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Category: Cherry Picking

Solar eclipse will increase fire danger?

Solar eclipse will increase fire danger?

“Drought over, but eclipse event will raise fire danger” That is the odd headline of a KATU local TV news report about Oregon State. Authorities think more people will visit Oregon in the summer of 2017 because of a solar eclipse. Since humans cause wild fires, this will increase the wild fire risk. To strengthen the claim, the local news story emphasizes: “According to the National Park Service, 90 percent of wildfires in the United States are caused by humans,…

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Most car crashes caused by cellular phone usage?

Most car crashes caused by cellular phone usage?

I saw an item on a Facebook group where the general meme was that everyone knows cellular phone usage while driving is the cause of most vehicle crashes. The data, however, paints a remarkably different picture. Cellular phone usage, per the government’s own data, is a minor causative factor in vehicle crashes. There are many causative factors in car crashes: one category of causative factors is “distracted driving”. Cellular phone usage is a subset of “distracted driving”. The U.S.government’s National…

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Leaving out details to make a story more dramatic

Leaving out details to make a story more dramatic

TL;DR Summary ‘Milwaukee police “accidentally” shot a 13 year old girl at an elementary school after she became “combative”.’ By placing the word “accidentally” in quotes, followed by the word “combative”, this propaganda poster sets the viewer up to believe the police intentionally shot a 13 year old “combative” girl. The poster leaves out that the officer’s gun was in the holster and that the MPD weapons do not have holster safeties. This information negates the attempted spin on the…

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Bernie Sanders is not a millionaire?

Bernie Sanders is not a millionaire?

TL; DR Summary A shared social media poster asserts that Bernie Sanders would have been the first president who wasn’t  a millionaire, since 1945. On the surface, this statement sounds plausible. His Senate disclosure forms list less than $1 million in assets. But it leaves out the value of his retirement savings and his government provided pension. A private sector worker would need at least $1 million in assets to have a pension payout similar to what Sanders will receive…

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How to use charts for misleading propaganda!

How to use charts for misleading propaganda!

This chart appeared on a blog post saying auto sales are “down again” and this should worry us about a recession.  See that blue arrow at the right? Looks horrible!!!! But this chart design is a real mess. First, the blue arrow anchors our view on the blue line and its downturn at the right. But the real chart is the harder to see gray column chart. Column charts are a *terrible* way to show a trend – line charts…

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Denmark Fairy Tales: Is Denmark the happiest country because of this? No.

Denmark Fairy Tales: Is Denmark the happiest country because of this? No.

Almost every item on this social media propaganda poster is false. Yet this poster was widely distributed on social media and nearly everyone who saw, liked or shared it believes these items are true. First, the much publicized World Happiness Index is not based on any of the items on this propaganda poster. Second, Denmark does not have a minimum wage law nor does it have a 33 hour work week. Denmark does have free university but not for any of the reasons you probably are thinking of. Denmark has subsidized child care, not free child care. The only item that is almost correct is about health care that is free at point of service (paid for by high taxes) but does not cover dentistry, vision or all prescription costs.

Obama not attending First Lady Funeral is not unprecedented; social media poster is similarly ridiculous

Obama not attending First Lady Funeral is not unprecedented; social media poster is similarly ridiculous

TL;DR Summary Conservative media said that  President Obama not attending the funeral of former First Lady Nancy Reagan is unprecedented or wrong; it is neither. Defenders of Obama published this propaganda poster on social media but cherry picked the data to draw you to their desired conclusion. Why is the death of Jacqueline Kennedy omitted?