FEB 1 UPDATE My February forecast went online yesterday, and is now all properly linked into the FUTURES menu and site map. Looks like a month that's exciting in some respects, and peculiarly frozen in time in others. Various and sundry code changes have also been done over the past couple of days, fixing issues here and there in response to your feedback. (In particular, thank you, Rachel!) Thanks also to those of you who have been trying out AstroProMB.com, the new astrological message board. Your input and feeback is appreciated!

  
JAN 30 UPDATE Once again, I'd like to remind you that a new online astrological forum - AstroProMB.com - is now open for posting and comments. Set up and administered by my long-time friend Alan Meyers, AstroProMB.com allows easy posting and searching of messages on astrology, from people at all skill levels. (Try searching topics, keywords, people etc. at other online astrology message boards or groups, and I think you'll be quite pleased with the capabilities of AstroProMB.com.) Of course, all this capability can't really be put to use until people post messages and comments. So please do feel free to give it a try. While my own programming skills and already busy schedule mean that I cannot claim credit or responsibility for the project itself, I will check in as time allows to contribute to the exchange of astrological information as well as look for and respond to your messages.

If you’ve been watching the European Union (EU) drama lately, with its Greek tragedies, Italian comic operas and such, there’s a passage in my December forecast that probably sounds rather familiar. "keep an eye on the Jupiter-Saturn opposition lining up in the heavens again this month. It points to a political and economic crisis response, possible anytime this month but probably peaking in early January, as the Venus-Neptune alignment chimes in . . . euro, schmeuro – short the thing . . ."

Shorting the euro has been pretty good business until lately. Euros were going for just over $1.34 early in December; and then dropped to as low as $1.27 by early January. Euro-schmeuro indeed! However, tantalizing rumors of a Greek debt deal have lately tempted investors into believing that the Eurozone will recover soon, ushering in a euro/dollar recovery. Indeed, the euro recovered to just over $1.32 in late January. If you’ve missed out on the euro short, you might not wait for my December forecast target of until “it pops up much over around $1.37.” I’m planning to start shorting it again soon myself, although at this point I’m not so sure it will recover to $1.37 before dropping again. I’m looking more at a space-time target than a price target - like sometime between Monday, January 30 (when Jupiter and Saturn are aligned in opposition, with the Moon conjunct Jupiter) and February 7-9 (same major planet alignment, with some extras tossed in, including Saturn’s retrograde station). I’m looking to wait as long as possible to allow the euro/dollar to pop as much as possible. But once it starts dropping again, I don’t want to miss the move. (This is by no means a recommendation; only an outline of what I’m seeing!) More on this in my February forecast . . .

I guess everybody's back from holiday over at the FDIC, because they took down another four banks on the latest "Freaky Friday" - one each in Florida and Minnesota, and two in Tennessee. That brings the total to seven banks seized by Federal regulators year to date. (To play along at home, see the FDIC website.) All of which comes as no surprise, if you've been following my forecasts. I've been saying since 2010 to expect a slight easing of the bank failings for a time, and likewise a moderation in the unemployment rate here in the States - again, for a time. (Latest stats have the official unemployment rate down slightly to 8.5%, the lowest in more than two years - arguably moving in the right direction fairly consisently albeit weakly since then; but still considerably higher than the long term average of 5.76%.) The last round of Quantitative Easing (QE2), begun under the last Venus Max cycle, eased the pressure on banks. They can still borrow funds at roughly 0% from the Fed, and loan it to you and me at a higher interest rate. Good work if you can get it. This same factor tends to push stock shares up, which helps stimulate economic growth - including employment growth, for a time. The last Venus Max cycle having run out of steam last summer, we can look forward to the next one starting up in late March, as described in the complete version of my 2012 World Forecast Highlights. Bigger (34 8-1/2 X 11" pages, illustrated) – and I hope, better – than ever before, it's available by mail ($75) or by email in standard Adobe PDF format ($50). All the pre-paid copies went out to my clients last year, but you're welcome to get your own copy now. Orders may be phoned in (toll-free from anywhere in North America to 800-5-ASTRO-1 (800-527-8761) and charged to any major credit card. PayPal orders may be placed direct from your own PayPal account page to rnolle@astropro.com – or by using the AstroPro PayPal order page.

In closing, here's an invitation to get immediate updates (usually at least daily) on my Facebook and Twitter pages. Regulars know that Astropro gets updated at least weekly, and sometimes several times a week. Sending updates to Facebook and Twitter takes a lot less of my time - no HTML coding to worry about - so I can do it far more frequently there. If you'd like a quick take on what's happening - including what I'm doing in the markets - and it doesn't require a personal consultation, you can always find out what's on my mind (astrological and otherwise) via those two social networks. (If you missed the action and the profits on my Dow and euro shorts, share purchases etc., it's because you're not following me on Facebook and Twitter.) Please do let me know you're responding to this invitation, should you send a Facebook friend request. Thanks! I ask because I've had a few spam or phish-type requests. If you mention my website or this invitation, you qualify for a presumption of virtue. Otherwise, unless you're already a friend, a friend of a friend, or client or colleague, please don't be offended if I ask for something to put your request in context. It's really precious to have the odd bubble-headed bleach blonde offer to send pix of herself in her new undies if I friend her, but I really don't have time to go phish. (Invitations of this ilk come along at least once a week, so pardon my bemused skepticism.)

Incidentally, if you're already a Facebook friend, please let me know if you're interested in joining a Facebook Group I started earlier this year. It's called NolleAstro, and it's a free forum for astrological observations and discussions. It's also the first place I'll post my own astrological observations, including astrologically-based trades I'm making in real time. You don't have to join the group to get such info, because you'll see it if you're a Facebook friend - provided you're online often enough. The thing is, Facebook posts rapidly scroll off the screen, so you'll typically see only the last few dozen posts. If you're a member of the group however, you'll receive email notices about new posts to the NolleAstro Group; and in any event, checking in there makes it much easier to see what's new. (Incidentally, it's easy to turn off the automatic email feature or even leave the group altogether at any time if you wish: you're in control.)

Want more? You'll find lots of free astrology features at astropro, including Signs and Constellations and Precession, the Movie as well as other articles on selected astrological topics and a fair number of astrological reference tables: two hundred years worth of SuperMoons, thousands of years of major planetary cycles, a guide to astrological symbols, and much more. Plus lots of forecasts, of course. (And surprise - unlike the metaphysical mumbo-jumbo word salad and Sun Sign silliness that so often passes for astrology, this is the real thing; which is to say, first you see it here, then it shows up on CNN.

Collect notable charts and/or data? Then please do see the January Horoscopes of the Famous & Infamous, with dozens of historic and celebrity natal charts free for the downloading. (But don't dawdle, because the complimentary chart links there expire February 1st.) And for more celebrity and historic charts, please do ee the FEATURES menu, with a complete listing of all these monthly celebrity data pages: no chart freebies for the other months, but hundreds of celebrity data you can use to calculate your own.

If I've forgotten anything here, or if you haven't visited in a while, be sure to scan the updated contents page for a complete outline of everything on-site, or try the even more detailed site map. And if you're completely lost, try finding your way via the FAQ, or check in at the Help Center.

Richard Nolle, Certified Professional Astrologer consultations/orders (AmEx/Discover/MasterCard/Visa) 800-527-8761 data/fax 480-753-6261 - email rnolle@astropro.com Box 26599 - Tempe, AZ 85285-6599 - USA on the World Wide Web at www.astropro.com