DK: do you think it just slightly possible that [Polly Toynbee's] attitude, and that of her fellow [Guardian] commentators, might possibly have led to [advertisers] feeling—during these turbulent times, when costs need to be cut—that GMG, whose employees constantly attack said companies, can just fucking whistle for their business? No. I would happily stake my … Continue reading Yes, it’s another exciting round of Easy Answers To Simple Questions
Month: March 2009
David Farrar: If the banking crisis had happened six months earlier it's quite possible that Ron Paul would be President of the United States
Here's a nice report by a real statistician on how London's low murder rate is nothing to worry about unless you're a gibbering paranoid ignorant fool. Unsurprisingly, it's received almost no media play at all. I mean, what news value is there in a study proving that the 'OMG t3H knife crime!!!!' narrative is bollocks … Continue reading Worried about stabbings? Don’t be
As far as I can make out with reference to the Grauniad/Barclays tax evasion dossier: 1) Barclays has done nothing illegal 2) Barclays hasn't receieved any aid from the UK taxpayer. ...so this isn't an issue. Should Barclays request aid from the UK taxpayer at any point, its activities should, obviously, be taken into account … Continue reading Barclayery
No-notice, turn-up-and-go international travel out of the UK will not, ever, be banned. Rather than reading incoherent rants in half-witted newspapers and drawing conclusions from the information they leave out, read the actual details of the eBorders scheme: [Passenger] data are only mandatory when they are requested to be provided at the time when passengers … Continue reading A note to excitable conspiracy theorists
RBS: As part of our implementation of FSA guidelines around Anti-Money Laundering activities, we introduced questions on Politically Exposed Persons as part of our account opening procedures. Genius financial columnist Nelson: what on earth is a Politically Exposed Person? The FSA anti-money-laundering guidelines, which have been in force for three years: customers who, by virtue … Continue reading Fraser Nelson: ignorance and paranoia, in one simple package
One of the most tedious aspects of online debate is that, as soon as you call someone an idiot, or suggest that their argument is of the kind that would disgrace a below-average chimpanzee, they accuse you of arguing 'ad-hominem', which they believe to be a terrible thing. As the holder of a philosophy degree from … Continue reading In defence of ad-hominem
In England and Wales up until 1986, there were two sorts of exam a child could take at the compulsory school leaving age of 16. CSEs weren't very academically rigorous and were aimed at kids who weren't planning to take further academic qualifications. O-levels were more academically rigorous; they were aimed at kids who were … Continue reading Dumbing down, and that’s just the fogeyish commentators
From Hellblazer in the comments: 'Self-righteousness’ is not limited to those who wear sandals, eat muesli and then hug trees.
Note: see update at the bottom I'm holding points 1-8 to be non-controversial; let me know if you, err, controvert them. 1) Rape is very bad. 2) Long-term psychological, bullying abuse is very bad. 3) Violence per se is bad, but not very bad. 4) Nearly all raping is done by men, mostly against women. … Continue reading Some factual statements