Wednesday 30 April 2014

DD309 Doing economics: people, markets and policy : Signed up for October start

Just signed up for my first Level 3 course, the DD309 Economics course, the Level 2 course DD209 has gone pretty well so far and has been interesting, so I'm hoping for more of the same on the next course.


Module DD309 Doing economics: people, markets and policy
Starting 04 October 2014

Qualification BA (Honours) Politics, Philosophy and Economics      

Saturday 26 April 2014

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 27

WEEK 27: TMA week.

After a mammoth catch up session I have finally finished the book. However, in the rush to finish the book the last 2 chapters seem a bit redundant as regards the TMA, so probably means it will come up in the exam - so best not to ignore it completely.

So, 8 days to write the TMA and finish the iCMA, seems do-able, and then the studying needs to commence.

Friday 25 April 2014

Registration opens on 30/04/14

It looks like most of the courses starting in October open for registration on Wednesday 30th April.

So, I think I'll be registering for my first level 3 course "DD309 - Doing economics: people, markets and policy" to try and keep the economics mojo moving along.

Registering is one thing, paying for the course is another, and it is just as well I'm on a transitional arrangement otherwise I couldn't afford this. So time to start making some domestic and leisure sacrifices in the name of education.

Thursday 24 April 2014

DD209 Running The Economy : Absolutely Stunned !

Page 311 in the text book says

"Recent empirical research finds that being satisfied with one's income, and practicing some form of religion, are positively related to tax morale."

Considering the church doesn't pay tax and indeed claims tax back from contributions and investments, I'm not sure what the point or validity of this unreferenced statement is, and is the author therefore suggesting that atheists somehow have less tax morale - really.

John Redwoods blog (http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2014/02/21/should-churches-pay-more-tax/) says :


Churches legally avoid large amounts of tax. They receive substantial donations from some of their richer members on death. These gifts are free of Inheritance Tax.

They receive substantial donations from their living members. Much of this money is gift aided, so the Churches receive large sums from the state as repayment of the Income Tax which the donors had paid before their gift.

The Churches, led by the Church of England, have tax free Endowment funds which generate income and capital gains that are untaxed. Some of this money is used for current spending. The Church Commissioners manage a fund worth around £5,500 million.


I am absolutely stunned that this sort of nonsense is included in a economics text, we had enough of this on the A222 philosophy course.

Monday 21 April 2014

DD209 Running The Economy : Book 2 Glued Shut

We were out on the canal this weekend and I though it may be an excellent opportunity to get a bit of reading done.

Didn't turn out that way and it was only when I got home I realised that the book has come into contact with some sort of liquid which appart from swelling the top right corner of the book had also stuck all the pages, and I mean every single one of them, together at that corner and across the top of the pages.


Luckily, it had not completely dried out so I went through the book, page by page, separating the pages with a knife, and managed to do this without too much damage mainly because of the big margins at the top of the page and down the side, rather than my knife skills.


It now looks a bit scruffy and beaten up, bit at least it is readable. Now to find the time to read it :-)

Saturday 12 April 2014

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 26

 Week 26: Global public goods

Just finished Chapter 16: Inequity and Redistribution (Week 23's work) so beginning to panic slightly that the TMA is going to be a bit rushed.

After Chapter 15 being really good, this was just a bit lame. Gini Coefficients, Lorenz Curves, measures of inequality PTR and the IRON TRIANGLE, it took a whole chapter to say what could have been said in far fewer words.

Oh well, on to Week 24s work, lets hope that is a s simple.

Monday 7 April 2014

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 25

 Week 25: Government action, public goods and welfare economics 


WEEK 25 !!!! It is starting to really worry me how far I am behind.

I am just finishing week 22. I know there is a study break coming up for a week but this TMA is going to be another struggle, especially as I'm off abroad again at the end of the week.......

However......

Chapter 15 : Trade and Inequality, the best chapter of the book so far. Really interesting to see economic models showing how trade can increase inequalities between and within countries, and how government tariffs and import taxes may benefit domestic firms and the government but overall the effect is negative and it is the consumer who pays for this.

If the rest of the book is like this is should be a pleasure to read.

Wednesday 2 April 2014

DD209 Running The Economy : TMA04 Marked and returned

TMA04's mark was a very pleasant surprise, highest TMA mark so far, especially given the situation under which the last TMA was written. It sort of makes up for the last TMA which I though deserved a better mark based on the tutors comments.

It is one thing writing a TMA with the books in front of you, this part of the exam will be a challenge I think.

So I guess this mark should supply the motivation needed to get on and finish the last section.