Some of my favourite Onion videos:
Saturday, 15 June 2013
Philes
Double blind tests are the snake's hips; both the investigator and the subject are completely clueless as to what is being tested at any particular moment. This removes the possibility of bias or subjectivity on either part. Want to know just how well people are able to distinguish between, say, coke and pepsi? Pour 'em into some unlabeled cups and have at 'er.
I mention this because I have a certain interest in people who claim to be connoisseurs of one kind or another, and the double blind test is a good way of testing those claims. For example, there is a subculture of self-proclaimed audiophiles; people who dish out thousands of dollars for cables or speakers that are supposed to significantly increase the quality of sound. Check out this link for people bragging about spending 10 or 20 grand on a set of speakers! A similar sort of thing is seen with wine lovers or coffee aficionados.
I mention this because I have a certain interest in people who claim to be connoisseurs of one kind or another, and the double blind test is a good way of testing those claims. For example, there is a subculture of self-proclaimed audiophiles; people who dish out thousands of dollars for cables or speakers that are supposed to significantly increase the quality of sound. Check out this link for people bragging about spending 10 or 20 grand on a set of speakers! A similar sort of thing is seen with wine lovers or coffee aficionados.
Friday, 14 June 2013
Superman 2013
So I saw this movie last night. It was good, aside from some minor quibbles. The most major of the minor quibbles for me was a scene where one of General Zod's henchpeople confronts Superman and explains to him why he will lose. She said something along the lines of, "you learned morality, we evolved with no morality, and you know what they say: evolution always wins!"
Well sir, I wanted to yell at the screen, "no! you're misrepresenting evolution! You'll ruin everything!" How many people, after seeing this movie, are going to think (despite the fact it is said by a villain) that evolution and morality are mutually exclusive? That evolution is something that "wins" over compassion and kindness? The opposite is true; the two are inseparable (at least on Earth. And from what I could tell of Krypton, the same moral sentiments are present is some of the people there.)
Well sir, I wanted to yell at the screen, "no! you're misrepresenting evolution! You'll ruin everything!" How many people, after seeing this movie, are going to think (despite the fact it is said by a villain) that evolution and morality are mutually exclusive? That evolution is something that "wins" over compassion and kindness? The opposite is true; the two are inseparable (at least on Earth. And from what I could tell of Krypton, the same moral sentiments are present is some of the people there.)
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Your rights as a wireless consumer
The CRTC's new Wireless Code will be coming into effect on December 2, 2013. Seems like there are some improvements here:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t15.htm
For example, many of us use postpaid services, and under the new code people who pay their wireless bills this way will have the right to cancel their contract at no cost after 2 years. Also, if you are not satisfied with your contract you can cancel it within 15 days at no cost (it also notes there will be "specified usage limits" within those 15 days)
Anyway, maybe a step in the right direction for Canada's poor wireless service.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t15.htm
For example, many of us use postpaid services, and under the new code people who pay their wireless bills this way will have the right to cancel their contract at no cost after 2 years. Also, if you are not satisfied with your contract you can cancel it within 15 days at no cost (it also notes there will be "specified usage limits" within those 15 days)
Anyway, maybe a step in the right direction for Canada's poor wireless service.
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Lou Dobbs and his friends
At your own risk, check out this video of Lou Dobbs and a couple other guys reacting to news that the percent of women in the US who make the most money in the household is up to 40%:
It's always a little entertaining to see people who, feeling that the status-quo is under threat, pull random facts out of their asses. You gotta love the "it's against nature" argument; as if humans exist outside of nature and are able to decide whether or not to "follow it". Anyway, this one may be a little hard to watch, so if you are not in the mood for a little Dobbs, here is another video that catches what they are saying between the lines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i51lXfc2zDw
Aw, man, this is another one of those I can't seem to embed. Why the hell is that?:
It's always a little entertaining to see people who, feeling that the status-quo is under threat, pull random facts out of their asses. You gotta love the "it's against nature" argument; as if humans exist outside of nature and are able to decide whether or not to "follow it". Anyway, this one may be a little hard to watch, so if you are not in the mood for a little Dobbs, here is another video that catches what they are saying between the lines:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i51lXfc2zDw
Aw, man, this is another one of those I can't seem to embed. Why the hell is that?:
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