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July 2008

July 2008 Horoscope


Images July steamrolls us when the Sun opposes retro Jupiter. Our bon temps can become bon fires. Think about what you really want and plan out your course of action carefully lest you singe your best assets. Ouch!

If you're looking for a birthday gift for your favorite Cancer or something cuddly and romantic for yourself, please check out these gift ideas: a down comforter, a soft bath robe, a heart shaped locket, or some romantic music.

ARIES   (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)

Rams are ready to tackle anything, everything, anytime, anyplace this July. Sun and Jupiter combine forces and goad you to  upend any balancing act. If you are looking for changes, you find them. But if you are seeking a sedate interlude, avoid snap decisions and emotional responses. Patience is not only a virtue, it can now be a potent long term strategy.

TAURUS   (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)
While you envision yourself as quite the speaker, diplomacy may not be your strong suit this July. Sun and Jupiter splash your bold comments on the front page. Bulls are not the best choice of negotiators for world peace but they are the ones to watch as the month wears on. Not only do they regain their innate grace, they manage to grab power quietly..

GEMINI   (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)
Twins go for the gusto this July and why not? Sun and Jupiter turn up the heat and make you sexy and intense (for a change). Make the most of it. Will you spin out of spin control and drain into the center of depravity? Only if you are very lucky! Sometimes you need a little salt in your sugar to add that special flavor to a meal.

CANCER   (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)
Let the good times roll, especially with a certain special someone this July. Crabs will need to find ways to balance their own needs and those of partners but this can be achieved relatively easily. The secret to your bliss is to let others grab the spotlight for once while you applaud. Being a appreciative audience will have its ultimate rewards... or so it will seem.

LEO  (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)
No matter how hard you try to discern the political machinations of others, there will be something about them or the situation that you might miss in all the static. In fact you may be totally wrong. This can have a major impact in your job if you take a risk that ultimately proves to be too risky. My advice: keep your eyes open but lips tightly shut... until August.

VIRGO   (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)
Virgins find themselves surrounded by friends and on everyone's summer guest list. This is a nice (and sadly rare) situation. So garner your invitations and make merry while you can all through the month. Your task will be to find ways of harnessing your jolly times to make them as mutually enjoyable as possible. Just because you like it doesn't mean everyone does.

LIBRA   (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)
You ache to get ahead in your career but there is something that temporarily holds you back this July. Libras are impatient for the rewards that go with their hard work. But the pay off is not guaranteed. Avoid exploitation by continuing to do what you need to do to get the boss off your back and keep your eye out for other, more lucrative opportunities.

SCORPIO   (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)
Spread your oil around this July and watch how it simmers on the stove. Scorps will have to spread their goodwill over a range of different personality types. Only the most flexible and diplomatic of you will get through this phase unscathed. As for the rest, expect to step on some toes while you massage others. Let hope that you don't come into contact with any fungus.

SAGITTARIUS   (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)
Sun opposes Jupiter turns things upside down financially for you. Archers may have to face some unanticipated stress if their spending out strips their saving. Tough decisions will have to be made. Interestingy, the best summer escape is somewhere close to home, Not only will is save you travel money, it will feel more like a haven from the fiscal storm.

CAPRICORN   (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)
If you find yourself seeking status and acclaim, blame it on the Sun Jupiter opposition. Not all that glitters is gold, Cap. In fact there may be nothing more valuable than good friendship and a loyal and loving partner. Of course that won't necessarily keep you in ermine and pearls... but you never know until you check your lover’s bankbook.

AQUARIUS   (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)
You feel the need to make your mark on the world. How big of a mark is up to you. Don't be lulled into a sense of entitlement especially on the job. Aquarians risk alienating lower working castes with what will seem to be a presumptive and imperious manner. Think about how you can use cooking oil instead of elbow grease to get what you want. Charm works wonders....

PISCES   (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)
Expand your social circle into a globe this July, Fish. Not only can you find new avenues of mischief, you can also increase your platonic powerbase and launch new initiatives and showcase your ideas and talents. There is nothing like an audience to get you going... and going... and going. Get going before the bring out the large hook!
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(c) 2008 THE STARRY EYE, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Can’t get enough? Join the blog: www.thestarryeye.typepad.com Lichtenstein’s astrology book "HerScopes" is an international sensation. Buy it and feel the vibration.


Japanese Fortune Cookies?

Fortune_cookie Yasuko Nakmachi has discovered that the ubiquitous "Chinese" fortune cookie is, in fact, a Japanese invention. She made this discovery after happening upon a small, family-run bakery called Sohonke Hogyokudo, outside Kyoto, "near one of the most popular Shinto shrines in Japan. " There she watched young man make fortune cookies using a black "kata grill," held over an open flame. The grill "contained round molds into which batter is poured, something like a small waffle iron. Little pieces of paper were folded into the cookies while they were still warm."

These cookies are a "bigger and browner" than the ones you get in Chinese restaurants and they are also flavored with "sesame and miso rather than vanilla and butter. And the fortunes are not stuffed inside, but are pinched into the fold." The bakery also recycles the same 23 fortunes, unlike, say, the cookies mass-produced by Wonton Foods that might yield any of some 10,000 fortunes from their vast database. Thing is, Sohonke Hogyokudo has been making these cookies in Japan for three generations.

Exactly how this Japanese tradition became staple of American Chinese restaurants isn't clear, although some speculate that it may be because early Chinese restaurants were run by Japanese immigrants.
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Related Post: Bad Fortune Cookies
If this whets your appetite: buy La Choy Fortune cookies.
And, read "The First Book of Tasteless Fortune Cookie Fortunes" for inspiration in creating your own fortunes: buy this book.


Weekly Horoscope: June 23, 2008

Here is the horoscope for the week of June 23, 2008 as the Sun enters the sign of Cancer on the 21st:
 
How will your ambitions mold your actions? It remains to be seen now. Anything you do to get yourself well positioned will eventually lead to success. Unless that position is prone.
 
ARIES   (MARCH 21 - APRIL 20)
Rams have remarkable staying power and energy reserves this week. Make substantive additions to a major personal project and take it to the next step. Clear away family disagreements that hamper your progress. Pretend to agree if you have to.  
 
TAURUS   (APRIL 21 - MAY 21)
Anything you think or say can have global impact. Take the first giant step this week. Bulls have a tendency to lie back and wait for the world to come to them. Change your inclination and move forward before someone steps on you.
 
GEMINI   (MAY 22 - JUNE 21)
Twins find that the demands of lovers can get them into a financial bind. Refrain from using money to control relationships. Yes, it is easier than rocking the love boat but sometimes things need to capsize in order to see what is going on underneath.
 
CANCER   (JUNE 22 - JULY 23)
All eyes continue to be upon you, Crab. Capture a zen-like moment this week and don’t let the dazzle, frazzle. Things come softly down earth soon. Then you can continue forward in any personal plans and manage expectations - yours and theirs.
 
LEO   (JULY 24 - AUGUST 23)
Lions work too long and too hard for some interloper to come in, wrest control and take all the credit. Not only do you have a guardian angel, you have an intuition that leads you to where you need to be. Err.... Paris...?
 
VIRGO   (AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 23)
You find ways to dissipate your energies in a range of pastimes. Virgins can also expect a wild romance that gnaws at the sensibilities of certain friends. Enjoy every moment. There will be plenty of time to relax and recharge in a couple of weeks.
 
LIBRA   (SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23)
Libras can reach the pinnacle of their careers over the next few weeks. But will it come at the expense of your home and family life? It would be a shame to finally reach the corner office while you also turn a corner in love. Maybe money can buy love....?
 
SCORPIO   (OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22)
If you are given a chance to travel, don’t turn it down. It will offer opportunities to expand your base of power and influence. If you simply cannot get away at this time, explore other global avenues. Fish the internet and see what you catch.
 
SAGITTARIUS   (NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22)
Archers have been trying to get the attention of the powerful. Now not only can you impress, you also profit. Refrain from your tendency to be brutally honest. For now lie, subvert and cajole. Better still, say nothing and let things take their course.
 
CAPRICORN   (DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20)
Partners seem to want all the attention. Sigh. Caps have to discover incentives to keep relationships on course. For those on the prowl, find a amply stocked watering hole where you can take a dip without being washed.
 
AQUARIUS   (JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19)
Aquarians have a well developed sixth sense and saw that there was a lot going on below the surface. Work with what you now know to be true. You finally benefit from your efforts and can be in a prime position to decide what happens next.
 
PISCES   (FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20)
Independent Fish may get their fins entangled in someone's net now. Romantic possibilities can divert your attentions from any tasks at hand and offer a pleasant interlude and temporary diversion. Get involved ... very involved.
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Look at these unique astrology pendants with designs reproduced from ancient Egyptian jewelry and pharaonic symbols.
 
(c) 2008 THE STARRY EYE, LLC., All Rights Reserved. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Can’t get enough? Join the blog: www.TheStarryEye.typepad.com Lichtenstein’s astrology book "HerScopes" is an international sensation. Buy it and feel the vibration.
 
 

Westin Starwood Hotel Brain Body Fitness

I recently stayed at a Westin Starwood Hotel and was pleasantly pleased to find out that they offer a small packet of brain and body fitness exercises upon check-in. The brainbodyfitness program by WestinWORKOUT offers short mental and physical exercises designed to stimulate and rejuvenate.

Created by Dr. Gary Small (a neuroscientist and director of the UCA Memory Clinic and the Center on Aging) and physical fitness specialist David Kirsch, the check-in key packet contains both mental and physical exercises. For the morning and afternoon there are three - one to work your brain, one to renew the mind and one to work your body. For the evening there are three - one to relax your mind, one to calm your spirit and one to relax your body. Examples of each include mazes, deep breathing nd yoga exercises that are easy to do in a hotel room.

Yoga
It is a very nice "extra" that a weary traveler can appreciate.
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Learn more:
101 Workouts for Women: Everything You Need to Get a Lean, Strong and Fit Physique
The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess
Managing Your Mind: The Mental Fitness Guide


Witch Hunts in Kenya

According to the Associated Press, there are witch hunts going on in western Kenya. A large group of men roamed villages and killed 11 people who were accused of being witches and wizards who "made bright children dumb."

A local official says up to 300 young men moved from house to house, using a list of suspected witches and wizards and the kind of spells they were believed to have cast on the community. Eight women and three men — most over the age of 70 — were hunted down and killed. Another officer says the mob set 36 homes on fire and threw the victims' bodies back inside.

Deputy police spokesman Charles Owino says the mob hunted down the eight women and three men in two villages in the western Kenya district of Kisii Central. Owino says most of the victims were between 70 and 90 years old.

It is hard to imagine that in this day and age witch hunts still occur. The reasons always seem specious.

Witchhunt

The first major witch hunt occured in Switzerland in 1427 but hunts reached a fevered pitch in the mid to late 1500s. Arguably the most well known of them occured in Salem, MA in the late 1600s. Nowadays "witch hunts" take on a more generic term in that it is not relegated to witched and warlocks per se. The Joe McCarthy trials of the 1950s are also labeled as "witch hunts."
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Read more:
The Salem Witch Trials: A Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Community Under Siege
Witches and Witch-Hunts: A Global History


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