'tone deaf' is an expression that means insensitive. Insensitive in that other people's beliefs or opinions or taste may be offended. The term is derived from music where 'tone deaf' means being unable to hear the difference in music notes (insensitive to music notes). 'Tone deaf' is often used more broadly to describe someone who is insensitive or is irritatingly unaware of widely accepted opinion/taste/beliefs. In this example the slogan was 'tone-deaf' indicates that whatever was written ignores some broadly accepted belief and by its ignorance is a little offensive. 'tortured pages' are pages that are difficult to read. It implies that the pages are written in a manner more complex than necessary, or written in such a manner that most people would find it difficult (painful!) to read and understand.

Here, “tone deaf” means that the speaker or writer does not understand the emotions or point of view of the audience, and as a result expresses things in a way that the audience will not like. “Tortured pages” means that the white papers was not well written and “painful” to read.

The definition of musical tone deafness is that the person trying to sing can not remember accurately in their inner mind the note/tone/pitch just sung to them, thus they can not replicate it. This is why you get annoyed people on X factor and talent shows who tell judges they are wrong and that they the contestant are the world's best singers, because in their inner mind they believe they are singing better than the world's best singers. That's why you get comments to the judges like "that was good wasn't it?"

Hi Priscilla I'm not sure this actually makes any sense but I would have to read more of the article. Tone deaf refers to music and not being able to perceive (or hear) a difference in musical pitch. We usually use it as a funny way of saying someone cant sing or make music very well :)