Huffpo Launches Huffpollstrology

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 02:02:59 PM EST
Tags: astrology, pollsters (all tags)

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Arianna at Huffington Post is not big on pollsters. Today the site launched a new feature, Huffpollstrology.

It will keep you up to date on the latest poll results, along with the candidates' latest horoscope predictions, the latest online political betting lines, and the latest weather forecasts for key primary states (and we know how accurate those often turn out to be!). Pollstrology is a great way to see who is hot and who is not -- and which candidates' stars say they might be lucky in voter love today.

I know the astrology part is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but I'm going to take it a step further anyway. HuffPo gives us the birthdates of the three top Dems, but we need more. We need birth times so we can examine their entire charts. We need rising signs, Moon and Venus placement, a picture of what planets are in their 10th houses. Thanks to Google, the results are below:

Here's Hillary's Chart. The astrologer who posted it includes his or her interpretation, which I haven't yet had time to read.

Here's Obama's chart, found on another astrology blog, and that writer's assessment.

Here's John Edwards' birthchart, found on yet another astrologer's blog.

This is going to be fun. Given the results of our pollsters these days, astrological analysis is probably as reliable. If you aren't an astrologer and need some tips for interpreting, here's one astrologer's suggestions.

If you'd like my takes, check back in a few days. In case I never mentioned it before, I had my own astrology business during college and law school. (I even cast an election for the Denver Mayor's race one year at the request of one of the candidates who was then our District Attorney, using a combination of his birth chart and horary astrology. I predicted he'd lose and he did -- but don't forget, I had a 50% chance of being right, just like in a coin toss.)

As for what weight to give these astrological analysis, as I wrote in a brief in McVeigh's case when arguing that forensic document (handwriting) experts are no more reliable than astrologers,

Mere training and experience is not a basis for establishing reliability. Many astrologers undergo years of training and expertise in the calculation and evaluation of natal charts, the placement and movement of planets through the twelve planetary houses of the Zodiac, and the calculation and comparison of the degree of angles made by one planet in relation to another in a chart. This discipline involves complex mathematical calculations and an understanding of the nature of the planets in the solar system as taught by a discipline that has been in existence for thousands of years. Yet, the specialized training, experience and expertise that is fundamental to the practice of astrology do not make it reliable. Nor do they elevate astrology to “knowledge”.

That said, I think Arianna's Pollstrology may be as valid a predictor of the presidential nomination as any other. And a lot more fun.

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Huffpo Launches Huffpollstrology | 6 comments (6 topical)

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Fun! (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by Klio on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 02:31:10 PM EST

My SIL is a serious astrologer. I'll forward these to her and get her take. I'll let you know what she says.

: "Serious Astrologer"..... (none / 0) (#6)
by kdog on Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 08:23:58 AM EST

Isn't that an oxymoron, like Military Intelligence?
Just kidding...:)

geez, they all (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by cpinva on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 04:16:02 PM EST

have 10 houses? wherever do they find the time to do anything other than clean?

: You forget - (none / 0) (#4)
by scribe on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 04:33:07 PM EST

they're all well-off. They have someone else do the dusting....

Right on both counts (none / 0) (#2)
by scribe on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 03:12:58 PM EST

i.e., about as valid as a poll, and a lot more entertaining.

I don't give it much credence, but won't stand in the way of anyone who does.

Further info on the birth times of the candidates (none / 0) (#5)
by Chris Brennan on Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 04:59:54 PM EST

First I just wanted to thank you for the link to my blog, and for pointing out to people that there is a more advanced type of astrology which would be much more useful in determining the outcome of the election.

I also wanted to point out that I wrote an article earlier this month in which I collected all of the known birth times for the candidates, and also pointed out some of the issues surrounding some of these birth times that are making predictions somewhat difficult at the moment: http://apotelesmatics.com/2008/01/06/astrology-of-the-2008-election-birth-data-problems/

If anyone happens to have any inside information, or has a chance to talk to one of the candidates in person, then please ask them what time they were born and let me know. We need all of the additional information we can get to confirm the times.