger will land on his feet and remarry fairly quickly.

He has no trouble attracting the ladies. For this reason, Erin wants to do this in her way and attempt to retrieve a semblance of pride...if at all possible.

Woods has obviously been away from home lot and they must have been living pretty separate lives oblivious to the issues which threatened to destroy them.

Erin is a mum who has two very young babies to consider. I do not know how she is going to manage to get past the humiliation and betrayal of what Woods has done. But she sure is gonna try, despite her mothers wish for her to return to Scandanavia with the kids.

I am wondering what Erin’s motives are at this stage. It obviously is not to do with money; as Erin would gain more financially if she walked away NOW. As a couple they obviously have serious issues to sort out. But as parents they still have common ground.

I suspect there is an underlying reason which is yet to surface. Capricorns like Tiger are not usually unfaithful. But Erin and Tiger are very different personalities who are not really that compatible. Tiger has more than a trophy wife in Erin; and he is about to find out how much power the woman he married has. She will serve her dish cold. He will suffer and repent for longer this way and she knows it.



OBAMA 4th August 1961 and Michelle January 17th 1970


I wonder who wears the trousers in this relationship. Obamelle are an adorable and genuinely besotted couple. But boy is Michelle one to watch! She is a formidable first lady and an excellent support for Obama. Extremely intelligent, charming and beguiling, Michelle is extremely influential and important to Obama’s equilibrium and success. The White House has another Bill-Hilary type combo, destined to last the distance.

Obama’s winning of the Peace Prize is something which he is going to have to earn in retrospect. Obama won this because of what he represents in coming to power in America. But he really now has to DO something practically as well as politically. There are certain factions of American society already miffed with Obama’s health care reforms.

During 2010 Obama will need to make smart decisions. Still involved in two major wars over seas, America needs to address this bringing-the-troops home issue. This is going to be such an important aspect of Obama’s presidency and if he manages this feat in the next 2 to 3 years, he really will have earned his PEACE prize. This he will need to do if he wants a second term in office. Obama is a Leo who campaigned and won the presidency because Saturn was in Virgo, his opponent’s sign, not Leo HIS sign.

Strange but true…



Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh November 12th 1970


Blathnaid has had a rough ride in the last couple of years and her life has undergone a sea change. Scorpios often suffer for stretches before reinventing themselves. They are the metaphorical phoenix who arises from the ashes time and time again. Usually old souls they have karmas to work through and each time the suffering seems to deepen. The good news is they mature and gain huge wisdom along the way. This kind of life experience eventually brings a new lease of life and a fresh start. This is where we now find Blathnaid. She is hurting still from what has happened and needs to be appreciated once again. Over the next year this feisty red head will find that things flow much better. Professionally there is always a place for Blathnaid. She is the ultimate old school pro and brings good energy to every project with which she engages. Things are on the UP…all good!


Posh ARIES

Oh Posh is Posh. What more can you say? She’s not going to go away any time soon is she?

Posh is a strong fiery Aries head who is never going to lie down quietly. She stood by her man Becks when he was (allegedly) unfaithful and he has been somewhat subdued and well behaved every since. This brave behaviour demonstrates Posh’s steely quality and determination. But she was a mum who needed to keep a cool clear head and not react too rashly because her kids needed their father. She also needed to hold on to her kudos and clout and business partner.

Things are back on track for the Beckhams but they still do lead quite separate lives. However, Becks is very unlikely to put himself into a position where he will (allegedly) stray again.

Posh has redefined things on her own terms (as Erin Woods now has to do). Public humiliation can not be easy to cope with and Posh dealt with it all with some serious denial. Don’t knock it; it worked.

Going forward Posh’s status as a fashion designer will go from strength to strength. She will remain in the high end fashion trade for years to come and is only just getting started. Donna Karen move over…


Brian LENIHAN 21st May 1959


When do we ever receive news of a budget without complaining?

Of course things really ARE serious at the moment. But before Christmas Lenihan did what the money men do. He favoured the banks and devised the means to keep big money spinners like the French and German markets on side.

The reality is that Lenihan needs to keep Irish interests live abroad. This keeps us in the frame and gives us a fighting chance once the recession starts to turn. Which it will!

Do we ever get this explained? No we don’t. We just see that the vulnerable get further hit and that the impoverished become more so. I guess if we all took an economics degree we might understand what Lenihan did with this last budget. Let’s just say, he is trying to halt the collapse of the economy and keep us buoyant in the world’s market place. Brilliant…Ha ha

Understandably we are regaling against the tricky circumstances we are dealing with. We have all been affected. But does it help anyone to waste energy blaming one, two or three men (Lenihan, Cowen and Bertie)? NO!

Lenihan is still dealing with the legacy of the Celtic Tiger. We have been in the midst of a cycle of decline and in time we will again be in a cycle of prosperity. There is a time for growth and a time for decay.

Lenihan is a Taurus (just). He gets his own way and succeeds over time. We are going to have to work with it and get used to it until the good times descend…



Brian COWEN 10th January 1960


Oh Crikey just realizing we have two accountants running the country! Cowen probably sat down with Lenihan and helped devised the game plan budget designed to get us out of the mire. Cowen is another money man, a Capricorn. So we have a Taurus and a Capricorn in cahoots, in charge of the country’s purse strings. Interestingly Bertie, whom a lot of people blame the country’s decline is yet another earth sign, a Virgo.

What Bertie had which neither Lenihan or Cowen have is charisma. However, perhaps bedside manner no longer matters. We are in a critical condition requiring two skilled surgeons to step in and do what they do regardless of what we might think. The test of the success of this recent surgery – the budget - remains to be seen.

I suspect by May we will actually begin to see signs of an upturn. In the mean time no one is going to step down, retire or get fired. We need the guys in charge to do their job and there really is no point in blaming anyone. Aiming our anger at Cowen or Lenihan or Bertie is pointless. We need to batton down the hatches and attend to our circumstances as responsibly as we can.

We are ALL stretched and suffering in some way. The way forward is to be as positive as possible… Enough of Cowen!