The 4th of July is nearly upon us, and this All-American holiday gives us a good opportunity to discuss patriotism in marketing. Before the 9/11 attacks, the majority of people thought it corny and old-fashioned to fly the flag any day, let alone on the 4th. I was one of those people. Today flags fly proudly everywhere (my house included) and stir the hearts of buyers of all ages.

But don’t think that patriotism is something to be trifled with… to be put into an advertising campaign and not supported by action. Patriotism stirs the soul and fires the blood… it inspires daring actions and heated debates… it holds a place in every consumer’s heart that won’t be bought or sold. And being such a cynical, seen-it-all bunch, we can spot a false flag waiver a mile away.

Before you dismiss the online playground as a haunt for techies and college kids, you should know that a reported 80,000 small businesses now have a page on Facebook. This week, Visa teamed up with the dark horse of social networking sites to make a remarkable offer to U.S. based small business owners. Facebook will play host to a Visa run program known as Visa Business Network in the hopes of helping member small businesses connect with each other while showing them the value of advertising on the site.

The Visa Business Network is intended to provide small businesses a place to talk — a place with tools and tips on winning new customers, cutting costs and other suggestions for increasing income. Member business will be able to talk directly to each other — share resources or work out deals.

It’s galling to true astrologers that the science to which they dedicate their efforts is so universally maligned. Our modern, tecnno-savvy, gadget-driven world has no place for anything so vague and unproven… no tolerance for those who might think otherwise. It wasn’t all that long ago that Nancy Reagan was widely ridiculed for using an astrologer to plan the Presidential schedule.

Over the centuries, astrology’s popularity has waxed and waned, based mostly on the success (or lack of it) of its predictions. Daily astrology columns, 800 numbers and tele-psychics have ruined the once honored reputation of this age old practice. Modern astrology disavows the notion of hard and fast predictions, guarantees of success or assured romantic compatibility… though that’s not what people want to hear, or believe.