to think that Astrology is utter bollochs?

[SoleSource]

Does anybody here on MN believe their daily horoscope?

I used to be fascinated by it as a teenager.

Just came across a Diana Garland video on Youtube. She is an Astrologist. My September predictions for Aries was utter poppycock.

of course it is, but it's entertaining bollocks, and probably less harmful than, for example, the X factor. (Body image, eating disorders, encouraging young people to believe 'if you want it enough it'll happen' etc. etc. etc.)

For all haters of woo - THIS is worth 11 minutes of your time, I promise.

Tis the wonderful Tim Minchin:

I do have a deep understanding of the universe. <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1280&bih=709&tbm=isch&tbnid=dD-kpspFo7u4ZM:&imgrefurl=atheistpictures.com/2010/05/reality-is-awesome/&docid=9qua2iB3PzpyPM&imgurl=atheistpictures.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/0905.jpg&w=450&h=385&ei=8Nd9UOpBoZSIAo7ugOgP&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=190&vpy=118&dur=1077&hovh=208&hovw=243&tx=102&ty=124&sig=101652942560651010940&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=182&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:18,s:0,i:123" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This kind.

There is always a bit of truth in all of this. It is an example of the Forer effect.

Some people must follow it heavily.
I used to look after 4 of old mystic megs racehorses and they weren't cheap.

Oh, FFS, claig - he was joking!

Maybe she was so "open minded" her brain fell out, eh?

I don't want an open mind, my brain might fall out...

Dammit, x-post.

Ha ha Terry I just pipped you at the post!

Fucking heck whoopsie!

17 seconds in it, Crikey

She has a whole herd of them sole

Astrolibra, astroangel and so on...

Open minded doesn't mean believing in weird stuff.

It means being able to look at the evidence, and make a rational conclusion from it, even if you had previously believed something different.

Some people who write the star signs in national newspapers may be journalists making stuff up as opposed to actual astrologers (who many would accuse of making stuff up anyway...) It's one of the jobs in journalism I always think would be quite dossy and amusing, although probably takes more creativity than I could muster to make up twelve lots of different stuff every day.

Is there a strong correlation between homeopathists and astrobolloxers?

The Tim Minchin video is just fab. Love it.

Back in the day, I was a junior reporter on a local newspaper. Originally, we bought a column from Russell Grant, but then, when times got tough, we cancelled that and the new astrologer was moi.

So, edam in many, many cases (particularly on smaller papers) you are right.

I also used to write quite a lot of letters to the editor when the postbag was particularly boring

Thank you for the link CrikeyOHare :)

You're welcome :)

And, really, everyone else - this is one YT clip that you'll love. Promise.

Oh, I used to write horoscopes, too. Mine were published in a porn mag and deliberately daft: 'Capricorn - You will be followed by small voles. Gemini: wash your hands before you go to the toilet. Scorpio - the stars predict a threesome with two gorgeous young things. Only not for you.'

Well I have to say I love all that blumph - especially Chinese and Tibetan horoscopes!

And I know homoeopathy works for me and my family - arnica anyone? - so there SGB

And I have a lovely Tarot card set, and can read them (any one fancy a three card quickie?), and I can read palms also - and am very accurate - even to the extent I can tell you if you should bother with a pension or whether life assurance would be better.

Saw Tim Minchin in the flesh the other night, singing his little Judas socks off. Now that's a natural remedy I'd be happy to take three times pd.

Me please Venus. Three card quickie.

Will I find my true forever love soon?

even to the extent I can tell you if you should bother with a pension or whether life assurance would be better

Venus, not getting all po faced or anything, 'cos I know your post was light hearted, but you wouldn't actually tell someone when you think they're going to die, would you? Tall, dark handsome stranger stuff, fine, but life expectancy?

Bold fail. Pah.

Arnica works. Double blind studies and everything. Homeopathic arnica doesn't. Placebo effect works though so your family may well feel better. Studies have shown that up to 80-90% of the effect of drugs such as morphine can be placebo effect. It is an incredible thing.

However, I want my three card quickie

My dad is an astronomer he loves being asked to read peoples sign, he really doesn't..