MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 29th 2024 - 07:50 UTC

 

 

Preconceptions, misconceptions and experts that fail to see reality

Wednesday, November 9th 2016 - 15:42 UTC
Full article 33 comments

Explaining the not so quite unexplainable. Donald Trump's victory by a convincing margin left all those so called analysts who had foreseen his defeat as inevitable trying to find out how they had so spectacularly misread the world. The role of mass media under fire. Read full article

Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • Brasileiro

    Everything normal. A decaying Empire will do everything it can to keep in evidence, including nothing.

    A good music for the drunk Empire...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnBPHWk5FQ8

    Nov 09th, 2016 - 05:03 pm - Link - Report abuse -6
  • Marti Llazo

    Here you go, Basurero: Leia e chore......

    “BRAZILIAN COPS KILL 9 PEOPLE A DAY -- It takes roughly 25 years for the British Police to cause as many casualties as the Brazilian police do in six days..”

    Nov 09th, 2016 - 05:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Clyde15

    Could someone explain the above two comments in light of the article above.?

    I must have missed something somewhere !

    Nov 09th, 2016 - 11:28 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Kanye

    Clyde

    Loose cannon fired, ship lists violently to the other side.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 12:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    Amazed at the British politicians who have lined up to portray Trump as a nutter. When Obarmy was so clearly anti British and Clinton wanted the UK to talk to Botox lips about sovereignty. So everyone here clamours for a Clinton presidenc?????? Yet Trump openly proclaims his victory is a second Brexit. Obarmy on Brexit-the UK will go to the back of the queue with the USA. Trump-if I get elected, the UK will go to the front of the queue. So because the UK is obsessed with the stupid comments Trump has made, is the UK embarrassed that actually and it WILL be needed after Brexit, that Trump is on our side? This should be used as an opportunity! And like it or not he has been elected. I'm putting a fiver down at the bookies that Trump will not like Clinton ask for the UK to negotiate with Argentina over sovereignty over the Falklands, but back the Falkland Islanders (unless he is told not to by US beaurocracy) And we want Winston Churchill's bust back in the White House. Gift horse-mouth.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 11:52 am - Link - Report abuse +3
  • Marti Llazo

    The folks who gave us the 90 percent HRC win models have now gone back to work for the global climate change movement.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 01:26 pm - Link - Report abuse +2
  • Briton

    Never listen to the experts,
    you know the ones who always gets it Wrong.

    Trump won,

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 02:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • LMorrison

    I am an American woman, an economist and college-educated. I voted for HRC because I don't believe in Trump's vision of America. In my opinion, under this administration, the US will be be less safe for my daughters, less tolerant of non-whites and non-Christians and less open to the rest of the world. The poor will do worse. The rich, as usual, will do better. As for women, well, it's clearly still a man's world in the USA.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 06:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    @ LMorrison

    Are you part of the family of another poster on here: ElaineB?

    And by 'non-Christians do you mean atheists or Muslims, et al?

    “As for women, well, it's clearly still a man's world in the USA.” It is the same everywhere and it will stay that way unless women try as hard as men to succeed instead of thinking they should be given a 'bye'.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 07:07 pm - Link - Report abuse -2
  • ElaineB

    LMorrison

    You are, of course, right. It is why many educated people didn't vote for Trump.

    Please ignore our resident idiot ChrisR. He has the mental age of a seven year old boy who wet himself in the playground and has never forgiven the girls for laughing at him.

    ChrisR: It didn't help you to be successful did it? You failed and had to move to a developing country just to keep from the poor house. I mean, if you couldn't afford to retire in the U.K. you must be a huge failure. Are you looking at Bolivia next to try to feel superior?

    I am very successful in a man's world. No one has given me an advantage. All my own intelligence and hard work.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 07:32 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Jack Bauer

    It is clear that the liberal press, controlled by Soros and his unsavoury gang, pissed-out the pot, big time. I always thought they were liars and never trusted them, and now they are shown for what they really are, just a bunch of highly-paid puppets disinforming the public in order to sway the perception of things away from the truth.

    @Marti Llazo
    The BRasshole woke up ; as usual, he knows f-all about what's really going on, but just can't resist having a dig at anything that goes against his 'commie' ideas. He must be suffering now that his heroes have been dethroned (the fat cow and the 9-fingered mollusc), and facing charges which will probably send them to prison.

    @LMorrison
    With all due respect, to say that you are an economist, AND college-educated is redundant.
    As far as your opinion on Trump goes, I think you are being over-sensitive - nothing unusual for a liberal - but perhaps you should use some of the grey-matter in your head and put things in perspective ; “the US will be less safe...” ? how ? do you really think Trump would press the red button and start a nuclear war ? if anyone is a starter of wars, it's HRC - look at the Syrian war, the creation of ISIS (something Trump will have to take care of) , and the botched Benghazi incident that cost the lives of 4 US diplomats.
    “...less tolerant of non-whites ?” today, the white male is the most discriminated being in the US...the Laws and the politically correct crap just favours minorities, which is wrong - it should suffice to ensure them equal opportunity, then the rest is up to themselves...
    “...less tolerant of non-Christians ? ” you mean the Muslims ? I would think that any law-abiding American citizen would be wary of the Islamic threat, or are you one of those that believes in “if we 'love them, they'll love us back” ? or like BO, who refuses to admit that they have anything to do with terrorism ? what a dim view of reality.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 07:51 pm - Link - Report abuse -4
  • Briton

    LMorrison
    Do you not think that Mr trump should at least be given the chance to make America great again,

    Hillary does not have a very good track record, and Obama apparently has mad America weaker [according to your American experts ]

    so to be fair, he won the election and thus should be entitled respect due to a new president,
    if he makes a hash of it you can kick him out in four years time,
    but at least give the man a chance to prove himself.

    Nov 10th, 2016 - 08:36 pm - Link - Report abuse +2
  • chronic

    LM, if you're in rg I guess I can miss the season.

    And I'm sorry that you're still suffering from penis envy.

    Nov 11th, 2016 - 05:04 am - Link - Report abuse -4
  • ChrisR

    @ EB

    Don't let the truth get in the way of your 'opinions'.

    I have always told the truth about our situation (my wife and me) and what we have done to cope with it.

    Why is it that you don't feel able to believe me? Is it because you always lie? Remember what the psychologists say: thieves always think everybody else is a thief and liars think everybody else lies. So true in your case. You do have an inventive mind though. What a pity you cannot channel it more positively.

    “I am very successful in a man's world. No one has given me an advantage. All my own intelligence and hard work.”

    No other successful woman I have ever known (and many I have employed) would ever think about claiming “I am very successful in a man's world”. Why be sexist it just shows you for what you are?

    As for “No one has given me an advantage” that is just laughable, were you not picked over all the other candidates for jobs or would you have claimed you were a victim of sexism if you had failed the job interview with a man?

    “All my own intelligence and hard work.” If we knew what you did we might be able to make a considered judgement on that but given you long track record of lying and obfuscation on here I think it safer to take that as a 'pinch of salt'.

    @ Jack Bauer

    Excellent reply to LMorrison. You are obviously on the right track you have four downticks! :o)

    @ LMorrison

    You have seen the classic definition of an economist I trust?

    ”Put six economists in a room and ask them all individually to produce solutions to a problem involving economics: how many plans would be produced?

    Answer: minimum of TWELVE! On one hand xxx and on the other yyy.

    I am a retired Chartered Engineer Brit who rose to be the technical director of a company within The General Electric Company of the UK under Lord Weinstock before starting my own businesses. So what?

    Nov 11th, 2016 - 12:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ElaineB

    ChrisR The Unhinged One

    You said about it being a man's world “It is the same everywhere and it will stay that way unless women try as hard as men to succeed instead of thinking they should be given a 'bye'.”

    So I responded that with all the advantages you have been given, being a man in a man's world, you are a failure. Whereas as a woman in a man's world I have been very successful. So, by your definition, you are a hopeless failure who couldn't succeed in a man's world and I am a woman who is successful against the odds. I guess that makes me exceptional.

    “As for “No one has given me an advantage” that is just laughable, were you not picked over all the other candidates for jobs or would you have claimed you were a victim of sexism if you had failed the job interview with a man?”

    Now you are running off into the realms of fantasy. I was always headhunted. I never looked for work, people looked for me.

    My work is none of your business and neither is my private life. You are forever trying to get validation on this message board. Why? It is just a message board and no one cares.

    Get some help with your issues with women. I am not sure what situation you a playing out here but it has nothing to do with me.

    Nov 11th, 2016 - 12:59 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ChrisR

    @ EB
    “So I responded that with all the advantages you have been given, being a man in a man's world, you are a failure. Whereas as a woman in a man's world I have been very successful. So, by your definition, you are a hopeless failure who couldn't succeed in a man's world and I am a woman who is successful against the odds. I guess that makes me exceptional.”

    That must be your most ridiculous reply to date. Talk about backward logic. You are exceptional though: an exceptional liar and twister of facts to suit your lies. Nobody else on here comes even close to you.


    “I was always headhunted. I never looked for work, people looked for me.”

    That is another downright lie. When you graduated nobody would have known about you and you would have attended aptitude assessment boards, we ran them all the time to seek out the no-hopers and those who lied in order to seem a success. No doubt you were chucked out with the rest of the chancers.

    I was also head-hunted but it took me until I was 28 to get an 'out of the blue' offer. The trouble with liars is they think they are so clever but they are transparent, just like you.

    2/10, must try not to lie.

    Nov 11th, 2016 - 06:41 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ElaineB

    @ ChrisR Oh, dear, what a very small world you lived in back in the dark ages. You cannot even conceive of the type of work I do and just apply your limited experience as if that were applicable to the whole world. Poor old sod.

    You are fishing to find out what work I do. I will never tell you and you are too stupid to work it out.

    What is your obsession with me and my menstrual cycle? Don't you think it is rather creepy that an old man spends so much time thinking about a young woman he has never met? Sane people would think it most odd.

    Get some help.

    Nov 11th, 2016 - 07:35 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ChrisR

    @ EB

    Just setting the truth out when you claimed to be 'young' yet were showing all the early signs of the M to my personal detriment.

    THEN you claimed I said you were middle-aged, which I did not, I pointed out the start of the menopause has surprised doctors because it has fallen to 40.

    But as usual with you I was wasting my time. It seems that I know more about your body than you do.

    “You are fishing to find out what work I do. I will never tell you and you are too stupid to work it out.”

    And you are too scared to let on so perhaps it's something of an embarrassment for you?

    Nov 12th, 2016 - 07:17 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ElaineB

    ChrisR

    You are getting more mentally unbalanced with each passing day.

    How is it possible to display such signs on a message board you ignorant twit. What happened was you didn't like my comments so you decided it must be my hormones talking you sexist old fool.

    “I pointed out the start of the menopause has surprised doctors because it has fallen to 40.”

    What utter bullshit. What doctors? Provide clinical evidence or admit you made it up.

    “It seems that I know more about your body than you do.”

    Ugh! You disgusting creep. You know nothing and the fact that your spend so much time fantasising about me should get you locked up. Carry on I am collecting the evidence.

    “And you are too scared to let on”

    Nope, just not going to give more information to my perverted stalker. Careful or you will be spending your last years in an Uruguayan jail. You are easy to identify in real life.

    Nov 12th, 2016 - 08:40 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ChrisR

    @ EB Tremulous beastie
    As you requested:

    At what age does a woman typically reach menopause?

    The average age of menopause is 51 years old (1). But there is no way to predict when an individual woman will have menopause or begin having symptoms suggestive of menopause. The age at which a woman starts having menstrual periods is also not related to the age of menopause onset. Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 (2), but menopause may occur as earlier as ages 30s or 40s (3), or may not occur until a woman reaches her 60s. As a rough “rule of thumb,” women tend to undergo menopause at an age similar to that of their mothers.

    Perimenopause, often accompanied by irregularities in the menstrual cycle along with the typical symptoms of early menopause, can begin up to 10 years prior to the last menstrual period.
    http://www.medicinenet.com/menopause/page2.htm

    (1) Is the '0' or median line on the statistical chart;
    (2) Is one standard deviation each side of (1);
    (3) As I indicate in the post, you see I DON'T LIE, unlike you.

    PS Stating the obvious, you need to click on the link to see the stylized chart. It's set out for people like you who have no understanding of statistics (or do have but want to lie about them).

    ”You know nothing and the fact that your(SIC) spend so much time fantasising about me should get you locked up. Carry on I am collecting the evidence.“

    Now who is unhinged?

    Now THIS is funny:
    ”Nope, just not going to give more information to my perverted stalker.“ da, da, da,....

    ”Careful or you will be spending your last years in an Uruguayan jail.“

    REALLY? You clearly have no conception of the judicial process going on in Uruguay. Why is that? AH! You have NEVER been here!

    ”You are easy to identify in real life.”

    You are so correct! I go around with 'creepy, perverted, piss-dribbling, misogynistic, stalking poor old demented ElaineB' printed on my hat. The words (given to me by you) are very tiny though. Ha. ha! (joke).

    Nov 13th, 2016 - 11:47 am - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ElaineB

    @ChrisR

    So you were here typing that rambling nonsense whilst I was honouring our war dead. I think that says everything we need to know about the different priorities of you and me. You prioritise your stalking of me over everything. You have no respect.

    Your statistics do not in any way support your claim that 'doctors are surprised *insert rambling nonsense* etc'. And what legitimate reason do you have for discussing the menopause here? It has nothing to do with the topic, just your sick obsession.

    You are a pervert with an unhealthy obsession with me. There is no rational reason for you to be so fascinated with my body that you claim to know so well. That has to be the most disgusting comment you have made. Ewwww. Go and bother your wife, or do you disgust her as well?

    FYI I have been to Uruguay and am pretty well connected in SoAm. You should know by now it is 'who you know' that counts. Keep looking over your shoulder, old man.

    Nov 13th, 2016 - 12:25 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • ChrisR

    @ ElaineB

    So now you are encouraging me to 'break the law' (as you stupidly claimed about my VPN)by watching British TV in Uruguay? There is no consistency with you, is there?

    “You are a pervert with an unhealthy obsession with me.”

    Don't flatter yourself and I told you that you wouldn't understand the stats. Why am I not surprised.

    “FYI I have been to Uruguay”

    So you were lying when you claimed that you had never been but were hoping to one day?

    “and am pretty well connected in SoAm”

    Is that 220 - 230V bi-phase or are you across the three phase supply? I recommend you try the 4.4Kv 3-phase distributor. That would get you 'really connected' and the only way you ever will be.

    Perhaps your RCC boyfriend can try his 'old friend' in MVD to find out where I am, like when you both threatened me last time.

    My contact net is still in place so put you money where your mouth is for once and we'll see what we will see, won't we?

    Nov 13th, 2016 - 05:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ElaineB

    @ ChrisR

    Your rambling posts get more nonsensical.

    “So now you are encouraging me to 'break the law'”

    What? Why do you need a TV to honour the War dead?

    The statistics you posted did not prove anything you said.

    “So you were lying when you claimed that you had never been but were hoping to one day?”

    I have never said I haven't been to Uruguay. I have been there and have said so many times, though I appreciate your short-term memory is probably fading fast. I have never been to the Falkland Islands and said I was hoping to go one day.

    I don't have a boyfriend or brother posting on here. You really are infantile with your insults. You argue like an eight year old in the playground. Isn't that regression another sign of dementia?

    Trust me, I will never track you down. I will leave that to the professionals.

    Nov 13th, 2016 - 08:17 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • Jack Bauer

    @ChrisR

    “Excellent reply to LMorrison. You are obviously on the right track you have four downticks!”

    Thanks. Wasn't looking for so much popularity, but seems I've managed to rub a few poor wee sensitive liberals the wrong way...tough titty.
    What gets me pissed-off (only slightly) is the fact that the liberals, who claim to be tolerant, are anything but - they are the most intolerant, hateful things that ever walked on two legs. Their nonconformity with Trump's election and their useless protests are undeniable evidence of that...if the election had gone the other way, the conservatives would probably just have gone home and thought about the best way to adapt to a new reality. To put it succinctly, if a liberal doesn't like to eat red meat, he doesn't want you to either....what the hell is the matter with these people, that they think they can interfere in your life, and have the nerve to 'criticize' you if you don't agree with them....and last but not least, they will end up calling you a racist - even though skin colour has nothing to do with it.....if the pendulum is now swinging the other way, they had better just suck it up. At least for the next 4 years.

    Nov 14th, 2016 - 05:52 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • ElaineB

    @ JB

    Why do you think some conservatives who supported Trump who won are now creating trouble, damaging property and calling the U.S. a 'white nation'? It doesn't seem they are content just to have their candidate win the election. It is not very tolerant.

    Nov 14th, 2016 - 06:50 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • Jack Bauer

    @ElaineB
    While some Republicans “in Congress” never supported Trump, not even now, I think that it is just sour grapes...they didn't get their way, so they think that by maligning him is the way to go, despite the fact they are shooting themselves in the foot and washing dirty laundry in public.
    As to “creating trouble, damaging property”, by what I've seen and heard, it's the anti-Trump demonstrators, or the poor, “upset” democrats who are doing the protesting. To be honest with you, I have not read about or seen any videos of Trump supporters vandalizing private and/or public property, nor have I read about them “calling the US a white nation”.....and even if they are indeed going around saying this, It's not causing anyone any pain , except for the hysterical liberals who can't get over the fact that HRC did not win. Neither can I recall Republicans protesting - in any form - after BO was elected, both times. And let's not forget that the Press is overwhemingly liberal.
    If it's a matter of trying to determine who is 'less' tolerant, to me, without a doubt it's the democrats, given the fact that they criticize the lack of tolerance in all others who don't agree with them....I think everyone should mind their own damned business, or, “live and let live”....something it seems, the liberals just can't do and won't allow.

    Nov 14th, 2016 - 09:54 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • ElaineB

    @JB

    “To be honest with you, I have not read about or seen any videos of Trump supporters vandalizing private and/or public property, nor have I read about them “calling the US a white nation”….”

    It has been on the news here.

    Oh, I think it does a lot of damage if it goes unchecked. President-elect Donald Trump was sufficiently concerned about it to ask that they stop it now. He did it in his first televised interview after the election. You can probably catch up on Youtube or one of your T.V. networks.

    I am not really sure who you are talking about when you talk about liberals. It seems to mean something different in the U.S.. I am liberal minded but happy to accept the results of the majority and I don't expect everyone to think like me or agree with me. I think that is the definition of tolerance.

    I have seen some of the hysterical behaviour on both sides of the political divide and it is both unseemly and unnecessary. I am inclined to think it will settled down in time. It is what you get when you treat a political election like a sports game.

    Nov 14th, 2016 - 10:16 pm - Link - Report abuse -1
  • Marti Llazo

    We see today that Hillary Clinton has blamed the loss of her presidential bid on inaccurate statements in a Boise dishwasher's Twitter account, her yoga coach's flawed feng shui recommendations, and global warming.

    Nov 15th, 2016 - 12:50 am - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Jack Bauer

    @ElaineB
    You are right - today I read about how Trump, in an interview with CBS , last Friday, had asked his supporters to refrain from violence and all the rest of it, but CBS chose to only air this part of the interview on Sunday....apparently they thought the other topics discussed in the interview - Obamacare ? - were more important (???) ...noticeable however, is the fact that neither HRC nor Bernie have bothered to ask 'their' supporters to calm down ...seems they are content to just sit back and watch the house catch fire…also, seeing students – still too young to vote - staging school walk-outs and protests against Trump, raises the disturbing question of who is behind all this...the similarity between these more extreme liberals in the US and the 'petistas' in Brazil is quite remarkable....they all love democracy when it's working in their favour - when it goes against them, all hell breaks loose.
    When I talk about 'liberals' (in the US, and here - the term has much the same connotation), I'm referring to the so-called ‘progressives’, populists, those who love to interfere in and control people's lives...usually they don’t practice what they preach, and here we call them the “caviar-left”, those who praise and defend the social benefits of left-wing ideology, yet live like rich capitalists...you find a lot of these parasites amongst the celebrities and people in showbiz. To be liberal minded, as you define it, is fine ; something close to a 'libertarian' philosophy, in which free-will is sacred, but with the understanding that one person’s freedom ends where another’s begins.
    I also think that this hysteria will die down, when people realize they are barking up the wrong tree.

    Nov 15th, 2016 - 06:37 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • ElaineB

    @ JB

    Ah, Champagne socialists. Yes, we have them here. Very annoying.

    To be fair both Clinton and Obama called for calm in speeches immediately after the result. Now Clinton really has to shut up or be accused on inciting further unrest. The best she can do is keep a very low profile.

    It concerns me also that children on both sides of the political divide are manipulated. There is a reason children can't vote and it is because they are unfairly influences by their parents and adults with power over their lives. They haven't had sufficient time to make an independent informed decision. Leave them out of it, I say.

    It will calm down. Thanksgiving is coming and the holiday season…… soon it will be too cold to stand around outside protesting. Do you think that is why they hold the election in November? :)

    Nov 15th, 2016 - 07:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • chronic

    Burnie has given his tacit approval to further protests.

    Nov 15th, 2016 - 10:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Jack Bauer

    @ElaineB
    ”Do you think that is why they hold the election in November ? :)”

    You are most probably only joking, but giving it some thought, it might be that after they've elected a new president, they want to get rid of the old one asap, to start off fresh just after New Year....

    Nov 16th, 2016 - 08:25 pm - Link - Report abuse +1
  • Marti Llazo

    The Americans try to hold elections as close as possible to Halloween, and some of the parallels between the two events are frightening.

    Nov 16th, 2016 - 09:43 pm - Link - Report abuse +1

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!