Hello students, I know that we don’t all like change, but I’m moving the course content to the district’s moodle system.  It will have some costs and benefits.  Please follow these directions to begin using moodle; let me know if you run into problems.  T

First go to http://connect.hsd.k12.or.us/moodle/ and click on “Create new account” if you do not have a moodle account.  This will direct you to a screen asking for your information–use your school account information and school email address.

Once you’re a registered user, access our class by navigating throught the courses for Century and AP Macro.  This link may allow you to jump right to the site:  http://connect.hsd.k12.or.us/moodle/course/view.php?id=144

To gain access to the course site the enrollment key is “milton”.  You’ll need that first time accessing to become an allowed participant.  Jag coupon to first student who tells me why milton is our key.  After that you should have access to all course materials that I put up, and when I post new articles or links to reffonomics, etc., you should get an email at your school account from me.  Ms. Kulwicki reminds us that your email accounts are limited in size, and sent items count, so clean up as needed.  You can access your school email account at home.  Directions are on this Word document outlook-web-access Note, that it is https rather than usual http–that means it’s secure.  Hope to see you all popping up as participants soon

Hi students, I’ve been offline as far as blog posts go–kind of been in limbo waiting for the switch to the moodle format rather than edublogs.  I think that’s ready to go, and I’ll be giving you directions for access soon.  Wanted to pass along this opportunity though; deadline is Feb. 20th, so get on it if you’re interested.  http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation/index.cfm?template=fd_studentleaders

Water was one of my favorite topics back when I taught geography–check this out from the CEO of Nestle: http://www.economist.com/theworldin/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12494630&d=2009

Then this from today’s Oregonian: http://www.cantonrep.com/world/x403278325/Lettuce-melon-prices-might-be-soaring-soon

Finally, click on Oregon on this interactive map to see what our share of the stimulus could be: http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/01/house_stimulus_overview.html

Keep reviewing for our final this Thursday/Friday.  I suggest using the online resources provided by McConnell and Brue as well as Mr. Reff as quick ways to review concepts.  This is also a great time to read one of the study guides rather than trying to reread several chapters in your textbook.  Here are some interesting pieces from the media that I read over the weekend.

This one on zombie companies might catch your interest:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_04/b4117024316675.htm?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories

Here are a couple of columns that I read in Saturday’s Oregonian with sober discussion of what President Obama and Congress should do in a stimulus package:  http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/2009/01/paul-krugman-stuck-in-the-muddle.html

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/23/opinion/edbrooks.1-414268.php

I’ve been summoned for jury duty!  I’ve never had it before and always want to do it; I can’t wait to throw the book at some miscreant.

Just saw more at Time on ewaste for those interested:  http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1870162,00.html

Check out these articles from last week’s issue; watch for words like costs, benefits, and incentives–Econ is all around us, and it is hot!  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1869224,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1869203,00.html

Finally, a couple of nice pieces from today’s opinion page in the Oregonian:  http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/01/expediency_over_economic_need.html

This is an interesting one; if the thought of becoming an economist or geographer or demographer seems boring, read this to see the types of issues they get to wrestle with–predicting the future any one?  http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/01/global_aging_global_turmoil.html

Hi students,  ticket scalping was an example that we talked about in class and one of McConnell and Brue’s issues.  Check out this article about supply/demand and prices for the Obama inauguration: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/10/inaugration.tickets/

I briefly talked about ewaste as one of the examples for negative externalities; many of you seemed unfamiliar with the issue, so here a couple of articles (includes video):  http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/06/60minutes/main4579229.shtml

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/01/high-tech-trash/trash-quiz-interactive

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2008/12/this_year_remember_to_ecycle_o.html

Finally, try this online FRQ-style problem after you’ve read Ch 29.  I’m checking in to getting access for you to more from this site–no guarantees as money is tighter than usual these days.  http://aplia.com/demo/PG/?loadTXT=DemoList_PrEcon.xml&idiom=mcconnell-brue_17e_idioms.xml&discipline=economics&cid=2&bid=16

Hi students,  I wanted to throw some things at you to welcome you back from our extended break and get you thinking about our last micro unit–market failures, externalities, public choice theory and government involvement.  First this one on externalities, incentives, and leaves piling up on the streets of Portland:  http://oregonecon.blogspot.com/2008/12/economists-notebook-incentives-and.html

For something a bit more drawn out, let’s begin with this notice of PGE’s rate increase beginning this month:  http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1230609323326320.xml&coll=7

As you read, as consumers we should count ourselves lucky that the increase wasn’t larger, but 5.6% is certainly larger than wages have grown over the past year.  I’ve been thinking about energy/electricity over break from the perspective of weighing costs and benefits.  Here are three issues that have come together in my mind:  http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/tentative_deal_will_clear_klam.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2008/12/build_the_palomar_natural_gas.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/pge_confronts_dirty_dilemma_at.html

It’s not that I want my kids to breathe in pollutants from the Boardman plant, or that I think digging a ditch through the Hood National Forest and plenty of private farms is a great idea, and the possibility of rehabilitating the Klamath salmon is exciting to think about . . . BUT, from an economic perspective, remember that all choices carry costs, there is no such thing as a free lunch–or free electricity.  It is important to connect the dots of these decisions and our now and future energy bills. As you read about public choice theory and weighing costs and benefits, you can see how these things fit together and make for some tough choices to be made. 

Barring more snow tonight, I’ll see you guys in the morning.  T

Hi students, hope you are staying warm and not out driving–this is good weather to bake some cookies (save me one) and study some econ because Econ is Hot and will help keep you warm. 

Just some reminders since we missed an entire week.  Day 2ers, we’ll take our factor markets test upon your return.  Our fifth, and final unit will be chapters 28 and 29; it would be a good idea to either get started on chapter 28 over break or review and be ready to do a retake the week we get back.  I do think missing last week hurt a bit, and we’ll talk about the remainder of the term in January. 

I’m still working at reading Predictably Irrational.  Also, recently finished City of Falling Angels by Jon Berendt–a work of nonfiction that reads like a novel.  He is writing about Venice and gives a nice sense of place.  I also enjoyed his earlier work, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; that one makes me want to visit Savannah.

OK, here are some things I thought you may enjoy from recent periodical reading.  I’m so looking forward to macro because of the immediacy of the issues; here is a quick piece on the continued thinking of what caused our current recession: http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/08/news/economy/colvin_economy.fortune/index.htm

And this is a great one to share with your parents and talk about it (please do); he gets a little to political perhaps, but the central thesis is something I’ve been discussing with my dad and father in law for years now.  See what you think:  http://www.mattmilleronline.com/pdfs/Fortuneexcerptdec08.FINAL.pdf

Here’s a familiar face for you, video, not reading: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/video/module.html?mod=0&pkg=solmanblog&seg=1

Enjoy your break, be good to your friends and family and a stranger, rest up, fill out your FAFSA, keep studying.  T

Happy Snow Day, my students!  A generation ago a line in a famous movie offered advice to a recent graduate on where the jobs would be, “plastics.”  Perhaps advice to today’s graduates should be, “water.”  After reading this story about water in TIME this morning, I thought I’d better share it with you.  Notice the mention of scarcity, incentives, and prices as the market mechanism to change incentives.  Along the lines of Ch 32, notice who will suffer the worst effects of water shortages.  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1864440,00.html

Here is a video from NYT featuring Pat Mulroy, the Vegas water czar mentioned in the article.  This is worth watching just for the example from their ad campaign to promote smart watering.  http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=love+actually+intro&hl=en&emb=0&aq=f#q=las%20vegas%20and%20water%20shortage&hl=en&emb=0

Also in TIME, this article with some background and big-picture perspective on the American auto industry.  http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1864168,00.html

Hi Students,

If you grow weary of practicing your dinodance moves, here are some articles I’ve read recently that I thought may give you some utility in learning econ or at least make you the interesting person at the party.

First, this from BW about a growing trend labeled philanthrocapitalism.  At issue is the best way to help the world’s poor–traditional development aid vs. market-based approach.  Muhammad Yunus (guy in video I showed you) is quoted along with Bill Gates and others; includes a slideshow and video!  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_49/b4111048005937.htm?chan=magazine+channel_special+report

Too good a title to resist, “Obama’s Opportunity Costs.”  Read this for a quick, big-picture, economic perspective on our president-elect’s upcoming choices.  http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/02/magazines/fortune/Obamaopportunitycost_colvin.fortune/index.htm

Check this out:  http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/collegecost/collegecost.jsp

Not everyone loses in a recession.  If fewer people are buying new cars, will demand for auto mechanic services increase?  Here’s an interesting consequence related to the incentives provided by our current economy; can you explain this in terms of opportunity cost?  http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-28/1227886757143320.xml&storylist=orlocal

Finally, remember that our Factor Markets test is this Friday/Monday.  Continue to read, study, do online stuff, try a group session to do study guide, etc.  Tuesday mornings, I’ll be in the room at 7:45 if you ever have questions or want help with an APE, FRQ, whatever.  Of course, you’re welcome to come in any time.  T