The job market for economists turns dismal

Marginal Revolution

Small steps toward a much better world.

The job market for economists turns...dismal

Here is a good article by Justin Lahart:

The dismal economy has claimed yet another victim: jobs for the economists who study it.

Columbia University's economics department, for example, isn't making any new hires this year. That's in stark contrast to last year, when Columbia poached eight economics professors from other schools, and hired one economist out of graduate school. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Amherst College and the University of Minnesota all have suspended their searches for economics professors. And Harvard University has gotten permission to hire just one person -- only after "many rounds of negotiation," according to Harvard economist Lawrence Katz, who is handling recruiting this year. Typically, Harvard hires two or three economics professors out of graduate school.

Posted by Tyler Cowen on February 11, 2009 at 08:44 AM in Permalink

Paul Romer on Starting new healthy banks

This makes too much sense...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123388681675555343.html

In Barro's Words ...

Robert Barro Speaks out on the Current Stimulus

A couple of questions / answers ... click above to read the entire thing.

Do you read Paul Krugman's blog?

Just when he writes nasty individual comments that people forward... He just says whatever is convenient for his political argument. He doesn't behave like an economist. And the guy has never done any work in Keynesian macroeconomics, which I actually did. He has never even done any work on that. His work is in trade stuff. He did excellent work, but it has nothing to do with what he's writing about.

Are there any conditions under which you might think spending could have a positive effect on output or is it always going to be the case that as a relative matter that tax cuts are going to be better?

Tax cuts are bound to be better. I think the best evidence for expanding GDP comes from the temporary military spending that usually accompanies wars -- wars that don't destroy a lot of stuff, at least in the US experience. Even there I don't think it's one for one, so if you don't value the war itself it's not a good idea. You know, attacking Iran is a shovel-ready project. But I wouldn't recommend it.

One Laptop per Child initiative -- The OLPC XO-2

I wanted to link this for the picture itself. If we get here, this is very cool. From Warner Crocker: "...The folks behind the One Laptop Per Child initiative are saying that they are going to open source their hardware design for version 2. You’ll remember the design we’ve seen with the dual screen approach. " (read more)

While this design is occurring, in India the government hopes to unveil an incredible cheap computer for the masses and to address the digital divide. India plans cheap laptop option.

Then there is me still lusting for an Amazon Kindle. One thing is for sure. The future of mobile devices goes way beyond the tablet PC and other current devices. However, what I don't see is a digital ink option on these. That is regrettable.

DyKnow 2009 User Conference

DyKnow User Conference
July 22-24, 2009
Virginia Tech

"Conference session times are approximately 60 minutes in duration, with 40 minutes for the presentation and 20 minutes for Q&A. The content should be of interest to classroom teachers or campus technology professionals."

WIPTE 2009

4th Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology on Education
October 12-13, 2009

Proposals accepted now through June 15.

"WIPTE is open to anyone with an interest in instructional technology. A wide variety of disciplines are embracing Tablet PC's and similar pen-based devices as tools for the radical enhancement of teaching and learning. This conference is intended to leverage this shared passion and to identify best practices in the educational use of pen-based computing so that all educators may benefit from this next generation of technology. Each WIPTE paper presentation includes an assessment component as an important part of the presentation. The WIPTE program also includes keynote talks, poster presentations, vendor booths, panels, and special sessions."

Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference

Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference
April 21-22, 2009
Changing the Learning Landscape
Purdue West Lafayette campus.

A great conference on what is happening in the classroom using technology. "The theme for this annual educational technology conference is “Changing the Learning Landscape.” The conference keynote speaker, Sarah Robbins of intellagirl.com, is a researcher, writer, and speaker, who studies and reports on Second Life, virtual worlds, and Web 2.0 and other emerging technologies." Go, attend, enjoy.