I am breaking my blog cherry. This is a test to see if this is as easy as Sister Kim professes it to be. Things around my house are oh so quiet. I think I am enjoying it. So, everyone, how did I do?

Much Ado About Nothing

I am trying to figure out how to start my own thread! Unfortunately, I have nothing to really add at this time. I am just experimenting with starting a thread...just in case I ever have something I want to ramble on about. (how about ending sentences with a preposition?)

Carry on Sisters! This really is just a test.

PS My vote for Bookbabe is Sue. She is a sneaky little devil! :)

Weather Related Honesty

New Template for Mavii Site

Do you like the new template? Do you miss the old one? What drove Sister Lisa to change the template? Is it what it seems, or can we do an analysis that will prove differently. Am I 'freaking' you out?

Incentives, Via the Day Care Pick-Up Experiment

This isn't a question as much as a comment.  Two things fastinated me with this experiment.

First, it's so interesting that late pick-ups increased with the institution of a $3 penalty, because parents replaced guilt feelings ("I'll feel terrible keeping the workers there if I'm late") with an economic choice ("I can be late; it'll only cost me $3").  How did the "I'll feel terrible" part completely disappear from the decision process?

Even more fascinating are the results from removing the fine, where the day care center experienced the same amount of  late pick-ups as when the fine was in place.  The authors allege that the parents viewed the late pick-ups as "meaningless" to the day care center, since the center would only charge a measly $3.  

I thought these results were a compelling comment on human nature, and wondered what the Sisters had to say about them.

Let the discussions begin!

Thought I would 'whet your appetite' and jumpstart our bookclub discussion of Freakonomics:

Could you resist the temptation of evil if you knew your acts could not be witnessed? Could others?

Can't wait for your thoughts...

Freakonomics!

Mavii Sisters,

Do you know the connection between Roe vs. Wade and crime statistics?

Do Real Estate agents have your best interest at heart? Is there a way to measure this?

Does the amount of money spent by political candidates matter to the outcome of the election?

Is there a way to measure if school teachers cheat on standardized testing?


These are issues that are discussed in the opening chapters of our book. Quite fascinating actually. I hope you find it a thought provoking read.

The following are pictures of the various covers for this book in different countries. I was intrigued by this. Maybe this appeals to the marketer in me. But thought it was interesting. (Can you guess the countries?)







Anyway, thought a Mavii blog might be a very easy way to communicate. We will be able to post comments, initiate discussions and even provide encouragement to each other when we have a particularly tough read -- and of course, this blogsite will be a good way to keep in touch. I am sure we can even post a Mavii calendar on this site. It is easy to upload photos and link to websites. Who knows, maybe we will decide to share our reading list and our analysis/approval ratings with other bookclubs!

Picture this ... instead of reading 6 or 7 emails each time we plan a gathering, this blog can be your 'one stop source of all things Mavii!'

This is simply a quick attempt at sending out a prototype. Want your feedback before investing any more time. (Total time invested thus far, maybe 30 minutes if you count bathroom break, phone call, and attending to dinner. My point, this is not time consuming. It should actually save us some time!)

Hope to read your replies soon!