IT'S REAL THOUGH.
Really.

I dunno though, Monty. I think the fact that the bloke concerned is an astounding tool and the fact he was playing computer games don't have to be intrinsically linked.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 8:38, 1 reply, 14 years ago)

This reminds me of an astounding piece I saw in the paper this morning.
Some wanker has 'proved' that fizzy drinks make you carry a knife because children who drink more than five cans of pop a week are x% more likely to carry weapons. I spend my entire life sighing at the stupidity of others but this was espcially poor.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 8:45, Reply)

I don't think he "proved" it as such,
I think it was more he was showing a *possible* link between excessive consumption and violent tendancies.
(Poppet some assembly required., Tue 25 Oct 2011, 8:47, Reply)

Also, that link above is from the Herald Sun.
Only bogans read that.
(Poppet some assembly required., Tue 25 Oct 2011, 8:49, Reply)

It is important not to confuse the reporting of research with the actual research.
As they often reach different conclusions.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 8:51, Reply)

he's not, though. Because he hasn't demonstrated or even hypothesised any actual link.
This is, I'm afraid, the problem with a significant amount of social science research (and, sadly, increasing amounts of straight scientific research, too) - you can't just quote two disconnected statistics and claim anything you like about a link. The only connection here is "children" ... I might as well say "there are lots of sharks off the coast of california" and "california has lots of gun crime" and link those through "california" to campaign for guns to be taken off sharks. It's about the same level of statistical relevance.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 8:59, Reply)

This was my point, but much better put.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:06, Reply)

I spend a fair amount of time publishing my research. This kind of shite is my absolute pet hate.

( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:08, Reply)

It is but one pet in my menagerie of hates, but I am 100% with you.
It drives me fucking nuts.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:13, Reply)

Or to put it more succinctly
Correlation does not imply causation.
It has often been argued that reporting of science stories should only be done by someone with an understanding of the subject, rather than a journalist looking for the angle of the story.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:15, Reply)

Never going to happen
EPSRC developed this thing called NOISE to allow certain younger specialists in their field to advise print and TV media over science stories. The papers ignored us because the "science" correspondents thought we were after their jobs and every time I ended up in a meeting with TV execs they assumed I just wanted a presenting role. They just don't "get" that people might not all be vacuous fame hungry arseholes and it makes them utterly impossible to deal with.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:24, Reply)

I hope they all 'get' AIDS.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:29, Reply)

The last meeting I went to
was with the BBC in Glasgow. We were told it was for a round-table discussion of future directions in science programming, and it was a full day. We had a 45 minute meeting, then got a tour of their studios (oooh, fuck me, are we a school party now?) and then spent the whole afternoon in screen tests. I've refused every meeting since.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:33, Reply)

To be fair, no one wants to see ugly scientists on the telly
Public interest in scientific matters increases if the presenter is hot. This works for both sexes: there are a lot more housewives moist about interested in cosmology since Foxy Coxy appeared on our screens.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:37, Reply)

he's funny looking
and getting kinda irritating
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:41, Reply)

oh, absolutely
but we weren't doing this to get on telly, that's the point. We were just looking to offer insight into improving science programs generally
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Tue 25 Oct 2011, 9:51, Reply)