UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
Department of Economics
Economics 1 (Cameron) - Introductory
Microeconomics
Essay Topics for Fall 1998
The following sets of readings are now available at College Library, at the
reserve desk. Call numbers are Lerner: 98-848; Prat: 98-849; Wynne: 98-850; Liu: 98-851.
Recall that students may choose a topic only from the subset of readings
allocated to their own T.A. Topics have been allocated randomly across T.A.'s,
with reallocation only when a random assignment would have left repetitions
of a very similar topic within one group.
All of these readings have been collected from the Los Angeles Times during
the first half of the quarter. Thus, they represent the freshest possible
examples of microeconomic issues, with an emphasis on Los Angeles. I hope
the selection helps students to realize just how much microeconomics is going
on around them all the time. I also hope that these clippings will help
students read future editions of their local newspaper(s) with more of an
eye to the range of topics that constitute microeconomics (or have
microeconomic implications).
For the students of Andres Lerner:
1. So Much Tuna but So Few Buyers (10/16/98, p. A3)
2. How a Crisis Occurs: The Leather Industry (9/16/98, p. S3)
3. 3M's Innovative Lines Cut Into Band-Aids' Market (9/10/98, p. D1)
4. Surfers seek to Stem the Tide of Huntington Beach Events (9/10/98, p. A3)
5. OfficeMax and Sports Authority See Weaker Profits (10/7/98, p. C4)
6. L.A. Hotels' Room Rates Grow Even as Guest Count Shrinks (10/6/98, p. C2)
7. Shuttle Owners Sue Over LAX Exclusion (10/10/98, p. C3)
8. Clock Is Ticking on Lackluster Mervyn's (10/14/98, p.C2)
9. Booming O.C. Housing Market Begins to Slow (10/13/98, p. C2)
10. Several Major Airlines Raise Fares Up to 4% (10/24/98, p. C1)
11. Pizza Hut to Close Moscow Outlets Amid Hard Times (10/26/98, p. 11)
12. A Turf War of Professionals vs. Software (10/21/98, p. A1)
13. Food's a Deal, Save for Butter (9/18/98, p. D1)
14. Year Has Been the Pits for Dole Foods (10/1/98, p. D2)
15. Some Companies Pick Up the Tab for Help Hired to Run Employees' Errands (10/18/98, p. C5)
16. Slaying Raises Concerns for Tourism (10/16/98, p. B1.)
For the students of Qiao Liu:
17. Labor Supply Falling Short (9/23/98, p. D1)
18. Ford to Give $1,000 Credits to Scrap Clunkers (9/16/98, p. D2)
19. Hunger in Russia's Heartland (10/20/98, p. A1)
20. Costco Pumps Up Its Gas Station Business (9/29/98, p. D4)
21. NBA Dispute Will Sideline Marketers Too (10/14/98, p. C1)
22. Is World Big Enough for 2 Champagnes? (10/10/98, p. C1)
23. Lone Pakistani Brewery Tapping Overseas Markets to Stay Afloat (9/25/98, p. D1)
24. Should Tax Breaks Help Clean Air? (10/9/98, p. A3)
25. September Sales Fall in Many Stores (10/9/98, p. C3)
26. Medical Spending Expected to Soar (9/15/98, p. D1)
27. Most NCAA Schools Are Losing Money, According to Study (10/14/98, p. D5)
28. Reports Predict Surge in State College Enrollment (10/15/98, p. A26)
29. Older Writers Squeezed Out of Hollywood (10/26/98, p. A1)
30. Intel Sees Internet Health Initiative as a Tonic to PC Sales (10/26/98, p. C4)
31. Metrolink Expanding Its Rail Service (10/24/98, p. B3)
32. Kellogg Battling to Regain Its Place at the Breakfast Table (9/22/98, p. D1)
For the students of Jordi Prat:
33. Handgun Sales in State Sink to 25-Year Low (10/4/98, p. A1)
34. Wards Puts on New Outfits, New Image (9/17/98, p. D6)
35. Lottery Planned for Housing Subsidy Program (9/15/98, p. B3)
36. Senate Approves 3-Year Ban on New Internet Taxation (10/9/98, p. C1)
37. Dietary Change in Cattle Could Cut E. Coli Risk, Researchers Say (9/11/98, p. D1)
38. Advanced Chip Sparks Electric Car (10/12/98, p. C5)
39. The Southern California Mini-Mall's Rise and Fall (10/11/98, p. C17)
40. EPA Orders 22 States to Reduce Flow of Smog-Causing Emissions (9/25/98, p. A21)
41. Products Stimulate Debate: Additions of Caffeine... (9/26/98, p. D1)
42. Carpool Lanes Built, but Will They Be Used? (10/9/98, p. A1)
43. College Students Cramming--Into Dorms ()
44. Truck Traffic Driving Swiss to Consider Imposing Tax (9/18/98, p. A5)
45. Deal Near on Fines for Diesel Truck Pollution (10/22/98, p. A1)
46. Panel Urges Less Fishing in Oceans (10/23/98, p. A3)
47. Global Glut Brining Asian Chaos to Stable Economies (10/25/98, p. A1)
48. Critics Say British Food Chains Have Appetite for Gouging (10/24/98, p. A2)
For the students of Jose Wynne:
49. Northwest Cuts Fares as It Resumes Flights (9/17/98, p. D3)
50. Asia Crisis May Hit San Gabriel Valley Hard (9/17/98, p. D4)
51. Bug Re-Boots Cobol Experts' Fading Careers (9/21/98, p. D1)
52. Road May Ease Inland Empire Commute (10/15/98, p. A3)
53. State Realtors Expect 8% Dip in Home Sales in '99 (10/15/98, p. C1)
54. El Salvador Grapples With Watering-Down of Its Lifeblood (10/25/98, p. C1)
55. Hotels Will Score Big During World Series (10/20/98, p. C2)
56. Region's Small Firms Say Sales Lagging (9/23/98, p. A1)
57. Workplace Realities Increase Demand for Off-Hours Child Care (9/27/98, p. B2)
58. Russia to Revive Vodka Monopoly to Raise Liquid Cash (9/25/98, p. A8)
59. E-Commerce May Help Americans Learn to Love 'Smart' Cards (10/11/98, p. C1)
60. Hot Topic: More Expansion. Retailing: A trendy teen-oriented clothing chain... (10/13/98, p. C2)
61. Plan to Increase High-Tech Work Visas Dies in Senate (10/10/98, p. C1)
62. Judge Rules Smog Plan Cutbacks Illegal (10/16/98, p. A1)
63. Drive-Ins, the Sequel: Land Turns to Gold (9/29/98, p. D1)
64. Production Plan Sews Up Savings (9/30/98, p. D2)
Updated: 9:16 PM 10/26/98; Prepared by: Trudy Ann Cameron;
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