Next week, we will begin talking about diversity.
For Mon/Tues (Oct 29/30): Please look at UNIT 7 in Foundations and familiarize yourself with its content. Generate ideas/questions about diversity in our society. What IS diversity? Is it desirable and/or valuable ? Why or why not?
For Wed/Thurs (Oct 31/Nov 1): Read Freakonomics Chapter 5: "What Makes a Perfect Parent?"
Type a two-page, double spaced paper that addresses the following question(s):
According to Freakonomics, how much does having "good parents" contribute to a child's academic success? How might having "bad parenting" affect children? Use evidence from the book to support your claims.
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In other news:
The WKU Hilltoppers men's basketball team kicks off the season with a Red/White scrimmage this Thursday night at 7 pm in Diddle Arena. This is an excellent campus event opportunity. No charge.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Assignments, Poker, Immigration
Next Week:
Mon/Tues: General Education, Spring class scheduling, degree programs, credit through testing, graduating "on time," majors, etc. Be prepared to ask questions about these items.
Wed/Thurs: Writing. We will look at common problems in writing college papers, and ways to improve writing and research.
In other news:
The online poker cheating scandal at Absolute Poker has been blown wide open. See how a part owner of Absolute Poker appears to have been involved. This is a good lesson in Freakonomics' emphasis on trust in business dealings.
The Freakonomics blog posted an interview with British economist Phillip Legrain on how more immigration would actually help the U.S. economy. Legrain also argues that "freedom of movement is one of the most basic human rights." This idea seems to go against much "conventional wisdom" regarding immigration. Are more fortified borders "good" conventional wisdom or "bad" conventional wisdom?
Mon/Tues: General Education, Spring class scheduling, degree programs, credit through testing, graduating "on time," majors, etc. Be prepared to ask questions about these items.
Wed/Thurs: Writing. We will look at common problems in writing college papers, and ways to improve writing and research.
In other news:
The online poker cheating scandal at Absolute Poker has been blown wide open. See how a part owner of Absolute Poker appears to have been involved. This is a good lesson in Freakonomics' emphasis on trust in business dealings.
The Freakonomics blog posted an interview with British economist Phillip Legrain on how more immigration would actually help the U.S. economy. Legrain also argues that "freedom of movement is one of the most basic human rights." This idea seems to go against much "conventional wisdom" regarding immigration. Are more fortified borders "good" conventional wisdom or "bad" conventional wisdom?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Paper, Quiz, Library Assignment
For this Wed/Thurs: Read chapter four in Freakonomics, pp 105-132. In a two page, typed, double-spaced paper, answer the following question:
What are the most compelling explanations for the drop in crime during the 1990s? What makes these explanations so convincing?
LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT DUE BY MIDNIGHT OCT 18 (Tues-Thurs classes)/OCT 19 (Mon-Wed classes).
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In other news:
College basketball is officially underway. Teams began practicing this past weekend. Here are WKU's men's and women's schedules. The men have six home games and the women have four home dates before Winter Break. Great campus event opportunities.
Also, check out the link to campus events on the left. This link has oodles of events every day. Today's highlights: Homecoming blood drive and the Study Abroad Fair.
What are the most compelling explanations for the drop in crime during the 1990s? What makes these explanations so convincing?
LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT DUE BY MIDNIGHT OCT 18 (Tues-Thurs classes)/OCT 19 (Mon-Wed classes).
------------------------------------------------------
In other news:
College basketball is officially underway. Teams began practicing this past weekend. Here are WKU's men's and women's schedules. The men have six home games and the women have four home dates before Winter Break. Great campus event opportunities.
Also, check out the link to campus events on the left. This link has oodles of events every day. Today's highlights: Homecoming blood drive and the Study Abroad Fair.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Assignments for Next Week
For Week 8: Oct 15-19
Mon/Tues class: Read 117-130 in Foundations. Related to this, take the following Jung Typology survey. It will give you a four letter personality type at the end (ex., INTJ, ESFP, etc). Know your four-letter personality type when you come to class on Mon/Tues.
Wed/Thurs class: Read chapter four in Freakonomics, pp 105-132. In a two page, typed, double-spaced paper, answer the following question:
What are the most compelling explanations for the drop in crime during the 1990s? What makes these explanations so convincing?
LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT DUE OCT 18 (Tues-Thurs classes)/OCT 19 (Mon-Wed classes).
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In other news:
Freakonomics blog names winner of contest to rename the computer.
The road to the White House goes through...your eyes? Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush41, Clinton, and Bush43 all have one physical trait in common: blue eyes. Maybe I have a shot at the presidency--but I would likely need a shave and a haircut.
More spillover from Radiohead. The "set your price" download of their new album is not CD quality. This raises all kinds of new questions about the value of music.
Mon/Tues class: Read 117-130 in Foundations. Related to this, take the following Jung Typology survey. It will give you a four letter personality type at the end (ex., INTJ, ESFP, etc). Know your four-letter personality type when you come to class on Mon/Tues.
Wed/Thurs class: Read chapter four in Freakonomics, pp 105-132. In a two page, typed, double-spaced paper, answer the following question:
What are the most compelling explanations for the drop in crime during the 1990s? What makes these explanations so convincing?
LIBRARY ASSIGNMENT DUE OCT 18 (Tues-Thurs classes)/OCT 19 (Mon-Wed classes).
--------------------------------------
In other news:
Freakonomics blog names winner of contest to rename the computer.
The road to the White House goes through...your eyes? Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush41, Clinton, and Bush43 all have one physical trait in common: blue eyes. Maybe I have a shot at the presidency--but I would likely need a shave and a haircut.
More spillover from Radiohead. The "set your price" download of their new album is not CD quality. This raises all kinds of new questions about the value of music.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Get Your Freakonomics Book Signed By the Authors (Sort of)
The logistics of mailing your book to Levitt and Dubner after the semester to be signed and then shipped back is not time- or cost-effective. So, click here to get a bookplate signed by the authors. It's basically a sticker signed by the authors that they will sign and send to you for free. Then, upon arrival, you can peel it off and stick it inside the front cover or on the title page. Or on your car. Or forehead.
In other news:
Want to ward off illness and infections? Try a crap sandwich. Slate.com argues that our food, and therefore our bodily systems, are too purified.
Radiohead Update: they reportedly sold a whopping 1.2 million copies of their new album yesterday. This morning, ABC's Good Morning America reported that people paid an average $8 for the album. So, that's a cool $9.6 million for the band's "free" album. Again, thinking freakonomically, why would people pay $8 if they can get it for free? What incentives are in play here? Will the amount paid go down over time? More on this as it develops.
Is breathing air in Europe now more dangerous than driving a car? A new study suggests that pollution caused by global warming is responsible for more deaths per year than car accidents.
In other news:
Want to ward off illness and infections? Try a crap sandwich. Slate.com argues that our food, and therefore our bodily systems, are too purified.
Radiohead Update: they reportedly sold a whopping 1.2 million copies of their new album yesterday. This morning, ABC's Good Morning America reported that people paid an average $8 for the album. So, that's a cool $9.6 million for the band's "free" album. Again, thinking freakonomically, why would people pay $8 if they can get it for free? What incentives are in play here? Will the amount paid go down over time? More on this as it develops.
Is breathing air in Europe now more dangerous than driving a car? A new study suggests that pollution caused by global warming is responsible for more deaths per year than car accidents.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Assignments for Next Week/Radiohead
For Week 8: Oct 15-19
Mon/Tues class: Read 117-120 in Foundations. Related to this, take the following Jung Typology survey. It will give you a four letter personality type at the end (ex., INTJ, ESFP, etc). Know your four-letter personality type when you come to class on Mon/Tues.
Wed/Thurs class: Read chapter four in Freakonomics, pp 105-132. In a two page, typed, double-spaced paper, answer the following question:
What are the most compelling explanations for the drop in crime during the 1990s? What makes these explanations so convincing?
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Also, for your pleasure, here is the link to Steven Levitt's blog on the new Radiohead album. Radiohead is allowing people to pay whatever they like to download their new album. This is quite "freakonomic" in nature. Think about the incentives involved here. What do you think the average "donation" will be? How many people will download and not pay anything?
Mon/Tues class: Read 117-120 in Foundations. Related to this, take the following Jung Typology survey. It will give you a four letter personality type at the end (ex., INTJ, ESFP, etc). Know your four-letter personality type when you come to class on Mon/Tues.
Wed/Thurs class: Read chapter four in Freakonomics, pp 105-132. In a two page, typed, double-spaced paper, answer the following question:
What are the most compelling explanations for the drop in crime during the 1990s? What makes these explanations so convincing?
----------------------------------------------
Also, for your pleasure, here is the link to Steven Levitt's blog on the new Radiohead album. Radiohead is allowing people to pay whatever they like to download their new album. This is quite "freakonomic" in nature. Think about the incentives involved here. What do you think the average "donation" will be? How many people will download and not pay anything?
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
She's a Gold Digger
Freakonomics co-author Steven Levitt looks at the economics of attractive, young, gold-digging women in New York City.
For Wed/Thurs (Oct 10/11): Read Foundations, 102-114. Also, go to the Cravens Library 2nd floor to the "On Reserve" section. Ask for Basham's UC 175 reading from Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat. It's pages 1-17.
No formal writing, but do bring two questions to discuss in class.
For Wed/Thurs (Oct 10/11): Read Foundations, 102-114. Also, go to the Cravens Library 2nd floor to the "On Reserve" section. Ask for Basham's UC 175 reading from Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat. It's pages 1-17.
No formal writing, but do bring two questions to discuss in class.
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