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Is it my imagination or has a page disappeared as some of the latest post have gone.
The King is supposed to be having a royal summit on whether they should take away his (meaning Harry) Princely rank. Could you read on this Marjorie?
“Putin’s 4th term chart won’t be without enthusiasm, determination or moments of success over the next two years; but will start its period of greatest instability from February 2023 onwards till late 2024 with tr Pluto square the Uranus” Marjorie, posted 19th August, 2022.
The UN say nuclear safety is deteriorating at Zaporizhzhia, as reported on the BBC website today. Tomorrow’s 27 Aquarius full Moon square Uranus seems to be bringing fears to a head, and hopefully nothing more sinister. It aspects planets in a number of charts for the Ukraine, Russia, Zelensky, Putin, Chernobyl and Fukushima. The plant itself has Venus, 27 Taurus opposing Uranus 25 Scorpio, Mars 26 Leo, and Nodes 28 Leo/Aquarius. Tr Mercury rx is now at 27 Leo, potentially bringing news related to the past?
Comedian Reginald D Hunter is recently in the news, perhaps he might be interesting to have a look at.
Marina
Thank you.
Can you take a look if Naomi Campbell (22 May 1970 at 01:00, Westminster, England) finally found love with Saudi film producer Mohammed Al Turki (3 July 1986, no birthplace, but perhaps Riyadh is a good guess)?
Yes please . All Imane had to do to shut his critics was to show the sex test result. But Imane is doing everything other than that!
That is because the IOC just relied on his/her word. There are no test results. And there won’t be because it is too embarrassing for them that they have bo££o€ked the whole thing.
Can you do a post about Blake lively but also Ryan reynolds. They’ve been successful but Blake is in hot water for her movie promotion.
Callie M. & Montgomery
Thanks so much for help.
Can you do Yvette Cooper’s chart? She has her Sun at 29 Pisces 39, and transitting Neptune is sitting on top of it.
Mars is square Saturn on Friday 16th August. Thoughts?
Not sure, but Mars is squaring my Mars (in Aries in the 9th house)exactly today and I’ve been encountering very unpleasant dominating aggressive men the past two days. I hope it passes soon!
Hi Marjorie,
Maybe a post on veganism, which was ‘invented’ in the UK, but also followed by many ancient and modern religions (Rastafarianism) would be interesting.
I wrote a vegan cookbook although I’m a vegetarian. I’ve found many vegans extremely intolerant even when one is sympathetic to their beliefs and diet.
Obviously the animal rights movement is also connected.
@ Kerstin,
I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian (meaning, I follow a plant-based lifestyle but I still consume egg and dairy). However, I often buy vegan product, dine at vegan restaurants, and make vegan recipes (which I sometimes modify to lacto-ovo vegetarian status). In other words, my diet works out perfectly for me and I like switching between vegan and lacto-ovo vegetarian dishes. However, I too have noticed the fanaticism of some vegans – they think being a lacto-ovo vegetarian isn’t enough because drinking milk and eating cheese and honey is still a form of “exploitation” of animals.
For example, last November, I was shopping at Whole Foods for the vegetarian Thanksgiving meal I was preparing and a customer, a chatty middle-aged woman, noticed that I had a lot of vegan product in my shopping cart and she seemed ecstatic and asked me if I was a vegan. I noticed she was wearing a t-shirt that depicted a group of animals with a giant “X” over them and a message that read: “End Animal Cruelty Now!”
I politely told her that I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian who happens to eat many vegan products. Her face suddenly dropped and then she started urging me to take the extra “step” and go “all the way.” She told me a long story about how she was able to convince her father and a few other family members to become total vegans and how happier they became knowing that they weren’t hurting animals, etc. It was a bit exasperating…but I was nice to her and stood there and listened to her tell her story (nodding and pretending to show interest). I was so relieved when she ended the conversation and let me get back to my shopping.
Personally, I’m happy living as a lacto-ovo vegetarian. If I ever decide to become a total vegan, then it will be because “I” want to – NOT because someone manipulates or pressures me into doing so.
I consider myself to be an environmental conservationist…so, I agree with vegans on many issues. However, using guilt and excoriating people for not adhering to their ethical standards, is not the way to promote veganism.
Just out of curiosity, how do you deal with putting iron in your diet?
Does anyone know which astrology houses indicate past lives & future lives?
That is Karmic Astrology. The 8th house is past life, 4th is the present and 12th is the future. I believe Vedic Astrology might offer more insight.
Thats not quite true
4th is family roots, where you come from .
8th is deeper, shared experience such as sex death and taxes and can involve generational trauma and traditionally, grandparents and the occult.
The 12th is the one most associated with past lives and collective unconcious. The losing of identity, also seen
in institutions such as hospitals prisons civil service.
Its not particularly associated with the future, unlike the 11th.
Respectfully, the houses you point out are indeed the interpretations for natal astrology. Karmic astrology is a separate offshoot — of which I am not a practitioner. I just know the basic 3 houses.
There is a way using natal astrology to presumably identify the conditions at the end of this life. I calculated my own years ago, but it was a bit complicated.
Vedic astrology is supposed to be less sheepish about the subject of death, but alas, I don’t practice that either. Maybe someone on the site does. Personally, I’d love to have my expectation date. I’m such a planner.
Thank you auto fill: that was expiration.
autofill cracks me up…. it’s like a secondary process that often reveals a deeper truth!
I read “expectation date” and thought… YES!!!…. that’s exactly the right word!!
So, so funny.
thanks for my smile tonight.
@Montgomery Thank you for your explanation, worryingly I have empty houses 4 and 8 does it mean that I have two empty lives, and even more worryingly I have 12 house pretty full, does it mean that in my next life I am going to be flat out.
I have an empty 8th and 12th and a stellium 4th — with the north node. I could use a more relaxing life next go around, but I don’t know if that’s the proper interpretation. Karmic astrology isn’t practiced widely, but I’ll farret around and see if I can find some answers.
@ Montgomery Thank you
I have also read that South node symbolises your past life.
Has anyone done the astrology for the DNC next week? Thank you!
Such a good question. There is an Aguarius full moon at 1:25PM (Chicago time) on Monday the 19th. Some not so great aspects (Uranus square the full moon, Venus opposite Saturn, with Mars/Jupiter squaring them, and a yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct focal point Mercury Rex conjunction Sun in Leo).
That said, I read it as what is culminating and dissipating (and Joe Biden is the first speaker that evening) contrasting what is new. Granted, Uranus might have other plans.
I’d be worried if the full moon was on approach. The Sun in Leo conjunction mercury will bode well for performance, especially for those with strong Leo in their charts.
I take a positive view of astrology, so others might see something my rose-colored glasses miss.
Many thanks, M.
29th June Joe Biden’s King Lear moment.
King Lear, yes!!! I get such pleasure out of the sites posts — and aside from the major newspapers (which I read after yours) I don’t bother with others. I do think, however, that if you ever retire I’ll have to go to Betty Ford’s for withdrawal.
Thanks SO much for all of your hard work.
You’re welcome. I am glad it helps.
It keeps me sane as well – and I am kind of addicted to it.
Prohibition didn’t work -led to so much crime. I live near a tunnel used by bootleggers and also at least one speakeasy.
Non alcoholic drinks are popular now.
For me, (I have a drink or two now and then) it’s the sugar that concerns me.
A note: Bandy Lee, the former Harvard (or is it Yale) psychiatrist who specializes in criminal psychology, says there’s a correlation between “conservative” administrations and a rise in substance abuse and suicides during the years of these administrations.
Astrologically- what’s the connection with substance abuse & excessive use & the stars—the ‘60s come to mind
(I realized just recently that the 60s generation were born in hospitals in which mothers were drugged to ease the pain of childbirth which of course affects newborn. My impression is that many of our (human) self-calming behaviors are like those from infancy: eating is a good example, chewing, the mouth stimulation when people smoke—so perhaps the desire to blunt pain, stress through drinking & other chemicals has a connection with that.)
@KG: I enjoy several varieties of red wine (French, of course!) and the occasional shots of Jack Daniels. But like you, sugar is the demon. I’m pre-diabetic and must adjust not only caloric input but what I eat/drink. Had to cut back even on how much Simply Lemonade and bottled Sprite (mexican sprite w/sugar) I was drinking!
The cost of fine wines and JD not a killer but the long term effects leading to diabetes will nail me. There is a family predisposition to booze. Recently lost a 94 yr old uncle to gangrene of his foot – had diabetes from poor lifestyle and was too ill to remove his foot.
Marjorie,
Could you tell me what is your knowledge and experience about a person having Sun and Moon both conjunct Pluto, and in Libra?
Sun conjunct Pluto could maybe be someone having control-freak tendencies and also someone with a father (Sun) from hell or a father that person feared (Pluto). It could also mean, for a woman, and maybe gay men, being attracted to powerful (Pluto) men, maybe also rich (also Pluto), and I wonder perhaps also mafia types or something like that.
Moon, then, could also mean a mother the person was fearful of.
Could you tell me more? I sometimes don’t know what to do when three planets are in a conjunction.
I realize you wanted Marjorie’s input, but I have a huge stellium conjunction in a sign and it’s my experience that you can’t take anything in isolation. You really need the whole chart and all the other aspects/angles. Added to that progressions change the game.
Pluto gets a bad rap, yet huge transformation takes place with its assistance.
When you learn to cooperate. I have Pluto conjunct my north Node. Big lessons. 🙂
LizM: Powerful. Can’t say much else without the whole chart, but if you can harness that aspect you could really intuit the zeitgeist.
Three planets together. Take them two at a time and then blend.
Moon Pluto – see post 6 September 2022 under Moon Pluto in search.
New Moon – no separation between father and mother – can be a single parent upbringing so one had to act in both maternal and paternal roles. Or a parental marriage that was welded together so the child could not differentiate. It tends to produce a self-sufficient, focused temperament in adult life.
Though Pluto conjunct both Sun and Moon will make the child feel as if it has no control and no choices so it may be well into adult life (if ever) before they are able to take power back into their own hands.
Will tend to be defensive and overly sensitive to any hint of manipulation or coercion.
Thank you so much, Montgomery and Marjorie! Stelliums are very difficult for me to put together, and I did kind of think that there was an article on Moon–Pluto around here.
I was reading yesterday that that combination can often signify a person who was “sensitive to” “maternal figure’s emotions, and picked up on her feelings of being overpowered, overwhelmed, resentful, or mistrustful”. It also denotes a “strong love–hate attachment” to the mother or crises surrounding that person’s experience of the mother, and that that’s something a person has to live with and that could be undermining that person in some manner.
My brother had his Sun in Leo conjunct Chiron and Pluto also in Leo all square his Moon in Scorpio. He and my Sun Scorpio father had massive power struggles all their lives culminating in furious quarrels when my brother married his Sun Scorpio wife. The situation was very stressful for my Sun Scorpio mother, it made our household into a battleground. Only the Scorpio wife, now a widow is still alive.
Wow, I’m so sorry, Rohana. I always end up at least for a moment a little speechless and silent when I read something like that and wonder what it was all for and how could it have happened that way. Always something going much more easily wrong than right.
Thank you, El Aznar, for your kind words. The problems arose as my brother was unusually intelligent and later became a world famous physicist. But my father wanted him to take an apprenticeship which my brother felt wouldn’t stretch his intellect. My father had many planets in Aquarius and many fixed signs, and was vehemently determined my brother should obey him, but eventually had to follow the guidance of the school who encouraged him to apply for university. My father was also a dogmatic Protestant, the son of a lay preacher, and when my brother met his future Catholic wife and became a Catholic too, my father thought it was the last straw and clashed with his future daughter-in-law big time. He thought she had got him to become a Catholic to cross him! My mother was horrified and my parents tried to get me to take sides which I refused to do. The Situation was instrumental to my searching for ‘the meaning of life’ which led me to astrology among other paths so I feel it was all part of my spiritual journey.
Oh, wow, that is such a powerful and distressing life story. I am fascinated by how acts and choices of the forebears determine the fate of their successors and how the effects of those choices ripple through time and maybe all to often have a negative and detrimental effect. I am trying to find meaning, explanation, and theory regarding that.
Your story also reminds me of the “brainiest child in Britain”, Ruth Lawrence, a British-Israeli mathematician, who was whipped into top-levels of mathematics by her strict and stubborn father, but she ultimately escaped his grip. Her father also attempted the same methods with her sister, but the sister got away much earlier.
I was, and still am, fascinated by whether you are born a prodigy or you become one, and a theory I’m settling on is that there is no such thing as a born prodigy, but that it is usually a result of very early and humongous work as a child that somehow gets hidden behind the headlines. It’s probably a whole research area of psychology.
And I think I’ve read a long time ago that physics is such an area of human endeavour where prodigies don’t really exist the way that do e.g. in music or maths.
What’s up with the formatting in the comments section? I’m using an Apple phone and some comments are “normal” formatting. And others are down to a word or even a single letter on each line. Shessh. Since most comments appear as normal prose, I don’t believe it is my phone nor am I messing with any settings. Any idea? It’s otherwise difficult to read.
Non-techie here, based on my observations: It’s the indentation of a reply so it’s clear it’s a reply. When the replies to a reply are multi-layered, they become narrower and narrower until the reply won’t show another reply button. Then, if I want to reply, I go to the next layer up. Frustrating at times, yes, when using a mobile device, but this site is so worth it! This is a real community. I love the shared knowledge and insight, whether astrological, historical, political or simply human nature. (I’m using an Android, by the way.)
I have asked Hugh, tech maestro who is on the case.
I’m curious about trends for Neptune in Aries. One astrologer (don’t remember his name) believed that beards (and all of the trendy beard care products) will be less prevalent and less popular. Did this beard trend arrive vis a vis Neptune because beards obscure? Also, is there a correlation between popularity of tattoos and Neptune? There’s so many athletes with copious tattoos (Aquarius influence?) and chefs also have so many. In my world, so many folks have gotten tattoos recently. These are professional folks like social workers who now have massive bicep and forearm tattoos or have an entire arm sleeve tattoo. Is this a byproduct of dreamy Neptune? In any event, might Neptune in Aries give rise to wearing hats and maybe more unusual hairstyles? Maybe red hair a la Jen Psaki and Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, will become quite popular. Thanks.
Aim, I think it goes further. The popularity of botox etc has changed faces beyond recognition in some cases and lots of other body modifications, Neptunian obscuring as you say. I could see Neptune in Aries being obsessed with internal and external aging even more, seeking youth and no doubt will bring many advances in this area as well. Brain implants too maybe?
Pluto in Capricorn. It’s quite a conservative, traditional look (Victorian era) with connotations of patriarchal authority and dominance. Cronus is usually depicted with a beard.
Re. the current trend for beards.
Marjorie, probably a challenge too far given his
pseudonymous status, but renowned graffiti artist Banksy has been in the news in recent weeks and not always favourably. I suspect mercury retrograde is transiting his first or tenth house.
What do you mean not favourably?
Most of it’s been defaced, removed or stolen within hours of appearing. Not seen much sympathy for him on social media and I’ve seen him recently described (pejoratively) as a ‘stencil artist’ quite a bit on different media platforms.
I’m a fan however.
There used to be a term “bucket chart” with one planet as the handle. Could we have an example please. Is it still used?
Much like the old term “locomotive chart” in which a major planet leads a series of other planets across only two or three houses.
Chart patterns are very revealing. I have a bowl, but a bucket has the focus on the planet outside the cluster.
Astro.com has a great description of all the Marc Edmond Jones patterns.
Sure – the singleton planet is the key plus the clustering of all other planets across.
As Neptune moves to Aries, what comes to my mind is that AI will erase/dissolve any semblance of appearance (Aries) with deep-fakes becoming so pervasive that no faith will be placed in videos and photos.
Would like the thoughts and comments of others on this.
Just in time for the trickster Uranus to enter the communicator Gemini and join it on the first half of its journey.
Alcohol use has risen in the United States, with deaths from excessive alcohol use increasing almost 30 percent in the short period between 2016-2017 and 2020-2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Moving into aquarius will this drug finally be banished from society with all the widescale ills it brings from domestic to tourist settings and everywhere in between?
@Anna, the US tried banning alcohol before, during Prohibition, and consumption radicallly increased snd abuse only became worse. Trying to eliminate all consumption of a product dating back millennia is unrealistic and connects with the endemic puritanism in the US’s roots. And how can you say all alcohol consumption is bad? A finely crafted wine invariably enhances the flavor of a well-paired meal.
nope all alcohol is detrimental to health as the body cannot metabolize any amount and has just been used as a marketing tool ( in much the same way as smoking ‘made you sophisticated’) for general societal bad behaviour. With tech it will be so easy as drivers won’t be allowed to drive for instance. nothing to do with puritanism everything to do with having a civilized and healthy society. in the uk so much has been made of pub culture, and it is heartening to see gen z actively turning away from the ‘drinks’ culture with tge zero alcohol the fastest growing drink segment,
Certainly if alcohol was a brand new substance that emerged today, it would probably be banned. But as Nicole points out, the situation is a lot more complex and nuanced than that. Without going into the biochemistry, which involves a few steps, your statement that the body cannot metabolise any amount of alcohol is not quite true and many healthy diets advocate for moderate use of alcohol, like the Mediterrean Diet – although of course there is a lot of variation when it comes to definitions of “moderate”.
How harmful alcohol is to you depends on many factors both biological and psychosocial. From your predisposition to addiction; to your body’s ability to produce certain enzymes right through to perhaps surprising psychosocial factors such as your socio-economic status. The latter is how people like the Queen Mother could put away a fair amount every day and live until 101, whiles others would succomb to related health problems. It’s called “The Alcohol Paradox” and the mechanisms behind it are not fully understood.
One thing that the The Alcohol Paradox highlights, along with a huge amount and many decades of other evidence (see Black Report, Whitehall studies etc, etc) is that socio-econmonic status and inequality kill. Low SES has almost the same impact on health as a sedantry lifestyle and smoking. In fact the data on this are published year after year (1) but it is rarely acted upon or much in the public conciousness.
It’s not just about wealth. Every year spent in education increases life expectancy (2). Imagine what proper investment in education could do, how much money it could save the health service? This is where I hope Aquarius will go – evidence led long term thinking.
“Umm nope..”? I’m not sure what warrants this rude dismissal, but these low effort “gotcha” attempts seem to be widespread these days. Whatever happened to proper discourse, engagement and appreciation of nuance? Not to mention critical evaluation. So I will overlook it and thank you for sharing that press release with us.
Alcohol consumption isn’t inherently healthy at a physical level. Early research suggested a “J-shaped curve” of benefit, but this was challenged by the “sick quitter hypothesis” in the 1980s. Subsequent research has tried to control for various factors, including the influence of social variables like socioeconomic status (SES), which can skew results. Cultural habits around alcohol are slow to change, and a vast amount of research in health psychology and behaviour change reflects this. So there are complications with research methods and application.
A better focus might be on education and inclusion, as a more equal society brings widespread health benefits. Investment in education and sports facilities could promote social cohesion and reduce reliance on alcohol. However, if no alternative is provided, people might turn to something worse. The trend of younger generations turning away from alcohol isn’t new; in the early 1990s, my generation avoided pub culture for raves, only to encounter “designer” drugs. Young people will always find risky behaviours, and products like alcopops were later introduced to draw them back to alcohol.
The point is they will find something if social problems aren’t addressed – and banning does not help, as Nicole said.
Tara, Thank you for the below – it has been irritating me recently – and does seem to be more prevalent.
“Umm nope..”? I’m not sure what warrants this rude dismissal, but these low effort “gotcha” attempts seem to be widespread these days. Whatever happened to proper discourse, engagement and appreciation of nuance? Not to mention critical evaluation.”
If you raise a counter argument or point to criticism of evidence produced, it just gets sidestepped and on the poster sails to snark and snipe – with utterly no indication they are willing to take in information that might cause them to rethink or modulate their opinion.
I could not reply to your other comment. You make good points. I think some of the vernacular may have been a generational thing. I agree with many of Anna’s points but I also know that Alcohol is not going anywhere, and some folks can handle it just fine.
Personalized medicine is the next thing coming down the pike, and a lot of that will go back to DNA and what is best for your personal biochemistry. Wishing you well.
Thank you Marjorie.
And thank you for your diplomatic efforts Liz, but my age has nothing to do with it and I don’t need any help with my response. I am pleased that you are looking after yourself and you are right about the first stage of ethanol metabolism. The second step converts acetaldehyde into acetate, a much less harmful substance. This second step varies between people and is perhaps what you mean by personalising biochemistry.
Wishing you well, also. Take care
Beautifully put, Tara! Yes, alcohol use is very nuanced. Moderation is fine for most people, but for some even a taste is toxic. I find I’m drinking less and less as I age, but I still love a glass of fine wine with a good meal.
Hi Tara, that was actually directed at Anna – but I did not call her out the first time. What I should have said as far as her comment “Um Nope” that it could be a generational thing, and she could be very young. It was not directed at you. I could not reply closer to your comment. Anna reminds me of my twin nephews, and there is a similarity in vernacular used, and speech pathways – which are a thing generation to generation.
Mercury retrograde. Next time I will simply spell it out.
For me personally, any alcohol at all is so toxic and destructive to my health that I haven’t had alcohol since the 90s. It’s pure poison for me. There was no way I would be drinking while raising the children. Now that they’re grownups and out of the house,I am thankful for my legal cannabis/CBD gummies, but Party I to those that can handle the headaches and morning fog, especially once one is a senior citizen. 🙂
‘Dr Tim Stockwell’s work – which has been published in The Lancet, among other esteemed organs – has inspired a new crackdown on alcohol that has seen daily drinking guidelines slashed in Canada and Australia.
But many of Dr Stockwell’s respected peers say it is far from settled science and have cast doubt on his research. They question his motives and accuse him of being a front for a worldwide temperance lobby that is secretly attempting to ban alcohol.
But his most recent intervention might be his most controversial yet: a study that found there was no safe level of alcohol intake. The research was widely reported without a hint of the row it had triggered in the scientific community. In common with other news outlets, The Daily Mail stated baldly that the longstanding belief that one or two drinks a day is good for you was based on “flawed” scientific research.
However, it was the final straw for many fellow academics and experts who told The Telegraph they read the report in disbelief, concluding it was yet another example of Dr Stockwell “cherry picking” the evidence to suit his agenda.’
Far be it from me to be temperance inclined 😀 however temperance is one of the cardinal virtues listed in Aristotle’s tractate the Nicomachean Ethics…!:)
As the character Frasier said “Patty On”:) I just hate alcohol because it makes me ill and always takes from me more than it ever gives. Thanks
Temperance has more than one definition and doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with abstaining from alcohol. More a case of moderating one’s behaviour, customs habits and thoughts and pursuing a more stoic existence. Wine and beer were considered more commendable simply because water was generally not considered fit to drink.
Hi Anna, I actually agree with you, but the USA has learned that hard lesson before. Prohibition gave rise to the Mafia in the USA – organized crime – and the experience ended up being a bad one. I have a brother who was an active alcoholic for 25 years, it was awful, he has been in recovery for 15 years, but I suspect you may have an alcoholic in your life – and as you know you are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I have cancer and I do not drink alcohol, as it is listed as a Carcinogen, and you have to protect your liver. When alcohol breaks down in the body – it creates acetylaldehyde, which is bad for your liver.
However, some people tolerate alcohol quite well and do not descend into alcoholism – so I don’t think we should legislate and take it away from them as well. The interesting thing about alcohol is that it has been with us from the very beginning even when we were in the woods just getting started, and there were an interesting series of articles about the social aspects of it and how important that has been for humanity. Wish I could find that article and post it here as it was a good one.
I know in my own life it was important as a young woman, but I don’t any more due to health reasons. So – as far as general society – it is really let the buyer beware. So, I agree with many of the points you made. Al-Anon has been a great resource in my life as well. “Put the focus on yourself, not the alcoholic”.
When I was in England on business years back, the locals and the pub culture charmed me. It was next door where I would go eat, and it was a clean well lit pub where people were hanging out – like a living room in someones home. Lockyears Key in Plymouth (I Probably killed that spelling).
So – no – I don’t think there will be legislation against alcohol, but I do think education and knowledge is key. I do know those years you listed were (1) the election of Trump (2) COVID when people were trapped at home and slowly going mad.
I am curious about you – especially after that Harvard article you sent me – obviously you are educated, and you come at things from a different angle.
I agree with Tara’s points and Marjorie’s points.
as far as the “Um Nope” – I think it could be a generational thing? Doesn’t go over well with some of us oldsters. Your points are right in many respects- but you have to learn sometimes not to push a point when your audience is not ready for it. I know it is not my place to speak to you like this – but I am just really curious about you now. Thanks for the share – this has been a really good discussion.
Another thing about alcohol, is in many states it is zero tolerance drinking and driving. In Virginia, if you get pulled over by an Arlington Cop, you spend a week in Jail. I have known people this has happened to. There is a group called Mothers against Drunk Drivers – who pushed for that legislation.
Alcohol is ruled by Neptune – and I have adopted other Neptunian behaviors such as Music, going by water, meditation, Yoga – serves the same stress relief purpose.
Hi Liz and so nice to speak with you ‘remotely’. I am not a Gen Zer although I have some in my life so maybe I’m spending WAY too much time with them not understanding what Brat summer is 😉 and being told Ummm nope! Yes I have known many, many alcoholics male and female. I work in health and usually the real problem(drink) is never mentioned till maybe the 4th session in the last 2 minutes. A case of they know I know they know etc. I have also lived on 3 continents and the difference I have noticed in the drinking culture in the UK albeit cute with the outside pubs etc is ‘drinking to drink/get drunk’ maybe due to weather/indoor life. On the continent you tend to have aperitivo with a bite to eat-easier on metabolism.In the US like Nicole said it was a nice glass with a meal OR the liquor route but less than the UK for sure.I am curious about you too! I am called Mme Au Contraire at home maybe because I am french educated/raised so I love debate/devil’s advocatery/on the other handism/ and yet…ism(Macron is King of that). I am very sorry you are facing cancer Liz. Love to talk to you more because I think highly of your posts. If you want maybe we can exchange emails via Marjorie? I will leave you to decide.
Hi Anna, you sent me a good article once, so I want to send you this. It is a description of the rise of Organized Crime in the United States in the 20’s as a direct result of Prohibition – which lasted about 11 years
Hi Anna, Your post made me laugh. I love your nickname “Mme Au Contraire”. Your education and experience sounds great. There is a drinking culture in UK and some of US. If you are in Health then you see the effects of those who cannot handle it. You also come at things differently, but frequently make very good points and I enjoy that.
I am in the USA, and I have lived in 12 different states, some of them more than once at different points in my life. Both my parents have lived overseas and traveled the world, with Dad living in Europe (Spain, England, Italy, Morocco (not Europe I know) ) and Asia for extended periods of time while his family was stateside. They were both interested in the world – so I grew up in a household that understood their was a rest of the world. Dad was a Pilot and in the Military and flew missions around the world many times. We settled in Tennessee when I was 14 in an international community (Believe it or not), and I have lived multiple places up North and in the South since then, including DC. My field is engineering, and I am a manager, so I study psychology and astrology as a form of self defense. 🙂
I am ok if Marjorie connects us via email. Not sure if she is willing to do that, or even can do that, so it is ok if she cannot do that – but you will see me around here. Wishing you well. 🙂
Fat is detrimental to health and difficult for the liver to process along with ultra-processed foods etc. Obesity costs the NHS twice what alcohol related damage does. The fact that some overdo alcohol does not mean it should be banned.
Anna, I am not so keen on Madam au Contraire. Life is tiring and aggravating enough without contrarians amusing themselves by stoking up controversy and division. It may be your temperamental gimmick but it is wearing for others – and does not usually lead to illuminating or nuanced discussions.
Nicole, Quite agree. The temperance lobby is tiresome. The late departed, dearly beloved Queen Elizabeth 11 evidently had a daily schedule of a gin and Dubonnet before lunch, a glass of sweet German wine with her evening meal, and a dry martini before bed. She made it to 97. Her mother started on the gin as per the standard county/aristo tradition around midday and kept tippling – and she tottered on to 101.
I am glad she had a good time.
Alcohol predates caffeine as a drug in use by human beings, with beer and wine being made by the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians . It has been used and abused across millennia by different cultures. I don’t see it going anywhere.
The Prohibition era was almost exactly half a Pluto cycle away, so I can factor in a dip in alcohol consumption in the US. But alcohol consumption as a global and as a US phenomenon is going nowhere.
I have always hated alcohol – I don’t drink it all. It’s a dangerous substance that can cause brain damage, leads to addiction in many people, can cause kidney failure, liver damage, heart disease and congestive heart failure. Why on earth would anyone in their right mind want to subject themselves to that kind of destruction? It’s no different than drinking a bottle of poison or setting oneself on fire (nobody in their right mind certainly wouldn’t do that either). Personally, I would really like to see ALL alcoholic beverages banned here in the U.S. and in all other countries as well.
I’m just a health conscious person. I don’t drink alcohol, I’ve never smoked a cigarette or any other substance in my life, I’ve never vaped, and I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I try to encourage others to follow healthier lifestyles too.
I have Aries in the 6th House…so, that could be one of the reasons why I’m adamant about guarding my physical health.
Yay Chris now I feel much better about being cat called all day hahahaha!!! but yes in essence we all here agree to disagree in scope except that we can concur that alcohol is fundamentally a compound that the body has to work hard to eliminate and caveat emptor.
Is it my imagination or has a page disappeared as some of the latest post have gone.
The King is supposed to be having a royal summit on whether they should take away his (meaning Harry) Princely rank. Could you read on this Marjorie?
“Putin’s 4th term chart won’t be without enthusiasm, determination or moments of success over the next two years; but will start its period of greatest instability from February 2023 onwards till late 2024 with tr Pluto square the Uranus” Marjorie, posted 19th August, 2022.
The UN say nuclear safety is deteriorating at Zaporizhzhia, as reported on the BBC website today. Tomorrow’s 27 Aquarius full Moon square Uranus seems to be bringing fears to a head, and hopefully nothing more sinister. It aspects planets in a number of charts for the Ukraine, Russia, Zelensky, Putin, Chernobyl and Fukushima. The plant itself has Venus, 27 Taurus opposing Uranus 25 Scorpio, Mars 26 Leo, and Nodes 28 Leo/Aquarius. Tr Mercury rx is now at 27 Leo, potentially bringing news related to the past?
Comedian Reginald D Hunter is recently in the news, perhaps he might be interesting to have a look at.
Marina
Thank you.
Can you take a look if Naomi Campbell (22 May 1970 at 01:00, Westminster, England) finally found love with Saudi film producer Mohammed Al Turki (3 July 1986, no birthplace, but perhaps Riyadh is a good guess)?
Morning Marjorie,
Could you please take a look at this – Jk Rowling and Imane Khelif:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2njjm4e2po
Thank you.
Yes please . All Imane had to do to shut his critics was to show the sex test result. But Imane is doing everything other than that!
That is because the IOC just relied on his/her word. There are no test results. And there won’t be because it is too embarrassing for them that they have bo££o€ked the whole thing.
Can you do a post about Blake lively but also Ryan reynolds. They’ve been successful but Blake is in hot water for her movie promotion.
Callie M. & Montgomery
Thanks so much for help.
Can you do Yvette Cooper’s chart? She has her Sun at 29 Pisces 39, and transitting Neptune is sitting on top of it.
Mars is square Saturn on Friday 16th August. Thoughts?
Not sure, but Mars is squaring my Mars (in Aries in the 9th house)exactly today and I’ve been encountering very unpleasant dominating aggressive men the past two days. I hope it passes soon!
Hi Marjorie,
Maybe a post on veganism, which was ‘invented’ in the UK, but also followed by many ancient and modern religions (Rastafarianism) would be interesting.
I wrote a vegan cookbook although I’m a vegetarian. I’ve found many vegans extremely intolerant even when one is sympathetic to their beliefs and diet.
Obviously the animal rights movement is also connected.
@ Kerstin,
I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian (meaning, I follow a plant-based lifestyle but I still consume egg and dairy). However, I often buy vegan product, dine at vegan restaurants, and make vegan recipes (which I sometimes modify to lacto-ovo vegetarian status). In other words, my diet works out perfectly for me and I like switching between vegan and lacto-ovo vegetarian dishes. However, I too have noticed the fanaticism of some vegans – they think being a lacto-ovo vegetarian isn’t enough because drinking milk and eating cheese and honey is still a form of “exploitation” of animals.
For example, last November, I was shopping at Whole Foods for the vegetarian Thanksgiving meal I was preparing and a customer, a chatty middle-aged woman, noticed that I had a lot of vegan product in my shopping cart and she seemed ecstatic and asked me if I was a vegan. I noticed she was wearing a t-shirt that depicted a group of animals with a giant “X” over them and a message that read: “End Animal Cruelty Now!”
I politely told her that I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian who happens to eat many vegan products. Her face suddenly dropped and then she started urging me to take the extra “step” and go “all the way.” She told me a long story about how she was able to convince her father and a few other family members to become total vegans and how happier they became knowing that they weren’t hurting animals, etc. It was a bit exasperating…but I was nice to her and stood there and listened to her tell her story (nodding and pretending to show interest). I was so relieved when she ended the conversation and let me get back to my shopping.
Personally, I’m happy living as a lacto-ovo vegetarian. If I ever decide to become a total vegan, then it will be because “I” want to – NOT because someone manipulates or pressures me into doing so.
I consider myself to be an environmental conservationist…so, I agree with vegans on many issues. However, using guilt and excoriating people for not adhering to their ethical standards, is not the way to promote veganism.
Just out of curiosity, how do you deal with putting iron in your diet?
Does anyone know which astrology houses indicate past lives & future lives?
That is Karmic Astrology. The 8th house is past life, 4th is the present and 12th is the future. I believe Vedic Astrology might offer more insight.
Thats not quite true
4th is family roots, where you come from .
8th is deeper, shared experience such as sex death and taxes and can involve generational trauma and traditionally, grandparents and the occult.
The 12th is the one most associated with past lives and collective unconcious. The losing of identity, also seen
in institutions such as hospitals prisons civil service.
Its not particularly associated with the future, unlike the 11th.
Respectfully, the houses you point out are indeed the interpretations for natal astrology. Karmic astrology is a separate offshoot — of which I am not a practitioner. I just know the basic 3 houses.
There is a way using natal astrology to presumably identify the conditions at the end of this life. I calculated my own years ago, but it was a bit complicated.
Vedic astrology is supposed to be less sheepish about the subject of death, but alas, I don’t practice that either. Maybe someone on the site does. Personally, I’d love to have my expectation date. I’m such a planner.
Thank you auto fill: that was expiration.
autofill cracks me up…. it’s like a secondary process that often reveals a deeper truth!
I read “expectation date” and thought… YES!!!…. that’s exactly the right word!!
So, so funny.
thanks for my smile tonight.
@Montgomery Thank you for your explanation, worryingly I have empty houses 4 and 8 does it mean that I have two empty lives, and even more worryingly I have 12 house pretty full, does it mean that in my next life I am going to be flat out.
I have an empty 8th and 12th and a stellium 4th — with the north node. I could use a more relaxing life next go around, but I don’t know if that’s the proper interpretation. Karmic astrology isn’t practiced widely, but I’ll farret around and see if I can find some answers.
@ Montgomery Thank you
I have also read that South node symbolises your past life.
Has anyone done the astrology for the DNC next week? Thank you!
Such a good question. There is an Aguarius full moon at 1:25PM (Chicago time) on Monday the 19th. Some not so great aspects (Uranus square the full moon, Venus opposite Saturn, with Mars/Jupiter squaring them, and a yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct focal point Mercury Rex conjunction Sun in Leo).
That said, I read it as what is culminating and dissipating (and Joe Biden is the first speaker that evening) contrasting what is new. Granted, Uranus might have other plans.
I’d be worried if the full moon was on approach. The Sun in Leo conjunction mercury will bode well for performance, especially for those with strong Leo in their charts.
I take a positive view of astrology, so others might see something my rose-colored glasses miss.
Many thanks, M.
29th June Joe Biden’s King Lear moment.
King Lear, yes!!! I get such pleasure out of the sites posts — and aside from the major newspapers (which I read after yours) I don’t bother with others. I do think, however, that if you ever retire I’ll have to go to Betty Ford’s for withdrawal.
Thanks SO much for all of your hard work.
You’re welcome. I am glad it helps.
It keeps me sane as well – and I am kind of addicted to it.
Prohibition didn’t work -led to so much crime. I live near a tunnel used by bootleggers and also at least one speakeasy.
Non alcoholic drinks are popular now.
For me, (I have a drink or two now and then) it’s the sugar that concerns me.
A note: Bandy Lee, the former Harvard (or is it Yale) psychiatrist who specializes in criminal psychology, says there’s a correlation between “conservative” administrations and a rise in substance abuse and suicides during the years of these administrations.
Astrologically- what’s the connection with substance abuse & excessive use & the stars—the ‘60s come to mind
(I realized just recently that the 60s generation were born in hospitals in which mothers were drugged to ease the pain of childbirth which of course affects newborn. My impression is that many of our (human) self-calming behaviors are like those from infancy: eating is a good example, chewing, the mouth stimulation when people smoke—so perhaps the desire to blunt pain, stress through drinking & other chemicals has a connection with that.)
@KG: I enjoy several varieties of red wine (French, of course!) and the occasional shots of Jack Daniels. But like you, sugar is the demon. I’m pre-diabetic and must adjust not only caloric input but what I eat/drink. Had to cut back even on how much Simply Lemonade and bottled Sprite (mexican sprite w/sugar) I was drinking!
The cost of fine wines and JD not a killer but the long term effects leading to diabetes will nail me. There is a family predisposition to booze. Recently lost a 94 yr old uncle to gangrene of his foot – had diabetes from poor lifestyle and was too ill to remove his foot.
Marjorie,
Could you tell me what is your knowledge and experience about a person having Sun and Moon both conjunct Pluto, and in Libra?
Sun conjunct Pluto could maybe be someone having control-freak tendencies and also someone with a father (Sun) from hell or a father that person feared (Pluto). It could also mean, for a woman, and maybe gay men, being attracted to powerful (Pluto) men, maybe also rich (also Pluto), and I wonder perhaps also mafia types or something like that.
Moon, then, could also mean a mother the person was fearful of.
Could you tell me more? I sometimes don’t know what to do when three planets are in a conjunction.
I realize you wanted Marjorie’s input, but I have a huge stellium conjunction in a sign and it’s my experience that you can’t take anything in isolation. You really need the whole chart and all the other aspects/angles. Added to that progressions change the game.
Pluto gets a bad rap, yet huge transformation takes place with its assistance.
When you learn to cooperate. I have Pluto conjunct my north Node. Big lessons. 🙂
LizM: Powerful. Can’t say much else without the whole chart, but if you can harness that aspect you could really intuit the zeitgeist.
Three planets together. Take them two at a time and then blend.
Moon Pluto – see post 6 September 2022 under Moon Pluto in search.
New Moon – no separation between father and mother – can be a single parent upbringing so one had to act in both maternal and paternal roles. Or a parental marriage that was welded together so the child could not differentiate. It tends to produce a self-sufficient, focused temperament in adult life.
Though Pluto conjunct both Sun and Moon will make the child feel as if it has no control and no choices so it may be well into adult life (if ever) before they are able to take power back into their own hands.
Will tend to be defensive and overly sensitive to any hint of manipulation or coercion.
Thank you so much, Montgomery and Marjorie! Stelliums are very difficult for me to put together, and I did kind of think that there was an article on Moon–Pluto around here.
I was reading yesterday that that combination can often signify a person who was “sensitive to” “maternal figure’s emotions, and picked up on her feelings of being overpowered, overwhelmed, resentful, or mistrustful”. It also denotes a “strong love–hate attachment” to the mother or crises surrounding that person’s experience of the mother, and that that’s something a person has to live with and that could be undermining that person in some manner.
My brother had his Sun in Leo conjunct Chiron and Pluto also in Leo all square his Moon in Scorpio. He and my Sun Scorpio father had massive power struggles all their lives culminating in furious quarrels when my brother married his Sun Scorpio wife. The situation was very stressful for my Sun Scorpio mother, it made our household into a battleground. Only the Scorpio wife, now a widow is still alive.
Wow, I’m so sorry, Rohana. I always end up at least for a moment a little speechless and silent when I read something like that and wonder what it was all for and how could it have happened that way. Always something going much more easily wrong than right.
Thank you, El Aznar, for your kind words. The problems arose as my brother was unusually intelligent and later became a world famous physicist. But my father wanted him to take an apprenticeship which my brother felt wouldn’t stretch his intellect. My father had many planets in Aquarius and many fixed signs, and was vehemently determined my brother should obey him, but eventually had to follow the guidance of the school who encouraged him to apply for university. My father was also a dogmatic Protestant, the son of a lay preacher, and when my brother met his future Catholic wife and became a Catholic too, my father thought it was the last straw and clashed with his future daughter-in-law big time. He thought she had got him to become a Catholic to cross him! My mother was horrified and my parents tried to get me to take sides which I refused to do. The Situation was instrumental to my searching for ‘the meaning of life’ which led me to astrology among other paths so I feel it was all part of my spiritual journey.
Oh, wow, that is such a powerful and distressing life story. I am fascinated by how acts and choices of the forebears determine the fate of their successors and how the effects of those choices ripple through time and maybe all to often have a negative and detrimental effect. I am trying to find meaning, explanation, and theory regarding that.
Your story also reminds me of the “brainiest child in Britain”, Ruth Lawrence, a British-Israeli mathematician, who was whipped into top-levels of mathematics by her strict and stubborn father, but she ultimately escaped his grip. Her father also attempted the same methods with her sister, but the sister got away much earlier.
I was, and still am, fascinated by whether you are born a prodigy or you become one, and a theory I’m settling on is that there is no such thing as a born prodigy, but that it is usually a result of very early and humongous work as a child that somehow gets hidden behind the headlines. It’s probably a whole research area of psychology.
And I think I’ve read a long time ago that physics is such an area of human endeavour where prodigies don’t really exist the way that do e.g. in music or maths.
What’s up with the formatting in the comments section? I’m using an Apple phone and some comments are “normal” formatting. And others are down to a word or even a single letter on each line. Shessh. Since most comments appear as normal prose, I don’t believe it is my phone nor am I messing with any settings. Any idea? It’s otherwise difficult to read.
Non-techie here, based on my observations: It’s the indentation of a reply so it’s clear it’s a reply. When the replies to a reply are multi-layered, they become narrower and narrower until the reply won’t show another reply button. Then, if I want to reply, I go to the next layer up. Frustrating at times, yes, when using a mobile device, but this site is so worth it! This is a real community. I love the shared knowledge and insight, whether astrological, historical, political or simply human nature. (I’m using an Android, by the way.)
I have asked Hugh, tech maestro who is on the case.
I’m curious about trends for Neptune in Aries. One astrologer (don’t remember his name) believed that beards (and all of the trendy beard care products) will be less prevalent and less popular. Did this beard trend arrive vis a vis Neptune because beards obscure? Also, is there a correlation between popularity of tattoos and Neptune? There’s so many athletes with copious tattoos (Aquarius influence?) and chefs also have so many. In my world, so many folks have gotten tattoos recently. These are professional folks like social workers who now have massive bicep and forearm tattoos or have an entire arm sleeve tattoo. Is this a byproduct of dreamy Neptune? In any event, might Neptune in Aries give rise to wearing hats and maybe more unusual hairstyles? Maybe red hair a la Jen Psaki and Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, will become quite popular. Thanks.
Aim, I think it goes further. The popularity of botox etc has changed faces beyond recognition in some cases and lots of other body modifications, Neptunian obscuring as you say. I could see Neptune in Aries being obsessed with internal and external aging even more, seeking youth and no doubt will bring many advances in this area as well. Brain implants too maybe?
Pluto in Capricorn. It’s quite a conservative, traditional look (Victorian era) with connotations of patriarchal authority and dominance. Cronus is usually depicted with a beard.
Re. the current trend for beards.
Marjorie, probably a challenge too far given his
pseudonymous status, but renowned graffiti artist Banksy has been in the news in recent weeks and not always favourably. I suspect mercury retrograde is transiting his first or tenth house.
What do you mean not favourably?
Most of it’s been defaced, removed or stolen within hours of appearing. Not seen much sympathy for him on social media and I’ve seen him recently described (pejoratively) as a ‘stencil artist’ quite a bit on different media platforms.
I’m a fan however.
There used to be a term “bucket chart” with one planet as the handle. Could we have an example please. Is it still used?
Much like the old term “locomotive chart” in which a major planet leads a series of other planets across only two or three houses.
Chart patterns are very revealing. I have a bowl, but a bucket has the focus on the planet outside the cluster.
Astro.com has a great description of all the Marc Edmond Jones patterns.
Sure – the singleton planet is the key plus the clustering of all other planets across.
As Neptune moves to Aries, what comes to my mind is that AI will erase/dissolve any semblance of appearance (Aries) with deep-fakes becoming so pervasive that no faith will be placed in videos and photos.
Would like the thoughts and comments of others on this.
Just in time for the trickster Uranus to enter the communicator Gemini and join it on the first half of its journey.
Alcohol use has risen in the United States, with deaths from excessive alcohol use increasing almost 30 percent in the short period between 2016-2017 and 2020-2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Moving into aquarius will this drug finally be banished from society with all the widescale ills it brings from domestic to tourist settings and everywhere in between?
@Anna, the US tried banning alcohol before, during Prohibition, and consumption radicallly increased snd abuse only became worse. Trying to eliminate all consumption of a product dating back millennia is unrealistic and connects with the endemic puritanism in the US’s roots. And how can you say all alcohol consumption is bad? A finely crafted wine invariably enhances the flavor of a well-paired meal.
nope all alcohol is detrimental to health as the body cannot metabolize any amount and has just been used as a marketing tool ( in much the same way as smoking ‘made you sophisticated’) for general societal bad behaviour. With tech it will be so easy as drivers won’t be allowed to drive for instance. nothing to do with puritanism everything to do with having a civilized and healthy society. in the uk so much has been made of pub culture, and it is heartening to see gen z actively turning away from the ‘drinks’ culture with tge zero alcohol the fastest growing drink segment,
Certainly if alcohol was a brand new substance that emerged today, it would probably be banned. But as Nicole points out, the situation is a lot more complex and nuanced than that. Without going into the biochemistry, which involves a few steps, your statement that the body cannot metabolise any amount of alcohol is not quite true and many healthy diets advocate for moderate use of alcohol, like the Mediterrean Diet – although of course there is a lot of variation when it comes to definitions of “moderate”.
How harmful alcohol is to you depends on many factors both biological and psychosocial. From your predisposition to addiction; to your body’s ability to produce certain enzymes right through to perhaps surprising psychosocial factors such as your socio-economic status. The latter is how people like the Queen Mother could put away a fair amount every day and live until 101, whiles others would succomb to related health problems. It’s called “The Alcohol Paradox” and the mechanisms behind it are not fully understood.
One thing that the The Alcohol Paradox highlights, along with a huge amount and many decades of other evidence (see Black Report, Whitehall studies etc, etc) is that socio-econmonic status and inequality kill. Low SES has almost the same impact on health as a sedantry lifestyle and smoking. In fact the data on this are published year after year (1) but it is rarely acted upon or much in the public conciousness.
It’s not just about wealth. Every year spent in education increases life expectancy (2). Imagine what proper investment in education could do, how much money it could save the health service? This is where I hope Aquarius will go – evidence led long term thinking.
(1) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthinequalities
(2) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(23)00306-7/fulltext
The Alcohol Paradox: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(20)30119-5/fulltext
Ummm nope WHO categorizes akcohol as unsafe
https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
“Umm nope..”? I’m not sure what warrants this rude dismissal, but these low effort “gotcha” attempts seem to be widespread these days. Whatever happened to proper discourse, engagement and appreciation of nuance? Not to mention critical evaluation. So I will overlook it and thank you for sharing that press release with us.
Alcohol consumption isn’t inherently healthy at a physical level. Early research suggested a “J-shaped curve” of benefit, but this was challenged by the “sick quitter hypothesis” in the 1980s. Subsequent research has tried to control for various factors, including the influence of social variables like socioeconomic status (SES), which can skew results. Cultural habits around alcohol are slow to change, and a vast amount of research in health psychology and behaviour change reflects this. So there are complications with research methods and application.
A better focus might be on education and inclusion, as a more equal society brings widespread health benefits. Investment in education and sports facilities could promote social cohesion and reduce reliance on alcohol. However, if no alternative is provided, people might turn to something worse. The trend of younger generations turning away from alcohol isn’t new; in the early 1990s, my generation avoided pub culture for raves, only to encounter “designer” drugs. Young people will always find risky behaviours, and products like alcopops were later introduced to draw them back to alcohol.
The point is they will find something if social problems aren’t addressed – and banning does not help, as Nicole said.
Tara, Thank you for the below – it has been irritating me recently – and does seem to be more prevalent.
“Umm nope..”? I’m not sure what warrants this rude dismissal, but these low effort “gotcha” attempts seem to be widespread these days. Whatever happened to proper discourse, engagement and appreciation of nuance? Not to mention critical evaluation.”
If you raise a counter argument or point to criticism of evidence produced, it just gets sidestepped and on the poster sails to snark and snipe – with utterly no indication they are willing to take in information that might cause them to rethink or modulate their opinion.
I could not reply to your other comment. You make good points. I think some of the vernacular may have been a generational thing. I agree with many of Anna’s points but I also know that Alcohol is not going anywhere, and some folks can handle it just fine.
Personalized medicine is the next thing coming down the pike, and a lot of that will go back to DNA and what is best for your personal biochemistry. Wishing you well.
Thank you Marjorie.
And thank you for your diplomatic efforts Liz, but my age has nothing to do with it and I don’t need any help with my response. I am pleased that you are looking after yourself and you are right about the first stage of ethanol metabolism. The second step converts acetaldehyde into acetate, a much less harmful substance. This second step varies between people and is perhaps what you mean by personalising biochemistry.
Wishing you well, also. Take care
Beautifully put, Tara! Yes, alcohol use is very nuanced. Moderation is fine for most people, but for some even a taste is toxic. I find I’m drinking less and less as I age, but I still love a glass of fine wine with a good meal.
Hi Tara, that was actually directed at Anna – but I did not call her out the first time. What I should have said as far as her comment “Um Nope” that it could be a generational thing, and she could be very young. It was not directed at you. I could not reply closer to your comment. Anna reminds me of my twin nephews, and there is a similarity in vernacular used, and speech pathways – which are a thing generation to generation.
Mercury retrograde. Next time I will simply spell it out.
For me personally, any alcohol at all is so toxic and destructive to my health that I haven’t had alcohol since the 90s. It’s pure poison for me. There was no way I would be drinking while raising the children. Now that they’re grownups and out of the house,I am thankful for my legal cannabis/CBD gummies, but Party I to those that can handle the headaches and morning fog, especially once one is a senior citizen. 🙂
‘Dr Tim Stockwell’s work – which has been published in The Lancet, among other esteemed organs – has inspired a new crackdown on alcohol that has seen daily drinking guidelines slashed in Canada and Australia.
But many of Dr Stockwell’s respected peers say it is far from settled science and have cast doubt on his research. They question his motives and accuse him of being a front for a worldwide temperance lobby that is secretly attempting to ban alcohol.
But his most recent intervention might be his most controversial yet: a study that found there was no safe level of alcohol intake. The research was widely reported without a hint of the row it had triggered in the scientific community. In common with other news outlets, The Daily Mail stated baldly that the longstanding belief that one or two drinks a day is good for you was based on “flawed” scientific research.
However, it was the final straw for many fellow academics and experts who told The Telegraph they read the report in disbelief, concluding it was yet another example of Dr Stockwell “cherry picking” the evidence to suit his agenda.’
Far be it from me to be temperance inclined 😀 however temperance is one of the cardinal virtues listed in Aristotle’s tractate the Nicomachean Ethics…!:)
As the character Frasier said “Patty On”:) I just hate alcohol because it makes me ill and always takes from me more than it ever gives. Thanks
Temperance has more than one definition and doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with abstaining from alcohol. More a case of moderating one’s behaviour, customs habits and thoughts and pursuing a more stoic existence. Wine and beer were considered more commendable simply because water was generally not considered fit to drink.
Hi Anna, I actually agree with you, but the USA has learned that hard lesson before. Prohibition gave rise to the Mafia in the USA – organized crime – and the experience ended up being a bad one. I have a brother who was an active alcoholic for 25 years, it was awful, he has been in recovery for 15 years, but I suspect you may have an alcoholic in your life – and as you know you are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I have cancer and I do not drink alcohol, as it is listed as a Carcinogen, and you have to protect your liver. When alcohol breaks down in the body – it creates acetylaldehyde, which is bad for your liver.
However, some people tolerate alcohol quite well and do not descend into alcoholism – so I don’t think we should legislate and take it away from them as well. The interesting thing about alcohol is that it has been with us from the very beginning even when we were in the woods just getting started, and there were an interesting series of articles about the social aspects of it and how important that has been for humanity. Wish I could find that article and post it here as it was a good one.
I know in my own life it was important as a young woman, but I don’t any more due to health reasons. So – as far as general society – it is really let the buyer beware. So, I agree with many of the points you made. Al-Anon has been a great resource in my life as well. “Put the focus on yourself, not the alcoholic”.
When I was in England on business years back, the locals and the pub culture charmed me. It was next door where I would go eat, and it was a clean well lit pub where people were hanging out – like a living room in someones home. Lockyears Key in Plymouth (I Probably killed that spelling).
So – no – I don’t think there will be legislation against alcohol, but I do think education and knowledge is key. I do know those years you listed were (1) the election of Trump (2) COVID when people were trapped at home and slowly going mad.
I am curious about you – especially after that Harvard article you sent me – obviously you are educated, and you come at things from a different angle.
I agree with Tara’s points and Marjorie’s points.
as far as the “Um Nope” – I think it could be a generational thing? Doesn’t go over well with some of us oldsters. Your points are right in many respects- but you have to learn sometimes not to push a point when your audience is not ready for it. I know it is not my place to speak to you like this – but I am just really curious about you now. Thanks for the share – this has been a really good discussion.
Another thing about alcohol, is in many states it is zero tolerance drinking and driving. In Virginia, if you get pulled over by an Arlington Cop, you spend a week in Jail. I have known people this has happened to. There is a group called Mothers against Drunk Drivers – who pushed for that legislation.
Alcohol is ruled by Neptune – and I have adopted other Neptunian behaviors such as Music, going by water, meditation, Yoga – serves the same stress relief purpose.
Hi Liz and so nice to speak with you ‘remotely’. I am not a Gen Zer although I have some in my life so maybe I’m spending WAY too much time with them not understanding what Brat summer is 😉 and being told Ummm nope! Yes I have known many, many alcoholics male and female. I work in health and usually the real problem(drink) is never mentioned till maybe the 4th session in the last 2 minutes. A case of they know I know they know etc. I have also lived on 3 continents and the difference I have noticed in the drinking culture in the UK albeit cute with the outside pubs etc is ‘drinking to drink/get drunk’ maybe due to weather/indoor life. On the continent you tend to have aperitivo with a bite to eat-easier on metabolism.In the US like Nicole said it was a nice glass with a meal OR the liquor route but less than the UK for sure.I am curious about you too! I am called Mme Au Contraire at home maybe because I am french educated/raised so I love debate/devil’s advocatery/on the other handism/ and yet…ism(Macron is King of that). I am very sorry you are facing cancer Liz. Love to talk to you more because I think highly of your posts. If you want maybe we can exchange emails via Marjorie? I will leave you to decide.
Hi Anna, you sent me a good article once, so I want to send you this. It is a description of the rise of Organized Crime in the United States in the 20’s as a direct result of Prohibition – which lasted about 11 years
https://study.com/academy/lesson/american-organized-crime-of-the-1920s.html#:~:text=How%20did%20Prohibition%20lead%20to,profits%20from%20the%20bootlegging%20trade.
Hi Anna, Your post made me laugh. I love your nickname “Mme Au Contraire”. Your education and experience sounds great. There is a drinking culture in UK and some of US. If you are in Health then you see the effects of those who cannot handle it. You also come at things differently, but frequently make very good points and I enjoy that.
I am in the USA, and I have lived in 12 different states, some of them more than once at different points in my life. Both my parents have lived overseas and traveled the world, with Dad living in Europe (Spain, England, Italy, Morocco (not Europe I know) ) and Asia for extended periods of time while his family was stateside. They were both interested in the world – so I grew up in a household that understood their was a rest of the world. Dad was a Pilot and in the Military and flew missions around the world many times. We settled in Tennessee when I was 14 in an international community (Believe it or not), and I have lived multiple places up North and in the South since then, including DC. My field is engineering, and I am a manager, so I study psychology and astrology as a form of self defense. 🙂
I am ok if Marjorie connects us via email. Not sure if she is willing to do that, or even can do that, so it is ok if she cannot do that – but you will see me around here. Wishing you well. 🙂
Fat is detrimental to health and difficult for the liver to process along with ultra-processed foods etc. Obesity costs the NHS twice what alcohol related damage does. The fact that some overdo alcohol does not mean it should be banned.
Anna, I am not so keen on Madam au Contraire. Life is tiring and aggravating enough without contrarians amusing themselves by stoking up controversy and division. It may be your temperamental gimmick but it is wearing for others – and does not usually lead to illuminating or nuanced discussions.
Nicole, Quite agree. The temperance lobby is tiresome. The late departed, dearly beloved Queen Elizabeth 11 evidently had a daily schedule of a gin and Dubonnet before lunch, a glass of sweet German wine with her evening meal, and a dry martini before bed. She made it to 97. Her mother started on the gin as per the standard county/aristo tradition around midday and kept tippling – and she tottered on to 101.
I am glad she had a good time.
Alcohol predates caffeine as a drug in use by human beings, with beer and wine being made by the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians . It has been used and abused across millennia by different cultures. I don’t see it going anywhere.
The Prohibition era was almost exactly half a Pluto cycle away, so I can factor in a dip in alcohol consumption in the US. But alcohol consumption as a global and as a US phenomenon is going nowhere.
I have always hated alcohol – I don’t drink it all. It’s a dangerous substance that can cause brain damage, leads to addiction in many people, can cause kidney failure, liver damage, heart disease and congestive heart failure. Why on earth would anyone in their right mind want to subject themselves to that kind of destruction? It’s no different than drinking a bottle of poison or setting oneself on fire (nobody in their right mind certainly wouldn’t do that either). Personally, I would really like to see ALL alcoholic beverages banned here in the U.S. and in all other countries as well.
I’m just a health conscious person. I don’t drink alcohol, I’ve never smoked a cigarette or any other substance in my life, I’ve never vaped, and I’m a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I try to encourage others to follow healthier lifestyles too.
I have Aries in the 6th House…so, that could be one of the reasons why I’m adamant about guarding my physical health.
Yay Chris now I feel much better about being cat called all day hahahaha!!! but yes in essence we all here agree to disagree in scope except that we can concur that alcohol is fundamentally a compound that the body has to work hard to eliminate and caveat emptor.