From: David.Rice@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic
Subject: Mars Effect, part 1 of 2
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Sep 21 1992
Date: 26 Sep 92  17:41:50

Re: sTARBABY has a cow. Mars Effect.
 
Hello contributors and readers of the skeptic newsgroup.
 
Being a skeptical astrologer, I've followed the studies of Francoise
and Michel Gauquelin for several years (over one dozen). While I have
always classified astrology as an art form and not a science, I found
the scientifically applied methods of Michel and then Francoise to be
damn interesting, to say the least.
 
I feel they deserve a great deal of credit for their efforts, as they
have, in my mind, satisfied several requirements that must be met for a
scientific study: 1) they have explained their methodology in great
detail, 2) they have published their data samples without hesitation,
and 3) they have been open and eager for peer review. These are the
reasons I feel they deserve to be taken seriously.
 
Several years ago I had the pleasure of spending time with Mademoiselle
Gauquelin, at two I.S.A.R. conventions here in Los Angeles. She
presented several of us I.S.A.R. members with Jeffrey Dean's challenge,
whereby Mr. Dean would present a cash award for proof of astrology. Mr.
dean was very gracious to also include a smaller award for WELL THOUGHT
OUT methodologies for said proofs, which demonstrates that he
appreciates clear thought, and abhors sloppy thinking (most of the
takers of his challenge were, to say the least, befuddled and knew
nothing about what constitutes proof and falsifiability). She outlined
her latest study, which in 1985 was not yet complete: Mr. Dean, it is
my understanding, awarded her a prize for her clear, logical,
scientific, falsifiable methodology.
 
There are several concerns about the Gauquelin studies that I would
like to borrow your time here and address. I do not by any means
consider myself 100% qualified to explain in great detail how the
studies were performed, but as I have done my own studies, and looked
over the Gauquelin data, I may be able to shed a touch of light on some
of the "sTARBABY" concerns that have been brought up in this newsgroup.
 
First off, I wrote my own astrology programs specifically so that I
could perform statistical tests on data. This project kept me very
busy, and when it was finished, I was able to load a vast amount of
astronomical and astrological information into a relational database
program (in my case, R:Base System V). I also wrote tally programs,
statistical sampling programs, corrolators, and even a pattern
recognition routine (that didn't work worth crap astrological speaking,
but it made an excellent poker player!).
 
I have the astrological charts of 1,070 atomic detonations from around
the world. This was one study I put through the Gauquelin method. I
also ran 65 AIDS victim's charts.
 
The Gauquelin studies went basically like this
 
The birth certificate of anyone and everyone they could find was
collected, and charts were calculated from that data. In the original
studies, these charts were calculated by hand, and punch cards were
used to store the results. That is, if planet six fell in house two, a
hole was punched in a card six lines down and two spots over. In this
way, cards could be sorted using a wire such as a coat hanger, and the
person doing the sorting could thus come up with the count of how many
charts had planet six in house 2. Imagine how much work that must have
taken! (I still hate computers, though.)
 
Later, Neil Michelsen offered his computer services to the Gauquelins,
thus freeing them from a great deal of work, and providing a greater
degree of accuracy.
 
The each chart was divided along the diurnal cycle into 36 "sectors."
The ten degrees just above the East horizon was numbered "Sector I,"
the next ten degrees "Sector II," etc., all the way around the diurnal
cycle until we get to the ten degrees just below the east horizon,
"Sector 36." Please imagine the following diagram to be a circle (I did
my best!).
 
 
               NOON
 
        07 08 09 10 11 12
      06                 13
     05                   14
    04                     15
   03                       16
  02                         17
  01 MORNING                 18  SUNSET
  36                         19
  35                         20
   34                       21
    33                     22
     32                   23
      31                 24
        30 29 28 27 26 25
 
             MIDNIGHT
 
 
Then for each chart the planets and luminaries were placed in these 36
sectors. Each chart was also classified as to profession. For "notable"
people, their charts also included short biographies and "character
traits."

--- Maximus 2.00
Newsgroups: sci.skeptic