tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84356431850846971732024-03-05T03:56:32.942-05:00esther + economics = esthernomics!esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-50875852256832520162012-02-14T01:59:00.000-05:002012-02-14T01:59:58.883-05:00Happy Valentine's Day!Economist's Valentine's Day:<br />
<a href="http://fosslien.com/heart/">http://fosslien.com/heart/</a><br />
<br />
Also, from xkcd comics:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/angular_momentum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/angular_momentum.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-40967537049723911482011-11-16T23:28:00.000-05:002011-11-16T23:28:59.760-05:00The Economics of Being UglyThe economist, Daniel Hamermesh, is fighting for equality for the uglies!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">"one study showed that an American worker who was among the bottom one-seventh in looks, as assessed by randomly chosen observers, earned 10 to 15 percent less per year than a similar worker whose looks were assessed in the top one-third — a lifetime difference, in a typical case, of about $230,000."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><br />
For $230,000, would you admit that you're ugly?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/opinion/sunday/ugly-you-may-have-a-case.html">Read more</a>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-10671230916691954352011-11-01T22:26:00.000-04:002011-11-01T22:26:01.573-04:00InequalityWhat are the first countries that come to mind when you think of inequality?<br />
<br />
China?<br />
<br />
India?<br />
<br />
Think again.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-wall-street-protesters-are-so-angry-about-2011-10?op=1">These visuals</a> are quite striking. Look at those gini coefficients!<br />
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<div><br />
</div>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-63952422429880932022011-10-30T21:12:00.001-04:002011-10-30T21:12:54.150-04:00Happy halloween!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTqm4oAgow7H_7LKJXZ5g4CEoVpOWGqWJZv5GKTup5yFy7pVcAzHaAoAYjVWncekrYf4ej8ecBVFpFoP_McDg8CU683xuuwQH-WlSwI-hQ34VfLiryDCS2xJ430PemPAdJ1avJVKhDZA/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTqm4oAgow7H_7LKJXZ5g4CEoVpOWGqWJZv5GKTup5yFy7pVcAzHaAoAYjVWncekrYf4ej8ecBVFpFoP_McDg8CU683xuuwQH-WlSwI-hQ34VfLiryDCS2xJ430PemPAdJ1avJVKhDZA/s320/IMG_0492.JPG" width="238" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7PV4cA1XN5kg1xdh6Q_tt6HfFXtySwMNTbalvcuLw4CPkTEtdMOvf0768uxMpi_mivEQGBlT1-2RbeRsh0GYo7Uhfkq94t1WACpAQkNXmHocYcRjNPLXkwvW0MnKEXWa4hqyT3Cz0e8/s1600/IMG_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN7PV4cA1XN5kg1xdh6Q_tt6HfFXtySwMNTbalvcuLw4CPkTEtdMOvf0768uxMpi_mivEQGBlT1-2RbeRsh0GYo7Uhfkq94t1WACpAQkNXmHocYcRjNPLXkwvW0MnKEXWa4hqyT3Cz0e8/s320/IMG_0484.JPG" width="238" /></a></div><br />
Had a great combined 24th birthday party/Halloween party!<br />
<br />
Constructed Wall-E and EVE costumes with David. They were AWESOME!<br />
<br />
Went to the Treasure Island flea market today and got an old school film camera for $10. Yay! Time to go take pictures with a real camera instead of my iPhone.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-64595383803167539292011-10-09T22:46:00.001-04:002011-10-09T22:48:38.702-04:00Gabriel goes apple picking!Took my nephew to an apple orchard and pumpkin patch for the first time!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8O1pnzjZVq1AP-5kimww868TU58h8rvNHrDsg59EGVq5eRe57g-bFBrR5WE4mAKu0nVHisKaYQiMKsPrph-xhQq-gJQA_VVzeqJ6GadgBaWvtoQAPz8YAy7gpiFEqSRKoTroG7Emo1DA/s1600/317712_10150312909996759_717091758_8332611_2117088723_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8O1pnzjZVq1AP-5kimww868TU58h8rvNHrDsg59EGVq5eRe57g-bFBrR5WE4mAKu0nVHisKaYQiMKsPrph-xhQq-gJQA_VVzeqJ6GadgBaWvtoQAPz8YAy7gpiFEqSRKoTroG7Emo1DA/s320/317712_10150312909996759_717091758_8332611_2117088723_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>He figured it out pretty quickly. He's CLEARLY gifted.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FVtV32mvyXqFVde5sD0Bh1FJkf_ZOXdtsuWf_vjRAHwRGkMijpKreet-Mf4QET3GUMvkdJ_KrcYs3oPpN3PwykjKg1KdzBSQGSBlw0MMcP4sJcTpZUYKSRW957DEGRd8zFVw2sScR0E/s1600/313414_10150312923781759_717091758_8332664_460886781_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FVtV32mvyXqFVde5sD0Bh1FJkf_ZOXdtsuWf_vjRAHwRGkMijpKreet-Mf4QET3GUMvkdJ_KrcYs3oPpN3PwykjKg1KdzBSQGSBlw0MMcP4sJcTpZUYKSRW957DEGRd8zFVw2sScR0E/s320/313414_10150312923781759_717091758_8332664_460886781_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hanging out in his pumpkin outfit in the pumpkin patch!<br />
<br />
<3esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-91799208365324118022011-10-06T01:45:00.000-04:002011-10-06T01:45:13.630-04:00Steve Jobs.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UF8uR6Z6KLc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Steve Jobs, you accomplished so much in only 56 years of life.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-88652133534364248822011-10-04T23:48:00.002-04:002011-10-05T00:50:12.363-04:00Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!<b>Lions:</b><br />
My boyfriend says I get annoyed about the Wall Street protests because I lack empathy. But this is absolutely FALSE. I went to see the Lion King 3D and cried twice, okay?!<br />
<br />
I'm going home to NY for Columbus day weekend and totally watching the Lion King 3D again because it is the BEST MOVIE EVER!<br />
<br />
Phone call with my dad:<br />
<br />
Me - "Daddy, do you want to watch Lion King with me when I go home?"<br />
Dad - "Didn't we see that one already...a long time ago?"<br />
<br />
Haha. Excited for NYC! I am smiling like this!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imagesdisney.com/images/3-images-lion-king-g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://www.imagesdisney.com/images/3-images-lion-king-g.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Tigers: </b><br />
Yankees beat Tigers 10-1! ALCS, here we goooo!<br />
<br />
<b>Bears (like the market!):</b><br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/us/anti-wall-street-protests-spread-to-other-cities.html?ref=us">These articles</a> about Wall Street protests annoy me. Anti-capitalist? Anti-globalization? I understand that people are protesting against corporate greed, exploitation of the "little people," etc. But what alternative systems are being proposed? Autarky? Socialism? If you're so unhappy with capitalist America, perhaps you should move to China and see how much better you like it over there.<br />
<br />
I have the same frustration with environmentalists who protest the creation of a market for carbon. Many environmentalists argue that it is morally wrong to put a price on clean air. But if you're shooting down the idea of creating a market for carbon, you are advocating for a price of ZERO on carbon. Congratulations. Pat yourselves on the back. You have made it even EASIER for people to pollute. Ugh.<br />
<br />
Also, should corporations not be greedy? Merriam Webster defines "greed" as "a selfish and excessive desire for more of something than is needed."<br />
Well, how much profit is <i>needed</i> by corporations? Is the needed amount of profit not the<i> maximum</i> amount of profit? Is it not the corporation's duty to be greedy? (so long as they are not packaging products like mortgage backed securities and lying about the inherent risk of these products?) Should the corporation decide how much is "needed" by its shareholders? Milton Friedman talks about the responsibility of corporations in Capitalism and Freedom, but the gist of that chapter in his book can also be found <a href="http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-resp-business.html">here.</a>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-76121899776250543442011-06-27T01:29:00.004-04:002011-10-05T00:49:27.727-04:00Optimistic Consultants<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OMG. This cracks me up.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2010/07/26/000334955_20100726032714/Rendered/PDF/558560WP0Box341SR1v08121jul101final.pdf">World Bank report</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> about high-speed rail projects being oversold:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"A whole new area of behavioral research has been generated by the phenomenon of over-forecasting in transport, known as 'optimism bias.' But a brief reading of the early days of railway development in the U.S.A. and Europe would quickly reveal that optimism bias is actually an inherited trait, handed down over generations, which tends to emerge whenever the recessive gene of optimism becomes over-stimulated by the dominant gene of self interest."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">14</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">14 - </span>Whether professional or financial, the latter becoming prevalent when projects are supported by consultants and financial advisers working on a success-fee basis.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Translation by my fish-head teammate: "people are delusional, and consultants are happy to obfuscate reality in pursuit of payment."</span>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-80375872239611790172011-05-21T11:43:00.000-04:002011-05-21T11:43:21.307-04:00What's an Ocean Without Fish?It's a giant toilet, that's what. Our government is paying people to turn the ocean into a giant toilet.<br />
<br />
Look, here's an ocean with fish:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goallover.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/reeffish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://www.goallover.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/reeffish1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Here's an ocean without fish:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whoi.edu/cms/images/oceanus/coral2_550_57071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="310" width="550" src="http://www.whoi.edu/cms/images/oceanus/coral2_550_57071.jpg" /></a></div><br />
SO fugly.<br />
<br />
The good news is that if there are any aliens out there who are in the business of shopping for a new planet, they might be less likely to target Earth.<br />
<br />
Governments spend $10-30 billion a year on subsidies to the fishing industry. A small amount of that is spent on fisheries research and improved management (North America isn't doing too bad, with 55% of subsidies going towards R&D and Marine Protected Areas). However, the majority of subsidies goes towards increased capacity on the water - more boats, better technology to target fish, port construction, fuel tax exemptions, etc.<br />
<br />
What does this mean for the fishies?<br />
<br />
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EcyhVHrmlMU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
Even though fish stocks are being depleted, fishers have the means to go further and deeper into the ocean to catch the last remaining fish. And it's not like the government is doling out subsidies because the fishing sector is really profitable. From 1995-2005, the amount that India and Brazil spent on fishing subsidies EXCEEDED the value of fish that were landed! And high seas bottom trawl fleets - the ones with the giant nets that scrape the bottom of the sea practically destroying everything in their paths - would be operating at a $51 million annual LOSS if not for subsidies.<br />
<br />
A few organizations such as Pew, The Nature Conservancy, and WWF have been trying to draw attention to this issue by increasing transparency of information, and speaking to appropriate people at WTO, FAO, etc., but who knows how many fish species will be commercially available within the next 5-10 years?<br />
<br />
=(<br />
<br />
Also, speaking of oceans, I watched Pirates of the Caribbean 4 last night at the Castro theater and it was EPIC!esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-68822559954420916152011-04-30T12:57:00.002-04:002011-05-21T11:26:22.385-04:00Keynes vs. Hayek Round Two!Thanks to Lin for sending this my way and getting me to blog again.<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GTQnarzmTOc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
First Keynes vs. Hayek rap <a href="http://esthernomics.blogspot.com/2010/01/fear-boom-and-bust-hayek-vs-keynes-rap.html">here</a>!<br />
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A few longer posts to follow, I promise. Probably about harmful subsidies (this is a note to myself so that I won't forget)<br />
<br />
I've just been spending way too much time on my new bioeconomic model at work. It's BEYOOTEEFUL! Excel sheet after excel sheet all speaking to each other. The only frustrating thing about Excel is that if it doesn't do what you want it to do, you know it's because YOU made a mistake. I've definitely ripped out a few chunks of my hair over the past few months.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-33776677852951056492011-01-20T12:50:00.000-05:002011-01-20T12:50:07.649-05:00Ex-Aide to Bill Clinton Leads GGGI<a href="http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2011/01/139_80047.html">Richard Samans as ED of GGGI.</a><br />
<br />
Strange to see all of these things happening from the outside now.<br />
<br />
Happy to see it all start falling into place.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-50091819330610456402010-12-11T16:24:00.001-05:002010-12-11T16:25:22.496-05:00Toxic Homes<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Have you ever heard of the Beveridge Curve? Me neither. But it has nothing to do with drinks.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I was just reading the <a href="http://modeledbehavior.com/2010/12/06/are-underwater-homeowners-breaking-the-beveridge-curve/">Modeled Behavior blog</a> and there's an interesting post about friction in the job market being caused by "underwater" mortgages.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Basically, the Beveridge curve has job vacancy rate on the y-axis and unemployment rate on the x-axis.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://modeledbehavior.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/beveridgecurve.jpg?w=500&h=268" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://modeledbehavior.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/beveridgecurve.jpg?w=500&h=268" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When unemployment is high, job vacancies should be low. But that hasn't been true in recent years! Why?</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Apparently, people end up being stuck in their underwater homes and can't move to places where their skills are needed. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">This American Life had a <a href="http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/418/toxie">great episode</a> about toxic assets that were bought on purpose by reporters of Planet Money. They interview people with underwater mortgages and discover elaborate schemes of those who made bank (sort of) from the subprime mortgage crisis.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Sigh. Housing is stressing me out. Still looking for a place to live in SF. Looking through Craigslist postings is always entertaining.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There was a post that said, "Home is shared by 2 guys and 2 girls. We like to cook dinner together, sometimes at 4:20 PM." I thought, "What? 4:20 PM is so early for dinner! I'll never get to bond with my housemates because I get out of work so much later!" And then it hit me...like the strong smell of pot when I take the bus home sometimes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-38674600821846835372010-10-13T04:56:00.000-04:002010-10-13T04:56:43.182-04:00News<a href="http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/the-work-behind-the-nobel-prize/?scp=1&sq=economics%20nobel%20prize&st=cse">Nobel Prize</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/business/economy/13leonhardt.html?hp">Climate</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/13/education/13schools.html?hp">Education</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/14/world/americas/14chile.html?hp">Joy</a>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-13138038560059223572010-10-07T04:23:00.009-04:002010-10-07T04:30:01.591-04:00Yoram Bauman, Standup Economist. New Video!<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zkUzU1Ce7rQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zkUzU1Ce7rQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
His older video, which I love: <br />
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VVp8UGjECt4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VVp8UGjECt4?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
And finally, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Introduction-Economics-One-Microeconomics/dp/0809094819/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286440036&sr=8-1">his book</a>, which will make a great holiday gift for anyone! <br />
<br />
You would think that I work as this guy's publicist, but I've only ever spoken to him once. On this very blog! See <a href="http://esthernomics.blogspot.com/2010/01/economics-of-relationships.html">his comment</a> on my blog here!esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-74191036320025135722010-09-22T23:55:00.000-04:002010-09-22T23:55:25.096-04:00A Day In the Life Of...My team is insane, in the best possible way.<br />
<br />
One guy flew in from China for the UN MDG summit and is now flying over to India. Yeah...that's right. China --> NY --> India in a span of like 5 days. INSANE.<br />
<br />
Two guys got invited to Leonardo DiCaprio's house for dinner tomorrow night. One had to decline because he's just THAT busy. INSANE.<br />
<br />
One guy managed to get everyone ground passes (pretty much unlimited access to all of the UN). INSANE.<br />
<br />
Two guys made time to have dinner and watch Promises, Promises with me! INSANE given how busy these guys are.<br />
<br />
I couldn't catch a cab after the MDG summit so I took a pedicab for the first time and it was THE MOST FUN THING EVER. And we ended up taking one after the Broadway show. Two pedicab rides in one night?! INSANE!<br />
<br />
NYC is adding tax on clothing and shoes soon. INSANE. That has nothing to do with work, but I felt the need to add it. WTF NY?esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-24050105545850300922010-09-21T11:16:00.000-04:002010-09-21T11:16:55.574-04:00GoalsGoing <a href="http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/a-10-year-checkup-on-global-goals/?scp=5&sq=united%20nations&st=cse">here</a> tomorrow.<br />
<br />
I am contemplating a 6 month shopping hiatus. Not as ambitious as the MDGs...I know.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-20922906637663037332010-08-19T09:38:00.002-04:002010-08-19T09:39:01.852-04:00Ugly Names and Ugly SituationsThe Economist had <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/16743239?story_id=16743239">an article</a> about the proposed Cordoba Centre in New York (at ground zero).<br />
I completely agree that by treating Muslims in America as "outsiders" or as "terrorists," we are providing <i>actual</i> terrorists with new recruits.<br />
I also completely agree that Americans should be the "bigger person" and say, "This is America. We are intelligent enough to recognize the difference between Muslims and al Qaeda. We not only accept, but embrace having a mosque at ground-zero."<br />
<br />
However, having been so close to ground-zero on 9/11 (saw the 2nd plane hit from bio class at Stuy), I can understand the emotional response to the Cordoba Centre proposal. I am lucky enough to have had a diverse group of friends and know for a fact that none of my Muslim friends would EVER condone such horrific acts of terrorism. But let's face it. Most Americans are from boring, homogeneous cities in the middle of nowhere. I can easily see myself being one of those Americans...and if I had lost a loved one on 9/11, I can see my anger being horribly misdirected.<br />
In fact, even though I'm Catholic, if an extreme sect of Christianity murdered one of my family members, I can see myself turning against my <i>own </i>religion.<br />
<br />
I get that Imam Feiisal Abdul Rauf has good intentions, and that he wants to promote interfaith understanding. He hopes that his mosque will "heal some of the wounds opened by the felling of the twin towers and all that followed." But it's hard to get Americans to realize that diversity is a good thing when you have shameless idiots like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich running around.<br />
<br />
Shame on you, Sarah and Newt, for blatantly using the emotions of those who have already been so hurt in the past to promote your own political agendas. As my friend Dan says, "[you] are so hellbent on making another party look bad that [you] will hop on the bandwagon to resonate with an issue [which] is clearly against the foundational underpinnings of our government."<br />
<br />
I am thoroughly disgusted.<br />
<br />
And Newt, you have a problem with the name "Cordoba" but really...you're not one to talk with a name like Newt. Newt Gingrich has got to be the ugliest name I have ever heard in all 22 years of my life.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-5252008070712057112010-08-18T08:22:00.002-04:002010-08-18T08:24:09.346-04:00Sponge-worthy MenI was on the elevator with two guys and pressed the 12 button, but they didn't notice initially.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Guy #1</span> to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Guy #2</span>: Did you press 12?<br />
Me: Oh, that's my floor.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Guy #2</span> to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Guy #1</span>: But I would rather be going with her than with you.<br />
<br />
Awkward...but then!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Guy #1</span>: That's not funny.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Guy #2</span>: You're right. That's not funny. I'm sorry, miss.<br />
<br />
I have had encounters with sketchy people before, but at least this guy had the decency to apologize. And it's not like he was absurdly inappropriate. I wish boys were more chivalrous nowadays...<br />
<br />
I wish they were more spongeworthy - an economist at Princeton, Avinash Dixit, wrote a paper on the option value problem of Seinfeld.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The paper uses option pricing theory to deconstruct Elaine’s decisions in the “Seinfeld” episode number 119 “</span><span class="aptureLink " id="apture_prvw2" style="-webkit-border-bottom-left-radius: 4px 4px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius: 4px 4px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 4px 4px; -webkit-border-top-right-radius: 4px 4px; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; cursor: pointer !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;"><span class="aptureLinkIcon" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.apture.com/media/imgs/link_icons.gif?v12) !important; background-position: 100% -1349px; background-repeat: no-repeat !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; display: inline !important; float: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 11px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><a class="aptureLink snap_noshots" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%20Sponge" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(9, 61, 114); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important; color: #093d72; display: inline !important; float: none !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px !important; margin-right: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The Sponge</span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">.” In it, Elaine’s preferred contraceptive sponge goes off the market, sparking an ultimately fruitless hunt for a greater supply. Her limited supply of contraceptive sponges forces her to reassess their usage, and decide whether a potential partner is “sponge-worthy” or not." [</span><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/07/21/the-economics-of-seinfeld/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">See full WSJ article here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">]</span></span>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-46009292271886846352010-08-15T09:44:00.014-04:002010-08-15T10:01:53.636-04:00Buying Happiness<a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129210723&ft=1&f=1001#">More</a> on buying happiness.<br />
<br />
But sometimes people can't handle the <a href="http://chicagoboyz.net/archives/14902.html">choices</a>. SF is considering banning Happy Meals b/c parents are complaining that the toys cause their children to become...pigs. Right. And I grew up in a bubble where McDonald's did not exist. Therefore, I am 42.5 kg/94 lbs.<br />
<br />
Please.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-83209124502154082932010-08-14T10:54:00.000-04:002010-08-14T10:54:35.474-04:00Deja vuOn August 18, 1976, two US Army officials in the JSA of the DMZ (between North and South Korea) were brutally murdered by axe wielding North Koreans. This event has been called the axe murder incident and the poplar tree incident because it happened while South Korean soldiers were trying to cut down a poplar tree (on South Korean land). See the full story <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axe_murder_incident">here</a>.<br />
<br />
On August 3, 2010, two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist, and an Israeli officer were killed because an Israeli maintenance crew was using a cherry-picker to prune a tree. See the full story <a href="http://www.economist.com/node/16750141?story_id=16750141">here</a>.<br />
<br />
WTF is wrong with people. The world is a f-ing mess.<br />
<br />
I will drown myself in retail therapy, despite the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/business/08consume.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=homepage&src=me">NYT's advice</a> on happiness...<br />
<br />
I found an Alice + Olivia dress on shopbop.com, and they only had one left in my size. But I'm at my aunt's house in Incheon and left my wallet in Seoul. Almost had a fashion emergency b/c I couldn't remember the 3 security digits on the back of my debit card. They came back to me eventually.<br />
<br />
Alice + Olivia dress, you are so much lovelier than this world.esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-69104529521830533432010-08-04T23:55:00.012-04:002010-08-05T00:03:13.358-04:0040%<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">40%. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">That's a pretty significant number.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">If I were to lose 40% of my body weight, I would be 25 kg, or 55 lbs. Basically, I'd be dead.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">So how can we flippantly dismiss this fact:</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Phytoplankton, the basis of the entire marine food chain, and an important player in the global carbon cycle, have declined by 40% since 1950. (probably in response to ocean warming)</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">The average global phytoplankton concentration in the upper ocean currently declines by around 1% per year and this rate is increasing. [<a href="http://wormlab.biology.dal.ca/"><span style="color: #4d2286; text-decoration: none;">Boris Worm</span></a>]</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Why should you care?</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Phytoplankton, through photosynthesis, produce around <b>half of the oxygen</b> in Earth's atmosphere and drive the 'biological pump' that fixes 100 million tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide a day into organic material. </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">Open-ocean fish will also be severely affected by the drastic decline in phytoplankton.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;">The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite movies and I want us to be able to tell our future children that Flounder (Ariel's best friend) is a real animal and not just a figment of my imagination, or a thing of the past. OKAY? </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8sajVO7D1DA/TFo1UWlvfCI/AAAAAAAAAmk/CHcmRHzoNxQ/s1600/ariel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8sajVO7D1DA/TFo1UWlvfCI/AAAAAAAAAmk/CHcmRHzoNxQ/s320/ariel.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-65051455815451268212010-07-09T07:50:00.001-04:002010-07-11T08:01:48.118-04:00BUY THE ECONOMIST THIS WEEK!3GI's ad will be in the Executive Focus section of the Economist this week! Even more exciting - I got to draft it!<br />
<br />
I personally think my original draft is better than the one that's being published, but I suppose I'm biased...haha.<br />
<br />
Anyway, remnants of my original draft still survived the harsh world of politics, so check it out!<br />
<br />
We also placed an online ad that will be posted for a month.<br />
<br />
I feel like I've come pretty close to my life goal (or death goal?) of having my obituary appear in the Economist. Yay!<br />
<br />
UPDATE (July 11th)<br />
<a href="http://www.economist.com/classifieds/view_classified.cfm?sitd=9744&key=gggi&sitd_type=ALL">Here it is!</a>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-12110245926700958172010-07-04T06:52:00.000-04:002010-07-04T06:52:09.300-04:00July 4thI firmly believe that NYC is better than Boston at everything, EXCEPT 4th of July fireworks.<br />
<br />
I miss you, fatkids.<br />
<br />
I wish I were in either NYC or Boston today. Maybe I'll run into some rowdy expats here in Seoul. =)esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-45219163268923939172010-07-01T22:46:00.000-04:002010-07-01T22:46:43.032-04:00Life Lessons<div><ol><li>Comparative Advantage: Learn it, love it, live it </li>
<li>Be entrepreneurial and work in small teams. "Jesus Chris tried 12, and that proved one too many." ~<a href="http://www.economist.com/node/16374404?story_id=16374404">Norman Macrae</a></li>
<li>There is a high correlation between success and e-mail volume. At least, that's what I will tell myself when I wake up to a bajillion e-mails from Seoul, SF, and London.</li>
<li>Before you send an e-mail, always save a draft and go back to it later</li>
<li>You will never be as happy and optimistic as you were in college.</li>
<li>I'm a sensitive soul, though I seem thick-skinned. ~Pumba, from the Lion King</li>
</ol></div>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8435643185084697173.post-83022312607012707052010-06-30T08:57:00.004-04:002010-07-01T08:59:10.246-04:00A Toy Story.I've had this Tweety doll for nearly 22 years now (I'm almost 23) and I bring it with me whenever I travel for long periods of time. A few weeks ago, I left it on my bed and housekeeping accidentally took it to the laundry room along with my sheets and blankets. I called the front desk and reported the missing doll. A few days later, I get a phone call from the front desk:<br />
<div><br />
<div>"Hello?"</div><div>"Hi. Did you call few days ago about missing doll?"</div><div>"YES!"</div><div>"Is it a duck?"</div><div>"Uh, it's a bird. A yellow bird."</div><div>"Yes, duck! We found it. We will bring it now to your room."</div><div><br />
</div><div>Saved!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Since then, I have carefully moved Tweety from my bed to my living room sofa every morning, but yesterday morning I forgot to do so and Tweety is missing yet again!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Parag offered to send me a new Tweety doll (thanks, friend!), but it's not really Tweety that I'm attached to. In fact, I'm afraid of birds because of a traumatic chicken experience that I had while living in the sticks of Korea as a kid.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I'm attached to the fact that Tweety is so old that my mom has to handwash it because it would probably fall apart in the washing machine. I'm attached to the fact that I still have no idea whether I should call Tweety a "he" or "she." I'm attached to the fact that Tweety is the same as always, minus the drool that it was covered in once upon a time.</div><div><br />
</div><div>On that note, I really want to watch Toy Story 3 in 3D. Too bad I can't find a theater in Seoul that is playing it...<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><b>July 1, 2010:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Tweety has been found!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">=)</span></div></div>esjhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10878071075917599438noreply@blogger.com3