Archive for January 2010
CBC Test The Nation: IQ — Part VII
So, for the preliminary roundup—the atheists came in third place! We were ahead of twins, believers and contact sports athletes, but behind nerds and politicians, sadly. However, one of our team members, Kevin Kindred, ended up being the highest scoring individual on the show. Kudos to the man!
The results were judged entirely by average IQ results, it seems. I am particularly interested to see if I can find the margin of error for each average in the raw data (if I can obtain it). The average results were close enough to each other that I am skeptical as to their statistical significance. If the margins of error between each group overlap, it is unlikely that there is any actual significant difference. Hopefully, I will get my hands on the raw data for the groups and run it through some tests. The strictly scientifically significant results may not by quite as sensational as those a television show would hope for and have thus been omitted. Averages look so much more exciting, for comparative reasons.
Other than that, the evening was quite amazing. Before the show, the teams were seated at separate tables in the same large hall. During the three-hour wait time before the show, a few people from the atheist team, including myself, took the opportunity to walk around and introduce ourselves to the rest of the teams. The eclectic group of individuals was fascinating to talk to. Of note was Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, who quickly asserted her stance as a believer, but just as quickly made note of her daughter, who is an atheist. On the other end of the spectrum, one chat with a conservative politician ended up in a fiasco of sorts, which I was not a part of, but will link to later when I obtain Justin Trottier's take on it.
There are many Canada-wide results that I want to sift through and detail in a later post. If you would like to look through these results yourself, they are available here.
Again, I would like to express my gratitude to the CBC and Shannon McKinnon, the associate producer of the show, for the opportunity of being part of the team representing the atheists in Canada.
Here is the link to the full show for those of you who missed it:
CBC Test The Nation: IQ — Part VI
What an exciting show! I will detail a lot more about the experience tomorrow, but seeing as I have been busy with transporting myself to Windsor today, I am spent. Here is the link to the full show for those of you who missed it:
CBC Test The Nation: IQ — Part V
For those of you who don't know, I will be on the team representing Canadian atheists tomorrow night at 8pm, on CBC Television. The show is called Test The Nation: IQ. I am arranging for the broadcast to be recorded so as to republish it somewhere online afterward.
I am still unsure of what to expect, but at least I know this is legitimate, as I have been recorded as one of the atheist team's official members on the website. There are some very exciting people to meet come tomorrow (Marc Garneau, George Strombolopolous, Elizabeth May). Hopefully I will get a few autographs if the opportunity presents itself.
I will do my best to tweet about the experience throughout tomorrow—follow along: twitter.com/palanski
CBC Test The Nation: IQ — Part IV
Exciting stuff!
I have received what appears to be the final email from CBC detailing exactly what I am expected to do come Sunday afternoon and evening. Looks like the only thing I really have to worry about is doing my own makeup. As I have never put on any makeup, I think I will attend the live shoot au naturel and hope for the best. The only restrictions on clothing are no stripes, checkered patterns, white tops or tops with large logos. It seems that most of the show will be minimally interactive, but there is promise of the hosts chatting with members of the teams throughout.
I cannot wait for the weekend already.
CBC Test The Nation: IQ — Part II
Although it seemed mostly official in an earlier post I made, it became entirely bona fide news yesterday: I will be part of a team representing Canadian atheists on CBC's Test the Nation IQ TV show, which is scheduled to air live on Sunday, January 24th, at 8pm.
Here is part of the final email that I received from the producer of the show.
Hello Atheists!Thanks so much for your patience - we have narrowed down the teams, and if you are on this email you are a part of the LIVE national broadcast of Test the Nation: IQ!The event takes place at the CBC studios on Sunday, January 24th. The show airs LIVE at 8pm, and we start bringing the teams earlier [than that].[..]I can't wait to meet you all!! You will be a tough team to beat, I think. Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you might have.Congrats on making it onto TTN:IQ!All the best,Shannon
I am excited not only for the television show itself, but to meet George Stroumboulopoulos, who will be a co-host of the show. Having had grown up watching him on MuchMusic as a VJ and the following him as he became a successful talk show host on 'The Hour', I feel I will be lucky to meet him.
Apart from all the niceties, there's already some interesting rivalry and stereotyping showing itself. Meet Justin Trudeau and his response to one of the questions asked of him as a representative of the politicians:
6. Anything to say to the other teams?I am a nerd, and an athlete, and a believer. So I can't trash talk my own kind, and I won't trash talk twins, because while I'm going after one, the other'll sneak up behind and smack me, and as for the atheists, well, they won't believe anything I have to say to them anyway, so what's the point?
Inanity and segregation apart, as the 'Opposition Critic for Youth and Multiculturalism', I would like to point out the following chart and news article:
Get your demographics straight, good sir—there's a good chance both of those twins are atheists, plotting to 'sneak up and smack you', even if they are not teenagers. Oh wait, I even found some atheist twins that will be on the show. Yikes.
