Best LEED for developing countries

Word goes that Portugal is likely to soon join the category of developing countries (as you might have heard). However, before you start sobbing, consider this: not all is doom. In fact, this could well be heaven for economists working with the famous Quadros de Pessoal longitudinal "linked employer-employee data" (LEED), and, eventually-- as I will try to convince you-- it would materialize in tremendous success in improving the state of the whole world. Bear with me.

Firstly, these researchers working with Portuguese LEED would then be able to sell their papers also as research in development economics (I am already working on convincing my co-author Miguel to place "economic development" as keyword in our couple of projects using that data). And you tell me if any other developing country can come up with data that beats Quadros de Pessoal! More importantly, just imagine not having to worry any longer about sample sizes, representative samples, non-response, measurement errors-- issues that typically plague development economics research; imagine how much more could be uncovered about the economies of developing countries, imagine the giant leap in the research progress on development, imagine finding solutions to all developing world problems, imagine all the virtuous circle! Isn't Portugal's sacrifice then just a very kind gesture to humankind?

-Inspired by Tiago, the most enterprising  Econ PhD student at Northwestern-

Ah não ser eu toda a gente e toda a parte!

I've watched it most recently via this smart* video rental & online streaming service called Netflix : a true gem of a movie, albeit one of the most underrated cinematographic creations of the past decades (does not have a RottenTomatoes critics' rating!). This is a Wim Wenders meisterwerk, most of the time my favorite (nontrivial; I hold most of Wenders's movies in high esteem). As a by-product, the film is also an effective branding/ marketing tool for Lisboa, and, by extension, Portugal** --in fact, Wenders's original intention had been to make a documentary about the city; suffice to say that Lisbon Story alone would convince me to place Lisboa among my in-no-way-can-miss destinations.  Some highlights: Rüdiger Vogler plays superbly the confused German sound engineer; even though his effective role here is minimal, Patrick Bauchau is perfect as the elusive film director (alter ego of Wenders himself); while Madredeus's Teresa Salgueiro... well, she is just so unique; around them fascinating Lisboa snapshots-- images, sounds, poetry, music, life: what's a key without a kiss?

Earlier on my live discovery of Portugal. Earlier on Madredeus. Earlier on Pessoa.

* not ideal: so far I could find only about 60% of the movies I was interested in watching, with the post-mailed DVD option included. Given my typically unusual choices though, 60% is not that bad. Something like this is badly needed on European soil, too.

** I am going to claim more: this is eventually a great cinematographic statement for and about Europe itself.

Wine of the Year: Saxum, James Berry Paso Robles 2007

I believe it is the first time since I know it-- though it might well be first time ever--that Wine Spectator's top 10 is dominated by New World wines. The winner is Saxum, James Berry Vineyard Paso Robles 2007, "[a]n amazing wine, dense, rich and layered, offering a mix of power and finesse, with concentrated dark berry fruit, mineral, sage, herb and cedar notes that are pure, intense, focused and persistent. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah. Drink now through 2018" . So we shall!

All in all, there are 5 Californian and 2 Australian wines in top 10, while the old wine powers  (Italy, Portugal, France) have representatives relegated only to places 8-10. I have not tried to date any of WS's 2010 top 10 choices, but this set is so intriguing that I am gonna start getting hold of these wines right now. Remarkable as well is the fact that the French wine selected, a Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is-- you will hardly believe-- a white, from 2009 (which costs precisely 100 bucks a bottle). That is what I call success of this brand: recall that the 2007 wine of the year was a Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape '05; moreover one of my favourite wines ever (arguably, influenced by the ambiance and entourage in the place where I have tried it last) was an egoist  Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape '06. All reds: high time we tried their top white, indeed.

Finally, two more brief notes: a) in the full top 100 for 2010, there is a splendid Hungarian wine, which I have tasted a couple of times-- and I am glad the WS editors have eventually discovered it-- a Royal Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos red label from 2006, on position 28-- if you're passing through Budapest, do not leave without it;  b) one of the only two wines in top 100 to obtain the absolute 100 tasting points (the overall ranking is established on more than pure taste assessment-- what I do not particularly like, but well...) is the Dow Vintage Port 2007 (14/100). Now, people who know me well will be able to confirm that I am the biggest fan of Dow's 1994 vintage, hence if the '07 is acclaimed by WS as "[t]he greatest Dow ever made", I look forward for a touch of the sublime, no less.

Bracara Augusta et al

After a few days of touring Transylvania---inter alia, fighting bears & beers in the Carpathians-Bucegi mountains---, followed by a most interesting microeconometrics workshop in Copenhagen (blended with excellent July jazz evenings), I've been enjoying the latest week in wonderful Braga, Portugal. Main purpose: visiting the Department of Economics at Minho University, giving an invited seminar, and working hard on exciting research projects with my co-author and terrific host, Miguel. A short detour to Porto was also very much appreciated; given time constraints however, for now I had to roughly settle for the 6-bridges-Douro river cruise and a taste of exquisite Sandeman port wines (ex post though, if they are to choose one of their vintage ports for tasting, I would prefer a 20+, rather than an 8 years old one... reason why I appreciated more their white port on offer), but I will surely go back in the near future and revisit. Meanwhile, a couple more days left for the city which some call the Portuguese Rome, and its surroundings. And--obviously-- for ever more bacalhau and vinhos verdes, all in fado rhythms. Saúde!

PS. This should also be read as an excuse for not having written much on the blog recently. But I'll be back online soon!

Song of the day: "O sonho", by Madredeus

The song for today is by my favourite Portuguese band, Madredeus (wikipedia entry)- and I'd like to think I got a bit of "feeling" for Portuguese music (and for many other things related to Portugal) from my very good friends Miguel and Carla. For the connaisseurs no further information on Madredeus is required; for the others, I'll just say that their music is simply heavenly - and urge them to discover that for themselves.

I selected a couple of absolutely great songs by Madredeus, available on YouTube. Try for instance "O Labirinto Parado" (with a close to perfect videoclip here) or "O Pomar das Laranjeiras" (live performance). The song of the day is the masterpiece "O sonho", from the album "O Paraiso" (live peformance in Belgrade, 2000, in this youtube videoclip), which I dedicate to Daria with all my Happy Birthday wishes (or well, Parabens!, to have it assorted...). The lyrics are below:

O Sonho

Quem contar
um sonho que sonhou
não conta tudo o que encontrou
Contar um sonho é proibido

Eu sonhei
um sonho com amor
e uma janela e uma flor
uma fonte de água e o meu amigo
E não havia mais nada...
só nós, a luz, e mais nada...
Ali morou o amor

Amor,
Amor que trago em segredo
num sonho que não vou contar
e cada dia é mais sentido

Amor,
eu tenho amor bem escondido
num sonho que não sei contar
e guardarei sempre comigo

Quote for the week 21st to 27th of Jan '07

O poeta é um fingidor.

Finge tão completamente

Que chega a fingir que é dor

A dor que deveras sente.

E os que lêem o que escreve,

Na dor lida sentem bem,

Não as duas que ele teve,

Mas só a que eles não têm.

E assim nas calhas da roda

Gira, a entreter a razão,

Esse comboio de corda

Que se chama o coração.

Fernando Pessoa

Quote for the previous week.