Arty Farty Friday ~ William Wegman & His Dogs

Whenever a dog turns up in a movie, TV drama or in real life - my attention is immediately drawn to it - no matter who else is on the scene - even if it happens to be one of my all-time favourite actors. So when I stumbled upon some doggy photographs by William Wegman I simply had to investigate. I love dogs.

William Wegman's career began as a teacher of art in college/university and as a painter. His acquisition of a pet Weimaraner who he named Man Ray, after the legendary artist/photographer, he began taking photographs of the dog. The Weimaraner's deadpan expression, along with imaginative poses and skilled camera technique Wegman used caught the attention of the public. After Man Ray died Wegman replaced him, some years later, with another Weimaraner, this time a female: Fay Ray, who seemed to enjoy being a photographer's model even more than her predecessor had. So the theme continued, and has developed into a set of children's books, books for adults, videos, calendars, prints, etc. Prints now sell in the thousands of $$$$.

Wegman's doggy family has grown to include Fay’s offspring — Battina, Crooky and Chundo — and later, their offspring: Battina’s son Chip (in photo, right) in 1995, Chip’s son Bobbin in 1999 and Candy and Bobbin’s daughter Penny in 2004.

A glance at some of Wegman's photographs tells us that his stock-in-trade is wit, humour, a touch of satire - and love of his subjects. Not all art critics and members of the public are enamoured of Wegman's work. Some see it as kitchy, cheesey and boring, while some dog lovers probably worry about animal cruelty. I don't care what art critics say, and I seriously doubt that cruelty enters into the scene - ever - at all. These dogs are born "hams" -doggy Oliviers and Garbos, you can tell!

William Wegman was born on 2 December 1943 in Holyoake, Massachusetts. 12 noon chart shown below.


He has a very positive chart - all Fire and Air, unless his unknown rising sign adds Earth or Water, that is. His Moon would have been in Aquarius whatever time he was born.

Lots of Air, then (here's the wit). Moon in quirky Aquarius: his photos are nothing if not quirky! Venus and Neptune (art and creativity) in Libra, ruled by Venus, planet of the arts. Uranus, Mars and Saturn in communicative Gemini, with Uranus opposing his Sagittarius Sun and Saturn opposing his Sagittarius Mercury. Uranus planet of the unexpected in a see-saw opposition aspect with his ebullient Saggitarius outer self, seems to echo his quirky Aquarius Moon. Serious Saturn in a balancing act with an exaggerating Mercury helps draw in the reins a little on Wegman's urge towards excess, and channels his talent towards business aims. Jupiter (representing publication) in outgoing Leo lay in harmonious trine to Mercury in Sagittarius - connects to the success and popularity of his work.

Not sure where to look for an astrological link to dogs/animals. I think I've read somewhere that Sagittarius Sun and its ruler Jupiter might be connected, and Venus, of course. In Wegman's chart Venus lay in harmonious sextile to Jupiter in Leo - that seems to fit.

Some examples of his photographs. I'm avoiding most which entail dressing the dogs in human clothes, those are my least favourite poses.

BLUE PERIOD





YOUNG BRIDGE



SEEING EYES



KYPHOSIFIED















More pics HERE & Lots more can be seen using Google Image.

The photographer's own website
Wegmanworld

Astrological Twins ~ Tommy Lee Jones & Oliver Stone

In keeping with the times, back to a Virgo theme: astrological twins born in the USA on 15 September 1946, with Sun/Mercury in that sign: Movie actor Tommy Lee Jones and movie writer/director Oliver Stone. Cities and times of birth are the only differences in the two natal charts. Tommy Lee Jones was born in Texas, Oliver Stone in New York; Jones at 10:00 PM, Stone at 9:58 AM (Astrodatabank). Natal charts are shown together, below.



The two men are friends, and have collaborated professionally on three occasions to date, in the movies JFK, Heaven & Earth, and Natural Born Killers. It's not easy to detect, from on-line sources, whether their personalities, outside of professional life, are in any way similar. They are sharing a rather well-worn "crumpled" look in their later years.


Jones has the reputation of being difficult on set, critical and demanding of his fellow cast members (Virgo in action) and quite at ease playing "difficult" character pieces. Stone's movies are almost always controversial in one way or another, framed to provoke his audience and get them thinking. There's much political content, often critical (Virgo), in his films, describing the direct human consequences of national policy, in both halls of government, and in board rooms of corporate financiers.

Though now sporting that decidedly crumpled look, in his younger years Jones had a darkly handsome and mysterious attraction, probably thanks to a mix of Welsh and Native American genes. Until his more recent films, not directed by Stone, we hadn't seen his lighter side and feel he has for humour. This reflects his lighter Gemini, ascendant, as compared to Stone's heavier Scorpio rising.






Virgo Sun/Mercury reflects their shared critical nature. Both have Moon in Taurus, at different degrees, but in harmonious earthy trine to their Sun/Mercury. In Stone's case Moon lies in challenging square aspect to Pluto (planet of power) which connects to his anti-government stance; whereas Tommy Lee Jones' natal Moon, a few degrees further along in Taurus doesn't produce the same intense square. Both men's Sun/Mercury square Uranus - with rebellious Uranus spiking their otherwise practical, common sense Virgo/Taurus Sun/Moon mix.

(Right, Jones' characters from JFK and Natural Born Killers.)

Mars (war and energetic sports) and Jupiter (excess) are conjoined in both charts - in Jones' case this can be seen as connecting to his love of polo, a sport at which he excels. In Stone's case Jupiter/Mars in Libra, just a couple of degrees from his Scorpio ascendant (ruled by Mars, planet of war), connects to his determination to enlist in the army in 1967
(when he could easily have avoided the Vietnam war).
He specifically requested combat duty too, was later decorated for courage under fire (Bronze Star & Purple Heart), and returned to civilian life with a deep disgust for war, especially for the war in Vietnam.




I first saw Tommy Lee Jones long ago in the the lead role of TV mini-series, The Executioner's Song(not directed by Stone). He turned in a brilliant performance and has been a favourite ever since. His performance in another TV mini-series Lonesome Dove served to stengthen my opinion of him as an actor. I didn't enjoy him as much in Stone's JFK, declined to see him in Natural Born Killers because of its violence, and though I admired his acting in Heaven and Earth found the movie depressing, much more so than The Executioner's Song....which does seem rather strange.

After having seen both natal charts, I suspect my preference for Tommy Lee Jones' work, over Oliver Stone's is likely a result of Jones' Airy Gemini ascendant - which must strongly appeal to my Airy Aquarius Sun.
Though Stone's Watery Scorpio ascendant matches my natal Watery Cancer ascendant - but this doesn't work as well, or so it seems! I do agree with most of Stone's political views though, I'm just not keen on the way he presents them on screen.

So then, both astrological twins display a flair for presenting challenging and controversial topics and characters in uncompromising fashion. Both are critical by nature - one critical of his fellow actors, the other of the US political scene. Neither exactly matches the stereotypical Hollywood star or director.

Internet Movie Database
Tommy Lee Jones http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000169/
Oliver Stone http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000231/

Wednesday Wonder Child ~ Jackie Evancho

TV show America's Got Talent has thrown up an example of a child prodigy : 10-year old Jackie Evancho. She won her way through to compete in the final ten from a round, new this season, of YouTube performers. I suspect that after last night's performance she will retain her place among the front-runners, to be one of the final four - perhaps even to win the competition next week, or at least to finish as runner-up.

Jackie's natal chart (set for 12 noon) is shown below with some brief interpretation relating to her talent. For a passing reader who has not yet heard her voice ~ listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKhmFSV-XB0

Sun and Venus in ambitious, competitive Aries are clearly reflected in her performances and her poise when interviewed. Uranus (the unexpected) lay in helpful sextile to Sun as she was born - connecting to some form of unexpectedness. In her case it may represent such a mature voice coming from a wee angelic-looking child. Some people describe this as "weird", a mature voice coming from such youth. Operatic pieces especially give this impression. Last night she sang Pie Jesu - her voice and delivery every bit as exceptional as Sarah Brightman's.

The stellium (cluster of planets) in Taurus (ruled by Venus, planet connected to music) is key, I think. Especially Saturn here with Jupiter. Saturn relates to maturity, Jupiter to exaggeration - an indication of something exaggeratedly mature?



Though Jackie could be considered to be a "wonder child", I don't see her as a typical Las Vegas performer -especially at her tender age. To find a new Las Vegas act is what the show is supposedly out to find.

My own favourite performer this season has been "Prince Poppycock" (John Quale), whose birth date is nowhere to be found on-line, other than that he's 32. Now he is definitely a Las Vegas act, and a class act at that! A sample of one of The Prince's performances is linked. You just have to love him - and smile.~~~
Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jgXi8bR-6k

TO HAVE OR NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN

GUEST POST by GIAN PAUL

On a recent gathering on a sailboat there were six people, no wind, relatively cold weather and only two of us on board had children of his/her own. Given the poor sailing conditions, there was plenty of time to converse. A gynecologist among us asked me whether there were indications in one's horoscope permitting to know about having children or not. Despite her professional expertise (and being pretty), she had not been able to have children, hence her question.

With no children myself, and having studied some astrological textbooks and what they say in this respect, here's the gist of our "sailor's conversation":

House 5 (the house of procreation or creativity) in a person's map is indicative of the likelihood of having or not having children in one's life. It is evidently more certain if there are - or not - any planets in the maps of both persons forming a couple. If there is a personal planet (except Mercury) in the map of one of them, this may indicate children. But they will only be of "little importance" to one of the parents, if he/she has no planet in his/her House 5. (The children concerned will probably not like that parent as much as the other).

In my natal map there is one planet in 5: as it happens, it's Mercury. I never wished to have children myself (the prospect of being a father was too much of a "bourgeois thing" for me). I quite seriously investigated, astrologically as well, this personal option of mine. Born in 1943 in the Swiss Alps, I have lived as a child the invasion by "too many tourists" of our then beautiful and quasi-virgin surroundings. It started in 1948 with the winter Olympics in St. Moritz, then came Club Med in the 60's and all the "Nouveau Riches" and their imitators who fatally would be following. At such an early age I had no idea of great agglomerations, the suburbs of big cities and other even worse, overcrowded places in this world. To me as a youngster, a place that quadrupled in population during the tourist season was an abomination. To wait for over an hour to go up a ski-lift was hardship, so spoiled we were then.

To tell it straight and right at the beginning here: in my opinion, maybe very egoistically, the world at large would be better off if there were fewer people. Economic "imperatives" however appear to say the contrary. For obvious, commercial reasons. Accepted norm says that there should be "economic growth, and better steadily, so even the lazy can prosper". And with them the automobile - and so many other polluting industries, even the defense-industries. Following the principle that the more the world gets crowded, the more augment the risks of conflict. And consequently the need to "defend" one's possessions or territory.

From the preceding it's evident that our modern politico-public-government-capitalistic-(or-not) -social-system wants us to continue to grow in numbers. All over the place. Even some today still important churches contribute to that by categorically opposing contraception etc. And then people complain about pollution. If not about that produced in their own country, unfailingly of the pollution created by their neighbors.

Respecting the recommended principle of keeping a balanced view, one must, given the world's situation today, laud a recent initiative by the Indian Government. The situation in India being close to getting out of hand (even more today as everybody there also wants a car or at least a motorbike), the Indian authorities recently announced that they "will pay recently married couples not to have kids". Half the population in India is under age 25. China did the same some 30 years ago, starting under Mao. Only they did not offer to pay. There it was by threatening with punishment, even jail. Costs less and is probably more efficient. But India is still influenced by the more polite British...

This being a bit of a complex subject, it's probably useful to look at it the way one cuts a chicken, piece by piece, the legs first.

In the centuries past, when Europe and other places were at times suffering from a lack of population growth (famines, pest, wars) and their way of life, mostly agricultural, demanded permanent replenishment of young human beings (farm-arms), our ancestors did what was required. Women were quasi-constantly pregnant. Question of survival. This appears to still be the "ideal" pursued by a certain church with it's headquarters in Rome. The same type of pundits who pretended that the earth is flat until that idea became unsustainable.

In modern times, medical and other progress helping, including of course the pill, God (or what one may differently call "Higher Events in Human Evolution"), brought about, and for the first time, the possibility of choice in this question of procreation. For entire nations and for each person individually. This time, and that's new, the environment starts being taken into account. Maybe or foremost, the main reason being that humans have become an ever more polluting species. It's not just CO2 or our mountains of garbage. But many other factors: to e.g. produce 1 ton of steel, over 7 tons of water are wasted. Etc. etc.

For atheists and people not particularly religious, the demands of a healthy environment appear to be enough reason to start thinking about what's healthy for our environment in terms of populating the planet. So they mostly agree that some limitation to population growth is desirable. To the more religiously inclined, one may suggest that if God (or their particular God) has recently permitted that some scientists invent the pill and other methods to limit undesirable procreation (the pill for the day after, or 5 days after), they'd better listen as well. If not for themselves, at least by not opposing those who do wish to contribute to limit the excessive growth of the world's population.

In a way, humanity is being faced on various fronts with the same basic question: how to take better care of our planet. It's about resources, population growth and the well-being of those already in existence. The capitalistic "economic-growth-is-needed-concept" no doubt requires some profound revision.

To end these considerations on an astrological note: If there are planets in House 5 of a person or in the respective houses 5 for both partners in a couple, it's likely that children will be born. There is however no planetary indication as to the number of children they should have. So reason (and not hazard) can limit that.

Also, if it turns out to be difficult for somebody to have children, maybe before running to consult the expensive "X-famous-gynecologist-wonder-child-producer" and have some implanted-semi-artificial child, it might be intelligent first to consult a competent astrologer. If there are indications in the horoscope for children, then go and see the wonder doctor. If not and the desire to have a child is strong, consider to adopt. That can be doubly useful, for the adopted child and by not adding more people to what may already have reached the limit of desirable numbers of humans on this earth.

Music Monday ~ Leiber & Stoller, songwriters

It's a pity that songwriters are often forgotten by the general public. Some, of the legendary variety, have managed to embed themselves into our communal memory bank: Johnnie Mercer, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and others from past decades. Today Paul Simon, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen, Lennon & McCartney, Elton John& Bernie Taupin, and numerous others have their names already engraved as legends in their own lifetimes, because they perform as well as write most of their songs.

It's the names of "back-room" songwriters that tend to be forgotten. A good example of this: the songwriting duo of Leiber and Stoller (Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller). Even my music-soaked husband looked puzzled when I asked what he knew of them.




Time to give Leiber and Stoller a wee fanfare here! And to see whether there's any astrological connection to reflect their many years of collaboration.

They met in 1950, aged 17. A shared passion for the Blues drew them together and they began songwriting straight away. Eventually they created enduring classics in a variety of genres: Rhythm & Blues, Pop, Jazz, Cabaret and, of course, Rock & Roll. Most of their major hits came after Elvis put the duo on the map in 1956 with their song Hound Dog.

A reminder of some of their best-known songs, words by Leiber, music by Stoller: Jailhouse Rock; Hound Dog; Kansas City; Stand By Me; I'm a Woman W-O-M-A-N; Is That All There Is? Poison Ivy; Love Potion Number 9, and many others, recorded by some of the biggest names in the music business.

Jerry Leiber was born 25 April 1933 in Baltimore, MD.

Mike Stoller was born 13 March 1933 in Long Island, NY.

12 noon charts (no times of birth known)





As they were born 6 weeks apart, the outer planets lay in very similar positions, sign-wise and degree-wise for both men. Natal Suns differ: Taurus for Leiber, Pisces for Stoller, Earth and Water. Compatible enough. Both have Venus, planet of the arts, in the same sign as their Suns, both have Mercury in Aries at 7 or 8 degrees - so both are enthusiastic go-getters, sharp communicators in their chosen field. Both men have Mars, Neptune and Jupiter close together in Virgo (one of the Mercury-ruled signs linked to writing). This cluster translates to tell us that the two men share boundless and energetic creative ability, communicated to the masses with ease.

Without times of birth it's not possible to calculate their ascending sins or exact Moon degree, though because at noon Moon was mid-sign for both men we can be pretty certain that Leiber's natal Moon was in Taurus and Stoller's in Libra - two sharing a common ruler: Venus, planet of the arts.

From their natal charts it's very easy to recognise compatibility!

Samples of their works ~~~~~


Ben E. King & STAND BY ME



Fats Domino & KANSAS CITY



Elvis & JAILHOUSE ROCK




Peggy Lee & IS THAT ALL THERE IS?

Labor Day ~ & ~ A surprising admiration for....Mike Huckabee.

(The two items in the post heading are not connected!)

Labor Day, in the United States, has morphed into a 3-day weekend celebration in early September to mark the end of summer, its original purpose seems often overlooked. For a brief reminder of what it used to be - and ought still to be - or at least what it ought to be be remembered for, see HERE.

To a right-winger, unions are awful. Why do right-wingers hate unions? Because collective bargaining is the power that a worker has against the corporation. Right-wingers hate that.
-- Janeane Garofalo

Although it is true that only about 20 percent of American workers are in unions, that 20 percent sets the standards across the board in salaries, benefits and working conditions. If you are making a decent salary in a non-union company, you owe that to the unions. One thing that corporations do not do is give out money out of the goodness of their hearts.
-- Molly Ivins

Anyone who has read politically-slanted posts on this blog, or even glanced at the item above, will realise that my views lean firmly, very firmly to the left, far left of US Republicans, even considerably left of US Democrats - to democratic socialism in fact. Even so, this doesn't stop me from appreciating a good conservative/Republican politician when I notice one - infrequently enough these days, and in this country.

During the run-up to the 2008 General Election I posted three times about one such conservative: Mike Huckabee. Although his views are diametrically opposed to my own on almost every front, I can still respect him - I like the guy. Gut-feeling, I guess. He's a former Governor of the state of Arkansas, and a former Baptist preacher. He's one of the few who seems to me to embody all that's best in "a Christian". He ran his 2008 presidential campaign on a shoestring, so it would seem that he was not one of the obscenely rich corporate-assisted group. A big point in his favour.

Rather than repeating my earlier comments about former Governor Huckabee, I'll offer links to my 2008 posts about him:
Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee's Leo & SNL
Irrepressible Leo

What interests me, at present, is whether he will put himself forward as a candidate in 2012's presidential election. Here's a 12 noon version of his natal chart. His time of birth isn't known.



Now - is there any astrological indication that he'll be likely to run? Transits of the outer planets for 2012, as they relate to his natal chart, might offer a clue. These will be as follows, from January to early November when the election will take place.

Saturn 28 Libra to 3 Scorpio (includes a retrograde period April to June 27 - 22 degrees Libra)
Uranus 0 Aries to 5 Aries (Retrograde period July to December around the 4 - 8 degree marks.)
Neptune 28 Aquarius to 0 Pisces (Retrograde period from June to November 3 to 0 degrees Pisces)
Pluto 7 Capricorn to 7 Capricorn (Retrograde from April to September 9 to 7 degrees Capricorn)

Transiting Saturn will be hanging around natal Neptune but will also be in helpful sextile to most of his cluster of personal planets in Leo

Transiting Uranus in early Aries will be in harmonious trine to its natal position, 00 Leo.

Transiting Neptune in late Aquarius and 00 Pisces will oppose natal Sun/Venus/Mars.

Transiting Pluto - nothing too significant unless in relating to the angles, ascendant, midheaven etc. These cannot be calculate without an accurate time of birth.

Hmmmmm.....Neptune (natal and transiting) is providing something of "a fly in the ointment". It'll be dealing with a transit of restrictive Saturn natally, and opposing Huckabee's most significant natal planets in transit.

How to translate the above? Neptune has been a feature of political life for some time now. Neptune is known for fogginess, deception, illusion, delusion - but also for creativity. In opposition to his personal planets....that might be a positive indication - his Sun/Venus/Mars working to clear the fog of delusion in politics?

Saturn transiting his natal Neptune might put a restriction on his creative enterprises - his TV show, his music, etc.

I'm not sure what to make of transiting Uranus in harmony with natal Uranus - but whatever the indication it has to signify opportunity for change.

As I see it, there's no clear indication here that Huckabee will run in the General election, but I feel certain that if not, he'll be playing a prominent part in the proceedings, one way or another. His Leo bits will demand it!

Any other interpretations are welcome, via comments.

Arty Farty Friday ~~ Artist Carl Andre - A True Virgo-type

On a constant learning curve, as indicated by my blog's title, I frequently come across an artist unfamiliar to me, then attempt to learn something. One such artist: Carl Andre. After some research I discovered that he's an interesting subject astrologically, so...

To demonstrate that he clearly represents a Virgo-type artist, I've used the words of other writers, who have no interest in astrology, but demonstrate an astrological point.

Carl Andre has natal Sun (self) Neptune (creativity) and Venus (art) all in Virgo - a good candidate for the label "Virgo-type".





Bolding, in each quotation is my own, to indicate typically Virgoan traits.

Carl Andre was one of the founders of the art movement known as Minimal, Systemic, or ABC Art. It is an art that seeks to eliminate everything decorative, extraneous and additive, reducing all components to art's purest elements; it is precise, cerebral and austere rather than accessible. Andre once said that what was beautiful in art was "not that someone is original but that he can find a way of creating in the world the instance of his temperament." His own temperament is close to the tranquil philosophy of Taoism, and many critics refer to his work as "pacific." Link.

In 1965, Andre began working for a railway company. This blue collar working experience had a large impact on his sculptures, especially in terms of subject and medium. Andre interworked his experiences with hard labor and man-made simple structures into his art. ‘The railway completely tore me away from the pretensions of art, even my own, and I was back on the horizontal lines of steel and rust and great masses of coal and material, timber, with all kinds of hides and glue and the burdens and weights of the cars themselves’ Link.

Virgo, ruled by Mercury, has close links to communication of all types - including words.

Poetics play an important role in Andre’s work, manifested most literally by his experiments with linguistic equivalents to his sculpture. Since the 1960s he has created poems and, in the tradition of concrete poetry, situated the words on the page as if they were working drawings.......Andre’s consistent search for the simplest, most rational models embodies a moral philosophy as well as an artistic practice. (Cornelia Lauf)

Andre was married to the Performance Artist Ana Mendieta until her death in 1985. Her death, from falling from an open window, was judged suicide, after Carl Andre was tried, and acquitted, for her murder. (More HERE.)

Some examples of his work.

THREE RIGHT THRESHOLDS



SPATIAL SPECIFICITY




ACLOUD





TRABUM (part of the Element Series) Title is derived from the Latin for log or timber.


SPIRAL


ESSAY ON SCULPTURE



From MAP OF POETRY at Autobiography




POSTSCRIPT
Further to Gian Paul's comment (below), here's a chart showing Carl Andre's natal in the centre and a chart showing where the planets were the time of death of his wife in the outer circle. As I don't have a time of birth for Andre, anything connected to his Moon isn't relevant here, indication of ascendant and mid-heaven will also not be accurate. I found time of 4am for the wife's death somewhere on the net and have used it for the death chart.

Most significant, as I see it, is Sun over Andre's natal Neptune (Neptune = illusion/delusion). That swings both ways, so not decisive. Any ideas?

Still Aboard That (Zodiacal) Ship of Fools

The term "ship of fools", as an allegory, harks back to medieval times when it was the custom to rid society of "undesirables": the mentally ill and other outcasts, by gathering them into a boat or cart and having them taken away. The origin of the descriptive phrase appears to be a book by Sebastian Brandt, 15th century German humanist and satirist. His allegorical poem/story "Das Narrenschiff" criticises the state of the church, as well as what he saw as the weaknesses and vices of his time. 15th century painter Hieronymus Bosch gave us his version of Ship of Fools, in a painting (shown below). This was originally part of a triptych, a linked 3-panel piece of artwork, other parts also probably relating to aspects of human weakness.

500+ years later we can still relate to humanity as a Ship of Fools....no need to go into detail here, passing readers will recognise the indications.

So then, if this painting presents an allegory of humanity's weaknesses, it must also represent the weaknesses, or shadow sides, of the 12 signs of the zodiac, which together make up human nature. Conveniently, coincidentally (or not), there are 12 figures in Bosch's painting - too good a chance for me to miss!

First a brief explanation of the "props" in the painting. The round object hanging between the central group is a suspended pancake. As a game the characters try to take bites from it. Traditionally all eggs and milk were eaten before lent, but the fools choose to consume them in wasteful luxury. The pitcher upside down on a pole behind a nun, and some stored barrels behind the monk symbolise consumption of alcohol. The trees used as masts are symbols of the tree of life. The figure reaching up to a roasted fowl tied to the tree represents the gluttony of the times. (The idea comes from a medieval custom of attaching a roasted fowl or ham to the top of a greasy pole so peasants could try their skills to retrieve it.) The long banner flag with the crescent moon on it as a representation of Islam. In the tree top, an owl, usually symbol of wisdom, here representing heresy, as a bird that hunts at night - dark and spiritually unenlightened - symbolic of evil and superstition in general.






Here goes then - looking for a representation of weaker sides of the zodiac signs: Some are better representations than others; Bosch didn't consciously have astrology in mind when he painted this!

Aries (Self-seeking, arrogant) - Figure climbing mast to reach the chicken

Taurus (Totalitarian, self-aggrandising) - figure with arm in the air - at the back

Gemini (Lies, unreliable) - figure with mouth open to right of Taurus

Cancer (Self pity, fear) - figure lying down far left

Leo (Irritable & frustrated when not in spotlight) - figure dressed as Fool, sitting alone, at right

Virgo (Judgmental, vengeful) - Nun figure holding jug, to right of Cancer

Libra (Lascivious, indecisive) - Nun figure playing mandolin

Scorpio(Scheming, paranoid) - Monk figure at table

Sagittarius (Silly, greedy, overbearing) -figure directly behind the pancake on a string

Capricorn (Capitalistic, social climber) figure in water with bowl

Aquarius (Trying too hard to be different, poseur) - figure in water on right

Pisces (Addictive, lazy) - figure hanging over side of boat vomiting -at right.

(Alternative interpretations of the figures are very welcome - via comments.)

We're still aboard our 21st century Ship of Fools.

Eat, Pray, Love......with a dope-slap!

We saw Eat Pray Love at the weekend. I had only a vague idea of its storyline, but was pretty sure there'd be no car chases, bloody and noisy violence or 3D spectacles (of both kinds) to contend with. I was right. It's a gentle movie - rather reminiscent of some I recall from the late 1960s and early 70s, which delighted in transporting audiences to foreign lands with wonderful scenery and strange customs. In those days travel by air was only just seeping through for the masses, but we all eagerly looked forward to the day we could jet off to Italy, Spain, the USA and beyond. Those movies urged us on, whetting appetites.

Different in this movie, though, was the sense of frustration I felt with the leading character. Mostly I just wanted to slap her. I like Julia Roberts - I'm not blaming her for the character she was required to portray. We reckoned she was mis-cast in the part, chosen to sell tickets. Better alternatives - off the top of my head: Ashley Judd, Diane Lane? The movie's lead character, Liz Gilbert, had a successful career as a writer, a husband who apparently loved her - yet she was not satisfied. She came over, to me, as a spoiled rotten, dissatisfied, self absorbed individual whose favourite occupation was contemplating her own navel.

Liz decided to take a year off in order to travel and....what ? Find herself, her "spirituality" - an all-purpose term used cover a multitude of New Age fluff. She travelled to Italy, India and Bali, spending months in each place. She found good friends, developed pleasant relationships in each location yet, dammit, she was still not satisfied. Liz badly needed (to use one of my huband's son-in-law's expressions) "a dope slap up the side of the head".

I read that Oprah had endorsed the book Eat, Pray, Love from which the movie was adapted. That don't impress me much either.

The film's photography was beautiful though, and the Italian food in Rome had me recalling the smells, tastes and atmospheres I still remember from two vacations there, long ago. Julia Roberts' co-stars were well-cast, all good actors portraying likeable characters. Javier Bardem, in Bali, was quite something - the mental dope-slaps were coming thicker and faster as Liz turned to leave him!




The movie is an adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's book, a novel, but I now discover it was also her memoirs. Oops! Best not be dishing out too many dope-slaps here then. I'll surmise that, in her book, she exaggerated some aspects of the lead character for effect !

I decided to take a look at Ms Gilbert's natal chart. Born 18 July 1969 in Waterbury, Connecticut. 12 noon chart shown - no birth time available.



Sun and Mercury in Cancer, a possible stellium (cluster) in Libra (depending on Moon position.) Ah! My antipathy may have arisen for astrological reasons. I don't often get on well with either Cancer-type or Libra-type people, in spite of the fact that I have Cancer rising natally, and an Airy Sun which ought to go better with Libra than it does.

Neptune(planet of creativity) in Scorpio is in harmonious trine to Sun/Mercury; and with Venus in Gemini and Moon in Virgo both ruled by communications planet Mercury - writing was always going to be on Ms Gilbert's agenda.

Where is her propensity for navel-gazing though. Navel-gazing is something I'll never understand, by the way, so might have difficulty detecting in a chart. It'll be related to the Moon for sure (pity we don't have a birth time). Moon would have had to be between between 4 and 16 degrees of Virgo as she was born. I'd guess it lay at the earlier end of the span. That would link Moon (inner self) to the conjunction of Jupiter (excess & travel) and Uranus (eccentricity). So that'd boil down to: Inner self subjected to excessive and eccentric observation, a fondness for travel, and - remembering Moon is in Virgo, excessive critical analysis.