Environmental Economics

PhD Comics: Zombies vs. Grad Students (just in time for All Hallows' Eve)

Source: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1830

I love it when journal editors pick up the phone and give me a ringy, dingy, ding

From the inbox:

Dear Prof. Whitehead,

Your submission entitled "[title]" has been received by [journal].

However, before we can proceed with the review process we ask you to address the following:

Plese [sic] provide phone number of the corresponding author in the title page.

Wow, sorry about that oversight! And,while unusual, a phone number could be important. I remember one time an editor called me and said: "Hey, I was wavering between a desk reject and whether to send your paper out for review. I chose the latter and picked two really tough, very opinionated referees who don't really understand what you are doing and typically take a long time to finish reviews. I think this is the best situation because it will give you plenty of time to focus your attention on other projects while delaying the inevitable rejection until such time that even you, yourself, won't have much interest in the paper. I just wanted you to know personally that I'm doing you a favor. Oh, and even though I know very little about the subject, I've read Hausman in the Journal of Economic Perspectives and this is what I think is wrong with contingent valuation. [blah, blah, blah and blather]"

Here's one for your stats class

The Onion (I think this may be in response to the WHO's report on meat causing cancer):

Saying the effects were almost immediate and largely unavoidable, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture released a report Tuesday linking red meat to contentedly patting one’s belly. “Our data show a strong, statistically significant correlation between consuming servings of red meat and pushing back one’s chair, letting out a satisfied sigh, and gently patting or rubbing one’s abdomen with either one or both hands,” said lead researcher Elliott Hyde, who explained that eating cuts of beef, pork, or lamb was also found to cause acute sereneness and glazing-over of the eyes.

Yet, correlation doesn't prove causation. A good researcher should develop some theory before testing this with regression analysis. 

 

"Who says meat causes cancer?" "WHO" "That's what I asked you."

The World Health Organization said Monday that eating processed meat such as sausages and ham causes cancer, while unprocessed red meat may also be carcinogenic.

via money.cnn.com

"The Clean Power Plan Goes to the Federal Register: Facts vs. Bogus Lawsuits"

Rachel Cleetus:

Tomorrow the final Clean Power Plan will be published in the Federal Register, which is the official publication of the federal government notifying the public about new regulations and guidance or changes to existing ones. We already know the Clean Power Plan is good for our health and our pocketbooks but that won’t stop naysayers from filing an avalanche of bogus legal challenges to it.

Here are the headings:

The Clean Power Plan is flexible and achievable

The CPP is affordable (the sky is NOT falling!)

Unfounded opposition attacks and misleading fossil industry-funded studies

Many states likely to sue EPA are on track to meet CPP

Your state can be a clean energy leader

You should read the whole post. 

 

Everyone hates the business school

Background: The North Carolina state legislature gave a 0% raise to state employees for the nth straight year (we did get a one-time $750 bonus). Appstate raised tuition and much of it is going to raises, about 2% this year. Here is a conversation from the locker room today (I swam 30 laps in 50 minutes!):

Colleague: Did everyone in the business school get 7% raises?

Me: More like 9.9, we're not allowed to give 10%.

Colleague: Oh, right. 

Me: The money is nice and all, but the gold plated urinals are really what makes it worthwhile. Nothing is better than tinkling in the B school. 

 

Quote of the Day: On humility

I must admit that I would like to see superstar academic economists embrace a more humble outlook when communicating with the public.

Humble economist Matt Kahn in "A Review of The Age of Sustainable Development by Jeffrey Sachs." Journal of Economic Literature, 53(3): 654-66.

We had a Thursday night football game on ESPNU so my 10 am Friday class went online

"Dean's Club grant research poster session scheduled October 22"

Where I'll be for 15-30 minutes today (sometime after my 2 hour meeting that begins at 9 and before I must pick up the swim team carpool kids at 2:45):

Fourteen Walker College of Business professors and four business students will present their research through a poster session in Peacock Hall on Thursday, October 22.

The posters will be available for viewing from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on October 22.

Research from professors Dan Hsu, Ji Yan, Joseph Cazier, Shawn Bergman, John Whitehead, Jennifer Henson, Mike Dotson, Bonnie Guy, Betty Coffey, Ben Powell, Onur Ince, Pia Albinson, Lawrence Garber, and Dave Marlett will be included.

Topics will range from text analytic research studies to the use of promotional tools in the motor carrier industry.

via business.appstate.edu

Click the image for a PDF of my poster (I found a typo after the thing got put on the easel): 

 

And now for some sports economics (contingent valuation)

From the inbox (published online October 16):

This study shows that fans and people living in the region of 28 Football Bundesliga teams from all three divisions are willing to support their team financially. Survey respondents were asked for their willingness-to-pay to avoid a negative outcome (e.g., relegation) and to achieve a positive outcome (e.g., promotion). Fan bonds are applied as an alternative payment vehicle within the contingent valuation method. The results show that different factors affect the decision to support the team and the actual amount of willingness-to-pay—for attendees and nonattendees. Public goods are particularly relevant for reporting a positive willingness-to-pay. (JEL Z23, L83, H41)

via onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Citation:

Wicker, P., Whitehead, J. C., Johnson, B. K. and Mason, D. S. (2015), WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR SPORTING SUCCESS OF FOOTBALL BUNDESLIGA TEAMS. Contemporary Economic Policy. doi: 10.1111/coep.12148