All Things Economics

Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a classic. Although the movie pre-dates me, it was one of my favorites growing up. Unfortunately for anyone who teaches Economics, Ben Stein really put our backs against the wall. When I teach my Principles of Microeconomics class, my main goal is to demonstrate that Economics is far more than numbers and graphs -- it is a study of human behavior that, if presented correctly, is both interesting and beneficial to all students, regardless of their major. Below, I provide several links to pages that will illustrate this fact. These sources, all of which are used in my class, provide articles, videos, and songs that demonstrate the all-inclusivness of Economics. So, have a look, and remember: "Economics is everywhere!"

Dr. Steven Levitt is a well-known economist at the University of Chicago. While he has been published in top economic journals, he is maybe most known for his book Freakonomics with Steven Dubner (link). They provide movie clips, articles, podcasts, and just about everything else that relates economic theory to real world phenomena. Whether it's cheating on exams or prostitution, these guys talk about it.
Any Seinfeld fans out there? What would you say if I told you that Seinfeld is riddled with economic principles? If your response is something along the lines of: "yeah right", "no way", or "blasphemy!", then you're in the majority. However, you are also incorrect. If you don't believe me, have a look for yourself.
For those who are interested in statistical analysis (I use this in ECO 391), a newer site providing interesting applications of economics is FiveThirtyEight.com. As I am a "sports-nut", I particularly like the articles pertaining to sports; however, they also have sections for polictics, science, and life in general.
Dr. Dirk Mateer is well-known for incorporating media in the classroom. On his website, you will find a huge collection of songs and videos that incorporate economics principles.
Two of my favorite Economics blogs for students are The Upshot and Economists Do It With Models. The former provides data-driven articles based on current events published in the NY Times, while the latter introduces Economics to real world topics/events (a lot of funny cartoons too!).