WildThoughts » CNN

my future tweet

Wildman — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:05:53 +0000

First class upgrade + an evangelical; just did. He’s too cool to see some telephoto shots.

According to analysis by That Could Be My Next Tweet, this could be what I post to twitter next. The website uses an algorithm to spot common topics and word choices. Most of the hypothetical tweets generated are drunk-bird-chirping nonsense. But once in a while, there’s a gem. The tool also helps you see the kind of topics you talk about most.

Filed under: communication, shenanigans Tagged: analysis, CNN, my next tweet, twitter

Yo Quiero Oatmeal

Wildman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 05:05:24 +0000

It’s official. Oatmeal is not just for breakfast anymore. You can also slather it with nacho cheese and wrap it in a tortilla.

CNN reports that, in response to claims that their beef mixture contains only 35% beef, Taco Bell released a statement detailing the exact contents of their meet filling. You can see where this post is going:

We start with USDA-inspected quality beef (88%), then add water to keep it juicy and moist (3%). Mix in Mexican spices and flavors including salt, chili pepper, onion powder, tomato powder, sugar, garlic powder and cocoa powder (4%). Combine a little oats, caramelized sugar, yeast, citric acid and other ingredients that contribute to the flavor, moisture, consistency and quality of our seasoned beef.

Thanks, TB…I feel so much better about all those Bell Beefers I ate as a kid.

Wait, did you just say “cocoa powder”?

BONUS: Check out this photo gallery of fast food menu fails.

Filed under: bargains, news, shenanigans Tagged: beef, bell beefer, CNN, oatmeal, taco bell

Smoking Baby’s Mom: “I am confused.”

Wildman — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 17:21:47 +0000

Remember the smoking baby video? Here’s a clip from the Today Show:

Well, now CNN talks to the mother who says, “Well, I don’t want to give him cigarettes, but what I am I supposed to do? I am confused.” Yes you are, honey. Yes. You. Are.

This is one of the saddest stories I have ever seen. What is up with parents thinking they’ll make their kids happy by giving them whatever they want? Yeah, that’s totally going to work.

People are always happy when they have their every whim granted. Just look at wealthy celebrities. Britney. Paris. Miley. They couldn’t be better, more well-adjusted humans if their mothers had let them light up for their second birthday.

Like it? Share!

Filed under: culture, news Tagged: CNN, dumb people, shenanigans, smoking baby, Today Show

Tonight, CNN races to call American children "racist." Not so fast…

Wildman — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:45:00 +0000

CNN reports that biased racial attitudes begin forming in young children and that American black and white children are both biased toward whites. And, they say they have a scientific survey to back it up.

It goes like this.

An interviewer shows a young white girl illustrations of girls lined up from lightest-skinned to darkest skinned. Then, the interviewer asks her questions like: “Which girl is the smartest?” and “Which one is the good girl?” She points to the lighter-skinned girls. When the interviewer asks, “Which girl is the bad girl?” the little white girl points to the darker-skinned illustrations.

Her mother looks on through a live camera feed and cries. Obviously, scientifically, her sweet little girls is a budding racist. Or is she?

Not so fast.

This poorly crafted survey is an example of what researchers call a “confounding bias” introduced by how the questions were phrased and how the test was presented. I’m not making any comments about race or racism here. I’m only talking about the validity of the survey from a scientific standpoint, as a way to remind us all to be careful what we accept as “proof” of a particular point of view. Just because people in lab coats stand around with clipboards doesn’t mean it’s science.

In this survey’s case, there are a number of problems:

This girl had no option to chose that “none of the children are bad.” She was forced to make a value judgment.
Lack of variables. No other visual characteristics like hair color/length, eye color, clothing or even position of light and dark illustrations in the line-up were introduced in the line of questioning. Would the girl have made a different choice if the darker-skinned illustrations where wearing purple dresses and the survey taker’s favorite color happened to be purple? The survey doesn’t rule out these possibilities.
Because of the lack of variables introduced, no correlation can be drawn between the girl’s choices and her racial attitudes. It’s scientifically useless.

Since this survey did not introduce any other possible variables – say, asking the same question but with the illustrated children arranged in a different order in the visual, for example – the survey isn’t scientifically conclusive.

But then, why would a black child point to the light-skinned child as being “good” or “smart”?

The survey’s results say that even black children pointed to light-skinned illustrations as being the “good” or “smart” children. How could it be anything but the child reflecting a belief that light-skinned individuals are somehow better then them or, at least, better off socially?

Here’s something else to consider. Children are not able to think abstractly at this young survey-takers’s developmental stage. When she is picking a child out of the line up, she isn’t drawing abstract conclusions about value based on skin color. Quite the opposite, she sees herself as a “good” and “smart” child, so she picks the illustration that “is like me.” (If you watch the video, you’ll see this is the case.)

This survey could just as easily be viewed as a measure of a child’s self-esteem than a test of his/her views on an abstract race construct. Why would a black child pick a light-skinned illustration as the “good” one? Maybe his or her parents and teachers have sent the dark-skinned child negative self-esteem messages. Therefore, the “good” child is the one that is opposite to them. That’s a self-perception that would fall on the shoulders of parents, teachers, and other influences in the child’s life.

Since the survey didn’t test for these possible variables for the responses it gathered, it’s interesting but scientifically useless. Again, this is not a defense of any kind of racist behavior. But, in the race to call young Americans “racist” I’m just flipping on the yellow light of caution.

Just because this survey is labeled “science” doesn’t mean it’s the genuine article.

Filed under: communication, culture, education, research Tagged: CNN

McReps & McDems Alike Should Cry at Bayh’s Goodbye

Wildman — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:07:00 +0000

Cooler heads in Congress head for the exits.

Wow, the current administration and Congress are even too liberal for members of their own party.

Sen. Evan Bayh, a 12 year veteran and moderate Democrat, says he won’t run for reelection because Congress “is not operating as it should” and he’s tired of the “strident partisanship,” CNN reports. Good news for all the Republican fans, right?

Wrong.

I think Bayh and his fellow long-term members on both sides of the aisle see the handwriting on the wall. America’s going to be very hard on incumbents this election cycle, Reps and Dems alike. Bayh doesn’t want to be the guy who loses his seat to the other team.

The real loser? The American people. Centrist members in both parties have been the quiet workhorses of government for years with their ability to see issues from other points of view and strike deals that suit everyone and not just advance their party’s agenda. Now their number is shrinking as the cooler heads in Congress head for the exits.

The increasing polarizing of American politics into only two opposing viewpoints is exceptionally dangerous. Each party will simply resort to exponentially extreme behavior in order to make it clear to voters that, “Hey, at least we’re not those other guys.” More posturing, less real action by both parties results.

We have decades of disinterested, uninformed voters to thank for giving Reps and Dems the need to caricature themselves and make the choice easy for people who’d rather not have to think too hard. Gone are the days when someone is elected for their personal skills and viewpoints, and not for their party label.

Now, America votes for their preferred party like they cheer for their favorite sports team or choose their favorite fast food chain. Sure, with McDems and McReps you always know what you’re going to get, but what you get won’t be very good for you.

Its easier that way, because all that takes is being able to read the letters “D” and “R” at the ballot box. Soon, we won’t even need names on ballots. We’ll simply put pictures of elephants and donkeys on the screen and select our government like we order our value meals.

“Thank you for voting, America. Would you like fries with that?“

Filed under: commentary, culture, shenanigans Tagged: CNN, congress, dumb people, Evan Bayh, McDems, McReps, politics