Orville Taylor, Contributor

Little green men are from Mars, big orange women are from Venus. I don't know who comes from Uranus but it is a weird planet. Its colour ranges from lilac to green and, finally, blue.

What is weird is that it lies on its side, and half of the time its bottom pole is turned towards the sun. It is the second thinnest planet. Given the downgrading of status of Pluto, Uranus is the second furthest planet from the sun.

I felt it necessary to study a bit of astronomy and astrology, given the Prime Minister's alleged obsession with the number seven. So, in the second paragraph, here is a secondhand understanding of the second topic.

Astronomy is science but astrology is mythology. Based on the zodiac with 12 signs, each applicable to a period running from the middle of one month to another, it attributes qualities, characteristics and life chances to one's day of birth.

It's absolute rubbish and runs against the grain of sociological experience and research. The fact is, people are not born anything. They learn to be whatever they become. That is why we tell poor people's children that they can be all that they want to be, despite their origins.

Signs and wonders

Nevertheless, according to the zodiac, Portia, who was born December 12, is Sagittarian, the Centaur. This creature is not a real animal, it is half human and half horse. Strong-willed and free-spirited, superstitious Sagittarians are difficult to tame. Interestingly, Bruce, born almost exactly two years later on December 6, 1947, is also a Sagittarian. P.J. Patterson was born on April 10, 1935. This makes him an Arian, the ram. Michael Manley was also a Sagittarian, but he was more of a village ram, and 'Eddie Blinds' was born on May 28, a Geminian like my mother. The Geminian is delicately balanced like a scale, but can be tipped any way in a wink.

My own zodiac sign is the Scorpio: dark and sneaky but fearless, quick and dangerous if provoked.

By the way, February is the second month. Those born in the month are Aquarians, the water bearer, or Pisceans, the fishes, if born late.

There is a thin line, if any, between religion and superstition. If one believes in God, then it is easy to accept the existence of duppies. Nevertheless, in a society that is 90 per cent African-originated we like to self-ridicule the 'obeahphiliacs'. Yet, we trembled with bated breath on July 7, 1977 as we awaited the catastrophe that poor Marcus Garvey supposedly prophesied.

Portia completed her first parliamentary year in 1977 and she predicts a seventh electoral victory, having won once as a parish councillor, and five times as a Member of Parliament (MP). She was an MP when the bus route X77 was introduced. Using locally built buses, it circled the entire city of Kingston and St. Andrew, before returning to town. Unlike other routes, it had few bus stops and if one wanted an unscheduled halt and shouted, "Driver!" s/he wouldn't stop at all. The mandate from his/her employers did not allow him/her to make early stops unless the spirit so directed.

Several sevens

Driver Portia is the seventh Prime Minister. Nanny (who is more myth than reality) is the seventh National Hero and only heroine. In the seventh month, Portia announced that nominations would be on the seventh day of August, with elections on the 27th.

There is much hullabaloo over the number. However, that is just a 'seven-day wonder'. Maybe she believes it, and so what? Former American President Ronald Reagan had an obeah woman. However, she was a 'psychic'. We are a superstitious people by nature. Honestly now, how often do we avoid pointing at coffins or graves, prevent the spilling of salt and keep babies from nine nights? Bet you that if Bruce could, he would put an upside-down broom in Gordon House, to make the PM leave early.

It is our penchant for myths, symbols and 'rakes' that makes us preoccupied with number games. Did you notice that we grew up buying 'peaka peow' and 'drop pan' from 'Mr. Chin,' but no Chinese is ever seen purchasing tickets?

Nonetheless, we are caught up in the numbers and it is our new form of 'ass-trology' which turns us all into donkeys. Look at this: In a popular version of drop pan, the number seven means: married woman, heaven, perfection, sweet (charismatic) and blessing. Really!

However, it also means handsome, hog and bench. Check her 'bench' seven; certainly there are persons who fit these descriptions.

Maybe this Scorpion has the mark of the beast.

Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.