Environmental Economics

In a strange twist, a U of Michigan economist called me yesterday to ask me how he can be more like John Whitehead

From the Detroit Free Press:

The Winston-Salem Journal reports that Appalachian State, which pulled a shocking 34-32 upset at then-No. 5 Michigan last season, is getting calls from Big Ten schools looking for an edge over the Wolverines. Coach Jerry Moore, the genius behind Appalachian State's three straight national championships has been receiving numerous phone calls.

The favorite topic: ASU's spread offense, which is based on Urban Meyer's Utah model but involves nuances that Moore's staff learned while visiting West Virginia as guests of Coach Rich Rodriguez.   "Since Rodriguez got the Michigan job," Moore told the Journal, "I've had calls from every other school in the Big Ten."

The EIA'll do some of the 'splainin' for Peter King

From Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback (page 2):

Enjoyable/Aggravating Travel Note of the Week II

Wednesday, Santa Monica, Calif., 76 gas station, full-service regular: $5.09.9

Saturday, Iselin, N.J., Shell gas station, full-service regular: $3.53.9.

Somebody's got some 'splainin' to do.

A partial answer can be found in the EIA's A Primer on Gasoline Prices.

I can buy 2 gallons of gas with my savings!

From the inbox:

[2008 OSU] Faculty and Staff Football Season Tickets Available Now.  Purchase your season tickets online using e.Check and save $7.

My pair of season tickets will cost $883* this year.  I could have saved 0.79% using e.Check.  I chose not.

*I could have bought my season tiockets for $729.  Instead I chose to pay an extra $154 to upgrade from Faculty Tickets to General Public Tickets.  This means I don't have to present a faculty ID when I enter games.  It also means that whomever I sell my tickets to (at face value of course) won't have to present a faculty ID when they enter the game.  By the way, I am unable to attend the OSU-Michigan game due to a commitment I made to my good friend John, before I thought to look at the football schedule.  I sure hope I am able to get rid of those.

It's Derby Week and gas prices are rising

Louisville gasoline prices ... :

... following a 20-cent jump in prices at many Louisville-area stations to a record $3.76 per gallon. ...

The price jump began yesterday morning. It was hard to say whether the increase reflected a broader regional or national increase, "or if, as most motorists will assume, it's purely Derby-related," said Roger Boyd, spokesman for AAA in Louisville.

Last year, Louisville prices rose 19 cents per gallon in the week before Derby -- though previous years have also seen minor price decreases.

Gas demand increases (with more drivers) and becomes more inelastic (you can't choose not to drive to the Derby Party) leading to higher prices.

More Appstate football coverage at Freakonomics

From ASU grad Stephen Dubner (The Appalachian Effect in NCAA Football):

Remember when the Michigan Wolverines kicked off their football season last year with a loss to Appalachian State University?

Some people called it the biggest upset in college football history.

Well, as Mike Huguenin notes at Rivals.com, it looks like the big-time schools are being a lot more careful this year in picking their supposedly patsy opponents.

Appalachian, meanwhile, is hoping to start the ‘08 season even more outrageously than last year: against the defending national champs L.S.U. It should not be forgotten that Appalachian has won the past three national championships at its level.

Appalachian Football is also experiencing some repercussions from the Appalachian effect. Surplus crowds at home football games have led to the implementation of personal seat license-type fees in order to buy season tickets. My seats on the first row, 40 yard line, on the visitors side require a $250 donation to the Yosef Club. Better seats require a $500 donation. Ticket prices are also higher this year (a "stadium expansion" fee, or something like that). The word is that lots of previous year season ticket holders won't be next year.

I've made my donation to the Yosef Club and am simply waiting on payday to arrive to renew my 3 seats.

More Appstate football coverage at Freakonomics

From ASU grad Stephen Dubner (The Appalachian Effect in NCAA Football):

Remember when the Michigan Wolverines kicked off their football season last year with a loss to Appalachian State University?

Some people called it the biggest upset in college football history.

Well, as Mike Huguenin notes at Rivals.com, it looks like the big-time schools are being a lot more careful this year in picking their supposedly patsy opponents.

Appalachian, meanwhile, is hoping to start the ‘08 season even more outrageously than last year: against the defending national champs L.S.U. It should not be forgotten that Appalachian has won the past three national championships at its level.

Appalachian Football is also experiencing some repercussions from the Appalachian effect. Surplus crowds at home football games have led to the implementation of personal seat license-type fees in order to buy season tickets. My seats on the first row, 40 yard line, on the visitors side require a $250 donation to the Yosef Club. Better seats require a $500 donation. Ticket prices are also higher this year (a "stadium expansion" fee, or something like that). The word is that lots of previous year season ticket holders won't be next year.

I've made my donation to the Yosef Club and am simply waiting on payday to arrive to renew my 3 seats.

Congratulations Professor Hamilton

According to my complex calculations, Professor James Hamilton will win the first annual Env-Econ NCAA Tournament pool tonight, regardless of the outcome. Impressively, he is in the 99.7th percentile  nationally.  Congratulations.  I will be putting your prize in the mail after the results are final tomorrow.

In related news...

• Once again, my wife beat me (figuratively, not literally, although I'm sure she would like to take it literally).  She has a chance to move up significantly tonight with a Memphis win--from 23rd to 6th.
• In the CT/EE challenge...Let's just say things didn't turn out well for the EE'ers.  I did finish ahead of smacktalker Dan Hall.
• Ummmm...John?

Final IM basketball tourney update

From the sent folder:

Thanks for the phone call last night [1]. My IM team was getting ready to start the final four playoff game when I hear the message ring [2]. I have a babysitter at home so I figured I better answer it. Whilst doing so, I had to wave our substitute in to start the game. So, as a result of your ill-timed call, I didn't start the final four game and our team lost.

By the way, in answer to your question, I've mailed my unused SEC tickets [3].

References:

1. Sarc.
2. Another IM basketball tourney update.
3. I'm screwed out of $125.

Tourney Pool Update

In an unprecedented tournament--this is the first time all four top seeds have advanced to the final four--playing the odds is paying off for Jim Casey and James Hamilton (currently 1st and 2nd in the EnvEcon pool).   In the EnvEcon vs. CommonTragedies smackdown,   I have a slight lead over Dan Hall but Dan looks like he played the odds and picked the tops seeds to advance--so he has more possible points remaining.  Where's the fun in that?

Oh, and whither John?

Another IM basketball tourney update

From the inbox:

We had an impressive win last night.  We mercy ruled the team who at that point was 7-0.  Final score was 58-34.  I think they were a good team but some nights your shots just don't fall, just ask Jerry about that!!!  With that win, we are now in the Final Four!  Our next game is this sunday 3/30 at 7:30 pm.  Be there!!!!!!!!

It's going to be hard to focus on basketball with all of the final 4 hoopla going on around me.