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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

Common Cold Blog Post

Posted by Rafi Hares in Science And Society - Best - E on

​Explaining common cold's to people is actually very simply. The reason for that is that everyone has experienced a common cold before, and and everyone knows the symptoms very well. Symptoms like sore throat, nasal congestion, and coughing are easily explainable. When it comes to the science most people know that there isn't a cure for the common cold because every year we catch cold's several times. The idea here is that there isn't one treatable cause for the common cold, they are hundreds of causes which why it is such a pesky thing to deal with. All of my sources on the common cold are reliable because they are backed by research. Some of my sources are also government funded.

http://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/coldsandflu/Pages/Preventionandcure.aspx
http://www.commoncold.org/understand.htm
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-surprising-facts-about-the-common-cold-23293218/?no-ist

The common cold affects society in it that everyone gets one. Because of the common cold we call out sick at work, don't go to school, and even make ourselves a burden to those around us. People with weaker immune systems and children are the most prone to catching colds. Because of this we often spend a lot of time showing our children how to be sanitary. It's even possible to say that the common cold fostered this whole culture of always wash your hands after you do something with them. We build our lives in such a way that we try to avoid getting a cold as much as possible. The common cold has helped us develop as a cleanly society. Some people might say that the common cold causes us to waste time but it's because of the common cold that we have such as thing like sick days. Everyone has called out of work sick before without actually being sick. Imagine not having that chance because common colds didn't exist. In the future I think we will most likely get even cleaner as a society to eventually eradicate the common cold.


I think the common cold has made me into a paranoid person. Anytime I see someone coughing or sneezing I try to avoid them more because I don't want to catch a cold. It makes me alienate people. At the same time I do value the fact that the common cold has helped society develop. We have things like antibacterial soap and spray because of the common cold. The whole "it destroys 99.9% of all germs" things is a way to assure people that these products will protect against the cold. Yes to me the common cold culture has helped society develop new products and solutions as well as push us further to that 100% of all germs standard

How to Lie with Statistics Podcast #2- Lindsey & Tiarra

Posted by Lindsey Jones in Statistics - Miles - B on
Hey! Lindsey and Tiarra are back with their second installment of How To Lie with Statistics. In this podcast, we explore chapters 5-7 and discuss the deceitful nature of companies, prestigious schools, and other entities and how they can manipulate pictograph, bar graphs, and line graphs. So far, this podcast recording stuff has been very enjoyable and eye opening for us. Please enjoy it and look forward for our third and final installment later this week!
chapters5to7HTLWS

E1 U8 Q4 Proyecto - Lauren Nicolella, Kimberly Gucciardi-Kreigh & Maciej Pokora

Posted by Lauren Nicolella in Spanish 1 - Manuel - D on

Maciej got a bad grade on his final project, causing him to fail the class he was in with Profesora Nutty. When he arrives at restaurant, he sees his teacher and decides to sit with her at the table. She tries to ignore him and tells him how bad this work is and such. Being all clumsy and rude to the waiter, teacher makes a request to cause trouble to him while he goes to the bathroom. After he comes back trouble happens and at the end he leaves a bad tip and drops a chandelier on him.