May 9, 2013

April 9, 2013

The AP Econ Video Contest Results Are In

Watch the video for the winners, and don't miss the nice shout-out to Jackson and Kristian for their video: "Opposite of Econ"

April 8, 2013

And The Winner of 100 Trillion Dollars in the AP Econ Video Contest is...

Stay tuned... I watched some AWESOME videos this weekend as a member of the judging committee. The results are hidden in a secure location and I am sworn to secrecy, but you can check out AC/DC Econ's YouTube Channel later today to see the video announcing the winners. Click on the picture Below to see all of the entries.

February 18, 2013

"How should North Dakota Handle its Oil Boom?" - Resources for Your Essay.

The following list of articles should seen as a beginning, not an end to your research. Don't forget to check out the Essay website and list of sources there.


Every policy has trade-offs, opportunity costs. Externalities. Scarcity. A  good essay needs good research combined with sound economic logic. Why will your investment or ideas work? Prove it with research. 

In-Text Citations:
1. Read here for proper citation info.

NEW! What leads to a better economic future (economic growth)? 
1. Investment in human capital (education).
2. Infrastructure.
3. Natural Resources.
4. Investment in capital goods and technology.

Possible Topics: 
1. Invest in Education, Infrastructure... which lead to Future Economic Growth.
2. Invest Money in Better K-12 and Post Secondary vocational training, useful careers. Model on a German Education System. 
3. With so many Negative Externalities, ND should slow or stop Development - What role for Government? 
4. Invest in Alternative, Green Energy to provide a sustainable future. 
5. How to deal with labor, housing shortages?
6. Where have oil booms been successful? Been a bust? Examples for North Dakota. 



Research and History of Oil Booms:
1. The secret to Germany's low youth unemployment - their education system. Ideas for North Dakota.
2. Investing in Education - with Germany style vocational education and training.
3. Study on how investing in education leads to economic growth.
4. Study on how infrastructure spending helps economic growth.
5. History of past oil booms: How Texas invested its oil money in education, and other areas.
6. North Dakota will spend surplus on infrastructure, schools.
7. Could the boom go bust due to Government Regulation?
8. New: ND enjoys boom, but prepares for a slowdown.
9. ND Columnist's ideas for managing the boom.
10. NEW! How oil-rich Norway avoided the "oil curse"

The Boom!
1. $1.6 budget surplus.
2. Tax cuts, increased government spending in ND.
3. Importance of free markets learned in ND.
4. Economic impact of the boom. National Geographic.
5. Oil boom helps MN railroads.
6. Ideas how to manage the boom.
7. Possibilities to manage the boom.
8. Why Menards flies workers to N.D. every week.

Externalities:

1. North Dakota's struggle with population growth.
2. Video: Fight over Missouri River rights.
3. Boom leads to duck bust? Star tribune article.
4. More oil fracking regulation from Obama could lead to oil bust?
5. High cost of oil boom.
6. Growing pains of oil boom. PBS article and video.
7. Downsides of living in an oil boom.
8. A positive externality: North Dakota teen pregnancy rates lowest in the nation. The reason: OIL


January 15, 2013

Second Row Slackers

AP Micro Exam Review Links

Here you can find some excellent review resources. Be sure to check out the Reffonomics review graphs at the bottom of the page.

Here is a dropbox link to some good review sheets.




December 12, 2012

May 25, 2012

From AP Econ Classroom to the US Senate?

Here's a great story on US Senate Candidate Kurt Bills, who is a Minnesota State Represenative and still a AP Econ teacher at Rosemount High School.
Kurt Bills hopes to take his knowledge of the Phillips Curve knowledge to Washington

April 24, 2012

e-Mentors Celebration - ING Headquarters, Minneapolis

Group Photo
Hearing a presentation about ING's Business
Student Speakers!
Business Presentation
One-On-One Mentor Time
More Mentor Time

March 20, 2012

Bernanke Lecture #1

Lectures with Ben Bernanke

Click here to watch the videos.  Webcasts are scheduled for March 20, 22, 27 and 29 and will begin at 11:45 a.m. CDT. Online viewing will be available to the public after each lecture. 

Lecture 1: Origins and Mission of the Federal Reserve

Lecture 2: The Federal Reserve after World War II

Lecture 3: The Financial Crisis and the Great Recession

Lecture 4: The Aftermath of the Crisis


February 27, 2012

Fed Essay Contest Sources

In addition to the sources listed on the Fed's webpage (click here) here are some additional sources I have added.
  • NEW 3/11: No degree, and big debt: 40% college dropout rate. Click here
  • NEW 3/11: Khan Online Academy: the future of US education. 60 minutes this Sunday. Click here
  • 40% of college students drop out. No degree, no skills, and lots of debt. Click Here
  • NEW: Wow! 1996 Law School Grad's debt will exceed 1.5 Million by the time he retires. No Joke. Click here
  • NEW: Unemployment Rates by College Major. Click here. Ranked by salary here. More, top 10 majors with the lowest unemployment rates, here.
  • NEW: Georgetown Study: Economic Value of College Majors. Click here
  • NEW: A three year degree at the U of M? The U President wants it. Click here
  • NEW: Harvard's Outrageously Huge Endowment Fund: Click here
  • NEW: Good Article about tuition inflation, and what can be done about it. Click here. More here
  • A study finds students who coast thru college often struggle after graduation. Click here
  • ONE TRILLION in student loan debt, read more here, and here
  • U of M executives make big bucks, while tuition rises. Click here
  • Declining value, increasing cost of college. Click here.
  • Online Education: Envisioning a Post-Campus America. Click here
  • New start-up: Udacity, providing online education. Has a higher-ed revolution begun? Click here
  • Online Courses: "Free Courses, Elite Colleges." Click here.
  • Online Courses: Stanford Professor gives up job, hopes to teach 500,000 at online start-up, Udacity. Click here
  • The coming higher-ed revolution. Click here
  • Why Federal Aid increases college tuition. Click here

February 16, 2012

IT'S BACK!! MINNEAPOLIS FEDERAL RESERVE ESSAY CONTEST

ESSAY TOPIC: WHAT IS THE VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION? 

Please click here for your assignment. check out everything you need to know about the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Essay contest here on the Fed Website. As a reminder, 30 students will win $100, with a chance to win $500 and a job! I am expecting some great papers this year!

Check out the beautiful Minneapolis Fed building where contest winners will have a "free lunch" and get to miss a day of school.