lamaleader - Slashdot User

Why Overheard Cell Phone Chats Are Annoying 344

Posted by timothy on Thursday May 20, 2010 @06:26PM from the they-drown-out-the-bark-of-my-gun dept.

__roo writes "American researchers think they have found the answer to the question of why overhearing cell phone chats are annoying. According to scientists at Cornell University, when only half of the conversation is overheard, it drains more attention and concentration than when overhearing two people talking. According to one researcher, 'We have less control to move away our attention from half a conversation (or halfalogue) than when listening to a dialogue. Since halfalogues really are more distracting and you can't tune them out, this could explain why people are irritated.' Their study will be published in the journal Psychological Science."

California's Santa Clara County Bans Happy Meal Toys 756

Posted by timothy on Wednesday April 28, 2010 @02:54PM from the when-self-righteousness-attacks dept.

WrongSizeGlass writes "The L.A. Times is reporting that Santa Clara County officials have voted to ban toys and other promotions that restaurants offer with high-calorie children's meals. 'This ordinance prevents restaurants from preying on children's love of toys' to sell high-calorie, unhealthful food, said Supervisor Ken Yeager, who sponsored the measure. 'This ordinance breaks the link between unhealthy food and prizes.' Supervisor Donald Gage, who voted against the measure, said, 'If you can't control a 3-year-old child for a toy, God save you when they get to be teenagers.' The vote was 3 - 2 in favor of the ban."

Comment Re:Not completely bogus (Score 1) 182

by lamaleader on Friday April 16, 2010 @01:58AM (#31868332) Attached to: British Chiropractors Drop Case Against Simon Singh

How do anecdotes keep getting modded up on Slashdot?

"The plural of anecdote is not data."

Back pain comes and goes. Bodies heal on their own. Chronic pain feels better some days and worse others. Humans respond very well to placebos. None of this is evidence in the slightest that chiropractic is effective. Randomized double blind trials show a treatment is effective.

Stop modding anecdotes up!

Comment Re:Social engineering is evil (Score 1) 555

by lamaleader on Friday April 02, 2010 @09:25PM (#31711940) Attached to: White House Issues New Gas Mileage Standards

The linked article defines pollution as sulfur emissions, but ignores the other byproducts of combustion including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and benzene. Should ships reduce sulfur exhaust? Absolutely. Does that eliminate the need for sensible personal transportation choices. Not at all.

Comment Re:kettle/black (Score 1) 459

by lamaleader on Thursday September 24, 2009 @02:55PM (#29531855) Attached to: Microsoft Says Google Chrome Frame Makes IE Less Secure

Don't we use quotation marks to denote quotations any more? Perhaps they've been reserved for "emphasis". But to be fair, your not-as-funny paraphrasing of Demitri Martin doesn't require quotes.

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