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Mobile phone safety (irresponsible fear mongering)

electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
edited June 2008 in Debate and/or Discourse
Mobiles phones safety still in doubt

I really have no idea how to respond to bullshit of this magnitude. The entire article is published in the Opinion section of SMH, which gives them deniability for any kind of accurate reporting, and the man writing it fails to cite any actual scientific research instead citing other newspapers reporting of scientific research.

Meaning of course, he's completely immune to criticism because every response will be "well that's just what I read".

The numbers cited are of course complete crap. The rule I've heard is any study which finds an approximate doubling of risk in lieu of an actual causal link can essentially have it's results chalked up to the statistical method and there is no figure in there which is any larger then double or any more related to some tangible, measurable property. An increase in behavioral issues? Really? Over the last 10 years where we've had the most spectacular broadening of the criteria for behavioral disorders?

Or how about simply the fact that for every study which can find some risk associated with mobile phones, there is another which fails to find anything at all?

electricitylikesme on

Posts

  • theSquidtheSquid Sydney, AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I don't really know what to say to this, other than "lol smh". Australian media has always been about as bad as American media in terms of pandering to baby boomers who are scared of anything cultural or technological introduced after the 60's.

    If you really want to beat your head against the wall, try reading the Opinions section of that shithouse MX paper they give away for free at city train stations.

    theSquid on
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  • wazillawazilla Having a late dinner Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I think my basic frustration is that I have no idea how to react to this - it's been written in such a way as the paper and the author have complete deniability if they get called on their bullshit. It's not only fear mongering, it's fully considered fear mongering. They know it's crap.

    Letter to the editor time? Do they have a section where they publish reader commentary? I'm sure you could get your voice heard there.

    wazilla on
    Psn:wazukki
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  • theSquidtheSquid Sydney, AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Mail that show, wassit called, MediaWatch?

    Or you can start your own newspaper.

    That second idea is substantially more difficult to pull off than the first.

    But it provides awesome payoffs.

    theSquid on
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Mrah, my cell phone has the highest radiation out of tested phones in the US according to CNET
    Bah

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • Torso BoyTorso Boy Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I'd love some legit research into this. I mean, it's not implausible for the sheer volume of wireless communications in our society to affect our brains.

    Torso Boy on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited June 2008
    LOL mainstream science reporting.
    Torso Boy wrote: »
    I'd love some legit research into this. I mean, it's not implausible for the sheer volume of wireless communications in our society to affect our brains.

    There has been legit research into this. The evidence supporting a mobile phone - cancer link is very very very weak.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
  • Torso BoyTorso Boy Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Feral wrote: »
    LOL mainstream science reporting.
    Torso Boy wrote: »
    I'd love some legit research into this. I mean, it's not implausible for the sheer volume of wireless communications in our society to affect our brains.

    There has been legit research into this. The evidence supporting a mobile phone - cancer link is very very very weak.
    Excellent. My weak will shall consider the case closed, and I will now hold my phone even closer to my head.

    I guess we also have the media to blame. "Cell phones pretty much okay," isn't a very invigorating headline.

    Torso Boy on
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Torso Boy wrote: »
    Feral wrote: »
    LOL mainstream science reporting.
    Torso Boy wrote: »
    I'd love some legit research into this. I mean, it's not implausible for the sheer volume of wireless communications in our society to affect our brains.

    There has been legit research into this. The evidence supporting a mobile phone - cancer link is very very very weak.
    Excellent. My weak will shall consider the case closed, and I will now hold my phone even closer to my head.

    I guess we also have the media to blame. "Cell phones pretty much okay," isn't a very invigorating headline.

    What about "Cell Phones Super Awesome. Found to Cure Cancer and Enlarge Your Penis!"

    Tofystedeth on
    steam_sig.png
  • TeaSpoonTeaSpoon Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    "Scientist gains super-powers after taping cell phone to head."
    "Cell phone radiation is radio to Jesus"
    "Godzilla slain by cell phone"

    TeaSpoon on
  • DelzhandDelzhand Registered User, Transition Team regular
    edited June 2008
    Cell phones are very dangerous, but it's more people talking on them while driving than radiation. I saw someone texting - Texting! - while driving a few days ago. I assume they were texting, I don't think many phones require two thumbs to navigate the contact list.

    Delzhand on
  • FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Delzhand wrote: »
    Cell phones are very dangerous, but it's more people talking on them while driving than radiation. I saw someone texting - Texting! - while driving a few days ago. I assume they were texting, I don't think many phones require two thumbs to navigate the contact list.

    And it needs to be said that the danger comes from the cognitive distraction, not from the use of the hands. If losing the use of one hand crippled your ability to drive so much, then everybody who drives a stick-shift would be fucked.

    Hands-free kits do not reduce the danger in any significant way.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

    the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
  • Shazkar ShadowstormShazkar Shadowstorm Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I see lots of people texting while driving
    It is fucking retarded

    Shazkar Shadowstorm on
    poo
  • Wonder_HippieWonder_Hippie __BANNED USERS regular
    edited June 2008
    Feral wrote: »
    Delzhand wrote: »
    Cell phones are very dangerous, but it's more people talking on them while driving than radiation. I saw someone texting - Texting! - while driving a few days ago. I assume they were texting, I don't think many phones require two thumbs to navigate the contact list.

    And it needs to be said that the danger comes from the cognitive distraction, not from the use of the hands. If losing the use of one hand crippled your ability to drive so much, then everybody who drives a stick-shift would be fucked.

    Hands-free kits do not reduce the danger in any significant way.

    I've tried telling this to so many people, but they never get it. People will be scared of things and act "responsibly" right up to the point where it really requires some sort of sacrifice from them.

    Wonder_Hippie on
  • monikermoniker Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Feral wrote: »
    Delzhand wrote: »
    Cell phones are very dangerous, but it's more people talking on them while driving than radiation. I saw someone texting - Texting! - while driving a few days ago. I assume they were texting, I don't think many phones require two thumbs to navigate the contact list.

    And it needs to be said that the danger comes from the cognitive distraction, not from the use of the hands. If losing the use of one hand crippled your ability to drive so much, then everybody who drives a stick-shift would be fucked.

    Hands-free kits do not reduce the danger in any significant way.

    To be fair, the only real danger is in you paying more attention to the conversation than the road rather than vice versa. Whenever I'm driving the other guy is going to have to repeat themselves more than a few times, because fuck you I'm behind a goddamn truck going 40.

    moniker on
  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    True, talking on a cell phone is probably no more dangerous than talking to anyone. Dialing or finding someone's number or such is bad. Those people swerve. I seen em. It's skeery.

    Tofystedeth on
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