The devil does wear Prada, and so does Venus entering Scorpio. Power, sex and money can seduce a person of certain sensibilities to do things she otherwise wouldn't. But powerful attractions are hard to deny. Intrigued by alluring people and taboo situations, we're tempted by some very good-looking "devils."

ARIES (March 21-April 19). What you do for those dear to you may be unappreciated at first, but give them time to comprehend it. Of this you can be sure: There are big gestures of gratitude in your future.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You observe not only the scene before you but the emotions behind the scene, too. Your emotional intelligence will take you far beyond obvious solutions and into simple but ingenious fixes.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You refuse to take life seriously — one of your best qualities. The undertow of family drama is dangerous. The best way to fight it is not to step into it. Not even one tiny step.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Your service to a lesser-known and very needy cause is the most rewarding thing you'll do all week. And if you give anonymously, the rewards are 10 times greater.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You won't believe the difference a day makes — so long as that day is sunny, at least in the emotional sense. In the right light, things that are downright dull look positively extraordinary.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 5). It's a new era for you. Your ideas (and you have a ton of them this year) are widely accepted. Positive changes in your relationships occur in February. A move follows. A different way of making money is accessed in May. Your muse works overtime in July. There's a special spark with Cancer and Scorpio people. Your lucky numbers are: 27, 31, 28, 36 and 50.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You are growing tired of these lessons in humility and are quite ready for a different kind of teaching — like how to behave as if you're puffed up and sure of yourself even when you're not.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Let your light shine. Self-depreciating humor won't play — it might even make people uncomfortable. So forget it. Stand in your power, claiming your gifts and thinking, "It's good to be me."

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You've come so far from where you've been. You understand what you never did. And now you reach out in a situation where you once would have crossed your arms over your chest.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Approach leisure in the same way as you do work. Identify your best possible chance for fun, and then concentrate on it single-mindedly. You won't regret it.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). The microcosm of your choices represents the macrocosm of your outlook. Furthermore, when you speak well of your world, you're saying something positive about yourself.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Stock up on positive reinforcement so you can avoid a "garbage in, garbage out" scenario. The company you keep makes a huge contribution to your mindset, as well.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Shakespeare wrote, "Life is as tedious as a twice told-tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man." Prove him wrong. Act out in extremely exciting ways, and then tell the tale but once. Exaggerate if needed.

ASTROLOGICAL TOPICS: Venus enters Scorpio. A combination of vixen, scoundrel and snake goddess, there's no sign more complex or more fraught with the highs and lows of love than Venus in Scorpio. As Venus trades her ball gown for darkly interesting Scorpio, she'll do just about anything to get closer to her heart's desire. Murder and mayhem? Maybe. Or maybe this Venus has been plagued by some bad PR. Venus in Scorpio could be more like the Indian goddess Kali, the formidable, beautiful feminine who influences natural forces of creation and destruction. Kali wears skulls for jewelry and has snake tongues — no frail flower, she, with a penchant for destroying possessions and popping up at graveyards, an absurd reminder about how crazy it is to become overly attached to people or things. I imagine her sitting atop yet one more unnecessary purchase, saying, "What are you buying all that for? Ha! You can't take it with you." In love, Kali points out the obsessions, attachments and injuries that need to be healed before we can know happiness. As Kali ventures into the heart of darkness to discover what's lasting and true, Venus in Scorpio helps us do the same.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Sagittarian Tom Waits is famous for his unique gravelly voice and perhaps lesser known but equally unique acting. Venus joins intelligent Jupiter in Aquarius for an aesthetic with offbeat appeal — which eclectic thinkers appreciate. Tom's in good company. With Neptune's longer passage through Aquarius, the popularity of experimental artists and art forms continues to grow.

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