I attended the SEA meetings last weekend. Here, for your listening pleasure, are my top 10 odds and ends and other semi-random thought-provoking thoughts.
- Talking with a publishing person who attends all of the regional conferences, the SEA ranks #1 and the Eastern Economic Association meetings might be #2. Everyone likes to attend the Westerns since they are in such great locations but no one likes to attend the sessions because they are in such great locations.
- I don't understand the attitude of a lot of economists concerning attendance at regional economic conferences. First of all, sometimes there are some real dud sessions. The papers aren't great or the discussants didn't read the paper closely. Some economists note that this reflects poorly on the conference and themselves if they present a paper at said regional conference. These same economists note that they like to attend the ASSA meetings (i.e., American Economic Association). But, these economists typically don't get their papers accepted at the ASSAs. So where do they present their work? Nowhere.
- Regional economic conference participation is a public good that is voluntarily provided and faces the typical prisoner's dilemma problem. If everyone that can't get on the ASSA program (see #2) went to their regional conference the quality would be significantly improved. But, the costs of coordinating this behavior -- I'll submit my paper if you'll submit yours -- is too high.
- I'm attending the Kentucky cocktail party, no open bar this year, and told by someone who might know these things, that I'm looking not looking so young anymore.
- My presentations went fairly smoothly, if you discount the bad jokes, stammering and thoughts that trail off into gibberish-tic mumbles. Want to have me to your university for a seminar?
- There was a lot of interesting research presented in the AERE-sponsored sessions (organized sessions is a solution to the problem highlighted in #2 and #3). Unfortunately, much of the good stuff at the SEAs is preliminary and the authors don't want it shared beyond four walls. So, I can't share.
- A group of friends from graduate school stayed in a beach house on the Isle of Palms for the week. It was like the big chill without all the interesting stuff (e.g., drugs, touch football, extramarital sex) happening. My kids were there so I juggled family and sessions. I wasn't able to totally immerse myself in sessions, as usual, but I seem to have survived and the world is still spinning on its axis. Go figure.
- I realized while watching the OSU-Michigan game (before and during the Kentucky cocktail party) that this might be the only economics blog that has co-bloggers employed by universities that have two #1 rated college football teams. One of these teams will play in the so-called Bowl Championship Series sometime in early February. The other team won its first round playoff game on Saturday. A playoff? What an odd way to decide a national football championship.
- Next year's SEA meetings are in New Orleans, LA on the monday, tuesday and wednesday before Thanksgiving. If an economist decides to stay until wednesday, s/he'll be flying back on one of the busiest travel days of the year. A month and a half later, the ASSA meetings will be held in New Orleans, LA. An economist who decides to attend both meetings and visit Bourbon St both times will be reduced to a pile of quivering jello twice within two months.
- Charleston is a great location for a conference. There is plenty of great restaurants, history and water. And no Bourbon St.
