Signs of Weiss
http://blog.stevenmarkweiss.com
Syndicate
Created With Quick Blogcast
Signs of Weiss
What the Planets Portend: Summer of 2009
There are many apparently rational ways to go about prognosticating the trends/fads of an upcoming season. Go ahead and be as logical and empirical as you like, however, and one fact remains. You're still guessing.
So cut the astrologer a little slack. If your prognostications involve research generalizations and his rely on Jupiter, do you think one is less funny to an alien intelligence? Is there any reason why "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference" should be heralded as a marketing masterwork and "Signs of Success: The Remarkable Power of Business Astrology" should languish on the shelf? I've read both and I know how I would answer that question.
Anyway, to show the good faith of a very earnest researcher into cosmic commerce, I offer here exactly what Jupiter is trying to tell us about the fads and trends across a host of industries for the upcoming summer season. The echo period is January/February of 1998. Free your mind...
ADVERTISING
Mail boxes and Sunday newspapers work best when they are not only filled with information, but are additionally crammed with actual stuff. Heavy duty in-home product sampling is due for a resurgence say the auguries. What are we gonna do with all that crap piling up in warehouses anyway?
AUTOMOTIVE
The Oldsmobile Alero, announced in winter of 1998, was GM's acknowledgment that the American consumer of 1998 would rather drive a Honda Accord than an American car in a similar price range. People who bought the Alero seemed to like its styling and handling, although it never earned great marks for its mechanical reliability. In 2004...and here may lie the chief resonance of this tale...the brand folded, along with Oldsmobile itself.
CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS
The Mach 3 is coming, the Mach 3 is coming! That was the buzz in the business magazines during the winter of 1998, although Gillette had yet to reveal its triple-bladed, and oh so top secret, razor's name. While for some the razor will always call to mind an early SNL parody (the third blade shaves even closer "because you'll believe anything"), the razor with "racing stripes" on the handle was a large success for the manufacturer. Watch for renewed interest in 'gourmet' versions of very ordinary products. (Are you listening, Chef Boyardee?)
FASHION
Devotees of Jupiter cycles have no problem understanding why Michelle Obama (or at least somebody very highly visible and fashion-influential) is a J. Crew fan. One need simply hearken back to the winter of '98 pre-publicity campaign for the landmark WB teenage drama Dawson's Creek that included the show's young cast, including Katie Holmes, being featured in the J. Crew catalog. What I'm thinking is a fairly conservative look, with a surprising amount of steamy stuff going on in the inside.
FOOD
On the very first day of 1998, the Chicago Sun Times proposed Moroccan food as the upcoming year's likely number one food trend. Now certainly this was meant to be a bit of a "grabber," whatever the level of sincerity behind the patently ridiculous prognostication. But have you heard about this Moroccan chef who just recently beat Cat Cora in an "Iron Chef America" showdown and who now has cooking show and recipe book in development for PBS? All aboard the Marrakesh Express!
INSIGHT
Principals of the estimable trend consultancy, Iconoculture, released their book "The Future Ain't What It Used To Be, " in February of 1998. I disagree with the title assertion, of course, but it's only fair to give credit to a really cool title. So let's just celebrate the authors' identification of "grackers" (grey hackers), as an increasingly hip AARP crowd will most certainly continue to get in on the social networking fun...twaddling rather than twittering, I suppose.
MANAGEMENT
It's difficult to pin an exact date on the fruition of Y2K angst, but the portion of business literature concerned with CEO pontification had a noteworthy flurry of activity in the winter of 1998. Basically, corporate heads were told that they would have to take responsibility for a new Dark Ages if they weren't already firing pretty hefty wads of cash at their IT departments and the resolution of their cracked computer code. I'm simply here to tell those same CEO's that they won't know what trouble is until 2012 when the Mayan calendar cycle ends and Neptune moves into Pisces. Paypal accepted.
MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
As a result of new FCC regulations regarding children's television, CBS launched its Fall '97 season with an ambitious slate of Saturday morning educational shows, including the quite highly regarded science show Beakman's World (pictured above). What CBS quickly learned was that children didn't particularly like educational programming and so, in mid-January of 1998, CBS canceled all of its Saturday morning shows. So one may safely conclude that this summer will not herald a renaissance in educational media for children. Fortunately we have some time before we will need those Y3K engineers.
RESTAURANTS
To be honest, the most pressing 'insider' restaurant preoccupation in the winter of '98 was the concerted effort by chefs to save the swordfish from being over fished. So a lot of menu makers benched the broadbill and, safe to say, most consumers didn't have a clue that it was gone. Meanwhile, a lot of ink also went to bagels, yogurt, flavored ice teas, and coffee kiosk drive-throughs; the sort of things that were happy impulse buys in good ol' 1998...and will probably be considered luxury indulgences this far less economically carefree July.
RETAIL
It was in January of 1998 that the trade literature of the supermarket industry got particularly serious about covering the industry's HMR (home meal replacement) opportunity. In the next few months seemingly every grocer in America went out and bought an electric rotisserie unit. By the end of the year the Boston Market restaurant chain, specializing in rotisserie chicken, had gone bankrupt and become the wounded property of McDonald's. Amidst a host of other well-documented challenges, the restaurant industry may well expect ever-increasing HMR efforts from supermarkets this summer. Poor Ronald.
TECHNOLOGY
At the 1998 Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show, Scott McNealy, the founder of Sun Microsystems, was virtually everywhere preaching the open-platform gospel of JAVA and networked intelligence. "It's too complicated," said McNealy of Windows-dominated general computer applications, telling ABC's Aaron Brown that the personal computer was "the massive hairball of computing." Looking towards a future when extremely smart, application specific, handheld devices would rule the consumer electronic space, McNealy might have been looking at a future about 11-1/2 years ahead...say the summer of 2009.
TRAVEL
In 1998 Hawaii's tourism industry, which accounts for one-third of the state's jobs (some say three-fourths if you figure in 'influenced' work) and one-fourth of its tax revenues, went so soft that the state government formed its first ever statewide agency to address the decline. This year, after a very healthy decade-long tourism recovery, the predictions are that Hawaii will see its worst tourism revenue declines since the Great Depression. So please buy a pineapple this summer...and support your local astrologer.
For more information please contact Steve Weiss at smw@stevenmarkweiss.com .
Business Outlook: April 2009
Overview
Very little is likely to change this month, particularly with regard to the bottom line. While some companionable solace may be realized in the shared awareness that we are all in a pickle, there's really not much hope of anyone sliding safely into base right now (it's spring, can't resist the baseball metaphor). Net-net money continues to be very, very tight this April and that's just going to cast a pall on a discussion of commerce, obviously.
For those who insist upon being enterprising, the central reality is serving a marketplace hoping for things to get better. Alas, the indications are that the purveyors of goods and services as well as job seekers, shoppers, government regulators, cable business commentators and all the other actors (i.e. every single one of us) in the economic drama are going to toss the dwindling supply of wishing coins down increasingly dry and inhospitable wells. The growing urgency of our collective plight is going to yield acts that are, if not yet patently desperate, at least strained and ill-advised.
In the U.S., a great part of the problem is that our historical heritage encourages us towards risk-taking and rugged individualism, particularly in times of duress. For all the brave virtue in such a perspective, there are times when the unchecked ego simply wreaks havoc with the collective necessity. The indications this month are for a fairly noisy zeitgeist full of individuals all to ready to report what needs to be done immediately in order for things to improve for them.
Even those with a broader social perspective are likely to emphasize the me in commerce this month. Expect grand gestures from those playing at altruism and open-mindedness, self-proclaimed lovers of freedom and their fellow men who are willing to do whatever it takes to make themselves attractive to others. Unfortunately such gestures will tend to come off as patently false, easily exposed as little more than contrived artifices designed to pin down others in relationships with a decidedly one-way reward system.
As downbeat as the preceding sounds, there is some hope for the future here, although not necessarily the sort best expressed in what is purportedly a business column. Throughout history, great thinkers have told us that we have a human problem with ego attachment that causes us, among other things, to identify transitory wants as essential needs. There's really no telling how much traction may be here, but there is at least a clear opportunity brewing for people to free their spirits from materially-based and socially-restrictive value systems (at least a little bit) and to get in touch with a deeper reality, one in which creativity, compassion and service form the basis of truly collective human progress.
It is also, finally, spring. The auguries suggest that the song of the season this time around is not the sweet chirrup of the robin, but rather the broad mimetic genius of the mockingbird. Being first is great, and there's always room for pluck and originality, but the real hope of rebirth at the moment lies in a lot less twittering and a great deal more virtuosity.
History Rhymes
"Shantih shantih shantih." - If, like me, you made the macabre choice of majoring in English Literature, then you might recognize the final line of one of the most influential of modern poems, The Waste Land, published by T.S. Eliot in the year 1922. A complex, downcast work, the poem is a an indictment of the declining tenor of Western civilization and its failing capacity for spiritual regeneration. The word "shantih" is the Buddhist term for "peace," and the poem makes some 'argument' for prizing the Eastern philosophy's ideals of empathy and self-control. What calls out astrologically is the resonance of the current time period with one (March 1950) in which T.S. Eliot appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in concurrence with the publication of his collected works. There's also the matter of the poem's famous first few words, "April is the cruellest month..."
Deep Blue bests Kasparov - Perhaps no issue is as central to contemporary culture as the role granted to mankind's technology. Far more than the stuff of science fiction, there is much in the real world riding on the determination as to whether man or his electronic creations should be the lead dog in the evolution (and management!) of our increasingly complex civilization. Those who are rooting for the circuits had perhaps their best PR day ever when in 1997 an IBM computer, named Deep Blue, became the first computer ever to best the world's reigning chess champion, Garry Kasparov, in a six-game match (2 wins, 1 loss, 3 ties). While the computer's victory was certainly newsworthy enough, just as instructive was the match's aftermath. Kasparov actually claimed that the computer "cheated," by which he meant that it played with such intelligence and creativity that there just had to be some human intervention in the moves. IBM hardly cleared up the matter when it had Deep Blue dismantled shortly after the match, although it later published the computer's purported computations. What do you think? Or don't you think much anymore?
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - For one magical instant between the Jackson 5 childhood and the massive production values of the MTV years, Michael Jackson was a young singer/songwriter with nothing but talent and unlimited potential. Do yourself a favor and head on over to YouTube and catch the title song from this 1979 album, the first over which he had creative control. Talk about mockingbirds, virtuosity and the potential of spring!
((By the way, if you read last month's Business Outlook you were given a remarkable heads-up on the University of Arizona basketball team that, as I write this, is headed to the NCAA basketball tournament round of Sweet 16. Most pundits thought that the school should not even qualify for the tournament, but now these Wildcats are being universally written about as the "Cinderella" team, which is also eerily resonant if you read the "History Rhymes" section in last month's Business Outlook post. Yay astrology!))
Strange Days
April 7 - Your intuition may be especially powerful today...and that's good news. Although the background environment may seem a little disturbed there is potential profit in listening to your muse and playing a hunch. Activities and products involving water, walking and wonderment are favored.
April 14 - There is a definite energy buzz in the zeitgeist today, although conceivably it's because people are freaking out about only having a day left to file their taxes. In any event the key today is the word "unusual," and whether you are the sender or the receiver there's no getting around the fact that these are strange days indeed.
April 25/26 - The worst kind of astrology is the dire prediction, as even the very best of astrologers is guessing a little. And yet, astrologically speaking, there is so much that could go wrong this weekend, or just seem wrong, that one is well-advised to consider the virtues of ignorance and avoidance. Truly the obsessed are out on the streets (particularly on Sunday), and confrontation can sometimes be a real crackup...and that's bad news.
For questions and personal consultations, please contact me at : smw@stevenmarkweiss.com.
Very little is likely to change this month, particularly with regard to the bottom line. While some companionable solace may be realized in the shared awareness that we are all in a pickle, there's really not much hope of anyone sliding safely into base right now (it's spring, can't resist the baseball metaphor). Net-net money continues to be very, very tight this April and that's just going to cast a pall on a discussion of commerce, obviously.
For those who insist upon being enterprising, the central reality is serving a marketplace hoping for things to get better. Alas, the indications are that the purveyors of goods and services as well as job seekers, shoppers, government regulators, cable business commentators and all the other actors (i.e. every single one of us) in the economic drama are going to toss the dwindling supply of wishing coins down increasingly dry and inhospitable wells. The growing urgency of our collective plight is going to yield acts that are, if not yet patently desperate, at least strained and ill-advised.
In the U.S., a great part of the problem is that our historical heritage encourages us towards risk-taking and rugged individualism, particularly in times of duress. For all the brave virtue in such a perspective, there are times when the unchecked ego simply wreaks havoc with the collective necessity. The indications this month are for a fairly noisy zeitgeist full of individuals all to ready to report what needs to be done immediately in order for things to improve for them.
Even those with a broader social perspective are likely to emphasize the me in commerce this month. Expect grand gestures from those playing at altruism and open-mindedness, self-proclaimed lovers of freedom and their fellow men who are willing to do whatever it takes to make themselves attractive to others. Unfortunately such gestures will tend to come off as patently false, easily exposed as little more than contrived artifices designed to pin down others in relationships with a decidedly one-way reward system.
As downbeat as the preceding sounds, there is some hope for the future here, although not necessarily the sort best expressed in what is purportedly a business column. Throughout history, great thinkers have told us that we have a human problem with ego attachment that causes us, among other things, to identify transitory wants as essential needs. There's really no telling how much traction may be here, but there is at least a clear opportunity brewing for people to free their spirits from materially-based and socially-restrictive value systems (at least a little bit) and to get in touch with a deeper reality, one in which creativity, compassion and service form the basis of truly collective human progress.
It is also, finally, spring. The auguries suggest that the song of the season this time around is not the sweet chirrup of the robin, but rather the broad mimetic genius of the mockingbird. Being first is great, and there's always room for pluck and originality, but the real hope of rebirth at the moment lies in a lot less twittering and a great deal more virtuosity.
History Rhymes
"Shantih shantih shantih." - If, like me, you made the macabre choice of majoring in English Literature, then you might recognize the final line of one of the most influential of modern poems, The Waste Land, published by T.S. Eliot in the year 1922. A complex, downcast work, the poem is a an indictment of the declining tenor of Western civilization and its failing capacity for spiritual regeneration. The word "shantih" is the Buddhist term for "peace," and the poem makes some 'argument' for prizing the Eastern philosophy's ideals of empathy and self-control. What calls out astrologically is the resonance of the current time period with one (March 1950) in which T.S. Eliot appeared on the cover of Time Magazine in concurrence with the publication of his collected works. There's also the matter of the poem's famous first few words, "April is the cruellest month..."
Deep Blue bests Kasparov - Perhaps no issue is as central to contemporary culture as the role granted to mankind's technology. Far more than the stuff of science fiction, there is much in the real world riding on the determination as to whether man or his electronic creations should be the lead dog in the evolution (and management!) of our increasingly complex civilization. Those who are rooting for the circuits had perhaps their best PR day ever when in 1997 an IBM computer, named Deep Blue, became the first computer ever to best the world's reigning chess champion, Garry Kasparov, in a six-game match (2 wins, 1 loss, 3 ties). While the computer's victory was certainly newsworthy enough, just as instructive was the match's aftermath. Kasparov actually claimed that the computer "cheated," by which he meant that it played with such intelligence and creativity that there just had to be some human intervention in the moves. IBM hardly cleared up the matter when it had Deep Blue dismantled shortly after the match, although it later published the computer's purported computations. What do you think? Or don't you think much anymore?
Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - For one magical instant between the Jackson 5 childhood and the massive production values of the MTV years, Michael Jackson was a young singer/songwriter with nothing but talent and unlimited potential. Do yourself a favor and head on over to YouTube and catch the title song from this 1979 album, the first over which he had creative control. Talk about mockingbirds, virtuosity and the potential of spring!
((By the way, if you read last month's Business Outlook you were given a remarkable heads-up on the University of Arizona basketball team that, as I write this, is headed to the NCAA basketball tournament round of Sweet 16. Most pundits thought that the school should not even qualify for the tournament, but now these Wildcats are being universally written about as the "Cinderella" team, which is also eerily resonant if you read the "History Rhymes" section in last month's Business Outlook post. Yay astrology!))
Strange Days
April 7 - Your intuition may be especially powerful today...and that's good news. Although the background environment may seem a little disturbed there is potential profit in listening to your muse and playing a hunch. Activities and products involving water, walking and wonderment are favored.
April 14 - There is a definite energy buzz in the zeitgeist today, although conceivably it's because people are freaking out about only having a day left to file their taxes. In any event the key today is the word "unusual," and whether you are the sender or the receiver there's no getting around the fact that these are strange days indeed.
April 25/26 - The worst kind of astrology is the dire prediction, as even the very best of astrologers is guessing a little. And yet, astrologically speaking, there is so much that could go wrong this weekend, or just seem wrong, that one is well-advised to consider the virtues of ignorance and avoidance. Truly the obsessed are out on the streets (particularly on Sunday), and confrontation can sometimes be a real crackup...and that's bad news.
For questions and personal consultations, please contact me at : smw@stevenmarkweiss.com.
Business Outlook: March 2009
Overview
During this challenging period one may assume that the undertaking of action in the business sphere will be born out of one of four premises:
1) Predictably, the heaviest and likeliest most powerful premise is that a bad economy will continue to drive tight capital situations and an enormous reticence regarding spending. Managers will more than ever see their task as financial conservation, and they will sniff out most any form of creative speculation or perceived excess and grind it under their heels. Anything that smacks of risk is a non-starter these days, and only the most fearless of CEOs and corporate boards will dip their toes in the deep spending end of the risk/reward possibility pool.
2) It's probably not something that does much good to talk about, but the second premise is that the consumer is scared to death about his/her assets and craves assurance of material security. Fortunately, complete hopelessness has yet to set in, but the hope that does exist is being polluted by messengers promulgating an immature and irrational belief in the very quick fix. There is much potential danger here when the reality of time fully sets in... particularly for leaders/authorities who promise to deliver far too much far too soon (more on this below).
3) Perhaps the most optimistic premise is that there actually may be a genius or two (they will not come by the dozens) available in the corridors of authority who will simply work out what we have to do or, at the very least, what we have to understand in order to thrive. What we are collectively looking for are leaders who are capable of short-timing history through the exercise of personal will and skill. It's wishful thinking, but astrological conditions suggest it's not entirely implausible.
4) It's the most subtle of premises, but it also just may be the most authentic and valuable. Right now, so goes the astrology, a key premise in the marketplace is the presence of a collective aspiration to beat back our troubles through the force of communal will. While the linear thinkers and the data collectors might blanch at such a notion, this is a force that does not particularly benefit from rational scrutiny and is really best identified as spiritual in nature. Alas, while astrology hints at the existence of this hopeful communal power it also indicates that we don't quite know how it should or must manifest. Here is where some consideration of patience, courage, faith and particularly the concept of grace figure in. Or maybe we could just crunch some numbers.
All of the preceding is of relevance because this March we seem to arrive at a difficult crossroads that pits much of the current experience of leadership against the evolving emotions, spiritual yearnings and collective will of the public. Inhibited from formulating deeply constructive plans by a most difficult and uncertain marketplace, the indication is that there are many "authorities" who will try to bluff and bluster their way through this period with strident (yet ill-founded) certainty and clarion calls to (premature) action. In times that call for nothing so much as mature sobriety regarding long-term cycles, astrology warns of us a flood of ill-informed and precipitous fools who are simultaneously assured of their on-the-fly street smarts and outraged by the prospect of themselves living up to the hugely subjective and self-interested notions and demands they expect others to fulfill.
What is so interesting in the current cosmic conditions is that a populace that has deep well-intentioned expectations of their leadership is so likely to be disappointed right now. Suffering far more than the advantaged members of our society can possibly appreciate, the increasingly disadvantaged general public seems a lot closer to the potential of real inner growth right now. A spiritual wisdom matrix that includes the vanishing of cherished illusions and the testing of inner strength is pointing towards the development of a capacity for resilience...a quality far more virtuous than the glib and trivial egocentricity emanating from leaders who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
History Rhymes
"Have faith in your dreams and someday..." - When Walt Disney released the movie Cinderella in February of 1950, his company had not had a hit movie in more than a decade. Had it failed, say business pundits, Disney Studios would have been history. But not only did the movie charm audiences, Cinderella was the first instance of a movie in which all musical rights were assiduously protected and in which soundtrack recordings were aggressively merchandised...leading to exceptional incremental profits. The real point right here, though, is that in March of 2009 we are all feeling a bit Cinderella-ish in the time before the prince and the glass slipper thing. True fans of the Cinderella story will recall that Cinderella was doing quite well before the stepmother thing, and that her wealthy father, who dies shortly thereafter, marries Cindy's stepmother primarily to give his daughter a maternal influence. The house in which Cinderella is treated as a domestic servant actually belonged to her father. Cinderella, despite her dreadfully reduced circumstances, of course keeps the faith, performs her ugly chores, befriends singing mice...and her "someday" rainbow eventually comes shining through. All in all, not a bad myth for these times.
The 1997 Masters - If some day astrology achieves any regard as a business tool, I personally want to be remembered for my drum beating regarding the 12-year Jupiter cycle and its usefulness in tracking/predicting broad cultural trends. Two nights ago, I watched a college basketball game between Arizona State University and the U of Arizona, and the student cheering section of the latter all wore shirts which bore the simple message "1997." This was a reference to the school's NCAA championship run in March 1977. Yesterday the big financial market news was the descent of the DJIA to levels it had not seen since the spring of 1997. And now the golf world is abuzz with Tiger Woods return to the tour...exactly on the Jupiter return anniversary of his most famous victory, a 12-shot devastation of the field by a 21 year-old at the 1997 Masters. You really might benefit from paying some attention to this stuff.
James McDougal goes to prison - I have no intention here of parsing Whitewater, the banking/investment scandal that caught up Hillary Clinton, in large part because it is far too politically Byzantine and court intrigue-y for a feeble minded civilian like myself to actually understand. All I want to note here is that a principle figure in the event, a Clinton banker friend by the name of Jim McDougal was, in an astrologically parallel period to this one, sent to jail for bank fraud. Banker beware.
Strange Days
March 3 - This is one of those days when everyone is going to be hell bent on putting ideas into action. Right now, this instant. So you be the one to make sure that all the facts have been assembled and the acts taken are not totally premature.
March 23/24 - There is bound to be unusually strong sexual tension in the work world early this week. This will not manifest well for everyone, although some are going to be granted their steamiest private wish. Expect to see some new spring wardrobe items on display. Expect to see spring on display.
March 30 - It is likely this Monday that everyone who still has a job is going to show up at work and enthusiastically sing some version of "I've Got To Be Me." The resulting ill-will and bedlam is hardly likely to put a smile on anyone's face.
During this challenging period one may assume that the undertaking of action in the business sphere will be born out of one of four premises:
1) Predictably, the heaviest and likeliest most powerful premise is that a bad economy will continue to drive tight capital situations and an enormous reticence regarding spending. Managers will more than ever see their task as financial conservation, and they will sniff out most any form of creative speculation or perceived excess and grind it under their heels. Anything that smacks of risk is a non-starter these days, and only the most fearless of CEOs and corporate boards will dip their toes in the deep spending end of the risk/reward possibility pool.
2) It's probably not something that does much good to talk about, but the second premise is that the consumer is scared to death about his/her assets and craves assurance of material security. Fortunately, complete hopelessness has yet to set in, but the hope that does exist is being polluted by messengers promulgating an immature and irrational belief in the very quick fix. There is much potential danger here when the reality of time fully sets in... particularly for leaders/authorities who promise to deliver far too much far too soon (more on this below).
3) Perhaps the most optimistic premise is that there actually may be a genius or two (they will not come by the dozens) available in the corridors of authority who will simply work out what we have to do or, at the very least, what we have to understand in order to thrive. What we are collectively looking for are leaders who are capable of short-timing history through the exercise of personal will and skill. It's wishful thinking, but astrological conditions suggest it's not entirely implausible.
4) It's the most subtle of premises, but it also just may be the most authentic and valuable. Right now, so goes the astrology, a key premise in the marketplace is the presence of a collective aspiration to beat back our troubles through the force of communal will. While the linear thinkers and the data collectors might blanch at such a notion, this is a force that does not particularly benefit from rational scrutiny and is really best identified as spiritual in nature. Alas, while astrology hints at the existence of this hopeful communal power it also indicates that we don't quite know how it should or must manifest. Here is where some consideration of patience, courage, faith and particularly the concept of grace figure in. Or maybe we could just crunch some numbers.
All of the preceding is of relevance because this March we seem to arrive at a difficult crossroads that pits much of the current experience of leadership against the evolving emotions, spiritual yearnings and collective will of the public. Inhibited from formulating deeply constructive plans by a most difficult and uncertain marketplace, the indication is that there are many "authorities" who will try to bluff and bluster their way through this period with strident (yet ill-founded) certainty and clarion calls to (premature) action. In times that call for nothing so much as mature sobriety regarding long-term cycles, astrology warns of us a flood of ill-informed and precipitous fools who are simultaneously assured of their on-the-fly street smarts and outraged by the prospect of themselves living up to the hugely subjective and self-interested notions and demands they expect others to fulfill.
What is so interesting in the current cosmic conditions is that a populace that has deep well-intentioned expectations of their leadership is so likely to be disappointed right now. Suffering far more than the advantaged members of our society can possibly appreciate, the increasingly disadvantaged general public seems a lot closer to the potential of real inner growth right now. A spiritual wisdom matrix that includes the vanishing of cherished illusions and the testing of inner strength is pointing towards the development of a capacity for resilience...a quality far more virtuous than the glib and trivial egocentricity emanating from leaders who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.
History Rhymes
"Have faith in your dreams and someday..." - When Walt Disney released the movie Cinderella in February of 1950, his company had not had a hit movie in more than a decade. Had it failed, say business pundits, Disney Studios would have been history. But not only did the movie charm audiences, Cinderella was the first instance of a movie in which all musical rights were assiduously protected and in which soundtrack recordings were aggressively merchandised...leading to exceptional incremental profits. The real point right here, though, is that in March of 2009 we are all feeling a bit Cinderella-ish in the time before the prince and the glass slipper thing. True fans of the Cinderella story will recall that Cinderella was doing quite well before the stepmother thing, and that her wealthy father, who dies shortly thereafter, marries Cindy's stepmother primarily to give his daughter a maternal influence. The house in which Cinderella is treated as a domestic servant actually belonged to her father. Cinderella, despite her dreadfully reduced circumstances, of course keeps the faith, performs her ugly chores, befriends singing mice...and her "someday" rainbow eventually comes shining through. All in all, not a bad myth for these times.
The 1997 Masters - If some day astrology achieves any regard as a business tool, I personally want to be remembered for my drum beating regarding the 12-year Jupiter cycle and its usefulness in tracking/predicting broad cultural trends. Two nights ago, I watched a college basketball game between Arizona State University and the U of Arizona, and the student cheering section of the latter all wore shirts which bore the simple message "1997." This was a reference to the school's NCAA championship run in March 1977. Yesterday the big financial market news was the descent of the DJIA to levels it had not seen since the spring of 1997. And now the golf world is abuzz with Tiger Woods return to the tour...exactly on the Jupiter return anniversary of his most famous victory, a 12-shot devastation of the field by a 21 year-old at the 1997 Masters. You really might benefit from paying some attention to this stuff.
James McDougal goes to prison - I have no intention here of parsing Whitewater, the banking/investment scandal that caught up Hillary Clinton, in large part because it is far too politically Byzantine and court intrigue-y for a feeble minded civilian like myself to actually understand. All I want to note here is that a principle figure in the event, a Clinton banker friend by the name of Jim McDougal was, in an astrologically parallel period to this one, sent to jail for bank fraud. Banker beware.
Strange Days
March 3 - This is one of those days when everyone is going to be hell bent on putting ideas into action. Right now, this instant. So you be the one to make sure that all the facts have been assembled and the acts taken are not totally premature.
March 23/24 - There is bound to be unusually strong sexual tension in the work world early this week. This will not manifest well for everyone, although some are going to be granted their steamiest private wish. Expect to see some new spring wardrobe items on display. Expect to see spring on display.
March 30 - It is likely this Monday that everyone who still has a job is going to show up at work and enthusiastically sing some version of "I've Got To Be Me." The resulting ill-will and bedlam is hardly likely to put a smile on anyone's face.
Business Zeitgeist '09
The following is extracted from my proprietary report, '2009: Business Outlook.' To receive a complimentary copy of the complete seven-page report, please send an e-mail to smw@stevenmarkweiss.com and put '2009 Business Outlook' in the subject line. Kindly include your business contact information...it will be held in the strictest confidence.
Business Zeitgeist ‘09
Whatever else this year will be about, one can expect the main plot line to be the quest for resilience in the face of adversity. Disappointment is a given in business affairs this year, as most everyone in the general population will experience a degree of unrequited “need.” Of course, the specific shortfalls will be meted out with regard to the nature of one’s status in society, but there will be plenty of pain to go around for all.
What will compound the test that many of us will face is a very genuine uncertainty about where civilization stands at this moment. Some will see a kind of glamour or at least hopeful mystery in the beckoning of an historical cycle change, but uncertainty about the course of human events will manifest for most as real world anxiety, vulnerability, and fear of abandonment. The issue of self-discipline, the rigorous honoring of one’s own inner code and the stewardship of one’s real asset base, is going to be a premier universal concern in this time frame.
The preceding with its implication of sacrifice and effort is, of course, likely to prove untenable for a large portion of the population. It is clear that the masses, including consumers and colleagues, enter into this year with a genuine and energetic sense of collectivized hope as best reflected in the political regime change in Washington. Howsoever, the auguries most powerfully suggest that this hope is flimsy at best, and that the flip side may be a Pandora’s box of insecurities leading to nervous instability and the potential for grass roots fanaticism and aggression in the face of inevitable economic and social strains and disappointments.
To those who are sensitive to the currents of time, the feeling that will pervade the zeitgeist might be fairly characterized as a basic training situation. It may be a grand simplification, but the essence of training is the impartation of constructive discipline by the trainer, just as the key to its success is a willing attitude on the part of the trainee. Right now it’s bound to feel like we’re all in God’s boot camp…and strong bosses with the appropriate messiah complexes should correspondingly have the authoritarian time of their lives.
Business Star: Robert Iger
"It's in our interest to put some of the old rules aside and create new ones..."
- Robert Iger, Disney CEO
These are not exactly days when one tends to be emotionally uplifted by reading business publications, especially on matters relating to the current state of corporate CEOdom. Nevertheless, a recently posted Fortune piece by editor Richard Siklos on Disney CEO Bob Iger (link) actually inspires some hope regarding the abilities of corporate royalty. As discussed in this blog and elsewhere, leadership is bound to carry an enormous burden into the Obama Years and any signs of executive competence and managerial success are to be savored.
Siklos clearly addresses the fact that Iger, unlike the mogulish Michael Eisner before him, probably comes up a little short in general name recognition. At one point in the piece Siklos even quotes Iger to the effect that he would actually prefer to be "invisible" or "anonymous," but that such a course would probably not be "good for the company." Issues of notoriety aside, however, it is apparent that in the three short years of Iger's tenure he has proven himself not only very adept at leading the world's largest (by dollar value) media conglomerate, but that he also has some gifts of personal style and acumen that might translate into a decent set of working instructions for leaders contemplating the likely near-term Sisyphean future.
On the most rudimentary of astrological levels, Iger is a sun sign Aquarius. In SIGNS OF SUCCESS the point is made that Aquarians tend not to seek the very top post in an organization as they find culture preservation antithetical to their open-minded nature, and endless top-down responsibility a drag on their personal compulsion to change outmoded rules in mid-stream. Historically though, and this is certainly more observation than explanation, they do tend to show up at times of cultural crisis (Lincoln, FDR and Reagan were all Aquarian presidents; it is also Obama's rising sign) for they have the humanitarian's gift of combining hopeful consideration for the masses with necessary next steps for achieving the greatest social good.
With Aquarius leaders there is almost always also a media/technology thing linked to the humanitarian concerns (think Oprah), as they are sincerely interested in embracing the widest possible audience via the most effective and inclusive channels. In Iger's case the Disney connection makes the point almost painfully obvious, but the real Aquarius key is Iger's 'genius' regarding the multiple media platforms of the company (movies, music, television, websites, theme parks, retail, etc.) and the product synergies that can be obtained through linking efforts around the company's "franchises," from Mickey Mouse to Hanna Montana. While Iger is certainly keeping his eye on the "family entertainment" ball, he appears to be uniquely disposed towards an expansion of age focus, particularly capitalizing upon the possibilities of growing older with customers who may start out with Goofy and Buzz Lightyear but who quickly graduate to the likes of Cheetah Girls and High School Musical.
As important as the Aquarius sun is in Iger's horoscope, one may also rightfully pay attention to the three planets in Iger's chart---Venus, Jupiter and Mars---in very tight proximity (conjunction) in the sign of Pisces. These are, respectively, the planetary icons related to desire, good fortune and action, and their proximity suggests a nice harmony of intent and outcome. Their appearance in the sign of Pisces, which is related to the imagination and fantasy and dreams and art and what Jung might call the collective unconscious, is amply reflected in the general Disney gestalt, and in Iger's 'day one' announcement that his first priority would be to "fix the slumping animation business."
Disney animation, with its deep good versus evil psychological overtones, has always had a Pisces quality to it. For an astrologer, it's fascinating that Bob Iger, who identified the modern Pixar creations (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, etc.) distributed by Disney as hotter franchises than the classic Disney canon, was able to persuade a reticent Steve Jobs (a Pisces) to sell Pixar to Disney, making Jobs the single largest Disney shareholder at 8% ownership. Jobs, who had a well publicized personality clash with Michael Eisner (also Pisces!) is quoted in the Siklos piece:
"I consider Bob Iger a friend. I don't have a lot of friends. I just really like him, and he's a really solid guy."
This last is fabulously instructive. When the sincere humanitarian principles of the Aquarius CEO combine with the deep emotional intelligence of the Pisces CEO, enormous corporations will get hitched and great animation will occur. In utmost seriousness, this explicit sense of human bonding is a worthwhile insight in an age that has become prisoner to a dry and calculating crowd of number crunchers and data freaks...especially when one is dealing with deal clinchers for a powerful Aquarius or Pisces.
I don't expect to personally run into him, but if you do happen to personally hang with Bob Iger, please give him a cautionary heads up regarding 2009. The current Saturn/Uranus opposition is sitting right on his nodal axis, which portends a destiny-impacting period in which he will have to make difficult decisions between exercising authority and allowing creative genius to flourish (his destiny will likely be best impacted if he maintains a bias towards the latter). Also, Pluto is exactly squaring his natal Saturn right now, and this speaks of an almost crushing pressure related to the money guys attempting to force action, in contravention to his usually well-paced and consensual management style (this secretly compulsive Moon in Aries soul hates having his will publicly challenged and is not afraid of a fight). He should be particularly aware of dates around July 8 and November 11 when push could definitely come to shove.
Caution him to grab a FastPass ticket at those times and come back later.
Bob Iger or anyone else can contact Steve at smw@stevenmarkweiss.com.
- Robert Iger, Disney CEO
These are not exactly days when one tends to be emotionally uplifted by reading business publications, especially on matters relating to the current state of corporate CEOdom. Nevertheless, a recently posted Fortune piece by editor Richard Siklos on Disney CEO Bob Iger (link) actually inspires some hope regarding the abilities of corporate royalty. As discussed in this blog and elsewhere, leadership is bound to carry an enormous burden into the Obama Years and any signs of executive competence and managerial success are to be savored.
Siklos clearly addresses the fact that Iger, unlike the mogulish Michael Eisner before him, probably comes up a little short in general name recognition. At one point in the piece Siklos even quotes Iger to the effect that he would actually prefer to be "invisible" or "anonymous," but that such a course would probably not be "good for the company." Issues of notoriety aside, however, it is apparent that in the three short years of Iger's tenure he has proven himself not only very adept at leading the world's largest (by dollar value) media conglomerate, but that he also has some gifts of personal style and acumen that might translate into a decent set of working instructions for leaders contemplating the likely near-term Sisyphean future.
On the most rudimentary of astrological levels, Iger is a sun sign Aquarius. In SIGNS OF SUCCESS the point is made that Aquarians tend not to seek the very top post in an organization as they find culture preservation antithetical to their open-minded nature, and endless top-down responsibility a drag on their personal compulsion to change outmoded rules in mid-stream. Historically though, and this is certainly more observation than explanation, they do tend to show up at times of cultural crisis (Lincoln, FDR and Reagan were all Aquarian presidents; it is also Obama's rising sign) for they have the humanitarian's gift of combining hopeful consideration for the masses with necessary next steps for achieving the greatest social good.
With Aquarius leaders there is almost always also a media/technology thing linked to the humanitarian concerns (think Oprah), as they are sincerely interested in embracing the widest possible audience via the most effective and inclusive channels. In Iger's case the Disney connection makes the point almost painfully obvious, but the real Aquarius key is Iger's 'genius' regarding the multiple media platforms of the company (movies, music, television, websites, theme parks, retail, etc.) and the product synergies that can be obtained through linking efforts around the company's "franchises," from Mickey Mouse to Hanna Montana. While Iger is certainly keeping his eye on the "family entertainment" ball, he appears to be uniquely disposed towards an expansion of age focus, particularly capitalizing upon the possibilities of growing older with customers who may start out with Goofy and Buzz Lightyear but who quickly graduate to the likes of Cheetah Girls and High School Musical.
As important as the Aquarius sun is in Iger's horoscope, one may also rightfully pay attention to the three planets in Iger's chart---Venus, Jupiter and Mars---in very tight proximity (conjunction) in the sign of Pisces. These are, respectively, the planetary icons related to desire, good fortune and action, and their proximity suggests a nice harmony of intent and outcome. Their appearance in the sign of Pisces, which is related to the imagination and fantasy and dreams and art and what Jung might call the collective unconscious, is amply reflected in the general Disney gestalt, and in Iger's 'day one' announcement that his first priority would be to "fix the slumping animation business."
Disney animation, with its deep good versus evil psychological overtones, has always had a Pisces quality to it. For an astrologer, it's fascinating that Bob Iger, who identified the modern Pixar creations (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, etc.) distributed by Disney as hotter franchises than the classic Disney canon, was able to persuade a reticent Steve Jobs (a Pisces) to sell Pixar to Disney, making Jobs the single largest Disney shareholder at 8% ownership. Jobs, who had a well publicized personality clash with Michael Eisner (also Pisces!) is quoted in the Siklos piece:
"I consider Bob Iger a friend. I don't have a lot of friends. I just really like him, and he's a really solid guy."
This last is fabulously instructive. When the sincere humanitarian principles of the Aquarius CEO combine with the deep emotional intelligence of the Pisces CEO, enormous corporations will get hitched and great animation will occur. In utmost seriousness, this explicit sense of human bonding is a worthwhile insight in an age that has become prisoner to a dry and calculating crowd of number crunchers and data freaks...especially when one is dealing with deal clinchers for a powerful Aquarius or Pisces.
I don't expect to personally run into him, but if you do happen to personally hang with Bob Iger, please give him a cautionary heads up regarding 2009. The current Saturn/Uranus opposition is sitting right on his nodal axis, which portends a destiny-impacting period in which he will have to make difficult decisions between exercising authority and allowing creative genius to flourish (his destiny will likely be best impacted if he maintains a bias towards the latter). Also, Pluto is exactly squaring his natal Saturn right now, and this speaks of an almost crushing pressure related to the money guys attempting to force action, in contravention to his usually well-paced and consensual management style (this secretly compulsive Moon in Aries soul hates having his will publicly challenged and is not afraid of a fight). He should be particularly aware of dates around July 8 and November 11 when push could definitely come to shove.
Caution him to grab a FastPass ticket at those times and come back later.
Bob Iger or anyone else can contact Steve at smw@stevenmarkweiss.com.
2008 Top Business Leaders: Signs of Success In Short Supply
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal offered a compilation of a list of the year's top CEO's. To create the list the authors consulted professors at four leading American business schools. Acknowledging the overall weakness of business performance in the 2008 economy, the article's authors and the professors were clear to make the point that the list would be a short one and that relative failure looks pretty good next to absolute failure.
As it is my nature to care about such things, and appreciating that some of the names on the list appear in my book SIGNS OF SUCCESS, I set about compiling a list of birth dates for all of the leaders mentioned in the article. I don't think this is exactly the technique used by Jim Collins (a fellow Aquarian) in GOOD TO GREAT, but it has its virtues. Anyway, here are a few astrological insights:
Out of a list of ten names to which I can easily attach a date of birth, it is a remarkable statistical anomaly that three of the leaders are of the same sun sign, and that the sign is Pisces. Astrological lore frequently writes off Pisces as a poetic dreamer lacking the energetic focus of the business magnate, but research actually yields a list of leaders---ranging from George Washington and Alexander Graham Bell to Phil Knight and Steve Jobs---as impressive as that of any other sign. Pisces, it may be argued, is the sign of universal psychic connection, and its natives have the gift of intuiting what must be made manifest in the zeitgeist to feed the universal needs and wants of mankind.
Anyway, the Pisces on this year's top CEO list are James Dimon (JPMorgan Chase), Gary Kelly (Southwest Airlines), and Steve Jobs (Apple). What these men all seem to excel in is the marriage of product/service vision and corporate culture creation, as well as a knowledge of how to emotionally connect to the shareholder/consumer. Astrology may be easily attacked on scientific grounds, but it is still interesting to note that Gary Kelly shares the exact same birthday, March 13th, as SWA chairman and founder Herb Kelleher.
Another of the so-called water signs, typified by the dominance of intuitive and emotional components in the personality make-up, has two entries on the top CEO list. The sign is Scorpio, and of particular interest is that the only two women who are mentioned in the article, Anne Mulcahy (Xerox) and Indra Nooyi (Pepsico), are the designees. The 'secret' for each of these women appears to be a no-nonsense action-oriented appraisal of business imperatives and a gift for forging the bonds of allegiance among their colleagues...a charismatic and persuasive power sprung in part from the inspiring inner passion of the individual who refuses to be limited by life's gender or ethnic prejudices.
The only other sign that merits a dual mention is Capricorn, in the persons of Rajiv Gupta (Rohm and Haas) and Jeff Bezos (Amazon). Capricorn is often cited by astrologers as the quintessential sign of management, embodying a tone of realistic appraisal, disciplined authority, and an appreciation of the value of long-term effort & perspective. It is a bit ironic, perhaps, that Gupta is recognized in a year when he is responsible for the sale of this venerable 100 year-old family-based institution to Dow Chemical (technically it's a merger), an event that eliminates his job. Bezos, though, whose company is noted in SIGNS OF SUCCESS as the only one of the great 1990's Internet start up companies (Amazon, Google, eBay, Yahoo!) that is still run on a daily basis by its founder, keeps to his mantra of long-term development and this year has announced Amazon's best performance ever.
Also mentioned in the WSJ article are: Kenneth Lewis (Bank of America), John Thain (Merrill Lynch), and Katsuaki Watanabe (Toyota). Lewis is an Aries, and his aggressive acquisition strategy is succinctly summarized in a recent Harvard Business Review profile that could also be the Aries profile in an astrology text: "Well, that's the Ken Lewis school of leadership: Go for the jugular, buy at moments of maximum distress, keep adding to the portfolio, slash costs more dramatically than anyone thinks possible, and always look to get bigger faster." Thain, the CEO of the most notable of Lewis' recent acquisitions, invokes the duplicity of his Gemini nature as he was brought on board at Merrill Lynch as a "Mr. Fixit" but quickly turned into a "Mr. Sell-It" as market conditions fluctuated and declined.
Perhaps the most interesting name on the list is Toyota's Katsuaki Watanabe. The professor who praised him pointed out that Toyota was at least able to record a (small) profit in a miserable automobile year. The day after the WSJ article was printed, however, the dire news of Toyota's first ever quarterly loss became the business disaster du jour, and the financial press has been filled with speculations of Mr. Watanabe's ouster ever since. Why I find this so personally compelling is that Mr. Watanabe's Aquarius birthday, February 13th, is the same as my own so I kind of get, on a significantly smaller scale, a bit of what he is currently going through.
So if you are reading this, Mr. Watanabe, drop me an email. We need to knock back a couple of Saporros and exchange a few thoughts about the transit of Neptune to the Sun. Hey, we're both looking at some free time...trust me.
To contact Steve: smw@stevemarkweiss.com
As it is my nature to care about such things, and appreciating that some of the names on the list appear in my book SIGNS OF SUCCESS, I set about compiling a list of birth dates for all of the leaders mentioned in the article. I don't think this is exactly the technique used by Jim Collins (a fellow Aquarian) in GOOD TO GREAT, but it has its virtues. Anyway, here are a few astrological insights:
Out of a list of ten names to which I can easily attach a date of birth, it is a remarkable statistical anomaly that three of the leaders are of the same sun sign, and that the sign is Pisces. Astrological lore frequently writes off Pisces as a poetic dreamer lacking the energetic focus of the business magnate, but research actually yields a list of leaders---ranging from George Washington and Alexander Graham Bell to Phil Knight and Steve Jobs---as impressive as that of any other sign. Pisces, it may be argued, is the sign of universal psychic connection, and its natives have the gift of intuiting what must be made manifest in the zeitgeist to feed the universal needs and wants of mankind.
Anyway, the Pisces on this year's top CEO list are James Dimon (JPMorgan Chase), Gary Kelly (Southwest Airlines), and Steve Jobs (Apple). What these men all seem to excel in is the marriage of product/service vision and corporate culture creation, as well as a knowledge of how to emotionally connect to the shareholder/consumer. Astrology may be easily attacked on scientific grounds, but it is still interesting to note that Gary Kelly shares the exact same birthday, March 13th, as SWA chairman and founder Herb Kelleher.
Another of the so-called water signs, typified by the dominance of intuitive and emotional components in the personality make-up, has two entries on the top CEO list. The sign is Scorpio, and of particular interest is that the only two women who are mentioned in the article, Anne Mulcahy (Xerox) and Indra Nooyi (Pepsico), are the designees. The 'secret' for each of these women appears to be a no-nonsense action-oriented appraisal of business imperatives and a gift for forging the bonds of allegiance among their colleagues...a charismatic and persuasive power sprung in part from the inspiring inner passion of the individual who refuses to be limited by life's gender or ethnic prejudices.
The only other sign that merits a dual mention is Capricorn, in the persons of Rajiv Gupta (Rohm and Haas) and Jeff Bezos (Amazon). Capricorn is often cited by astrologers as the quintessential sign of management, embodying a tone of realistic appraisal, disciplined authority, and an appreciation of the value of long-term effort & perspective. It is a bit ironic, perhaps, that Gupta is recognized in a year when he is responsible for the sale of this venerable 100 year-old family-based institution to Dow Chemical (technically it's a merger), an event that eliminates his job. Bezos, though, whose company is noted in SIGNS OF SUCCESS as the only one of the great 1990's Internet start up companies (Amazon, Google, eBay, Yahoo!) that is still run on a daily basis by its founder, keeps to his mantra of long-term development and this year has announced Amazon's best performance ever.
Also mentioned in the WSJ article are: Kenneth Lewis (Bank of America), John Thain (Merrill Lynch), and Katsuaki Watanabe (Toyota). Lewis is an Aries, and his aggressive acquisition strategy is succinctly summarized in a recent Harvard Business Review profile that could also be the Aries profile in an astrology text: "Well, that's the Ken Lewis school of leadership: Go for the jugular, buy at moments of maximum distress, keep adding to the portfolio, slash costs more dramatically than anyone thinks possible, and always look to get bigger faster." Thain, the CEO of the most notable of Lewis' recent acquisitions, invokes the duplicity of his Gemini nature as he was brought on board at Merrill Lynch as a "Mr. Fixit" but quickly turned into a "Mr. Sell-It" as market conditions fluctuated and declined.
Perhaps the most interesting name on the list is Toyota's Katsuaki Watanabe. The professor who praised him pointed out that Toyota was at least able to record a (small) profit in a miserable automobile year. The day after the WSJ article was printed, however, the dire news of Toyota's first ever quarterly loss became the business disaster du jour, and the financial press has been filled with speculations of Mr. Watanabe's ouster ever since. Why I find this so personally compelling is that Mr. Watanabe's Aquarius birthday, February 13th, is the same as my own so I kind of get, on a significantly smaller scale, a bit of what he is currently going through.
So if you are reading this, Mr. Watanabe, drop me an email. We need to knock back a couple of Saporros and exchange a few thoughts about the transit of Neptune to the Sun. Hey, we're both looking at some free time...trust me.
To contact Steve: smw@stevemarkweiss.com
Business Outlook: 2009
I sat down in this economically funkiest of moments to deal with business predictions for the coming year. Suffice it to say there is a lot to say, and I didn't say it all until I had compiled seven single-spaced pages of prognosticative peregrination. I'm not entirely certain, but I think that if you post a blog entry that goes on for that length you get sent to a cyber-prison where the only accessible website is hampsterdance.com.
Anyway, on a serious note, I found myself getting into an enormous amount of material, including among a whole bunch of other stuff:
- the essence of "value" in the coming year
- the key to successful communications
- human resource issues
- marketing iconology
- and, naturally, the likely role of soon-to-be President Obama
I flatter myself that the material may be of interest to some, and if you would like a complimentary copy of the report please just drop me an e-mail at smw@stevenmarkweiss.com. Please put "2009 Report" in the subject line and send your contact information (confidentiality will be respected).
(EXCERPT) Assets
It is a bit ironic that in an era during which so much blame for economic crisis is being
placed at the door of financial 'experts,' the auguries suggest a universal desire for a strong executive hand in our investment activities and general allocation of assets. Rather than the casino-like vibe of the markets, however, a metaphor that suggests itself is ship-building, an activity in which the master ship builder and the vessel's captain play godlike roles in the serious and dangerous mission of eventually getting everyone safely across the ocean to the new land. Issues of concentrated attention and the deep appreciation of an organic cyclical wholeness to the flow of material and human assets are very much in play right now. The auguries suggest that it will indeed be hard for many too refrain from headstrong speculation, as the desire to recoup recent losses quickly is strong but those who find the development of long-term strategy constraining had better practice the phrase "easy come, easy go."
As for a December report, I'm giving myself the month off. Pass the nog.
Obama & The Moment of Victory: An Astrological Reflection
It happened very suddenly, as you may recall. The polls closed in the western states and Barrack Obama was immediately anointed by all the broadcast networks as the American president-elect. In Chicago, where Barack Obama was presumably enjoying the moment, the time was 10 PM CST.
Not to get too far into the astrological weeds here, but any stargazer worth his salt will enjoy the fact that at that very instant of the announcement the transiting planet Mercury was making the exactest possible of squares to Obama's natal Jupiter. In astrology, Mercury is the messenger and Jupiter is the broadest and most optimistic sort of comprehension. It is in no way surprising, at least to an astrologer, that these two planets would be in significant aspect upon such an occasion.
What is a bit problematical is that the relationship between the two planets was an exact 90 degrees of separation, an aspect called the square. The square signifies a powerful combination of planetary energies, but energies that are essentially operating at cross purposes. While any combination of Mercury and Jupiter energies is likely to breed a "good news" vibe, the square hints at friction between the details of the news (Mercury) and the abstract or ideal purpose (Jupiter) that the details are being used to support or confirm.
If one may be forgiven the audacity of projecting into Mr. Obama's space on election night, the implication of the above is that the president-elect immediately and sharply intuited the stresses inherent between the news of victory and the purpose to which that victory must be put. Certainly any tendency in this regard was enhanced by a second very nearly as exact and also difficult aspect, an opposition (180 degrees) from the transiting Moon to Obama's natal Mercury. This latter situation may simply suggest an awareness of the public mood (the Moon in Aquarius) as the reflection of one's state of mind (Mercury in Leo), but most any astrologer would be quick to emphasize that here one is dealing with the stresses and the lack of clarity when emotions are aligned against reason.
That the stress of being a realist at an emotional time was central to Obama's experience of election night is reflected in two other aspects occurring upon this occasion. Transiting Mercury was approaching square to Obama's natal Mercury (less than two degrees), indicating that facts and opinions are at odds, eliciting a requirement to be very flexible in thinking and communications. In even closer aspect (less than a degree) was the transiting Sun (identity) making a square to Obama's natal Sun, which the eminent astrologer Robert Hand describes as a "test of your validity."
Knowing all this certainly makes Mr. Obama's "cool as a cucumber" acceptance speech before the vast crowd in Chicago's Grant Park all the more remarkable. Hardly seeming like a conflicted young rookie senator or an individual wrestling with a centuries-old racial stereotype, the man who had arguably just become the most significant individual on the planet seemed very much born to the cloth. His comfort and command almost made it seem as if he had done this sort of thing before.
Okay, so here is where astrology gets either really cool or really crazy depending on your temperament. In an earlier blog post, I brought up the issue of the nodes of the Moon and how they are believed by astrologers to yield information about destiny. Simply (too simply), the south node in a chart is related to past karma and indicates a set of values/behaviors with which an individual feels extremely comfortable but from which one must evolve in order to fulfill this life's destiny. The north node, often strange and difficult of approach, is the ticket out of karma jail.
What is eminently remarkable about a horoscope cast for the announcement of Barack Obama's election victory is: 1) the south node is sitting on the ascendant (the projection) of the event; and 2) the south node is conjunct (exactly in the same place, in this case within a degree) as Obama's natal sun (personality). The logical among you will quickly deduce that this also puts Obama's Sun (identity) on the event's ascendant (projection), which is as clear as astrology ever gets. But let's consider this south node thing a bit.
Astrology has a bias towards considering the south node unfortunate. Characterized as the behavior one must grow past or escape in this lifetime, it is painted as the refuge of the individual who refuses to grow. It's something you get no points for expressing because, if you go in for this sort of thing, it is something that you have expressed for many lifetimes.
Now the irony in the case of the Obama election announcement and acceptance speech is that the candidate's comfort is probably the exact thing the electorate needed to experience. In an election that made quite a case out of "experience," it was comforting indeed to see Mr. Obama so large and in charge. Karma aside, it sure felt like the universe was doing us a favor by making the newly elected president seem so competent and comfortable.
The suggestion being made by the universe, however, is that it expects something more than a comfortable regality out of our new commander in chief, or at least a redefinition of what true regality is. The symbolism of the signs in which the nodes are now positioned (South/Leo, North/Aquarius) suggest that whatever royal presence Obama has on the world's stage (he is a sun sign Leo after all), he will be tested in order to become first and foremost a true humanitarian in the service of others. His is likely to be the inner conflict that simmers between creating a cult of personality and undertaking a selfless contribution to the greater glory the world, a difficult balancing act that is likely to keep the world enthralled for at least the next four years.
It is good to keep in mind, though, that all of this is happening within Mr. Obama far more viscerally than it is to those of us who are just watching and hoping. Astrologically speaking, the enormous gas giant planets and potent little Pluto (clearly ticked off by its recent astronomical downgrade), may have some difficult surprises in store for all of us, presidents and paupers alike. The early signs are that Mr. Obama will have to wrestle with reality like the rest of us, and the prospect that he too will have to sacrifice comfort, certainly psychological comfort, is written in the stars.
"The king is dead, long live the king." For a chosen few this is no mere shout in the streets, but an enormous psycho-historical enigma and challenge. Just ask Barack Obama.
Not to get too far into the astrological weeds here, but any stargazer worth his salt will enjoy the fact that at that very instant of the announcement the transiting planet Mercury was making the exactest possible of squares to Obama's natal Jupiter. In astrology, Mercury is the messenger and Jupiter is the broadest and most optimistic sort of comprehension. It is in no way surprising, at least to an astrologer, that these two planets would be in significant aspect upon such an occasion.
What is a bit problematical is that the relationship between the two planets was an exact 90 degrees of separation, an aspect called the square. The square signifies a powerful combination of planetary energies, but energies that are essentially operating at cross purposes. While any combination of Mercury and Jupiter energies is likely to breed a "good news" vibe, the square hints at friction between the details of the news (Mercury) and the abstract or ideal purpose (Jupiter) that the details are being used to support or confirm.
If one may be forgiven the audacity of projecting into Mr. Obama's space on election night, the implication of the above is that the president-elect immediately and sharply intuited the stresses inherent between the news of victory and the purpose to which that victory must be put. Certainly any tendency in this regard was enhanced by a second very nearly as exact and also difficult aspect, an opposition (180 degrees) from the transiting Moon to Obama's natal Mercury. This latter situation may simply suggest an awareness of the public mood (the Moon in Aquarius) as the reflection of one's state of mind (Mercury in Leo), but most any astrologer would be quick to emphasize that here one is dealing with the stresses and the lack of clarity when emotions are aligned against reason.
That the stress of being a realist at an emotional time was central to Obama's experience of election night is reflected in two other aspects occurring upon this occasion. Transiting Mercury was approaching square to Obama's natal Mercury (less than two degrees), indicating that facts and opinions are at odds, eliciting a requirement to be very flexible in thinking and communications. In even closer aspect (less than a degree) was the transiting Sun (identity) making a square to Obama's natal Sun, which the eminent astrologer Robert Hand describes as a "test of your validity."
Knowing all this certainly makes Mr. Obama's "cool as a cucumber" acceptance speech before the vast crowd in Chicago's Grant Park all the more remarkable. Hardly seeming like a conflicted young rookie senator or an individual wrestling with a centuries-old racial stereotype, the man who had arguably just become the most significant individual on the planet seemed very much born to the cloth. His comfort and command almost made it seem as if he had done this sort of thing before.
Okay, so here is where astrology gets either really cool or really crazy depending on your temperament. In an earlier blog post, I brought up the issue of the nodes of the Moon and how they are believed by astrologers to yield information about destiny. Simply (too simply), the south node in a chart is related to past karma and indicates a set of values/behaviors with which an individual feels extremely comfortable but from which one must evolve in order to fulfill this life's destiny. The north node, often strange and difficult of approach, is the ticket out of karma jail.
What is eminently remarkable about a horoscope cast for the announcement of Barack Obama's election victory is: 1) the south node is sitting on the ascendant (the projection) of the event; and 2) the south node is conjunct (exactly in the same place, in this case within a degree) as Obama's natal sun (personality). The logical among you will quickly deduce that this also puts Obama's Sun (identity) on the event's ascendant (projection), which is as clear as astrology ever gets. But let's consider this south node thing a bit.
Astrology has a bias towards considering the south node unfortunate. Characterized as the behavior one must grow past or escape in this lifetime, it is painted as the refuge of the individual who refuses to grow. It's something you get no points for expressing because, if you go in for this sort of thing, it is something that you have expressed for many lifetimes.
Now the irony in the case of the Obama election announcement and acceptance speech is that the candidate's comfort is probably the exact thing the electorate needed to experience. In an election that made quite a case out of "experience," it was comforting indeed to see Mr. Obama so large and in charge. Karma aside, it sure felt like the universe was doing us a favor by making the newly elected president seem so competent and comfortable.
The suggestion being made by the universe, however, is that it expects something more than a comfortable regality out of our new commander in chief, or at least a redefinition of what true regality is. The symbolism of the signs in which the nodes are now positioned (South/Leo, North/Aquarius) suggest that whatever royal presence Obama has on the world's stage (he is a sun sign Leo after all), he will be tested in order to become first and foremost a true humanitarian in the service of others. His is likely to be the inner conflict that simmers between creating a cult of personality and undertaking a selfless contribution to the greater glory the world, a difficult balancing act that is likely to keep the world enthralled for at least the next four years.
It is good to keep in mind, though, that all of this is happening within Mr. Obama far more viscerally than it is to those of us who are just watching and hoping. Astrologically speaking, the enormous gas giant planets and potent little Pluto (clearly ticked off by its recent astronomical downgrade), may have some difficult surprises in store for all of us, presidents and paupers alike. The early signs are that Mr. Obama will have to wrestle with reality like the rest of us, and the prospect that he too will have to sacrifice comfort, certainly psychological comfort, is written in the stars.
"The king is dead, long live the king." For a chosen few this is no mere shout in the streets, but an enormous psycho-historical enigma and challenge. Just ask Barack Obama.
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: November 2008
Overview
Do actions always speak louder than words? Consider the toddler fearful of monsters in the closet. Does that child's long-term emotional well-being depend on the actual presentation to her of the head of a dead monster, or would a parent's affectionately cooed comfort be a preferable form of ministration?
Perhaps the illustration is a clumsy one but it is relevant to these times. The point is simply that there are instances in which action, however well-intentioned, yields pain, dissolution and failure for beings who are not ready to engage in action or prepared to experience its consequences. At such times, it is reasonably argued, a well-crafted expression of hope and comfort regarding how things are going to be better tomorrow may actually trump any ill-timed effort to aggressively get up in the grill of monsters, bosses, fate or city hall today.
In this month that will greet the election of a new American president, the cosmos seems to be cautioning against anyone's over-inflated sense of empowerment or achievement. If anything seems celestially certain right now it is that acts are not being rightly connected to their motivations, nor are straight lines being drawn to their eventual true outcomes. We are very much in the dark right now regarding ourselves, our relationships and our culture, with a particular conflict being experienced between the strict and sober material obligations that life places upon us and our desire to be free to create a better future without the hoops through which vested powers make us pass. Astrology is suggesting that we have not now the energy, the discipline, the vision, nor the resources essential to crafting entirely pragmatic or personally fulfilling solutions.
Having observed this, and by consequence having thoroughly rained on everyone's political parade, let's talk about the month's bright spot. This is in fact an excellent moment for avatars of courage, character and mature consciousness. We are now in a wonderful place to receive the care of that strong parent who affectionately and convincingly tells us that there are no monsters in the closet, that they are alert to any intrusions, and that it's now time to get some sleep so we can grow up big and strong.
Ironically, what will likely separate the winners and the losers in the period ahead (and astrology suggests a time frame to be measured in years rather than months) is an ability to take an adult's view of the world, i.e. one that rejects the childish instant gratification dynamic that had so dominated modern culture in recent years. There is every reason for the best among us to now believe that we can embark on a rebirth of sorts, one that is dependent upon a willingness to trod a difficult historical path in the present for the ultimate betterment of our physical, social and spiritual beings on down the road.
Those individuals who can now give voice to our desire for rebirth will be valued in any arena, including the business sphere, in which they operate. You will know them not by their solemnity, but through the exuberance and friendly idealism that they bring to describing a better time and place...and the people we may yet become to inhabit that place.
Meanwhile, and I'm entirely serious about this, do yourself a favor by getting some extra rest and a flu shot.
History Rhymes
"Perhaps I love you more..." - The students of Catholic University, in Washington D.C., shouted their adoration of John Paul II, the new pope who was making his first visit to America. It was two years before the attempt on this beloved leader's life, so the 'Popemobile' days and the Papa's increasing ill-health were fortunately yet to manifest. On this day, this robust and deeply spiritual man was simply present to the crowd with an immediacy that the future would not permit. "We love you," chanted the students, and his spontaneous answer came to define his papacy. Later on in his trip, during a rainy day stop in Boston, he made another poetic observation, one that we may well take to heart today: "America the beautiful, even when it rains."
"It's a world that forces lifelong insecurity..." - When Bob Marley's Survival album was released, listeners were surprised by its strident political tone. Now judged by many to be the best work the reggae artist ever produced, the album presents an unflinching lyrical look into the heart of black oppression, dealing with terrible issues such as slavery, starvation and genocide. What is perhaps most remarkable about this work, however, is that this truly dark diatribe is set to a percussive rhythm that absolutely makes the spirit soar. "Live without hate," "feel your heart," "put your dream to reality," exhorts Marley in the midst of the madness. Or, as he admonishes in the tile of the work's last track, "Wake Up and Live."
"...irrational exuberance..." - Can it already be 12 years since Alan Greenspan spoke the phrase that sent such an Arctic shiver down the spine of the stock market? Nobody much understood the whole speech that Mr. Greenspan gave to the American Enterprise Institute that day, and the damage done to market prices was temporary to say the least. But there was something undeniably chilling in the Fed chairman's suggestion that asset values might be escalating too quickly and beyond reasonable levels. What we are going through economically today...well you can't say that Jupiter didn't try to warn us.
Strange Days
November 6 - This is a day that might bring heavy challenges within your closest partnerships. The key is to observe your own thinking on this date. Is your partner the only narrow-minded individual in the equation?
November 9 - Life is likely to feel more than a little shakey this Sunday. Try to be as flexible as you can, as a rigid outlook will invite the most serious upsets and difficult opposition.
November 13 - This could very well be a fortunate day for those who are willing to think big. The trick is coming up with a concept of big that is big enough.
Note: I haven't gone deeply into it yet, but a quick glance at the horoscope for December indicates a surprisingly, and long overdue, positive tone. So hold on for now...and get that flu shot!
For more info, please visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve directly: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Do actions always speak louder than words? Consider the toddler fearful of monsters in the closet. Does that child's long-term emotional well-being depend on the actual presentation to her of the head of a dead monster, or would a parent's affectionately cooed comfort be a preferable form of ministration?
Perhaps the illustration is a clumsy one but it is relevant to these times. The point is simply that there are instances in which action, however well-intentioned, yields pain, dissolution and failure for beings who are not ready to engage in action or prepared to experience its consequences. At such times, it is reasonably argued, a well-crafted expression of hope and comfort regarding how things are going to be better tomorrow may actually trump any ill-timed effort to aggressively get up in the grill of monsters, bosses, fate or city hall today.
In this month that will greet the election of a new American president, the cosmos seems to be cautioning against anyone's over-inflated sense of empowerment or achievement. If anything seems celestially certain right now it is that acts are not being rightly connected to their motivations, nor are straight lines being drawn to their eventual true outcomes. We are very much in the dark right now regarding ourselves, our relationships and our culture, with a particular conflict being experienced between the strict and sober material obligations that life places upon us and our desire to be free to create a better future without the hoops through which vested powers make us pass. Astrology is suggesting that we have not now the energy, the discipline, the vision, nor the resources essential to crafting entirely pragmatic or personally fulfilling solutions.
Having observed this, and by consequence having thoroughly rained on everyone's political parade, let's talk about the month's bright spot. This is in fact an excellent moment for avatars of courage, character and mature consciousness. We are now in a wonderful place to receive the care of that strong parent who affectionately and convincingly tells us that there are no monsters in the closet, that they are alert to any intrusions, and that it's now time to get some sleep so we can grow up big and strong.
Ironically, what will likely separate the winners and the losers in the period ahead (and astrology suggests a time frame to be measured in years rather than months) is an ability to take an adult's view of the world, i.e. one that rejects the childish instant gratification dynamic that had so dominated modern culture in recent years. There is every reason for the best among us to now believe that we can embark on a rebirth of sorts, one that is dependent upon a willingness to trod a difficult historical path in the present for the ultimate betterment of our physical, social and spiritual beings on down the road.
Those individuals who can now give voice to our desire for rebirth will be valued in any arena, including the business sphere, in which they operate. You will know them not by their solemnity, but through the exuberance and friendly idealism that they bring to describing a better time and place...and the people we may yet become to inhabit that place.
Meanwhile, and I'm entirely serious about this, do yourself a favor by getting some extra rest and a flu shot.
History Rhymes
"Perhaps I love you more..." - The students of Catholic University, in Washington D.C., shouted their adoration of John Paul II, the new pope who was making his first visit to America. It was two years before the attempt on this beloved leader's life, so the 'Popemobile' days and the Papa's increasing ill-health were fortunately yet to manifest. On this day, this robust and deeply spiritual man was simply present to the crowd with an immediacy that the future would not permit. "We love you," chanted the students, and his spontaneous answer came to define his papacy. Later on in his trip, during a rainy day stop in Boston, he made another poetic observation, one that we may well take to heart today: "America the beautiful, even when it rains."
"It's a world that forces lifelong insecurity..." - When Bob Marley's Survival album was released, listeners were surprised by its strident political tone. Now judged by many to be the best work the reggae artist ever produced, the album presents an unflinching lyrical look into the heart of black oppression, dealing with terrible issues such as slavery, starvation and genocide. What is perhaps most remarkable about this work, however, is that this truly dark diatribe is set to a percussive rhythm that absolutely makes the spirit soar. "Live without hate," "feel your heart," "put your dream to reality," exhorts Marley in the midst of the madness. Or, as he admonishes in the tile of the work's last track, "Wake Up and Live."
"...irrational exuberance..." - Can it already be 12 years since Alan Greenspan spoke the phrase that sent such an Arctic shiver down the spine of the stock market? Nobody much understood the whole speech that Mr. Greenspan gave to the American Enterprise Institute that day, and the damage done to market prices was temporary to say the least. But there was something undeniably chilling in the Fed chairman's suggestion that asset values might be escalating too quickly and beyond reasonable levels. What we are going through economically today...well you can't say that Jupiter didn't try to warn us.
Strange Days
November 6 - This is a day that might bring heavy challenges within your closest partnerships. The key is to observe your own thinking on this date. Is your partner the only narrow-minded individual in the equation?
November 9 - Life is likely to feel more than a little shakey this Sunday. Try to be as flexible as you can, as a rigid outlook will invite the most serious upsets and difficult opposition.
November 13 - This could very well be a fortunate day for those who are willing to think big. The trick is coming up with a concept of big that is big enough.
Note: I haven't gone deeply into it yet, but a quick glance at the horoscope for December indicates a surprisingly, and long overdue, positive tone. So hold on for now...and get that flu shot!
For more info, please visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve directly: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
October 2008
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: October 2008
Overview
The key business issue this month is: "what do you bring to, and how far are you prepared to go in a relationship?"
Is your talent real and your loyalty without qualification or compromise? Can you be counted upon to withstand the pressure and perform capably at the very deepest of the depths? Are you, in fact, willing to make personal sacrifices that an impartial observer might label totally f---ing crazy?
Last month reality hit the business world like a ton of falling financial institutions. The economic future is in desperate 'play' right now, and the survivalist reaction most of us are having is to pinpoint the entity, person-place-thing, that will keep us emotionally and economically afloat. Such entities do exist, but they are going to extract a price that makes the concept of "commitment" seem less like a contractual arrangement and more like a set of vows and obligations acid-etched onto your soul.
The dynamic that will rule every business interaction this month is an unrestrained mutual determination of material value and commitment. Most everyone will try to put a good face on it and keep a civil tongue, but the emotional foment that is going on just beneath the surface is unspeakably potent. Astrological analysis suggests terms such as possession and obsession.
To put a very fine point on it, what both the bold and the weak are incessantly calculating is how to gain control over the assets of others. Everyone is plotting, fewer will actually act, but there is a strange 'optimism' in the zeitgeist regarding each individual's sense that he or she will be the one to pull off this coup de control. Everything (well, certainly everything related to personal assets) depends right now on one's willingness to manipulate or be manipulated in a marketplace full of wrenching demands and treacherous surprises.
Astrology (and all the world's financial media) is telling us that we are having a painful challenge to the very foundation of our institutions right now. We are expected to have faith and courage, but we are hardly being granted clarity as a result. All astrology can tell us is that this is some sort of evolutionary necessity, pain be damned, and that the clock will inexorably tick forward from here.
It's not much, but the business horoscope for this October also notes a widespread preoccupation with the obligations each individual has towards the welfare of humanity. But keeping with the downer tone of the moment, this is more likely to be experienced as hindsight guilt rather than to manifest as forward-thinking action. We are very much consumed right now with the actions we must take to protect our own.
History Rhymes
Romeo & Juliet - Astrologers love Shakespeare, what with all the talk of "star-cross'd lovers" and such. This month's wayback machine summons up a popular 1996 cinematic version of Romeo & Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonard DiCaprio and Clare Danes in the title roles. This story of clan enmity and fatal attraction, rendered in a contemporary setting yet faithful to the bard's original poetry, captures the present zeitgeist perfectly. Here is one of dramatic history's great visceral testaments to the sometimes deadly intensity of our most significant relationships, and to a largely dispassionate fate that determines there is sometimes nothing our will seems able to do about outcomes. "I defy you stars!," shouts Romeo upon learning of Juliet's (falsely reported) death. And the stars just don't much care.
Chrysler Requests A Bailout - Considering the size of contemporary government handouts, the $1.5 billion requested by an almost-bankrupt Chrysler three decades ago seems a little like chump change. In its own historical context, however, this request for a taxpayer bailout by a company that had simply misread its market (going 'big car' during an oil crunch) was greeted as one of the most audacious, even impudent, requests in American business history. Students of the issue now know that the Jimmy Carter administration eventually acquiesced and that Lee Iaccoca eventually brought home the bacon (in the form of the K-Car and, a few years down the road, the Minivan). So here we will take some heart from the reminder that this all worked out and that Chrysler fairly expeditiously payed back the loan. Right now, though, we are experiencing another calamitous corporate "save us" phase...and the stakes have apparently gotten much higher.
The Vela Incident - One day, in late September of 1979, a United States reconnaissance satellite (Vela) detected the signature of an unanticipated nuclear explosion on an island in the Indian Ocean. Dozens of U.S. Air Force jets were scrambled, but reportedly no indication of radiation was evident. Over the years it has been widely proposed that this was in fact a secret nuclear test conducted by any one of a number of nations from South Africa to Israel to India to France to Taiwan. But after extensive multi-year evaluation, it was formally concluded by the responsible U.S. government investigative agencies that the satellite was probably just broken and gave a false reading. Nothing to see here folks. Just move along.
Strange Days
October 5 to 10 - This is a week during which many of us are going to have to face serious adjustments in our long-term projects and personal relationships. These may not be experienced as traumatic breaks or sharp redirections, but there will be notable deflections into new paths that are unlikely to seem inviting at first. The key here is to see whatever happens as transitory, as outsized emotional reactions will be far more injurious in the long term than a patient acceptance of the passage of time.
October 20 - Seize this day if you can. Yes, it's a Monday and the guys are likely to be talking football. But what has every indication of being a raw, raw month is going to yield up this day fraught with long-term positive potential. Don't waste it on your fantasy team.
October 24 - This is a day for considering yourself and, if necessary, walking out the door. If the term "life purpose" has any resonance for you, the time comes when you must make moves to fulfill your personal destiny, no matter the risks you must take, the alliances that must be broken or who you must leave behind. Your destiny wants to spend the weekend with you.
For more info, please visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve directly: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Overview
The key business issue this month is: "what do you bring to, and how far are you prepared to go in a relationship?"
Is your talent real and your loyalty without qualification or compromise? Can you be counted upon to withstand the pressure and perform capably at the very deepest of the depths? Are you, in fact, willing to make personal sacrifices that an impartial observer might label totally f---ing crazy?
Last month reality hit the business world like a ton of falling financial institutions. The economic future is in desperate 'play' right now, and the survivalist reaction most of us are having is to pinpoint the entity, person-place-thing, that will keep us emotionally and economically afloat. Such entities do exist, but they are going to extract a price that makes the concept of "commitment" seem less like a contractual arrangement and more like a set of vows and obligations acid-etched onto your soul.
The dynamic that will rule every business interaction this month is an unrestrained mutual determination of material value and commitment. Most everyone will try to put a good face on it and keep a civil tongue, but the emotional foment that is going on just beneath the surface is unspeakably potent. Astrological analysis suggests terms such as possession and obsession.
To put a very fine point on it, what both the bold and the weak are incessantly calculating is how to gain control over the assets of others. Everyone is plotting, fewer will actually act, but there is a strange 'optimism' in the zeitgeist regarding each individual's sense that he or she will be the one to pull off this coup de control. Everything (well, certainly everything related to personal assets) depends right now on one's willingness to manipulate or be manipulated in a marketplace full of wrenching demands and treacherous surprises.
Astrology (and all the world's financial media) is telling us that we are having a painful challenge to the very foundation of our institutions right now. We are expected to have faith and courage, but we are hardly being granted clarity as a result. All astrology can tell us is that this is some sort of evolutionary necessity, pain be damned, and that the clock will inexorably tick forward from here.
It's not much, but the business horoscope for this October also notes a widespread preoccupation with the obligations each individual has towards the welfare of humanity. But keeping with the downer tone of the moment, this is more likely to be experienced as hindsight guilt rather than to manifest as forward-thinking action. We are very much consumed right now with the actions we must take to protect our own.
History Rhymes
Romeo & Juliet - Astrologers love Shakespeare, what with all the talk of "star-cross'd lovers" and such. This month's wayback machine summons up a popular 1996 cinematic version of Romeo & Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonard DiCaprio and Clare Danes in the title roles. This story of clan enmity and fatal attraction, rendered in a contemporary setting yet faithful to the bard's original poetry, captures the present zeitgeist perfectly. Here is one of dramatic history's great visceral testaments to the sometimes deadly intensity of our most significant relationships, and to a largely dispassionate fate that determines there is sometimes nothing our will seems able to do about outcomes. "I defy you stars!," shouts Romeo upon learning of Juliet's (falsely reported) death. And the stars just don't much care.
Chrysler Requests A Bailout - Considering the size of contemporary government handouts, the $1.5 billion requested by an almost-bankrupt Chrysler three decades ago seems a little like chump change. In its own historical context, however, this request for a taxpayer bailout by a company that had simply misread its market (going 'big car' during an oil crunch) was greeted as one of the most audacious, even impudent, requests in American business history. Students of the issue now know that the Jimmy Carter administration eventually acquiesced and that Lee Iaccoca eventually brought home the bacon (in the form of the K-Car and, a few years down the road, the Minivan). So here we will take some heart from the reminder that this all worked out and that Chrysler fairly expeditiously payed back the loan. Right now, though, we are experiencing another calamitous corporate "save us" phase...and the stakes have apparently gotten much higher.
The Vela Incident - One day, in late September of 1979, a United States reconnaissance satellite (Vela) detected the signature of an unanticipated nuclear explosion on an island in the Indian Ocean. Dozens of U.S. Air Force jets were scrambled, but reportedly no indication of radiation was evident. Over the years it has been widely proposed that this was in fact a secret nuclear test conducted by any one of a number of nations from South Africa to Israel to India to France to Taiwan. But after extensive multi-year evaluation, it was formally concluded by the responsible U.S. government investigative agencies that the satellite was probably just broken and gave a false reading. Nothing to see here folks. Just move along.
Strange Days
October 5 to 10 - This is a week during which many of us are going to have to face serious adjustments in our long-term projects and personal relationships. These may not be experienced as traumatic breaks or sharp redirections, but there will be notable deflections into new paths that are unlikely to seem inviting at first. The key here is to see whatever happens as transitory, as outsized emotional reactions will be far more injurious in the long term than a patient acceptance of the passage of time.
October 20 - Seize this day if you can. Yes, it's a Monday and the guys are likely to be talking football. But what has every indication of being a raw, raw month is going to yield up this day fraught with long-term positive potential. Don't waste it on your fantasy team.
October 24 - This is a day for considering yourself and, if necessary, walking out the door. If the term "life purpose" has any resonance for you, the time comes when you must make moves to fulfill your personal destiny, no matter the risks you must take, the alliances that must be broken or who you must leave behind. Your destiny wants to spend the weekend with you.
For more info, please visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve directly: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
McCain, Palin & The Moon In Capricorn
"Johnny, I'm going to come over there and wash your mouth out with soap."
- According to John McCain, his mother's reaction when it was reported that he yelled obscenities at his POW captors
Trolling around the web this weekend, I've come across a number of blog entries that attempt to explain the astrological 'voodoo' surrounding the McCain/Palin combo. There's a lot of heady and complex insight available, but perhaps there's as much to be gained from the appreciation of one simple astrological fact. Both John McCain and Sarah Palin were born while the moon was transiting the astrological sign of Capricorn.
Now your average astrological scribe could write a lengthy essay, if not an entire book, on what that might mean, but it's a holiday weekend and my brain is happy to have its feet up right now. So let me here share the simple of it. The moon has to do with our emotional reality as primarily established from the influence of our primary caregiver (usually mom); Capricorn is about all the conscientious striving that we do to achieve status and success in the real world.
In astrological terms, Moon in Capricorn is said to be in its detriment. That's because what we consider to be easiest energy flow of the 'planet,' in this case the moon which is responsible for our deepest feelings and emotional security, is forced to operate through the least conducive medium, in this case the harsh and demanding lens of worldly appearances and ambition. The Moon in Capricorn individual, to put a very fine point on it, is the individual who cannot be emotionally fulfilled until they do something important enough in the real world to impress what often turns out be a very hands-on and authoritarian mom (there is also sometimes an abused or abandoned mother pattern here, in which the mother demands the keeping up of 'normal' outward appearances, and the child consecrates themselves to some day making things right by acting out against or supplanting the father).
Before this registers as insanely judgmental, please consider a few of history's famous Moon in Capricorns: George Washington; Abraham Lincoln; Adolph Hitler; Napoleon Bonaparte; Robert Kennedy; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Ernest Hemingway; Lucille Ball; Phil Knight; Herb Kelleher; Jeff Bezos; Larry Page; Phil Jackson; Joe Torre; Lee Harvey Oswald; and Mark David Chapman. Clearly, you can't just talk about good or bad here. But if you dig a bit into the lives of these individuals you will almost invariably find a considerable 'mom' influence, one very much directed towards laying down a set of rules about right behavior and meaningful goals, resulting in lives that manifest with the most fierce intensity about making a public mark.
I can't presume to tell you how you should feel about voting for a pair of running mates who participate in this astrological condition. You might get Washington and Lincoln; you might get Hitler and Napoleon (you might get Jackson and Torre). What you will get under either circumstance, though, are individuals whose emotional reality was likely fashioned in the mills of unfettered ambition, and who see the world as a harsh and difficult place that can only be mastered by endless, sometimes ruthless, practical striving.
In the context of the preceding, I find it no small source of amusement that Sarah Palin's sun sign is Aquarius, the same sign as John McCain's mother. Talk all you want about generational inconsistencies but I'm guessing that McCain, psychologically speaking, may actually see Palin as a mother figure. Or perhaps to be more precise, Palin may be the sort of 'mate' of which McCain's mother might approve.
It's also interesting that the Moon will be in Capricorn during most of election day. This will however be under a set of circumstances known as "void of course," suggesting that the intensity signified by this position may be on people's minds but will fail to gain traction in the voting booth. Right now, I'd be forced to conclude that the heavens favor Obama but I wouldn't risk five cents to back that assertion. I'd only wager that history has not seen its last surprise.
That's it for now. I need to go call my mom.
- According to John McCain, his mother's reaction when it was reported that he yelled obscenities at his POW captors
Trolling around the web this weekend, I've come across a number of blog entries that attempt to explain the astrological 'voodoo' surrounding the McCain/Palin combo. There's a lot of heady and complex insight available, but perhaps there's as much to be gained from the appreciation of one simple astrological fact. Both John McCain and Sarah Palin were born while the moon was transiting the astrological sign of Capricorn.
Now your average astrological scribe could write a lengthy essay, if not an entire book, on what that might mean, but it's a holiday weekend and my brain is happy to have its feet up right now. So let me here share the simple of it. The moon has to do with our emotional reality as primarily established from the influence of our primary caregiver (usually mom); Capricorn is about all the conscientious striving that we do to achieve status and success in the real world.
In astrological terms, Moon in Capricorn is said to be in its detriment. That's because what we consider to be easiest energy flow of the 'planet,' in this case the moon which is responsible for our deepest feelings and emotional security, is forced to operate through the least conducive medium, in this case the harsh and demanding lens of worldly appearances and ambition. The Moon in Capricorn individual, to put a very fine point on it, is the individual who cannot be emotionally fulfilled until they do something important enough in the real world to impress what often turns out be a very hands-on and authoritarian mom (there is also sometimes an abused or abandoned mother pattern here, in which the mother demands the keeping up of 'normal' outward appearances, and the child consecrates themselves to some day making things right by acting out against or supplanting the father).
Before this registers as insanely judgmental, please consider a few of history's famous Moon in Capricorns: George Washington; Abraham Lincoln; Adolph Hitler; Napoleon Bonaparte; Robert Kennedy; Arnold Schwarzenegger; Ernest Hemingway; Lucille Ball; Phil Knight; Herb Kelleher; Jeff Bezos; Larry Page; Phil Jackson; Joe Torre; Lee Harvey Oswald; and Mark David Chapman. Clearly, you can't just talk about good or bad here. But if you dig a bit into the lives of these individuals you will almost invariably find a considerable 'mom' influence, one very much directed towards laying down a set of rules about right behavior and meaningful goals, resulting in lives that manifest with the most fierce intensity about making a public mark.
I can't presume to tell you how you should feel about voting for a pair of running mates who participate in this astrological condition. You might get Washington and Lincoln; you might get Hitler and Napoleon (you might get Jackson and Torre). What you will get under either circumstance, though, are individuals whose emotional reality was likely fashioned in the mills of unfettered ambition, and who see the world as a harsh and difficult place that can only be mastered by endless, sometimes ruthless, practical striving.
In the context of the preceding, I find it no small source of amusement that Sarah Palin's sun sign is Aquarius, the same sign as John McCain's mother. Talk all you want about generational inconsistencies but I'm guessing that McCain, psychologically speaking, may actually see Palin as a mother figure. Or perhaps to be more precise, Palin may be the sort of 'mate' of which McCain's mother might approve.
It's also interesting that the Moon will be in Capricorn during most of election day. This will however be under a set of circumstances known as "void of course," suggesting that the intensity signified by this position may be on people's minds but will fail to gain traction in the voting booth. Right now, I'd be forced to conclude that the heavens favor Obama but I wouldn't risk five cents to back that assertion. I'd only wager that history has not seen its last surprise.
That's it for now. I need to go call my mom.
September 2008
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: September 2008
Overview
One of the great general cautions in business is the admonition against reinventing the wheel. By this month, however, it has become abundantly clear that the wheel of commerce has gone more than a little flat. And what we're looking at may require more than a patch and a little sealant.
Quite frankly, the cosmos this month appears to be set out in such a way as to virtually insist that business managers be anything but complacent regarding a faith-based reliance upon things rolling right along. Now is the time when true leaders must take full responsibility for the heavy responsibilities they have in the lives of others, and they must wade through the natural group fear and resistance to establish and communicate an improved way of accomplishing community goals. Indicated at this time, it should be emphasized, is not some sort of wild eyed visionary leap into the world of tomorrow but rather a sober and pragmatic assessment of those things that overly smack of haphazardness and a fey idealism.
Needless to say, I'm not personally too happy to offer this assessment, for what is an astrologer without a fair dose of imagination and fey idealism? But there is no honest way of getting around the fact that this is a moment for responsible pragmatists whose wholesome expectations of success are grounded in their ability to work within an historical perception that unites the material lessons of the past with the material needs of the future. The key here, personal predispositions aside, is that this rational and sober approach to base building is granted a vibe of success this month, and the ability to successfully communicate to and with others over these matters is under a very fortunate planetary alignment.
Now if the preceding sounds like something that could ultimately cause unanticipated pain to a large portion of an untrained, undisciplined and self-indulgent population, let me offer the following insight...bingo! While clearly in search of strong leadership, the general population is emotional and insecure right now and they are, so astrology would indicate, keeping their deepest feelings and thoughts quite to themselves. For some it is money, and for some it is love, but a population embroiled in its own private wants is simply inclined to hand over the responsibility for running the world, although such abdication may easily fail to grasp the personal implications of what is bound to be these strong leaders' belt tightening austerity programs.
Ultimately, while the world will keep its eyes glued to the American elections this month, the real story is (and will remain for quite a while) one of resources (material and cultural). It's not easy to see how the current management mindset in this area will avoid causing considerable pain, but that is not to say that success is ultimately outside the realm of collective possibility. For most individuals the key will be to successfully sync with the reinvention of the resource wheel paradigm, as getting crushed under it seems the only other realistic, and certainly far less desirable, alternative.
History Rhymes
Yeltsin Victorious - In the summer of 1996, Boris Yeltsin became the first ever democratically elected president of Russia. While on the face of it such an election may well be considered one of the most significant paradigm-shifting political events of the late 20th Century, pundits have concluded that "democratically elected" may have well been seasoned with a fair amount of totalitarian "business as usual." Whether one cares to debate the role of politically-controlled media or military posturing or election rigging in Yeltsin's victory, the key here is that the conducting of an election doesn't automatically change the ethos of a vested centuries-old authoritarian culture. Capitalistic oligarchs may have replaced the role of Communist party members in Russia, but Yeltsin's win did little to change the reality of a power-driven autocratic central authority.
Jonestown - Nobody alive at the time will ever forget the human horror. Reverend Jim Jones was the charismatic leader of the People's Temple, a cult ostensibly based upon the principles of economic egalitarianism, civil rights and religious revivalism. In the fall of 1978, the group's leadership was exposed for practices ranging from sexual predation to intimidatory beatings, and the 1,000-member cult fled en masse to a compound in Guyana. Shortly thereafter on the heels of the murder of a U.S. congressional delegation come to investigate, 913 members of the cult, including over 200 children, perished in a coerced communal "suicide." Today, the world still wonders how any leader could cast such a deadly spell over a group of fairly ordinary citizens. Well, he promised to solve their problems, and they believed him, and he did.
Independence Day - Forget Will Smith for a second, and put Jeff Goldblum and Randy Quaid aside. Instead consider Bill Pullman as Thomas J. Whitmore the somewhat milquetoastish president who turns out to be an ex-fighter pilot and heads off to shoot down a few alien space jets himself when the action hits a crescendo. Somewhere during the movie, the mild mannered Whitmore comes to the realization that the aliens are galactic predators who consume a world's resources then move on "like locusts," and therefore should be "nuked." We lose New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Houston---among other population centers---but it's really the only decision he can make. So at the end he's feeling pretty good about himself amidst the carnage. There's a leadership parable for our times here, but it's way too obvious and painful to dwell upon.
Strange Days
September 9 - Luck does not always come on like a lightening strike. Here is a day for the tortoise rather than the hare, with a promise of those prizes that are said to come around after steady measured effort. This is not necessarily an easy or blithe day, but it is one that will grant a materially rewarding glimpse of long-range perspective and direction. Real mentors are available today.
September 14 - This day, which happens to be a Sunday, has a most significant stamp of abundance upon it. Now abundance can certainly take a lot of forms and it can energetically manifest as both inflow and outflow. But this is likely to be the sort of day that leaves just about everyone feeling broadened and enriched in some area of life. Nice.
September 16 - If there was a National Assertiveness Day, today would be a perfect fit. Certainly self-confidence has its uses, but on a day when everyone is feeling forceful and feisty the odds for conflict and collision are extremely high. Unless you like a good brawl, curb your impulses!
For more info, visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve directly, smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Overview
One of the great general cautions in business is the admonition against reinventing the wheel. By this month, however, it has become abundantly clear that the wheel of commerce has gone more than a little flat. And what we're looking at may require more than a patch and a little sealant.
Quite frankly, the cosmos this month appears to be set out in such a way as to virtually insist that business managers be anything but complacent regarding a faith-based reliance upon things rolling right along. Now is the time when true leaders must take full responsibility for the heavy responsibilities they have in the lives of others, and they must wade through the natural group fear and resistance to establish and communicate an improved way of accomplishing community goals. Indicated at this time, it should be emphasized, is not some sort of wild eyed visionary leap into the world of tomorrow but rather a sober and pragmatic assessment of those things that overly smack of haphazardness and a fey idealism.
Needless to say, I'm not personally too happy to offer this assessment, for what is an astrologer without a fair dose of imagination and fey idealism? But there is no honest way of getting around the fact that this is a moment for responsible pragmatists whose wholesome expectations of success are grounded in their ability to work within an historical perception that unites the material lessons of the past with the material needs of the future. The key here, personal predispositions aside, is that this rational and sober approach to base building is granted a vibe of success this month, and the ability to successfully communicate to and with others over these matters is under a very fortunate planetary alignment.
Now if the preceding sounds like something that could ultimately cause unanticipated pain to a large portion of an untrained, undisciplined and self-indulgent population, let me offer the following insight...bingo! While clearly in search of strong leadership, the general population is emotional and insecure right now and they are, so astrology would indicate, keeping their deepest feelings and thoughts quite to themselves. For some it is money, and for some it is love, but a population embroiled in its own private wants is simply inclined to hand over the responsibility for running the world, although such abdication may easily fail to grasp the personal implications of what is bound to be these strong leaders' belt tightening austerity programs.
Ultimately, while the world will keep its eyes glued to the American elections this month, the real story is (and will remain for quite a while) one of resources (material and cultural). It's not easy to see how the current management mindset in this area will avoid causing considerable pain, but that is not to say that success is ultimately outside the realm of collective possibility. For most individuals the key will be to successfully sync with the reinvention of the resource wheel paradigm, as getting crushed under it seems the only other realistic, and certainly far less desirable, alternative.
History Rhymes
Yeltsin Victorious - In the summer of 1996, Boris Yeltsin became the first ever democratically elected president of Russia. While on the face of it such an election may well be considered one of the most significant paradigm-shifting political events of the late 20th Century, pundits have concluded that "democratically elected" may have well been seasoned with a fair amount of totalitarian "business as usual." Whether one cares to debate the role of politically-controlled media or military posturing or election rigging in Yeltsin's victory, the key here is that the conducting of an election doesn't automatically change the ethos of a vested centuries-old authoritarian culture. Capitalistic oligarchs may have replaced the role of Communist party members in Russia, but Yeltsin's win did little to change the reality of a power-driven autocratic central authority.
Jonestown - Nobody alive at the time will ever forget the human horror. Reverend Jim Jones was the charismatic leader of the People's Temple, a cult ostensibly based upon the principles of economic egalitarianism, civil rights and religious revivalism. In the fall of 1978, the group's leadership was exposed for practices ranging from sexual predation to intimidatory beatings, and the 1,000-member cult fled en masse to a compound in Guyana. Shortly thereafter on the heels of the murder of a U.S. congressional delegation come to investigate, 913 members of the cult, including over 200 children, perished in a coerced communal "suicide." Today, the world still wonders how any leader could cast such a deadly spell over a group of fairly ordinary citizens. Well, he promised to solve their problems, and they believed him, and he did.
Independence Day - Forget Will Smith for a second, and put Jeff Goldblum and Randy Quaid aside. Instead consider Bill Pullman as Thomas J. Whitmore the somewhat milquetoastish president who turns out to be an ex-fighter pilot and heads off to shoot down a few alien space jets himself when the action hits a crescendo. Somewhere during the movie, the mild mannered Whitmore comes to the realization that the aliens are galactic predators who consume a world's resources then move on "like locusts," and therefore should be "nuked." We lose New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Houston---among other population centers---but it's really the only decision he can make. So at the end he's feeling pretty good about himself amidst the carnage. There's a leadership parable for our times here, but it's way too obvious and painful to dwell upon.
Strange Days
September 9 - Luck does not always come on like a lightening strike. Here is a day for the tortoise rather than the hare, with a promise of those prizes that are said to come around after steady measured effort. This is not necessarily an easy or blithe day, but it is one that will grant a materially rewarding glimpse of long-range perspective and direction. Real mentors are available today.
September 14 - This day, which happens to be a Sunday, has a most significant stamp of abundance upon it. Now abundance can certainly take a lot of forms and it can energetically manifest as both inflow and outflow. But this is likely to be the sort of day that leaves just about everyone feeling broadened and enriched in some area of life. Nice.
September 16 - If there was a National Assertiveness Day, today would be a perfect fit. Certainly self-confidence has its uses, but on a day when everyone is feeling forceful and feisty the odds for conflict and collision are extremely high. Unless you like a good brawl, curb your impulses!
For more info, visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve directly, smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
COSMARKETING: M&M's; Dunkin' Donuts
Cosmarketing (c) is a sophisticated business term that can be etymologically detailed as "cosmos" and "marketing" smooshed together. What follows here are some observations based upon a 'first publicity' horoscopes cast for specific product or service launches. If you are not pleased with the observations here just calmly remind yourself: "this is only astrology." Ultimately, the material in this section is for entertainment purposes only...unless it turns out to be accurate.
M&M's Puts Kyle Busch Face On Its Candy
NASCAR driver Kyle Busch is so hot this year that even M&M's would probably melt in his hands. And if he was disposed towards testing this out he probably wouldn't have far to look for a bag of the candy-shelled chocolates, as they're a sponsor of his Joe Gibbs race car right now. So cozy is the relationship that M&M's has just announced a promotion centered around a customized blend of M&M's, featuring the driver's car number, autograph, inspirational message and photo on each piece (what, no Gettysburg Address?).
Anyway, the astrological tale told here is a story of a business partnership that starts out brilliantly, with each party drafting happily on the success of the other. The timing of the customized candy launch contains a remarkably felicitous energy flow between the concepts of indulgence and racing. And horoscopes cast for Kyle Busch and last year's original announcement of the M&M's sponsorship bespeak a relationship born of easy compatibility and cooperation.
Alas, however, there may be some trouble down the track related to competitive grandiosity tantrums and a certain lack of clarity regarding the concept of "who's actually driving this relationship?" Busch is likely to feel that the M&M 's team is taking all of this way too seriously, and he may well flash a little petulance about the enterprise producing less fun (and cash?) then he thinks he deserves. Astonishingly, M&M's will want to treat this whole deal as a business effort for which they are footing the bill.
Interestingly, an escape valve is suggested via a meeting of the minds over the concept of philanthropy. There is already a small philanthropic component to this promotion, in support of the Kyle Busch Foundation. If push comes to shove, the greater opening of hearts, minds and wallets to this cause may be the best route to reconciliation.
Dunkin' Donuts Does Better-For-You
I look at the name of Dunkin' Donuts new healthier menu program, DDSMART (tm), and I can't help but think of a store that specializes in selling professional supplies to dentists. Although it's certainly not what the name is meant to convey, it feels like an uncomfortable etymological smooshing. And etymology aside, something doesn't feel right here.
Certainly one should have no objection to an enterprise that has made its bones in the doughnut and coffee game wanting to expand its gastrological and nutritional horizons. Why not knock off 25% of the fat and calories of a bagel or muffin if you can pull it off without noticeable culinary compromise? And who's to say the world won't beat a lunchtime path to the door of the first restaurant chain to offer an Eggwhite Flatbread Sandwich, with turkey sausage or vegetable filling to boot?
And another thing, you might almost think that Dunkin' Donuts consulted a good astrologer before launching this program. There's a very forceful and well-timed information flow at work here, with all the i's dotted and all the (iced) t's crossed. There's also a healthy "good fortune" complex of aspects here, so there's certainly at least a shot that this program is going to be a winner.
What no astrologer or marketing department could accomplish, however, is the obvious...and it is amply reflected in the launch horoscope. Net-net, it is going to be very hard for the average customer to reconcile their vested highly-caffeinated treat-oriented image of Dunkin' Donuts with the gospel of good-for-you food. It is not conceptually credible, and no matter how good the Dunkin' Donut product(s) may be, there is likely to be a nagging disconnect between product and place...maybe not on the lips or hips, but definitely in the back of the mind.
August 2008
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: August 2008
Overview
As I sit down to write this I'm thinking of Phil Gramm's recent comment that America has become a nation of whiners. My guess is that if you polled astrologers as to which particular zodiac sign is the "whiniest," the clear winner would be the sign of the crab, Cancer. So as America was born on July 4th, in the sign of Cancer (also Phil Gramm's sign by the way...as well as that of George W. Bush), it seems that we are only guilty of acting out the national personality type that has been cosmically allotted to us.
This August it seems a fair bet that we will continue to whine. As a Cancer himself, Phil Gramm doubtlessly knows that the whining spigot is not easily attached to a flow of clarity and noble intent. Whining comes from that murky interior place full of our shadow monsters, from the depths of which fears of poverty, pain and failure surface unbidden and makes us want our mommies.
While there is every astrological reason to expect a continuation of our national angst, August does promise to be more than a sniffle-fest. In fact, the individual American citizen may actually appear far more resolute and in touch with brain and spirit than they have for a while. People in all areas of the culture, including those most closely attached to producing and consuming, will have a penchant for knowing who they are, correctly assessing what they think and feel, and a willingness to make that one profound move or declaration that will set all other problems to rights.
Now in America, this 'one profound move' often boils down to buying a new car, terminating a spouse, or in a presidential election year committing to a candidate. A very strong Leo theme in this month's cosmic alignment would seem to make Obama, a Leo, the people's choice and focus of attention this month, but Virgo John McCain has some pretty dismal weapons at his disposal to hammer on that angst thing and he will definitely be around. The real point I'd like to make here, though, is that no matter how much personal certainty is brought to divorce court, or to buying a new car or to picking a politician, rarely is this the end of all problems.
The real danger this month is that individuals who are entirely sure of themselves will make audacious choices that involve the idealization or demonization of people and principles that have no real substance or are being bizarrely assessed. To put it a slightly different way, when someone is very sure of themselves there's often little room left for the legitimate perception of others, and the real danger here is one of self-activated victimization and shattered dreams. People may feel oddly good about themselves this month but they are likely to do a poor job of reading others, who will appropriate their own personal freedom to make large stupid mistakes and, ultimately, experience their own angst.
On a happier note the Olympics are shaping up as must-see TV. Competition should be intense and the tube should do a stellar job of taking us there. Many unexpected and diverting performances would appear to be in store...and we could certainly use the escape. (As a somewhat relevant aside, it is very interesting to note that the Olympics are slated to begin at 8 PM local China time on 8/8/08. Guess which number is considered the luckiest in the Chinese system of numerology? And why is feng shui now considered so acceptable by American business, but astrology is most often treated like a ho? Yes, I have my own issues.)
Sell oil. Buy gold.
History Rhymes
The World According to Garp - Jonathan Irving's protagonist, T.S. Garp, summarizes the zeitgeist of his (and today's) times when he observes "life is an x-rated soap opera." Decades before the bizarre folks who populate today's so-called "reality" television shows, Irving introduced us to such characters as Roberta Muldoon, professional football's first post-career transsexual; Jenny Fields, an international feminist icon whose passing is commemorated at a violent males-prohibited funeral; and Garp himself, the writer/wrestling coach son of Jenny and a lobotomized soldier sperm donor. Key to the novel is a sense that people are rarely granted a life on their own terms, and are frequently made false icons in the value systems of others. It's worth appreciating now, as Garp observed then, that "serious" and "funny" are simply different ways of seeing the same thing.
The Caging of Tony Silva - A lifelong conservationist, a distinguished author, and an internationally acclaimed protector of endangered species, Tony Silva was sentenced to seven years in prison when the courts ruled he was actually a smuggler of rare birds, including more than a million dollars' worth of the extremely rare and beautiful hyacinth macaw. Years after his release he compared himself to Noah, claiming that he was merely trying to protect the birds from extinction. The photos of dead birds, a smuggling operations manual, and a telephone taped offering of 50 macaws for sale, all produced in evidence at his trial, told a different story. This month be careful to separate the conservationist from the con.
New York Newspaper Strike - In the late summer and through much of fall of 1978, New York City experienced a strike at its daily newspapers. Museum patronage and Sunday brunches boomed. Florists, in a world without newspaper obituaries, reported a decline in funeral-related business. People had to look at each other on subways and, as was reported in an article in Time Magazine, it became much less fun to go to the bathroom. Just some thoughts if we should ever lose the Internet for a couple of weeks...
Strange Days
August 6 - Aggressive confrontation is stamped on this day in bloody red letters. Everyone is hair-trigger anxious and nobody gets what is really going on. Avoid crowds and spur-of-the-moment thinking. Hiding out would be an excellent choice.
August 21 - Every once in a while the cosmos cuts a little slack, and being alive suddenly turns into a whole bunch of active fun. Today is likely to be one of those days. Everyone suddenly seems so darn smart and sexy and up for a good time. Very profitable power plays are also available to those determined enough to grasp the gold ring.
August 30 - Take this day very seriously and you could be off to a most worthwhile new beginning. Hard work and the settling of accounts are on tap today, but there's also a glimpse of the new road rising.
For more info, visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com.
To contact Steve directly, smw@stevenmarkweiss.com.
Overview
As I sit down to write this I'm thinking of Phil Gramm's recent comment that America has become a nation of whiners. My guess is that if you polled astrologers as to which particular zodiac sign is the "whiniest," the clear winner would be the sign of the crab, Cancer. So as America was born on July 4th, in the sign of Cancer (also Phil Gramm's sign by the way...as well as that of George W. Bush), it seems that we are only guilty of acting out the national personality type that has been cosmically allotted to us.
This August it seems a fair bet that we will continue to whine. As a Cancer himself, Phil Gramm doubtlessly knows that the whining spigot is not easily attached to a flow of clarity and noble intent. Whining comes from that murky interior place full of our shadow monsters, from the depths of which fears of poverty, pain and failure surface unbidden and makes us want our mommies.
While there is every astrological reason to expect a continuation of our national angst, August does promise to be more than a sniffle-fest. In fact, the individual American citizen may actually appear far more resolute and in touch with brain and spirit than they have for a while. People in all areas of the culture, including those most closely attached to producing and consuming, will have a penchant for knowing who they are, correctly assessing what they think and feel, and a willingness to make that one profound move or declaration that will set all other problems to rights.
Now in America, this 'one profound move' often boils down to buying a new car, terminating a spouse, or in a presidential election year committing to a candidate. A very strong Leo theme in this month's cosmic alignment would seem to make Obama, a Leo, the people's choice and focus of attention this month, but Virgo John McCain has some pretty dismal weapons at his disposal to hammer on that angst thing and he will definitely be around. The real point I'd like to make here, though, is that no matter how much personal certainty is brought to divorce court, or to buying a new car or to picking a politician, rarely is this the end of all problems.
The real danger this month is that individuals who are entirely sure of themselves will make audacious choices that involve the idealization or demonization of people and principles that have no real substance or are being bizarrely assessed. To put it a slightly different way, when someone is very sure of themselves there's often little room left for the legitimate perception of others, and the real danger here is one of self-activated victimization and shattered dreams. People may feel oddly good about themselves this month but they are likely to do a poor job of reading others, who will appropriate their own personal freedom to make large stupid mistakes and, ultimately, experience their own angst.
On a happier note the Olympics are shaping up as must-see TV. Competition should be intense and the tube should do a stellar job of taking us there. Many unexpected and diverting performances would appear to be in store...and we could certainly use the escape. (As a somewhat relevant aside, it is very interesting to note that the Olympics are slated to begin at 8 PM local China time on 8/8/08. Guess which number is considered the luckiest in the Chinese system of numerology? And why is feng shui now considered so acceptable by American business, but astrology is most often treated like a ho? Yes, I have my own issues.)
Sell oil. Buy gold.
History Rhymes
The World According to Garp - Jonathan Irving's protagonist, T.S. Garp, summarizes the zeitgeist of his (and today's) times when he observes "life is an x-rated soap opera." Decades before the bizarre folks who populate today's so-called "reality" television shows, Irving introduced us to such characters as Roberta Muldoon, professional football's first post-career transsexual; Jenny Fields, an international feminist icon whose passing is commemorated at a violent males-prohibited funeral; and Garp himself, the writer/wrestling coach son of Jenny and a lobotomized soldier sperm donor. Key to the novel is a sense that people are rarely granted a life on their own terms, and are frequently made false icons in the value systems of others. It's worth appreciating now, as Garp observed then, that "serious" and "funny" are simply different ways of seeing the same thing.
The Caging of Tony Silva - A lifelong conservationist, a distinguished author, and an internationally acclaimed protector of endangered species, Tony Silva was sentenced to seven years in prison when the courts ruled he was actually a smuggler of rare birds, including more than a million dollars' worth of the extremely rare and beautiful hyacinth macaw. Years after his release he compared himself to Noah, claiming that he was merely trying to protect the birds from extinction. The photos of dead birds, a smuggling operations manual, and a telephone taped offering of 50 macaws for sale, all produced in evidence at his trial, told a different story. This month be careful to separate the conservationist from the con.
New York Newspaper Strike - In the late summer and through much of fall of 1978, New York City experienced a strike at its daily newspapers. Museum patronage and Sunday brunches boomed. Florists, in a world without newspaper obituaries, reported a decline in funeral-related business. People had to look at each other on subways and, as was reported in an article in Time Magazine, it became much less fun to go to the bathroom. Just some thoughts if we should ever lose the Internet for a couple of weeks...
Strange Days
August 6 - Aggressive confrontation is stamped on this day in bloody red letters. Everyone is hair-trigger anxious and nobody gets what is really going on. Avoid crowds and spur-of-the-moment thinking. Hiding out would be an excellent choice.
August 21 - Every once in a while the cosmos cuts a little slack, and being alive suddenly turns into a whole bunch of active fun. Today is likely to be one of those days. Everyone suddenly seems so darn smart and sexy and up for a good time. Very profitable power plays are also available to those determined enough to grasp the gold ring.
August 30 - Take this day very seriously and you could be off to a most worthwhile new beginning. Hard work and the settling of accounts are on tap today, but there's also a glimpse of the new road rising.
For more info, visit www.stevenmarkweiss.com.
To contact Steve directly, smw@stevenmarkweiss.com.
July 2008
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: July 2008
Overview
If you've been with me here so far, or even if you're brand new, I hope that I have made it clear that I have deep reservations about fortune telling. Astrology is rich in both myth and cyclicality, and it very often seems to have an inexplicable knack for producing the right story at the right time. The relationship of these stories (even if they are grounded in actual historical events) and their past timing to what is specifically going to happen tomorrow is both complex and tenuous, however, and often seems to pertain far more to the 'energy' and/or subjective interpretation of events than to manifest particulars.
This caveat may be important this month as: 1) there seems to be the chance for an abnormally enormous inflow of energy into the affairs of mankind; and 2) the historical echoes of the time period (see 'History Rhymes' below) allow for manifestations ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime to...frankly...catastrophe. I hate having to include that last possibility, but I am superstitious enough to believe that saying it out loud will doubtless avert tragedy because obviously the chief concern of the universe is calling into question my talents as an astrologer. You're welcome.
Anyway, there seem to be three clear tiers of astro influence this month: the little picture; the big picture; and the bigger picture, as follows:
The little picture tells us that thought and emotion will be so closely aligned for most people this month that they are likely to be interchangeable. It will be easy (perhaps too easy) for people to talk about how they feel, and emotional/empathic messages of any sort have a great chance of resonating in the marketplace. The downside is that there is also a very strong indication of disconnect between these bonded thought-feelings and the true significance of the people & events upon which they are being brought to bear. Don't be afraid to judiciously detach from the 'needs' of others this month. And be very clear about any gut hunches you feel inclined to play.
The big picture has to do with the enormous energy previously alluded to and, despite the red light warning already attached here, this extra oomph may actually turn out to be a very fortunate influence. The symbolism of the forces involved here tells a story of passionate (ruthless) courage (aggression) dedicated to a large social objective. Whatever the negative outcome potential, there are even stronger indications that this is a period when real change can be made for the greater good of the world...so hopefully the politicians will have on their peace hats. Interestingly, it might have been an excellent month for the global frisson of the Olympics that will take place in August (but it will probably be a good month to market them).
The biggest picture may or may not be externalized in world events this month, but it is impossible not to catch the note of deep frustration that currently exists in the world generated by the conflict between what people want to be doing (for themselves and for others) and what they actually are doing. Pain may be the price of prosperity and progress, but many folks feel they are falling by the spiritual wayside, unheard and unfulfilled. These days the material universe seems only interested in sobriety, sacrifice, and enormous patience...and that's a trinity with which many of us unfortunately have a lot of trouble, with or without the chiding of disturbing external events.
History Rhymes
Mork & Mindy - Profoundly devoid of the relentless prurient content of modern sitcoms, the original manic persona of Robin Williams was brilliantly engaged by this show to explore the possibilities of a rational alien civilization investigating the virtually incomprehensible everyday mores of the inhabitants on planet Earth. Consider this show an HR instruction manual for this time frame (the first season premiered in 1978, is available on CD, and is well worth watching if you weren't there the first time around). If you don't have the time to do this, here's the lesson: most of us are thoughtful and good hearted, but our salient characteristic is that we are a hoot.
The Camp David Accords - The economy suffered during the Jimmy Carter administration, so his political pundit contemporaries tended to treat his presidency like a pile of rotting fruit. But during a remarkable 12 days in the summer of 1978 Carter became one of the greatest peacemakers in history when he hosted secret and successful negotiations between the leaders of Israel & Egypt at the Camp David presidential compound. Admittedly, this event has now been so spun by three decades of political pundits that even the facts, much less the interpretations of those facts, are in question. Not in question, though, is the simple astounding hopeful truth that an Arab nation and the Jewish state could negotiate, rather than fight, their way into the future.
Bhopal - This is way too much to get into right here with the solemnity and depth it deserves. Union Carbide. Toxic chemical leak. Estimates of 25,000 Indian citizens dead, and 100,000 more with devastating illnesses to this day. Really bad handling by the company of the human aftermath. It's hardly the main issue but the question here is, what was it like to go into work at Union Carbide the next day? Or the day after that?
Strange Days
July 9 - Today the universe is inviting you to accept a challenge. You must perform an important act but there will be a serious obstacle placed in your path. You will only succeed if you are capable of blending drive with discipline. Good luck. Don't hurt yourself.
July 18 - This is one of those days that the planets tell a rather coherent, if not entirely pleasant, story. The gist of it is that today you will likely have an opportunity to further your personal goals, or at least accomplish something that is pleasing to your ego. This will result in a desire to mix business with pleasure, and whatever comes of that is going to be strangely unsatisfying to you and will likely piss off a significant other. Cheers.
July 31 - Finally. You will shut out all the noise. You will act. It will work out.
For more info visit: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Overview
If you've been with me here so far, or even if you're brand new, I hope that I have made it clear that I have deep reservations about fortune telling. Astrology is rich in both myth and cyclicality, and it very often seems to have an inexplicable knack for producing the right story at the right time. The relationship of these stories (even if they are grounded in actual historical events) and their past timing to what is specifically going to happen tomorrow is both complex and tenuous, however, and often seems to pertain far more to the 'energy' and/or subjective interpretation of events than to manifest particulars.
This caveat may be important this month as: 1) there seems to be the chance for an abnormally enormous inflow of energy into the affairs of mankind; and 2) the historical echoes of the time period (see 'History Rhymes' below) allow for manifestations ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime to...frankly...catastrophe. I hate having to include that last possibility, but I am superstitious enough to believe that saying it out loud will doubtless avert tragedy because obviously the chief concern of the universe is calling into question my talents as an astrologer. You're welcome.
Anyway, there seem to be three clear tiers of astro influence this month: the little picture; the big picture; and the bigger picture, as follows:
The little picture tells us that thought and emotion will be so closely aligned for most people this month that they are likely to be interchangeable. It will be easy (perhaps too easy) for people to talk about how they feel, and emotional/empathic messages of any sort have a great chance of resonating in the marketplace. The downside is that there is also a very strong indication of disconnect between these bonded thought-feelings and the true significance of the people & events upon which they are being brought to bear. Don't be afraid to judiciously detach from the 'needs' of others this month. And be very clear about any gut hunches you feel inclined to play.
The big picture has to do with the enormous energy previously alluded to and, despite the red light warning already attached here, this extra oomph may actually turn out to be a very fortunate influence. The symbolism of the forces involved here tells a story of passionate (ruthless) courage (aggression) dedicated to a large social objective. Whatever the negative outcome potential, there are even stronger indications that this is a period when real change can be made for the greater good of the world...so hopefully the politicians will have on their peace hats. Interestingly, it might have been an excellent month for the global frisson of the Olympics that will take place in August (but it will probably be a good month to market them).
The biggest picture may or may not be externalized in world events this month, but it is impossible not to catch the note of deep frustration that currently exists in the world generated by the conflict between what people want to be doing (for themselves and for others) and what they actually are doing. Pain may be the price of prosperity and progress, but many folks feel they are falling by the spiritual wayside, unheard and unfulfilled. These days the material universe seems only interested in sobriety, sacrifice, and enormous patience...and that's a trinity with which many of us unfortunately have a lot of trouble, with or without the chiding of disturbing external events.
History Rhymes
Mork & Mindy - Profoundly devoid of the relentless prurient content of modern sitcoms, the original manic persona of Robin Williams was brilliantly engaged by this show to explore the possibilities of a rational alien civilization investigating the virtually incomprehensible everyday mores of the inhabitants on planet Earth. Consider this show an HR instruction manual for this time frame (the first season premiered in 1978, is available on CD, and is well worth watching if you weren't there the first time around). If you don't have the time to do this, here's the lesson: most of us are thoughtful and good hearted, but our salient characteristic is that we are a hoot.
The Camp David Accords - The economy suffered during the Jimmy Carter administration, so his political pundit contemporaries tended to treat his presidency like a pile of rotting fruit. But during a remarkable 12 days in the summer of 1978 Carter became one of the greatest peacemakers in history when he hosted secret and successful negotiations between the leaders of Israel & Egypt at the Camp David presidential compound. Admittedly, this event has now been so spun by three decades of political pundits that even the facts, much less the interpretations of those facts, are in question. Not in question, though, is the simple astounding hopeful truth that an Arab nation and the Jewish state could negotiate, rather than fight, their way into the future.
Bhopal - This is way too much to get into right here with the solemnity and depth it deserves. Union Carbide. Toxic chemical leak. Estimates of 25,000 Indian citizens dead, and 100,000 more with devastating illnesses to this day. Really bad handling by the company of the human aftermath. It's hardly the main issue but the question here is, what was it like to go into work at Union Carbide the next day? Or the day after that?
Strange Days
July 9 - Today the universe is inviting you to accept a challenge. You must perform an important act but there will be a serious obstacle placed in your path. You will only succeed if you are capable of blending drive with discipline. Good luck. Don't hurt yourself.
July 18 - This is one of those days that the planets tell a rather coherent, if not entirely pleasant, story. The gist of it is that today you will likely have an opportunity to further your personal goals, or at least accomplish something that is pleasing to your ego. This will result in a desire to mix business with pleasure, and whatever comes of that is going to be strangely unsatisfying to you and will likely piss off a significant other. Cheers.
July 31 - Finally. You will shut out all the noise. You will act. It will work out.
For more info visit: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Thank you, James.
This isn't the first time I've had a book published, but it is the first in the full tilt age of blogging. Net-net, there may still be a place for self-reflection, but there no longer seems to be cultural sanction for private self-reflection. So as long as you are here...
Signs of Success is about 21 days old and it's been an interesting three weeks. The big deal exposure so far has been a long feature in the New York Post by Brian Moore, and a very nice column written by Anita Bruzzese who does human resources columns for Gannett that appear in newspapers nationwide. I've been on a number of local market radio shows, mentioned in a few blogs, and flattered by the Midwest Review of Books, which called Signs of Success "an important mainstream business book."
While I have little control regarding the features positioning (so far, most are a bit apologetic for bringing up the subject of astrology), I have really enjoyed the interviews with the journalists. Chad Graham, a business writer for my hometown paper...the Arizona Republic...confessed that he had swiped a copy of the book off of a colleague's desk. After ascertaining that I had nailed the qualities of his Gemini business personality correctly, he went around reading other people their profiles.
"But you know, Steve," he said to me in totally right-on-point Gemini fashion, "I realized that the real value of this book is that you can use it to manipulate your boss."
Speaking of Gemini, the feedback that has most touched me to this point has come from an old friend who is anything but disposed towards astrological credulity. He's a career internal auditor for IBM, and when we recently payed a farewell visit to Shea Stadium, I sensed he was on the verge of outrage at my squandering talent and reputation on such a pursuit as an astrology book. A couple of days ago he called with a hint of admiration in his voice, pronouncing the book not only engaging but useful...high praise indeed.
Well, I guess that's it for right now. I haven't checked my Amazon ranking for about 45 seconds and they are probably out looking for me. Sorry about the so far deadly accuracy of the June business outlook, but astrologically there you are.
Keep those brains moving.
June 2008
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: June 2008
Overview
I guess it's a blessing that I'm not more clear-sighted when it comes to this astrology stuff. Writing last month about "tidal waves," "oceans," and crowds being "swept away," it didn't occur to me how literally this material can sometimes manifest. So, anyway, here is a prayer for the consolation of the afflicted multitudes in Myanmar and China, and a small bit of thanks for my not having any more astrological skill than is absolutely necessary.
Alas, this month...if I had any real faith in my predictive abilities...I would have to raise the strongest cautionary flag regarding the American economy. To put it plainly, people will intensely feel (yes, more than they already have) the impact of declining personal resources at the same moment traditional loan sources will deny them access to capital. While May has been (at least of this writing) a fairly sanguine period for the financial markets, June has the specter of decline attached to it...and our old nemesis, oil inflation, looks like it's going to badly bully our sense of financial wherewithal in this period.
In the midst of this solemn scenario, the cosmos does seem to be offering at least a small gift. Minds that stay purposefully busy, even with the most mundane of paper work and communications chores, will be best temperamentally prepared to be resilient in the face of the ever-so-popular "matters beyond our control." Sincere and realistic planning undertaken in this period may well meet with success down the road...bearing in mind that "down the road" is likely to be a much better occasion for action than the present.
In the broad cultural arena, be particularly sensitive to the issues of haves vs. have-nots. Demographic changes in the American working class are pointing to a group-think that does not bode wall for golden parachute CEO's who anticipate a retirement of rocking on the veranda and reflecting upon their accomplishments. Labor is looking for a strong voice, and what today may seem to be manifesting as dispassion or passive resistance may sooner-than-you-think find expression in considerable anger and activism.
History Rhymes
Love Canal - Back in the summer of 1978 it was formally acknowledged by the federal government that this working class neighborhood in Niagara Falls, NY, had been built on a decades-old seeping toxic waste dump (eventually to become the first U.S. Superfund site). Of particular note was the fact that the neighborhood school had been built upon the nastiest patch of poisoned ground and that, horrifically, 56% of the children born in the community between 1974-1978 were afflicted with birth defects. The part of the story that somehow seems relevant here is that for the longest time there was just no interest on the part of the landlord petroleum company or the jurisdictional politicians. Even when a neighborhood activist, one valiant Lois Gibbs, started to publicly campaign for some sort of redress, she was actually rebuffed by most of the community members themselves who feared for their property values! Talk about quiet desperation.
Baseball Umpires Strike - There would eventually be far longer and far more disruptive actions, but in August 1978 the Major Leage Baseball umpires staged a one-day work stoppage, the first time ever that umpires participated in an in-season strike. Is nothing sacred?
Mars Attacks! - This movie likely answers the previous question. Densely populated with Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Danny DeVito, Annette Benning, Jim Brown, Rod Steiger and even a young Natalie Portman, this campy Tim Burton 'Martians vs. Earthlings' spoof was a box office disappointment. Respectful of nothing in the contemporary American zeitgeist, from Alabama trailer parks to Texas boardrooms to Las Vegas casinos to Capitol Hill, this film appeared shortly after the intensely jingoistic, and far more popular, Independence Day. The movie is actually pretty resonant and funny at times...if you are amused by cynicism, greed and cultural torpidity.
Strange Days
June 2 & 3 - With the exception of a small amount of frustration on Monday afternoon/early evening, most people will likely greet the new work month with a fair amount of personal poise, clarity and enthusiasm. This is not likely a long-term condition, though, so appreciate the moment.
June 15 to 18 - Don't be surprised if Dad's Day finds the old man a little cranky as by now the cosmic storm clouds have probably started to roll in. This period promises blockages, breakages, territorial disputes, and actions that must be undone. Bah, humbug.
June 27 to 30 - The last Friday of the working month may feel emotionally burdensome in the aggregate, but this is a day when there may be much value in subtle and quiet perceptions that point to a better way and a better day. The weekend vibe seems generally stressful, but soldiering on will allow for a sense of refreshment and renewal on Monday afternoon in the shedding of a month that will likely not be remembered too fondly.
For more information: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve Weiss: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Overview
I guess it's a blessing that I'm not more clear-sighted when it comes to this astrology stuff. Writing last month about "tidal waves," "oceans," and crowds being "swept away," it didn't occur to me how literally this material can sometimes manifest. So, anyway, here is a prayer for the consolation of the afflicted multitudes in Myanmar and China, and a small bit of thanks for my not having any more astrological skill than is absolutely necessary.
Alas, this month...if I had any real faith in my predictive abilities...I would have to raise the strongest cautionary flag regarding the American economy. To put it plainly, people will intensely feel (yes, more than they already have) the impact of declining personal resources at the same moment traditional loan sources will deny them access to capital. While May has been (at least of this writing) a fairly sanguine period for the financial markets, June has the specter of decline attached to it...and our old nemesis, oil inflation, looks like it's going to badly bully our sense of financial wherewithal in this period.
In the midst of this solemn scenario, the cosmos does seem to be offering at least a small gift. Minds that stay purposefully busy, even with the most mundane of paper work and communications chores, will be best temperamentally prepared to be resilient in the face of the ever-so-popular "matters beyond our control." Sincere and realistic planning undertaken in this period may well meet with success down the road...bearing in mind that "down the road" is likely to be a much better occasion for action than the present.
In the broad cultural arena, be particularly sensitive to the issues of haves vs. have-nots. Demographic changes in the American working class are pointing to a group-think that does not bode wall for golden parachute CEO's who anticipate a retirement of rocking on the veranda and reflecting upon their accomplishments. Labor is looking for a strong voice, and what today may seem to be manifesting as dispassion or passive resistance may sooner-than-you-think find expression in considerable anger and activism.
History Rhymes
Love Canal - Back in the summer of 1978 it was formally acknowledged by the federal government that this working class neighborhood in Niagara Falls, NY, had been built on a decades-old seeping toxic waste dump (eventually to become the first U.S. Superfund site). Of particular note was the fact that the neighborhood school had been built upon the nastiest patch of poisoned ground and that, horrifically, 56% of the children born in the community between 1974-1978 were afflicted with birth defects. The part of the story that somehow seems relevant here is that for the longest time there was just no interest on the part of the landlord petroleum company or the jurisdictional politicians. Even when a neighborhood activist, one valiant Lois Gibbs, started to publicly campaign for some sort of redress, she was actually rebuffed by most of the community members themselves who feared for their property values! Talk about quiet desperation.
Baseball Umpires Strike - There would eventually be far longer and far more disruptive actions, but in August 1978 the Major Leage Baseball umpires staged a one-day work stoppage, the first time ever that umpires participated in an in-season strike. Is nothing sacred?
Mars Attacks! - This movie likely answers the previous question. Densely populated with Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Danny DeVito, Annette Benning, Jim Brown, Rod Steiger and even a young Natalie Portman, this campy Tim Burton 'Martians vs. Earthlings' spoof was a box office disappointment. Respectful of nothing in the contemporary American zeitgeist, from Alabama trailer parks to Texas boardrooms to Las Vegas casinos to Capitol Hill, this film appeared shortly after the intensely jingoistic, and far more popular, Independence Day. The movie is actually pretty resonant and funny at times...if you are amused by cynicism, greed and cultural torpidity.
Strange Days
June 2 & 3 - With the exception of a small amount of frustration on Monday afternoon/early evening, most people will likely greet the new work month with a fair amount of personal poise, clarity and enthusiasm. This is not likely a long-term condition, though, so appreciate the moment.
June 15 to 18 - Don't be surprised if Dad's Day finds the old man a little cranky as by now the cosmic storm clouds have probably started to roll in. This period promises blockages, breakages, territorial disputes, and actions that must be undone. Bah, humbug.
June 27 to 30 - The last Friday of the working month may feel emotionally burdensome in the aggregate, but this is a day when there may be much value in subtle and quiet perceptions that point to a better way and a better day. The weekend vibe seems generally stressful, but soldiering on will allow for a sense of refreshment and renewal on Monday afternoon in the shedding of a month that will likely not be remembered too fondly.
For more information: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve Weiss: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
May 2008
BUSINESS OUTLOOK: MAY 2008
Overview
Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.
Last month a caution was provided regarding the general untrustworthiness of communications and the aimlessness of over-thought plans. In this period, while one may expect to encounter a reasonable functionality in ordinary daily events, the collective brain is essentially being given the month off. As Guinevere suggests in the naughty Camelot tune quoted above, this May is very much likely to prove itself a month of "divine mistakes."
Now quickly, this is not entirely meant as a caution (although maybe it should be, but what the heck, tra la). In general, the planets seem to be quite fortunately aligned in this period, particularly with regard to partnerships. It's not an easy feat to balance intense emotional expression with a healthy dose of real world sobriety, but the planetary positions suggest we may just be able to pull this off in our personal spheres right now. Any close relationship entered into or refreshed with an honest heart at this time is likely to produce real psychological benefits...and maybe a few material ones as well.
Okay, that's the good news. The rest of it is not necessarily bad news. But I have to admit that the crystal ball is real, real foggy here.
What this May seems to portend is a considerably prominent event or set of circumstances that is primarily anchored in mass emotional reality. The astrological symbolism suggests such terms as "female," "mother," "family," "home," "security," "kitchen," "nurturer," and invokes a link to water, either actual (the ocean) or symbolic (oceanic consciousness). The emphasis appears to be far more on the unexpected than the tragic, but whatever it is I'm writing about here is likely to produce a tidal wave of emotion that risks sweeping away the crowd without any clear (i.e. thought out) sense of purpose or direction.
Obviously, this could be a troubling development. But remember one thing. It's May (tra la).
History Rhymes
You're The One That I Want - Close your eyes and experience it in your head. Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) are the cutest damn high school couple you've ever come across in this lifetime. And they're dancing, and singing, and they're dressed alike, and they're finally going to get it on! If you find yourself lost or searching for a deeper meaning this May, just play this song...or Franki Valli's rendition of Grease...on a loop in your head and you'll be perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist.
Jerry Maguire - I know how much you want to be cynical about this. A sports agent has an ethical dilemma that costs him his job, but the right client and the right woman bring about not only renewed riches but also spiritual enlightenment? I know this sounds lame in a column that purports to be about the business outlook...but sell this right now and you're going to make a bundle. Really, you'll have them at hello.
Jimmy Carter Visits Tobacco Country - When Jimmy Carter became president he appointed Joseph Califano as the Secretary of HEW. Califano, one may recall, was one of the greatest anti-smoking crusaders of all time, labeling smoking "public enemy number one." This was not a big hit in North Carolina, so Carter was persuaded to visit the state to mend political fences. Rhetorically, the highlight of the visit was a comment by North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture James Graham that "too much of anything will kill a person." (One insider has also commented that Carter was inadvertently assigned a staging room that had a flea infestation, so some in the crowd were primarily watching Carter during his remarks to see if he would scratch.) Keep most of your formal expectations at the Heehaw level this month and you'll be right on top of it.
((I missed it when I first wrote this outlook, but one of the key 'shadow events' of this period is former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan's "irrational exuberance" comment. Investors will remember that the global markets were badly spooked by Greenspan's late 1996 suggestion that investment assets were becoming unduly inflated. This roof-jumping concern lasted all of several trading days, after which the markets really roared into the stratosphere. And it wasn't even May.))
Strange Days
May 11 - Despite all the amazing and prescient insight you've been granted here regarding just how silly, frothy, and punctuated by craziness this month may be, today you are bound to get very serious at some point and to try to herd all the damn cats in your life at once. This is a very bad day, in an otherwise hugely tolerant month, to try to bear all the world's burdens or to attempt to force your will on the person for whom you care most.
May 17 & 18 - If you are planning to get married this month, I hope for your sake that this is the weekend. If you're not planning to get married, you should get married anyway. In all endeavors this is a wonderful time for what matters most to your heart. (To be fair, there may be a brief cranky squall early on Saturday evening...but oh the delights of making up.)
May 26 - Obviously life is never really as frivolous as I may have indicated in this particular outlook. Sometimes, though, when we are not taking ourselves so seriously, something is free in our spirits to soar to higher ground. Pay close attention to this day and you may get a glimpse of the world is...or should be...heading. Watch for that "tidal wave of emotion" here.
For more info visit: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve personally: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Overview
Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.
Last month a caution was provided regarding the general untrustworthiness of communications and the aimlessness of over-thought plans. In this period, while one may expect to encounter a reasonable functionality in ordinary daily events, the collective brain is essentially being given the month off. As Guinevere suggests in the naughty Camelot tune quoted above, this May is very much likely to prove itself a month of "divine mistakes."
Now quickly, this is not entirely meant as a caution (although maybe it should be, but what the heck, tra la). In general, the planets seem to be quite fortunately aligned in this period, particularly with regard to partnerships. It's not an easy feat to balance intense emotional expression with a healthy dose of real world sobriety, but the planetary positions suggest we may just be able to pull this off in our personal spheres right now. Any close relationship entered into or refreshed with an honest heart at this time is likely to produce real psychological benefits...and maybe a few material ones as well.
Okay, that's the good news. The rest of it is not necessarily bad news. But I have to admit that the crystal ball is real, real foggy here.
What this May seems to portend is a considerably prominent event or set of circumstances that is primarily anchored in mass emotional reality. The astrological symbolism suggests such terms as "female," "mother," "family," "home," "security," "kitchen," "nurturer," and invokes a link to water, either actual (the ocean) or symbolic (oceanic consciousness). The emphasis appears to be far more on the unexpected than the tragic, but whatever it is I'm writing about here is likely to produce a tidal wave of emotion that risks sweeping away the crowd without any clear (i.e. thought out) sense of purpose or direction.
Obviously, this could be a troubling development. But remember one thing. It's May (tra la).
History Rhymes
You're The One That I Want - Close your eyes and experience it in your head. Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John) are the cutest damn high school couple you've ever come across in this lifetime. And they're dancing, and singing, and they're dressed alike, and they're finally going to get it on! If you find yourself lost or searching for a deeper meaning this May, just play this song...or Franki Valli's rendition of Grease...on a loop in your head and you'll be perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist.
Jerry Maguire - I know how much you want to be cynical about this. A sports agent has an ethical dilemma that costs him his job, but the right client and the right woman bring about not only renewed riches but also spiritual enlightenment? I know this sounds lame in a column that purports to be about the business outlook...but sell this right now and you're going to make a bundle. Really, you'll have them at hello.
Jimmy Carter Visits Tobacco Country - When Jimmy Carter became president he appointed Joseph Califano as the Secretary of HEW. Califano, one may recall, was one of the greatest anti-smoking crusaders of all time, labeling smoking "public enemy number one." This was not a big hit in North Carolina, so Carter was persuaded to visit the state to mend political fences. Rhetorically, the highlight of the visit was a comment by North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture James Graham that "too much of anything will kill a person." (One insider has also commented that Carter was inadvertently assigned a staging room that had a flea infestation, so some in the crowd were primarily watching Carter during his remarks to see if he would scratch.) Keep most of your formal expectations at the Heehaw level this month and you'll be right on top of it.
((I missed it when I first wrote this outlook, but one of the key 'shadow events' of this period is former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan's "irrational exuberance" comment. Investors will remember that the global markets were badly spooked by Greenspan's late 1996 suggestion that investment assets were becoming unduly inflated. This roof-jumping concern lasted all of several trading days, after which the markets really roared into the stratosphere. And it wasn't even May.))
Strange Days
May 11 - Despite all the amazing and prescient insight you've been granted here regarding just how silly, frothy, and punctuated by craziness this month may be, today you are bound to get very serious at some point and to try to herd all the damn cats in your life at once. This is a very bad day, in an otherwise hugely tolerant month, to try to bear all the world's burdens or to attempt to force your will on the person for whom you care most.
May 17 & 18 - If you are planning to get married this month, I hope for your sake that this is the weekend. If you're not planning to get married, you should get married anyway. In all endeavors this is a wonderful time for what matters most to your heart. (To be fair, there may be a brief cranky squall early on Saturday evening...but oh the delights of making up.)
May 26 - Obviously life is never really as frivolous as I may have indicated in this particular outlook. Sometimes, though, when we are not taking ourselves so seriously, something is free in our spirits to soar to higher ground. Pay close attention to this day and you may get a glimpse of the world is...or should be...heading. Watch for that "tidal wave of emotion" here.
For more info visit: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve personally: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
Astrology & The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election: '52 Deja Vu?
There is a spiritual hunger in the world today - and it cannot be satisfied by better cars on longer credit terms. - Adlai E. Stevenson (1952 / Democratic Presidential Candidate)
I despise people who go to the gutter on either the right or the left and hurl rocks at those in the center. - Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952 / Republican Presidential Candidate)
Can you imagine Barack Obama uttering the first quote? What about JohnMcCain as the deliverer of the second? Neither is a stretch, is it?
A recent business event at which gifted political pundits Tucker Carlson and James Carville squared off for some lively chat about the upcoming election brought this thought to light. It was Carville, a Hillary supporter who now puts her prospects of becoming the Democratic nominee as akin to drawing to a 16 in blackjack, who noted that an Obama - McCain duel resonates with nothing so much as the Stevenson vs. Eisenhower election of 1952. Certainly there are some mammoth differences---most significantly, at the earlier election the Democrats had controlled the presidency for two straight decades---but one gets the gist of Carville's observation in the elevated populism of the highly educated Obama and the iconoclastic centrist tendencies of former military-man McCain.
True political history fans will note a number of nifty in-fighting parallels in the respective nomination processes of Stevenson/Obama and Eisenhower/McCain, but there are certainly far more compelling cultural kinship ties between 1952 and 2008. One can see the correspondences in the entropic drag of unpopular ideology-driven wars (Korea, Iraq) and in the bullying domination of 'right-thinking' political forces (McCarthyism, The Patriot Act). And surely the bogeyman of terrorist attack that is paraded before us on a daily basis today is somewhat resonant with America's first test detonation of a hydrogen bomb, 30 more times more powerful than the Hiroshima A-bomb, in November of 1952.
Quite thrillingly (if one is an astrologer) the strongest cosmic tie between the two years is to be found in the identical placement of the nodes of the moon. Now as much as I'd like to get all astro-pedantic here, suffice it to say that the moon's nodes, which astronomically have to do with orbital inclination and intersection, are an essential calculation in any horoscope cast by a reputable astrologer. These extremely powerful points are said to deal with evolutionary direction, from the south node (where we have been, what we know, and where we are most comfortable) to the north node (where we must go, what we must learn, and where we are challenged to grow).
Right now, as in 1952, the nodes are suggesting that mankind is confronted with a choice on a path between a south node Leo foundation and a north node Aquarian destiny. Without intending this to sound judgmental, one may think of Leo as representing every human endeavor that grants preeminence to personal predilection and self-satisfaction. Aquarius, the diametric opposite of Leo, is emblematic of selfless social consideration and preeminence granted to the requirements of the collective.
Now it has rarely been a smart bet to push all of one's chips onto the self-sacrificing community-mindedness square of the humanity craps table. This is especially true at an astro-historical moment that emphasizes how familiar and comfortable (south node) it feels for humanity to be selfish. When one factors in the sheer anxiety of the times, how can anyone be blamed for worrying about numero uno?
The answer in 1952 was, of course, to go on a frenzy of production and consumption and baby making...and to elect as president a retired general who history suggests would rather golf than govern (although some historians celebrate the generally laissez-faire Eisenhower for not breaking anything, including the peace). It is now fashionable to disparage the values formed with the advent of Ike's election as selfish but, dammit, everybody was war-weary, anxious, and ready for the pay-off promised by victory in WWII - The Big One. It was about time for life to provide a nice car, and a decent payment schedule, and an interstate highway system to facilitate suburban living and personal adventure.
So where do we go this time around? Does a less promising environment for economic growth force our hands? Do we have to become socially-concerned citizens because we've run out of stuff...or maybe even the desire for stuff? Is social concern where we have to go inevitably, whether we want to go there or not?
Now a truly wise person might suggest that the issue of the nodes is not a case of either/or but, rather, one of both. May we not simultaneously be wise stewards of our personal desires and our social obligations? Is the hybrid car a sort of religious object?
Anyway, the suggestion here is that McCain may be best understood as a symbolic step back towards Leo, and that Obama may be a symbolic step towards Aquarius. But don't count out Hillary just yet. As Tucker Carlson was prepared to concede, "Hillary Clinton is the toughest person who has ever lived...she's been attacked for everything since 1978 and she's still a game fighter who expects to win."
What else would you expect from a Scorpio?
For more info visit: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve personally: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com
I despise people who go to the gutter on either the right or the left and hurl rocks at those in the center. - Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952 / Republican Presidential Candidate)
Can you imagine Barack Obama uttering the first quote? What about JohnMcCain as the deliverer of the second? Neither is a stretch, is it?
A recent business event at which gifted political pundits Tucker Carlson and James Carville squared off for some lively chat about the upcoming election brought this thought to light. It was Carville, a Hillary supporter who now puts her prospects of becoming the Democratic nominee as akin to drawing to a 16 in blackjack, who noted that an Obama - McCain duel resonates with nothing so much as the Stevenson vs. Eisenhower election of 1952. Certainly there are some mammoth differences---most significantly, at the earlier election the Democrats had controlled the presidency for two straight decades---but one gets the gist of Carville's observation in the elevated populism of the highly educated Obama and the iconoclastic centrist tendencies of former military-man McCain.
True political history fans will note a number of nifty in-fighting parallels in the respective nomination processes of Stevenson/Obama and Eisenhower/McCain, but there are certainly far more compelling cultural kinship ties between 1952 and 2008. One can see the correspondences in the entropic drag of unpopular ideology-driven wars (Korea, Iraq) and in the bullying domination of 'right-thinking' political forces (McCarthyism, The Patriot Act). And surely the bogeyman of terrorist attack that is paraded before us on a daily basis today is somewhat resonant with America's first test detonation of a hydrogen bomb, 30 more times more powerful than the Hiroshima A-bomb, in November of 1952.
Quite thrillingly (if one is an astrologer) the strongest cosmic tie between the two years is to be found in the identical placement of the nodes of the moon. Now as much as I'd like to get all astro-pedantic here, suffice it to say that the moon's nodes, which astronomically have to do with orbital inclination and intersection, are an essential calculation in any horoscope cast by a reputable astrologer. These extremely powerful points are said to deal with evolutionary direction, from the south node (where we have been, what we know, and where we are most comfortable) to the north node (where we must go, what we must learn, and where we are challenged to grow).
Right now, as in 1952, the nodes are suggesting that mankind is confronted with a choice on a path between a south node Leo foundation and a north node Aquarian destiny. Without intending this to sound judgmental, one may think of Leo as representing every human endeavor that grants preeminence to personal predilection and self-satisfaction. Aquarius, the diametric opposite of Leo, is emblematic of selfless social consideration and preeminence granted to the requirements of the collective.
Now it has rarely been a smart bet to push all of one's chips onto the self-sacrificing community-mindedness square of the humanity craps table. This is especially true at an astro-historical moment that emphasizes how familiar and comfortable (south node) it feels for humanity to be selfish. When one factors in the sheer anxiety of the times, how can anyone be blamed for worrying about numero uno?
The answer in 1952 was, of course, to go on a frenzy of production and consumption and baby making...and to elect as president a retired general who history suggests would rather golf than govern (although some historians celebrate the generally laissez-faire Eisenhower for not breaking anything, including the peace). It is now fashionable to disparage the values formed with the advent of Ike's election as selfish but, dammit, everybody was war-weary, anxious, and ready for the pay-off promised by victory in WWII - The Big One. It was about time for life to provide a nice car, and a decent payment schedule, and an interstate highway system to facilitate suburban living and personal adventure.
So where do we go this time around? Does a less promising environment for economic growth force our hands? Do we have to become socially-concerned citizens because we've run out of stuff...or maybe even the desire for stuff? Is social concern where we have to go inevitably, whether we want to go there or not?
Now a truly wise person might suggest that the issue of the nodes is not a case of either/or but, rather, one of both. May we not simultaneously be wise stewards of our personal desires and our social obligations? Is the hybrid car a sort of religious object?
Anyway, the suggestion here is that McCain may be best understood as a symbolic step back towards Leo, and that Obama may be a symbolic step towards Aquarius. But don't count out Hillary just yet. As Tucker Carlson was prepared to concede, "Hillary Clinton is the toughest person who has ever lived...she's been attacked for everything since 1978 and she's still a game fighter who expects to win."
What else would you expect from a Scorpio?
For more info visit: www.stevenmarkweiss.com
To contact Steve personally: smw@stevenmarkweiss.com