Comments on: Worst Science Article of The Week: Twitter Will Make You Eeevil http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/ Quirky, funny, and surprising science news from the edge of the known universe. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:42:05 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Bad Study of the Week: A Social Life Predisposes Women to Rape | Discoblog | Discover Magazine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-24062 Bad Study of the Week: A Social Life Predisposes Women to Rape | Discoblog | Discover Magazine Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:47:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-24062 [...] Content: Discoblog: Worst Science Article of The Week: Twitter Will Make You Eeevil Discoblog: Today’s Unscientific Media Conclusion: Boobs Getting Bigger in New Zealand Discoblog: [...] [...] Content: Discoblog: Worst Science Article of The Week: Twitter Will Make You Eeevil Discoblog: Today’s Unscientific Media Conclusion: Boobs Getting Bigger in New Zealand Discoblog: [...]

]]> By: makemoney http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-23422 makemoney Wed, 20 May 2009 05:24:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-23422 Very informative! Great post! Very informative! Great post!

]]> By: John Taylor http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-23016 John Taylor Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:25:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-23016 What an excellent blog, I've added your feed to my RSS reader. :-) What an excellent blog, I’ve added your feed to my RSS reader. :-)

]]> By: The Neurocritic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-22828 The Neurocritic Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:56:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-22828 I think it's the worst set of science articles of the year! That said, despite its "Is Twitter evil?" title, the most complete report on the actual experiment that I've seen thus far was at MSNBC's Cosmic Log. Part of the problem is the lengthy embargo policy at PNAS. The press can see the paper a week before the rest of us. However, I doubt that any of them read beyond the ridiculous USC press release... so the laziness of reporters, the sensationalism of their editors, and Carl Marziali at USC are also to blame. The USC press office has even engaged in revisionist reporting, removing "Tweet this: Rapid-fire media may confuse your moral compass" from the beginning of the PR and deleting all subsequent mentions of Twitter. I really hope PNAS gets burned by the outlandish press coverage...serves them right for their silly embargo policy. I think it’s the worst set of science articles of the year! That said, despite its “Is Twitter evil?” title, the most complete report on the actual experiment that I’ve seen thus far was at MSNBC’s Cosmic Log.

Part of the problem is the lengthy embargo policy at PNAS. The press can see the paper a week before the rest of us. However, I doubt that any of them read beyond the ridiculous USC press release… so the laziness of reporters, the sensationalism of their editors, and Carl Marziali at USC are also to blame. The USC press office has even engaged in revisionist reporting, removing “Tweet this: Rapid-fire media may confuse your moral compass” from the beginning of the PR and deleting all subsequent mentions of Twitter.

I really hope PNAS gets burned by the outlandish press coverage…serves them right for their silly embargo policy.

]]> By: Larry D. Gillihan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-22789 Larry D. Gillihan Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:56:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-22789 I don't even know what "tweeter" is, and from what I'm hearing, I don't want to know. I don’t even know what “tweeter” is, and from what I’m hearing, I don’t want to know.

]]> By: scott http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-22767 scott Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:51:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-22767 talk about too fast. Everyone's getting all in a huff over a report that isn't even published yet. And this is a comment on a story on a blog on a report. Gads. talk about too fast. Everyone’s getting all in a huff over a report that isn’t even published yet. And this is a comment on a story on a blog on a report. Gads.

]]> By: S-M-R-T http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-22763 S-M-R-T Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:44:22 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-22763 @not fooled: Regardless of how well designed a study may be, quality of design does not validate the study. Just because a study on beer and promiscuity rates among college co-eds is very well designed does not mean it should be done. (But I'm now accepting funding for the study...) I'm amazed at the waste in academia; my tuition was exorbitant at the time and it's only rising faster and faster. Primarily I blame the dead-weight in administration, but I also blame the "researchers" and their pet projects that cost more than they contribute. I also don't have a problem with this article's interpretation (although I agree about hack writers). Basically I'm against funding "research" that has a high "well, DUH..." quotient. @not fooled: Regardless of how well designed a study may be, quality of design does not validate the study. Just because a study on beer and promiscuity rates among college co-eds is very well designed does not mean it should be done. (But I’m now accepting funding for the study…)

I’m amazed at the waste in academia; my tuition was exorbitant at the time and it’s only rising faster and faster. Primarily I blame the dead-weight in administration, but I also blame the “researchers” and their pet projects that cost more than they contribute.

I also don’t have a problem with this article’s interpretation (although I agree about hack writers).

Basically I’m against funding “research” that has a high “well, DUH…” quotient.

]]> By: not fooled http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-22762 not fooled Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:23:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-22762 @ S-M-R-T :"Why is Mary Helen Immordino-Yang still employed?" I think you're missing the point. Immordino-Yang said nothing about Twitter, Facebook, or any other social networking site. The study she conducted was well-designed (they don't just turn out half-assed work under Antonio Damasio--look him up) and her findings aren't in question here--it's clear from her data that the time delay described is present. I'm assuming that what you're taking offense to is the interpretation that this somehow means Twitter is contributing to the downfall of western civilization--an interpretation added post-hoc by the authors of the articles cited by this post. In that respect, this post could have been a little more clear in stressing its indictment was not of the original study, but of the hack reporters who felt compelled to make leaps in logic and tie the study to buzz words to get their articles noticed. @ S-M-R-T :”Why is Mary Helen Immordino-Yang still employed?”

I think you’re missing the point. Immordino-Yang said nothing about Twitter, Facebook, or any other social networking site. The study she conducted was well-designed (they don’t just turn out half-assed work under Antonio Damasio–look him up) and her findings aren’t in question here–it’s clear from her data that the time delay described is present.
I’m assuming that what you’re taking offense to is the interpretation that this somehow means Twitter is contributing to the downfall of western civilization–an interpretation added post-hoc by the authors of the articles cited by this post.
In that respect, this post could have been a little more clear in stressing its indictment was not of the original study, but of the hack reporters who felt compelled to make leaps in logic and tie the study to buzz words to get their articles noticed.

]]> By: S-M-R-T http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/comment-page-1/#comment-22761 S-M-R-T Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:09:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2009/04/14/worst-science-article-of-the-week-twitter-will-make-you-eeevil/#comment-22761 How in the hell did this even get any kind of funding, whatsoever? Why is Mary Helen Immordino-Yang still employed? Certainly this is doing nothing for stereotypes of Southern California. "Duuuuuuuuuuude!" How in the hell did this even get any kind of funding, whatsoever?

Why is Mary Helen Immordino-Yang still employed?

Certainly this is doing nothing for stereotypes of Southern California.

“Duuuuuuuuuuude!”

]]>