I haven't been blogging because I've been traveling around France. I return to my sunny home very soon. Some random observations;
1. High speed trains do create nice synergies between small and medium sized cities and Superstar cities (the Paris to Renne train proves this).
2. French food is quite good but I do not like "veal kidney". My wife had thought the special was a veal cutlet and I ordered that.
3. Tourism is a major source of revenue for millions of people throughout Europe.
4. French people do not wake up early.
5. Starbucks stores cluster in the tourist parts of big cities and attracts Americans and Chinese nationals. Starbucks does not exist in smaller French cities.
6. The print edition of the New York Times in Europe is mostly focused on bashing President Trump.
A personal announcement. By mid-August 2017, Dora will be the Chair of UCLA Economics and I will be the Chair of USC Economics. Can you name another case in which a married couple were simultaneously chairing major economics departments? I can't. We will each serve for two years in our respective jobs and then go on leave for a while. A Chair's role is hard work and we both know that our research productivity will suffer. I will be focusing on improving the educational mission of my department and engaging in fund raising.