ECN201 
Assignment: Introduction & Data Analysis

You are responsible for one of the following questions. 

1. Ideology matters and in the 20th century we witnessed a battle over the proper size and scope of governments, a battle that has raged on the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. To give you some insight into the battle you are to read Klein's "Disaster Capitalism" (Sakai Online Readings) and explain the role that disasters have played in the battle? Was the Katrina a disaster for the conservatives as we were led to believe, or was it really a success?

2. What does Friedman mean in "While I was sleeping," the first chapter from his book The World is Flat, (Sakai Online Readings) when he says the world is flat? Do you believe the world is flat, and if it is, what are the implications for you?

3. We are in the midst of what has been described as the Information Revolution, and to give you a sense of what is going on you are to read "Who's doing your thinking for you," (Sakai Online Readings) a chapter from Ian Ayres' book, Super Crunchers. Who/what is doing your thinking for you? You are to write a 500 word answer to that question, and in the answer I would be interested in seeing what surprised you or concerned you.