Macroeconomics

Macroeconomics is one of the longest-standing Duke TiP classes, which is taught at Duke East campus by Dr. Kane. Yes, by one man. Dr. Kane has been teaching Macroeconomics, in addition to its sister course Microeconomics, for 25 years. 25 years out of the 31 years TiP has existed. Macroeconomics (shortened macroecon or just macro) is one of the more serious and legitimate classes, as with enough attention span, one can score within the 4's or 5's on the respective AP exam.

Topics such as Supply and Demand are discussed, as are GDP (y?), inflation, price levels, PPFs, and the orientation of the coordinate axes (does AD go on the y axis? NO! the y axis is there! ...but that's the x axis). Macroeconomics taught by Dr. Kane is a Keynesian-theory-based course, as Dr. Kane laughs at any notion of FA Hayek. As such, Macro is a demand-side economics course. (supply-siders? PSHAW)

General overview

The course normally goes as such: Reading a chapter out of the econ book (remember guys, read ALL the words with vowels in them), Dr. Kane explaining the chapter through words, graphs, and jokes, a break (EDITOR'S note: breaks were cancelled in Econ classes in later years. Ask Dr. Kane y or y0). A continuation of the chapter or starting of a new chapter follows after the break. Repeat after lunch. Evening session with the TA is usually a review and explanation session where the TA will explain and clarify the material you didn't understand. Quizzes can pop up, but not in the sense of pop quizzes, whenever Dr. Kane deems you have learned enough to suffer, and will take up the entire morning/afternoon session. Tests usually occur on the first two Saturdays, with the TUCE (the final exam) usually occurring on the last Wednesday, followed by Dr. Kane's final, which occurs on the last Thursday. Every term there are debates over economic issues, which take place on the last Friday, and preparation for such debates usually entail going over to West (hisssss) for the afternoon sessions of the last monday and wednesdays.

Richard Gill

Richard Gill, the patron economist and major deity of Macro, appears in the glorious videos that are ECONOMICS USA. His round glasses of supply clash with his eyebrows of demand, culminating in an epic persona of amazing proportions. WE LOVE RICHARD GILL!

Ice Cream

Dr. Kane, as a way of incentivizing his class and thus internalizing the negative externalities of off-task TiPsters, offers a reward to the class, which is one pint of ice cream to everyone of the class if:

1. Over half the class scores above the median on a test or quiz. 2. Two or more people score a 100 on a test or quiz.

Such a delicacy is rare and infrequent, given the nature of Dr. Kane's tests.

Dr. Kane's tests

Dr. Kane's tests are horrible concoctions designed to make any TiPster cry, which is quite an accomplishment since TiPsters are the top quarter of the top one percent. The tests and quizzes are that bad. The paper will set your retinas on fire and cause your bowels to hemorrhage upon even looking at the paper, which as Dr. Kane describes, is no harder than any other paper and that the test is the standard length: 8x11.5". Because of the horrific nature of the tests, Macro is truly the most dismal of the sciences and the most dismal of the TiP classes (though dismality can be quite enjoyable) and can be summed up with the following phrase by Gandalf the Grey: "you shall not pass".

In all honesty, though, Macro is a fulfilling and amazing class full of humor and economic humor, as well as "learning" and "education". It also provides the solution to TiPpression or depression in general: increase Government spending.

Also, don't study for the tests. As Tom the TA said, you're only at TiP for three weeks, and you're only a second/third/fourth year once. Don't waste that time studying. Just pay attention in class and you'll do fine. You can study when you're out of TiP.