Amanda Ripley's believe it by law!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016

Truly ridiculous work:
As you know, there are two major international testing programs for public school students—the Timss and the Pisa.

The United States participates in both programs. So do the Asian tigers. So does miraculous Finland. So does the vast bulk of the countries in the developed world.

Which program is more valuable—the Pisa or the Timss? We can't tell you that. In our view, the Pisa has developed a slightly cultish feel, but the developed nations seem to see value in both programs. Absent further discussion, we're disinclined to attribute more value to one than to the other.

Check what we just said! If you read the New York Times, it seems the Timss no longer exists. Did we say there are two major testing programs? In the Times, there may now be just one.

Within the past two weeks, each of these testing programs has released its most recent results, from 2015. (The Timss is administered every four years. The Pisa runs on a three-year cycle.)

But in its hard-copy editions, the Times hasn't even mentioned the Timss. Yesterday, it reported the Pisa through a ridiculous, long report by the increasingly cultish Amanda Ripley.

Ripley's 1400-word report is amazingly bad. To show you what cultish behavior looks like, this is the way she began:
RIPLEY (12/8/16): Every three years, half a million 15-year-olds in 69 countries take a two-hour test designed to gauge their ability to think. Unlike other exams, the PISA, as it is known, does not assess what teenagers have memorized. Instead, it asks them to solve problems they haven't seen before, to identify patterns that are not obvious and to make compelling written arguments. It tests the skills, in other words, that machines have not yet mastered.
The snark you see represents the Timss being disappeared. Apparently, it "assesses what [students] have memorized."

That makes it unlike the magnificent Pisa, which is "designed to gauge their ability to think."

Does the Pisa somehow "gauge students' ability to think?" We don't know, and such high-blown claims tend to make us suspicious.

That said, the world's developed nations all find value in the Pisa. Of course, the same is true of the Timss, despite the shade Ripley instantly threw at the Timss without even stating its name.

Ripley played this same strange game in her widely-praised, largely ridiculous book, The Smartest Kids in the World. In its several hundred pages, she never mentioned the Timss by name, though she referred to it as "a major international math test" when she wanted to cherry-pick some Timss results to establish a favored point about the reason for alleged improvement in Minnesota's schools.

It's astounding that Ripley would write an entire book about the world's public schools without mentioning one of the two international testing programs in which the world's nations take part. Before telling us which nations had the best schools, she discarded exactly half the data, without explaining why she did so or acknowledging the fact that she had!

That was a strange way to write a book. Now, the New York Times seems to have adopted this same approach. They're even running Ripley's cultish report under their Upshot brand! That's their most brainiac work!

Ripley's report is horrible in many ways. For today, we'll suggest that you observe its wonderfully cultish shadings. In particular, note the fawning treatment extended to The Founder, Andreas Schleicher, in paragraphs 4-15, which constitutes almost half of Ripley's report.

In that lengthy chunk of her report, Ripley praises the ability of the Pisa staff to predict which countries will show improved test scores, based simply on the extent to which they've adopted certain favored policies. In this passage, Ripley steps aside and lets The Founder heap praise on himself:
RIPLEY: In the end, the PISA team had called virtually every country correctly. Colombia and Singapore had indeed improved. And France had done a bit worse in science and math while improving ever so slightly in reading. ''It's hard to surprise us when it comes to these things,'' Mr. Schleicher said.
That's wonderful clownistry all by itself. Here's the problem:

Based on Ripley's reporting, it doesn't sound like the Pisa team called any country correctly, except to the extent that their predictions were clownishly broad.

Ripley puts her thumb on the scale to pretend that they called the U.S. correctly. Did they somehow call France correctly? According to Ripley, this was the ridiculous "prediction" the Pisa team had made:

"Nobody predicted France would be a star performer." Thus spake Schleicherthustra!

Ripley started out as a standard Time magazine blitherball type. Somehow, she transformed herself into an international "education expert." In the course of executing this move, she signed on to the almost unbearable greatness of the Pisa.

That said, her widely praised book seemed to be baldly dishonest is several remarkable ways. Yesterday's report in the Times was a peculiar gong show.

We'll offer more examples next week. Having said that, let us also say this: Bless their hearts, but the New York Times is just extremely strange.

According to Kevin Drum, lead exposure was very high in the not too distant past. We often think of this notable fact when we read the glorious Times, our nation's greatest newspaper.

10 comments:

  1. Can you please advise if you can help me get back my husband? That was the title of my message to a spiritual spell doctor called dr. wakina via (dr.wakinalovetemple@gmail.com). Please read to the end. Thanks....
    I was really struggling to keep my Husband to myself. He works with an NGO and travels a lot to different countries, little do I know he already has another woman in South Africa with four month pregnancy for him. It was very hard for me to believe that my Husband can actually cheat on me, but pregnanting another woman is something else. We have four grown children already.
    I was heartbroken when he wrote to say he has relocated permanently to South Africa because of his pregnant lover. I was so damaged, but there was nothing I could do, besides, I can’t even tell my family because they warned me earlier. So, my hope for his change of heart came to life on early hour of November 12 when he wrote again to say he is confused and frustrated and don’t know if it is me or her, before changing his mind again. My eyes suddenly opened and I realized his new lover is doing something evil to keep him there.
    I prayed and was guided to consult a spell caster named dr. wakina via (dr.wakinalovetemple@gmail.com) for help. Hopefully the spell doctor helped me as expected and our marital issues were resolved. He returned home to us 7days after the spell. He pleaded and confess all his atrocities. The best part is after the love spell, his new lover confessed he is not responsible for the pregnancy, it was a strategy to tie him down. She finally commanded him to go back to his original family because she couldn’t withstand the power of the spell. Wow, it was mind blowing when the impossibility became possible. Spell really works and dr. wakina is indeed great.

    ReplyDelete
  2. why do the less competent seem to rise to the top more frequently and more easily? are the competent too busy to rise, do they have more integrity which prohibits them from unethical behavior that often leads to promotion?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. why do those who sink to the bottom whine that those at the top are less competent?

      Delete
    2. this blog regularly demonstrates how those at the top are incompetent. why do you whine about pointing out that most experts and so called successes are actually frauds? are you in denial or just misinformed?

      Delete
  3. In sounds like NYT reporters take a two-hour test designed to gauge their ability to make written arguments through cherry-picking and other lies of omission in order to establish a favored point which inevitably strengthens the plutocracy of which they themselves are a vital part.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi everyone, I'm so excited.
    My ex-boyfriend is back after a breakup,I’m extremely happy that will are living together again.
    My name is Mary Wilkie from England.
    My boyfriend of a 4yr just broke up with me and am 30 weeks pregnant.I have cried my self to sleep most of the nights and don’t seem to concentrate during lectures sometimes I stay awake almost all night thinking about him and start to cry all over again.Because of this I end up not having energy for my next day’s classes ,my attendance has dropped and am always in uni and on time.Generally he is a very nice guy ,he ended it because he said we were arguing a lot and not getting along.He is right we’ve been arguing during the pregnancy a lot .After the break up I kept ringing him and telling him I will change.I am in love with this guy and he is the best guy I have ever been with.I’m still hurt and in disbelief when he said he didn’t have any romantic feelings towards me anymore that hurt me faster than a lethal syringe.He texts me now and then mainly to check up on how am doing with the pregnancy,he is supportive with it but it’s not fair on me, him texting me as I just want to grieve the pain and not have any stress due to the pregnancy.i was really upset and i needed help, so i searched for help online and I came across a website that suggested that Dr Unity can help solve marital problems, restore broken relationships and so on. So, I felt I should give him a try. I contacted him and he told me what to do and i did it then he did a spell for me. 28 hours later, my bf came to me and apologized for the wrongs he did and promise never to do it again. Ever since then, everything has returned back to normal. I and my bf are living together happily again.. All thanks to Dr Unity. If you have any problem contact Dr.Unity now and i guarantee you that he will help you.Email him at: Unityspelltemple@gmail.com ,you can also call him or add him on Whats-app: +2348071622464 ,His website: http://unityspelltemple.yolasite.com .

    ReplyDelete
  5. One thing I hated about myself was I easily accept defeats so as to make peace and please people even when there are wrong. I had no idea that being people pleaser can affect my marriage in a negative way.
    When I caught my Husband cheating with a familiar lady, I made a face of defeat and ignored his actions hoping he will change.
    But I was shocked as he keep expanding his coast, using my weakness against me because I could easily forgive.
    It was already unbearable and too late to restore my marriage when I met Dr.Wakina for help a month after my husband brought a lady to our home and ordered me to leave if I can’t cope. Isn’t that crazy?
    The lady did everything possible to make me feel uncomfortable and later succeeded when I left home with our 19month old daughter but she never knew I went to seek for a permanent solution to our marital mishap and to my people pleaser problem even dough I pretty much can’t stop thinking of my Husband while Dr. Wakina was casting the spell on us.
    The result was actualized when he came crying to take us back, promising and proving at the same time he has changed, not only that, I realized I’ve gain total confidence on my decisions and stopped pleasing people when not necessary.
    “Dr. Wakina is indeed awesome and genuine” according to my Husband who pleaded to people undergoing relationship or marital problems to email Dr. Wakina for total restoration without any negative repercussions via dr.wakinalovetemple@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can cast a spell on your behalf regarding a relationship, your financial situation, future events, or whatever is important to you. I have the power and I use the power. I can change the course of your destiny. Contact me and I shall cast a spell for you. Tell me what it is you want and I shall go about my work. Is it someone or something you desire to have? Do you want wealth, or happiness, or a mate E.T.C.
    +918 147 834 968.
    Email: cheifoduduwa@hotmail.com
    Chief Oduduwa

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am Miss alisha.,From united states of America.I will start by saying to all that have experience heart break and also cant do with out there lover should please stop here and read up my story, So as you will know how to go solving or getting your ex back from this spell caster..AND AGAIN I WILL WANT TO ALSO TELL ALL THAT THIS SPELL CASTER I WILL WANT TO TELL THE WHOLE WORLD ABOUT IS HARMLESS AND DO NOT HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECT, BUT TO RESTORE AND GIVE YOU BACK WHAT YOU DESERVE, COS WHEN I MEET WITH THIS SPELL CASTER THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO ME BY THE WIFE OF MY BOSS IN MY WORKING PLACE, HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE CAN CAST SPELL ON SO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS EXCEPT IN GETTING YOUR EX OR MAKING YOUR LOVER TO LOVE YOU MORE THAT WILL SUITE YOU. Last year December, My lover was cheating on me and was not also give me the attention that a man should give to a woman,And really that was troubling my mind and tearing my heart apart to the extent that i was not concentrating in the office the way i use to before the break up by my lover.And before that incident,I always see how my boss use to love his wife so much. I was binging to think that i was not doing the right thing to him that will make him love me forever,So i really gathered my courage and went to my boss wife office to ask her the secret that made her husband love her so dearly,In the first place she refused in telling me,She asked me why i am asking her such a question,That if is it not normal for every man to love his wife.I told her the reason that made me ask her about this question,That my lover started cheating on me lately,When i knelt down before her for her to see my seriousness in this issue that i went to ask her,She opened up to me by telling me that i should not tell anybody about what she want to tell me,The wife to my boss started to say to me that she used a very powerful spell on his husband to love her,And the spell that she used is harmless, But the spell is just to make him love her and never to look for any other woman except her. I QUICKLY ASK HER HOW DID SHE GET TO KNOW THIS GREAT,POWER,DURABLE AND PERFECT WORK SPELL CASTER,she said that a friend of hers also introduce her to him. Then i also ask her how i can meet with this spell caster.SHE SAID EVERYTHING TO ME,THAT THE NAME OF THIS SPELL CASTER IS Dr. AZEN TEMPLE.My next question to her was how can i get this wonderful spell caster,She said she is going to give me the email of the spell caster for me to contact him for my problem,Really she gave to me this spell caster email and i contacted him and explained all to him,And after every thing that needed to be done by the spell caster, In the next two days, My lover that hated me so much came to house begging for forgiveness and i was so glad that i have finally gotten my heart desire..I was so grateful to this spell caster for what he has done for my life.. So i made a promise to him that i will always continue telling the world about his wonderful work towards me and also to other that came to you before and also the people that will also get to you from my story that i narrated online now..I will want to say to the entire world that you should not cry over noting again, That there is a great man that has been helping individuals to restore there Joy and smile in there faces !! The direct email to get this man is :[azentemple@gmail.com]or what'sapp +2349038299828 ,This is what i want to tell you all out there,That is thinking that all hope is lost ok..Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am Miss alisha.,From united states of America.I will start by saying to all that have experience heart break and also cant do with out there lover should please stop here and read up my story, So as you will know how to go solving or getting your ex back from this spell caster..AND AGAIN I WILL WANT TO ALSO TELL ALL THAT THIS SPELL CASTER I WILL WANT TO TELL THE WHOLE WORLD ABOUT IS HARMLESS AND DO NOT HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECT, BUT TO RESTORE AND GIVE YOU BACK WHAT YOU DESERVE, COS WHEN I MEET WITH THIS SPELL CASTER THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO ME BY THE WIFE OF MY BOSS IN MY WORKING PLACE, HE MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE CAN CAST SPELL ON SO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS EXCEPT IN GETTING YOUR EX OR MAKING YOUR LOVER TO LOVE YOU MORE THAT WILL SUITE YOU. Last year December, My lover was cheating on me and was not also give me the attention that a man should give to a woman,And really that was troubling my mind and tearing my heart apart to the extent that i was not concentrating in the office the way i use to before the break up by my lover.And before that incident,I always see how my boss use to love his wife so much. I was binging to think that i was not doing the right thing to him that will make him love me forever,So i really gathered my courage and went to my boss wife office to ask her the secret that made her husband love her so dearly,In the first place she refused in telling me,She asked me why i am asking her such a question,That if is it not normal for every man to love his wife.I told her the reason that made me ask her about this question,That my lover started cheating on me lately,When i knelt down before her for her to see my seriousness in this issue that i went to ask her,She opened up to me by telling me that i should not tell anybody about what she want to tell me,The wife to my boss started to say to me that she used a very powerful spell on his husband to love her,And the spell that she used is harmless, But the spell is just to make him love her and never to look for any other woman except her. I QUICKLY ASK HER HOW DID SHE GET TO KNOW THIS GREAT,POWER,DURABLE AND PERFECT WORK SPELL CASTER,she said that a friend of hers also introduce her to him. Then i also ask her how i can meet with this spell caster.SHE SAID EVERYTHING TO ME,THAT THE NAME OF THIS SPELL CASTER IS Dr. AZEN TEMPLE.My next question to her was how can i get this wonderful spell caster,She said she is going to give me the email of the spell caster for me to contact him for my problem,Really she gave to me this spell caster email and i contacted him and explained all to him,And after every thing that needed to be done by the spell caster, In the next two days, My lover that hated me so much came to house begging for forgiveness and i was so glad that i have finally gotten my heart desire..I was so grateful to this spell caster for what he has done for my life.. So i made a promise to him that i will always continue telling the world about his wonderful work towards me and also to other that came to you before and also the people that will also get to you from my story that i narrated online now..I will want to say to the entire world that you should not cry over noting again, That there is a great man that has been helping individuals to restore there Joy and smile in there faces !! The direct email to get this man is :[azentemple@gmail.com]or what'sapp +2349038299828 ,This is what i want to tell you all out there,That is thinking that all hope is lost ok..Thanks

    ReplyDelete