AT Micro/Macro Economics

KEY DATES: 1. On Friday, Feb. 28, Bruce Cohen will speak to our classes on an aspect of the financial system. 2. On Friday, March 7th your second research paper that will incorporate a behavioral experiment or the creation of a game theory game that you will actual test is due. You should review  the literature but your thesis should be original. The length should be five to ten pages. You may work with one other student.  3. On Friday, March 14, Stuart Litwin will speak to us about securitization and the financial crisis. LONG: We will read and discuss a recent article from Gary Becker on establishing markets for organs ( http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304149404579322560004817176 ). DAY 1: We will have a study period on account of senior getaway. HOMEWORK: Read Colander Macro chapter 7, "Measuring the Aggregate Economy." DAY 2: We will discuss the chapter "Measuring the Aggregate Economy." HOMEWORK: Read Ariely chapter 7, "Th...

EYE-OPENER OF THE WEEK:   Where's the man who could ease the heart like a satin gown? Dorothy Parker KEY DATES: 1. Field Trip this Friday.  We will gather in the foyer of the high school at 7:30 am.  We will then take the 8:02 am train from the 57th St. station to Van Buren, arriving at 8:16 a.m. We will visit the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Visitors' Center at 9:00 am to watch the markets open, hear a talk by trader Gary Lark on how Open Outcry has changed over the years, and watch a film on Commodity Trading. We will then visit the Federal Reserve's Money Museum at 10:30 followed by a talk from one of the Fed's economists, Rick Mattoon, at 11:00.  At noon, we will have lunch at the Boni Vino restaurant and then return on the 2:20 train, arriving back at Lab around 2:35. If you wish to meet us at the Board of Trade or leave from the restaurant, your parents need to email your teacher before Friday. Please dress appropriately, no jeans.  2. On Friday, Feb....

Schedule for Week of January 13 LONG: Discussion of the  Economist  article "Strangest of Bedfellows," which discusses former NBA star Dennis Rodman's visits to North Korea and their implications for US foreign policy. The article can be found here:  http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2014/01/americans-north-korea DAY 1: Discussion of Colander chapter 18 (Distribution of Income). HOMEWORK: Read Colander chapter 20. DAY 2: Discussion of Colander chapter 20 (Game Theory & Decision-Making). HOMEWORK: Read Wheelan chapter 8. DAY 3: Discussion of Wheelan chapter 8 (The Power of Organized Interests). HOMEWORK: Prepare for the quiz. DAY 4: Quiz. Multiple choice questions will cover chapters 18 & 20 of Colander; the essay will come from chapter 8 of Wheelan.

EYE OPENER OF THE WEEK: The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. John Milton KEY DATES: 1.  We will be taking a FIELD TRIP in late January or early February to the Board of Trade to watch the commodities markets open and to the Federal Reserve where we will hear one of their economists speak on the state of the U.S. economy. 2. You will write another paper this quarter but instead of researching a stock you will be asked to do an Ariely-like behavioral experiment and write up the results. You can see examples of his experiments not only in Predictably Irrational but also in The Upside of Irrationality and The Honest Truth about Dishonesty. The paper should be five to ten pages long and its tentative due date is Friday, March 7. Mr. Disantis and I are considering allowing you to work with a peer on the paper but no decision has been made. 3. You will have a test during the third class period on  Real World Competition and Wor...