Saw the phenomenal Yo La Tengo at Webster Hall. This show rocked.

Some responses to the New Republic article by Noam Scheiber arguing that "Freakonomics" is ruining economics, from Steve Levitt, Greg Mankiw, Josh Angrist, and Alex Tabarrok. My favorite line is probably that of Mankiw:

"It could be especially problematic twenty years from now, when President Chelsea Clinton looks for an economist to appoint to head the Federal Reserve, and the only thing she can find in the American Economic Association are experts on game shows and sumo wrestling."

Tonight at the Met: saw the Franco Zeffirelli production of Turandot. There were two outstanding voices: Erika Sunnegårdh as Turandot, and Liping Zhang as Liu. Calaf (Richard Margison) was solid, but your run-of-the-mill Puccini tenor. But with a lavish production like this, who needs great voices? (Read the NYT review here).

Billionaires Start $60 Million Schools Effort - New York Times - Gates and Broad plan to promote national curriculum standards, a longer school day and school year, and merit pay for teachers

Tonight: symposium and dinner celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Russell Sage Foundation, at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel (check out the video on their website). Keynote speakers at the symposium included Richard Freeman, Douglas Massey, Richard Thaler, and others.

Phenomenal dinner and wine at Dennis Foy (313 Church Street, Tribeca) celebrating Bill Evans new position at Notre Dame.

Three countertenors for the price of one... at the Met's Guilio Cesare. Featured the unrivaled David Daniels in the title role, and the two fine countertenors Lawrence Zazzo as Ptolemy, and Michael Maniaci (who is technically a male soprano) as Nirenus. As Cleopatra, Ruth Ann Swenson brought the house down--a nice snub to the Met and Peter Gelb, who apparently "no longer want her services" after two decades of performing.

All graphs should be this cool.

Tuesday - Thursday in Chicago for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting.

With Dave and Joy in town... spent Friday night at the Dean and Britta show at the beautiful Hiro Ballroom in Chelsea with after-show drinks at Coffee Shop. Saturday was devoted to much shopping, improv comedy from Mother at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, and dinner at Chumley's (whose interior wall--tragically--collapsed on April 6). More and more Soho shopping on Sunday. A good time was had by all.