Astrology

Barack Obama turns 49 Wednesday. That makes him a Leo, for those who give much thought to astrology. I'm a Leo too, though I think astrology is nonsense, except when I read something like this: "Leo man could embody everything that a man aspires to be — courage, controlled aggression, wit, humor, instant sex appeal and charm!" The uncanny accuracy of that description shakes my skepticism about astrology. Though it may lack the authority of science, there surely must be something to reading the stars if the practice can produce such a definitively perceptive portrait of those of us who share this birth sign.

Every four years, Iowa and New Hampshire are the first states to cast votes to select the nominees for president. But does that really mean they're bellwethers of national political sentiment? In the last five contested Republican battles, voters in Iowa wrongly predicted the eventual Republican nominee three times. A coin flip would have done better. And in 2008, New Hampshire Democrats went for Hillary Rodham Clinton over Barack Obama. So if you can't count on Iowa and New Hampshire, where should you look to get an accurate reading on the country's political future?

"What's your sign?" Accessories designer Al Beres has been hearing that question a lot lately, since he launched the Zodiac Collection--12 silver belt buckles, each sculpted in the shape of an astrological sign. There's a buckle with a ram's head for Aries, a curled-up scorpion for Scorpio and a crab for Cancer. Now when people ask what his sign is, Beres can point to the buckle with the lion's head, for Leo. "Boy, am I a Leo," Beres says. "Confident. A leader. Always the center of attention."

BALTIMORE -- Shackleford's clean run allowed him to hold off a late charge from Animal Kingdom to win the 136th running of the Preakness Saturday at Pimlico Race Course . Shackleford, trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Jesus Castanon, led most of the Kentucky Derby but was caught by a group that included Animal Kingdom and finished fourth. Many expected him to jump to an early lead but fade at the Preakness. He thrived running the shorter distance, though, and the early 12-1 shot won by about half a length.

The astrological calendar is all wrong. That public comment from a Minnesota astronomy professor set the Internet aflame this week. People might think they're a Pisces (compassionate, imaginative), but often they're really an Aquarius (witty, clever) -- at least based on an exact reading of the Earth's orbit. Or maybe, if you were born between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17, you're actually a strange new zodiac sign: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder. But who wants to admit to being that snake-guy sign on a first date?

Re Tim Jones' Jan. 16 letter on astrology: I suspect that Jones is one of the many who never studied astrology and takes it to be solely the pop astrology as posed in daily columns. Even J.P. Morgan had his own personal astrologer, Evangeline Adams. Maybe that is why he was so wealthy. Why the scientific types are always batting astrology I cannot figure out--when organized religion has more ridiculous myths, such as the virgin birth, that billions are taught to believe. In addition, certain religious "righters" try to block the more liberal thinkers from access to abortion and research using fetal tissue simply because they have medieval ideas.

Congratulations on becoming the shepherd of my addiction, the Los Angeles Times. The change you have made--putting the comics together in the last two pages of the View section, surrounding the astrological forecast--is masterful. We love it. NINI CUTTER, Sherman Oaks

To professional astronomers, it is absolutely maddening. Despite the Industrial Revolution, the Scientific Revolution and, most recently, the Computer Revolution, more people believe in astrology now than at any time "since the Renaissance," says Colorado State University astronomer Roger Culver.

This is the Year of the Goat--or in certain Anaheim circles, the Year of the Ram. This is the time of the year when East meets West. Unlike the Western zodiac, Chinese astrology operates on lunar influences, and signs run in 12- year cycles, as opposed to 12-month cycles. Legend has it that Buddha invited all the beasts in creation to appear before him, but only 12 showed up. For the animals that did make an appearance, each was given a year--in the order in which they arrived.

Hindu astrologers are saying the next few months will be an inauspicious time for marriage. "Jupiter and Venus are the main stars that give power at the time of marriage, and these stars are in a bad position," Sabi Singh, an astrologer based in Orlando, Fla., said in an interview. Astrologers cite Jupiter's entry into the sign of Leo and the nearness of Venus to the sun in their warnings that weddings should not take place until at least January and possibly not until May.

The astrological calendar is all wrong. That public comment from a Minnesota astronomy professor set the Internet aflame this week. People might think they're a Pisces (compassionate, imaginative), but often they're really an Aquarius (witty, clever) -- at least based on an exact reading of the Earth's orbit. Or maybe, if you were born between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17, you're actually a strange new zodiac sign: Ophiuchus, the serpent holder. But who wants to admit to being that snake-guy sign on a first date?

Barack Obama turns 49 Wednesday. That makes him a Leo, for those who give much thought to astrology. I'm a Leo too, though I think astrology is nonsense, except when I read something like this: "Leo man could embody everything that a man aspires to be — courage, controlled aggression, wit, humor, instant sex appeal and charm!" The uncanny accuracy of that description shakes my skepticism about astrology. Though it may lack the authority of science, there surely must be something to reading the stars if the practice can produce such a definitively perceptive portrait of those of us who share this birth sign.

Russian astrologer Marina Bai has sued NASA, claiming that the Deep Impact probe that punched a crater into the comet Tempel 1 "ruins the natural balance of forces in the universe," the newspaper Izvestia reported. Scientists say the crash did not significantly alter the comet's orbit. Bai is seeking $300 million in damages -- the approximate equivalent of the mission's cost -- for her "moral sufferings," Izvestia said. She earlier told the paper that the experiment would "deform her horoscope."

Joyce Jillson, the syndicated astrologer who once said she provided horoscopes for President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, has died. She was 58. Jillson died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of complications from kidney disease, her former husband, Joseph Gallagher, said Tuesday. As an actress, she appeared on Broadway in "The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd" and on television's racy "Peyton Place."

As the group cycling class settles into a warm-up, the instructor delivers his motivational spiel. But this one's a little different from the usual let's-have-fun-with-fitness speech. "This weekend," says class leader Darryl Gaines, legs pumping at a speedy clip, "Mars and Pluto are going to move in the sky, which means that we have a lot of power available right in front of us, so let's use it. We're going to ride with that tonight."

Hindu astrologers are saying the next few months will be an inauspicious time for marriage. "Jupiter and Venus are the main stars that give power at the time of marriage, and these stars are in a bad position," Sabi Singh, an astrologer based in Orlando, Fla., said in an interview. Astrologers cite Jupiter's entry into the sign of Leo and the nearness of Venus to the sun in their warnings that weddings should not take place until at least January and possibly not until May.

An old Hollywood star, whose wife believes that the alignment of the sun, moon and stars affects people's lives, stood on a White House stage Tuesday and said that he does not know whether he believes it himself or not. "I don't mean to offend anyone who does believe in" astrology, President Reagan told reporters in the White House pressroom, a week after his former chief of staff, Donald T. Regan, charged that much of his schedule had been steered by the First Lady's astrologer friend.

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater on Friday ridiculed a published report that said the Administration is trying to determine if telephone calls between First Lady Nancy Reagan and her San Francisco astrologer may have been intercepted by Soviet spies. "If the Soviets wanted to monitor White House phone calls to get information on the President, there are thousands of calls a day from White House staff of more significance," Fitzwater said.

Jacqueline Stallone Astrologer, owns psychic dogs Astrologer and mother of Sylvester, Jacqueline Stallone candidly confesses that she hasn't seen any of this year's Oscar-nominated films. In fact, she and her psychic dogs, miniature pinschers Rachel and Hannah, have stayed away from the theaters except to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which Stallone says was "overrated." But that didn't stop her from telepathically consulting with the girls on this year's winners.

The scramble is on in the world of astrological forecasting. And the reason is the death of horoscope icon Sydney Omarr last week. Omarr, whose life was marked by advice from the stars and to the stars, was one of the most famous people to inhabit the horoscope world. His life included fancy dinner parties, whiskey, gambling and a tie to the days past when astrological forecasts still were evolving into standard fare for newspapers.