Straight Up Ballin'

Ben Again

70 out of 100 Senators agree....... Ben Bernanke is the man for the job! Atta boy Mr. Chairman.

Housing Issues

$5.4 billion is a LOT of money to pay for 11,277 apartments even if they are located in Manhattan. I only wish the good people at Tishman Speyer Properties and BlackRock Realty would have asked me about making a deal for the Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town complex back in 2006. I would have told them that they were paying way too much and it could have saved a whole lot of people a whole lot of cash. Instead they made the deal and now we have this colossal mess.

The story of the Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town complex is an interesting one that dates back to the 1940's. When you are covering price ceiling's with your students you may want to have them do a little investigating to learn more about how the market wasn't exactly allowed to do its thing with Peter Cooper Village and the Stuyvesant Town complex.

When Economists Rap

DMX and Run DMC have nothing to worry about but still, I can't remember the last time I saw anyone rap about Keynes or Hayek.

Book of the Month

I just finished "Nothing to Envy" by Barbara Demick. Easily one of the saddest books I have ever read. Demick manages to explain what life is like for many ordinary people trying to survive in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The author also shows how the failed economic policies of Kim il-sung and Kim jong-il directly led to the death of tens of thousands of men, women and children. I can't imagine many other places on the planet where the people have it as bad as the people of North Korea.

Salary Crunch

Ever wonder how long it would take you to make the same amount of money as L.A. Dodger Manny Ramirez? How about Vancouver Canuck stud goalie Roberto Luongo? Of course you have. This cool site can let you make the comparisons.

Go ahead and try it but be prepared to be a little depressed. I mean, I had a much better year than Redskin defensive lineman Albert Hyanesworth and in less than one game he makes wayyyyyyy more than I make all year.

Your Weekend Reading

The "I got your tablet right here" edition. The Rosetta Stone is impressive I know but can it download the latest Lady Gaga song or tell you what is happening in Mongolia next week?

When your government is placing price floors on vodka to curb consumption you know you must have a bit of a national drinking problem. I've been to Russia and I have tasted the vodka and I can tell you this plan will not work. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.

National Financial Capability Challenge

Something you may want to do at your school.

Could earn you a trip to DC.

At The Movies

You can find a nice little chart right about here that lists the all-time top grossing films in the US after being adjusted for inflation. Big props to you Gone With The Wind! Use this as a nice intro to discussing inflation with your students.

*Tip of the Econblog hat to Hiram High's Bruce Jordan for this find.

Your Weekend Reading

Matt Taibbi has some stuff he would like to get off his chest version.

Econ Challenge 2010

On Monday, March 22, 2010 we will be conducting the 4th annual "Georgia Economics Challenge." We are very pleased to announce that the 2010 Challenge will take place at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

This year the competion will involve one division only and teams can be made up of students in any AP, IB or college prep econ course (any combination, you decide). For more information on the 2010 Econ Challenge take a look right here or contact me (Mike Raymer) at 404/413-7826. There are a limited number of spots available so if you are interested please act sooner rather than later to ensure that your team gets into the competition. Perennial powers Starr's Mill and Parkview have already secured their spots so why don't you secure yours?

See you at the Fed in March!

2009, A Record Year

Everyone at the Georgia Council would like to say thank you to all of our supporters who helped make 2009 the most successful year in the history of the Council.

Over the course of the last 12 months we conducted 176 workshops for 3,586 teachers all across Georgia. In 2010 we look forward to helping you prepare your students for their economic roles as workers, consumers, citizens, and lifelong decision makers in a globally interdependent world.

The Mighty Bluefin

Now this is a great way to kick off the New Year if you were the person lucky enough to catch this fish. (not such a great way to kick off the year if you were the fish) I think the market is telling all of us to get out on the ocean and fish.

Big Ben of 2009

Three weeks ago we conducted a Personal Finance workshop at the Fed. Nothing out of the ordinary really, just your normal everyday econ workshop. Normal with the exception of BEN BERNANKE giving a speech directly across the hall from us! Seems Chairman Bernanke was in town for a little Fed business.

It has been quite the year for Mr. Bernanke and it is safe to say he has earned his money over the course of the last 15 months. If you have been living under a rock for the last few weeks you may have missed the news that Mr. Bernanke was just named as Time magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2009.

Good work out of you Ben.