Contemporary Numerology

A recent book by David von Leib (a pseudonym for Barclay von Leib), discusses Von Leib's long career as a derivatives trader.

Along the way, the author has much to say about Martin Armstrong, a market guru prominent in the 1990s, when he chaired "Princeton Economics International" and wrote a widely-followed newsletter.

For no good reason (though he appears to believe the practice gives him some legal immunity) von Leib gives to many of the figures in his memoir slightly fictionalized names. Accordingly, he refers to Martin Armstrong as Marty Amwell.

At any rate, here is a numerological process that, in von Leib's telling, led Armstrong/Amwell to some of his business-cycle hypotheses.

Marty thought that there were too many coincidences here not to view the pyramid of Giza as a mathematical treasure chest from history of some sort -- a gift from the heavens perhaps -- something left over from some ancient -- potentially alien -- civilization.

Marty also considered that the number 72 might stem from the cosmological concept of 'precession- -- alternatively known as the wobble of the earth on its axis, This wobble ever so slowly changes the point where the sun appears each day in relation to the 12 constellations of the Zodiac. The wobble specifically causes a minute one-degree shift every 72 years. ... The ever so slow processional slippage meant that each constellation on the horizon houses the sun at each solstice/equinox point for 2,160 years (360 degrees/12 zodiac signs = 30 x 72 years = 2,160 years), and all twelve of the constellations move past the four key solstices/equinoxes in a total of 25,920 years (360x 72) ... yes, a number coincidentally ever so close to the circumference of the earth in miles...Marty knew that it was time to do some computer modeling.

Wow.  Pass the doobie dude.