Minnesota is one of the least racist states, according to Google (and Harvard)

@Ddrekonja Of course. Common sense tells you that. An yet, it purports to paint a racial animus on the strength of a couple of words.

@kenpaulman @NewsCut I haven't questioned researcher, I have questioned ur defense of researcher. Full paper http://t.co/5SHpvEza

@kenpaulman @NewsCut presume that those whom use the n word more are racist? Could be, but I don't think so. http://t.co/uItVLzyN

@CampaignExpert @NewsCut Maybe you guys should take these questions up with the researcher and report back?

@NewsCut @kenpaulman What other words or phrases where used with the word might give clues as to purpose of search. http://t.co/mPBLoWDr

@NewsCut @CampaignExpert We presume someone who uses lots of racial slurs in conversation to be more racist. Why different for web searches?

@NewsCut @Ddrekonja *Attempting* to measure, that is.

@NewsCut @kenpaulman So because racism exists in MN (no one denies), any attempt to quantify it and link to voting patterns is invalid?

@NewsCut @Ddrekonja Outside the scope. Author wasn't measuring racism as a whole. He was measuring racial bias against Obama. Who is black.

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman That is correct. And if people don't understand why, maybe a little time on the Red Lake Reservation would help.

@NewsCut @kenpaulman You're also not answering q's. As to is n word valid way to qtfy racism-- no idea. Author tries; you call him stupid.

@NewsCut @kenpaulman Finally, when do you get to see "notes in red pen" on? Most journals don't publish reviewer comments (some exceptions)

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman Tell you what. Why don't YOU describe your quantification for a racial animus for this geographical area.

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman I'll take that as "no, I'm not going to answer your questions." So. Thanks, then.

@NewsCut @kenpaulman And, do you know enough about the statistical models used to say whether they are valid or not?

@NewsCut @kenpaulman Again, have you read entire 52 pages? I have not, but am also not declaring it not a good paper, nor the author stupid

@NewsCut @kenpaulman Social scientists have relied heavily on a society's texts for better understanding. Search queries are perfect for it.

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman It's not like it's hard to find.

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman Maybe he can get some money to get out of the cubicle, shut off the laptop, come out and see what racism looks like

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman And neither of you has answered my questions regarding "n" word as quantifier of racial animus.

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman So don't shoot for the moon. Shoot for one good paper. We don't get to see the notes in red pen on this one.

@Ddrekonja @NewsCut @kenpaulman (cont) one conclusive paper is not feasible.

@Ddrekonja @NewsCut @kenpaulman (cont) more work, answer questions raised, etc. In academia, papers count, so to hold it all for one (cont)

@NewsCut @kenpaulman You may not understand research-- it is never "done". This may serve as pilot data to get grant/protected time for more

@NewsCut @Ddrekonja No, it's absolutely not like that at all. Have you read the paper?

@kenpaulman @Ddrekonja It's kind of like asking "hey I just talked to one guy" is it OK if I put out my story now even tho more are needed?

@NewsCut @Ddrekonja When is research "done"?

@Ddrekonja @NewsCut @kenpaulman Perfectly standard for a PhD candidate (or any early researcher) to start small, generate hypotheses, etc

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman But you can only gussy up "oooohhh, look what I found on Goodle" so much. Tomorrow's economists, no doubt.

@Ddrekonja @kenpaulman Of COURSE they have to start somewhere. And when the research is done, THEN release your paper and let it stand.

@kenpaulman But if someone wants to offer the Michele Bachman theory of science (hey someone told me something), knock yourself out

@kenpaulman I would say ranking based on a questionable description of racial animus is itself racist against vics of racism not in the grp

@NewsCut Who said that a vote against Obama is racist?

@NewsCut Hey, I'm not the one trying to break into the peer-review business, here...

@kenpaulman It's OK w/me if ppl want to pick their data to support view that a vote against Obama is racist. But that doesn't quanitfy....

@kenpaulman I would say your view is closer to the "see? It's really just about air fresheners" view. :*)

@kenpaulman If your view is data is data and data=data, then there's no use examining the point further. Here's a PhD.

@NewsCut Agree. My point is just that "this is BS because Google" isn't a very compelling critique. Data is data.

@kenpaulman I would posit that you can't. for one thing, you lack a control group.

@kenpaulman For ex.can u really paint a racial animus between states w/say hi Afr/Am low Latino vs one with high Latino/low AfAm, using "N"

@kenpaulman ... having a fairly tolerant racial animus, it's up to us to determine if a posited racial animus tests out across races, for ex

@kenpaulman It's up to us, then, to examine the conclusions, then, isn't, to find out if it's valid. If Minnesota, say, is painted as...

@NewsCut He's drawing a conclusion from a set of data. That's what they do.

@kenpaulman Which makes it a case of "this I believe." PhDs now are the AOL disks of the '80s.

@NewsCut I don't think the paper is being offered as a scientific conclusion, nor am I suggesting it is.

@kenpaulman Tell you what. You go learn the difference between anecodtal evidence and scientific evidence, and I'll try again later.

@CClonts @NewsCut I never said it did.

@kenpaulman That would be anecdotal data. it's not scientific data.

@NewsCut Well, sure. It's a brief summary in a blog post. You still haven't explained why the methodology is invalid.

@kenpaulman Some people won't vote for Romney because he's Mormon. But that's different from saying your quantifying racism. You're not.

@kenpaulman Wow, stereotype much?The South has no monopoly when it comes to racism. @newscut

@kenpaulman It's pretty much as scientifically valid as Bachmann's declaring vaccines cause mental illness.

@kenpaulman The article is rife with lack of detail on a per sentence basis. It's tripe. That's why it's on an opinion page and not news.

@NewsCut Maybe. But is the idea that *some* people won't vote for Obama just b/c he's black really all that radical? Ever been to the South?

@NewsCut *In the context of the presidential election*

@kenpaulman The people who just want to foster the notion that a vote against Obama is racially motivated are willing to overlook method.

@kenpaulman He says he attempted to quantify racial prejudice in the country. he didn't say racial prejudice against African Americans.

@NewsCut Looks like the real problem here is City Pages taking 4-month-old news and putting a bad headline on it.

@NewsCut That's outside the scope of the study. Here's an explanation of the methodology: http://t.co/jFDqcV2j

@kenpaulman Also how would typing in an "N" word reflect, for example, on racism toward Native Americans, or Hmong, or Latinos?

@kenpaulman Is typing "n" word into Google more/less indicative racism than, say, disparate sentencing. Or racial profiling?

@NewsCut Or course not. One person typing something isn't statistically significant. But millions?

@kenpaulman also, by your standard, me just typing that into the search engine has meaning. it doesn't.

@kenpaulman Yes, I'm aware of that. Both are equally stupid determiners. But in the absence of real science and study...

@NewsCut Pretty sure the paper didn't do that either. Just tried to measure relative bias among states. But again, I haven't read it.

@kenpaulman If you're declaring a state racist/not racist on basis of number of times "n" word has been searched for, I'd say so.