Thomas Schaller’s latest column in the Baltimore Sun explores the origins of the impending U.S. “fiscal cliff.” Professor Schaller, political science, cites a recent Washington Post/Pew Research Center poll that “shows that Americans blame Republicans over Mr. Obama for the fiscal cliff by almost a 2 to 1 margin.” He goes on to say, “Americans have realized that Republicans can’t be trusted on fiscal matters.” Read Schaller’s full commentary at the Baltimore Sun.

A new Sports On Earth commentary by Patrick Hruby quotes UMBC professor Dennis Coates, economics, in arguing that eliminating “sports welfare” among college and professional sports teams and owners would provide an “easy, overdue fix to the nation’s fiscal woes.”

Coates believes more money would be available to indebted cities with professional  teams and stadiums if athletes kept their money in the communities where they play, instead of the southern California or south Florida areas where they often live. “If that same money was spent on a movie, dinner, bowling, the theater, a locally-owned bar, tips for bartenders and waitresses, all of that money predominantly stays within that community,” says Coates.

Coates also commented in the Baltimore Sun on the Colonial Athletic Association’s decision to award Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena the men’s basketball conference tournament for 2014-2016. Coates thinks it’s too soon to tell how the tournament will fare in Baltimore, but speculates that the city could lose money putting on the tournament instead of turning a profit.

Command Z: Artists Working with Phenomena and Technology curated by Lisa Moren, presented by the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture last spring was featured today as one of the top ten art exhibitions of 2012 by City Paper.

The show, described as one that “reawakened our sense of wonder and possibility,” was alongside exhibitions presented by the Contemporary Museum, Open Space, Nudashank and others. Command Z also made the top ten list of Baker award-winning artist, Gary Kachadourian.

See the list here: “2012 Top Ten Art Shows.”

Image: Leçon de Piano, Lisa Moren and Jocelyn Robert.

In the spirit of The Dissertation House, we are piloting a new seminar series called “Writing for Publication” for graduate students at all levels.  In these sessions, students who are ready to prepare research for publication would gather as a group with a mentor-coach to hear advice, set goals, and work on manuscripts.

Dates: Tuesday, January 22 and Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Location: UMBC Commons, Room 318 (1/22), Room 331 (1/23)

Eligibility:  All M.S. and Ph.D. students, in all disciplines are welcome to apply.  We will choose up to 15 students. Decisions will be made based on clarity and focus of project descriptions.

Mentor-Coach: Dr. Patricia Young, Associate Professor of Education, UMBC

Project Description/Application:

A) Please submit a current CV.

B) Please answer the following questions:  (1) What is the topic of your intended publication? (2) Where are you in the writing process? (3) Have you published any journal articles to date? (4) Which journals are you targeting? (Please give the titles, with websites) 5) What are your goals for this workshop (Completed paper? Abstract? Literature Review?).

C) Include the following header information with the description:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone numbers (home, office, and fax)
• E-mail address
• Academic Program and Year in the program

Deadline: We have a short window for this pilot project. Email applications to promisestaff@gmail.com by December 19, 2012.  Please use the words “Writing for Publication” in the subject line of your email.

Sample schedule: 

In the spirit of The Dissertation House, we are piloting a new seminar series called “Writing for Publication” for graduate students at all levels.  In these sessions, students who are ready to prepare research for publication would gather as a group with a mentor-coach to hear advice, set goals, and work on manuscripts.

Dates: Tuesday, January 22 and Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Location: UMBC Commons, Room 318 (1/22), Room 331 (1/23)

Eligibility:  All M.S. and Ph.D. students, in all disciplines are welcome to apply.  We will choose up to 15 students. Decisions will be made based on clarity and focus of project descriptions.

Mentor-Coach: Dr. Patricia Young, Associate Professor of Education, UMBC

Project Description/Application:

A) Please submit a current CV.

B) Please answer the following questions:  (1) What is the topic of your intended publication? (2) Where are you in the writing process? (3) Have you published any journal articles to date? (4) Which journals are you targeting? (Please give the titles, with websites) 5) What are your goals for this workshop (Completed paper? Abstract? Literature Review?).

C) Include the following header information with the description:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone numbers (home, office, and fax)
• E-mail address
• Academic Program and Year in the program

Deadline: We have a short window for this pilot project. Email applications to promisestaff@gmail.com by December 19, 2012.  Please use the words “Writing for Publication” in the subject line of your email.

Sample schedule: 

This passed weekend, some of our nation’s leading intellectuals gathered at NYU’s Performing Arts Center.

Why?  To share their predictions as to what’s in store for us in 2013.

The World in 2013, as it is known, is an annual event hosted by The Economist.  Pundits gather to debate, deliberate, and declare what they feel (though they claim they know) will happen in the upcoming year.  

Here’s a few predictions for 2013 (check out some videos from the event here):

U.S. Economy

First,

I think the unemployment rate will end the year below 7%.

Second

Medicare costs will grow at less than 3% nominal.

-Peter Orszag, vice-chairman of global banking, Citigroup

Emerging Economies 

Authoritarian growth miracles don’t last.  The Chinese boom is coming to an end.

-William Easterly, professor of economics, New York University

2013 is about the frontier markets, not the BRIC [Brazil, Russia, India, China] countries. 

-Dambisa Moyo, author “Winner Take All”

Power 

2012 was signified by China on the rise, the Middle East exploding, and Europe muddling through its financial crisis.  Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, referred to the order, respectively, as the good, the bad, and the ugly.  In 2013 however, the well known political scientist feels the order will be switched.  

We’ll understand that Europe’s muddling through has an endpoint.  That’s the good.  The Middle East will continue to explode.  That’s the bad.  We [U.S.] will view China’s continued rise as a threat.  That’s the ugly.  

If you have a prediction of your own, let us know in a comment below.