Around Town -- Other Events of Interest
Open House - MA in Applied Economics Information Session - June 7
Date: 06/07/2007
Starts: 6:00 PM - Ends: 7:00 PM
Join us and learn about the Johns Hopkins University Master's Degree Program in Applied Economics at the June 7th Information Session. This program is designed to develop economic reasoning and the ability to construct and estimate economic models through the use of econometrics and other quantitative techniques. The substantive scope of the program is wide: anything from Public Policy, to Macroeconomics and Finance, to Development and Growth, and to Envionmental and Health Economics. The program has rolling admissions and offers classes in the evening.
During the info session you will have the opportunity to meet the Associate Program Chair, Dr. Frank D. Weiss, discuss your curriculum, submit your application, and enjoy refreshments.
Location: Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC Center, 1717 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Room LL7.
Transportation Research Forum
The Washington Chapter of the Transportation Research Forum is holding a luncheon meeting Wednesday, May 23, 2007, at noon at the Chinatown Garden Restaurant, 618 H St., N.W.. Peter J. Pantuso, President and CEO of the American Bus Association, will speak on "Current Status and Trends in the Intercity Bus Industry." The tab is $15 of TRF members and full time students and $20 for non-members. To reserve, e-mail Jack Ventura at jack.ventura@stb.dot.gov or call him at (202) 245-0319.
PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION
Announces
Call for Papers and Invitation to Participate
2007 Annual Conference at Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA
May 31 - June 2, 2007
Interested individuals are encouraged to submit papers for presentation at the 2007 PEA Annual Conference. Registrants also are invited to be paper discussants and organize sessions. Paper proposals may be submitted and registration information obtained through the PEA web site at http://aux.edinboro.edu/pea. Proposals received prior to May 1, 2007 will receive highest priority; proposals received after this date may be excluded from the program.
Contact Persons:
Paper Proposals & Program
Dr. James Jozefowicz
PEA Vice President,
Department of Economics
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705
Registration & Local Arrangements
Dr. Gerald Baumgardner
Program PEA Vice President, Publicity
Penn College
One College Avenue
Williamsport, PA 17701
National Economists Club
Reservations are preferred one business day before an event. Walk-ins are welcome.
Thursday, May 3: David Wyss, Chief Economist. Standard & Poor’s
Topic: “There’s A Reason They’re Called Subprime”
Subprime mortgage holders are beginning to default. These mortgages are risky, and S&P had anticipated a rise in foreclosures and delinquencies. Losses in the 2006 vintage are expected to exceed the 5.5 percent loss rate of the 2000 vintage, previously the worst performance. Housing largely escaped the 2001 recession, so this is the first significant downturn since 1991-92. Mr. Wyss will discuss his view that the real risk is however legislative: if Congress or state legislatures try to change the rules in response to these problems, they risk damaging the housing sector.
Thursday, May 10: Jason Furman, Director of the Hamilton Project,
The Brookings Institution
Topic: “The Promise of Progressive Cost Consciousness in Health Care Reform”
The sharing of health care costs through health savings accounts (HSAs) is unlikely to reduce total health care spending significantly. At the same time, it increases the financial and medical risks faced by low and moderate income families. Mr. Furman will discuss key economic issues in health care reform, including how more effective forms of cost sharing (income-related cost sharing, for example) could restrain health spending, improve the effectiveness of health spending, and insulate families from major financial risks.
Friday, May 11: Carl Tannenbaum, Chief Economist/LaSalle Bank (Chicago)
and President/National Association for Business Economics (NABE)
Topic: “A Brief History of Banking”
The Chief Economist of LaSalle Bank in Chicago and President of NABE will look at the banking industry today, which bears virtually no resemblance to its form thirty years ago. This evolution has been the result of significant economic and financial changes. Mr. Tannenbaum will discuss the impact of this evolution on today’s asset markets and he will consider the question of whether risk is being underpriced in the current economic environment. (Note: LaSalle Bank is a $115 billion organization based in Chicago which is a subsidiary of one of the world’s largest banks, the Dutch ABN AMRO. The NEC is NABE’s local chapter.)
Wednesday, May 16: Steven Camarota, Director of Research, The Center for Immigration Studies
Topic: "Immigration”
Mr. Camarota will discuss recent trends in immigration and the Center’s work.
Thursday, May 24: Robert Frank, Professor, Management/Economics, Johnson School of Management, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
Topic: “The Economic Naturalist”
Why do the keypads on drive-up cash machines have Braille dots? Why are round-trip fares from Orlando to Kansas City higher than those from Kansas City to Orlando? Based on his just-released book, “The Economic Naturalist”, Dr. Frank will discuss how basic economic principles suggest plausible answers to a host of intriguing questions from everyday life. Drive-up ATM keypads have Braille dots, for example, because it’s cheaper to make the same machine for both drive-up and walk-up locations. And travelers from Kansas City to Orlando pay less because they are usually price-sensitive tourists with many choices of destination, whereas travelers from Orlando typically choose Kansas City for specific family or business reasons.
Thursday, May 31: Brian Reid, Chief Economist, The Investment Company Institute
Topic: “Investor Disclosure: What Have we Learned?”
Given the interest in disclosure at the SEC, the Department of Labor and elsewhere for mutual funds inside and outside 401(k) plans, Dr. Reid makes a timely presentation about investor disclosure. The view that more is better seems to be losing ground to more selective and tailored disclosure for the retail investor. Dr. Reid will summarize findings from ICI, the national association of US investment companies, and other research organizations about the types of information that investors use and how they want it presented.
Thursday, June 7: Cynthia Glassman, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs
U.S. Department of Commerce
Topic: “The New Census”
Dr. Glassman returns to the NEC podium in her new capacity as Under Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Department of Commerce. She will give an overview of the American Community Survey, the new nationwide survey which will replace the long form of the decennial census in future censuses and which will provide data every year. (The long form is the part of the decennial census which obtains demographic, housing, social and economic information from a 1-in-6 sample of households.) She will also provide information about preparations for the 2010 decennial count of residents in the United States.
Thursday, June 14: William Ankner, Founder, Transportations Solutions
Topic: “Financing Federal Transportation with a Broad Based Tax”
Dr. Ankner is the founder of the Transportation Solutions consulting firm. He has over twenty-five years of senior executive experience in the public sector. In addition, Dr. Ankner has served at the highest levels of several state departments of transportation and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; and he has authored components of each of the federal transportation reauthorization bills. Dr. Ankner will address the challenges we face in financing and delivering federal transportation solutions.
Thursday, June 21: TBA
Thursday, June 28: Peter Orszag, Director, Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Topic: “Health Care and Pharmaceuticals”
In his first appearance before the NEC as head of the CBO, Dr. Orszag will discuss economic trends related to health care and pharmaceuticals, and will highlight recent CBO work on related R&D and private sector drug pricing.