Scott Alberts
@gumbyprof.bsky.social
Data Communicator, Choir Director, Dad, Systems Thinker, Exhausted Optimist, other stuff, but I'm not sure in which order they go.
In other news, low-dose floride is generally good for you.
“Imagine testing some new drug for heart disease and the recommended dosage is 100 milligrams, and then your study compares people who get a million milligrams to people who get half a million milligrams..."
www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/h...
“Imagine testing some new drug for heart disease and the recommended dosage is 100 milligrams, and then your study compares people who get a million milligrams to people who get half a million milligrams..."
www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/h...
Fluoride in drinking water does not negatively affect cognitive ability — and may actually provide benefit, study finds | CNN
The longstanding public health practice of adding fluoride to community drinking water is facing heavy scrutiny in the United States over questions about whether the benefits outweigh the potential ri...
www.cnn.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
In other news, low-dose floride is generally good for you.
“Imagine testing some new drug for heart disease and the recommended dosage is 100 milligrams, and then your study compares people who get a million milligrams to people who get half a million milligrams..."
www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/h...
“Imagine testing some new drug for heart disease and the recommended dosage is 100 milligrams, and then your study compares people who get a million milligrams to people who get half a million milligrams..."
www.cnn.com/2025/11/19/h...
Turns out the good of the COVID vaccines is much higher than the negative effects of (the quite real) possible side effects, even among young people (who didn't get COVID as severe as old people).
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Vascular and inflammatory diseases after COVID-19 infection and vaccination in children and young people in England: a retrospective, population-based cohort study using linked electronic health recor...
Children and young people have higher risks of rare vascular and inflammatory diseases
up to 12 months after a first COVID-19 diagnosis and higher risk of rare myocarditis
or pericarditis up to 4 week...
www.thelancet.com
November 8, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Turns out the good of the COVID vaccines is much higher than the negative effects of (the quite real) possible side effects, even among young people (who didn't get COVID as severe as old people).
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
This is 5 minutes you'll be glad to spend.
(nominated for a grammy today in "Best Arrangement, Acapella or instrumental," one of my favorite undersung categories)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIo...
(nominated for a grammy today in "Best Arrangement, Acapella or instrumental," one of my favorite undersung categories)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIo...
Super Mario Praise Break - *Gospel Mario Bros Medley* (The 8-Bit Big Band)
YouTube video by The 8-Bit Big Band
www.youtube.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:16 AM
This is 5 minutes you'll be glad to spend.
(nominated for a grammy today in "Best Arrangement, Acapella or instrumental," one of my favorite undersung categories)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIo...
(nominated for a grammy today in "Best Arrangement, Acapella or instrumental," one of my favorite undersung categories)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIo...
Experts know things, but still worry a bit when experts are certain, in either direction. Worry more when non-experts are certain.
tnsr.org/2025/09/the-...
tnsr.org/2025/09/the-...
The World Is More Uncertain Than You Think: Assessing and Combating Overconfidence Among 2,000 National Security Officials - Texas National Security Review
This article analyzes more than 60,000 assessments of uncertainty made by national security officials from more than forty NATO allies and partners. The findings show that national security officials ...
tnsr.org
November 6, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Experts know things, but still worry a bit when experts are certain, in either direction. Worry more when non-experts are certain.
tnsr.org/2025/09/the-...
tnsr.org/2025/09/the-...
Some really interesting DataViz in this chart (and the entire report). The use of color and scale really makes the point.
New Oxfam data shows that the rich account for a huge proportion of total CO2 emissions, with 10% causing half of global warming. Their emissions are even rising. The high costs of the energy transition should also be paid for out of their assets. oxfamilibrary.openrepository.com/bitstream/ha...
October 31, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Some really interesting DataViz in this chart (and the entire report). The use of color and scale really makes the point.
Long-term, this is how humanity will thrive, with a relatively constant population that has enough food and "stuff". But, we don't really know how to build an economy that isn't about perpetual growth. Any ideas?
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
People are having fewer kids. Their choice is transforming the world's economy
Family size around the world is dropping. That choice by couples is triggering a population shift that's sending shock waves through economies.
www.npr.org
October 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Long-term, this is how humanity will thrive, with a relatively constant population that has enough food and "stuff". But, we don't really know how to build an economy that isn't about perpetual growth. Any ideas?
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
Do you love statistics, but also communication, ethics, and impact?
Do you like to explore how data becomes stories?
Join our Data Science/Statistics faculty at Truman to help shape our innovative programs with strong connections to students.
Apply now: apply.interfolio.com/174805
Do you like to explore how data becomes stories?
Join our Data Science/Statistics faculty at Truman to help shape our innovative programs with strong connections to students.
Apply now: apply.interfolio.com/174805
Apply - Interfolio
{{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com
October 17, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Do you love statistics, but also communication, ethics, and impact?
Do you like to explore how data becomes stories?
Join our Data Science/Statistics faculty at Truman to help shape our innovative programs with strong connections to students.
Apply now: apply.interfolio.com/174805
Do you like to explore how data becomes stories?
Join our Data Science/Statistics faculty at Truman to help shape our innovative programs with strong connections to students.
Apply now: apply.interfolio.com/174805
British health service data (sorted by gender proportion, not frequency) confirms that women are more likely to be admitted to hospital for pregnancy-related issues, while men are admitted for falls from ladders, motorcycle accidents, and power tool injuries.
October 14, 2025 at 11:19 PM
British health service data (sorted by gender proportion, not frequency) confirms that women are more likely to be admitted to hospital for pregnancy-related issues, while men are admitted for falls from ladders, motorcycle accidents, and power tool injuries.
Minu’s at the Penn State game against Oregon. Maybe you’ll see him on TV in the stands. 113,000 people - he’s the one in the white shirt
September 28, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Minu’s at the Penn State game against Oregon. Maybe you’ll see him on TV in the stands. 113,000 people - he’s the one in the white shirt
My middle schooler is not impressed by how much a big bag of spinach wilts into nothingness.
I was still amazed, as of today years old.
I was still amazed, as of today years old.
September 26, 2025 at 2:11 AM
My middle schooler is not impressed by how much a big bag of spinach wilts into nothingness.
I was still amazed, as of today years old.
I was still amazed, as of today years old.
I had six 3-student teams spend an hour to explore primary and secondary literature to explore the claim that "no one knows whether at least one million people died in the USA from COVID."
All six teams concluded that not only did 'someone' know, but that at least 18 of my students knew.
All six teams concluded that not only did 'someone' know, but that at least 18 of my students knew.
a man says well of course i know them in front of a mountain
ALT: a man says well of course i know them in front of a mountain
media.tenor.com
September 5, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I had six 3-student teams spend an hour to explore primary and secondary literature to explore the claim that "no one knows whether at least one million people died in the USA from COVID."
All six teams concluded that not only did 'someone' know, but that at least 18 of my students knew.
All six teams concluded that not only did 'someone' know, but that at least 18 of my students knew.
Counting tricky things is hard. We should count them as well as we can and correct it later when needed. Anything less is less.
www.natesilver.net/p/trumps-job...
www.natesilver.net/p/trumps-job...
Trump's jobs data denialism won't fool anyone
Firing the BLS commissioner won’t prevent the effects of tariffs. But it will reduce American economic leadership and increase uncertainty for businesses, workers and investors.
www.natesilver.net
August 4, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Counting tricky things is hard. We should count them as well as we can and correct it later when needed. Anything less is less.
www.natesilver.net/p/trumps-job...
www.natesilver.net/p/trumps-job...
Bill Gates: Cuts to federal global aid kills babies. About 3/4 of a million babies and small children saved annually due to global rotavirus vaccines.
Maybe this version next - "If you like saving the unborn, maybe you also like saving the actually born"
www.gatesnotes.com/work/save-li...
Maybe this version next - "If you like saving the unborn, maybe you also like saving the actually born"
www.gatesnotes.com/work/save-li...
www.gatesnotes.com
August 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Bill Gates: Cuts to federal global aid kills babies. About 3/4 of a million babies and small children saved annually due to global rotavirus vaccines.
Maybe this version next - "If you like saving the unborn, maybe you also like saving the actually born"
www.gatesnotes.com/work/save-li...
Maybe this version next - "If you like saving the unborn, maybe you also like saving the actually born"
www.gatesnotes.com/work/save-li...
Palantir and now Erebor?
Is Peter Thiel just trolling the nerds by telling us exactly what he’s doing?
Is Peter Thiel just trolling the nerds by telling us exactly what he’s doing?
July 4, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Palantir and now Erebor?
Is Peter Thiel just trolling the nerds by telling us exactly what he’s doing?
Is Peter Thiel just trolling the nerds by telling us exactly what he’s doing?
Finland’s new sand battery went live this week. It stores excess wind and solar energy as heated sand that can be tapped later.
If it works as planned, it could be the answer to the problem that the sun doesn’t shine at night and wind is intermittent.
www.euronews.com/green/2025/0...
If it works as planned, it could be the answer to the problem that the sun doesn’t shine at night and wind is intermittent.
www.euronews.com/green/2025/0...
World’s largest sand battery starts slashing emissions in Finnish town
The 15 metres wide battery can store a month's heat demand in summer - how does it work?
www.euronews.com
July 3, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Finland’s new sand battery went live this week. It stores excess wind and solar energy as heated sand that can be tapped later.
If it works as planned, it could be the answer to the problem that the sun doesn’t shine at night and wind is intermittent.
www.euronews.com/green/2025/0...
If it works as planned, it could be the answer to the problem that the sun doesn’t shine at night and wind is intermittent.
www.euronews.com/green/2025/0...
BBC has a solid article about RFKJr, and how he is doing some very good things while also being kind of nuts.
"At a high level, I'm optimistic... but you still need to come up with the right answers, and those answers can only be found through science," says Prof Mande.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"At a high level, I'm optimistic... but you still need to come up with the right answers, and those answers can only be found through science," says Prof Mande.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Robert Kennedy Jr: Could he really revolutionise US healthcare?
The most powerful public health official in the US is reviled by some medics - but even some of his critics accept that he is bringing drive to healthcare areas that have long been neglected
www.bbc.com
July 1, 2025 at 12:10 PM
BBC has a solid article about RFKJr, and how he is doing some very good things while also being kind of nuts.
"At a high level, I'm optimistic... but you still need to come up with the right answers, and those answers can only be found through science," says Prof Mande.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"At a high level, I'm optimistic... but you still need to come up with the right answers, and those answers can only be found through science," says Prof Mande.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
And that's why you hear me say things like "that's probably an uppy line," not, "C02 levels have been increasing at a rate of 2.64956 ppm annually"
xkcd.com/3104/
xkcd.com/3104/
Tukey
xkcd.com
June 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM
And that's why you hear me say things like "that's probably an uppy line," not, "C02 levels have been increasing at a rate of 2.64956 ppm annually"
xkcd.com/3104/
xkcd.com/3104/
Today, maybe you needed six minutes of Mr. Rogers showing you how crayons are made. Note how he says crayons as a one syllable word - aka the right way.
www.pbs.org/video/mister...
www.pbs.org/video/mister...
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood | How Are Crayons Made? | Season 14 | Episode 81
Did you ever wonder how crayons are made?
www.pbs.org
May 6, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Today, maybe you needed six minutes of Mr. Rogers showing you how crayons are made. Note how he says crayons as a one syllable word - aka the right way.
www.pbs.org/video/mister...
www.pbs.org/video/mister...
Cancer death rates are not going up.
Of course, lung cancer is the big win, but every single kind of cancer is seeing fewer deaths by type.
Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
ourworldindata.org/grapher/canc...
Of course, lung cancer is the big win, but every single kind of cancer is seeing fewer deaths by type.
Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
ourworldindata.org/grapher/canc...
Cancer death rates by type
The reported annual death rate from different types of cancer per 100,000 people, based on the underlying cause listed on death certificates.
ourworldindata.org
April 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Cancer death rates are not going up.
Of course, lung cancer is the big win, but every single kind of cancer is seeing fewer deaths by type.
Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
ourworldindata.org/grapher/canc...
Of course, lung cancer is the big win, but every single kind of cancer is seeing fewer deaths by type.
Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
ourworldindata.org/grapher/canc...
Korean grandmas playing the US national anthem at the LA hockey game tonight, in full hanbok. On harmonicas. Not very well. But, also amazingly.
www.tiktok.com/@kellyklaing...
www.tiktok.com/@kellyklaing...
Respectfully, Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show pales in comparison to the harmonica heat brought by the Korea Town Senior Center at the LA Kings game. ⭐️🏒 #nhlfaceoff #nhlplayoffs #playoffhockey #laking...
TikTok video by KELLY FROM TIKTOK
www.tiktok.com
April 22, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Korean grandmas playing the US national anthem at the LA hockey game tonight, in full hanbok. On harmonicas. Not very well. But, also amazingly.
www.tiktok.com/@kellyklaing...
www.tiktok.com/@kellyklaing...
IRK-ORD-LAX-MRY
I’m Honored to be invited to help with a statistics program review for CSU-Monterrey Bay. It’s just like Truman, but with sea otters.
My first long solo trip in a while, that allows me to ask, following my previous custom, what do today’s airports anagram? IRK-ORD-LAX-MRY
I’m Honored to be invited to help with a statistics program review for CSU-Monterrey Bay. It’s just like Truman, but with sea otters.
My first long solo trip in a while, that allows me to ask, following my previous custom, what do today’s airports anagram? IRK-ORD-LAX-MRY
April 9, 2025 at 2:33 AM
IRK-ORD-LAX-MRY
I’m Honored to be invited to help with a statistics program review for CSU-Monterrey Bay. It’s just like Truman, but with sea otters.
My first long solo trip in a while, that allows me to ask, following my previous custom, what do today’s airports anagram? IRK-ORD-LAX-MRY
I’m Honored to be invited to help with a statistics program review for CSU-Monterrey Bay. It’s just like Truman, but with sea otters.
My first long solo trip in a while, that allows me to ask, following my previous custom, what do today’s airports anagram? IRK-ORD-LAX-MRY
Hmm.. My best guess as to why penguins pay tariffs.
In the 90s, as the internet grew and was becoming what it is today, countries were able to claim top-level country/region domains, like .uk .ca .mx or whatever. 1/3
In the 90s, as the internet grew and was becoming what it is today, countries were able to claim top-level country/region domains, like .uk .ca .mx or whatever. 1/3
April 6, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Hmm.. My best guess as to why penguins pay tariffs.
In the 90s, as the internet grew and was becoming what it is today, countries were able to claim top-level country/region domains, like .uk .ca .mx or whatever. 1/3
In the 90s, as the internet grew and was becoming what it is today, countries were able to claim top-level country/region domains, like .uk .ca .mx or whatever. 1/3
Inclusion is one of them initials people are upset about.
Does it help as a banger?
To be fair, exclusion has some bangers, too, but I don't get quite the same feels from those.
www.instagram.com/reel/DHI7f8t...
Does it help as a banger?
To be fair, exclusion has some bangers, too, but I don't get quite the same feels from those.
www.instagram.com/reel/DHI7f8t...
Login • Instagram
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www.instagram.com
March 21, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Inclusion is one of them initials people are upset about.
Does it help as a banger?
To be fair, exclusion has some bangers, too, but I don't get quite the same feels from those.
www.instagram.com/reel/DHI7f8t...
Does it help as a banger?
To be fair, exclusion has some bangers, too, but I don't get quite the same feels from those.
www.instagram.com/reel/DHI7f8t...
The gold in Fort Knox is like the Coyote. It's doesn't actually matter if it's really in there - we'll be fine. But if we look and see that it isn't, that's when we have problems.
a cartoon of a coyote and a bird flying over a cliff with the words `` what is it '' .
Alt: a cartoon of the coyote and roadrunner over a cliff with the words "What is it ?." He's about to look down - that's a bad idea, at least, in this cartoon universe.
media.tenor.com
February 21, 2025 at 12:09 PM
The gold in Fort Knox is like the Coyote. It's doesn't actually matter if it's really in there - we'll be fine. But if we look and see that it isn't, that's when we have problems.