What the Heck Is GDP?

Your Weekend Reading

The "Have Some Price Elasticity and a Smile" edition.

Spending Like It's 1937

Great graphic from the Economist that shows how many Americans have drastically changed their spending habits since the economy decided to dive deeply into the gutter. On the one hand, processed vegetable producers must be absolutely thrilled with the direction of the economy, while on the other hand, manufacturers of new cars and trucks must be feeling rather numb.

One silver lining of a rotten economy...spending on tobacco products has dropped significantly. A silver lining to everyone but tobacco producers that is.

SMG Leaders

The fall 2011 Stock Market Game is going strong and we have some students getting the job done.

Your leaders...

1st- Mountain View High @ $168,813.00
2nd- South Central Middle @ $160,333.00
3rd- Parkview High @ $150,721.00

Updates to follow...

Your Weekend Reading

The "beer and economics?" edition.

AP App

Another APP you may want to take a look at..."Economics AP" in the Apple Store. $3.99 version as well as a "free" version. Two thumbs up from this guy.

Deleverage Until it Hurts

Spend! Spend! Spend! Charge it! Charge it! Charge it!....until of course everything goes into the crapper and the economy nearly collapses.

Save! Save! Save!  Pay off that debt! Pay off that debt! Pay off that debt!....until of course the economy freezes up because nobody is spending.

Ahhh, what to do? Economics can sometimes be a confusing mess.

A Big Chinese Footprint

While out and about doing workshops Econblog #1 has been fielding more and more questions about China from teachers concerned with a number of things China-related. Specifically, teachers are asking when China is finally going to own the entire United States of America. The usual Econblog #1 response to this line of questioning...Fear not brave teachers, China has a long way to go before they own your school, your car, your pet dog Larry. 

Yes, China is growing rather quickly and they are investing more and more in the United States. But you know what? They don't just have eyes for us. They are in fact investing heavily in many parts of the world. Don't believe me? Take a look at this.

Water Rights and Beer

EOCT App

An App for the Econ EOCT? Of course there is. 

You can check it out right here.

Your Weekend Reading

The "That PB & J is going to be costing more" edition.

Super Huge NFL

Each week the NFL seems to get bigger and bigger. Bigger crowds, bigger players, bigger salaries, bigger injuries and bigger surprises. Bigger is better right? It is if you happen to be lucky enough to own a team or a parking lot next to an NFL stadium or a restaurant that serves up game day staples.

Thanks to Newsweek you now have the opportunity to share some interesting facts and figures with your students. $75.00 to park at a Cowboys game? $13.00 for a hot dog at a Lions game? $2.8 million for a 30-second Super Bowl ad? I should have bought the Falcons when I had the chance.

SMG Begins

And they're off!  Today we begin the Stock Market Game simulation...fall 2011 version. Over the course of the next ten weeks students and teachers from all over the state will invest a hypothetical $100,000 in stocks, bonds and/or mutual funds to see who can create the largest portfolio.

Best of luck to the 4,000+ teams participating in the simulation.