Year of the Tiger may fall on Valentine’s Day, but don’t expect a lovefest.
In the U.S., an alignment of Eastern and Western calendars has made for a packed three-day weekend. Both Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day may call for a dual celebration in shades of red and pink, but searchers on the prowl for “chinese new year predictions” on Yahoo! have been finding that the coming year may not provide the best mood for hookups–at least, depending on which prognosticator you listen to.
It’s not all bad: Under a tiger reign, a reversal of financial fortunes could come to a lot of businesses that have taken a pounding during the recession. Take a spin on the 
wheel and see what may be in store…
Animal Instincts
Similar in concept to the Western zodiac’s 12 signs, 12 animals define the Chinese astrology chart. Not all the critters get along (no surprise), and some will undergo setbacks under a tiger reign–even those born under the tiger sign themselves. Monkeys and tigers (who are opposite on the astrology chart) are both advised against attending funerals and weddings.
Who’ll get a pass from the feline? People born in the year of the pig, snake, rooster and goat.
Love Disconnections
Nuptials aren’t a good idea in the upcoming days, at least not in Beijing. Thanks to a disconnect between solar and lunar calendars, the Year of the Tiger apparently doesn’t have a spring: No spring makes this a “widow year,” which portends infertility–and explains the last-minute rush of newlyweds in China before the New Year kicked in.
Not all forecasters are in agreement: A Brunei article claims the marital waters are fine, and babes born this year will be luckier than the rest of the pack. Another master is calling this an “awakening year” and a good time to start new ventures, from weddings to renovations. The takeaway? All we can say is, if you’re going to commit, you better feel pretty darn sure about it.
Accident Prone
Complicated Chinese astrology isn’t just about animals–there are also natural elements that come more into play. This time, the key elements are metal, wood, thunder, and fire, which can portend international conflicts. Time to check your automobile and home-insurance plans: When the tiger prowls, traffic accidents go up. One Canadian soothsayer predicts natural disasters in the South Pacific and California, the latter in mid-2010.
On the upside, cooperation will emerge, and people will try to take on bullies and help each other out. If you have a tiger at your tail, it’s time to team up.
Money boost
Ben Bernanke and other financial prognosticators already said last year that the recession is over. Adding to those voices are fortunetellers who say “optimism and a speculative mentality” will boost the stock market a bit. Looking to invest? In reading the delicate and ever-shifting balance among the five elements that comprise the universe, a Metal Tiger Year should result in a pickup in businesses involved in energy, construction, steel, banking, machinery, high tech, and cars.
Under Tiger Attack?
Strained times are ahead for the U.S. president: Barack Obama is an ox man, and the Year of the Ox coincided with his freshman year. One prediction calls for him to “shine with flying colors,” while another sees “a bloody hard time”–but if he survives a trial by tiger, his remaining term will be a breeze.
His days, though, won’t be as bad as those for monkey men like U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Toyota president Akio Toyoda… and as recent recalls show, Toyoda’s bad luck has already started.
Given his recent travails, the question is inevitable: What does the Year of the Tiger have in store for Tiger Woods? Things are looking a bit grim for Woods (born in the Year of the Rabbit, by the way). One soothsayer declares his “long-term fortune is on the decline.” Maybe now’s a good time for a Tiger to lie low.
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