A Technical Analysis (Statistical Inference w/ Python code and statistics) of eBay auctions for the video game “Mario Kart” (Oct 2009) — Introduction In this report, I will explore the auctions for the game Mario Kart for the Nintendo Wii on eBay and analyze the effects of seller rating on the total price. I will specifically focus on whether there is evidence to suggest that auctions with higher seller ratings have a different…

Reducing single-use plastic — one HDPE jug at a time. — The premise of plastic’s popularity as a cheap and durable material used in a vast array of applications also serves as a promise by the aforementioned material to bring the planet and humanity to its gloom and doom. Most plastics come from gas, crude oil, or coal (American Chemistry Council…

What impact does a high level of distraction have on students attending live online class lectures? — In the 1960s, children in preschool were put inside a room with a marshmallow in front of them. If they did not eat the marshmallow, they would get a bigger one when the researcher returned. Some children ate it as soon as the door was closed, while others managed to…

What is the San Francisco-based education initiative doing and how can it fare better? Analyzed with concepts from the Complex Systems Theory. — 826 Valencia is a youth writing program that has been operating in San Francisco’s Mission District for 20 years. Founded by educator Nínive Calegari and author Dave Eggers, 826 has expanded to nine chapters nationwide, with the largest chapter still in San Francisco. They celebrate and elevate the voices of…

A Beginner’s Analysis of the Stock Market through a Complex Systems lens. — The stock market is a self-organized trading system due to the interaction of several parts without centralized control. There are thousands of companies in this system evaluated by a share price or the cost of one share in a company (I.G., n.d). The price of a share fluctuates according to…

Challenging Stereotypes and Seeking Out Diverse Voices in the Philippines — This piece was inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk “The Dangers of a Single Story,” in which she discusses the harmful consequences of relying on a limited and often biased perspective when understanding a place or group of people. According to my father, who has traveled to Maine on…

Challenging the Narrative of Success Through Work Abroad — As a child, I remember wanting to be a malicious hacker when I grew up. I was fascinated by the idea of being able to manipulate and control technology, and I spent hours reading about hacking techniques and practicing on my own computer. However, the first thing I was told…

The effects of foreign television programs on Filipino identity — Back then, I would rush and make sure I would finish my tasks before 5 PM to catch the latest episode of Dragon Ball Z as soon as I arrived from school!” my father enthusiastically narrates to me after asking him, “What is your favorite T.V. show?” I turned to…

A Writing Journal Series — Entry # 2.1 — Appiah discusses the concept of a reinforcing loop in the formation of classifications within social groups based on perceived identities. One such aspect of identity is the habitus, which refers to a set of unconscious rules that shape our responses to the world. These rules can be passed down through…