Canadian Scientists Gagged by Harper

[FluffyMcDeath]

This is appalling. Our PM, Stephen Hitler, is working on information control on a truly scary scale. Not only is he setting up a Fox News North propaganda unit modeled on the US version.

He is also clamping down on what scientists working for the government can say to reporters.

And apparently it's not just climate science and oil-sands science that's getting the treatment - but a scientist who worked on a large flood that occurred at the end of the last ice-age. I can see how that might be a political issue for Stephen Hitler and his cronies since, as far as they are concerned, this event predates the creation of the earth.

 

[Fade]

McDeath ranted
"This is appalling. Our PM, Stephen Hitler, is working on information control on a truly scary scale. Not only is he setting up a Fox News North propaganda unit modeled on the US version."




From the article
Quote
"I think that there are those who say they won't like it and they are not going to watch it. This is a democracy and that is fine," he said. "There are others who are saying 'I don't like this and my neighbor shouldn't be allowed to watch it'.
---------------------------

You sound like you belong to the 2nd group Fluffy.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

From the article
Quote
"I think that there are those who say they won't like it and they are not going to watch it. This is a democracy and that is fine," he said. "There are others who are saying 'I don't like this and my neighbor shouldn't be allowed to watch it'.
---------------------------

You sound like you belong to the 2nd group Fluffy.

Oh, you're talking about the first article. Right? Because in regards to the second article I am clearly saying the opposite.

As to watching Fox News North, I think it's probably OK to let people watch it but we shouldn't let those people vote or do anything else that requires good decision making and information. Fox News does NOT engender mental competence. In fact it is pure propaganda driven by Rupert Murdoch's political ideals and is the source of his power and what allows him to largely pick people's politicians for them.

 

[Glaucus]

Unreal. I still can't believe people vote for this maglomaniac. He makes me mad.

 

[Robert]

McDeath ranted
"This is appalling. Our PM, Stephen Hitler, is working on information control on a truly scary scale. Not only is he setting up a Fox News North propaganda unit modeled on the US version."




From the article
Quote
"I think that there are those who say they won't like it and they are not going to watch it. This is a democracy and that is fine," he said. "There are others who are saying 'I don't like this and my neighbor shouldn't be allowed to watch it'.
---------------------------

You sound like you belong to the 2nd group Fluffy.

I often forget how it's possible that some people can so spectacularly miss what appear to be simple and glaringly obvious points.

A quick browse of Whyzzat soon reminds me.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

From the article
Quote
"I think that there are those who say they won't like it and they are not going to watch it. This is a democracy and that is fine," he said. "There are others who are saying 'I don't like this and my neighbor shouldn't be allowed to watch it'.
---------------------------

You sound like you belong to the 2nd group Fluffy.

What is truly amazing here is that you manage to ignore most everything except the final quote which is from the guy who would be heading the channel so what can you really expect of him?

The real issue about this channel is that one day the Prime Minister is lunching with Roger Ailes and subsequently Harper is directly backing a TV channel to be run by his personal spokesman/press secretary. That's a bit like Hitler trying to get Goebbels a publishing company to run.

How would you respond if Obama where to back a new TV channel run by someone who works for him? How would you like Presidents setting up broadcasters to propagandize the population? Of course, in the US you have broadcasters propagandizing the population to set up governments.

 

[Fade]

Wilse offered

"I often forget how it's possible that some people can so spectacularly miss what appear to be simple and glaringly obvious points."
---------------------------------

Well let me remind you how you spectacularly missed the whole point.

Fluffy made no factual "points" at all in his reference to Sun TV News. He offered his opinion that Harper was setting it up, but beside being started by a private media company, Quebecor Inc., the article plainly stated they got no answer when asked if Harper even knew about it. On these "points", are we to assume that you think Fluffy is clairvoyant?

Maybe Fluffy is clairvoyant, because he did manage to call it "appalling", to call Harper "Hitler", and to call it a "propaganda unit", all before it has put a single minute of content on the air. Secondly, Fluffy thinks people should be denied the vote if they watch it. Kinda strange, don't you think. Maybe you should find yourself a more progressive Guru.

But then again, it appears you spectacularly put your mouth in gear before fully engaging your brain. A simple and glaringly obvious point! :axe:

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Fluffy made no factual "points" at all in his reference to Sun TV News. He offered his opinion that Harper was setting it up, but beside being started by a private media company, Quebecor Inc., the article plainly stated they got no answer when asked if Harper even knew about it. On these "points", are we to assume that you think Fluffy is clairvoyant?

It's not just MY opinion. There is circumstantial evidence and the way that the Prime Minister has avoided actually answering the charge pretty much confirms it. You see, even though many people accuse politicians of being liars, there is a certain code of honour that they must abide by and bold faced lying is not acceptable (and possibly actionable) so the refusing to confirm or deny is about as confirmatory as it gets.

Secondly, Fluffy thinks people should be denied the vote if they watch it. Kinda strange, don't you think. Maybe you should find yourself a more progressive Guru.

Considering that 50% of people are below average intelligence and it only takes slightly more than 50% to win an election, yes, Fox watchers are a danger to democracy. They tend to herd and do as they are told by the talking heads which means that Murdoch gets to cast millions of votes in every US election. Still, he couldn't get Giuliani or Palin into the White House so I should probably give Americans more credit than I usually do, but it was a close run thing and in most countries a moron like Palin wouldn't even be allowed near the ticket.

I'm just not relishing the politics in my country looking like the circus you guys have.

 

[Robert]

Wilse offered

"I often forget how it's possible that some people can so spectacularly miss what appear to be simple and glaringly obvious points."
---------------------------------

Well let me remind you how you spectacularly missed the whole point.

Fluffy made no factual "points" at all in his reference to Sun TV News.

He didn't have to.

Well, at least he shouldn't have to.

And when the ignorance on display is willful, spelling it out becomes futile anyway.

 

[Fade]

Fluffy flummoxed

"Considering that 50% of people are below average intelligence"
---------------------------------------

Please, please, oh please, can I come up there with you and the 50% that are above average intelligence?

That's the funniest statement I've heard all week. Must be some kind of strange Canadian math. :roflmao:

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Must be some kind of strange Canadian math. :roflmao:

Mathematics is the same in Canada as elsewhere.

 

[cecilia]

Must be some kind of strange Canadian math. :roflmao:

Mathematics is the same in Canada as elsewhere.

but only people with an education know THAT :roflmao:

 

[Glaucus]

That's the funniest statement I've heard all week. Must be some kind of strange Canadian math. :roflmao:

More evidence that the US school system is failing the students...

As for Harper... I could probably write a book about how he's systematically destroying Canada. I still shudder at the thought of what he could do with a majority government. I think Canadians should all pitch in and buy Harper a one way ticket to Texas or something. I'm sure he'll enjoy it and he'll be welcomed there.

 

[Fade]

Fluffy bragged
"Mathematics is the same in Canada as elsewhere."
--------------------------------
The number of Canadians who don't understand what the word average means amazes me.

I think the word you goofs are looking for is Median--The middle value that separates the higher half from the lower half.

Lord help you if you can't figure out that the average consists of all numbers added together and divided by the number of numbers.

Example 6 people's IQ value
25
+100
+100
+100
+100
+100
----------
= 525

525/6 = 87.50 average value
Based on that strange Canadian math, 1 person is below average, 5 people are above average, and no one is average.

And then Cecilia chimes in with
"but only people with an education know THAT"
----------------------
Apparently the math in New York is no better than that in Canada!

Eee-gads, you too Glaucus!

Please keep all references to your math skills off your resumes.
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

 

[Glaucus]

Yes, but in this case I'd expect the median and the average to be about the same as I expect an even distribution. I could be wrong, never really looked into it, but if I'm correct about an even distribution then the mean and median should be roughly identical (infact, if you look up Median in the wikipedia it'll tell you that the median of a sample with uniform distribution is called the mean, aka: average). Your example is a purposefully skewed distribution, so much so that even the median is a useless figure.

As an example of an even distribution, look at the median for gender. It would likely be female, as there is a slightly greater number of women to men. But the average would be close to 50%, which is close enough for most people. To say half the population are women based on the average would be a fair statement. Telling me that the median sex is female is kinda useless.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Fluffy bragged
"Mathematics is the same in Canada as elsewhere."
--------------------------------
The number of Canadians who don't understand what the word average means amazes me.

The three common averages are Mean, Median and Mode. It is often assumed by innumerate types that average is equivalent to is mean, but this is not so.

 

[cecilia]

That's the funniest statement I've heard all week. Must be some kind of strange Canadian math. :roflmao:

More evidence that the US school system is failing the students...

As for Harper... I could probably write a book about how he's systematically destroying Canada. I still shudder at the thought of what he could do with a majority government. I think Canadians should all pitch in and buy Harper a one way ticket to Texas or something. I'm sure he'll enjoy it and he'll be welcomed there.

he could work at the bush library :roflmao:

 

[Fade]

Cecilia harped
"he could work at the bush library "
------------------------

Unfortunately Cecilia, you are not smarter than a 5th grader!
You can't pass the math test.

Don't believe me?

Look up the definition of the word average.

Drag out a calculator.

Use any numbers you want to, as many as you like, your choice.

Then show that 50% of people can be below average.

When you think you have the answer, post it.

Of course, she will either say she can't be bothered, refuse to talk to me, or some other lame excuse, but we will never get a real answer from her.

Perhaps we will never hear from Cecilia again!

You brought this one on yourself, Cecilia.

Watch this space.

 

[Glaucus]

/me ignores ^^^

Anyway, it seems Harper isn't content with gagging just the researchers:

Tories blast ‘agenda-driven’ CBC gun-registry coverage

A little CBC bashing never hurts Conservative fundraising coffers. This time they’re upset with a story last week suggesting the powerful American gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, was helping to fight the battle against the long-gun registry in Canada.

The Tories sent a stinging letter to CBC ombudsman Vince Carlin on Sept. 17. “I am writing to express my concern with the blatant agenda-driven reporting by Canada’s national broadcaster,” writes Jenni Byrne, the director of political operations for the Conservative Party.

Yes, revealing that foreign lobby groups are playing a role in Canadian politics is agenda driven: the Canadian agenda. Apparently this is different from Harper's agenda.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

/me ignores ^^^

Anyway, it seems Harper isn't content with gagging just the researchers:

Ever since he first gained power he has run the government based on information control. He stopped talking to journalists - he clamped down on his cabinet talking to journalists, he runs secret negotiations and whenever they get uncovered he blubbers about "agenda driven" media. He knows he can't be honest and upfront about what he's doing because he would be strung up from a lamp post by an angry mob if he did.