Nobel Prize awarded for economic geography

Having been an academic geographer (student) for a brief period of time, it is very interesting to see a Nobel Prize being awarded in the study of economic geography. Technically, the award is not a ‘Nobel Prize’ along the lines of chemistry, physics, etc. but is the “The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.” Whatever. 

Patterns of trade and location have always been key issues in the economic debate. What are the effects of free trade and globalization? What are the driving forces behind worldwide urbanization? Paul Krugman has formulated a new theory to answer these questions. He has thereby integrated the previously disparate research fields of international trade and economic geography.

Krugman’s approach is based on the premise that many goods and services can be produced more cheaply in long series, a concept generally known as economies of scale. Meanwhile, consumers demand a varied supply of goods. As a result, small-scale production for a local market is replaced by large-scale production for the world market, where firms with similar products compete with one another.

Not much time to really comment.. except that he has been given credit for making economic geography worth a darn in recent times.  This is a good readable overview of the meaning of his work.

Gov. Palin’s future son-in-law won’t be voting for her

That’s because he failed to register to vote in his precinct in Alaska. Now you have to figure that I am a political junkie because in an interview with Levi Johnston, I would zero in on who he is (not) going to vote for. I have concern about the youth of American and their future.

Dow 0?

Where is the bottom? Dow is at around 9700 and the futures are down close to 200 before today’s open. Where is the proverbial bottom? If we were to extend a simple projection of the Dow’s decline and fall over the past month on a moving linear regression line, we could reach Dow 0 by Christmas. If we have twelve more straight days like Oct 9, we would hit 0 in 12 trading days. If we have eighteen more trading days like Oct 7, we’ll hit 0.

The moment the Dow hits 0, 144,000 people will suddenly disappear. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Now none of these scenarios will happen right? If not, this is a good time to buy then. Or is this like 1930, when some people were saying it was a good time to buy. Joke was you had to wait nearly 30 years, go through a world war, etc. to recoup your investment. Now think if you had bought $1,000 of General Motors stock in 1951 or 1952.. today you’d have.. less money than in 1951 or 1952! I digress.

Side note, can’t get away from the other main event. Coincidence? These two stories appeared like so in Yahoo! this morning. McCain may need to ask, ‘Is our campaign working?’

• McCain raises Ayers in anti-Obama ad (AP)
• McCain losing ground with working-class whites (AP)

This is reassuring..  but the people who are showing up for the rallies are persons of concern.

Leftist suppression of science?

I saw this blog posting in my email, which is a review of a posting in the NRO from John Derbyshire regarding the threat to modern genomics research by BHO. The article is something about how anti-Darwinian the cultural Marxists like BHO are because they oppose genomics (human-sciences) research because it would disprove the known fact that there are generic differences among the human races. I think.

Offshore yourself, or the end of American exceptionalism in employment

Infoworld offers its American readers advice on how to move with your job to the overseas hotspots for IT employment. Some thoughts:

• Americans are used to thinking of America as the place all the world’s hungry (for money or freedom) come to or aspire to come to. We used to have it made.
• No more. Americans will have to search the globe for opportunity like everyone else.
• Will employers necessarily want to hire Americans?
• Language barrier – we suck at foreign languages. We assume that everyone speaks English, and that they should. In business settings, English if of course the international standard. In other settings, you are at a disadvantage without the language knowledge. Chinese is tough to learn, believe me.
• Have to live on the local economy (likely cheaper) for lower, comparably adjusted salaries. They might pay the foreigner more for your communication skill.

Offshoring firms not doing so hot

Hiring slowdowns, fewer college grads being hired, layoffs have occurred and more to happen?

Reasonable ‘Software architect’ job requirements

I thought this was a reasonable, not too short but too long description. Not hung up on narrow technical skills (except for those of the vendor’s products of course, but even then was reasonable considering the employer’s needs):

Major Responsibilities

1. Lead the design and development of desktop, client-server, smart client, web service and web applications based on the ESRI ArcGIS product line.

2. Develops procedures, programs, and scripts to facilitate the entry, delivery, manipulation, and archiving of data.

3. Analyzes, designs, implements, tests, documents, and maintains software applications, primarily for enterprise GIS systems.

4. Creates new software designs for projects, with long term goals of simplicity, stability and re-use.

5. Evaluate and recommend hardware and network configurations for internal use and for clients.

6. Evaluates software requests for feasibility, level of effort, and compatibility with existing systems.

7. Evaluates and designs spatial databases.

8. Write requirements documents and software specifications

9. Consults with internal and external customers to provide technical assistance and gather requirements.

10. Uses tools such as Microsoft Visual Studio and Visual Studio .NET to develop and test software components written in various languages, including, but not limited to Visual Basic .NET, C#, ASP.NET.

11. Negotiate scope with development team leads and clients

12. Contributes and presents technical details for proposal preparation and selection meetings.

13. Develops new software engineering skills and develops understanding of GIS technologies and systems as required to complete projects, and disseminates this to the rest of the team.

14. Maintains expert level knowledge of software development tools/techniques and the ESRI ArcGIS software product line.

15. Assists other developers in completion of tasks

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position oversees a team of software developers/engineers.

Qualifications
Current knowledge of industry standard software engineering practices, including agile methodologies, unit testing, code generation, managing a daily build process and automated code documentation. Ability to select or design a development methodology and oversee its implementation within an organization. Experience customizing ESRI software products including ArcIMS, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcEngine, ArcSDE and ArcGIS Server. Requires strong relational / spatial database skills and knowledge, with particular emphasis on the ESRI Geodatabase model.

Hugh McColl endorses Obama

Former CEO and builder of the modern Bank of America endorsed Obama today in an editorial published in the Charlotte Observer. Sign of the times, but still surprising.

In 49 years of living in Charlotte, I’ve seldom offered my opinion in writing and never submitted a piece such as this. The condition of our country compels me.

The economic disarray threatening our community and nation poses critical challenges but also presents opportunity. We can observe the presidential candidates in the crucible of crisis.

Only one of them demonstrates the needed intellect, fortitude and temperament. That is why I have decided to publicly support Barack Obama.

Will IT people need face lifts to get hired?

These laid off Wall Street execs are treating themselves to face lifts so they can better compete in their new jobs searches:

“It used to that before a big interview you got a new suit. Now it’s get the suit, get your hair done, and swing by the doctor’s office,” he said.

Demand is so high that Prasad has created a Pre-Interview mini-makeover that includes Botox to erase worry lines and a filler agent that make saggy jawlines plump and youthful.

There are two rapid fixes that almost every one over 40 wants before tackling today’s tight job market, says Prasad: eyelid lifts and “quick recovery” face lift that sucks excess fat from under chins and jowls and fills laugh lines.

Now the procedures cost around $5-10k, so don’t put your money into stocks right now so you can afford a procedure.

Gas shortages in North Carolina, 1979 or 2008?

Found this on YouTube. A not-very-good quality video, but a local TV newscast intro with the lead story, gas shortages! It’s 1979. That’s Bobbie Battista, who was on CNN for many years. Complete with a vintage wrestling promo.