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Post Hoc Astrology

The Don

Penultimate Amazing
The Don
Joined
Nov 27, 2002
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I was listening to Cape Town Talk radio (MW 567) this morning and they were advertising a show this evening (which I will miss because I'll be in Pretoria). Apparently an astrologer will consider the alignment of the planets in early June 1976 and use them to predict the outcome of the struggle against apartheid.

Just one question: How could he possibly get it wrong ? It'd be like reading JFK's chart today and saying that he should avoid Dallas.

Is this a record for post hoc analysis or does someone has a cite for something being "predicted" even further in the past.
 
The Don said:
I was listening to Cape Town Talk radio (MW 567) this morning and they were advertising a show this evening (which I will miss because I'll be in Pretoria). Apparently an astrologer will consider the alignment of the planets in early June 1976 and use them to predict the outcome of the struggle against apartheid.

Just one question: How could he possibly get it wrong ? It'd be like reading JFK's chart today and saying that he should avoid Dallas.

Is this a record for post hoc analysis or does someone has a cite for something being "predicted" even further in the past.
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Good catch!

My vote would be for anything by Nostradamus. The range of post-diction stretches back several centuries.

Admittedly, he didn't make the claims, but there have been plenty of loonies who hang on his every word.
 
I guess this is the programme; on their website at the moment:
COMING UP
THE ALTERNATIVE VIEW
With Albertus van Dijk

...

On the eve of the 30th Anniversary of the Soweto Riots Mars and Saturn meet in conjunction in fiery Leo from June 16 to 18: it is a time of power games and political one-upmanship - this fiery meeting requires you to master our anger, and to acknowledge and use the passion of your life.
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I assume that Mr. van Dijk is the presenter of the programme, although his profile suggests that he might also be the astrologer:
My animals have taught me a lot about the symbolism of astrology - not to forget the great opportunity and blessing in being able to work with wounded owls, falcons and a variety of wounded animals in analysing their ‘decumbiture’ (the illness-astrology-chart) to identify illness and to facilitate healing. I have always been ahead of time - I was born 2.5 months early, so I'm a survivor and am fascinated by what makes ‘us’ tick. My dreams and life experiences by the age of 6 months made me realise there is more to life than we could ever imagine, so I had to learn the hard way from a society that does not always understand nor support those they perceive as different... my insight into dreams, and the mystery of numbers which I learnt about in 1969, and the great insight I have gained form Astrology since 1970 has made my journey on earth so much more productive and useful.
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John Jackson said:
Psychics' Post-Hoc Hits are amazingly accurate!
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This was what Bill Perron's suggested challenge protocol relied on (see commentaries for the last two weeks): he was going to show his horoscopes of a group of men to their wives, so that they would agree that they fitted.
 
Zep said:
Sounds like this guy smoked too much pot in the 60's...
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Being a white Afrikaner, it is almost certain that he also inhaled goodly doses of teargas. Though he would probably deny it, being constantly immersed in the self-serving twitter spouted by the then National Party didn't exactly fine-tune his critical thinking faculties either.

Afrikaners had their own Nostradamus. He went by the name "Siener van Rensburg" ("Siener" is Afrikaans for "he who sees," i.e. a soothsayer), and he is still considered by many Afrikaners to be the fount of just about the entirety of Afrikaner wisdom. He has predicted an array of wonderful things, especially if you happen to be an Afrikaner, and one dare not question his accuracy or reliability in many quarters.

So this Albertus van Dijk chap is a mere upstart, a minor blemish on the backside of the fine art of prophesying, a juvenile caught in the throes of his own inadequacies, entreating the planets to natter on about something long past.

'Luthon64
 
The Don said:
Is this a record for post hoc analysis or does someone has a cite for something being "predicted" even further in the past.
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I'm getting a "J"... as in James Ussher, Bishop of Armagh... and the number 4004 BC...

(Okay, not really a prediction as such, but still.)
 
Huntsman said:
*chuckle*

If you haven't, get a copy of "Good Omens", by Terry Pratchet and Niel Gaiman...excellent read, funny as h3ll. This brought back memories of the opening.
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Mmmmm Good Omens is goooooooood.
And DEATH is as cool as always.
 
Mojo quoted Van Dijk:
I have always been ahead of time - I was born 2.5 months early, so I'm a survivor and am fascinated by what makes ‘us’ tick.
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There's a nasty bit of me which is inclined to retort that the mere fact that you were born six and a half months after your parents got married does not necessarily mean you were born prematurely; at least, not in the medical sense of the term.

Well, it's not just nastiness - if he's an Afrikaner, chances are he's from Dutch Reformed (Gereformeerd) stock, and despite their Puritanical attitude with regards to premarital sex, they've been known to hold off getting married until the girl has been uncontrovertibly proven to be fertile, if you catch my drift...

Back to the actual topic.

Given that the ANC was founded on 08-Jan-1912, I guess it's a Capricorn, but sign is apartheid itself? You could argue Taurus, based on the passage of the Group Areas Act of 27-Apr-1950, but that was only of several laws which made up the apartheid system. So perphaps we should look to the 1948 election victory of the National Party--26-May-1948, making apartheid a Gemini--but wouldn't that be determining sign by date of conception rather than date of birth?
 
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uhhhh...this kind of crap annoys the jeebus out of me. God damn I wish cursing was real. @ssholes. Do anything to get their name in lights and people to pander to their nonsense. I dont know whats more annoying in this - the hunter or the victims.
 
Euromutt said:
Mojo quoted Van Dijk:There's a nasty bit of me which is inclined to retort that the mere fact that you were born six and a half months after your parents got married does not necessarily mean you were born prematurely; at least, not in the medical sense of the term.
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If I had been even nastier and not so lazy, I would have searched for the research paper that I read about a few months back, showing that prematurely born children generally tend to have a slower development curve than others...
 
From his info page:
What is the most important thing in life?
Honesty
Do you have any rituals or superstitions when going on air?
No, I'm not superstitious - however I like sitting in a clean chair that does not reflect the vibrations of others
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Euromutt said:
Well, it's not just nastiness - if he's an Afrikaner, chances are he's from Dutch Reformed (Gereformeerd) stock, and despite their Puritanical attitude with regards to premarital sex, they've been known to hold off getting married until the girl has been uncontrovertibly proven to be fertile, if you catch my drift...
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Reminds me of the joke about the Afrikaner who wanted to get married to a girl from one of the neighbouring farms. Pa was quite approving of the idea, until he heard that the girl was a virgin, and told his son that a marriage was out of the question.
"But why, Pa?" pleaded his son.
"Well, Dirk" said his father, "If the girl isn't good enough for her own family, she's definitely not good enough for ours!"
 
Euromutt said:
...Given that the ANC was founded on 08-Jan-1912, I guess it's a Capricorn, but sign is apartheid itself? You could argue Taurus, based on the passage of the Group Areas Act of 27-Apr-1950, but that was only of several laws which made up the apartheid system. So perphaps we should look to the 1948 election victory of the National Party--26-May-1948, making apartheid a Gemini--but wouldn't that be determining sign by date of conception rather than date of birth?
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Stupid question... Are the constellations that are called "Capricorn", "Taurus" and "Gemini" actually visible in the sky above South Africa? Much less how would they have any effect?

I would love to see if an astrologer can even locate those constellations.
 
Hydrogen Cyanide said:
Are the constellations that are called "Capricorn", "Taurus" and "Gemini" actually visible in the sky above South Africa?
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In the early evenings in June (winter), no, no and no respectively. In the early evenings in December (summer), yes, yes and yes, respectively (unfortunately the skymap for December 2005 - "esms0512.pdf" - is no longer available at that site). Gemini and Taurus are visible to the North-East, while Capricorn is seen slightly South of West.


Hydrogen Cyanide said:
Much less how would they have any effect?
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That little detail has never prevented any astrologers from continuing to practise their craft.


Hydrogen Cyanide said:
I would love to see if an astrologer can even locate those constellations.
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There are computer simulations available for calculating the positions of various celestial objects. Some of these are adapted specifically for astrological purposes. Much like astrologers' prognostications, actual observations are superfluous. All that is required is a silver tongue.

'Luthon64
 
Anacoluthon64 said:
In the early evenings in June (winter), no, no and no respectively. In the early evenings in December (summer), yes, yes and yes, respectively (unfortunately the skymap for December 2005 - "esms0512.pdf" - is no longer available at that site). Gemini and Taurus are visible to the North-East, while Capricorn is seen slightly South of West.
...
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Thanks, I look at those links later. But I've been fairly curious about that (especially since the premise of astrology is almost as rediculous as homeopathy!).

ETA: I do not permission to access those maps. I guess I'll find something similar.
 
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