Why do people not like Fox News?
The reason I don't like Fox News is because of their way of representing data through misuse of statistics. Fox News consistently puts up a graph, table or chart that backs up the information they are reporting. But this does not mean that it is true or even accurate for that matter.As an example, here is a graph of welfare benefits that have occurred since 2009 as presented on Fox News:If you look at the above graph sitting on your couch trying to relax after a hard day's work and you see that Fox News is reporting an "alarming increase in welfare benefits", you will get upset. From this graph it really does look like people receiving welfare have more than quadrupled in three years!But the reason that this looks like a very dramatic increase is because this is a truncated graph. I am sure most of you know, a truncated graph is one that does not reference "0" on the y axis, thus distorting the data.Here's what this should really look like in presenting the data accurately:This representation would have a totally different reaction for someone who is casually watching the news. This is because with this accurate representation, you can see Welfare benefits have increased but not quadrupled. The statisticians at Fox News use classic and novel graphical techniques to lead with dataHere's another one except in this case the data is actually not plotted correctly. It appears that unemployment has remained high under Obama in 2011. Here it is again plotted correctly:You can see the drop in unemployment during the end of 2011. The statisticians at Fox News use classic and novel graphical techniques to lead with dataHere's another:Here it is represented accurately:The statisticians at Fox News use classic and novel graphical techniques to lead with dataFrom the above, you can see that there really wasn't an alarming increase in the top tax bracket.What is also interesting to note is how Fox News presents the information. It looks dark and ominous by the use of graphical design and color.I believe from the above graphical representations, you can see how Fox statisticians are certainly skilled in using graphics to persuade a certain point of view. I certainly wouldn't call this "News". These are just a few examples of how news media, marketing and politicians can all distort information. So, be an informed consumer of news, and pay attention to how information is presented. It is important.
What do you think of President Donald Trump’s plan to put migrants in sanctuary cities?
Copy paste of my answer to the same question elsewhere:Your question itself says you don’t understand the non-right (including independents like me as they tend towards data driven solutions) position on this topic.Sanctuary cities aren’t about allowing illegal immigration or not prosecuting such. This is intentional misinformation from the GOP in an attempt to create fear in their base.The truth of sanctuary cities is that they want two things:Cooperation from illegal immigrants with law enforcement to catch violent criminals (and deport if illegal)Non cooperation with ICE who has a really really bad human rights track record and just doesn’t operate in a moral way. i..e. I don’t want my tax money paying for human rights violations, that’s not the America I believe in.So… bottom line is most Sanctuary laws, and again they vary so take this as a broad stroke, only protect illegal immigrants DURING a police investigation. If they are found in any other context, i.e. trying to apply for benefits or vote, they are immediately deported. Well… used to be immediate, Trump is making it take a lot longer these days, but we’d want it immediate again ideally.These laws are proven to increase safety in the city as they allow police to get cooperation from witnesses and track down criminals.Remember, illegal immigration is a misdemeanor. It’s a minor crime. There is lots of precedent for letting people off on minor crimes to catch more dangerous criminals. It works.I want my family to be safe, thus I support laws that increase their safety.Those who are against these laws want my family to be more unsafe. It’s that simple.No Democrat, no independent is saying don’t deport illegal immigrants. There are lots of contexts, even in sanctuary cities, where they are caught and are deported. Just not in the context of a police investigation where they are a useful witness.What they do intend to do is protect citizens and make them safer. Republicans should want this too.Understand the difference? Once you get past the blatant lies of the GOP around this the answer to your question is pretty obvious :)
Out of the two US presidential candidates which one do you think is worse, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton?
Strange as it may sound, the question evokes in me a conflict between my gut and my heart. My gut reaction is the country is going into a period of anarchy where the better angels of our nature are betrayed and lost from sight. In that country, I suppose someone like Donald Trump is the better president, although I’m at a loss to say why.I don’t see Trump holding the country together, unifying or building. He seems intent on doing the exact opposite. I do see his movement as a reaction to the excesses of political correctness but for all the rhetoric, that seems trivial.Hillary I see as the president if I feel the country will last another hundred years. That there will be a United States to lead the world further in the directions of the Founders and the Age of Reason. That may sound opposite or obtuse to some who’ve internalized the rhetoric of Originalists, but I feel and think it’s accurate.The conflict between these two impressions sorrows me overall.
The White Side of the Black Story BUCHANAN TO OBAMA By Patrick J. Buchanan. What is your opinion of Mr. Buchanan's take on this issue? I am not saying I agree with him nor have I verified his statistics. I want to know your opinion of what he wrote.
Prof Hyttel, Like Pat Buchanan I am a right wing conservative [however not a Republican] and I would not blame you for the slavery issue we had in America prior to [and even for a while after] the Civil War. I would agree that America was not the best place for African Americans when they were originally uprooted from their homes, but there are two groups you have ignored in your diatribe.These two groups were suppliers of potential slaves; Arab slave traders and the African tribes themselves Both these groups profited mightily as well as the North and South divisions of the United states. The difference between America and the slave selling groups are that in America TODAY the African-American has an equal standing with any other ethnic group and even during the 19th Century not all African-Americans were slaves. If Frederick Douglass were alive today I doubt if he would agree with your appraisal. Unfortunately, Muslim Arabs have NOT given up their affinity for slavery as recent headlines tied to the Saudi's have proven. Africa itself is not any Utopian Paradise when you consider today's bloodshed of innocents during the many Genocides still being perpetrated [most Black on Black]. Today Black Americans need not fear for their lives due to Genocide or Slavery in the United States. They do need to worry for their lives when it comes to Black on Black crime that this Socialistic Administration [along with its lackeys in the Lame Stream Media] ignores along with you. The ONLY inequalities in effect today are due to the decline of the Black family group (73% of babies born out of wedlock); lack of education due to drop-outs (can make more money dealing drugs) and the continual stirring of the Racial pot by their so called leaders; Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Eric Holder & Barack Obama who choose to promote Trayvon Martin type cases as race related [which it was not] instead of trying to resolve the real problematic issues.Finally I whole-hardheartedly disagree with your "...the United States is a class society...". I understand your views but you and your Socialist and Progressive friends NEED this to be true in order to effectively Re-distribute the wealth and make sure that you and yours occupy the top slots. Classes do NOT exist in a Free Republic like America and that's what separates [or did separate] us from Europe. I think you have been listening to [and even worse believing in] Barrack Obama attempting to re-define America into a class system.
What was your first reaction when you heard that Trump is the United States' new president?
Rage.Complete and utter rage.And it hasn’t gone away.There are two major reasons for this rage:My family is everything Trump hates - mixed race, a mix of poor citizens and immigrants of various financial levels, mostly women, critical free-thinkers, a mix of democrats and socialists, non-Christians or lapsed ones, LGBTQ+…. I could go on. But let’s just sum up with the fact that on every issue my family gave a damn about, we are well and truly fucked by the the appointment of Trump/Pence. About half my family is eligible to vote in this country, and they did — the rest of us had to cross our fingers and hope that the rest of the U.S. wasn’t as racist/misogynist/Fundamentalist/anti-LGBTQ+/etc. as it seemed to be. In that, we were deeply disappointed. And those who don’t think that way but didn’t vote because of complacency — we were disappointed there too. Possibly the most pivotal election in U.S. history, and there were still those who couldn’t be arsed to fill in a form. Yeah. Rage. Lots of it.I’ve had the distinct displeasure of meeting Donald Trump on several occasions, so I know exactly who and what people have elected. And while I mainly held my tongue while the election was under way (both because I am a foreign citizen who shouldn’t be influencing U.S. voters, and because I had nothing constructive to add to the conversation), I’ll give my personal opinion now. The man is swine. If ever there was an example of walking human excrement, he is the prime specimen. There are pond scum with better qualities to recommend them. He has no grasp of morality or ethics, and no firm position other than what is best for himself. His level of ignorance on literally anything you could name is astounding (although he’s very confident about all the things he doesn’t know shit about), and you could write odysseys on his lack of class, intelligence, or basic human decency. He is, in short, the most worthless human being I’ve ever encountered, and there is literally no good quality I could relate about the man, from my personal experience. He doesn’t have any good qualities. (And for those of you who know me, you know I’m a fan of believing in people being able to improve — so consider what it takes for me to say I don’t believe he could be redeemable in any way.)So yeah — rage. That was/is my reaction.And it’s not going away any time soon.This will likely be downvoted into oblivion, so enjoy it while you can.