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We offer an entertaining look at some of the big issues in history by examining public apologies of the famous and infamous. We’re looking at politicians, serial killers, actors, and you! Send us an apology you would like to make and we’ll read it on the podcast and give you the chance to redeem yourself or just get some guilt off your shoulders. We’re here for you, once a week, maybe more if you are really, really sorry.
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Wednesday Feb 17, 2021
Stanford! It’s not Harvard, but it still has a lot going for it – but one of those things is not designing algorithms. Due to a “very complex” algorithm written by Stanford staff, executive staff was prioritized to receive the Covid vaccine over front-line medical staff. Of the 1,300 front-line medical residents, all who work directly with patients, only 7 residents (in math speak that's only 0.005 percent) were on the list to be vaccinated. Many of the executive staff who were prioritized work from home and don’t see patients. The medical residents and hospital staff protested, and Stanford quickly apologized for the issues the “complex algorithm” had accidentally created.
This incident highlights the eternal theme of “us versus them,” a theme that can be found in Stanford's own origin story. We explore this idea and carry it into issues around West Coast vs East Coast, wages for men vs women, and octopi vs octopuses!
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