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
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