The February 2014 issue of National Geographic Kids promises to inform its adolescent readers "what their birthstone says about them."
this wouldn't be so bad if it were framed pretty differently, I don't think. they could have made an article about birthstones somewhat educational if its purpose was to introduce readers to birthstones as a phenomenon. it's pseudoscience, sure, but it also has a degree of a cultural aspect that is worth being aware of on a factual level: certain people make an exercise of associating certain traits with certain stones. instead, they dumbed it down and turned it into a personality quiz one would expect from a gossip rag. nothing against gossip rags, either, but people don't read them and Nat Geo for the same reason. full disclosure: I've never read Nat Geo or Nat Geo Kids in my life. maybe it's always like this, for all I know. I guess at least the readers will learn something about birthstones by the article inviting them to participate.
NGK is published by the National Geographic Society. They are one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. So I doubt they are hurting for money though that may be a possibility. Declan Moore, Society Executive Vice President and President of the Magazine Group, has overall responsibility for magazines at the Society. He reports to Society Chairman & CEO John M. Fahey, Jr. Is he the one that made the decision to post this? Probably not. But responsibility ultimately falls on him.