Legs Malone

The Legs Malone Show : The Body Show is at Public Assembly MONDAY NIGHT!

2009-02-02T04:25:51Z

Monday, February 2nd
The Legs Malone Show: The Body Show
Public Assembly - 70 North 6th Street in Williamsburg
10pm, $10

With the fine and fleshy talents of World Famous *BOB*, Nasty Canasta, Ravi the Scorpion Mystic, Nik Sin, Glenn Marla and yours truly, Legs Malone.

I hope you can make it. It's going to be HUGE. And small. And oddly shaped. And divinely imperfect.

'tis the season

2008-11-14T04:39:21Z

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who,
nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. " ~ H.U. Westermayer

Obama and McCain's environmental stances: a comparison

2008-10-23T20:29:18Z

http://www.informinc.org/obama_vs_mccain.php

Legs and Sugar Shack A-GO-GO this week!

2008-09-15T04:49:30Z

My dearest friends,

This transition out of summer has been quite a time and this week promises to be no different. With SIX nights in a row of gig madness I ask you, can you handle it? No, really. Can you?

TONIGHT! Monday, September 15th
Sweet and Nasty Burlesque presents
MY (SECOND) LEAST FAVORITE SONG
more burlesque tributes to the songs we love to hate:

Nasty Canasta despises "The Downeaster Alexa"
Clams Casino loathes "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight"
Anita Cookie cannot stand A Certain Cable Company Jingle
Legs Malone recoils from "Put It In Your Mouth"
Naughtia Nice & Bastard Keith repudiate "Tubthumping", among other things
Creamy Stevens abhors "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"
Tigger! us repelled by "I've Never Been To Me"
and nobody likes "The Thong Song"

at The New Monday Night Burlesque
Monday, September 15th at 10pm
at Public Assembly
70 N. 6th St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn
$10

www.MondayNightBurlesque.com
www.SweetAndNastyBurlesque.com

TOMORROW! Tuesday, September 16th
Sugar Shack A-Go-Go!
Barrette - 601 Vanderbilt Avenue @ Bergen in Prospect Heights
Come on out and enjoy some burlesque and go-go by your favorite Sugar Shack gals - me and RunAround Sue!
DJ Cool Hands Luke will be on the decks with plenty of fine tunes to keep the night going - and it's FREE!

THE DAY AFTER! Wednesday, September 17th
An Attitude of Gratitude: Sugar Shack Burlesque's 2nd Birthday Party
Wednesday, September 17th
The Slipper Room - 167 Orchard Street @ Stanton
10pm doors, $5

Hosted and produced by Sugar Shack's partners-in-crime RunAround Sue and Legs Malone!
Featuring their fantastic friends:
Bonnie Voy'age - Mastermind of Illustration
Fem Appeal - Producer of Kitty Nights
Perle Noir, The Black Pearl - Winner Best Debut, Miss Exotic World 2008
The Lady Aye - Sideshow Extraordinaire
Paloma Negra - Keeping it fresh - new on the scene!
World Famous *BOB* - Living Legend
Rita Men Weep - Face-Painter and Booty Shaker!

There will be cupcakes and love aplenty - come and enjoy the fun and sugar!

Thursday, September 18th
Sugar Shack Burlesque at Ceol
191 Smith Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Featuring Nasty Canasta, La Maia, Veronica Vroom and the Ladies of the Shack - RunAround Sue et moi!
**Sue and I will be slinging drinks from 7pm until our show starts in the back room at 9pm so come on down and have a few before the show!

Friday, September 19th
Sugar Shack presents In The Flesh
The Living Theater - 21 Clinton Street between Houston and Stanton
Featuring Daddy Snuggs and his band along with Mamma MargOH!, Anita Cookie, Des O'Connor, RunAround Sue and yours truly and one very special surprise guest!
10pm, $10

and after that I scoot over a couple blocks to....

The Hot Box
The Slipper Room - 167 Orchard @ Stanton
10:30pm kickoff (I'll be in the Midnight and late late show), $5
SUGAR DA MOORE(PARIS)
DES O'CONNOR(LONDON)
LEGS MALONE(NYC)
NASTY CANASTA(NYC)
JANICE DEMILO(NYC)
ROSE WOOD(NYC)
All this and a live band, GRANDPA MUSSLEMAN AND HIS SYNCOPATERS, plus sensational spinner DJ MOMO TARO!

Saturday, September 20th
Sugar Shack presents Autumn! Part of the Four Seasons Series with Peculiar Gentlemen
Jalopy - 315 Columbia Street, Brooklyn
9pm start, $8
**Featuring an excellent photo exhibit of "The Ladies of Sugar Shack Burlesque - Photographs by Ed Barnas, Luke Ratray and Liz Schnore" Jalopy will be hosting the opening from 6-9pm - bring friends and an appetite for art, alchohol and lovely ladies!

Phew! That's it for now. As always, the myspace calendar is up to date so check in there for any last minute changes or updates.

Lots of love and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Legs xx

voting - ?

2008-09-08T23:08:42Z

Alas, not for the USA but for the Golden Pasties. I saw that the voting lists are up in their news section but couldn't find a link. Am I missing something?

Sugar Shack Burlesque is loving up your Monday and Tuesday!

2008-06-15T18:07:43Z

TOMORROW! Monday, June 16th
Sugar Shack presents A New Wave Show!
Galapagos - 70 N. 6th Street in Brooklyn
9:30, $5

*The freshest talent, the rosiest cheeks, the naughtiest moves - it's all too hot to handle!* Starring the newest up-and-coming gals on the scene - Veronica Vroom, Coco La Pearl, Sapphire Jones and Rosey La Rouge - with your hosts, the Ladies of the Shack, RunAround Sue and Legs Malone.

THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW! Tuesday, June 17th
Sugar Shack presents Go-Go Boudoir
R Bar - 218 Bowery
10pm, $8
OPEN VODKA BAR FROM 10-11PM!
Make your admission back with a single drink!

With go-go and burlesque beauties Stormy Leather and Lil' Miss Lixx along with your favorite Ladies of Sugar Shack, Miss RunAround Sue and Legs Malone!

See you there, lovers!

silideshow from NYT piece

2008-05-18T18:54:46Z

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/05/17/nyregion/051808-Burlesque_index.html

I'm surprised C'est Duckie features so prominently. This article must have been a long time in research, given the photos from Starshine while still at RiFiFi among others. Brava again, ladies - woo hoo! xxxx

Neo-Burlesque in The New York Times!

2008-05-18T07:23:22Z

Bravissima, kittens! Especially you, Clams - YOWZA!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/nyregion/thecity/18burl.html?_r=1&ref=thecity&oref=slogin

xxx

so long Galapagos....

2008-04-23T03:26:15Z

Galapagos Moves, Natural Selection Moves In

Last spring, it was announced that Galapagos was being priced out of their N 6th Street digs in Williamsburg, which the club had inhabited permanently since 1998.

More recently, TONY hinted that Southpaw owner Matthew Roff planned to sign a lease to take over the space, and today it's been confimed; from a press release:

In an exciting development for New York City’s performing arts and music scene, Michael Palms, Matthew Roff, of Southpaw, & Larry Hyland, of Matchless, are taking over the old Galapagos Art Space!
Natural Selection, the new venue, will continue to feature cutting edge programming, art and music.And, Galapagos Art Space will continue to be a presence in Williamsburg by helping to create cultural and community programs that continue to partner the community with the new venue. Natural Selection, as its name suggests, will help evolve and develop the Brooklyn arts and culture scene.

Roff discussed the new name, saying, “We’re all fans of Darwin, obviously. We were originally going to call it Madagascar—we are trying to have some continuity between 'Natural Selection' and the new Galapagos." Meanwhile, look for the real new Galapagos opening up in DUMBO this Spring.

(http://gothamist.com/2008/04/22/galapagos_moves.php)

My first published interview!

2008-04-15T16:02:46Z

There are a few discrepancies (see if you can spot the glaring ones) and some rather odd flows of thought sequences but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I sound remarkably choppy at some points but I guess that's the joy of talking over the phone to someone writing shorthand...

She's Got Legs

Legs Malone, burlesque dancer and co-producer of Sugar Shack Burlesque, discusses the revival of the art form and its impact on feminism.

Thursday, April 10, 2008
By Kendra Thurlow

Slowly the young woman lowers the giant fan spanning her body—just enough that her shy eyes peek out. She blinks coquettishly at her audience before raising the fan again, high enough to show off her garter adorned with tassels that sway back and forth as her hips slowly undulate.

For most of the earlier part of the 20th century, this scene played itself out on burlesque stages across the country. Women adorned in lavish—often garish—costumes danced, performed novelty acts like fire-breathing, told comedic tales, satirized famous pieces of literature and took off their clothes.

The art of burlesque, with its vaudevillian origins, was virtually erased during the latter part of the 20th century. As our culture underwent a period of sexual liberation, burlesque dancers left their tassels, pasties and sequins backstage and began baring their bodies in an increasingly flagrant manner. Eventually, the art of burlesque dancing was all but extinct, leaving its descendant to take its place—stripping as we know it today.

The stripping genre today is associated with drugs, slutty outfits, seedy back room lap dances and, at least in Massachusetts, which doesn't require strippers to wear a G-string, gratuitous vaginal shots. Gone for the most part are the subtle tease, the feminine theatrics and witty commentary that make burlesque an art. In their place are blatant seduction techniques, pole theatrics and an element of voyeuristic prurience that permeates most strip clubs.

But over the last two decades, a burlesque revival has begun. The art of neo-burlesque is a modernized form of burlesque. While the costumes are similar if not more outrageous—think transvestite gear and putty witch noses—the shows feature a broader range of performances from mini-plays to robot dances, and, of course, the classic strip tease. Many modern burlesque dancers, including New York's Legs Malone, find performing burlesque empowering. Viewing the art of neo-burlesque as helping women feel comfortable with their bodies and their sexuality, Malone thinks the revival is a boon for feminism.

Malone, a 30-year old burlesque dancer and co-producer of New York City's Sugar Shack Burlesque, took time out of her tassel-rippling schedule to talk to the Advocate about how she began her career as a burlesque artist, how she thinks burlesque affects feminism, and how her family responds to her chosen career.

Advocate: How did you get involved with the neo-burlesque movement?

Legs Malone: This might sound a bit funny, but I literally heard a voice in my head during guided meditation. The woman leading us told us to ask ourselves what profession would bring us the most joy in our life. Literally, a voice in my head said, "burlesque dancer." I had no idea what it was.

What happened after that? How did you find out what it was?

I took a class at the New York School of Burlesque with Jo Boobs. Then when I was in England I started taking classes there. A friend and I ended up going to an amateur contest preceded by a class on how to bump and grind. As we were waiting for the show to start, the producer was frantically running around saying, "Can you perform please, please?" I guess some of the performers got cold feet.

Initially my friend and I said no, but then I decided to go for it. It was a complete disaster. Rehearsing in front of a mirror and being on stage are two completely different things. As soon as I saw the sea of faces, I just stopped listening to the music. Then I went back to an amateur contest two months later and I ended up winning.

How did you get involved with Sugar Shack Burlesque?

Runaround Sue [a founder and co-producer of Sugar Shack Burlesque] and I met at one of Jo Boobs' classes after I had moved back to New York. She invited me to one of their shows and although it took me a bit to make it down to one, I ended up going and having a blast. We became good friends and eventually we decided that I would replace Lady Satan (a founder and former co-producer of Sugar Shack) as co-producer because she was moving to the West Coast. She's now starting up Sugar Shack West.

What are you trying to give to the audience during a Sugar Shack performance?

I'd say the main thing I want to do is challenge the audience in a stimulating, not aggressive way—to take them out of their ordinary experience and generally wow them. While the strip tease is the center of a burlesque number, I usually work in a satirical or comedic vein. I find it much easier to be funny than sexy. To me that's much more classic burlesque. I think smart is a lot sexier than, "Oh, look at me, I'm beautiful," and "Oh, here are my boobs." I only perform numbers that I want to see myself.

Do you perform any straight strip tease acts?

I'm working on a few straight strip teases. They're hard for me. They require an enormous amount of focus—it's not something that comes very naturally to me but I'm getting more comfortable with it. Sue is a really gifted fan dancer. She does a lot more straight strip tease than I do, and it is just stunning.

Why do you think burlesque is making a comeback?

For a lot of different reasons, really. This grass roots movement started to happen in the mid '90s, sort of separately around the U.S.—New York, L.A., Seattle, Chicago. Then they banded together to create this neo-burlesque movement. It just keeps growing. There had always been Exotic World, literally a goat farm that had been turned into a burlesque farm. The Miss Exotic World Pageant was always held there until 2006, when it got so big it moved to Las Vegas. I went for the first time last year and it just knocked my socks off. It was unlike anything I've ever seen before—hundreds of people running around in G-strings, covered in glitter. They've just closed the application deadline for this year. Participation is at an all-time high.

How does being a burlesque dancer affect your sexuality?

Apart from being in a bathing suit on the beach, I'd never been naked in front of an audience. It's made me enormously comfortable with my body and comfortable in general. Being on stage in a G-string and pasties is a pretty good barometer of your comfort level. Some women go into it who have either been victims of sexual abuse, had eating disorders or body-centric issues. I think that's such a shame, because women are so gorgeous. This society—pop culture—keeps telling them they're not worth anything if they don't look a certain way. That's the most disempowering and evil thing I've ever heard in my entire life.

Are there many different types of burlesque dancers?

Everybody brings something wildly unique to the stage. A lot of burlesque dancers don't have conventional body types, like Dirty Martini, for example. She's incredibly voluptuous. She's got this amazing curvy body that's a proper hourglass shape. She just knocks everybody flat on their ass. It's not an aggressive thing. She's just celebrating her body and, in the process, opening doors for the audience and their perspective.

Women often come up to me and say, "Thank you very much for doing this." I'm rather slender, so I plug into the more mainstream appeal. But there are women who are a lot curvier and have beautiful round tummies and gorgeous rolling hips. They just knock men and women flat on their backs. Finally, women are empowered and owning every single inch of their curves, whether or not they have cellulite or freckles or whatever.

One of the amazing things about burlesque is that the body has ultimately no impact. It's the spirit and the strength of the spirit that comes across. The body is a beautiful vehicle for that. It flips a lot of preconceived notions on their ears.

Do you think the neo-burlesque movement is changing the way women view themselves?

The burlesque community, at least the one in New York, is nothing short of a modern-day Mount Olympus with gods and goddesses. There are female performers who, through their performances, take on a higher harmonic of feminism.

When you turn on the television, everything is so very homogenized and safe. It goes back to everything that made America and it's so fucking boring. It's all cookie cutters. Turning on MTV, I'd rather put my head through the window than constantly adhere to the norm. Growing up, it was terrifying to be an individual. It was so cliquish. Now to see women of all shapes and sizes just own it and celebrate it—not aggressively pushing it in your face, more like an offering—it's just stunning. It has helped me evolve as person.

What do you say to the feminists who see the neo-burlesque movement as detrimental to the feminist cause?

I would say we're helping the feminist movement. I think a lot of feminists who say that have never been to a burlesque show. They may have been to a strip club, but it's a totally different environment. I challenge the feminists out there to go to a burlesque show and then say what their opinions are. God bless every single feminist—the movement has brought fabulous things. But I have to say there are so many different performers with different backgrounds who are performing the art of neo-burlesque that for women to say it's cutting down feminism—well, I think they just have to go to a show and see.

The New York City burlesque scene is full of some of the most powerful feminists I've ever met. If anything, being a part of it has made me become a better feminist. The women up there on stage, they're the ones in control. There's nothing that happens on that stage that is against their will. Challenging yourself is the most empowering thing you can do as a woman.

Have you been influenced at all by some of the original burlesque stars like Gypsy Rose Lee and Lili St. Cyr?

If anything, they set the standard. That was the golden age of burlesque. Their performances are something I aspire to stylistically, meaning the execution of their acts. If you watch old videos of some of the stars' performances, it's just so beautiful. But our society is so oversexed that those performances would need to be tweaked a little bit. Today's audiences aren't so easily satisfied.

What is a typical Sugar Shack Burlesque show like?

We always bring on guest performers with different energies. That really brings such diversity to our shows. We have comedians, magicians, beautiful women, sword swallowers—lots of variety.

How does your family react to your profession?

I think it was pretty shocking to them, especially because I followed such an academic track—I have a master's in contemporary art from Sotheby's Institute of Art in England. My father wants absolutely nothing to do with [my career]. He's supportive of it but it makes him uncomfortable; he doesn't want to see it. My mom and my stepmom have seen my show. My mom didn't really know what to think, but she loved it. I don't think she's seen me naked since I was four.

http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=7116

I guess I'll vote for Obama...

2008-02-26T22:23:37Z

The beginning of this is priceless - and to think she almost had my vote! I think she needs to know the thoughts of the burlesque community... ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-15T00:50:26Z

I can't put my finger on it, but there's something I find irresistibly absurd about this image...

The Guardian and La JohnJoseph (via the Belmont Burlesque Cocktail Hour podcast) mention me!

2008-02-13T07:16:36Z

Firstly I am thrilled to have been mentioned in a well-respected blog off The Guardian in the good ol' UK! Below is the selected (if not exactly true) quote:

Sweet and Nasty at Rififi, 332 East 11th St, Sunday nights. rififinyc.com; +1 212 677 1027. See Legs Malone devour a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts on stage, smearing the remains over her delicious body.

Didja hear that? Delicious!

For the full article, click here.

Secondly, my best guy La JohnJoseph who is currently breaking hearts and necks along the west coast of our fine country was interviewed while in Chicago by the Belmont Burlesque Cocktail Hour - you can hear his fine voice on the first Belmont Burlesque Cocktail Hour podcast. It's a great interview that talks about 'boylesque' and 'burlesque' and performance in New York City and everything in between. I am deeply flattered to be mentioned in the interview and I want to take this moment to say that I am honored to have La JohnJoseph in my life as a great friend and huge inspiration - I miss him dreadfully. Stay tuned for when he comes back east as we've got another double act or two up our sleeves...

Paris calling...

2008-02-05T23:20:50Z

For any artists among you and your circles of friends who might fancy a wee residency in the city of light...

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) announces:
Open Call for New York City Artists:
6-Month Residency in Paris

At the Cité Internationale Des Arts,
Paris, France
Sponsored by the Mairie de Paris/Mayor’s Office of the City of Paris

Deadline for All Application Materials:
Thursday, February 21, 2008 by 5pm

Residency Dates (6 consecutive months):
September 2008-February 2009

LMCC and the Mayor's Office of the City of Paris, in collaboration with the Cultural Services Department at the French Embassy in New York, are partnering once again to provide one New York City artist with the opportunity to live and work at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, France. LMCC is currently inviting artists to submit applications for this special residency. One artist will be selected to be in residence for 6 consecutive months, from September 2008 – February 2009.

This program is open to emerging and mid-career American artists who are U.S. citizens and New York City residents. Artists can apply in the following fields: Visual Arts, Photography, Film/Video, Multimedia.

The deadline for applications to the LMCC’s Paris residency program is 5 PM THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2008.

Full details - http://www.lmcc.net/art/residencies/paris/2008apply/index.html

Please read this and send it to every one you know in America who can vote!!

2008-02-02T06:13:28Z

I just got this from a friend who lives in the same town as my mom in Massachusetts. The man who wrote this truly moved a mountain and for that an entire region has to thank him. Below is a letter he wrote (explanation to follow shortly.) A most interesting and damning review...

***

I am forwarding a letter from Sam Pratt, who many of you in the area may remember as the person who started Friends of Hudson, the grassroots group who thwarted St. Lawrence Cement from opening up a toxic cement plant in the Hudson Valley. The fight against the plant was a major issue in the Hudson Valley for a number of years and Sam worked doggedly to defeat it. He was the classic David taking on the multi-national Goliath. And he beat them. And we in the Hudson Valley are grateful.

Here is his letter, which he has given permission to send to anyone that you see fit. Please do so.
Thanks,
CS
_________________

Dear fellow Hudson Valley Democrats:

When it comes to Hillary Clinton, there is no shortage of unfair and
unprincipled reasons for disliking her -- and if you listen to AM talk
radio for an hour, you'll probably hear them all.

I reject the sexism of those who still think a former First Lady has
no place in policy debates, just as I reject the absurd theories of
those who think she had a hand in the death of her close friend Vince
Foster.

Having volunteered on Clinton's first senate campaign, I get mad when
I hear Rush Limbaugh savage her as a liar and an opportunist. I'm also
grateful to her for keeping Rudy Guiliani and Rick Lazio out of the
Senate.

But you don't have to be a sexist or a conspiracy theorist to oppose
Clinton's candidacy.

I don't dislike Hillary; I distrust her. And my reasons are both
substantive, and based on direct personal experience. When a major
issue hit the Hudson Valley, Clinton was less than honest with her
constituents, and all to eager to take credit where none was due.

For nearly 7 years, our communities were riven with controversy about
a vast, coal-burning facility proposed by St. Lawrence Cement here in
the Hudson Valley.

Given the harsh health, scenic, noise, traffic, economic and other
negative potential impacts, opponents naturally wanted to get the ear
of Mrs. Clinton -- and we tried everything. She was approached at
campaign whistlestops, at private dinners, and public fundraisers.
Printed factsheets were pressed into staffers' hands, and handwritten
letters beseeched our new Senator to help end this dangerous idea. But
she refused to take any public stand.

Finally, as the leader of the grassroots opposition, I tried an old-
fashioned political route. A friend identified a celebrity donor in
nearby Dutchess County who was opposed to St. Lawrence's plans, and he
called in a big favor. Driving to the capitol in his limo, we met with
Hillary first in a chamber outside the Armed Services Committee, then
took a long walk and tram ride under the Capitol to her offices.
Hillary was both charming, and surprisingly well-informed on our issue.

At last, here was my big chance to make a full case for her involvement.

But when I launched into a carefully-prepared spiel, the Senator
stopped me: "You don't need to do the presentation," she said. "The
plant is a terrible idea. Just tell me how I can help." Delighted, I
described the various Federal permitting processes in which she could
intervene, and the benefits of her taking a public stand.

She called in her chief environmental policy advisor, and gave
detailed instructions: Get a memo on her desk right away, listing the
necessary action steps and the policy rationales for each, and she'd
get right to work on it. Her performance was smart and convincing, and
her celebrity backer and I practically floated down the Capitol steps
on the way out.

The rest was silence. After promptly delivering the requested memo, I
was never able to get her staff (let alone the Senator herself) to
discuss the issue again, let alone take action to stop the plant.

About a year later, Clinton was cornered on the SLC issue by an
interviewer from The National Trust for Historic Preservation, who
finally got her to say that she thought the proposal was "not the
right direction for the Hudson Valley." These remarks were published
in Preservation Magazine, which Clinton apparently thought no one
would read... because when we then alerted local media to her
statement, Clinton's staff denied the remarks and claimed she still
had not taken a position.

Only after nearly 14,000 residents and 40 groups wrote in opposition
to the Republican administration of George Pataki did this terrible
project get scrapped -- without any help from either of our Democratic
Senators.

But there was one more damning chapter in our Clinton saga.

After we won, the group I co-founded received an award at the Waldorf-
Astoria from the Preservation League of New York. During the award
ceremony, it was announced that there would be a video tribute from
someone who couldn't attend, but who wanted to pay her respects. Up on
a giant screen came Hillary Clinton, talking about how we'd all fought
such a good fight together.

Those of us who had been in the trenches for years looked at each
other in amazement. All the awful things people say about Hillary were
horribly validated: She didn't deliver on her promises, and then she
took credit for a victory achieved without her help.

Now, some friends say, "Come now, Sam -- all politicians are the same.
They tell you what you want to hear, and then do the opposite. Get
over it!" Others say, "Well, Hillary dropped the ball on that one, but
I still trust her on health care, education, abortion, the economy, et
cetera."

To these excuses I say: Other politicians from five states had the
guts to take a stand on an issue affecting hundreds of thousands of
downwind residents; why couldn't Clinton?

Why should we expect her to act differently the next time a major
regional controversy hits? If she won't stand up for the health of
children and the elderly, and won't expend any political capital to
save a broad swath of her own adopted State as its Senator, why should
we expect her to behave differently as President?

And why shouldn't I get behind another candidate who is just as strong
on core Democratic issues, such as Barack Obama -- whose campaign
overtly rejects this cynical brand of politics?

The whole experience brings to mind that phrase famously mangled by
our current President: Fool me once, shame on me; fool me twice, shame
on Hillary.

And that's why Senator Clinton doesn't have my vote on Super Tuesday.
She will almost certainly carry this State, but our votes can help
ensure that at least a portion of New York's delegates to the
Democratic convention are awarded to a more deserving candidate.

Sam Pratt - Founder - Friends of Hudson

punishable nudity

2008-01-27T01:59:55Z

If only they could soften up and realize that a bit of nudity would actually do this country a world of good. And I'm talking us burlesque beauties going prime time and helping them open up to loving and celebrating their bodies and rejecting that age-old puritanical denial of self and body...

US television network ABC may have to pay a fine of $1.4m (£707,000) for airing an episode of NYPD Blue which depicted female nudity.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said the 2003 show had "multiple, close-up views" of a woman's buttocks before the US watershed. The FCC deems "sexual or excretory activities" shown in an "offensive" way before 2200 as indecent. ABC has rejected the claims, saying the buttocks are not a sexual organ. The proposed penalty has been imposed on all 52 of ABC's stations who broadcast the episode.

Indecency battle

The scene in the police drama, which ran from 1993-2005, shows a boy surprising a naked woman as she prepared to take a shower. The FCC said it received several complaints about the sequence, which also showed one of the woman's breasts. An ABC spokeswoman said that the programme was broadcast with parental warnings and that "the realistic nature of NYPD Blue's storylines was well-known to the viewing public". The broadcaster has said it will appeal against the decision, which is the second largest indecency fine imposed on a broadcaster. In 2006, the FCC imposed a $3.6m (£1.8m) against CBS for an episode of Without A Trace, which was settled for $300,000 (£152,000). The FCC has waged a battle against TV indecency in recent years, with the US authorising a huge increase in fines. Janet Jackson's breast exposure during the 2004 Super Bowl on live TV prompted the organisation to impose a fine of $550,000 (£278,000) on 20 CBS-owned TV stations. The network has been embroiled in a long-running court battle against the penalty.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7210826.stm

The wicked magic of photoshop

2008-01-24T21:34:48Z

So the wonderful Nelson Lugo just e-mailed this website - in his words, "It's amazing in both a creepy and edifying way."

Take a look for yourselves:

http://demo.fb.se/e/girlpower/retouch/

Man I wish I had seen this when I was in middle school!

I need a slide projector for tomorrow morning - does anyone have one?

2007-12-13T20:22:35Z

If so, please let me know! A friend of mine is making a presentation at the Cooper Hewitt tomorrow morning and would need to pick it up tonight. Please let me know if you have a spare one that he can use! (hey - it's worth asking!) The e-mail, as ever, is thirtyfourandahalf at gmail dot com.

Thank you! xxx

such good horoscopes

2007-12-13T18:22:43Z

As you may or may not know, I'm a big astrology lover. I absolutely adore the horoscopes printed every month on the ARTINFO website - remarkably good! I've pasted the lot below for your reading pleasure...xxx

December 2007 Horoscope—Planets in Play
by Laurence Hillman

General Overview

There is an intense battle raging in the heavens. The Sun, Lord of Ego, is squaring off with Saturn, Master of Discipline, in a major clash of titans. Astrology teaches that the ever-changing drama in the sky is reflected on the terrestrial stage, collectively and individually. In each one of us this friction manifests as a feeling of being stuck. Our King—the Sun—is locked down, caged, and frustrated by the duties set upon him by Saturn. All those projects you had planned for the holidays, all that fun and playful excitement that you had anticipated become burdensome. There is a bright side here: Saturn makes us face facts and separate what is real from what are simply childish wishes. The sobering realization that Santa isn’t real will hit many kids particularly hard this year.

Chances of overspending for the holidays, or inviting more people than you can handle diminish as well. The Sun is in Sagittarius, a sign of expansion of the mind. With focused Saturn having his say and in reasonable Virgo, many books will be gifted this season, in addition to language courses on compact discs and other practical, not frivolous things. Perhaps we could all welcome some kind of reason returning to the holiday season. The cycle of overspending, overeating, being miserable with relatives we do not hold dear, and then paying off the debt over the next several months is surely ridiculous. But can we break this widespread habit?

There is an excellent chance that this year we can. Uranus, Your Internal Disturber, is also interacting with both the Sun and Saturn. He adds exactly the breakaway energy that we need here. Innovative reasoning and rationing might make this a holiday season to remember as actually enjoyable. No need to go with the crowd this year. Just do it your way and don’t feel pressured to do anything that you don’t want to do.

There is another actor on our inner stage who gives a different sense of freedom. Neptune, Lord of Dreams, is standing all by himself, not relating to anyone else on the stage. This singleton planet allows us to dream vividly, imagine whatever we want, and create our own reality. Of course, those same words could apply to us becoming seduced by an unrealistic view of our lives. Relating this to the holiday season, let’s rather use Neptune in our favor and break old habits. This season offers an opportunity to look inward and at our stiller and darker sides. Let us do this right up to the darkest and longest night: the winter solstice. Then let’s all begin to imagine how we can help relieve suffering in the world around us. These are Neptune’s highest gifts—to help others—and in true holiday spirit we can pass this on.

We are only a month away from an extraordinary event in the heavens. Pluto goes into Capricorn at the end of January and the last time this occurred was in January of 1762. The United States was founded during the last time Pluto was in Capricorn, and so we are approaching what is called the U.S. Pluto Return, in which Pluto returns to where he was when the U.S. was “born.” From such a rare occasion we can expect momentous changes particularly around issues of power, both in your immediate life and in the world at large. Hidden secrets become revealed as pillars that held up our beliefs come crashing down. We collectively develop an ability to see behind walls of secrecy and expose whatever ugly truths may lie there.

Profound change is already in the air as the year comes to an end.

Aries
Mar. 21–April 19

This is a particularly significant time for you to concentrate on your health and eating habits. During the holidays you linger longer than others at the desert table and try to decide if you should have another piece of pie or not. With Saturn, Master of Discipline, strongly placed in that area of your stage that addresses health, the smart choice will clearly be “no!” Instead, find joy and fulfillment in rich conversations with friends that you cherish. Thanks to the Sun-Saturn tension (see general overview above) you can formulate your thoughts particularly clearly now, and while your joviality might be somewhat stifled, you will grow internally from well-fought intellectual battles. What you want is food for thought, not food for your belly.

Around your family you may discover that you are more inclined to engage, to be interested, and to come up with creative solutions if difficulties arise for any of your family members. This is particularly the case if you have children. Your Moon, Queen of the Hearth, is in that part of the stage that tells you about kids and also your creativity. The Moon is in reasonable and practical Virgo, so you might find that you are more inclined to craft your own holiday decorations this year. Not only can this save you money, but the whole idea of recycling and re-using materials to spiff up your home is appropriate with this constellation.

Indeed, you put a lot of energy into your home. Mars, Warrior Lord, is there, but in the docile sign of Cancer. So, with a sense that your home is indeed your castle, you also fiercely defend it from intruders. Anyone who will not partake in your ideas of holiday spirit is not welcome in your home. With Mars here, there is of course also the possibility that despite your avid efforts, some fighting does break out within the sanctity of your home. While this would disturb those of other Sun signs, Aries is ruled by Mars (meaning that there is a natural kinship between the two) and so it is not at all uncomfortable for you to have a little spat now and then. It clears out your system.

Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, has moved into Libra, her own sign, and she is quite comfortable here. She is also in that area of your chart that indicates what goes on in your most intimate relationship. Much harmony is indicated here, because Venus is in a friendly relationship with Jupiter, Lord of Expansion, and even with Pluto, Lord of the Underworld. This all means that your love life could improve significantly. Pluto adds the needed depth and the sexual passion, while Jupiter brings joy to any existing intimate relationship. If you are single and looking for love, this is an opportune time for you to get beyond just longing. For those who are single and quite happy about that. This month can bring a time of more self-love and of feeling more attractive in the world. A certain twinkle in your eyes shows just how pleased your inner Venus is.

Taurus
April 20–May 20

If you have children, they become the focus of your life this month. Saturn, Master of Discipline, focuses your attention here, and you may find that some disciplining beyond the ordinary is called for. Because of Saturn’s creative yet tense relationship with your inner King (the Sun, Lord of Ego—see general overview above), you may consider spending time crafting and making things with your kids. Such together time will keep them out of trouble and also relieve some of your stress worrying about their whereabouts. This is also a time where you may have to realize that cutting the umbilical cord—more and more daily—is a significant part of parenting.

If you don’t have children, this inner tension may instead manifest as a creative thrust that emerges out of sheer frustration. For instance, you find that a project that you have been meaning to complete for months or even years disturbs you enough this month that you don’t just tackle it but actually finish it. This can be an art project and may or may not be work related. Either way, overcoming whatever has been blocking you in the past is difficult but ultimately extremely rewarding.

Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, rules two signs, Taurus and Libra, which means that there is a natural kinship or affinity with these signs. In each sign she expresses herself differently. Taurus brings out the artistic and sensual sides in Venus but also the materialistic ones. Libra encourages the social and fashionable aspects but also the envious. At this time Venus is in the sign of Libra, and you are particularly concerned about your appearance, wishing to convey a “healthy glow” and a radiating presence. Looks matter to you now—not just your own but also those of potential mates. More than is typical for your sign, you care that suitors dress nicely and have both social skills and manners.

Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, and Jupiter, Lord of Expansion, are both in harmonious relationships with Venus, and if you’re looking for a partner now, the energy that you give off and the attention that you receive in return both sparkle with a sexual intensity that is exciting and promising.

The Moon, Queen of the Hearth, is in reasonable Virgo and also in that area that speaks of your home, hearth, and family. A re-assigning of tasks is a good idea. Give out chores and figure out exactly who is responsible for what during the upcoming holidays. Then you will feel that your emotional state will not be over-challenged. You need order and even cleanliness. Plan ahead, and make lists for everything. If you run your home like a summer camp, you will feel collected and in control. Your role now is that of a mother hen. Even if you live alone, arrange things in a manner that you usually don’t. If you have people over, make exact lists of who is responsible for bringing what. You will save yourself much grief this way, even if your cats think you’ve gone nuts.

Gemini
May 21–June 20

The tension between the Sun, Lord of Ego, and Saturn, Master of Discipline, (see general overview above) hits you squarely. It manifests itself as an intense inner pull between your familial duties and the energy you want to give to a committed relationship. If you are in a serious relationship, this is the perfect time to ask yourself what ever happened to your initial attraction to your significant other. Wonder about what is left of that love. Family duties can easily have become so routine and burdensome that you feel trapped in a home life that certain parts of you argue you didn’t sign up for. Take this time to make a clear separation between familial duties and taking time to still go on dates with your partner. If you cannot make a clear distinction between these two areas of your life, then the family will absorb your relationship and you will be left with a stranger next to you in bed. Get a sitter, go on a date, leave your dog with a friend for a long weekend. This is serious energy you are dealing with. Remember that romance and family are two areas of your life that must remain different. They are as separate as Venus and the Moon are as characters on your stage. It is impossible to domesticate Venus, and this is a month where perhaps you find that you have tried to do this.

What helps you to rekindle passion is that Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, who is in your stage area of romance and in the sign of Libra, is also in a happy arrangement with Jupiter, Lord of Expansion, and Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, who are also in areas of your stage that speak to your relationships. You can easily see how this theme dominates your life at this time. This Venus gives you a flirtatious and sexy air. This can come in very handy while you are trying to recapture your relationship away from domesticity.

If you are single and don’t want to be, then it may become very clear to you that you are far too tied in to your family of origin to become involved with someone. This can be extremely sobering, but at the same time learn how to change things in your life: cut the umbilical cord. Saturn gives you the scissors to do it swiftly.

Some of those family ties may come in the form of relationships with your siblings. With the Moon, Queen of the Hearth, in this area of your stage, it is an ideal time to make new rules. Ask yourself exactly what it is that you need from them; even make lists. The Moon is in non-emotional Virgo, and such organizing is not outside of her capacity. Write down what each of the family members in your inner circle means to you and what you need from them. Then write down what kind of interaction you wish to have with them. Set the stage now for renewed relationships more on your terms.

Cancer
June 21–July 22

The conflict between Saturn, Master of Discipline, and Sun, Lord of Ego, (see general overview above) takes place in that area of your inner stage where your vitality is shown. You feel particularly tired and at times even weak. Typically, as a cancer, you hide under your shell when you get sad or energetically depleted. With the Sun in Sagittarius, the adventuresome traveler, however, you may take a weekend off and escape to some hot island or distant mountains. You simply must recharge your battery or there could be long-term effects.

Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, bodes extremely well for you. If you can take such a trip with your honey, it will be extraordinarily pleasant. If you stay at home, then make it a pleasant stay and unplug yourself from the system for an entire weekend. This means that you take the phone off the hook, turn off your cell phone and beeper, lock the door, and light some candles. Then draw yourself a bath or watch the game, whatever is more appealing to you. Create an atmosphere for your emotional well-being. You are extraordinarily sensitive, and at this time you simply must create a beautiful environment for you to regain some strength and energy. Your batteries are not just depleted; they have been taken out of your system. Love, given to yourself in the form of personal time, is now the most precious thing for you.

Saturn is finally leaving the area on your inner stage that addresses money, at least for a few weeks, so for the first time in a long while you don’t feel you are about to end up in the poorhouse. This has never actually been the case, but it may have felt that way. The last few years have been about you becoming responsible for spending what is within your budget and saving some as well. Conservation of all things—whether in shoe boxes or as money stashed under your mattress—is natural for your sign. Now that a rainy day is upon you and you feel depleted, go on a trip or beautify your home in a way that gives you tremendous personal pleasure.

Neptune, Lord of Dreams, now detached from all other actors, is in the most secretive part of your stage. In your deepest imagination and when in REM sleep you dream of being a whirling dervish. You propel yourself through time and also explore wonderful places in the far corners of your mind. This is much like a natural high, as though your mind is open to portals of other dimensions. If you can just create an environment peaceful enough to experience this, so that all this subtle energy does not go unnoticed, you could experience a series of very memorable dreams. Some of these may be waking dreams in which you notice other dimensions as you walk down the street or drive your car. Your sixth sense is highly developed.

Leo
July 23–Aug. 22

Whatever financial sandcastles you have built and then played with happily all get washed away by a tidal wave of reality this month. This is not fun, and you would like to change the channel or simply cry for someone to stop the wild ride on the merry-go-round. But reality hits you squarely, and it is time to pay the piper—literally, that is. Debts that you have accrued and credit cards that you have maxed out just cannot be ignored anymore, and you must make some difficult decisions. Saturn, Master of Discipline, is entering that part of your stage that shows you issues about your money and your values. While the immediate situation calls for a rethinking and restructuring of your debt, the deeper issue is your value system. You learn that real value lies not in fleeting material things but in feeling valuable and valued even without them.

The Sun, Lord of Ego, is in the most creative part of your inner stage, and despite his tough-love agreement with Saturn (see general overview above, which is reflected in your life as financial pain, it is precisely your Sun who can come up with some creative solutions to lift you out of this mess. The Sun is also in Sagittarius, and this means that a change of ideals and attitudes is required. Rethink and completely overhaul your most basic ideas about what is valuable, and do this in a creative way. Then you can come out the other end of this tunnel with a smile—and a great sense of relief for not having to keep up with Joneses any more.

Jupiter, Lord of Expansion, and Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, are also in this creative part of your stage. They are favorably looked at by Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, who also has her hand in money matters. She in turn is in that part of the stage that speaks of siblings. It is quite possible that either a sibling or an aunt or uncle helps you out at this time. If none of them offers to pay your bills, perhaps you can at least get some advice that is both philosophical and well-meaning. They may have a point, and it is worth listening to such advice.

Your significant other may seem more distant or mysterious than usual. Neptune, Lord of Dreams, has been in the area addressing your partner for a while, but at this time he is not relating to anyone else on the stage. We imagine this as him sitting down and covered with a blanket. We are not quite sure what is going on under there, though we do know that this makes it harder to meet your partner on an even level. There is something vague about him or her, as though he or she is slipping away from you. Never mind such fantasies on your part. Nothing has fundamentally changed about your honey. Your glasses are simply foggy at this time and you have a hard time seeing him or her clearly. This will change again soon.

Virgo
Aug. 23–Sept. 22

The tension between Saturn, Master of Discipline, and Sun, Lord of Ego, (see general overview above) pulls you between your own sense of freedom and the demands put upon you in your home. Particularly father figures seem impossibly overshadowing now, and you want to break the chains that you perceive to be holding you back from becoming who you think you should be. Familial duties feel severe and restricting. This is just a temporary situation. Keep that in mind and don’t do anything drastic. You can run away from home, but you can’t hide from the tension within you. The real question is this: Can you translate this frustration into some kind of discipline?

This is a perfect time for you to practice the ancient Zen wisdom to “chop wood and carry water.” This means that if you go about your daily routines with a disciplined attitude and follow your schedule and do what you must to keep your life in order, your spirituality will make itself known in the small things that you otherwise may not pay attention to. It is in the details that the greatest beauty will show up. Saturn has the capacity to focus you on these details that otherwise would simply fly by you at the speed with which your life typically moves. So, slowing down a little and focusing on your domestic duties are not bad in that context. You will feel at times as though your life is awfully serious and even boring. This is really not so. As you pay attention to your surroundings, a whole new world will open up to you.

You need plenty of alone time. The Moon, Queen of the Hearth, is in the most hidden and spiritual place on your inner stage. As she is also in your sign of Virgo it will feel very comforting for you to isolate yourself from the world at regular intervals. During these “mini retreats” you note that you can rearrange your thoughts and figure out what you really feel while during your more hectic moments there simply is not enough time to pause.

This is a good month for money. Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, is in a favorable part of your stage for this. She is in the sign of Libra, so you feel that this part of your life is more balanced than usual, and you may even be able to balance your checkbook! She is in a pleasurable relationship with Jupiter, Lord of Expansion, and Pluto, Lord of the Underworld. These two are in your stage area showing you your home. Beautifying your home is certainly an appropriate way to use your money now. Also think about bringing your home into balance with your nature: Ask yourself what it is that you need when you come home at the end of the day, what energy most appeals to you. Then create it. Pluto is a master at deep transformation and renovation. You can make any changes to your home now.

Libra
Sept. 23–Oct. 22

Well, aren’t you all smiles this month! Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, is in your sign and in a prominent place center stage and visible to all of us. You glide though your life with elegance and a pleased look, with sweetness oozing from you almost permanently. This, however, is only a surface presentation of what is really going on. What we see is not what we get with you. The way you present yourself and what is beneath that friendly outer shell are worlds apart.

The tension between Saturn, Master of Discipline, and Sun, Lord of Ego, (see general overview above) hits you in a personal and private place, and you feel unable to communicate all that is really going on. Your Sun is in the area of the stage that addresses communication. While you have a lot to say and perhaps even great ideas with the Sun now in Sagittarius, you can’t seem to find the appropriate words. There is some kind of mental blockage, and you want to run to your room, cry privately, and figure things out. That is not a bad idea. In that quiet and solitary space you can gather your thoughts, maybe even write them down. If you take a disciplined approach to formulating your ideas, you may actually understand your thinking process better now than you have in the past.

The Moon, Queen of the Hearth, is in the area of your stage that tells you about your friends. You may feel that they are particularly helpful and understanding now. It may also be that you are more needed by your friends and that they come to you for emotional support. With the Moon in Virgo, all nurturing becomes practical and earthy. This is more a time for backrubs than for intellectual discourse.

That lonesome Neptune, Lord of Dreams, not relating to any other actor (see general overview above), is important for you. Being unattached to anyone else on the stage, he is free to do what he wants. The dreamer in you and in the most creative area on your stage, he can come in quite handy during all those hours when you just want to go to your quiet place and be alone. Neptune is the perfect answer to your difficulty with formulating your ideas precisely. This month, poetry, music, and fantasy are much easier means of communication. So get creative and pull out that pad and paper or dig out that old guitar in the basement. Then see just how much pleasure you can get from transporting yourself to other worlds.

In the end, Venus will keep people from noticing your inner turmoil. Most will simply pass you up. But perhaps it will also keep them at arm’s length now that you need to be alone with your muse and with your inner music.

Scorpio
Oct. 23–Nov. 22

The main issue for you this month is keeping your self-worth in tact. Some who call themselves your friends get in the way and try to block your progress. Stand tall and focus on your value as a human being. As a Scorpio it is never hard for you to dig deep down and to regenerate your inner powers. You have an innate ability to pull from a source that is so deep that it is unbeknownst to most. You will need to reach downward into this personal place of power many times. This time is about how valuable you believe yourself to be in the world and who you aspire to be, despite any blockages thrown your way. This is foundational work and essential to you. You are re-creating yourself from the ground up.

Some of this work is done in isolation. Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, is in the spiritual and mystical part of your inner stage. Venus, on a very practical level, also shows us what we love. Therefore, you now love to be alone with your muse, hidden away in your temple. This can mean that you lock yourself in your room, that you find yourself sitting in a park in silence, or that you are drawn to a place of worship, to name a few examples. You find inner balance in such places, as Venus is in Libra.

The Moon, Queen of the Hearth, is in that part of the stage that addresses your persona, or how you present yourself to the world. In Virgo the Moon is organized and reliable. You want to present a caring and nurturing face to the world, and one that is prepared for whatever the world brings to you. This lunar position reminds us of the Boy Scouts and their motto: “Be prepared.” You show an emotional readiness that belies some of the inner turmoil you are going through. However, this existential angst/rebirth cycle that is once again front and center in your life is nothing new to a Scorpio, and you manage to hide it in your typical Scorpion ways. The Boy Scout theme just helps you cover up the dragons that rage within. Because the Moon shows you your general mood, you can also be assured that you are more even and balanced in public.

Neptune, Lord of Dreams, is in that segment of the stage that speaks to your home. He is alone and disconnected from the rest of the actors (see general overview above). You may look around your house and wonder if there are aliens living with you. Yes, this includes cats, dogs, and goldfish. All living things that are part of your household become distant and somewhat disconnected from you, and you see them through a veil. At times you may feel that you are moving through your house in slow motion, as though in a dream. You may live out this part of yourself now by watching inordinate amounts of television.

Sagittarius
Nov. 23–Dec. 21

Your ego is front and center. But then, this is your month, and the Sun, Lord of Ego, currently rules your life. Of course when the Sun is in Sagittarius everything appears larger than life as well. Clashing with this Sun is Saturn, Master of Discipline (see general overview above). The old disciplinarian and rule maker sits squarely in the part of your stage that addresses your workplace. As a result there is an above-average chance that your self-loving attitude gets you in trouble at work more than once. You put your foot in your mouth quite a bit.

Work will also feel very restrictive and difficult as the month progresses. However, if you use this energy creatively you may end up with a promotion. Your boldness and also your heightened integrity may be recognized by someone with vision. This someone would have to see beyond your personal struggle and realize that your inner war is temporary and an occasion for you to demonstrate how exemplary you can be under stress.

If you are a student, or taking any higher-education classes, your Moon, Queen of the Hearth, has something to offer you. Her stable and level-headed presence in Virgo gives you the calmness to finish your class work. While you get emotionally involved in this endeavor, your mood is generally rational. This is not the usual state of being for the often volatile Moon, who typically waxes and wanes along with our emotional reflexes. You are also in a position to genuinely care for and nurture your fellow students, particularly your most unstable colleagues. They want to hook their shaky dinghies to your even keel. This is another opportunity for you to show real leadership despite the inner struggle between your ego and the restrictions you feel have been put upon you.

If you have siblings, that area of your life becomes confusing. The same is true for aunts and uncles. Noting that this is the holiday season, you may find that there is a distinct veil between you and the people who have the same ancestry as you. With Neptune, Lord of Dreams, very active here, you realize more than ever that your family members are people you would never choose as friends and yet you spend much of your life with them. Neptune is also the ruler of alcohol, and some in your clan may get more than a little tipsy around the holidays. Alternatively, you may choose to get drunk just to tolerate them.

Friends come to your rescue, as Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, is in that area of your inner stage that addresses them. Just when you think that you can’t take it any more at work or a family get-together, your phone vibrates in your pocket, and there is that trusted friend who makes it all better again.

Capricorn
Dec. 22–Jan. 19

The clash between Saturn, Master of Discipline, and Sun, Lord of Ego, (see general overview above) hits you as an existential crisis. Your Sun is in the most private and mysterious part of your inner stage; this is also the foggiest area, and you lose your typical ability to navigate. As a goat, you like to climb high mountains, and we could say that you have climbed so high now that you find yourself in the fog, perhaps near the peak and perhaps not. Saturn makes you question the whole path you’ve been on. You come to think of that line by Joseph Campbell, paraphrased as something like, “When you climb a ladder, make sure it is not leaning up against someone else’s building.” This means that you are going to face some deep philosophical questions about your core existence. Are you living your bliss? Or are you dutifully fulfilling someone else’s dream?

One of the best places to go for answers now is your dreams. If you have a way of recording them, you may find some very rational and practical answers to your inner turmoil. The Moon, Queen of the Hearth, now in earthy Virgo, is present in that part of your inner stage that shows you how best to connect to your inner stage. The “light of the night,” the Moon, can show you the way now, and what she brings forth while you are sleeping is very useful. You like tools and also practical, applicable ideas. See your dreams as functional devices. If you don’t know how to work and understand your dreams, ask someone who does. Or, get a dream book or even surf the web for ideas. Mostly, though, stay in touch with your dreams during the day and interact with them in your imagination by putting yourself in them again and again. This will lead to some amazing answers for you.

Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, bodes extremely well for you. She is in a public place on your stage and people just love your persona, the person you present to the world. This means that you can have great worldly success and money may easily flow your way. This does not necessarily leave you happy, though. Remember you are in an existential battle for your soul, and it is precisely your worldly mask that is in question for you.

While the stress around money is somewhat alleviated by this Venus, there is also the persistent issue with Neptune, Lord of Dreams, to deal with. He continues to hover around that part of the stage where he fogs up your money-management capacity. At this time he is also not relating to anyone else on the stage (see general overview above). This means that anything could happen. You could find a wallet with thousands of dollars or inherit money from a distant uncle. At the same time you may find that you have no idea how much money you have at any given moment in the bank. Keeping in mind your existential identity crisis, be particularly aware this month of someone stealing your financial data and taking on your identity. You are particularly susceptible to such mischief now.

Aquarius
Jan. 20–Feb. 18

Friendship is one of the key words for your sign. You need and love friends more than most. You also know how to be a friend and can model this for the rest of the zodiac with splendor. It is then especially tough for you right now, with your Sun, Lord of Ego, in that area of your inner stage where he addresses friendships and gets whacked by Saturn, Master of Discipline. From a secretive and dark part of the stage Saturn clashes with this friendly Sun. Hidden truths about your friends may be revealed at this time. It is also possible that secrets that you have trusted to your friends get blabbed out at inappropriate times and to the wrong people. Such experiences hurt you profoundly. There are few things that you hold in higher esteem than your friendships. “How could they?” you ask. Not everyone understands the value of a true friend the way you do—and who really knows what motivates people’s indiscretions?

What we do know is that you have some choices in how you respond. Most likely you will simply detach yourself from some of these individuals formerly known as your friends. With Mercury, Lord of Mind, in Scorpio, you may also lash out and hit where it hurts with a surgical tongue. However, Mars, Warrior Lord, is in Cancer, and big eruptions are likely to remain rare. This is more about emotional warfare than a fistfight. Also, the Moon, Queen of the Hearth, who describes your overall mood and feelings, is in careful and rational Virgo. You are more likely to expose badly behaved people now in public—after all, that Mercury is in the public area of your inner stage.

Another reason for your more docile nature at this time is Neptune, Lord of Dreams. He has been confusing your understanding of yourself for while now and continues to do so. Additionally, he is not relating to anyone else on the stage (see general overview above). At times you feel as though you are moving through time in slow motion, and if you look at your reflection in a shop window you may see only a ghost. Your identity is foggy, and this affects how others see you as well. You may, indeed, become invisible for a while.

Venus, Goddess of Beauty and Love, who is in well-balanced Libra, offers you some sanity through all this. She is in that area of your stage that tells you about your outlook and philosophical ideas. Therefore, if you want to tap into her wisdom at this time, just remind yourself of the big picture and of those things that you firmly believe in. No matter what your pillars of faith may be—whether extremely rational or extremely mystical—your beliefs serve you well and will help sugarcoat even the bitterest of betrayals by friends.

As an Aquarian you are particularly in sync with the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, so keep in mind the big picture: that the world is changing gears and your troubles will re-align as well.

Pisces
Feb. 19–Mar. 20

The heavenly tension between Saturn and the Sun (see general overview above) plays out on your stage as a feeling that your intimate relationship is preventing you from moving forward in the world. Saturn, Master of Discipline, is standing in that area of your stage that describes your most significant partnership. Whether this is a lover or a spouse, it is very easy now to see him or her as an ogre who is looming large on your path to getting ahead. The Sun, Lord of Ego, is center stage for you, and this means that you want to make major moves into the world. You may want to project this Saturnine blockage onto your honey and blame him of her for your frustrations. But rather it is a part of you that is blocking yourself. All the planets are in you. However, it is very easy to make your partner the villain here. If you do this, you may throw out the baby with the bathwater and regret any drastic moves later. Instead, perhaps you can learn something from your partner. It is just as likely that your partner is showing you some discipline in his or her life that you wish you had.

If you can learn from your significant other that it takes hard work and regular focus to move ahead in the world, then your inner King, the Sun, now in Sagittarius, can take you to distant and interesting places, whether through traveling or expansive trips of the mind. This would be a great time to go back to school or to get serious about an esoteric subject that has interested you for a long time now. This idea is backed up by no less than three other planets: Mercury, Lord of Mind, is in deep-thinking Scorpio and in that part of your inner stage that addresses higher education, and Jupiter, Lord of Expansion, and Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, both stand shoulder to shoulder with your Sun and will support your efforts, taking you wide and deep into your studies.

You still disappear at times. Neptune, Lord of Dreams, is still in “his” part of the stage, which addresses the dreamiest and indeed Neptunian part of you. Just to intensify this vague mistiness, he is not relating to anyone else but is completely wrapped up in his fantasies and invisibility cloak. You will find that you need time to dream and wander off into what some call an imaginary world. For you this place is very real. Let’s remember that Neptune rules Pisces, meaning that there is a distinct natural kinship between your sign and the planet.

Health has been an issue for you for several months now, and while it is still important, something changes. Now the Moon, Queen of the Hearth, gets into the game of keeping you healthy. Staying well now becomes the primary way to stabilize your general moods and you begin to realize how, for instance, certain foods or a lack of exercise affect your emotional stability. With the Moon in Virgo you get to completely understand that we are indeed what we eat.

Laurence Hillman is a full-time professional astrologer, specializing in helping his clients understand their deeper purpose and their life's calling. For more information, visit www.lhillman.com.

to be or not to be - that is the question!

2007-11-15T23:39:22Z

So I met a photographer (a lovely lady) who shoots a lot of fetish and glamour and porn (yuck). She told me that if I'd be into it, she shoots for Leg Show magazine. I had heard of the mag before but didn't know much but that changed when I googled it. It's a crazy magazine with insane sister publications (my personal favorite is Big Black Butts). There is porn in there (which, for the record, does not interest me in the least) but there are some pin-up shots along with several fetish-y photos where all the gals bits are covered. I'm gearing up to quit the day job in a few months and would love additional income along with some (tasteful) exposure. I'm waiting to hear details but I'm wondering if it's something I should/could/would consider doing. What do you think? I'm open and would love to hear your thoughts.

Monday, kittens!

2007-11-10T22:11:21Z

If this is anything like party we had at Galapagos last month, it's going to be bananas!

legsmalone @ 2007-10-31T12:28:00

2007-10-31T16:29:02Z

I'm new to this whole livejournal thing but wanted to get my feet wet..so hi there!

That's all for now as the day job beckons but I'm looking forward to getting more involved!

Legs xxx