Assingment for Saturday

1) Read chapter 10 (you can skip chapter 9)

2) Go to this page.

http://abcnews.go.com/

Read the news report about a study of white rice.

Answer these questions;

1) What does the study show?

2) What does the writer (Dr. LAWRENCE BORGES) think about this topic? Does he think white rice is dangerous or not?

3) What is the advice he gives about white rice?

Finding Statistics

Sometimes people use statistics incorrectly.

But sometimes it is hard even to find the statistics!

Do you know Walmart?

Photo by galaygobi



Walmart is a huge multinational company that operates large discount department stores.

Walmart is famous for it`s low prices.

Photo by Walmart Stores


However, many people don`t like Walmart.

They complain that Walmart pays it`s workers too little.

Many people who work at Walmart are still poor!

  Photo by Brave New Films


I want to find out how much Walmart pays a new unskilled worker.

I searched on Yahoo.com



Here are some quotes from many websites.



http://www.buzzle.com/articles/walmart-employee-average-salary.html

"On an hourly basis, the average salary of Walmart employees is around $11.75."

This sounds good but the website sounded biased in favor of Walmart.


http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=Wal-Mart_Stores%2c_Inc/Hourly_Rate

"Cashier: Hourly Rate: $7.32 - $10.20"



http://www.careerleak.com/salaries/walmart/cashier/


This website gets it`s information from anonymous sources.

I can`t be sure if this is true or not.



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080104140335AAysNZx


"What's the average starting pay for a Walmart employee?
I am just looking for a part time job to earn a little extra money.




Wal-Mart pays an average hourly wage of $8.23 an hour, according to independent expert statistical analysis, which falls below basic living wage standards and even below poverty lines.
Wal-Mart claims an hourly wage of $9.68 an hour is its national average, though that still equals poverty levels for workers. Since “full time” at Wal-Mart is 34 hours a week according to company policy, full-time workers make a mere $17,114.24 a year—below the federal poverty level for a family of four.
The most common Wal-Mart jobs earn less.
A sales associate--the most common job classification--earns on average $8.23 per hour ($13,861 annually)
A cashier—the second most common job—earns about $7.92 per hour ($11,948 annually)
Sales associates and cashiers combined account for more than a third of all Wal-Mart jobs.
Source(s):
http://www.ufcw.org/press_room/fact_sheets_and_backgrounder/walmart/wages.cfm"







This last page looked very good because the person added the source of the information.

However when I clicked on the link I only saw this.

PAGE NOT FOUND!!!!


Finally, I thought, "Why not just go to Walmart`s home page!"

I went to http://walmartstores.com/ 

But I still couldn`t find  how much Walmart pays a new unskilled worker!

I could only find these 2 videos about how wonderful Walmart is!






How much does Walmart pay?

I can`t find out.

Sometimes the most effective way to deceive using statistics is to keep the statistic a secret.

Average is not Normal

This powerpoint file explains the difference between "average" and "normal".

http://www.slideshare.net/

Doctors VS Obamacare

Obamacare is Obama`s plan to change the healthcare industry in America.

There is a lot of debate about this plan.

Many people think it will improve the healthcare industry but many people think it will make things worse.

 Here is an article from the Boston Herald about Obamacare.

boston herald story

"The Supreme Court hasn’t yet rendered its verdict on Obamacare, but the nation’s doctors have. And they think it will wreck America’s health care system.

The latest evidence comes from a new survey of young doctors by the Physicians Foundation. Nearly 60 percent of doctors aged 40 and under are pessimistic about the future of American health care. Just 22 percent are optimistic.

The number-one reason doctors cited for their pessimism? Obamacare, which was singled out by more than a third. Add in related concerns — like distrust of government to do the right thing and the feeling that government intervention hurts patient care — and the docs’ hostility to Obamacare becomes even more intense."

Question


What percentage of American doctors think Obamacare will make the healthcare industry worse?

Research studies

How often do you read a news story about a "Shocking new study!"

Here are some examples of shocking studies! 

1)  "Shock findings in new GMO study: Rats fed lifetime of GM corn grow horrifying tumors, 70% of females die early"



2) NEW STUDY ON HOMOSEXUAL PARENTS TOPS ALL PREVIOUS RESEARCH Children of Homosexuals Fare Worse on Most Outcomes


3) Most Pork is Contaminated, New Study Shows

4) College Education?: Shocking New Research Proves That Our College Students Are Learning Next To Nothing

5) Coke and Pepsi contain alcohol : A shocking study

6) Shocking! Study Finds Gaming Makes You Fat, Nerdy

7) Men with pink shirts earn more than their peers

8) Tree rings prove man made globalnwarming is a fraud. 

Shock findings in new GMO study: Rats fed lifetime of GM corn grow horrifying tumors, 70% of females die early

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html#ixzz2Di5dZydB

Shock findings in new GMO study: Rats fed lifetime of GM corn grow horrifying tumors, 70% of females die early

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037249_GMO_study_cancer_tumors_organ_damage.html#ixzz2Di5dZydB

How good is the evidence?

Testimonials

A testimonial is a favorable report usually about a product or service.

Look at this testimonial for a car dealer, "Courtesy Chevrolet".

The customers look so happy!

Maybe they are happy because they got a free iPad!

Do you trust this testimonial?





 Fiverr.com


Many people are willing to give any testimonial about anything.

There is a website called Fiverr.com

In this website people offer many things for $5.

Many people will make a video testimonial for you for $5.

Click here to see.



Blurbs

A blurb is another kind of testimonial.

A blurb is a quote, usually from a famous author, saying how good a book is.

You can find many blurbs on the cover of any book.

Here is a book.

Here is the blurb.

 

Do you believe this blurb?

Many people do not believe blurbs.

Authors often blurb each other`s books.

Robert Parker, a famous detective author, said "Never blurb a book you`ve read, and never read a book you`ve blurbed."



Company testimonials

Companies love to show testimonials from their clients!

http://www.quickcert.com/client_testimonials.cfm



EBay testimonials

How can you know if a person on EBay is a good seller or not?

Read the testimonials!

http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=mitchellkormos&ftab=AllFeedback&myworld=true

Assignment for next week

1) Read chapter 8

You can omit pages 110-113.

These pages go into too much detail.

2) Appeals to authority.

Choose a person you consider to be an authority about an important topic.

Should you really think of this person as an impartial expert?

Research about this person.

You can use Wikipedia, Yahoo and Youtube to find out more about this person.

Then fill in the following form about the person.


        Appeals to Authority


Name________________________________________


Job__________________________________________


Education/ Training_____________________________


Experience_____________________________________


Special position_________________________________


Bias__________________________________________


Good Reputation________________________________


Considering all of this information, has your opinion of this person changed?



Here is an example about Duncan Hawthorne


Appeals to authority

I filled out the form about him.
     

  Appeals to Authority


Name_____Duncan Hawthorne____________________


Job______CEO of Bruce Power____________________


Education/ Training______MBA____________________


Experience_Engineering and Management in power generation

companies_


Special position__Canada Nuclear Association__Energy Council of Canada____World Association of Nuclear Operators________________________


Bias______"Nuclear Power Evangelist"__________________


Good Reputation____He has appeared on TV news_______


My opinion changed about this person.

I believe that he is an expert but he sounds biased in favor of nuclear energy.

I will believe what he says but I will not believe it 100%.