Summaries- Sunflower828

Posted on September 20, 2023 by louie.doodle.lover

Is Extreme Parenting Effective? 

It seems counterintuitive that parents who practice an extreme parenting style do not allow their children to choose their own activities, but a part of the parenting style is that a child is unable to complain about not being able to partake in certain activities. While some parents believe that tough love is the answer to having the perfect child, the conclusion can be drawn that Chinese parenting styles are not the most effective as it can limit a child’s development and involvement. By having such a tight grasp of control over a child, a parent can cause more harm to their child’s life instead of raising them to become the perfect child they long for. 

KFC, Pizza Hut, and Sphinx

It seems counterintuitive to have multiple chain fast food restaurants next to some of Egypt’s most historical landmarks, the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. By planting two American fast food restaurants directly across from historical architecture, it takes away from the beauty and sacredness of the great Egyptian site. The chain restaurants being placed in an area populated by primarily tourists shows the influence American companies have over all of the world. 

Dogs Earn More Cred For Sniffing Out Cancer

It seems counterintuitive that a dog is able to identify cancer faster than million dollar medical devices used by medical professionals. After receiving a few weeks of training, dogs are able to identify various forms of cancer from smelling a human’s breath or blood, allowing the dog to recognize the life threatening illness inside one’s body. Considering medical professionals hope to develop a medical instrument as powerful as a dog’s nose, it is safe to say that a dog is a medical miracle who will save the lives of many. 

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My Hypothesis – HDT1817

Posted on September 20, 2023 by hdt1817
  1. The princes in the tower.
  2. The mystery of the fate of the princes in the tower.
  3. The princes imprisoned in the tower did not pose an immediate threat to King Richard III.
  4. The princes imprisoned in the tower did not pose an immediate threat to King Richard III, therefore he did not commit regicide by ordering their deaths.
  5. The princes imprisoned in the tower did not pose an immediate threat to King Richard III, therefore he did not commit regicide by ordering their deaths and rather made a secret pact with their mother Elizabeth Woodville to spare their lives.
  6. The princes imprisoned in the tower did not pose an immediate threat to King Richard III, therefore he did not commit regicide by ordering their deaths and rather made a secret pact with their mother Elizabeth Woodville to spare their lives by allowing them to live on their half brother’s land under aliases for the rest of their lives.
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Summaries-babyyoda1023

Posted on September 20, 2023 by babyyoda1023

Wyckoff, W. B. (2011, February 3). Why Keeping Girls Squeaky Clean Could Make Them Sick. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2011/02/04/133371076/how-keeping-little-girls-squeaky-clean-could-make-them-sick?sc=nl&cc=nh-20110203/

It seems counterintuitive that the more someone is exposed germs at an early age the less likely they are to adapt an autoimmune disease. When it comes to cleanliness at a young age, boys and girls are held to different standards. Being a girl cleanliness is an essential factor and are supervised heavier when it comes to playing in dirt than boys. Comparing the autoimmune rates between genders, women tend to be more affected with an 8.5% rate after puberty, while men may get some affects, their percentage is 7.1%. No matter how high sanitation rates are, germs are complex and can affect anyone’s immune system.

Bryan, W. (2011, February 4). Unemployment Falls, But Economy Only Adds 36K New Jobs. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/02/04/133489738/unemployment-falls-but-economy-only-adds-36k-new-jobs

It seems counterintuitive that as unemployment and the amount of homeless people increase, the economy adds new jobs to the occupation list. Being “unemployed” demonstrates someone who is looking for a job, not the millions of homeless people around. Failing to find work, unemployment is at its lowest since 2009, and the employment percentage rate has dropped eight tenths. With this drop of unemployment, there is a rise of 36,000 new jobs accessible and a new rise in manufacturing and retail trade.

Chen, J. (n.d.). Does Using Paper Take CO2 out of the Environment? Mother Jones. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/04/paper-carbon-dioxide-sequester/

It seems counterintuitive that the more people recycle, the longer carbon can be absorbed into paper production. In the process of photosynthesis, the carbon, released within the atmosphere is absorbed through plants for energy and creates oxygen. For every tree cut down another can be planted, resulting in a repeated cycle of life and an increase of paper productivity. Paper being a renewable source of energy allows for benefits from other countries, like China. Exporting around 17 million tons of paper waste, allows for countries who don’t produce high amounts of waste, to use it for packaging. If trees are not burned down, they act as carbon sinks, eliminating the amount of CO2 in the air. However, if wood is treated like landfill, the carbon emissions in the atmosphere are equivalent to 10.7 million cars running.

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Stone Money-babyyoda1023

Posted on September 20, 2023 by babyyoda1023

Value of Currency

Currency in any form mainly relies on trust, faith and is a measurement of exchange and value.  The nature of money is created out of nothing, however, still plays a fundamental role in different civilizations and societies. “Money is not solid. Its value could disappear” (423, 2017). When trust is broken or dismissed, the value of the currency dissipates as well. Having a national debt of over 14 trillion dollars, money is imaginary, and the dollar has lost its true value, since gold and silver coins. Supporting this claim by author Linton Weeks states, “A million has lost its mystique. A billion isn’t what it used to be, either. Forbes reported earlier this year that there are more than 1,000 billionaires in the world now” (Weeks, 2011). Reporting’s of new billionaires, and multibillionaires every day, currency seems to be very attainable, and has no true meaning. Another example that demonstrates how money is created out of nothing includes “Just last year the U.S. tweaked the way it calculates GDP. And in an instant, the economy was $500 billion bigger”(Goldstein, 2014). Economies run on the idea money is value, but currency is essentially a unit of account that gives value. “The fictional quality of money is inherent in the very idea of money” (423, 2017). This quote demonstrates money is based on faith, which gives it essential value.

A world where currency does have true meaning is the Island of Stone Money, or Yap. “As their island yields no metal, they had to recourse to stone…, is truly a representation of labor as the mined and minted coins of civilization” (Stonemoneyessay.Pdf, n.d.). The island of Yap has a currency based on large stones that pertain a certain amount of labor, hence why it is so valuable. These large stones are made of limestone discs that can weigh up to a car. Stated by author Friedman “…Fei too large to be conveniently moved, its new owner is quite content to accept the bare acknowledgment of ownership and without so much as a mark to indicate the exchange…” (Stonemoneyessay.Pdf, n.d.). This island in the pacific highlights that money is valued through perception and shared through trust of the individuals within that community. Friedman states “money of other countries often seems to us like paper or worthless metal, even when the purchasing power of individual units is high” (Stonemoneyessay.Pdf, n.d.). The people of Yap created a successful currency based on faith and non-physical transactions that demonstrate this non-traditional way of life to outsiders. Seeing a different civilization create currency, it is no different than what America does. Authors Goldstein and Kestenbaum state, “This system, in the end, feels really familiar. If you go online to pay your electric bill, what’s really changing in the world?” (Goldstein & Kestenbaum, 2010). The island of Stone Money supports that currency is an idea that can be created out of nothing, but with faith and trust within, money will keep its true value.

Not believing in currency, Brazil faced disastrous results, but with the aid of the government, there was a creation of exchange. In the Invention of Money, authors state “The government tricked a hundred fifty million people into believing again, that their money was worth something when there was absolutely no evidence to support that claim. And it worked” (423, 2017). Brazil having incredibly high inflation made it impossible to afford basic accessories. “…with 80% inflation, the price is $18. Six months later the sunglasses are $340. And by the end of the year, that price tag reads more than $10,000. Brazilians lived with high inflation like this for decades”(423, 2017). Wanting to expand and create infrastructure with no funds, Brazil created and printed new money out of nothing, leading to incredibly high inflation. “If there’s say, a hundred dollars in the economy, you create a hundred more, now every dollar is worth half as much. That’s inflation. And in Brazil, inflation continued for the next five decades. Year after year, Brazilian money was worth less and less” (423, 2017). Once the value of money decreases, prices result from the economy and what people will pay, rather than the governments idea of what the items are worth. To stabilize high inflation and resolve this issue, the government needed to stop creating money so quickly, and reinforce people’s faith within currency. “They didn’t want to just change the underlying causes of inflation. They wanted to change people themselves. People were the problem. People had to be tricked into thinking money had value, when all signs told them that was absolutely not true” (423, 2017). Real financial problems were fixed with fake currency. The people’s faith in the money, was what made fixed the incredibly high inflation rates. People believed that the economy was fixed since they could no longer see inflation, which resulted in inflation dissipating.

In conclusion, money has no intrinsic value, is created from nothing, and is only valuable when an economy believes in the currency. The idea of money and the power of faith provides a world of exchange universally. Friedman’s work into the Island of Stone Money has illuminated the complex ways that trust, and belief affect financial systems. While Brazil demonstrated individuals can create currency out of nothing. Brazil and the Island of Stone Money are two examples that highlight the important complex structure of human perception when it comes to the value of currency. Whether it comes in the form of stone disks or online banks, money is a widespread product of belief and trust that can be created from nothing.

References

423: The Invention of Money. (2017, December 14). This American Life. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/423/transcript

Goldstein, J. (2014, February 28). The Invention Of “The Economy.” NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2014/02/28/283477546/the-invention-of-the-economy

Goldstein, J., & Kestenbaum, D. (2010, December 10). The Island Of Stone Money. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/02/15/131934618/the-island-of-stone-money

Stonemoneyessay.pdf. (n.d.). Retrieved September 18, 2023, from https://counterintuitive2015.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/stonemoneyessay.pdf

Weeks, L. (2011, August 22). The Trouble With Trillions. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2011/08/22/139846133/the-trouble-with-trillions

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Stone Money – KevinJames

Posted on September 20, 2023 by kevinjames

The Value of Money

Throughout every culture we have ever known, there has been a financial trade system set in place. Whether it is the Yap people, ancient Egyptians, or modern man, “money” has always been a concept. The ability to show off one’s wealth and profit in materialistic goods has been and will continue to be a concept humans live by. Why is money so important to us, that no matter where you look, our lives are driven by it? 

In “The Island of Stone Money”, Milton Friedman states that the Yap people had currency in the form of large limestone disks that varied in size, the larger the more valuable. Though seemingly a primitive form of currency, the wealth was known throughout their people. The stones the islanders use can be compared to a modern day money vault. They were immovable objects that contained vast wealth to the owner. As stated in “The History of Stone Money”, “When Rai shifts hands as the result of a land transaction, a wedding, or otherwise, the news spreads fast and it is soon common knowledge that a particular piece has a new owner.” In doing so, the ownership of the stone would be transferred to the seller, very similar to a modern bank transaction. This concept of money was only viable due to the Yap peoples integrity and upholding their values, as ownership of these stones was more or less just a word of mouth type of ordeal, as there was no feasible way of transporting them.

In modern times, now more than ever, it feels as if money is an absolute necessity, yet in a way, it feels as if it is absent from our daily lives. More and more things are purchased every day without a single physical dollar ever being spent. The use of credit systems and cryptocurrency is bigger than ever and it allowed the finite amount of money that was in circulation to fluctuate. The prices of items in a store may change depending on the value of the dollar on any given day. With the boom of crypto such as BitCoin and Etherium, the price of the dollar now follows a slightly different trend. Crypto is a very new addition to the stock world, in which very little is known about it. To purchase cryptocurrency for the average person seems too odd. Why purchase an alternative currency that has no intrinsic value. Well what is the value of money anyway. It is precisely what people say it is. If enough people believe a sack of potatoes is worth 10 dollars, who is to say it is not worth that. The same goes for any stock, including cryptocurrency. In “Decoding Crypto: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Get Started”, the author states that with traditional stock, there is a correlation between the business done by a specific company and the faith that shareholders place in the stock price. In cryptocurrency, the value of a stock is tied only to investor appetite. If the ones who are purchasing and holding the crypto believe it to be worth as much, then the price will stay the course or continue to rise. It is when individuals begin to short the stock and sell or someone known as a ‘whale’ who owns a large proportion of said stock sells. In doing so, the price of the stock drops substantially. 

In the 90s, Brazil had a financial crisis. As the government was lacking the means to keep the economy stable, in doing so the inflation skyrocketed over the months. People still needed an income to survive, causing the effect of people deciding the prices of items on their own. If a farmer who was selling corn decided the price was to be set at 200 percent the recent market value, there was no way to argue it. The individuals who were selling products kept raising prices and further threw fire onto the flames of inflation. Only when four foreigners stepped in to help the Brazilian government create a system that backs the money transactions within the country was the inflation able to stabilize and seize later on.

So why is money so important? What makes it so intrinsically valuable to each and every person. Well it really boils down to the way an individual wishes to live their life. Money can be used to purchase material things. Though our money today is hardly backed by the federal reserve as it used to be, its value is apparent in everyday transactions. The amount of money you have may fluctuate depending on the market, but it is still worth whatever it is being traded for. And that is the importance of money. It is not so much as the number displayed on the screen as much as it is a means to trade for material goods. The way we are to accuair food is no different from the past cultures. The only change is that instead of possibly trading an item such as clothing that you have made or herbs you have grown, not you trade money. And that money was paid to you for your time doing a task for someone else that has paid for that service. It all comes full circle in terms of the value of money. You are paid for your time, in which you further go on to pay for someone else’s time. This will stay true no matter where in the world you look.

References

Hyatt, John. “Decoding Crypto: What It Is, How It Works, and How to Get Started.” Nasdaq.com, 6 July 2021, http://www.nasdaq.com/articles/news-and-insights/what-is-cryptocurrency-and-how-it-works.

“The History of Stone Money – Manta Ray Bay Resort – Yap, Micronesia.” Manta Ray Bay Resort, http://www.mantaray.com/discover-yap/the-history-of-stone-money/. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.

Friedman, Milton . “The Island of Stone Money.” Miltonfriedman.hoover.org, 1991, miltonfriedman.hoover.org/objects/56723/the-island-of-stone-money. Accessed 19 Dec. 2021.

Posted in Stone Money | 2 Comments

My Hypothesis – PeterGriffin

Posted on September 20, 2023 by petergriffin11

My hypothesis- petergriffin11
1. Concussions in football.
2. Improved helmet design that prevents the brain from rattling inside the human skull to cause concussions. The Miami Dolphins are already testing this theory with their quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who suffered two concussions last year.
3. Providing and implementing tackling drills every week before game day to make players consistent with tackling with their heads up.
4. The impacts that concussions have on players (CTE).
5. Knowing the signs of concussions early enough before sending a player back into the game.
6. Wearing the proper equipment needed at all times (mouthpiece).

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My Hypothesis – HurtNowitzki

Posted on September 19, 2023 by hurtnowitzki
  1. Deion Sanders is the greatest athlete of all time.
  2. Deion Sanders is the greatest football mind of all time.
  3. Deion Sanders is the greatest multi-sport athlete.
  4. Deion Sanders is multi-sport mastermind and completely evolving the game of college football.
  5. Deion Sanders’s coaching success story with not only the Jackson St Tigers but now Colorado Buffs is completely changing the culture of college football.
  6. Deion Sanders’s success story within his own athletic career , and now Jackson St’s as well as The University Of Colorado’s Football Organizations makes him the greatest the greatest multi-sport athlete of all time.
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My Hypothesis—TonySoprano

Posted on September 19, 2023 by tonysoprano44
  1. College experience
  2. College experience and life after college
  3. How your college experience prepares you for a post collegiate environment
  4. Your college experience can either set you up for failure or success in a post collegiate environment.
  5. How you take advantage of your college experience can set you up for success in a post collegiate environment
  6. Your college experience is a direct reflection of how successful you will be in a post collegiate environment.
Posted in My Hypothesis | 3 Comments

My Notes: A Model

Posted on September 19, 2023 by davidbdale

The more I talk to my students, the better I understand that, more than any other method of instruction, you like to be shown what good writing looks like. On the assumption that the same would be true for Class Notes, I’m providing here a model of the notes I would have taken in Class 04.

Link to the Class 04 Agenda

—”Omitting Needless Words” is hard. Hunter S. Thompson couldn’t do it even when he was writing about Not Wasting Words.

—You wouldn’t think anybody could accompany himself on guitar in real time, but the guy playing “Money for Nothing” on his special rig managed it.

—I’ve been wondering “where” to find stuff on the blog, but it turns out there is no “location.” Use Categories to locate stuff.

—This guy seems to think EVERYTHING should be mandatory. Soon he’ll force us all to drink coffee.

—Even though the Hypothesis didn’t mention Consonant Cards, most of us responded as if they mattered. Apparently this is common in research papers: they contain lots of irrelevant evidence. I should avoid that.

—Dominic Lee Tsz King has a special definition for Democracy (that differs from the BBC host’s). We’ll be expected to define our terms OUR WAY as part of our persuasive argument.

—Fireball has a special definition for its product too, but it’s based on deception. They use grammar SO RIGHT they’re sure customers will read it wrong, and they’re counting on that.

—It’s unclear whether God has all the “infinite” attributes of power, knowledge, space, and time; or whether we just cluster all those intangibles together and call them God to explain what we can’t understand. Either way, Professor’s not buying it.

—One thing is certain: gender really MATTERS. Personally I don’t care whether the Olympic downhill skiing events are sectioned by gender, sexual preference, gender-assigned-at-birth, or height and weight, but to the participants, (and parents worried about public restrooms) it’s CRUCIAL.

—I love how easy it is to agree that a shopping list is an argument once you hand it to SOMEONE ELSE to do the shopping.

—Maybe Anne Frank didn’t lie. Maybe she just had two different ways to tell the truth. But I get the point that revising CHANGES things, and certainly isn’t common in a DIARY. Professor is losing it when he suggests that “All writing is a lie because we can’t tell the COMPLETE TRUTH. We leave things out. We decide what’s important. And that should be up to the reader.”

—Personally, I think the cheese grater is art and the bottle rack is an ugly tool even if it IS displayed in a gallery, but I get the idea that VIEWERS get to declare which is which. Professor was sharing his PERSONAL definition, and if he’s writing the lecture, he gets to decide (not what’s RIGHT, but what’s RIGHT FOR THE ESSAY).

—I guess I agree Tim Jenison isn’t an artist because he has no painting skills EVEN THOUGH he did produce a good reproduction. But if Vermeer used a similar technique, which after all is the point of the experiment, I guess VERMEER wasn’t an artist either, and that’s harder to admit.

—This is my favorite example of counterintuitivity. The painting of a breakfast is actually a “painted breakfast” in such an odd way that the words hardly make sense. Same for “the photograph of a painted man on a bus.” What does that even mean?

—Bariatric Surgery for a 3-year-old isn’t counterintuitive; it’s just wrong.

—On the other hand, calculating a child’s age from the day he’ll die instead of from the day he was born completely stunned me. I see how a radical change of perspective makes me consider a hard subject in a completely different way. I hope I can come up with something so dramatic for my own research.

—I’ll never look at the spots on a dog’s forehead the way I used to.

—What’s easier to counterfeit: Barry Bonds’s 300th homerun ball, or a Certificate that Authenticates it? Is there a second certificate to authenticate the validity of the first?

—My brain is scrambled. I need a cinnamon whiskey, but how will I know if I’m getting one? 🙂

Grade 4/3

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Stone Money—Ladybug122718

Posted on September 18, 2023 by ladybug122718

Coffee Money

How do the Yapese and Coffee both deal with money? How has stone money changed into actual money? Coffee has become a staple in the lives of many people around the world. It is often seen that caffeine helps awaken one’s mind from doing late-night studying sessions to early morning tests, exams, lectures, and more. As a student who’s in college, I find that a cup of joe really helps wake me up in the morning. While caffeine helps provide us with a much-needed boost of energy, it also comes with a cost. For students who rely on caffeine to stay alert and focused, their daily expenses of money could be drained quickly. As everything had gone up in price coffee used to be $2 now it’s $5. Coffee has undoubtedly become an integral part of the student experience. While it provides much-needed energy and comfort during busy academic days, its financial impact should not be underestimated. The cost of coffee can add up over time, potentially straining student budgets and causing financial stress.

Yapese and coffee represent two very different concepts, one related to a traditional form of currency, and the other to a commodity. Yapese refers to the people of Yap, an island in the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap is known for its unique form of currency called “fai stones.” They are these large, disc-shaped stones made from limestone and can weigh several tons. They are considered valuable and are used as a form of money, land deals, marriages, or settling disputes. Ownership of a particular stone can change hands without physically moving the stone, as the community recognizes the change in ownership. Yap and the Federated States of Micronesia modernized and integrated into the global economy, and the use of stone money for everyday transactions decreased significantly. While stone money still holds cultural and ceremonial significance on the island, it has largely been replaced by modern currencies for practical transactions.

Milton Friedman’s essay titled “The Island of Stone Money” is a well-known and influential piece that discusses the nature of money, value, and economic systems. Friedman discusses some of the concepts of money and how it derives its value. These stones were enormous and difficult to move, yet they served as a medium of exchange and a store of value. The key point he tries to make is that the value of money is not inherently tied to its physical properties but is rather a matter of collective belief and trust in its value. Friedman uses the Yapese story to illustrate the idea that money is essentially a social and psychological construct. This suggests that the value of modern currencies, like the U.S. dollar, is not backed by physical assets like gold but is supported by the trust and confidence of the people who use it. In essence, Friedman’s “Island of Stone Money” challenges some of the conventional thinking about money and highlights the importance of faith and belief in the value of currency. It underscores the idea that money is a social and psychological phenomenon, and its value is determined by your perception of its worth rather than any intrinsic properties. He mostly talks about the influence of the nature of money and how it has contributed to the understanding of monetary economics.

In the contemporary world, coffee productivity stands in stark contrast to stone money’s archaic concept. Coffee is a globally traded commodity and one of the world’s most widely consumed beverages. It is not a form of money but rather a product that is bought and sold for currency.  Millions of people worldwide depend on coffee cultivation, trade, and consumption for their livelihoods. Coffee is typically traded in international commodity markets, and its price fluctuates based on factors such as supply and demand, weather conditions, and market speculation. Coffee-producing countries like Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia are economic powerhouses, with coffee exports contributing significantly to their GDP(Gross Domestic Product). Coffee producers, including individual farmers or coffee-growing cooperatives, sell their coffee beans to coffee roasters and distributors who, in turn, sell coffee products to consumers and businesses. The paradox here lies in how a seemingly ordinary commodity like coffee, derived from a simple bean, can drive economic growth on a global scale. It highlights the role of productivity in modern economies, where efficiency, innovation, and globalization have transformed seemingly mundane products into economic juggernauts.

The evolution of currency, from stone money to digital transactions, mirrors the evolution of human society and the concept of value itself. Stone money represents the earliest forms of currency, where value was rooted in physical objects and collective trust. Over time, humanity transitioned to more versatile forms of currency, such as coins and paper money, backed by governments and economies. In the 21st century, we have witnessed another paradigm shift in the concept of currency. Digital currencies like Bitcoin have gained prominence, challenging the traditional financial system. These cryptocurrencies derive value from cryptographic algorithms and decentralized networks, rather than physical backing. This shift raises questions about the future of money and the role of governments and central banks in regulating and controlling currency.

In summary, Yapese use fei stones as a unique form of traditional currency, while coffee is a commodity that is bought and sold for money in the global market. The Yapese system of money is deeply rooted in their culture and traditions, while coffee represents a widely traded commodity in the global economy. These two concepts are not directly related in terms of how they deal with money, but they illustrate the diversity of monetary systems and economic activities across different cultures and industries. The paradoxes of stone money and coffee productivity offer a fascinating glimpse into the multifaceted nature of value and economic growth. Stone money challenges our preconceived notions of currency, while coffee productivity showcases the potential for innovation and efficiency to drive economic prosperity. As we navigate an ever-changing economic landscape, these paradoxes remind us to remain open to new ideas and to adapt to the evolving dynamics of value and growth in the modern world.

References

“Strains of Digital Money” by Capco Journal of Financial Transformation, No. 44, November 2016

“The Island of Stone Money” by Milton Friedman, The Hoover Institution Stanford University Feb. 1991

“History of Money” by Chavanette Advisors

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