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Super Freakonomics Podcast Part 4 (FINAL) - Ava Olsen and Michelle Friedman

Posted by Ava Olsen in Statistics - Miles - B on
In the fourth and final segment of our Superfreakonomics series, we responded to a listener question about organ donor compensation, discussed the outcomes of cheap and simple fixes in chapter four, The Fix Is In, and it's Cheap and Simple, and debated the clarity and significance of topics and arguments from chapter five What do Al Gore and Mount Pinatubo Have in Common? We agreed that though there were many contradictions and confusing lines of evidence throughout the entire book, the lesson to be learned is that we ought to take all new data with a bit of healthy skepticism and always deeply examine our data to understand the underlying misconceptions or misrepresentations.


*(The audio file may be too big to simply play in Google Drive - The file must be downloaded.)

HAIR

Posted by Tamira Bell in Science And Society - Best - Y on
Hair is a strand of protein that grows from the follicles in the skin. It is composed of the tough protein called keratin. Each strand of hair is held into the skin by a follicle which is inside of the skin. At the base of the stand is a bulb that lives inside of the follicle. In the bulb of the hair strand, cells divide and grow to build the hair shaft inside of the hair. Blood vessels also bring nourishment to the cells in the bulb and they bring hormones that determine growth and the structure of the hair.
2000px-Hair_follicle-en.svg
2000px-Hair_follicle-en.svg
Hair grows in 3 distinct stages: Anagen, Catagen, and Telogen.  Anagen is known as the growing phase when hair is growing. It usually lasts 2-7 years & determines the length of your hair. Catagen is known as the regression phase. It’s when the hair shrinks and detaches from the hair follicle. It usually lasts for about 10 days. The last stage is telogen, which is the resting phase. This is when the hair is released and falls out, then the follicle remains inactive for 3 months. This stage usually lasts for about 3 months.
Hair-Growth-Cycle-White
Hair-Growth-Cycle-White

When hair is pushed up through the hair follicle and towards the surface of your scalp, the cells fill with fibrous proteins and lose their nucleus. When it reaches the surface, it’s a complex system of protein-rich fibers. This is known as Keratinization.

Society classifies hair into different categories. It’s called the hair typing system. People with Type 1 hair have straight, fine hair, that tends to be oily, and is hard to damage. People with Type 2 hair have wavy hair in a ‘S’ pattern. People with Type 3 hair have curly hair that can range from being in a ‘S’ pattern to kink or tight curls with a lot of strands of hair densely packed together. People with Type 4 hair have very tightly coiled hair that is very fragile and has less defined curls. There are certainly trends in different hair styles.


4609712199
4609712199
hair-typing-chart-4naturals
hair-typing-chart-4naturals
​Many people wear trending styles in their hair like weave, they use heat to straighten it, and they even use chemicals like perms. All of these things can cause damage to the hair. As a result, people who suffer from hair damage have split ends, baldness, Alopecia Areata, and even permanent scalp damage. As a result to counter hair damage, many people are joining the natural hair movement. This is a movement that trending especially in the black community, where people are opting out of chemicals, heat, and anything damaging to their hair and choosing to wear their hair naturally and use natural hair products. 

I personally spend a lot of time maintaining my hair. Growing up, I had very thick hair that was difficult to manage. So when I was in 3rd grade, my mom decided to give me my first perm. This was the worse decision ever. When it was applied to my hair, it burnt my scalp so badly. Also a few weeks later, my hair started to fall out. The perm chemically altered the texture of my hair and severely damaged it. As the years went on, my hair eventually grew and I used a lot of heat styling. From 4th grade until 8th grade, my hair rapidly grew and I could see the difference in length each year. However past 8th grade, I wasn’t seeing much growth. My hair was shedding all over the place and it was very thin. I was very frustrated so I began to research how to make my hair grow and be healthy. The best option that I found was wearing my hair in its natural state. In January of 2014, I decided to go natural. It has been 2 ½ years since then and this was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. My hair is very healthy and has grown so much.
2016-06-01 23.07.25
2016-06-01 23.07.25
*My hair in heat styling in eight grade (2011).
DSC00052
DSC00052
​*My natural hair this year (2016).



Bibliography:

  • Sherrow, Victoria (2006). Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History. 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. iv.ISBN 0-313-33145-6.

  • Krause, K; Foitzik, K (2006). "Biology of the Hair Follicle: The Basics". Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery 25: 2–10.doi:10.1016/j.sder.2006.01.002

  • "Common Causes of Damaged Hair That You Can Avoid." About.com Style. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. <http://blackhair.about.com/od/blackhairproblems/a/damagedhair.htm>.

  • "The Hair Growth Cycle." Philip Kingsley. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. <http://www.philipkingsley.com/hair-guide/hair-science/hair-growth-cycle/>.

  • "What Is Hair Made Of?" GrowHairGuru. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. <http://growhairguru.com/what-is-hair-made-of/>.

Imani and Amirah 1st Podcast

Posted by Amirah Bolling in Statistics - Miles - B on
Stats 1st podcast - 5:1:16, 1.14 PM
Our first podcast was based on the Introduction and chapters 1-2. We talked about our observation in what we learned in class and how it relates to the book. We talked about how there were confusion in regards to what the book was talking about and how we asked around to gain a clarification. We asked questions and made other observations 

How To Lie With Statistics Pt. 2

Posted by Stephanie Dyson on
This is podcast 2 of a 3-podcast series that dissects the novel, "How To Lie With Statistics" by Darrell Huff. The book itself explores the various ways that statistics are altered and used outright incorrectly to project a certain image, convey a certain feeling, or produce a certain outcome within the masses. 
In this series, Stephanie Dyson, Dillon Hersey, Maggie Clampet-Lundquist and Sean Morris look into the various themes that comprise the book and dissect what this means, not only for their high school stats class, but for the world around them.


In this podcast: 
We looked at Chapters 3 through 7 for this episode, but used the quotes in the beginning of the book to guide our conversation.Then, we took a look at how Huff explained that graphs can be misconstrued in various ways in The Gee Whiz Graph. From there, we took a look at the farce that is modern media, exploring the ways that news organizations use those various methods all the time to show “statistics” when they’re really not showing anything at all (the graphs we referenced are all pictured below). Lastly, we spoke briefly on the background information you need when thinking about averages so that you can most accurately convey your information. We also brainstormed some new titles for the book by accident, but they're not too shabby. I hope you enjoy this episode. Stay tuned for our final podcast, which will dive into chapters 8 through 10 to finish out the book. 

Music is provided for free by Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment's debut album, "Surf", which dropped May 2015.
The Graph Dillon mentioned concerning abortions and cancer screenings. Read the full article here: http://www.stats.org/the-graph-that-launched-a-thousand-news-stories/
The graph Maggie mentioned concerning car crashes across different age groups. Read the full article here:http://www.econoclass.com/misleadingstats.html
The graph Stephanie mentioned concerning Stand Your Ground laws in Florida. Read the full article here: http://usvsth3m.com/post/82779802419/creator-defends-graph-that-appears-to-erroneously-show

Shark Attacks by Sergei Mass

Posted by Sergei Mass in Science And Society - Best - E on
From a young age, I have had such an interest in sharks, matter of fact; I am a shark. I was struggling to figure out what I would be interested in doing for my 5 minutes of science. I wanted to do something Kanye related, but there is not much science behind that and so I directly went to sharks. 

Science:
Most shark attacks believe it or not are mistakes. Many people believe that sharks go after humans, but they just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Many humans tend to be not very smart and swim during their feeding time. Studies have shown that some sharks in Mexico have grown a taste for humans. Drug cartel leaders have been dumping dead bodies into shark infested waters and over time sharks have grown to like the taste of human flesh. Now it might be just a coincidence, but don't quote me because it is still unknown. To be attacked by a shark is very unlikely, you are actually more likely to die on your way to the shore than by being eaten by a shark.

Society:
There is a 1 in 3,748,067 chance to be eaten by a shark and it is highly unlikely to happen to you. If you see a shark stay calm!

Self: 
I am a shark and I love sharks. 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xd8vc6Isx3WtY9gu4JQWZZEZZajlhq3_aMHqSvpQ8FE/edit#slide=id.p


https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xd8vc6Isx3WtY9gu4JQWZZEZZajlhq3_aMHqSvpQ8FE/edit#slide=id.p

Computer Vision Syndrome

Posted by Noah Caruso in Science And Society - Best - Y on
Computer Vision Syndrome results from long term technology and can damage your eyes as well as induce headaches. Devices such as computers, tablets, and eReaders can cause computer vision syndrome. Pretty much everyone has experienced computer vision syndrome in their life. The symptoms include dry eyes, headaches, sore eyes, and blurred vision. 
There are many things that contribute to computer vision syndrome other than the screen itself, such as the lighting and distance at which you're viewing the screen. This happens because your eyes are essentially working harder when viewing heavily lit objects that are not contrasted to the background, which is why almost all emails and papers are written as black words on a white background. Muscles in your eyes tighten, namely the ciliary muscle, which controls the viewing of objects at various distances. The average worker spends about seven hours a day working off of a screen, and we spend more seeing as we're a technology driven school, which makes this a big issue in today's society.

E1 U8 Q4 Proyecto James Adams, Antonio DeRock, Afi Koffi

Posted by Afi Koffi in Spanish 1 - Manuel - D on
Carmen(Afi) and Speedy(Antonio) go to school, however they are really hungry. They ditch school and go to a venezuelan restaurant, by calling a taxi. They meet Tyrone(James) the taxi driver, then they arrive at the restaurant and meet Paco(James) the waiter. Carmen(Afi) and Speedy(Antonio) then order their food, they receive their food and the worst thing happens Paco(James) is a undercover cop named Steve(James). Watch to find out how the tale unfolds!

Podcast #2

Posted by Jada Terrell in Statistics - Miles - C on
This is our second podcast reflecting on chapters 3-6. 

Speakers: Jada Terrell, Kadija Koita, and Isabella Blackwell

This podcast covered topics such as advertisement, coin flips, and how we interpreted different illustrations in the chapters. We recalled doing coin flips during the first quarter of the year, and how we thought it'd be 50/50 but it's not, actually far from it. We also talked about IQ tests and how we feel about their relevance. 
Podcast 2

Podcast #2 - Ilker, Jamie & Brian

Posted by Ilker Erkut in Statistics - Miles - B on
​In Jamie, Brian and my second Podcast we started of by answering Mr. Miles prompts given to us to talk about in the second podcast.  Jamie was not here for this intro allowing Brian an opportunity to speak more which was also asked for by Mr. Miles.  After about 13 minutes of introduction we finally started talking about the 4, 5 and 6 chapters.  As usual we did a lot of connecting and using in book examples to back up what we were saying.  We went over many of the graphs.  This week was a solid week.  We have officially hit the 30 minute minimum for the project.  Next time our podcast will be for the remaining 4 chapters.  Stay tuned!!

Podcast #1

Posted by Jada Terrell in Statistics - Miles - C on
How to Lie with Statistics

Speakers: Jada Terrell, Isabella Blackwell, and Kadija Koita​

For this podcast, we talked about chapters 1-2 of the book. The main ideas we discussed were about collecting data sets and how we go about them. We noticed the different examples he used in the book to talk about how to choose samples and about bias, and we talked about our experience with collecting data in the past and how particularly our biases have influenced our data collection. 
How to Lie With Statistics pt 1

Scoliosis

Posted by Amanda Thieu in Science And Society - Best - Y on

Science:


Scoliosis is the abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. It ranges from different degrees depending on the person or the severeness of the scoliosis.

There are multiple causes and cases of scoliosis. Degenerative scoliosis may result from traumatic (from an injury or illness) bone collapse, previous major back surgery, or osteoporosis(thinning of the bones) Idiopathic Scoliosis is the e common type of scoliosis has no specific identifiable cause. Congenital Scoliosis caused by a bone abnormality present at birth. Neuromuscular Scoliosis is a result of abnormal muscles or nerves. Frequently seen in people with spina bifida or cerebral palsy or in those with various conditions that are accompanied by, or result in, paralysis.

There are certain cases that can be corrected by surgery or a back brace. The back brace can’t fix scoliosis but it can straighten and keep it from getting worse. It basically acts like a stabilizer.


Society: Approximately 2%-3% of Americans at age 16 have scoliosis. Less than .1% have spinal curves measuring greater than 40 degrees. Scoliosis is diagnosed by Most scoliosis curves are initially detected on school screening exams, by a child’s pediatrician, or family doctor or by a parent. Some signs include: uneven shoulders, a prominent shoulder blade, uneven waist, or leaning to one side. Speciality hospitals like Shriner’s children’s hospital can do screenings and X-rays to evaluate the magnitude of the curve. Girls are more likely to be affected than boys.


Self:

I have a rare case of scoliosis called Spondylothoracic Dysplasia.  Instead of one curve, I have two curves. Compared to a normal spine that have perfect rectangular vertebrae, my vertebrae is jumbled up resembling a puzzle. Therefore surgery would have been a risk. The physical aspects are visibly short torso, and a lot of back pains. Sources: http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-scoliosis  http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/scoliosis/home/ovc-20193685 http://www.medicinenet.com/scoliosis/article.htm http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/scoliosis/scoliosis-what-you-need-know
http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/scoliosis/ http://www.srs.org/ 

The Science Behind The Gut Feeling: Ameer Forte

Posted by Ameer Forte in Science And Society - Best - E on
​Science: 

Modern science has given the world a way to determine whether or not the "gut feeling" you hear people refer to is a myth, or a true feeling or instinct of human thought and emotion. An article published in April 2016, shows researchers, for the first time ever, having devised a way to measure intuition. According to many researchers, intuition is far more material than it seems. Hope College social psychologist David Myers, PhD, explains that the intuitive right brain is almost always “reading” your surroundings, even when your conscious left brain is otherwise engaged. The body can register this information while the conscious mind remains blissfully unaware of what’s going on.’ This effect causes your first instinct to a problem or your “intuition” more reliable to trust than not because the first time you think about something your brain is more focused on it, without you even knowing. The experiment showed that most individuals actually guessed the right color more often when they began to trust their gut instinct by showing confidence and responding quickly, suddenly reacting rather than spending extra time thinking about the color.

Society:

Intuition can help people make better decisions under the right circumstances. This was an important study that showed that information subconsciously perceived in the brain can help with decisions if that information holds some value or extra evidence beyond what people already have in their conscious mind. In the future, researchers might be able to develop a method to train people to take advantage of their intuition and then test them to see if their intuition truly improved with more frequent use and practice.

Self:

When is this useful for someone like me? Well I personally plan to take advantage of my natural ability of intuition when test taking, when critical decision making, and basically in all aspects of life that involve important decision making.
5 Min Of Science

E1Q4BM Proyecto- Robo en el Restaurante

Posted by Leah Bradstreet in Spanish 1 - Manuel - C on

STORYLINE:

Leah: [voiceover] Presentar nuestro nuevo telenovela serie, Extraño Café: Un Documentario. Starring Julia Furman, Jason Lam, y Leah Bradstreet!

Julia: [walks up to Jason] ¡Hola! ¡Bienvenido el Dinero Café! Soy tú camarera, Julia. [pauses] ¿Qué le traigo? ¡También me gustaría mencionar que tenemos comida para perros para tú amigo adorable!

Jason: [looks at menu] No, gracias. Pero me gustaría agua, por favor.

Julia: Bueno, un momento. [walks away]

Julia: [returns with a cup of water] Aquí tiene.

Jason: Gracias.

Julia: ¿Algo más?

Leah: [walks in suspiciously, says nothing yet]

Jason: [notices her, but looks back down at menu] Sí. Quiero un pollo ensalada y salmón. Algo quiero helado de chocolate.

Julia [Suspiciously looking at Leah, but feels like she needs to look away and quickly does so. Wants to get out of there. Says quickly,] Bueno. Ya vengo. [begins to go quickly in fear]

Leah: [notices Julia just as she’s about to escape and takes out “gun” and fires into the air twice]

[Jason screams and the dog become alert and growls at Leah. Julia picks up her pace.]

Leah: [says creepily] Espera Señora.

Julia: [Stops and turns. Nervously and softly,] La la la la la la

Leah: ¡Dame todo, o voy a disparar! ¡Dame dinero, objetos de valor, quiero todo! ¡AHORA! [Fires another shot into the air, spurring everyone to scramble to strip themselves of their valuables]

Julia: [Falls down on the ground in surprise at the yell. Her glasses fall off. Jason´s dog sniffs at Julia, to make sure she's okay.]

Jason: [refuses to move, even speak. Dog is still in the same position, protecting his master]

Leah: [notices Jason and swerves the gun towards him]¡Tú! ¡Dame tu dinero!

[Dog growls and barks, and then jumps up on Leah]

Leah: ¡Aaaaahhhh! [Drops gun and runs out of the restaurant. The dog is still barking after her]

[The others cheer, the robbess is gone! Dog returns]

[Jason blushes from the attention and pets his dog on the head]


(End of Video)


Honey Bees

Posted by Alex Colón-Vazquez in Science And Society - Best - Y on
  • Science
To explain the science of my topic to the public I would collect many different essential daily products that many people use and explain how honey bees contribute resources to make the product and what will happen if honey bees disappear. I will then give a short introduction about the anatomy of honey bees and how we collect the resources we use from honey bees, this will allow the audience to think differently when they go to their local pharmacy or store to buy products that use resources from honey bees. I am positive my resources are reliable, I made sure to only use sources with ".org" and resources from credible organizations. I am able to confirm that my sources are credible through online educational videos and reviews. 

  • Society
This issue impacts society because if honey bees disappear a large number of products that we use will become extremely expensive or will possibly become impossible to produce. Honey bees are responsible for one-third of our global food production, there are already third world countries that have multiple problems feeding their citizens. Countries like the United States and other developed countries will experience a food crisis that will most likely last for many generations. Lastly the economic value of pollinators is worth $235 to $577 billion dollars globally, if honey bees disappear a large amount of this money will be disappear and funds for education, medical supplies, etc. will become unavailable and result in a global crisis.
  • Self
This issue effects me because I am constantly thinking about the products I use and where they come from, if we lose resources because honey bees are experiencing some kind of a crisis it can effect generations to come and possibly effect the environment in a negative way. I am very grateful that I have all of these resources provided by honey bees that most people find difficult to obtain, I will never stop spreading the word about honey bees and will continue to provide information for those who are unaware of where most of the products they use come from. 

Sources Cited: 

1). Kurzgesagt. "The Death Of Bees Explained – Parasites, Poison and Humans." YouTube. YouTube, 09 July 2015. Web. 31 May 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqA42M4RtxE>.
2). Morris, Alex. "What Is Killing America's Bees and What Does It Mean for Us?" Rolling Stone. N.p., 18 Aug. 2015. Web. 31 May 2016. <http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/what-is-killing-americas-bees-and-what-does-it-mean-for-us-20150818>.
3). "Honey Bees: Overview of Honeybee Types, Habitats & Characteristics."Orkin. Orkin, n.d. Web. 31 May 2016. <http://www.orkin.com/stinging-pests/bees/honey-bees/>.

Presentation: 
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18cOK2J0LoIzs3_Gb A1KVPQog6nweaRLfnyrLE7ilRPo/edit#slide=id.g124eb963b9_0_194