Assignment #6
Due Thu Feb 6
Complete the following problems on p 474-475 in the textbook.
- Problems 12.2 and 12.4 by hand
- Problems 12.1, 12.3 and 12.5 using PSPP or Excel
Post both hand-written and computer generated results to your blog page.
Author: Justin
Due Thu Feb 6
Complete the following problems on p 474-475 in the textbook.
Post both hand-written and computer generated results to your blog page.
Due Thu, Feb 6
Textbook Reading
Suggested (optional) video resources
Here are the results for Exam 2 along with the Exam 1 redo scores.
Scatter Plot (Exam 2 only):
4 0
5 255
6 0388
7 133889
8 0259
9 00003345678
10 0
COURSE_ID | Exam 1 final | Exam 2 |
1102957 | 0 | 0 |
2515248 | 71 | 0 |
2696636 | 100 | 93 |
2797662 | 95.5 | 98 |
3054380 | 86 | 80 |
3432979 | 100 | 90 |
3577277 | 93 | 55 |
3600679 | 80 | 52 |
3859980 | 90 | 68 |
4061885 | 87.5 | 79 |
4119181 | 100 | 93 |
4438666 | 88 | 73 |
4485284 | 98 | 95 |
4648386 | 92 | 78 |
5080187 | 100 | 96 |
5086679 | 82.5 | 40 |
5461690 | 86 | 63 |
5787054 | 74 | 71 |
5830100 | 70 | 68 |
5844257 | 92 | 97 |
5853143 | 86 | 78 |
6535526 | 94 | 100 |
6758117 | 100 | 85 |
6800100 | 100 | 90 |
6805587 | 76 | 73 |
7073182 | 83 | 60 |
7106642 | 88 | 55 |
8487393 | 87.5 | 89 |
8775107 | 87 | 82 |
9369496 | 90 | 90 |
9708223 | 97 | 94 |
9823737 | 88 | 90 |
Hopefully I did this correctly this time. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns about these scores.
Exam #2 will be administered in class on Thu, Jan 30 and will cover all review materials that have been assigned to date up through and including Assignment #5.
Here are a few of the top posts for Assignment #4.
Great job authors!
Due Thu, Jan 30
Complete the following problems from the textbook and post results to your blog (just like Assignment #4).
Picture or scan of hand-written work seems to work well. Please write clearly and adjust the image so that it’s properly rotated (not sideways) for easier grading.
Due Thu, Jan 30
Textbook Reading
Textbook Companion Videos
Suggested (optional) Video Resources
[About 2 years ago I wrote a blog post about why I was relocating my family to Pueblo, Colorado. It’s become one of my most popular posts and has facilitated a number of new friendships and opportunities. One such opportunity was an invitation to speak at the Pueblo chapter of the Optimist Club. In preparation for that talk I came up with a new way to organize and communicate my thoughts on what makes Pueblo such a bargain: the 4 “C” factors.]
If you’ve ever purchased a diamond you are likely to have been introduced to the 4 Cs of diamond valuation: color, clarity, cut and carat. As a diamond in the rough, Pueblo can be evaluated through the lens of 4 Cs as well. These 4 Cs combined make Pueblo, in my opinion, the best bargain in North America.
C1: Colorado
Pueblo is located about 100 miles south of Denver in the great State of Colorado. Colorado is an amazing place to live, primarily because of our access to the spectacular Rocky Mountains. And, just like Denver residents, Puebloans can easily drive to world class skiing. From Denver you might be more likely to head over to Vail or Aspen whereas from Pueblo we typically find ourselves in Salida where you can avoid the crowds and higher prices at the Monarch Mountain Ski Area. Salida is a great summer destination as well with excellent hiking, camping, mountain biking and river adventure options. From Pueblo we are also closer than Denver to Crested Butte and Telluride if you want a more upscale mountain experience. Breckenridge is another popular option.
You’ll need to drive further to see the Broncos, the Nuggets, the Rockies, the Avalanche or other big city attractions but it’s an easy day trip. If you need to travel further Denver International Airport is about a 2 hour drive which is only about an hour longer than you’d need to allow from downtown Denver. I prefer to fly out of the Colorado Springs airport whenever possible because it’s so much easier. Last month I grabbed a direct flight from COS to O’Hare to visit clients in Chicago. Door to door from home to the airport is about 40 minutes and long term parking is $6 per day. If only business travel could always be so easy and affordable.
C2: Climate
Pueblo has one of the most delightful climates you’ll find in North America. We get more annual sunshine than San Diego yet we enjoy all 4 seasons. It gets cold and snows from time to time during the winter but it’s just as likely to be sunny and 60 degrees. Summers can be hot but we have very little humidity and thanks to the altitude it typically cools off in the evening. Try this. Add a desktop shortcut or mobile widget that will allow you to see the weather where you live now and in Pueblo. Unless you live in Sonoma County, California I’m willing to bet that Pueblo will consistently have better weather.
C3: Cost
Ok, we’re in Colorado and we have fantastic weather. Must be expensive, right? No. Pueblo is a cheapskate’s dream. Buy a charming historical home near the Pueblo Community College for $100k. Or a fixer for $60k. Sounds too good to be true, right? Believe it. Sure you can buy a newer home with granite counter tops in Denver or Colorado Springs for $400k. Maybe for you those stainless steel appliances and vaulted ceilings will be worth the 4x mortgage payment? Or perhaps you like paying a premium to be near the LA style traffic scene in Denver? Once you’re settled into your $100k Pueblo mortgage with monthly payments south of $500 you can unload your new-found disposable income on Kiddie Rides at City Park. If you avoid the high-priced carousel and jump house (both $0.50 per ride) it will cost all of $0.25 per ride. Big spender, eh? Walk across the parking lot to the Pueblo Zoo where you’ll find an outstanding collection of exhibits and admission prices at $8 per adult and $6 per kid (we prefer the $60 annual family membership – with 3 kids it pays for itself in 2 visits). I could go on and on with examples. Pueblo is one of the least expensive places to live in the U.S.
C4: Culture
Pueblo’s culture is truly unique. Many people come to Pueblo expecting a smaller version of Denver or Colorado Springs but instead find a blend of Albuquerque and Pittsburgh. Pueblo is one of a kind but it’s certainly not for everyone. Here are a few screening options to see if Pueblo is right for you.
So, is Pueblo perfect? Of course not. Far from it. Like a lot of American cities, Pueblo is struggling economically. There aren’t enough good jobs. There is too much crime. Our public schools are failing too many students. Non-automotive transportation options are limited. Many of our neighborhoods could really use a face lift. And, currently our local University is experiencing a budget crisis.
But the value you’ll find in Pueblo can’t be matched anywhere in North America.
As an Adjunct Professor at CSU-Pueblo this year I have had a relatively close-up view of the unfolding budget crisis. From where I stand neither the faculty nor the administration deserve much praise for the way they’ve conducted themselves. The administration has done a poor job of presenting and clarifying the budget picture and the faculty has held plenty of protest rallies but has offered very few thoughtful solutions. I find it disappointing that a University (and a larger University system) with so much talent to call upon has turned what could have been a creative problem solving challenge into something more akin to a congressional budget showdown.
What is clear, not just at CSU-Pueblo but across the country and not just in colleges but throughout the education system, is that what we’re doing for students isn’t working well enough. High schools are churning out graduates who aren’t prepared for college and colleges are churning out graduates who aren’t prepared for the work force. Teachers are asked to do too much with too little. Parents are expected to pay too much for tuition. Students are asked to navigate a system that emphasizes standardized test scores and grade point averages only to find a job market that only cares about real know-how. And the administrators in public institutions are stuck within a ridiculously complex bureaucracy that resembles something out of a fictional Alice in Wonderland world where we seem to have unlimited funds to build new facilities but never any money to invest in the people who create real value.
I read recently that CSU-Pueblo President Lesley Di Mare (who I think by the way is doing a good job; my guess is that she is stuck between a rock and a hard place with the CSU System on one side and CSU Pueblo on the other) stated that the millions slated for remodel of the Occhiato Center cannot be re-purposed to help address the budget shortfall. How will the CSU Pueblo Foundation feel if they spend loads of cash on a modern student center but then don’t have any students enrolling to enjoy these deluxe facilities? More teamwork is needed. And we should be focusing a lot more on successful long term student outcomes and a lot less on fancy facilities, especially since the University campus sits on a remote desert outpost where only minimal synergy with the community of Pueblo is possible.
At the end of the day, Pueblo and CSU-Pueblo are in the same boat. Both entities are spending too much on new construction with too little vision or thought paid to creating an *effective* environment where people want to live, learn, innovate and invest.
So, in the spirit of offering solutions and not just criticism, here are a few ideas that I will throw out there. My hope is that we can use this budget crisis as an opportunity for collaboration and innovation rather than trench digging and name calling. My approach to brainstorming is that all ideas are worth sharing but not all ideas are worth pursuing. So, you won’t hurt my feelings if you want to shoot down any of these ideas but I would encourage people to offer their own ideas along with any critique. The key is to get as many ideas as possible on the table for discussion, debate and analysis rather than becoming entrenched on 2 sides of only one plan.
Here goes. This assumes that instead of spending money to improve campus facilities and amenities across the road from Belmont, we reallocate funds to build a more innovative and appealing learning community where students will want to enroll and stay after graduation.
Idea 1. Create a Pueblo think tank that conducts applied research on key issues we’re facing in Southern Colorado. Maybe call it the Pueblo Prospertity Institute. Don’t spend a penny on a new facility but dangle a bunch of money out there to recruit the very best minds in Urban Planning, Water Resources, Economic Development, etc for fixed term (maybe 1 year with an option for a 2nd year?) appointment during which they must think, talk, write (but all publications must be freely available to the public – no peer review obscurity or indecipherable ivory tower mumbo-jumbo) and research one or more key issues facing Southern Colorado. Do not restrict the search to professor types! Think tank members should come from industry, government, academia, non-profit. They might come from other parts of the US or from abroad. Anywhere and everywhere. Find the best people, period. Pay them well. And listen to their suggestions. In addition to thoughtful discussion we may just attract more people, good students included, to Pueblo once these superstars figure out how nice the weather is here and how little housing costs.
Idea 2. Bring College Hockey to Downtown Pueblo. Instead of a fancy indoor lacrosse stadium located at the desert outpost why not renovate/expand or simply utilize (heaven forbid we forgo luxury boxes) the Pueblo Plaza Ice Arena and build a quality CSU Pueblo College Hockey team (can John Wristen coach hockey too?) with all home games in the heart of Pueblo. This would create opportunity for restaurants, hotels and other businesses downtown and improve the overall quality of life in Pueblo because people love hockey games. Plus, wouldn’t it be cool to have a team that could compete against Colorado College and Denver University? This is how community pride is built. I will commit to season tickets right now if we can get CC and DU and a few other top programs to come to Pueblo. Maybe we can do the same for baseball at Runyon Field? How about Basketball at Central High? I know. Massari is a lovely facility but have you noticed the empty seats? If you price tickets correctly, you would pack the house for a good college basketball game in the heart of the Mesa Junction. Teams in the RMAC would be terrified to play in Pueblo where local fans raise the roof. Gee, you might just build a fan base along the way.
Idea 3. Create a world class Biological Sciences Campus on the State Fairgrounds. Offer an Animal Sciences (Veterinary, Zoology, etc) program in one of the many existing facilities that is left underutilized except for 1 week per year. Build lab, classroom and meeting facilities where our brilliant scientific minds who practice medicine at St. Mary-Corwin and Parkview can incubate new technologies and business ideas. Start small but think big. Maybe the Nursing School could move in and eventually grow to include a Medical School and a Dental School with nearby access to hospitals where graduates could apply their skills. Heck, while we’re at it why don’t we knock over the Berlin Wall structure surrounding the State Fairgrounds? I don’t mean to suggest that we give in to the snobby elitists in Denver who want to move the State Fair to Denver Metro; rather, why not host a State Fair where we open up the entire community? Music events not just at the fairgrounds but also on the River Walk? Carnival rides not just at the fairgrounds but also downtown near the El Pueblo Museum. Cotton candy at Taffy’s on Abriendo for a reasonable price instead of paying the inflated price within the fairgrounds. And, as an aside, can we stop looking at the State Fair as a money making opportunity for a few people and instead look at it as a community event for everyone in Colorado? Stop charging ridiculous prices for admissions and food. And stop this crazy card payment system that is only useful for locking up people’s change rather than providing value. It’s absurd. Same goes for all of Pueblo’s “Public Event Industrial Complex” festivals. Here’s a news flash for Pueblo’s community leadership: the reason that attendance is down or flat at the State Fair and the Chile Fest and others is because it costs too damn much and offers too little value. Duh. Give people a good reason to come to Pueblo where they’ll spend money with local businesses.
Idea 4. Build a giant Solar Farm near the CSU-Pueblo campus. Allow faculty and students to participate in all phases of the solar farm, from planning and construction to on-going maintenance. It’s an opportunity to capitalize on Pueblo’s uniquely abundant solar resources while also creating an innovative applied learning environment for students. Perhaps the solar farm can power the entire campus and save a bundle? Perhaps the solar farm can become so productive that we can send Black Hills back to South Dakota where they can fleece their own neighbors with ever-increasing electricity rates rather than robbing our community. Here’s a thought. Maybe we can build an expansive solar farm north of Pueblo in the area slated to become “Pueblo Springs Ranch” so that, instead of short-term construction jobs that produce sprawl and traffic congestion (with all profit going to an out-of-state real estate development company), we can collect/produce solar energy and sell it to residents in Colorado Springs and Denver. Do you want prosperity in Pueblo? Well, instead of building another Pueblo Exurban Wasteland residential development that creates a larger footprint for dwindling government resources to manage why don’t we actually produce something of value and then keep the wealth in our own community. We could establish something like the Alaska Permanent Fund whereby residents of Pueblo not only enjoy more reasonably priced home-grown solar power but also receive a regular dividend for revenue that comes in if and when we export energy. I can hear the conservative voices, “Government isn’t the answer – let the private sector create a competitive market place.” Well, I’m sick of the private sector monsters with their all too familiar “too big to value customers” approach to business. Sometimes government has a role to play when the “invisible hand” fails. I’ll take the Pueblo Board of Waterworks over Black Hills and/or Xcel any day of the week. That said, let’s keep local government agencies and union mentalities out of the way where they won’t interfere. We can have a cooperative structure where residents elect a board of directors who ensure proper governance and profit returned to residents so that the institution will exist for the people of Pueblo, rather than being held captive by employees who feel entitled to life-long employment and overly generous retirement benefits.
So, there are my ideas. Crazy? Probably sounds completely insane to the old guard in Pueblo who think the answer to our woes will come from some big company that brings in 1,000 low-skill, low-wage jobs. You know the story – we provide tax incentives and they come in for a few years and then leave for greener pastures after the tax benefits expire. No, my friends. Pueblo is on the move but our current mindset regarding economic growth needs to be abandoned. Instead, we must learn to create and produce our way to prosperity. We have to think like entrepreneurs.
CSU-Pueblo can help lead the way by championing innovation rather than in-fighting.
Due Tue, Jan 28
Complete the following problems from the textbook and post results to your blog.
You will almost certainly need to work these out by hand. You can then scan to PDF or take a picture and post the image to your blog. If you are able to find a more clever way to get it done, go for it!