A need to speak out...

Last week actor Johnny Depp became the latest American "celeb" to make a thinly veiled allusion to the killing of President Donald Trump. He asked the crowd at the Glastonbury arts festival in England, "When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?"Depp later apologized ... well, he would wouldn't he? They all do this after grabbing a day's worth of headlines.

Glastonbury used to be thought of as an annual love-filled gathering, hippie-flavoured - filled with fun, goodwill.

In May, "comedian" Kathy Griffin posed for photos holding a mask styled to look like the bloodied head of President Trump.

At January's Women's March on Washington, "pop icon" Madonna stated in a speech that she'd "thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House."

A production of Shakesepare's "Julius Caesar" at New York's Public Theater, in which the depiction of the titular character bore resemblance to Trump caused unease. Sponsors, including Delta Airlines and Bank of America, pulled their support from the production and protests objecting to the portrayal interrupted the play.

Meryl Streep, when campaigning for Hillary Clinton last year, characterized Trump as a bully who disrespects others during a speech at the Golden Globes.

Alec Baldwin has portrayed Trump unkindly (that's putting it mildly) on "Saturday Night Live".

Jimmy Kimmel, while hosting the Oscars, made several cracks at Trump's expense. Every one of the late and late-late shows' presenters have been guilty of the same on a nightly basis for months, and it's no longer funny.

This rant is is no way defending President Trump, who himself has been criticized for making comments that have appeared to advocate violence against others, including those on the other side of the political aisle. But does that make it alright for others to declare open season on him in such potentially dangerous a manner?

Hat-tip HERE.

People of the USA, in living memory, have seen their president assassinated right before their eyes, and later the same president's bother killed in cold blood, as well as a beloved civil rights activist murdered. If so-called "celebrities" do not dredge up a smidgen of good taste and decency soon, the USA could find itself reliving some of its worst nightmares. Where is the communal outcry, by the entertainment community, against such loose-lipped, hate-drenched hyperbolic spewings as listed above? Some of those hearing such spewings, or even reading of them could become immune to the danger lurking within them. Others with an altogether different agenda might use those spewings as cover for their own dirty deeds. Is there really any need to explain further?

Sell-ebs

Celebrity season has begun...again, and with a vengance.

I have, as one among many of my unfortunate traits, an intense dislike of "celebrities". Celebrities, I hasten to add, are a breed related to, but different from, those who are simply actors, musicians, entertainers or sports people - many of whose work I enjoy. Celebrity is an added layer, fostered, courted by certain of these types of workers (yes they are workers - doing what they do for money - and lots of it). Celebrity is available to any of them who wish to court it. It feeds ego, and thrives on the need for news people of all types to provide readers and viewers with material, which then provides advertisers with space to peddle their wares, which then.......it's always the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

This time of year has regularly brought on the worst symptoms of my affliction. It's a bit like 'flu season, it is actually 'flu season as well as Golden Globes, Oscars etc. season. Unfortunately, there's no shot available for celebrity-itis. The best way to deal with it is to avoid places where it can be picked up.

I tried avoidance this time around, we didn't watch the Golden Globes show on Sunday evening. Monday morning brought news and commentary, all over the internet, of Meryl Streep's political remarks when doing her speechifying bit on the show. I didn't need to read further, I knew exactly what would have been the gist of her diatribe. She isn't one of the main "celebrity" for its own sake clique, but she is one of the leading limousine liberals of Hollywood, keen Clinton supporter during the election circus just passed. She preached to the choir of her peers. If she's so keen to be seen as political, let her get into the political fray proper, run for office herself - otherwise, get on with the job she has chosen and stfu.

A BIT OF A RANT

Another tragedy, this time involving the deaths of many very young children as well as adults. My heartfelt condolences to anyone directly or indirectly involved in the shootings in Connecticut, who might, accidentally, stumble upon this page.

Rant :
Too many beloved "celebrities", actors, musicians, writers or speakers with a popular public voice, loyal listeners and fans, who could do a great deal of awareness raising and encouraging the holding of feet to fires remain silent or continue to ass-kiss the President and his party. They effetely cling to their precious Democrat label and loyalties, will avoid speaking up about the more than obvious shortcomings of their party and their President. There are numerous issues outstanding crying out for the "feet to fire" treatment - not least this latest tragedy when yet again a deranged person found easy access to powerful weapons, resulting in the cold-blooded murder of 20 small children and 6 adults, including, allegedly, the victim's mother. Tragic as these murders are, no less tragic are the continuing murders of children and innocents by US drones abroad....let us never forget that point!

I find those "limousine Democrats" who fail to speak out, who fail to criticise and fail to do what the President has, more than once, told citizens to do i.e. "make him do it" (whatever the "it"), to be thoroughly reprehensible. The need for raised voices increases almost by the hour on: gun control, against indiscriminate drone use, the serious measures needed to address climate change, all of these are far more important than gay marriage laws and abortion laws, even more important than that darned fiscal cliff - they really are; these are issues of life and death.

MONDAY MARINADE ~ Paul Liebrandt

In choosing my subject for today's blog I hit some serious frustration. I don't want to focus on celebrity chefs, whose numbers seem to grow daily. What's up? Don't chefs enjoy being in a proper kitchen any more? Too hard work ? It is hard work, even today with all the best equipent and technology to hand, it's still hard to run a big kitchen to a high standard. So much easier to stand in front of a TV camera and pontificate, or to curse and swear in a reality TV show as though that were the root of a chef's skill-set.

In the words of a commenter at Huffington Post on an article about one of Gordon Ramsay's recent outbursts:

"At what point in the last 20 years did being a total uncivilized dick become acceptable, even lucrative, behavior? Did it start with Howard Stern? Jerry Springer? We have a whole generation of people that think watching or listening to people be really horrible, nasty and cruel to each other is great entertainment. WTF?"

I'm less than enchanted by the current crop of celeb chefs who appear on TV, write book after book, open cooking schools, give lectures, open strings of restaurants bearing their name but which they never visit to cook in the kitchens. There has to be at least one more chef for me to investigate, one who is actually doing a chef's work, on a daily basis.

My eye fell upon the name Paul Liebrandt. He's still in the kitchens! Bet I can't find his date of birth.

(NOTE: this birth data is not correct. A correction has been posted on 27 December 2010 SEE HERE

I did, eventually: Born 26 August 1975 in Zimbabwe to British parents. No city specified, so I've used the capital Harare (formerly Salisbury). He was raised in London and trained in some of the finest kitchens in Europe. He moved to New York in 1999, and currently is chef and co-owner of the Corton restaurant in Tribeca, a neighborhood in lower Manhattan.

"The tables are covered with white linen and set with pink roses. The whitewashed walls are bottom-lit, like a giant fresco, and stenciled with butterflies, birds, and sylvan tree branches colored here and there with a solitary gold leaf. There’s a peaceful, palate-cleansing quality to all this icy, Altoid whiteness, and as dinner progresses you get a sense of time suspended, of being pleasantly inoculated from the cares of the outside world.
Peace and light aren’t chef Paul Liebrandt’s usual M.O., of course. The English wunderkind (he’s only 32) has been known to sprinkle eel with crystallized violets and flavor his côte de boeuf with coffee grinds before theatrically finishing it in clouds of burning hay. But on this latest tour through the New York restaurant jungle (this is his fourth in eight years), the perpetually promising chef has found his footing"(HERE)

What made you decide to become a chef?I don't know. I like cooking. I like the excitement of the kitchen. I like the heat, the violence, the sweat, the punishing hours. It's freedom in the kitchen.
What was it like working for Marco Pierre White?
Hard. But he's a very fair man. If you go in there, and you're young, and you work your bollocks off there's a lot to be learned. If not, you wouldn't last in his kitchen two seconds.



What did you learn from him?
Discipline. How to beat people. You notice the scar above my eye here? Well, there you go. How to take a bunch of young guys like I had here when I started six months ago, who didn't know how to hold a frying pan properly and beat them, literally, beat them into shape within a matter of a couple of months and get three stars from the New York Times. I wouldn't have been able to do it without having the solid training I did."

Sounds as though Gordon Ramsay-type antics are par for the course in chefdom then! I should have realised as much from my own experience of watching more than one chef chase a waiter with a carving knife, when I worked in hotels, long ago.

This chart for Paul Liebrandt will give correct planetary placements in signs, apart from degree of the Moon and rising sign. That will suffice for my purpose. He has moved around from Africa to England to France and Europe to the USA, so relocation will have shunted the ascendant and houses more than once.

(NOTE - birth data incorrect. Correction posted on 27 December 2010 - SEE HERE)




Natal Sun conjoining Venus - an artistic guy, in Virgo - a discerning and fairly disciplined one to boot. Mercury lies at the other end of Virgo - one of its home signs so is pure and unsullied: he'll be a clear thinker, and expect precision from others.

The 2009 Eat Out Awards describe his food:
"Renegade chef Paul Liebrandt's studied food is as artful on the plate as it is on the palate."
(Phtograph by Melissa Hom)


If I didn't know this is the chart of a chef I'd have guessed at writer and/or illustrator. Moon will be in Aries, somewhere in the second half of the sign. This Aries influence reflects his "get-up-and-go", the energy he has needed to pursue his dream, and with Jupiter, planet of expansion, exaggeration and luck lying also in Aries (possibly close enough to be termed conjunct) his energetic go-getter nature is further underlined.

Saturn, planet of discipline, business and tradition is the sole planet in Cancer and lies sextile (helpful aspect) to Mercury. This hints at a disciplined, organised mind - a definite plus for a chef who wants to "run a tight ship" - as the best of them do. Mars in Gemini is in harmonious trine to Pluto in Libra, and opposite Neptune in Sagittarius - so Mars, the personal energy planet is linked to the two outer planets which represent power and creativity.

Liebrandt has the reputation of being something of a renegade, inventive as well as creative. It's interesting then, that Uranus, the renegade's planet is in harmonious (though out-of-sign) sextile to his Sun/Venus conjunction.

There's nothing to specify food preparation in this, or in fact in any of the chef charts I've looked at. What has to, and does, come through is creativity, discipline, energy, business sense and an artistic nature. These characteristics could be put to work in a number of professions or jobs. It's surprising that there isn't some tiny indicator which points towards catering. This could, of course, come via house position, which remains unknown without a correct time of birth. It could come via ascendant or midheaven. 6th house is the house of service, midheaven the area of career, ascendant the side of character shown to the world at large; any or all of these could underline a leaning towards a career in food, which I continue to think might involve Taurus, and/or Cancer, at 6th house or midheaven or ascendant.

PEREZ HILTON ~ "Queen of Mean"

I'd never heard of Perez Hilton before I read of his comments about American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert.
When I first came across his name on the internet I assumed he was one of the illustrious Hilton family. I envisioned a suave dandified character, slicked back hair, Armani suits - the whole nine yards. What a surprise!


Perez Hilton isn't his real name. The name he was born with is Mario Lavandeira.
Rolling Stone's article by Erik Hedegaard, "The Queen of Mean" is a candid critique of Mr. Hilton.

This guy makes a lot of money from his mega blog which reportedly attracts 7 million visitors a day. In it he regularly dishes out salacious, bitchy gossip about America's so called "celebrities". It has to be said that if seven million (mostly) Americans didn't read his writings Mr Hilton would probably have found some other means of making a living. Supply and demand!

Whatever floats yer boat, I guess. But his writings don't float mine. I am interested to see at how the planets were aligned as he was born though. Perhaps he came into this world under that mythical "angry sky" - or more approate in his case "snarky sky".

\
Perez Hilton was born on 23 March 1978 in Miami, Florida. I don't have any time of birth for him so a 12 noon chart will give, at least, information of planets in signs.





Well....it's not a badly unbalanced chart element-wise - there is a bit of everything there. It is a bit of a teeter-totter though - there's a trio of Aries planets at one side and the rest spread out on the other side. A bit of an inner conflict showing, I think. Aries trio wants to be the big bully, while other planets spread fairly evenly between Gemini to Sagittarius seem much more circumspect and possibly even "nice" - certainly well integrated:
27*, 24*, 24*,20*, 15*, 15*, 18*...... tripping off one another in semi-sextile, sextile and trine, like a chorus line in harmony - with that Aries trio across the chart trying hard to drown them out.

By the way that red glyph near Jupiter is Matrix Software's version of Black Moon Lilith - the Moon's apogee. I'm wondering whether it has any significance, especially when close to another planet or sensitive point, so have left it in as an experiment. There are myths and legends about Lilith which I'll studiously ignore, because in my view they don't translate easily or comfortably into modern day life. I prefer to see whether any significant similarities occur when looking into natal charts.

Lots of configurations and patterns can be found in this chart, but two I think are particularly significant: a Grand Trine in Fire signs, and a Yod.
The Grand Trine hooks up Hilton's Aries Mercury/Venus with Neptune in Sagittarius and Saturn in Leo. Here's where I see his snarky attitude - Saturn and Neptune hooked up to Mercury and Venus. Neptune isn't mean, but it's imaginative, foggy, deceptive. Saturn can be mean and/or sarcastic when linked to Mercury as here - this is the circuit which feeds his writing style.

This Yod (Finger of Fate) links the sextile between Moon in critical Virgo and Uranus in intense and potentially dark Scorpio, with two quincunx aspects (150*) to - again Mercury/Venus.

So Mercury, the communications planet is being "fed" via two routes - the Fiery Grand Trine, and by a combination of Moon and Uranus: emotional intensity colored by the eccentricity of Uranus and dark intensity of Scorpio.

You know - I think that says it all about this guy's style. Perhaps there are some good things to be found in his chart, but seeing that he doesn't bother to look for the good in anybody else, I'll leave it at that.

VIGGO MORTENSEN ~ Arty Farty Friday's Celebrity Artist

Viggo Mortensen. I knew the face, but for some reason hadn't linked it with the name. I had a vague idea at the back of my mind that the name belonged to a soccer player, back in the UK.

Viggo Mortensen has appeared in dozens of movies, some of the best known: Lord of the Rings, Hidalgo, Appaloosa, Carlito's Way - full list here

Research easily unearthed a slew of fansites for this movie actor, whose creativity spills over into painting, photography, poetry and music. Asked, as part of a TIME magazine article, which of these artistic pursuits was his favorite, he replied

"I don't really separate them. To be an artist, you don't have to compose music or paint or be in the movies or write books. It's just a way of living. It has to do with paying attention, remembering, filtering what you see and answering back, participating in life."

I was pleased to discover that Viggo supported Dennis Kucinich in the US primaries of 2008. Would that more liberals had lent Kucinich their support! I'll never, ever understand why they didn't. But that's another story.

Viggo Mortensen's natal chart could offer some clues as to the source of his prodigious artistry. Born in Manhattan, New York on 20 October 1958 (Wikipedia says 1952, but that seems to be a lone voice, Astrodatabank states 1958, but no time of day.) This chart is set for 1958 and 12 noon.



Libra is ruled by Venus, planet of the arts, and here Venus is comfortably at home in Libra, along with Viggo's natal Sun. Personality-wise, he's likely to be both charmer and diplomat. Venus is also conjunct North node of the Moon - an ultra senstive point in a natal chart, which I believe further emphasises the influence of planets close to it. His artistic Venus is in very good shape!

Nextdoor, in passionate, insightful Scorpio is a stellium (trio of planets very close together) Neptune (planet of imagination, dreams); Mercury (planet of communication); and Jupiter, benign planet which rules, among other things, publication and excess.

This 2-sign bunching of planets, I think, is the main source of his multi-faceted artistry, in addition Saturn at 21 Sagittarius is in exact trine (harmonious) to Venus at 21 Libra. Saturn represents hard work and discipline, and here is allied to the arts.

His natal Moon will be somewhere between 3 and 15 Aquarius (we can't know the exact position without a time of birth). This, I suspect, is the source of his leftward political leanings, and more likely than not Moon will be opposing Uranus (ruler of Aquarius) in Leo, symbolic of a keyed up nervous system - a restless soul. Could this, perhaps be his driver?

I'm posting a few examples of his work, along with some links to the best sites I've found where Viggo's art, photography, poetry, and his career in general can be explored.

GULF STREAM. 2002.






BLUE




SELF PORTRAIT April 99-02.



LEGOLAS



NO SIGN


LINKS:
This one is excellent! ~http://www.brego.net/viggo/viggo-art.php
http://markpowerblog.com/2008/09/03/part-one-viggo-mortensen/
http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/viggo-mortensen-mysterious-movie-hunk
http://specialrealms.com/VM/painting5.html

Arty-Farty Friday - Celebrity Art

Grace Slick and Jane Seymour

Another pair of celeb artists, female this time. Grace Slick and Jane Seymour. Two quite different characters with very different styles.
(Long piece, so it's for Friday & Saturday.)

A lengthy career in TV drama and movies, from 1969 onward, has made Jane Seymour a recognisable face on both sides of the Atlantic, and in other parts of the world too. Best known for her roles as Bond Girl in "Live and Let Die"; Dr. Quinn in the successful TV series; and her leading role in the mini-series "War and Remembrance", as well as numerous lesser known roles.


British born, honored by the Queen with an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 1999, became a US citizen in 2005. She is a celebrity ambassador for the non-profit organization Childhelp. In December, 2008, she was honored by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation in a ceremony in Los Angeles for her work with people with disabilities. She currently resides in Malibu, California with her husband and twin boys.

It was after a challenging period in her life that Ms Seymour began to paint as part of a healing process -some 10 years ago. Her style is soft, sentimental and traditional.



Jane Seymour born 15 February 1951 in Hayes, London, UK. No time available, 12 noon chart below.



Sun and Mercury in Aquarius, with 3 personal planets and north Node of the Moon in Pisces. That Watery Pisces trio and her Sun's ruler, Uranus, in Watery Cancer could account for her penchant for painting romantic and sentimental scenes of the sea, beach, even a fish !

Without knowing her time of birth her rising sign and degree of Moon remain a mystery, but Moon would be in Gemini, and probably forming part of a Grand Trine in Air with Sun and Neptune (Aquarius and Libra respectively). The Grand Trine indicates an easy, harmonious blending of Airy attributes - mental adroitness, charm and social graces.

I wonder if Ms Seymour has Cancer rising? Her charity work for children, and the subject matter of some of her paintings seems rather Moonly, sweet and motherly to me.

PEACE by Jane Seymour



RED RIBBON by Jane Seymour




MOTHER & CHILD on the BEACH by Jane Seymour




KOI by Jane Seymour








Grace Slick joined the rock band The Great Society in 1965, later she became lead vocalist for Jefferson Airplane with songs such as 'White Rabbit' and 'Somebody to Love' . Through the next 20 years, Grace participated in several incarnations of the band including The Jefferson Starship, Starship and several solo albums. Grace retired from Rock and Roll in 1989 and began a new career in the visual arts in the mid 90's. Her first show was in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, in 2000. Since then she has had over 30 exhibits and is represented by some of the best galleries in the US. (Here)





There were quite a few dramas and encounters with The Law during the musical portion of Ms Slick's career.

"Slick and Tricia Nixon, former President Richard Nixon's daughter, are both alumni of Finch College. Grace was invited to a tea party for the alumni at the White House in 1969. She invited the political activist Abbie Hoffman to be her escort, and planned to spike President Richard Nixon's tea with LSD. The plan was thwarted when they were prevented from entering after being recognized by White House security personnel.

While Slick was involved in several run-ins with the law while a part of Jefferson Airplane, she was arrested individually at least three times for what she has referred to as "TUI" ("Talking Under the Influence") and "Drunk Mouth". While technically the charges were DUI, the three arrests mentioned in her autobiography occurred when she was not actually inside a vehicle."

Grace Slick's style and subject matter are quite different from Jane Seymour's. Ms Slick often portrays some of her musical colleagues, and fantasy scenes from songs which made her famous. Her style is kind of "primitive", yet adept, not traditional yet not exactly abstract.

Born 30 October 1939 in Evanston Illinois at 7.37am (Astrodatabank)




Sun, Venus, Mercury and ascendant in Scorpio. Uranus exactly opposing Venus, from Taurus, and harmoniously trining Neptune in Virgo. Moon in Gemini. That's a lot of dark and heavy, intense passionate determination from Scorpio, lightened somewhat by sociable and versatile Gemini Moon. Uranus trining Neptune opposing Venus, Neptune sextiling Venus puts a two-way pull on Venus, delicate planet of the arts. Unruly Uranus is almost certainly involved in the daredevil antics which resulted in those early brushes with the law. Neptune (planet of creativity and imagination) has helpful links to Venus and Uranus, and connection to Ms Slick's music as well as her painting. There's more potential irritability as Mars in Aquarius squares (90*) Aquarius' ruler, Uranus; and Saturn in Aries lies quincunx (150* scratchy aspect) Mercury in Scorpio.

I suspect that Grace Slick has mellowed and matured a lot - she's in her 70th year now. She has no doubt learned to control and use her challenging natal aspects, putting them to very good use in her current artistic endeavours.


LIVERPOOL LENNON by Grace Slick




JOLLY ROCKER by Grace Slick



HER MISTRESS' VOICE by Grace Slick



JANIS WOOD NYMPH by Grace Slick



MORE EXAMPLES of the artwork of Jane Seymour and Grace Slick can be seen at these links, and via Google Image.

Daily Dazzles

SUNDAY:- Celebrity time with avengance. The Oscars. I have what some might see as an unfortunate trait (only one?)- dislike of celebrities. This time of year brings on the worst symptoms of my affliction, a bit like 'flu season - well actually it's 'flu season and Oscar season both. Unfortunately there's no shot available for celebrity-itis. Might this affliction of mine stem from something in my astrology? Natal Sun in obtuse and rebellious Aquarius is a start. Saturn (limitation) in Aries in 10th house (public status)- maybe Saturn, the old misery, in this position tends to put a damper on celebrity worship. Grand Trine in Earth signs adds to the mix anchoring feet to the ground, helping to breed an innate distrust of glitz and glitter.


MONDAY afternoon, a letter arrived from the United States Immigration and Citizenship Service notifying me that I should attend for interview on 11 April. This has been a long time coming - since July 2007. On Monday Venus and Mercury were less than 4 degrees from natal Aquarius Sun, with Mercury having not long since moved from retrograde to direct motion, it all ties in nicely. Chances are that I shall be a citizen in time to register to vote in November. The long immigration treck will soon be over. It started with a UK fiance visa for himself, enabling him to be resident in the UK, followed by a marriage visa for me to enter the USA as a Permanent Resident back in 2004, then further hassle to remove conditions from my Permanent Residency last summer. With a following wind I should finally reach the end of this rocky road sometime this summer, after an Oath Ceremony. Then, transformed as a US citizen (dual US/UK citizen to be exact), I shall be saying a resounding "PHEW!!"


TUESDAY evening's TV viewing hovered between rock and a hard place - American Idol and another Democratic debate between El Obama and La Clinton.

American Idol has thrown up a likely winner already. David Archuleta won rave comments for his rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine". He's the youngest contestant, so if he does eventually win, my theory that this year's astrological factors favour the more mature contestants will be proved wrong.

They say Tuesday's debate may have been the last of the season, I hope they are correct. Nothing new emerges now, just regurgitation of what we've heard many times before.

Senator Obama, when speechifying on the campaign trail, and when debating, displays two quite different sides to his personality. He doesn't light up the debate platform as he does stadiums filled with adoring crowds. His sparkling Leo Sun, Mercury and Uranus seem eclipsed by his strong Saturn in Capricorn, which lies quincunx(inharmonious)to Uranus. Uranus dazzles at campaign rallies, with promise of change, unity, and that "Yes we can!" In the debates Saturn appears to dampen things down considerably.

WEDNESDAY - An earthquake hit the UK, mild on a global scale, but pretty unusual for Britain. Eclipses are thought by some to be precursors of earthquakes, but there's no scientific evidence for this. There was a lunar eclipse last week. Coincidence?