Astrology

Scorpio: poised to strike

Scorpios always moan about their terrible reputation for being slavering carnivores, but they actually eat it up. They figure if you're scared of their Dracula teeth you might not see that vulnerable side of them they hate to show—their weakness for wedlock. Although later they may chew their legs off trying to get out of the marriage trap, they can never resist falling into it. Look at Tatum O'Neal. The next time you see one baring fangs, just hold up a copy of Bride's magazine. It will send any Scorpio screaming.

Current trends: You temperamental Scorpios hate to have your genius marred by worldly concerns, but attend to the budget now or you'll go crazy. Just control your appetites and you'll be rich. It's hard to keep your mind on work. You find yourself chasing fantasies that lead nowhere. Try to keep self-destructive joys to a minimum. Make that a New Year's resolution, though, because during November and December you're going to be hot. People will think you're almost as gorgeous as you think you are. With Venus going forward in your sign, babies will take first steps, adolescents will get laid, grown-ups will perform as never before. Even cosmetic-surgery scars will heal quickly. At last, a good time for love for you lone wolves.

Hot flash for Pisces: Jupiter's forward motion this month means that the antidepressants are starting to work at last.

Hot flash for all signs: Mercury is retrograde until November 22. Is that a good time to start big new ventures? Let's put it this way: Mercury was retrograde when the Titanic set sail and when the Hindenburg took off.

CONFIDENTIAL TO CARL SAGAN, SCIENTIST, AUTHOR, AND TV

PERSONALITY: You've done an awful lot to popularize astronomy. Thanks to you we all now know what a quark is. But when I hear you sound off against astrology, it disappoints me. I don't blame you for being spooked by it; I wouldn't want to be born three days before Charles Manson either. But if you spent two hours in my office talking about your relationships in the light of astrology, you'd sing a different tune. You would probably claim that control games, issues of possessiveness, and battles over sex and money are common to all, but privately you might admit that Scorpios like you have been squeezed tighter in those traps than other people. I don't mean to pry. I just want you to open up and be the great scientist your stars say you could be.

Michael Lutin