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What’s It Like To be

What’s It Like To Be- March 2020

An Economist Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself. My name is Tibor Besedes and I am associate professor of economics at Georgia Institute of Technology. I was born in Croatia and came to the U.S. in 1995 to attend college. I obtained my undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in 1998 and my master’s and PhD degrees from Rutgers University in 2000 and 2003. Prior to Atlanta, GA, I have lived in Baton Rouge, LA.; New Brunswick, N.J.; Fort Worth, Tex.; Budapest, Hungary and Zagreb Croatia. Please tell our readers a little bit about what an economist does (or what your specific job in that field entails). To work as a college professor of economics, you need to complete a PhD degree in economics. As a professor of economics, I perform two roles. One entails teaching economics classes to students at Georgia Tech, while the other revolves around conducting research on economic questions. As an educator, my role is to teach my students basic tools of economics so that they can apply them themselves in either their studies or their lives. As a researcher, my job is to formulate new economic questions which I then answer using relevant data and economic models. Why is this work important? On the teaching side I provide my students with tools which allow them to make better decisions, to better understand the world around them, and to become better informed voters. On the research side, I add to the combined e orts of all economists to better understand how the economy works and to help people make better decisions. What is one thing everyone should know about about economics? Economics is not about knowing how to make money, but about trying to understand how to improve everyone’s lives. What is the coolest thing about your job? That I get to travel to various states and countries presenting and discussing my research with other economists. I have traveled to 15 different states and all continents except for Africa and Antarctica to participate in various conferences. What kind of training does it take to work as an economist? To work as a college professor of economics, you need to complete a PhD degree in economics. Can you tell us something challenging about your work? Keeping my students interested and motivated in something I nd inherently interesting. Getting myself to stick to my own self-imposed deadlines when it comes to completing my own research projects. What is a typical day like for you? On a day when I teach, when I arrive to my o ce. I look at my lecture notes for the lectures I am about to give. I go to my two classes to give the lectures and o en see students in between the two classes I teach in a day. e rest of the time is usually devoted to making sure all online materials are ready for my students. On a non-teaching day, when there are no meetings and administrative work, I would get to my o ce and work on my research projects. What do you like to do when you are not working? I like spending time with my family and friends. I like watching movies, watching sports, reading and traveling.

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Wildville

Wildville- March 2020

EUROPEAN BISON Bison are symbols of the American Midwest, but few people know that there are also bison roaming through the forests of Poland as well. Originally, the European bison lived in forests all over Europe from Russia to Sweden. Unfortunately, the wild European bison were hunted to extinction in 1927. Less than 50 existed, and they were all in zoos. However, these last 50 were used to create new wild herds that have been growing ever since. The European bison are smaller than American bison at about 7-10 feet long. While they are brown and covered in shaggy hair, the American bison has longer hair. Another big di erence between the bison is their diet. The American bison tend to graze on grasses. European bison will eat foliage from trees and even bark. The European bison is also called the Wisent. Females usually weigh between 660-1190 pounds. Males usually weigh between 880-2028 pounds. The usually live around 25 years. European bison are now found in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Spain. Humans are the bison’s only natural predators. Occasionally, a brown bear might prey on a weak or sick bison. The only reason the European bison survived is because of some of the rst wildlife protection programs. At first, all the bison in the Bialowieza Forest on the Polish border were protected because they were declared property of the Polish kings. Anyone who illegally killed the bison would be punished with death. Now, all living European bison are descended from the ones protected in this forest. It is wonderful that the European bison survived, but because they all come from only a few ancestors, it has a ected their genes. They are more likely to get dangerous diseases. For more information, visit the following sites: http://www.arkive.org/european-bison/bison-bonasus/ http://www.theanimal les.com/ mammals/hoofed_mammals/bison_european.html

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Where in the World

Where In The World- March 2020

Where in World Is Poland The first people to permanently live in Poland were the Slavs. They moved there in the Middle Ages. For many years, the people living in Poland lived as separate tribes. In 966 A.D., the tribes were united by Chief Mieszko, who then became the prince of Polska. He was a chief of one of the Slavic tribes. Poland grew even further in the 1500s when it joined with Lithuania and officially became a commonwealth. The next few hundred years were dif cult for Poland. There were many wars and invasions. In fact, Poland did not officially exist between the Russian Empire, the kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy. In 1939, Poland was again invaded, this time by Nazi Germany. After World War II,Poland was again a nation, but it wasn’t truly independent. It became a communist satellite state of the Soviet Union. It covers 120,728 square miles. The capital and largest city is Poland.Most people in Poland are Roman Warsaw The currency is the Zloty. The language is Polish. It is the ninth largest country in Europe. The national symbol is the white eagle. The population is over 38 million people. The highest point in Poland is Rysy in the Tatra Mountains, it is 8,199 feet tall. Thirty percent of Poland is covered in forest. The major rivers are the Vistula and Oder. There are more than 1,300 lakes in Poland Most people in Poland are Roman Catholic Poland is in Central Europe. Even though Poland has been conquered many times throughout its history, the people have always been able to preserve their culture and identity by sticking together and fighting for what they believe in. The Polish are famous for their resistance ghting. In World War II, they had a government in exile and the Polish people helped to fight against the Nazis. In 1980, the people of Poland came together and even ended communism peacefully with a movement called “Solidarity.” Now Poland is an independent democracy in the European Union. For more information visit the following sites: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/countries/poland/#poland-warsaw.jpg http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/countries/poland.html http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/poland

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Weather

Weather- March 2020

What Is The Atmosphere You may have heard people mention the atmosphere before. But do you know what it is? The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds the earth. It contains the air we breathe and all the weather that you see, and it also protects us from outer space. The atmosphere is made up of many kinds of gases. ere are four gases that are the most common: nitrogen, oxygen, argon and carbon dioxide. You’ve probably heard of oxygen – it’s what we breathe. Oxygen is nearly 21 percent of the atmosphere. Nitrogen is about 78 percent of the atmosphere and is used by living things that need it to make proteins. The other two most common gases, argon and carbon dioxide, are each less than 1 percent of the atmosphere. ere are many other gases as well, but they make up an even smaller percentage of the atmosphere. The atmosphere stretches out thousands of miles above the earth and consists of ve layers. The first layer, the troposphere, begins at the earth’s surface and is between four and 12 miles high. The difference in height depends on the location on earth – near the equator, the troposphere is the highest, while it is lowest at the poles. e troposphere is where almost all weather occurs. On top of the troposphere is the next layer, the stratosphere. It goes up to about 31 miles above the earth. is layer is hotter than the troposphere, and the temperature increases along with the height. Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere, which reaches to about 53 miles above the earth. is layer of the atmosphere protects us from meteors falling down to Earth. This is because the gases in this layer are much denser, which causes meteors to slow down and burn up. e next layer up is the thermosphere, also known as the upper atmosphere. is layer extends to about 375 miles above the earth. Above that is the exosphere, which reaches up to 6,200 miles above the earth. A er that is outer space. Water is continuously circulated between the earth and the atmosphere. is is known as the hydrologic cycle. Water repeatedly moves from the ground to the atmosphere and back again. The hydrologic cycle consists of five main processes: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation and runoff. Evaporation is when liquid changes into a gaseous form known as water vapor. Water evaporates, rising up into the atmosphere. Transpiration is similar to evaporation, except it occurs with plants. Condensation is when water vapor transforms back into liquid in the atmosphere. is o en appears as clouds. Precipitation is when the tiny condensation particles grow too large, and then fall back down to earth — also known as rain. When the water falls back down to earth, some is absorbed into the ground, and the rest is known as runo , which forms lakes and rivers. Eventually, some of the water in these lakes and rivers evaporates, beginning the process all over again. For more information on the atmosphere and other cool weather facts, check out the Jetstream, the National Weather Service’s online school for weather, located at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/index.html

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Letter From Truman

Truman’s Letter- March 2020

Hi, Kids! This issue is about economics, more specifically, the Great Depression. It was a hard time for a lot of people. You can read more about it in the “Connections” section. The Great Depression affected the entire Western world, including America and Europe, so “Wildville” talks about European bison. They are a bit different from the bison you will find in the U.S. Did you know there are people who study the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services? These people are called economists. Tibor Besedes is an Associate Professor at the School of Economics at Georgia Institute of Technology. He is an economist who studies behavioral economics, experimental economics and international trade. You can read more about him in the “What’s It Like to Be …” section. If you could pick something to study, what would it be?

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Space Place

Space Place- March 2020

Visiting an Asteroid Our solar system is a busy place. We have the sun, eight planets, at least ve dwarf planets, and more than 170 moons. But we also have millions of comets and asteroids. One of these asteroids is named Bennu. Bennu is large, and it orbits the sun near the Earth’s orbit. is asteroid is also very old. Scientists want to study Bennu to learn about the early solar system. NASA scientists will study Bennu with a spacecraft named OSIRIS-REx. OSIRIS-REx stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer. That long name means the mission will do several important things. For example, OSIRIS-REx will perform experiments to see what Bennu is made of. This is cool because the materials in an asteroid could one day be useful resources here on Earth! OSIRIS-REx will also explore the asteroid’s surface and learn about the size and shape of Bennu. This and other information will help scientists understand what might happen if an asteroid collides with Earth. All of this exciting work will take a long time — almost seven years — to complete. OSIRIS-REx launched on September 8, 2016. However, Bennu is really far away. OSIRIS-REx won’t arrive there until 2018. When it finally arrives, OSIRIS-REx will begin mapping the asteroid’s surface. It will take a whopping 505 days for OSIRIS-REx to complete this map! Later, in July 2020, OSIRIS-REx will y very close to Bennu. It will use a robotic arm to collect some rocks and dust from the asteroid’s surface. OSIRIS-REx will send that sample back to Earth. But since Bennu is so far away, the sample won’t arrive on Earth until sometime in 2023. In its long seven-year journey, OSIRIS-REx will be trying to answer one main question: Where did we come from? On Bennu, maybe we’ll nd the building blocks for life and learn more about the chemistry that started life on Earth. No matter what we discover on Bennu, we are sure to learn more about the history of our vast and busy solar system! Learn more about asteroids at the NASA Space Place: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/asteroid

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Kidsville Kitchen

Kidsville Kitchen – March 2020

IRISH STEW FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY Though March may mark the of cial arrival of spring, the warm weather synonymous with spring typically does not arrive until April or May. St. Patrick’s Day celebrants who spend the day outdoors celebrating their Irish heritage would do well to warm up with a hearty meal once the revelry ends. Irish stew is tailor-made for such feasts, as it aligns with the theme of the day and also serves as a warm and lling meal. Slow cookers make whipping up a batch of Irish stew somewhat effortless. Simply combine the ingredients in the morning, and return at night to a completely cooked meal you can enjoy with family and friends. Any favorite stew recipe can be adapted to the slow cooker. For inspiration, try this variation. Slow Cooker Irish Stew (Serves 4-6) 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (you also can use chuck beef roast if you prefer it to lamb) 6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 3-4 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks 2 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks, or half a bag of prepared baby carrots 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped 1 can beef broth 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 pint Irish stout beer 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tablespoon flour Chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley and thyme Salt and pepper to taste In a mixing bowl, coat meat with the our. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet and cook the onion until translucent. Add the meat and brown. Place the potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and celery in the bottom of a slow cooker crock. Add the cooked meat and onions. Pour in the beef broth and beer. Add the tomato paste, fresh herbs and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with fresh parsley and offer with crusty bread and salad.

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Parentown KidShape

Kidshape – March 2020

KIDS AND SLEEP School-aged children are busier than ever before, and some may be sacrificing sleep to accommodate their lifestyles. The National Sleep Foundation says school-aged children need between nine and 11 hours of sleep each night to function at a healthy level. Sleep deprivation can be linked to a host of health ailments, including issues affecting the development of the brain. Growing evidence suggests that lack of sleep can cause disturbances in metabolic rates that could affect the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. A recent study from Johns Hopkins University found that for each additional hour of sleep a child gets, the risk of that child becoming overweight or obese decreases by 9 percent. Children who slept the least, according to the research, had a 92 percent higher risk of being overweight or obese compared to children with longer sleep duration. The NSF adds that poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems and cognitive problems that impact kids’ ability to learn in school. To promote good sleep habits in children, parents and other caregivers can establish consistent sleep/wake routines; ensure children avoid excess caffeine, particularly late in the day; create a cool, dark sleep environment; keep televisions and other media devices out of bedrooms and help children work through stressors that may impact sleep.

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Cultural Connections

Cultural Connection – March 2020

Dance is an important part of Polish culture. Di erent regions have been practicing specific dances for centuries. Each region has a dance that symbolizes di erent important parts of life. Each dance has a completely different style, and the dancers wear very special traditional costumes. One of the most famous Polish folk dances is called Krakowiak. It comes from the region of Krakow. Krakow was the rst capital of Poland. The dance started in the 16th century. At first, the dance was only performed by men, but now it is danced by men and women. Many consider it the national dance of Poland. The dance is performed in groups of several couples. In the 19th century, the dance became a ballroom dance. The dancers wear bright costumes. The women wear white shirts, colorful vests and owery skirts. All of the clothing is heavily embroidered and covered in sequins, flowers, lace and ribbons. The men wear dark coats and white shirts. Their vests and pants are also decorated with embroidery,metal and brightly colored strings. The tempo is very fast. The dancers turn, jump, run and stamp throughout the dance. It is o en performed in circles or lines. Poland is famous for many di erent styles of folk dances. Each one is unique. For example, Kujawiak, from the northwest of Poland, is called the “sleeping” dance. Compared to other styles of dance this one is very calm and relaxed. All of these di erent styles of dance that are specific to di erent regions show that even in one country, the Polish people and cultures can be unique and different. Each style represents an important piece of life for the people who perform it. Each one is special and important even though they are all still Polish.

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Kids

Conservation Corner – March 2020

Preparing meals at home remains the least expensive way to eat. The budgeting resource Cheapism.com compared the costs of a classic chicken dinner, accounting for variables such as tip, food waste and family size, made at home and at a restaurant. The comparison determined that a home-cooked meal costs as much as 60 percent less than a dinner out. A simple chicken dinner for one costs between $6 and $8 at home, takeout costs more than $13 and dining out costs more than $15. The rates of savings are similar when accounting for paying for a family of four.

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