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Charlie

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Everything posted by Charlie

  1. https://scalar.library.yorku.ca/iq-testing-/index The concept of people being born unequally goes against the western ideals of equality of human being. Given the history based on the notions of fake science and discrimination against under privileged communities, the subject directly feeds into the political landscape and the tensions between the right wing and the left wing.i Scientifically speaking, however, IQ is an inherited trait to some extent. Researchers have concluded that adopted children have their IQ more correlated with their biological parents than the adoptive parents. Not only that, as adopted children grow older, the correlation of IQ with the IQ of biological parents becomes even more stronger.h This is counter intuitive. Robert Plomin, the lead researcher of this study explains: " People assume that genes impact is by the time of birth. After that nature takes over nurture, hence the impact of genetics becomes less important. This is basically exactly opposite to what the study says."T he outcome of this study is been vetted by hundred of other similar studies who claim that about half of difference in IQ is genetic The conclusive studies to connect IQ with genetics have proven quite difficult. However, with the availability of more compute and scope of broader studies have led researchers to identify some genetic connections with IQ. Problem is that IQ is derived from roughly 500 different genes, so each identified gene has a miniscule impact on overall IQ. That being said, while researchers were able to identify only 1% of variance in IQ a few years ago, today the number stands at 10%. just to be clear, genes aren't destiny. Genes provide us the limits. Environment defines where we will end up between these limits. One less controversial example is height. Although, genes define the height, lack of nutrition can results in less heights for the population with similar genes. It has been thoroughly observed that as the economy of a country grow, so does the height of its population. Similarly, while IQ is a genetic trait, lack of Iodine on food results in lower IQ of children Many developing countries have resolved this problem whilev promoting Iodized salt among their population. Similarly, Treating parasitic worms and reducing lead from petroleum has also helped countries increase the IQ. and another similar article: https://www.testkidsiq.com/scientific-racism/
  2. Another way of looking at it is that the courts had access to all the above information and much more. But they still didn't convict him. Probably because, there wasn't enough proof against him. A more ethical question is that should we punish a person if there is a 50% probability that he is a terrorist? What about 80% probability? What about 99% probability? Or going one step further, should we punish a person if we suspect that he might turn out to be terrorist even though he hasn't committed a crime yet? You see this is a slippery slope.
  3. I really don't know. His family has ties with terrorists. His dad and mom are clearly Jihadis. But that doesn't mean he is also a terrorist by association or he killed someone at the age of 15... It's complicated.
  4. I don't get this part. How is he a terrorist when nobody could prove it. Are we living in Somalia or Saudi Arabia or China where you could tag anyone as terrorist because you feel so.
  5. Lol. Let's not get emotional if we don't get the gold medal in humanity. We don't know about every third world country. There are several dozens of them. Who knows, may be a few will be better.
  6. Very interesting thread. I think that both liberal and conservatives arguments are built on some basic assumptions. Conservatives have already assumed that Khadr killed a person and is a terrorist because his affiliation with his family. Liberals seem to believe that allegations against him are not proven, he was a child who spent his 10 years under unfair detention. With this huge gap in assumptions, productive discussion can't happen. It is more of an emotional issue than a logical one. That being said, I think Canada is a better country than Afghanistan or most of the third world countries (and US too) because of its strong institutions, focus on human values and equal rights. $10M is a little cost to pay for preserving our values. We don't have to stoop down to third world levels where legal system is broken, illegal detentions are common and innocent people die in jail for no reason.
  7. South Korea was the poorest country in the world in 1960s. Now it's a rich modern democracy. I don't have a single example of this kind of progress being made anywhere in the world. Last several decades haven't been problematic at all. They were some of the best years for South Koreans who have educated themselves, learnt the top technologies and built an amazing economic power house in Asia. "Fat Kim" is a problem that will solve itself.Once people of North Korea realize that they have been manipulated and they get up for their right. No need for military threats and creating tensions on the border.
  8. OK. Good timing. Now Trump says he will be honored to meet Fat Kim: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/05/01/trump-says-he-would-be-honoured-to-meet-north-korean-dictator-kim.html I have family living in South Korea and quite concerned about recent escalations. Having one idiot (Fat Kim) was a well understood norm and all of us knew that we will be safe because the other party is rational. Now that Trump is totally bipolar in his foreign policy, it is concerning. Chances of making a nuclear mistake have multiplied.
  9. I usually hate this kind of strategic analysis. What worries me more is that Trump perhaps thinks like that too. As if world is a video game and we are all part of Civilization V being played on an Xbox. Lives of millions of South Koreans, North Koreans, Syrians, Afghans, Russians have no value. It's just a number. and all we would lose in above scenario is a game of strategic chess.
  10. Fat Kim has been the leader of NK for years now. Before that we had Fat Kim's father. And world was just doing fine. 100 days in Trump presidency & we see a nuclear threat to the world. Who should we blame it for? What changed?
  11. Cultural compatibility is not the problem, cultural insensitivity is the problem. Having lived in many countries with different cultures, I can tell you one thing for sure. Humans are all very much similar. If you give them respect, show them that you care, be friendly towards them, they will reciprocate. All of us want to be respected, want to be seen as important: basics of human psychology. Cultural compatibility narrative does have a racist angle to it. Humans are more driven by their basic instincts than their cultural influence. I don't know how you feel. But the best thing I like about Toronto is this feeling of being part of a unique place where you get to experience the whole world within one single city. You meet all kind of people, enjoy all types of food, express yourself and your roots while learning from people different from you. Not a single city on this planet has the same vibe.
  12. Less immigration results in Japanese economy: 20 years depression and continuing.
  13. Trump is using all these tricks to get his ratings back up... Not sure if it would work. America is a great country. It leads the world economically, financially and technologically. There is no need to for this superficial show of power through bombs. I don't know if army or republican support base lacks confidence that it needs this kind of silly self assurance.
  14. There have been discussions around the Frasier Institute report's research methodology and some people cliam that there are many missing pieces e.g. https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2013/09/12/Fraser-Institute-Immigrants-Costly/
  15. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labor90a-eng.htm Immigrants have roughly 1% higher unemployment rate than Canadian born citizens. Probably, some of it is related to the transition time of settling down and finding the job. In the long term, numbers are pretty close.Probably, we can optimize the system a little more but it's by no means a failed immigration system. But I agree. US immigrant unemployment numbers are indeed better.
  16. There is an alternative: every Canadian couple should start having more babies. Our population pyramid problem will solve and there will be no need for bringing in new immigrants. However, promoting to raise larger families is a difficult task. On a lighter note, Korean govt. recently published a fertility map and it kind of backfired: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/30/world/asia/south-korea-fertility-birth-map.html?_r=0
  17. Refugees is a purely humanitarian issue. Would Canadians be willing to help people suffering from war and hunger? I personally feel that something needs to be done. And I would be happy to direct some of my tax dollars to refugees. But again, this is pure charity. Nobody can force others to pay, if they don't want to.
  18. Canada and Australia probably have the best skilled immigration program. The philosophy is simple. In order to keep your economy growing, you need to have more younger people than the old ones. Because of low birth rates, it's important to bring in young and skilled people. And that's exactly what Canada has been doing. Look at the point system, a typical skilled immigrant is 30-35 years old experienced doctor or engineer. Perfect profile of a person who can start adding value to Canadian economy from day 1. If your concern is that Canada isn't going to remain a white dominated society, probably Canada would need to bring in more people from Eastern Europe. Although, I don't understand why would anyone be worried about keep a society white or black or brown. We are all human beings. Skin color is just one of our features.
  19. Thanks God, modern democracies keep army idiots under a leash. Otherwise, these idiots would be running around mindlessly destroying other countries in the name of nationalism.
  20. Agreed. Especially when our missiles have killed some of their relatives. And some of them will remember it even when they move to our country.
  21. And this is the only reason Syria was attacked: (Just replace Obama with Trump and Libya/Iran with Syria)... What an asshole...
  22. We have a fundamental difference of how we look at the world. Being an idealist, I would like the world to be a place where countries try to live peacefully, based on mutually defined rules. You believe in the clash of civilizations based on self interest of individual civilizations. So sure, let's agree to disagree...
  23. Yes. UN isn't doing what it's supposed to do. But that doesn't mean US has the right to take an initiative unilaterally. It's like if police doesn't help you what you perceive to be is right, you pick a gun and start doing your perceived "right" thing on your own.
  24. I am really trying to understand you. It seems like you genuinely think that US military inventions around the world are for good cause. I, like many others, think that it isn't the case. US military interventions are perceived by international community as either a way to promote its arms industry or expand its political influence. The question is not that who would save the world, US or Canada. Question is : Will US or Canada or any self righteous country spare the world and not take any military actions on its own without consulting other powers.
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