7/1/2009

For the fourth year in a row, I give my cause-and-effect statistics presentation to the St. Albans School of Public Service (SPS). (For four years before that, I did some combination of lecturing or behind-the-scenes spreadsheet work for SPS. Other than Ted Eagles, I think I may be the only faculty person to be involved with SPS ever since its inception in 2002.) However, since I’m not a celebrity like Dr. Christina Romer or the late Tim Russert or the countless other luminaries who have graced the SPS over the years, I always get an evening time slot. Nevertheless, the students are game (mostly), and I manage to hold their attention fairly well. It’s a tough sell, teaching statistics concepts to a coed group of 17-year-olds on a warm evening, after dinner, but I love a challenge. This year I deviate from the slide show considerably and begin with the metaknowledge quiz. Note: The OPEC answer is out of date, since the correct number is now 12.