Digital Rights Mismanagement...or why I'll never own a Kindle

Digital Rights Management. That term alone sounds pretty open ended and so loosely ambiguous to the average person that it could come to mean just about anything doesn't it?  I can't tell you what the original concept was 'exactly' meant to be, I can only assume that it was intended to help protect the rights of the original issuers of digital content... Perhaps it was designed to curtail monetary or creative property 'losses' in the event of rampant 'sharing', another sort of a stop-gap measure to prevent pirating or copyright infringements, but those would just be my own interpretations of the term. The actual meaning appears to be: Any technology than inhibits uses of digital content that are not desired or intended by the content provider, with the intent to limit the use of digital content after sale.

As it turns out, this term like so many others has been taken to a new and different limits of definition and actually, (as of 2012) at least to the likes of Amazon, (or as I call'em 'Shamazon') DRM has come to mean a new twist on the old shop owners often unspoken but basic rule of; "We reserve the right to refuse service to customers we do not like".  Sadly, for one kindle customer, Shamazon decided (and without complete clarification) that she was no longer was entitled to any of the property she had bought and paid in full for. In essence, Shamazon came to her home and took it all back, but did leave her with the empty husk of a now, completely non functional 'Kindle' tablet unit, as a reminder to her that they have the power to flout the 'actual' laws of purchase and sales, with no holds barred, just because they are the amazing Shamazon.

According to Martin Bekkelund's blog post, his friend Linn was 'associated' or connected in some strange way (which has never been sufficiently explained to her or anyone) with an another account that Michael Murphy, an executive of 'Customer Relations' of Shamazon.com.uk has somehow deemed unfit.  As a result,  he/they have decided that she no longer has the right to own any digital thing they sold to her ( specifically, books), that she  purchased outright.  Repeated requests made by Linn to Shamazon and Mr Michael Murphy, have been met with no explanation, they simply keep replying to her with repeated declarations of their 'judgement' and their imposed 'punishment' is apparently to be a denial of service and/or any reasonable explanation for the whole thing.  

Even the original writer of a book cannot 'repossess' it after purchase, if you suddenly show a flaw in character... Since when do we allow the secondary, essentially the shopkeepers an even greater level of power and possession than the original writer of said material? Just what heinous or nefarious things could Linn possibly be doing with her ebooks that might warrant Shamazon taking them all away from her?  Very likely, nothing REALLY happened... but rather, someone, somewhere probably got some little bit of information wrong in coding or data entry of a digit or letter and now Linn has been robbed of her purchased e-library.  This whole fiasco points up the fact that  Mr Murphy may have a slightly different interpretation of DRM than the rest of us do...

So, all you poorer, but proud owners of those bright, shiny Kindle tablet type units, please take this as a lesson or at the very least a warning or what may be possible.  Perhaps in the future you might, rather than say you 'bought' a brand new ebook (and paid for with your hard earned money), you might more correctly state rather, that you have RENTED a brand new ebook, and will have possession of that book for only just as long as Shamazon thinks you deserve to, deems you worthy of or up until such time as Shamazon determines it convenient to Shamazon with the terms of said buyer's agreement to be changeable by Shamazon only...

THAT my friends, is exactly why I will ALWAYS prefer the unwieldy, weightier, bound, ink-on-paper 'print' editions of REAL books over the the fanciful and costly (since now we see they are really only RENTED, not truly purchased as we originally supposed) versions like those things called 'ebooks' on Kindle.  At the very  least when I buy a 'hard copy' print edition book, it stays bought...  

I love and own a large library.  I have worked my whole life toward having one, personally choosing  each of the titles and collecting each of the specific books that make it up and since each volume within it, is physically real and not of the digital 'e' type, no one can ever lay claim that, because of some odd or strange internet 'association', that I no longer have the right to own such a library and take it away.

Incidentally,  if someone ever did decide to try and say ordo such a thing... I just might pick up one of those bigger, heavier, 'real'  books and give them a good, solid thumping with it.

It has come to my attention, (as pointed out by @ERN_Malleyscrub on Twitter, with my many thanks.) that my last post here... was, *gasp* October, of LAST YEAR!  At that moment I realized and had to admit, I've let 'real' life take the lion's share of my attention and steal away a lot more than 'just a dab' of my creative impulses since then...

But with that having been said, another winter (comes hopefully for some and yet. too soon for others,) soon lies ahead for those of us on this side of the world. And being where I'm from, if we were to be able to lay them out, side-by-side, those dark nights, thick with cold, might seem stretched out, especially when compared to the brighter day times, which Mother Nature has ever so thoughtfully, clipped off the golden collar and hems off of and shipped all those sunny, warm bits over to the other hemisphere to brighten things up over there.  In exchange here, we get colored leaves. It hardly seems equitable...

This seasonal development is sure to mean empty hours being left to fill with something other than boring, mindless television viewing and since I am one who prefers the warmth of the indoors to the frosty, (possibly snowy) chill that being outside, at night, during this time of year presents. it is highly likely I shall again pursue the possible venting of personal opinions, ideas and musings that this little spot of writing, allows.

Now, it is almost Halloween and I've just now got a pumpkin in my sights that someone (yes, you might have guessed, the very flesh of my flesh) started carving but, as their 'vision' didn't miraculously appear on it, in it or of it... magically, (with very little physical or creative effort applied), she gave up.  So... before this magnificent, (nearly perfect) orange gourd has gone to complete waste, I shall cast a spell and transform it into something which, right now... it is not.  Now, where did I leave that little sharp, enchanted carving knife and my spell book?

Once Upon A Whistle Stop...

Politics…

I wasn't alive prior to the sixties but I think I’d prefer the late eighteen hundred to early nineteen hundred period of ’American style’ political campaigning over the current 'modern' version. Back then, the personal appearances made by decent political contenders were thoughtfully well spaced out, beautifully brief and considerately far and few between. One of the most important times was when candidate came to town on an actual train.
The true, old fashioned whistle stop method was practical, purposeful and probably most economical too. It was a chance to get out and meet the public, to press the flesh, to see and be seen, and yes, maybe even kiss a few babies. Some candidates didn’t even stop in every single town, but slowed down quite a bit when approaching the more sparsely populated villages, content with just waving from the rear platform of the final car at those prospective future constituents, fully assured that as news of their actions of merit, superior intelligence and personable strength spread, they would get your winning vote.

Politicians don’t have that kind of confidence anymore. It seems they have all developed low self esteem issues and now they need to come at you all over again within moments of you casting your final winning vote. Each candidate insists you be inoculated, inundated and totally saturated with them and their opinions, afraid to let you have a moment’s peace, lest you forget about them. The plotting, maneuvers and mudslinging must begin again in earnest, at full force, even if that election for the post of ‘whatever’ won’t actually be held again for another four years.

No longer is a coal fired locomotive engine required, now money and media drive the political monster. In modern times, it takes boatloads of both to keep a guy (or girl, for that matter), in the public eye, and ear 24/7. Buying that kind of total media saturation required through television, radio, cable, Internet and press exposure it takes BIG money known in the ‘biz’ as the campaign ‘war chest’. The higher the office, the bigger that war chest fund must be. Some of them, amount to millions and millions of dollars. I won’t bore you here, with a list of these ongoing, outgoing campaign expenses… Heck, I’m not running for office so you can trust me when I say, it’s a massive list. The fund raising drives for donations and campaign contributions must start early and continue ceaselessly if the candidate has even a slim hope of winning, to cover all those ongoing expenses which only get bigger, the further up the political ladder you try to go.

As a result, we now have people running for office, all year long, year in, year out. It would be unheard of to allow themselves (or us), a well deserved break from campaigning. Strange enough most of those who actually do get elected, and make it to that shiny, new desk, seem to decide that then, is the best time, to go on some sort of vacation….Once in office, they never seem to have the same intense drive and dogged determination to do as well for all of us, (their once valuable constituents), the voters….as they did for themselves.

Yes, I think I’d rather like the old way, with the candidates waving at me from a distant train. Only speaking at certain whistle stops, where reporters could quote the wise, witty and encouraging things they’d say. I think maybe they were actually smarter then, back when they knew that too much of anything actually lessens the demand for it. That supply and demand ‘rules’ work… even in politics and that flooding the market with something, (even themselves) tends to reduce its value. This new breed of needy, greedy, media driven politicians could use a lesson or two there.

Super Sized Stupid...

This struggling economy worldwide has made so many things seem scarce…But never fear, stupidity is still alive and so well fed it’s now apparently overweight. That’s right, it’s still here, BIG as life and as foolish as ever.

This time stupidity shows up disguised as a man some may refer to as Martin Kessman. He currently seems to be under the impression that his being overweight must confer him extra special benefits in this universe, like having the business’s he chooses to frequent, remodel and rebuild to accommodate his expansive girth.

Mr Kessman has sent several letters of complaint to the fast food, burger franchise “White Castle” complaining their booth seating is too small for him specifically, (because he banged his knee) and he is unable to squeeze himself into them ‘comfortably’. White Castle sent him back letters of apology, letting him know they planned to expand their booth seating size and then they even added coupons for free burgers to help sooth his wounded ego in the meantime.

Apparently he didn’t feel White Castle was doing enough for him personally, so Mr Kessman filed what can only be described as a frivolous lawsuit against the burger broker claiming they have violated his civil rights….Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, because he is obese.

I think the only disability this guy has is mental deficiency and maybe greed. Although they may have unwittingly aided in the process, is not White Castles fault that he actively chose to increase his own body mass beyond unhealthily overweight, to the point where he is unable to fit into a fairly roomy booth space. Despite now, not being able to fit the seating, Mr Kessman continues onward and outward, undaunted in his gluttonous burger binging by sending his wife to pick them up regularly for him…After all, every one of those well and fully cultivated fat cells add dramatically to his ‘super sized’ stupid and his Americans with Disabilities street cred, don’t they?

Electrifyingly Simple Stuff....

Electric cars…

They DO sound good but, this is one of those concepts that looks better on paper than it does in reality, at least so far. This is a complex, multifaceted problem that has been too rushed in some directions and much too long delayed in others. As a result, it resembles a fledgling cook’s first attempt at making the holiday family dinner. The rolls are burnt, the turkey’s still frozen and the gravy’s gone so stiff it could be tile grout.

The artistry and brilliant science of those innovative car makers who are trying to head down the alternative fuels path IS admirable, but I seriously question the intelligence behind those electric versions that rely on the use of stored battery power and that are ‘fueled’ via plugging in to a heavy duty power outlet.

So far it’s obvious this ‘Plug~In’ Rechargeable Electric Vehicle Plan’ isn’t going to free us from (or even lessen), our reliance (dependence) on costly foreign oil, vanishing fossil fuels or the frightening possible scenarios of (still barely understood) nuclear energy…Remember, it STILL takes (at least) one of those fuels to spin the turbines that create electricity, that comes to the outlet the cord plugs into, that leads to the batteries, which power the Ultra/Uber expensive electric car that the 'Average Joe' and 'Sensible Cindy' kind of driver really can’t afford the purchase price of, even with financing.

Solar power still looks to be the best way to get the job done. We need to get the brilliant minds developing the innovative, hair thin, energy collection films that can be used on any surfaces (even clear glass) together with the inventors of lightweight rechargeable energy storage devices and then convince them to share their brand new toys with some of the clever car kids…

Now, if only we could keep the Big Bullies who have been holding sway over the political playgrounds out of the smart kids sandbox. Oh, you know ’em, there’s The Bruiser Big Oil, Nasty Nuclear, Coal the Cootie and the Stinky Kids, those Stock Market Profiteers…
Ok, that’s the plan….So, who’s going to take playground duty this week?

And So It Begins...April 2011

April 2011. Astrologically, so many changes in the heavens, some have happened already and some are soon to be coming. Those changes made me see that it is imperative that I share what I know to help others deal with how things are unfolding. I hope sharing this helps to ease your journey along your own personal path..Anyway, here goes guys. On march 11th, 2011 Uranus which rules, among lots of other things, tension, energy and the unexpected, moved into the sign action oriented fire sign of Aries. Japan had a monumentally damaging earthquake. Jupiter (ruling expansion and excess) has also been in Aries since January 22nd, this combination is notable for creating havoc, namely earthquakes and flooding. Within hours of that huge Japan quake they also suffered a devastating tsunami wave that scoured whole cities off the face of the earth. Mercury also already in Aries made this a planetary 'triple header' with all 3 squaring off against Pluto (rules underground and what is hidden) in the cardinal earth sign of of Capricorn and Saturn (rules structural things) in the cardinal air sign of Libra. The moon moving into the cardinal sign of watery Cancer made this even more difficult exposing the real level of problems the world suspected concerning Japan's nuclear reactors being damaged and leaking. So, what more can we expect for this month? The possibilities are endless...Planetary positions of note are: Sun in Aries on march 21st, through April 2oth. Mercury in retrograde in Aries through April 23rd.Venus in Pisces moves into Aries on April 21st. Mars in Aries on April 2nd. Jupiter in Aries. Saturn in Libra. Uranus in Aries. Neptune in Pisces on April 4th and Pluto in Capricorn, going retrograde on April 9th. This makes for some explosive 'celestial gunpowder' sprinkled through our day to day activities throughout the month of April. I wont go through aspects moment to moment but will lay out some possible ramifications. Military action as political unrest and economic unbalance has bloomed in so many countries, there will be world-wide implications involved here. Mercury retrograde will cause more havoc by hampering communication as well as the causing misinterpretation of what has been said, done or written. The stock market may have another short hot 'bubble' situation, (but don't expect it to last), it will be a fast, hot flare and burn itself out quickly. A few possible positive sectors will be weaponry, iron and steel, tools and tool making, sports and health equipment, and surgical instruments. Fuel prices keep scaling upward as those in control of it can continue to manipulate our perceptions about it's scarcity and availability. We may see some strides made toward viable 'safer' forms of power, both in fuel and electrical but it might just as easily be a 'rediscovery' of something once dismissed. The point of this post is to remind you to keep your cool, things are mighty combustible this month on every level and it will only effect you as far as you allow it to. When things start to get a little too 'hot under your collar' please try to remember my little Tao Of Duckie: Anger, held long, will only steal away your strength...Allow no thing and no one to steal away more than they are due.

Tweaking Twain and Outrageous Claims

"Outrageous"....That seems to be my most often said word this week. And it's been just about a full week with that word sprinkled liberally across the top of it all...with any number of rude expletive's following those many outbursts of 'Outrageous' exclamations.

It seems while we were all sleeping our way through life, yet another foolish soul has come along. This one has decided that Mark Twain's classic rendering of the fictional tale 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' is actually quite a poor product and needs to be 'fixed'. This foolish man thinks that one word in the story, 'Nigger' is wrong. It shouldn't be there and it needs to be struck out in every instance where it is used. He also thinks it would be a far better product and more widely accepted by the world at large, with the word 'Slave' were inserted in place of every 'Nigger' word deletion instead.

This foolish man thinks that the use of the word 'Nigger' is insulting, debasing, and politically non-correct. which it is. But, it's use mainly casts the worst light on the user of the word, and gives us a rough idea of the users callous and rude nature rather than the one it is directed at. I'm guessing that this foolish man doesn't know many other people out there in the work-a-day-world and hasn't come to realize lately the only people who seem to use the word 'Nigger' now-a-days are most often black themselves...(Its use looks to have fallen out of favor in most other groups for some strange reason). Within the black community the word 'Nigger is tossed about with proliferate abandon, imagine that... The last real stronghold of its spoken use is actually within the VERY GROUP of people themselves, who are first in line to call it what it is, an insult, a derogatory term or degrading name.

Now you'd think this foolish mans name would spring 'lightning quick' to your fore brain (likely it wont), and lips just as fast and easily as Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain. After all, he MUST be at LEAST as good and prolific a writer as Twain himself to think he knows how to 'FIX' whats wrong and surely that's been the root cause of what's been hanging up the popularity and acceptance of Twain's work. Goodness knows once he (so clearly and obviously the better writer of the two), straightens out this little 'glitch' and puts it right....That poor old devil Twain might FINALLY have a slim chance at getting his book on the New York Times best sellers list...Then Twain can REALLY start making a name for himself....

You'll notice I do not endeavour to produce this foolish man's name for you, nor put it into print here (or anywhere else). I think he's already gotten far more exposure than he deserves and web crawling search engines would latch on to any reference to his actual name that I might use...if I did...and keep the foolish man in the ill gained literary spotlight and wielding what little influence he has, in the public eye even longer.

The worst and most ironic part of the entire tale is that he...'The Foolish Man' is somehow responsible for the conservatory of Twain's literature...This smacks a bit of letting the fox conserve the hen house with this newest development. He says replacing the word Nigger with Slave 'Will facilitate the story being more widely read and accepted'...Now all we have to do is to 're-write' it...
Well, why don't we slap a 'Speedo' on the statue of David...then more people might feel better about looking at it. Hey, lets update the Mona Lisa while we're at it, with some red lips, paler skin and maybe a dab or two of blue eye shadow...Then surely more people will want to take a peek at her less homely visage.

No, I don't believe it is wise to perpetuate foolishness and further dumbing down of the world at large under the guise and often misused banner of 'political correctness', when we start to feel we have the 'right' to do so.....is exactly the moment in time that we start to loose our right to free speech and self expression.
Keeping the original work.....original and as intended? Why, why....That's outrageous!

It's Christmas Again....Already?

Here we are in the middle of December and this morning I awake yet again with the dizzying, dreadful, blood draining realization that Christmas is just mere heartbeats away...My heart in my throat, (Well, right up until I had my morning coffee). The cause of these dire physical symptoms of angst? I am no where NEAR to being ready for this winters pivotal, solstice celebration.

Unlike these many years past, where I started my holiday shopping...Pretty much on December 26th. Oh yes, I DID, right away....the day after Christmas. Heck, the freshly torn wrapping paper and crisp ribbon bows had barely hit the floor and I was up, off and running.... Yet again, to pursue the next years parcel of pressies. I admit, it does seem to come as a sort of 'knee-jerk reaction' to the never ending inundation of tinny holiday tunes and tacky plastic, badly decorated christmas tree displays that we are all over exposed to when retailers decided to get an early start on the season..... at Halloween! But now, with my head hanging low (Oh...so low), in shame, I admit it....I did NOT do that slightly unusual, yet responsible thing this year.

The saddest part of this whole thing is figuring out that my quick-start, 'sale search system' extravaganza works! And, it actually IS the best way for me to get the right gifts at affordable prices, for each person. See....Silly me, I decided that this year, since money was so tight for us all and the economy had taken such a serious nose dive, I'd be able to put off the present purchases until later in the year...Figuring, that with all the dire and dour economic forcasts given day-to-day, going on week to week, prices would surely be rational, reasonable and possibly even better after July...Right...right? Ummm....Wrong! As a result of that sort of mindset, I'm still nearly presentless at this point.

We are counting down now..... And we are now at...T-minus, 10 days to 'Gift-Off'.......NASA....We have a problem....!! I walk around store after store in a disbelieving haze of anger.... Swearing (to myself), that I will NOT pay twenty five dollars for a pair of mittens that are barely worth five at best. Yes, I guess I really called it bass-akwards on those retailers needing to present us with reasonable price points, set to the entice buyer interest, tease their dearly held few dollars from them and make sensible sales. Oh, I was wrong, sooo very, very wrong.

This year, I even went AGAINST my 18 year-long, standing rule of 'NO Shopping On Crazy Black Friday' and did...(I think I was already starting to react to the impending present giving/purchase pressure)...And no, I dont think I'll ever break THAT rule again. That day was crazy indeed...The shoppers that is, not the promised low, low, rock bottom, 'Super Sale' prices the stores had all promised and believing them, I had expected to see. Sure, those 'Come-On' item prices were great I suppose...but I didnt actually see any of those items myself, as they were all sold out (to the other Black Friday Crazies...I call'em Mom-bies), probably by 5 am or before.

So, what have we all learned here? That I, myself....MUST get-it-together, get fired up mentally and get out there shopping immediately 'post christmas' (Pronto!), to get it all done in an orderly and affordable way...I, hereby (places hand over chest) swear to uphold my holiday duty and with this in mind, promise to always scan every flyer and scour every website...SoHelpMeGawd!

Or else....Risk..... Becoming another mindless 'Mom-bie'. We ARE the scariest creatures you'll likely ever meet, and you can always tell when one of us is around...By our empty, vacant, ash-rimmed and bloodshot eyes....that seem to be searching.... searching, endlessly, here, there and everywhere.... for that perfect, precious christmas present.... Heh heh...BOO!

Happy Holidays to you and yours...Wishing you well....Until we meet again...

Star Date : 6/17/10 Moon in Virgo, Mars in Virgo

Welcome! Today, June 17th 2010 the Moon moved into the sign of Virgo at 1:41am est. Mars is also in the sign of Virgo (as of 2:11 am est on 6/7/10), So the emotional side that is ruled by the Moon, is teaming up with a Mars driven sense of adventure, aggression, and sex. For alot of us, love affairs could be in the picture now, particularly for Earth and Water signs, who may really be feeling the vibe!

Adventures of all kinds may seem like a distinct possibility for all the signs but Virgo Suns will really have a leg up on it (they are practically 'humming' with energy in this moon period). They will have resolve as well as the will power to start and DO just about anything their little hearts desire right now. Be prepared people! With Virgo suns that could mean just about anything. The gamut could run from them dropping a bad job and jumping on a new employment situation to gutting the bedroom and redesigning it from the floorboards up. They have the guts, ambition and energy to fix the things that 'bug' then and they just might do it now!

For the rest of us, it's pretty much...Pick, pick, pick..Yes indeed, we get a little bit more discerning when the Moon is in Virgo. We know what we want, plain and simple and if it's not 'just so' we WILL complain. We want the people we deal with to have fresh breath, clean hair and decent, co-ordinating, well fitting clothes. We all just figure that's the very LEAST we can could do, so we expect it from others too. Gone now is the regal 'forgiving', non-petty attitude of the Leo Moon. Yup, lonnng gone! Now it's ALL about the details baby...so toughen up and deal with it.

Food right now will be more along the lines of what we NEED as opposed to what we want. Is it healthy? Is it wholesome? Is it sensible?...If yes, then fill our plates please!
Health food is 'big' under this moon. Whole grains, salads, and lean cuts of meat will be to our liking right now...Don't be surprised if you turn down dessert either, Virgo moons usually take the craving for sweets down a notch too. We will want our kitchens and dining rooms to be clean and uncluttered. DO be sure to look over all those bit of mail you've been stacking up on those tables, BEFORE you toss them all in the trash bin! Many an overdue notice surprisingly comes a shortly after we spontaneously TOSS (yes, the original, unopened bill) of the cluttering 'stuff' out under a Virgo moon spell.

Things we'll likely be doing now, cleaning, organizing, nit-picking and complaining, streamlining and "fixing" whats wrong with other people. We wont be so 'self' focused as we were in the Leo moon period and instead will be turning our attention to those around us and our surroundings. We tend to make a 'god' of simple necessity right now too. Efficient, unromantic, quick, clean and no-frills stuff will win out in our eyes every time when a Virgo Moon is involved.

Pisces (the astrological opposite of Virgo), Sun and Moon sign people just might not be digging the vibe so much right now. Life that's without at least a touch of romance, elegance and fantasy just isn't comfortable for them. They might want to grab a bottle or two of their favorite vintage and hide out for the duration under the covers of their cozy beds or between the covers of their favorite romance, thriller or poetry book at least until 4:13 am est on Saturday, June 19th, when the moon moves into the sign of airy and slightly more romantic Libra.

Star Date : 6/14/10 Moon in Leo, Venus in Leo

Welcome! Today June 14th the Moon moon moves into the sign of Leo at 11:54 pm est. The planet Venus also moved into Leo earlier at 4:50 am est, so this is a wonderful period to enjoy. Both of these celestial bodies will be making positive aspects to Jupiter and Uranus who are both currently in the very earliest degrees of Aries....So Fire sign suns/moon people will be getting a little extra boost of energy and sex appeal from these four.

What can we expect from this Leo Moon period? Well, if you look carefully you'll see folks will start to walk a little taller, sit a bit straighter too. Yes, because Leo rules the back and the Moon and Venus here will act as a motherly reminder for us all to sit up straight. (nudge, nudge). If you ignore Leo's prompting and don't, you may find yourself a little bit achy as a result. If you look at someone you know is a Leo.... You'll know exactly what I mean, most of them walk proudly and stand with a rather royal and commanding posture... (Not the kind of stance that Virgo risings have...so ramrod straight you wonder where exactly that stick is)....but with a natural Leo elegance and strength. We'll all get just a touch of that for a couple days (lucky us)!

We may also see ourselves springing for a new hairdo, a bit of something gold and glittery, or maybe a posh bit of 'something' to add to our wardrobes. Leo spares no expense at being show-stoppingly attractive, they work very hard at making it all seem "natural" and we'll all get just a smidge of that sort of attitude ourselves with both these planets in the sign of the lion. We may see a drop or two of indulgent flair as 'essential' for just a bit. Tooth whitening, contact lenses, tanning, hair highlighting, manicures and pedicures....Yes, all the little touches may suddenly seem very important to us now.

Attitudes will tend to be generous. Miserly and petty behaviour will be frowned upon. Children, entertaining and playing will get special attention right now too. A good laugh here and there should be had in the next few days too. (Leo loves to tell a joke). Even the shy, 'shrinking violet' types wont mind folks looking at them so much during this period. Entertaining is especially highlighted now, you may want to throw an impromptu party during this moon spell. We'll play games just for the sake of playing not winning right now. You may find you crave a good session of sunbathing right now too. Self improvement schemes get off to a great start as well right now, deciding HOW to loose that spare tire will seem easier much for alot of us.

Food will be something "worth" having now. Hard to believe but even our snacks will have to have that "something special" or we just wont be interested. Many a confirmed vegetarian may get an unshakable craving for a good steak during this moon phase. How the meal 'looks' on the plate will be almost as important to us as the taste. Finishing touches like garnishes are used more when the moon rolls through Leo. Also the "better" cuts of meat are preferred. We wont be fans of boiled stuff right now and prefer roasting or fire grilling what we eat instead. Elegant desserts are wanted now as well as the finer bottle of wine or imported beer as opposed to the 'standard fare' we normally have. Restaurants with table linens and making reservations to'em are high on our priority lists right now as we would rather have others 'do' (in a grand style too) for us...But hey, we're worth it right?

Aquarius Suns/Moons might not find these few days as enjoyable as the rest of us, (after all, they are the zodiacs 'opposite' of Leo). They don't care for all that self-important pomp and circumstance. And all the strutting, fluffing and preening just gets on their nerves.... I think you guys might want to escape it all by going rock climbing, hang gliding or maybe windsurfing. A visit to that Sci-Fi convention in town wouldn't be a bad idea, or maybe just 'hole-up' in your laboratory and do some more work on your Martian Alien Language translator project for a little bit.... Just until 1:41 am est Thursday, when the moon moves into Virgo.