Journal 12:

Kim Craft, R. (2003). Using spreadsheets to conduct monte carlo experiments for teaching introductory econometrics. Southern Economic Journal, 69(3), 726.

This one helps me to organize a lecture notes being simple to understand and practice. In fact, the Monte Carlo experiments were a valuable tool in econometrics courses but students do not often perform it. The reasons are they must pay much for software like Stata or Sas and also spend a lot of time to learn it. However, this article provides a method to practice Monte Carlo stimulation with Microsoft Excel, that is actually a lot cheaper. For me, this offered an effective method for teaching the basic econometric concepts. As a teacher, I always want to simplify everything I must teach, that would inspire my students to learn and practice more.

Journal 11: Research topic.

At first, in my opinion, Wikipedia is a genius idea.  It gives us the big pictures about everything. We might totally forget the great Encarta of Microsoft. Even though many people complain that information from Internet is not believable, I really believe in Wikipedia, especially about history.

However, in term of academic, Wikipedia could not give us the details. Therefore, it is understandable that it is not a main source to learn and research. Now, when we have an account of CSUF, we should download as much as possible the articles. I usually use Jstor to download.  In Vietnam, actually, we don’t have enough money to buy the academic articles like the CSUF does.

About my research, I will start to think about the question of MonteCarlo method in this week. Research is not easy. I studied a course about Monte- Carlo method at my Master Degree (45 hours). Even I had passed but I think I knew only a little about it, and I almost forgot. A couple of month ago, I saw my ex-classmate's article about Monte Carlo method in an academic journal that she wrote with my ex-professor. I thought about it for a whole week. I wish I would write a same article like she did.

Well, this time is an opportunity that push me study more about Monte- Carlo method for Econometrics. Thus, I will try to learn more and write it down . It is not serve for the goal of publishing in a journal, but it would help me know more and be able to discuss with my ex-classmates.

Finally, I will focus on the applies of Monte Carlo methods in Econometrics.

Advices

I received many advices from family, friends, colleagues and teachers. Honestly, I almost never followed their advices. I thought these advices are usually true, but they are not feasible, at least in my case. However, I really respect these advices and these advisors. In fact, I remember these advices, use them when it is necessary ( a few years later) and forget not to prayer for the advisors. Do you guys think that Google is the best advisor today?

Sometimes, I wish received the good advices from someones, but unfortunately, they did not want to give. The valuable advices seem cost money. I really believe in books and mechanically follow  the lessons, the advices from there. Many people think that that were unrealistic. In my view, these books were written by the experienced or success people, so it would be good.

Sometimes, I gave some advices for my friends and my students but they seemed weight not much. I think the best advice I have given  is'' listening carefully''. By being listened and encouraged, people will find the ways to solve problem by their self,  from their inner cores.

American foods

In my vocabulary words, the American foods are the food in the restaurant, such as in BJ, Chesse Cake Factory, Claim Jumper, Fox Fire, TAP…Their foods are really delicious because they are expensive. Yes, I still believe that when someone invited me ‘’Let’s go eat American’’, we would go to a good restaurant. I am always nervous to discover a new restaurant and enjoy American foods.

Hamburger is an American food,  but it is not traditional, in my opinion. I still enjoy Carl’s Jr, McDonald, Burger King, and Denny, which I never consider as the restaurants. I do not hate them like many people. I like them but less than restaurant. In fact, many people, especially the Asians do not love the American foods, neither expensive-one nor cheap-one. They could not eat something cooked by butters and milks.

I like the Western foods. The main reason makes me enjoy every Americans food because I often eat simple at home. So each time, when I eat out, it would be a gift. Some people only like the delicious food in restaurants. They eaten out as a habit then they do not realize delicious anymore.  They may lose their feeling.

Many people believe that French food is much better than American food. With the experience from working in French restaurants, I do not think each one is better. The both are good, and it seems the expensive-one would be better than the cheap-one.

Because Americans are prosperity, so American foods seems more luxury, and the way people eat in restaurant looks more complicated than in France. My French habit of  eating with starter, main dish, and dessert actually makes me become a country -boy in American restaurants. The Americans do not eat like that. They changed knife, fork when we finished a dish. Honestly, I enjoyed the foods but I do not felt comfortable with the very good services

Finally, I hope you guys will share the good restaurants you known (their address too), we will go and enjoy