June 25, 2019
Cell Phones Causing Horns on Kids' Heads?
Timothy Birdnow
Recently the Washington Post reported that kids were developing horns on their heads like goats from cell phone use.
Well, According to an article in Reason that is as accurate as the WaPo's reporting on Global Warming or Trump's Russian collusion.
The claim came from a research paper which said that children had bad posture - not necessarily from cell phones - and that was causing callus-like lumps on their heads to form.
From the article:
WaPo has shown itself to be an unreliable source of information, and this is no exception. Journalists in general often fail to understand the subject matter about which they write, or purposely twist it to either make it more exciting or to promote their particular view. And the Washington Post is one of the worst offenders.
Don't believe everything you read.
Recently the Washington Post reported that kids were developing horns on their heads like goats from cell phone use.
Well, According to an article in Reason that is as accurate as the WaPo's reporting on Global Warming or Trump's Russian collusion.
The claim came from a research paper which said that children had bad posture - not necessarily from cell phones - and that was causing callus-like lumps on their heads to form.
From the article:
Not so fast, as Techdirt points out:
I perused the studies in question. At most, researchers offered educated guesses that new technology has something to do with the skull horns. The underlying research, however, does not prove any such connection. It doesn't even attempt to prove it.
The problem is that while the research did find that human skeletons are shifting and changing in the modern era due to postural and other behaviors, they weren't able to prove that cellphones were the culprit. There's a wide variety of modern human behaviors that could influence skeletal shifts, from watching television and reading books to terrible posture resulting from a lack of meaningful exercise. Only a few reporters could be bothered to note that at no point did the researchers directly, actually link the "horns" to cellphone use.
I perused the studies in question. At most, researchers offered educated guesses that new technology has something to do with the skull horns. The underlying research, however, does not prove any such connection. It doesn't even attempt to prove it.
WaPo has shown itself to be an unreliable source of information, and this is no exception. Journalists in general often fail to understand the subject matter about which they write, or purposely twist it to either make it more exciting or to promote their particular view. And the Washington Post is one of the worst offenders.
Don't believe everything you read.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at
09:46 AM
| Comments (6)
| Add Comment
Post contains 282 words, total size 2 kb.
1
Horns, eh? Aren't they arising instead from (1) Satan worship or (2) too much listening to Democrat Party platforms?
You understand, this is just a theory of mine. I've put zero research into it, which puts me on the same level as the WaPoo (not a typo).
You understand, this is just a theory of mine. I've put zero research into it, which puts me on the same level as the WaPoo (not a typo).
Posted by: Dana Mathewson at June 25, 2019 10:21 AM (rIYC+)
2
Well, the kids do seem to worship those gadgets they have glued to their hands. Maybe it's a form of devil worship. And, of course, they're busy on Instagram or watching some radical on youtube.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at June 25, 2019 11:31 AM (y0E8t)
3
"Studies." Forsooth.
How many times has coffee alternated between being good for you and bad for you, and sometimes both at the same time?
My doctor was renewing a medication for me and said that he was compelled to warn me that a recent study had shown that the medication might cause cancer. I laughed. He tried not to laugh, and only partially succeeded.
How many times has coffee alternated between being good for you and bad for you, and sometimes both at the same time?
My doctor was renewing a medication for me and said that he was compelled to warn me that a recent study had shown that the medication might cause cancer. I laughed. He tried not to laugh, and only partially succeeded.
Posted by: Bill H at June 25, 2019 02:57 PM (vMiSr)
4
I hear you, Bill! For every study there is a counter study, and usually both are wrong. With government funding all science these days there is a built-in pressure to produce something new and spectacular - which brings more money. The end result is science has become increasingly erratic. No surprise; too much money is involved.
Remember the oat bran craze? Turns out all that did for anyone was give them a bloated colon.
Remember the oat bran craze? Turns out all that did for anyone was give them a bloated colon.
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at June 26, 2019 06:35 AM (IP2pI)
5
BTW; love the use of "forsooth"! That's a oldie but goodie I haven't heard in a while!
Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at June 26, 2019 06:35 AM (IP2pI)
6
Geek Squad Tech Support provides the best technical help and guidance. Get in touch with an extensively trained tech support team for all sorts of queries and issues regarding your devices.
Posted by: Geek squad at December 12, 2019 02:59 AM (qKVdH)
23kb generated in CPU 0.0615, elapsed 0.6058 seconds.
37 queries taking 0.5992 seconds, 164 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
37 queries taking 0.5992 seconds, 164 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
