h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi!

I posted this article about Astrology so people will be illuminated. uhmm, well, no, because there is only a "small furry creatures from alpha centaury"-article on horoscopes, and the interactive horoscope page is rather INactve. tell me - do we need an article about the characteristics of the signs and planets, too? like, for reference or so?
http://www.h2g2.com/A464780


greetings, stellarly remote controlled earthlings!



Jule : )

Hi jule,

Just a little feedback on your astrology article.
To be honest, I don't think it can go in as it stands, because it doesn't match current Editorial policy well. Basically, it's acceptable to be amusing on everyday issues, but when it comes to any matter of belief, or strongly controversial articles, you have to be straight down-the-line even-handed, and any funny bits have to be *extremely* well-judged.

The other comment I'd make is to remember that what you're writing for is trying to be an authoritative Guide. So first of all, your facts have to be absolute and well-researched: statements like "I guess even Machiavelli used..." or "if you ask me" make it seem like you haven't checked your facts. And secondly, you need to explain outside references for readers who don't know as much about the subject as you (which, if it's to be useful, should be most of them) - so please explain more about "the horoscope of Wallenstein", or Michel Gauquelin's investigations and their results; and while we probably know who Jung and Freud are, Neil Postman is not someone I've come across.

The Guide would benefit from a place where the believers and sceptics could exchange ideas, but your article has to set the tone, neither accepting nor rubbishing, and giving genuine, accurate information. I can tell you from personal experience that a slanted article inevitably starts a flame war: much better to proceed from "rational discussion". Good luck with that.

GVI

I agree entirely with the previous poster's comments.

I think the thirteenth constellation is just a red herring thrown in by the Astronomers as a joke. They define the constellations to include a lot of empty space in between the actual stars. Some of this empty space happens to lie on the ecliptic, so technically the sun is in a thirteenth constellation.

Much more important is the fact that the earth has turned in the last 2000 years, so that the sun is not in the constellation given by all the star charts. There is about 1.5 months difference between the actual position of the sun and that given in the horoscopes. Yet this does not seem to affect the predictions at all. Should this give us an inkling that this is not a Science we are talking about here?

A suggestion: please compare http://www.h2g2.com/A344251 (Driving on Autobahns in Germany, my original version) with http://www.h2g2.com/A395372 (edited thing) to find out what the Guide wants (and what not).

Enjoy and continue!

Peer Review guidelines are worth meeting too - "enter the AXXXXX number and the name of your recommended entry into the 'Subject' line". By failing to put the number of your subjetc you've probably lost about half of the people who might otherwise comment, and, reduced the chances of getting into the guide to about a tenth.

http://www.h2g2.com/Writing-Guidelines
4. Be Instructive, Informative and Factual
9. Try to be Well-balanced

hi there!

i just stumbled over this conversation about my

misplaced journal entry



as a matter of fact, i didn't want to post it as a guide entry, because, yes, its sort of amusing. but i had read the article about horoscopes, and it is far from being informative and matter-of-factly.

so. things like "I guess even Macchiavelli..." are in it, becaue, although i have read everything by and about this person, there is no hint about astrology. it is pure guessing to write anything about his astrological habits. that's why the "i guess...".

thanx for your comments, my posting was intended to spark a discussion about discussing astrology, maybe anyone wants to start on the contents of the entry?

lots of hugs to all!

Jule

Remember - Peer Review is for potential edited entries only. I hope you've learnt your lesson!

Editorial Note: This conversation has been moved from 'Peer Review Sin Bin' to 'Astrology'.

Back to Entry - author has written 'i [sic] didn't want to post it as a guide entry, because, yes, its sort of amusing'. Enjoyable, entertaining read, too.