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Essentially Irrational. Astrology 14 is not exactly moving either heaven or earth within the trade. Established astrologers like Carroll Righter, who built reputations and fortunes on a 12-sign system, dismiss Schmidt's theories as "meaningless." U.S.C. Astronomy Professor Gibson Reaves points out that "astrology is essentially irrational, and to try to give it such a rational, scientific explanation would spoil it for most people, anyway." Buffs like Clark Stillman, salesman at a Greenwich Village occult bookstore, complain that Schmidt doesn't ascribe any "elements" (air, water, fire, etc.) to his new signs or enhance them "for esoteric value" with much mythology. Actually, Schmidt borrows some myths from the Encyclopaedia Britannica, both on Cetus (a monster sent by Neptune to devour Andromeda) and on Ophiuchus (either a king killing a dragon, Heracles killing a serpent, or a physician curing snakebites). "Anyway," Stillman insists, "according to Schmidt, I'm an Aquarius. But I don't feel it or act it. Therefore, I'm not."