August 9, 2017

Raw Data: Astrology in Europe

This is apropos of nothing except that (a) I really don’t want to write about nuclear war with North Korea, and (b) Ross Douthat happened to point to it as part of an argument that other countries are stupid too. Anyway, here are the results of a 2011 study about the beliefs of Europeans:

Apparently 43 percent of Europeans think astrology is pretty scientific, though only 14 percent think horoscopes are pretty scientific. Astrology handily beats out economics, which some people—*cough* Paul Romer *cough*—would consider a pretty sophisticated take on modern macro. And in a huge upset, medicine beat out physics.

Also: Finland had the least belief in astrology as scientific. They also invented Linux and the Molotov cocktail. Pretty pragmatic, those Finns.

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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