Column: Did you read your horoscope today?
'Because the moon is sitting in the sign opposite yours, you'll have to go more than halfway when dealing with others. This is no big deal. It simply means you have to make an effort to be accommodating and cooperative. Smile.'
Well, seems OK, but Magi Helena, what about you?
'Morning doubts should fade, replaced by a surge of optimism and confidence. Use this momentum for presentations to decision-makers.'
These two women are astrologers who write daily columns for, respectively, the Sun-Times and Tribune. Helena comes to you via the Tribune Content Agency, which syndicates her columns to many papers and touts her as 'An astrology pioneer (and) author of two books: 'Build Your Dream Life,' and 'How To Sing the Uni-Verse,' and is currently at work on her third book, 'Astro-Goddesses.''
Newspaper horoscopes are read by more people than you might imagine, millions of you. Even as the number of newspapers has diminished, horoscopes remain a popular offering, much like such non-news items as games, crosswords and comics. There are also, it should come as no surprise, dozens of magazines and websites in the horoscope and astrology business.
Horoscopes are based on the ancient practice of astrology, positing that information about human affairs and Earthly events may be discerned by studying the positions of celestial objects. This study of celestial bodies and their alignment with human behavior has intrigued civilizations for centuries.
Based on that, horoscopes outline opportunities and challenges one may face based on one's zodiac sign, which is determined by one's date of birth. I'm a Virgo, and one website tells me that means, among many things, I am loyal, analytical, kind, hardworking, practical, shy and overly critical of myself and others, and that I like animals and books. I can live with that.
Though astrology has ancient roots, horoscopes did not enter wide public consciousness until about 100 years ago. Some experts point to a 1916 horoscope of then-President Woodrow Wilson that appeared in the Boston Sunday Post for sparking the popularity. Soon, daily horoscopes began to appear in papers across the country, offering information to people born on a specific day, often with additional reading directed toward the general public.
Many other experts credit the widespread popularity to a man named R.H. Naylor, a London astrologer who wrote a 1930 column headlined 'What the Stars Foretell for the New Princess' in London's Sunday Express for the newborn Princess Margaret's birth horoscope. He soon began writing a recurring feature called 'What the Stars Foretell.'
In the United States, a daily horoscope began running in the Washington Post in the 1920s and into the 1940s. During those decades of deprivation and war, newspaper horoscopes offered for many some words of hope. Hundreds of newspapers ran daily columns and so did many women's magazines.
As the newspaper industry has been battered over the last decades, still horoscopes remain popular, and polls consistently show that.
A 2024 report by the Pew Research Center showed that younger adults, in particular younger women, are more likely to consult astrology or horoscopes. Some 43% of women and 20% of men ages 18 to 49 say they believe in astrology, compared with 27% of women and 16% of men ages 50 and older. It's possible that has got something to do with the proliferation of social media platforms, some of which have created communities of individuals interested in discussing astrological topics.
No question, horoscopes are here to stay. As to why, theories abound.
Here are some: that reading horoscopes are useful for meditating on your day; that they appear to be so personal that it is as if someone is talking directly to a reader about their life; they allow people a moment of self-reflection; act as a kind of mirror, reflecting back to readers their hopes, wishes and fears; engaging with daily horoscopes can become a source of inspiration, fostering greater awareness and proactive strategies for navigating the complexities of daily life.
I have a friend who tells me he started consulting horoscopes — he's a Cancer — when sports gambling was legalized in Illinois. My attitude? It's his money.
To me, horoscopes seem pretty harmless. Still, there have always been skeptics. When it was learned that then first lady Nancy Reagan and her astrologer helped shape her husband's schedule based on the location of various planets and constellations, a Tribune editorial at the time described her reliance on astrology as an 'ignorant superstition.' Still, each day in the paper, there was a syndicated horoscope column. And it remains to this day.
So, yesterday I read what Georgia Nicols and Magi Helena had to say. I may do that again this morning, but after that I'll stick with another person. He wasn't an astrologer, and I'm sure he had no idea what a horoscope was. But he had this to say, 'The fault … is not in our stars, but in ourselves.' William Shakespeare was his name. He was born in April 1564, precise date uncertain, which means he could have been an Aries or a Taurus, for what that's worth.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Daily Horoscope for July 18, 2025
General Daily Insight for July 18, 2025 There's no need to rush. Intellectual Mercury enters its retrograde period in bold Leo at 12:45 am EDT, which can create some havoc when it comes to expressing ourselves, having a clear perspective, and understanding our egos. That's in addition to the usual technological and travel struggles! Luna slips into stable Taurus, helping us ride the waves of unpredictability with steady hearts. Finally, Mercury works with balanced Venus to identify where we should be logical and where we should be compassionate. Strike the right balance. Aries March 21 – April 19 Where to take a risk, and where to play it safe? This is the question that the universe is asking you — and one that you might continue asking throughout Mercury's retrograde period. Even if people bring you countless opportunities that sound great, you ought to do your research before committing to anything. Now is the time to vet plans and determine whether or not they'll work for you, not to commit to them. If it's meant to be, it will still be there later. Taurus April 20 – May 20 You may be balancing your feelings with the emotions of your loved ones. You could find that you've been bending over backward to make someone else happy, or, conversely, that you have been taking more than you have been giving when it comes to fulfilling your personal happiness. Make a point of recognizing where this balance is askew in your life at present, but don't worry, it's likely to make itself pretty evident today. Don't look away from what it's showing you. Gemini May 21 – June 20 You may want to share some news, but something is telling you to keep it a secret. It's important to recognize where you are in the process of this matter. If you have gotten to the final stage, then you might be able to share it with no consequence, but if you're still halfway through making it happen, at least consider the benefits of keeping things under wraps. When your news is delicate, treat it with the gentleness it deserves. Cancer June 21 – July 22 Who you are versus who you want to be is today's emerging theme. You may be trying to get to a stage in life where you embody your ideal self, and it's essential to recognize how you're making this happen. Maybe you'll have to spend money in order to speed up the process, or perhaps you're pushing yourself day and night to achieve your goals. Just remember that you're only one person! Steady progress is better than burning bright and then burning out. Leo July 23 – August 22 How you want others to perceive you may not line up with what they see. You might want to control the narrative around you, but the more that you strive to take charge, the more that you may end up resembling the opposite end of the scale from what you want to look like. Remind yourself that you can only control your own actions — you cannot control how other people see you. Let go of the judgment of others when you're looking at yourself. Virgo August 23 – September 22 It might be better not to say the first thing that comes to mind. You could be trying to support someone else, but they may not be seeking the advice that you have to give. Make an effort to be aware of who wants further instructions on how to make things better and who simply wants a listening ear. If they don't specifically ask for advice, avoid sharing too much of it. Actions will likely be more appreciated than words. Libra September 23 – October 22 What's the truth? Telling everyone that you feel one way when you actually don't might be causing some tangles in your conscience. You may feel as though you need to go with the crowd to be accepted, and this desire to fit in risks pushing you to let go of parts of yourself that you care about. You don't have to completely conform to make lasting connections, because our differences are what make us beautiful. Love yourself enough to be a little different. Scorpio October 23 – November 21 You might be attempting to make others happy at the cost of your own contentment. You may be on a track in life that's leading you to receive praise from other people, but when it comes to how you're feeling inside, you're not where you want to be. This can be a very difficult place to maneuver, but you don't want to keep living for outside approval. At the end of the day, you're the one that has to live with your choices. Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 You're learning a better way to understand yourself. You may have always dealt with your feelings in a lighthearted or logical way, trying to make a joke of it or figure out what the root of the problem is. While these are both ways to cope with the problem, they probably aren't the best way to truly feel the problem and allow it to move through you. Once you have allowed yourself to feel your feelings without scrutinizing them, they should be easier to handle. Capricorn December 22 – January 19 You might be wrestling with your impulses. One side of you could be egging you on to leap without looking, while the other side is telling you that it's a bad idea to go in without a plan. The truth is, you may need a loose plan to go into this matter and succeed, but there will be a level of uncertainty for which you cannot completely plan ahead. Make a plan, but keep it flexible and stay on your toes. Aquarius January 20 – February 18 Be kind to yourself. You may find that the kinder you are to yourself, the kinder you are to others in turn. You may have been holding yourself to such a high standard that you ended up isolating yourself from others who can't rise to your level. Rather than impressing others and feeling fulfilled, you might be tired and lonely. Give yourself a little bit of grace! You don't have to be achieving every single moment of the day. Spend some time smelling the roses. Pisces February 19 – March 20 Sharing your needs can deepen your bonds. You may notice that the people around you want to help you, and in turn, that they need help that you can provide. There needs to be a conversation about such needs to understand how to approach them. Without good communication, you're unlikely to realize that you can share each other's loads and make everything lighter for each other. The sooner that you let others know what's going on with you, the sooner they may do the same.
USA Today
6 hours ago
- USA Today
Who is Andy Byron, the Astronomer CEO caught at Coldplay concert?
It's the video you're all buzzing about on Thursday: a camera caught a man and a woman locked in an embrace at Wednesday's Coldplay show in Foxborough, when the pair suddenly turn away from the lens or duck out of the way. Coldplay lead singer surmised on a mic that "they're having an affair or they're just very shy." And now, there's a big focus on exactly who those two people are, which tends to happen on the internet. The man appears to be CEO Andy Byron of a company called Astronomer. The woman? Appears to be Kristin Cabot, Astronomer's Chief People Officer. Let's focus on Byron, because everyone's wondering who he is. Who is Andy Byron, the Astronomer CEO? Per his LinkedIn page, he's a Providence College grad who has worked for various tech companies over the years. He's been CEO at Astronomer since July 2023. Who is Andy Byron's wife? There's a lot of speculation here about what exactly Byron and Cabot were doing in that Coldplay video, so we'll leave it at this: he is reportedly married, but his wife has apparently deleted her Facebook page after it was flooded with comments. What is Astronomer? Per their site: "Astro, the orchestration-first DataOps platform built on Apache Airflow®, empowers your team to build, run, and observe data pipelines that just work, all from one place." Translation: seems like they help with operations with cloud computing and data. I honestly can't tell if I'm right, but that's what I'm getting from all that. Has Andy Byron spoken out about the Coldplay video incident? Not as of publishing this.
Chicago Tribune
6 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Vintage Chicago Tribune: 6 activities people used to do in the city during the summer
There are activities we can't wait to experience here each summer — catching a concert in a park; watching Buckingham Fountain's majestic water display explode 150 feet into the air; taking a dip to cool off in Lake Michigan; swaying with thousands of others to the sounds of the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field; or just playing tourist in our hometown. Yet Chicagoans of another era had their own ways of celebrating warm weather that we just don't do today. Here's a look back at six of them. The first match in the sport of kings took place in Chicago, according to the U.S. Polo Association, at Lincoln Park in October 1879. 'For the benefit of the ignorant, polo may be described as shinney (pick-up game of hockey) on horseback, or, rather, ponyback,' the Tribune reported at the time. Onwentsia Club in Lake Forest, which fielded its first polo team in 1896, hosted an epic championship series that pitted the best players in the United States — one team from the East Coast and the other from the West — against each other in August 1933. The best-of-three tourney with spectator seating for 20,000 people was the brainchild of Chicago Blackhawks team founder and U.S. Polo Association executive committee member Maj. Frederic McLaughlin. West won the national championship 12-6. A smaller, faster form of the game called arena polo was played indoors for years at the Chicago Avenue Armory. Oak Brook Polo Club, which was founded by Paul Butler in 1922, and closed earlier this year, is considered one of the oldest of its kind in the U.S. It hosted the U.S. Open Polo Championship for 24 seasons. Prince (now King) Charles was part of a memorable match there on Sept. 5, 1986, when he and England's star player Andrew Seavill were both laid out on the ground after a collision. After a five-minute pause, both the player and the prince appeared to be OK. 'I liked the part when he fell, the best,' said Chicago-based political satirist Aaron Freeman. 'It's not often you see people who won the genetic lottery embarrassing themselves in public.' Before highways were plentiful and car ownership was common, Chicagoans headed to the city's docks to board steamships destined for Milwaukee; Mackinac Island, Michigan; or a variety of other lakeside communities. One such ship was the SS Eastland, which was chartered by Western Electric Co. on July 24, 1915, to transport about 2,500 employees and their families across Lake Michigan to a company picnic at 'the Coney Island of the Midwest' Michigan City, Indiana. Rare Eastland disaster photos discovered in Tribune basementAs people boarded the ship that morning at the Chicago River between LaSalle Drive and Clark Street, however, the Eastland began to list to its side. The ship overturned and within minutes 844 people — including 22 entire families and four members of the Eastland's crew — were dead. Chicago Bears owner George Halas was supposed to be aboard the ship. It was the deadliest day ever in Chicago and the greatest peacetime inland waterways disaster in American history. Several hundred performers — including Goliath the sea elephant — arrived in August 1931, to perform as part of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which became a fixture of summer in Soldier Field's parking lot for decades. Successive open-air 'floating hospitals' in Lincoln Park were built between the 1870s and the 1900s and offered excursions from the piers on Lake Michigan. In 1914, the Chicago Daily News offered to fund a more permanent sanitarium building. Opened in 1921, the impressive Prairie-style structure was one of several Lincoln Park buildings designed by Dwight H. Perkins of the firm Perkins, Fellows, and Hamilton. Perkins, an important Chicago social reformer and Prairie School architect, designed buildings including Café Brauer, the Lion House in the Lincoln Park Zoo and the North Pond Cafe. Vintage Chicago Tribune: Unexpected finds in Chicago parksThe impressive Chicago Daily News Fresh Air Sanitarium building was constructed in brick with a steel arched pavilion with 250 basket baby cribs, nurseries and rooms for older children. The breezes through the shelter were believed to cure babies suffering from tuberculosis and other diseases. Free health services, milk and lunches were provided to more than 30,000 children each summer until 1939, when the sanitarium closed. Major reconstruction of Lake Shore Drive led to the demolition of the building's front entrance. During World War II, the structure became an official recreation center for the United Service Organization. The Chicago Park District converted the building to Theatre on the Lake in the early 1950s. Today it's a lakefront restaurant and venue that hosts concerts and theater events. The rodeo originated in the Southwest as a way for ranchers to celebrate the annual cattle roundup. Promoters brought it to Chicago and other northern cites to capitalize on Americans' nostalgic fascination with the Wild West. From 1925 to 1929, Tex Austin presented rodeos first at Soldier Field and then indoors at Chicago Stadium — though rodeo competitions didn't end in Chicago after Austin's contest packed up and left for good. In 1927, Soldier Field hosted World Championship Rodeo. The sights and thrills of Austin's rodeos had a wide appeal. Women were half of the 35,000 spectators in Soldier Field on the opening day of the 1925 rodeo, the Tribune's society columnist reported. 'The shouts of approval that hit against the sides of the Field Museum and bounced back again were just as soprano as they were deep bass.' Rodeo competition also was open to women as well as Black people and Native Americans, when other professional sports were segregated or off-limits to them. Austin carried the rodeo far afield. He mounted shows in Madison Square Garden, Hollywood and London. His promotions went belly up in the Great Depression, and he opened a restaurant in Santa Fe. But going blind in 1938, he committed suicide. He left a note asking his wife's forgiveness and, on their coach, a stack of photographs of his rodeo days, a time when 'he appeared every inch at home.' Starting 75 years before Lollapalooza took up residence in Grant Park, the Chicagoland Music Festival claimed gaudy attendance numbers at the annual Soldier Field events, figures no longer possible in the renovated stadium. Like the College All-Star Game, Golden Gloves boxing, the Silver Skates Derby and numerous other events, including airplane and horse races, fashion and kite-flying shows, bowling tournaments and wrestling matches, the music festival was organized and sponsored by the Chicago Tribune. The newspaper wasn't shy about promoting its own events in its news pages — especially once longtime publisher Col. Robert McCormick took a liking to it. It's hard to say how much the Tribune's glowing coverage helped the festival thrive, but even accounting for some exaggeration and boosterism, and assuming the reporter was ordered to don his rose-colored glasses, that first Chicagoland Music Festival was a spectacle. Unlike most events, the Chicagoland Music Festival didn't start small and grow. It started big and became huge. About 150,000 — with thousands more unable to get in the stadium — watched the inaugural show Aug. 23, 1930. There were so many people, in fact, that spectators sitting on the sidelines impeded the drum corps' movements. The thrill — and the showmanship — started with the public address announcement: 'You are sitting now in the glow of 392,000 watts of light, and in order that you may have a standard of comparison, I will add that that is three times as large a volume of light as at any baseball game that ever was played at night. Friends, it is the greatest artificial illumination of a single arena in the world's history.' To which the Tribune reported: 'The people rapturously applaud these words. They are rising to the fact that they have come to a big show.' Before that first night was out, the crowd saw 21 marching bands and 16 drum corps, which entered the arena in one bombastic burst. They heard the festival band play the John Philip Sousa marches 'The Washington Post,' 'Stars and Stripes Forever' and 'U.S. Field Artillery.' Another highlight of the night was a 1,000-member African American choir singing the spiritual 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.' The climax of that first evening was the 'Hallelujah' chorus from Handel's 'Messiah,' performed by a combined 3,000-voice choir. While numerous famous singers and musicians played at the festival over the decades, including Louis Armstrong, Frankie Avalon and Mahalia Jackson, for many Chicagoans and their beaming parents, the highlight of the show was no doubt their own children. Thanks for reading!
