Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby was an American popular singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. Everytime I watch a Bing Crosby movie it brings back a wave of nostalgia. I really miss the good old days!

Useful link:
www.bingcrosby.com

Random Thoughts

Biggest Fear: High tech = supersonic speed. Business models = Porsche speed. Organizations = bike speed. Policymaking = snail speed.

- David Bosshart
CEO, Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute

Nicholas White Update On Jewelry Markets

Nicholas White's analysis on Gitanjali Gems's possible purchase of Whitehall Jewelers @ http://www.glgroup.com/News/Will-Whitehall-Jewelers-be-Acquired-By-Indian-Manufacturer-Gitanjali-Gems--26321.html was interesting because if Gitanjali is able to buy the stores it will represent the beginning of a new era in the US jewelry industry + the question remains if the company has the luster and financial strength to compete with Kay, Zale, Helzberg, Fred Meyer, and discounters like Wal-Mart and grow in India too. Only time will tell.

The Gods That Failed

The Gods That Failed: How Blind Faith in Markets Has Cost Us Our Future by Larry Elliott + Dan Atkinson is an interesting book on current problems, the way money has been created and lent beyond the worth of assets and incomes. And who is to blame for this mess? I think pinning the blame on any one participant isn't fair, they all did it.

Useful link:
www.thegodsthatfailed.co.uk

Dabbawalas

Economist writes about dabbawalas, their strong teamwork, strict time-management + analytic models, technology, efficient business practices vs human and social ingenuity + other viewpoints @ http://www.economist.com/business/displayStory.cfm?source=hptextfeature&story_id=11707779

Useful link:
www.mydabbawala.com

Maurice de Vlaminck

Souren Melikian writes about Vlaminck + leaders of the Fauve movement + other viewpoints @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/12/arts/melik12.php

Useful links:
www.von-der-heydt-museum.de
www.museeduluxembourg.fr
www.wadsworthatheneum.org

Modern Pakistani Art

Ilyas Khan writes about Pakistan's increasingly speculative art market + the beneficiaries + other viewpoints @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7478109.stm

Art Galleries in Pakistan
- ART AGENCY
Shop #3, 11-C, Stadium Lane 4 Phase 5, D.H.A.Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 584-4325

- ART EMPORIUM
Shop #4, 45-C, 27th Street, Tauheed Commercial Area, Phase 5, D.H.A.Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 583-8563

- ART SCENE
28-C, Stadium Lane, 1 Khayaban-e-Shamsheer, Phase 5, D.H.A. Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 585-6703, 584-3961

- ARTASTE GALLERY
#4, Jason Centre, BC-8 Block 9, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 586-3742, 586-3837

- AVENUE ART CAFE
33-C, 6th Commercial Lane, Zamzama Phase 5, D.H.A.Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 582-3972, 583-0983

- CANVAS ART GALLERY
A-3 Hassan Homes, Block 5, Clifton, Clifton Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 583-8563

- CLIFTON ART GALLERY
11, Al-Habib Apartment, Clifton Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 587-5827

- DREAM ART GALLERY
34-D, Ground Floor, Stadium Lane, 1 Khayaban-e-Shamsheer, Phase 5, D.H.A, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 584-4109

- EYE FOR ART
22-C/2, 6th Commercial Lane, Zamzama Phase 5, D.H.A, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 537-8368

- FRAMER
15-C, Stadium Lane, 1 Khayaban-e-Shamsheer, Phase 5, D.H.A, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 534-1653, 585-6703

- FRAMES ENFRAMED
Shop No. 10, BC-4 & 5 Block 5, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 537-0477, 587-2026

- GULMOHAR ART GALLERY
D-128, KDA, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 438-5440

- IMAGE
D/17, Block 8, Chaudhary Khaliq-uz-Zaman Road, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 537-3751, 537-3752

- LOUVRE ART GALLERY
9 Pearl Haven, Block 5, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 587-2126

- MASTER ART GALLERY
7, Habib Center, FL 5 Block 5, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 537-9919, 587-2700

- REEVAJ
Park Towers, Ground Floor, Shahrah-e-Firdousi, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 583-2525 Ext.133

- SADEQUAIN GALERIE
Frere Hall, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 920-4325

- SHAKIL ISMAIL ART GALLERY
DC-1, No. 3, Ground Floor, Marine Point, Block 9, Clifton, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 530-9040

- VISION
45-C, 27th Street, Tauheed Commercial Area, Phase 5, D.H.A, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 530-4256

- ZENAINI
#1, 5-C, 34th Commercial Street, Tauheed Commercial Area, Phase 5, D.H.A, Karachi, Pakistan.
Tel: (92-21) 587-3944, 536-2749

Random Thoughts

There are times, as they say, when you worry about the return on your capital, and there are times when you worry about the return of your capital. These days you should worry about the return of your capital.

- Mohamed El-Erian

How true!

Gilberto Gil

Gilberto Gil is one of Brazil's most beloved and respected artists + he is known for his exploration of Afro-centric culture in his music + his Brazilian 'roots music' revolution helped 're-Africanize' Bahian music that lead to one of the country's most successful and popular periods.

Useful link:
www.gilbertogil.com.br

Lively

Lively is Google’s 3D social network, a series of chat rooms that can be embedded directly into pages on the Web + it's a mash up of instant message, chat room, virtual world, and Web page. I liked it.

Useful link:
www.lively.com

Green Technologies

Knowledge@Wharton shares a proactive approach by two companies, DuPont and NetJets, and their green story @ Two Companies, Two Different Blueprints for Reducing Global Warming

Useful link:
http://emertech.wharton.upenn.edu

Remembrance Diamonds

Patrick Baert writes about Algordanza, a company in the eastern Swiss canton of Graubuenden, which offers a service to turn ashes into precious stones for a fee + other viewpoints @ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080707/lf_afp/lifestyleswitzerlanddeathoffbeat_080707043441

Useful link:
www.algordanza.org

Nelson Mandela's Lessons On Leadership

Richard Stengel's article on Mandela: His 8 Lessons of Leadership @ http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821467,00.html was brilliant. I guess one could apply the lessons in business as well.

- Courage is not the absence of fear — it's inspiring others to move beyond it.
- Lead from the front — but don't leave your base behind.
- Lead from the back — and let others believe they are in front.
- Know your enemy — and learn about his favorite sport.
- Keep your friends close — and your rivals even closer.
- Appearances matter — and remember to smile.
- Nothing is black or white.
- Quitting is leading too.

World Bank Report On Biofuels

The contents of the World Bank's draft internal report on the link between biofuels and food prices have been widely reported in newspapers, blog and media. According to the report the drive for biofuels by American and European governments has pushed up food prices by 75% + crop-derived fuels have been the ultimate cause of food riots, starvation and high prices around the world.

(via Guardian) PDF of World Bank biofuels report.

Useful link:
www.worldbank.org

Midnights Children

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie has been judged the best ever winner of the Booker prize, on the 40th anniversary of the prestigious literary prize.

Useful link:
www.themanbookerprize.com

I have read the book. It's brilliant.

Art Auction Update

Souren Melikian writes about an extraordinary auction conducted by Henry Wyndham, chairman of Sotheby's Europe + the high quality pictures + other viewpoints @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/11/arts/melik11.4-300831.php

Temporary South African Pain Relief

Chaim Even Zohar writes about Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) equity partner issues + the regulatory mess + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp

World's Best City Award

Bangkok, the vibrant capital of Thailand, has been voted by Travel + Leisure as the world's best city for 2008.

Useful link:
www.travelandleisure.com

Very delighted!

Framing A Century

Framing a Century -- Master Photographers (1840–1940): The exhibition (June 3–September 1, 2008) tells the story of photography's first 100 years through the work of key figures who helped shape the aesthetic and expressive course of the medium: Gustave Le Gray, Roger Fenton, Carleton Watkins, William Henry Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, Nadar, Édouard Baldus, Charles Marville, Eugène Atget, Walker Evans, Man Ray, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Brassaï. The presentation of 10 to 12 iconic works by each of these artists conveys a broad sense of their contributions to photography. Many of the works are drawn from the Museum's 2005 acquisition of the Gilman Collection.

Useful link:
www.metmuseum.org

A must-visit.

Gems Club

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre + Thai Gem & Jewelry Traders Association have signed an agreement making TGJTA the first affiliate member of the Dubai Gems Club, a strategic initiative of the Colored Stones and Pearls Division at DMCC.

Useful links:
www.dgc.ae
www.dmcc.ae
www.thaigemjewelry.or.th

I hope the affiliation will provide trade opportunities for Dubai + Thailand, both fast-emerging markets for colored stones.

Random Thoughts

Sustainability is a cultural problem, embedded in unsustainable lifestyles. The radical restart has to begin with each one of us.

- Wilfried Wang

Limits To Growth

Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update by Donella H. Meadows + Jorgen Randers + Dennis L. Meadows is a scientific account of what mankind is doing ecologically to the planet. This book explains about the earth's resources and how we are overusing them. Great read.

T. Boone Pickens Plan

T. Boone Pickens, a Texas billionaire who’s made his fortune in the oil industry, is promoting wind and solar power on his web site and in ads. He has built a unique social network right into his site, and he’s calling the network Push.PickensPlan.com. It's a new style. At the end of the day, I think he is a consummate businessman.

Useful link:
www.pickensplan.org

Frank Gehry + The Serpentine Gallery

Maev Kennedy writes about Frank Gehry + his first building in England, the temporary summer pavilion for the Serpentine gallery + other viewpoints @ http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/news/story/0,,2289845,00.html

Useful links:
www.serpentinegallery.org
www.foga.com

Contemporary Chinese Art

Donald Morrison writes about 798 Dashanzi Art District + other viewpoints @ http://blogs.iht.com/tribtalk/travel/globespotters/?p=470

Useful link:
www.798space.com

Green Lights

Find the correct CFL (compact fluorescent light bulbs) for specific applications and save the environment. Go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls for further information.

Useful link:
www.energystar.gov

Francisco de Goya Drawings

Three drawings by Spain's Francisco de Goya, presumed lost for 130 years, have fetched more than £4m at Christie's auction in London.

Useful links:
www.christies.com
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7496947.stm

The art market comes to the fore when there’s a lot of discretionary spending. Collectors are competing with each other. The prices of art accelerate. The age of the most expensive artists drops. There’s a great flowering. Schadenfreude starts building up. And then it crumbles erratically.
- Marc Glimcher

Correction. Contraction. Crash.

This market is fueled by collectors who have never been through a correction. The generations who did are watching this with disbelief. It’s like teenagers who have unprotected sex thinking they’ll never get pregnant. And then, whoops . . . look what happened!
- Darlene Lutz

How true!

Synthetic Diamonds Update

According to Financial Times, a Luxembourg subsidiary of De Beers, has set up a $100 million venture fund to promote the use of synthetic diamonds in such devices as artificial hips and water purifiers. The company, Element Six, is the world’s largest manufacturer of synthetic diamonds, used primarily in industrial devices.

Useful link:
www.e6.com

Place Vendôme Update

Suzy Menkes writes about festivities at the Place Vendôme + other viewpoints @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/08/style/fjewel.php

Useful links:
www.salondesantiquaires.fr
www.boucheron.com
www.buccellati.com
www.kremlin.museum.ru
www.chanel.com
www.vancleef-arpels.com
www.dior.com
www.chaumet.com

Dancing

'Dancing' (by Matt Harding) is definitely a piece of Internet art. It is short + pleasing + its content is open to a multitude of interpretations. However you interpret it, you cannot watch
'Dancing' for very long without feeling a little happier. Great idea. I liked it.

Useful link:
www.wherethehellismatt.com

Africa Investment Horizons

Africa Investment Horizons by award-winning producer, Carol Pineau, follows the money, in Africa. There are risks but there seem at last to be genuine signs of economic vitality in the continent. Slowly the optimistic image of Africa starting to stand on its own feet is becoming plausible.

Useful links:
www.africainvestmenthorizons.com
www.africaopenforbusiness.com

Environmental Performance Index

Environmental Performance Index, or EPI, is jointly produced by Yale's Center for Law & Environmental Policy + Columbia's Center for International Earth Science Information Network. It provides comprehensive assessment of the world's environmental challenges and how individual countries are responding to them. The data may not be perfect but still, I think the EPI is the best measure we have of how nations are faring in the battle to save the environment.


Useful link:
http://epi.yale.edu

The Forgotten Half Of Change

The Forgotten Half of Change: Achieving Greater Creativity through Changes in Perception by Luc de Brabandere is an interesting book about the warning signals of change. Great read.

Useful link:
www.bcg.com

Simon Sainsbury Collections

Art collections from Simon Sainsbury, a generous philanthropist, who left to Tate Britain and the National Gallery, will go on display to the public for the first time. The paintings will be displayed at the Tate until October, 2008, before becoming part of the galleries' permanent collections.

Useful links:
www.tate.org.uk
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7493571.stm

Nasser Azam

Nasser Azam is a leading British contemporary artist, living and working in London. Nadia Dahabiyeh writes about his latest project, Life in Space + other viewpoints @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7490227.stm

Useful link:
www.azam.com

Heard On The Street

Bribes have become a way of life. Bribes may be offered or taken anywhere. Only those who hand them out and those who take them keep it quiet.

Africa: A Biography Of The Continent

Africa: A Biography of the Continent by John Reader is a captivating book on Africa, bringing to life the land of our beginnings and beyond. Great read.

John Reader is a writer and photojournalist with more than forty years' professional experience, much of it in Africa. Born in London in 1937, he currently holds an Honorary Research Fellowship in the Department of Anthropology at University College London, and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Cancún Update

(via budgettravel) CANCÚN: The vendors selling jewelry on the beach will say just about anything to get you to buy their merchandise. Police say you should be skeptical of their claims. Jewelry sellers often tell tourists that their wares are made of real silver and then quote prices starting at around $20, says Verónica Fajardo, a spokeswoman for the Cancún police. But she points out that the jewelry is almost always made from cheap metal that will turn yellow or lose its sheen within weeks. 'Tourists from the U.S. and Canada are always looking for a bargain,' Fajardo says. 'They might get a cheaper price [on the beach], but the jewelry is definitely not of the highest quality.'

Buyer beware!

48 Hours Neukölln

48 Hours Neukölln offers a glimpse into the bubbling cultural realm that is northern Neukölln, one of the most dynamic and creative areas in Berlin. Artists + designers across the leafy Berlin district open their workspaces to visitors they’d never normally see. I think it's a great idea. It's a joy to see how people live, work and play.

Useful link:
www.48-stunden-neukoelln.de

Jazz On A Summer’s Day

Bert Stern's Jazz on a Summer's Day is one of the greatest concert film on the legendary 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. An amazing musical moment!

Useful link:
www.festivalnetwork.com

A must-see!

The Drowsy Chaperone

The Drowsy Chaperone is a musical with a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar and music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morisson + is an homage to American musicals of the Jazz Age.

Useful link:
www.drowsychaperone.com

A must-see!

Jewelry Thief

I found Doris Payne's story, now in prison in Denver, who made a five-decade career out of stealing expensive jewelery @ http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-jewelthief6-2008jul06,0,7720835.story intriguing. Her formula: Pick a nice store and look like you belong there. Make sure your well-cut outfit has deep pockets.

Sad, what a story!

Top 200 Collectors

The ARTnews Top 200 Collectors are listed @ http://www.artnewsonline.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=2520

Heard On The Street

Gold is real money. Gold is honest money. Gold is not debt, it is no one’s obligation, it cannot be controlled. Gold stays ever vigilant, watching their every move. The more the international bankers debase paper currencies, the more gold rises in value – sounding the warning to all who will listen.

Jean-Antoine Watteau Painting

Economist writes about Jean-Antoine Watteau's paintings, the style and history + other viewpoints @ http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/artview/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11693220

Comic Books + Graphic Novels + Artists

ACK Media is an Indian entertainment company + a leading provider of high-quality entertainment and educational experiences for children of all ages + a new generation of readers.

Useful links:
www.ack-media.com
www.amarchitrakatha.com
www.tinkleonline.com.

Tell No One

Tell No One is a 2006 French thriller film directed by Guillaume Canet and based on the novel of the same name by Harlan Coben. It was written by Guillame Canet and Philippe Lefèbvre and stars François Cluzet, Marie-Josée Croze, Marina Hands, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Nathalie Baye. A must-see movie.

Useful link:
www.tellno-one.com

How Far Is Too Far?

Phoebe Hoban writes about contemporary artists who go the extra mile to express their views in the name of art + other viewpoints @ http://www.artnewsonline.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=2522

Sudeley Castle

Let's go to Sudeley Castle, Cheltenham, England, where works by renowned artists and architects are displayed until Oct 31, 2008 + it's fun.

Useful link:
www.sudeleycastle.co.uk

Better

Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande is a great book about performance in the medical profession, but which applies to all professions. A must-read.

Useful link:
www.gawande.com

Yes!

Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah J. Goldstein + Steve J. Martin + Robert B. Cialdini is a great book with loads of wisdom. Easy to read and digest.

Useful links:
http://cialdini.socialpsychology.org
www.influenceatwork.com

St. Petersburg: A Revolution In The Making

Chaim Even Zohar writes about the outcome of the St. Petersburg conference (organized by Alrosa’s president, Sergei Vybornov) + the main issues facing the diamond industry + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp

Paintings In Hospitals

Paintings in Hospitals holds a unique place in the history of the arts in health sector in the UK and is still the only organisation of its kind operating at a national level. Founded in 1959 and registered as a charity in 1972, its objectives are to improve the environment of hospitals and other healthcare establishments by providing original works of art on loan.

Useful link:
www.paintingsinhospitals.org.uk

I liked the idea. If art can't make you better, what is it for? I think art can bring joy to a sick room.

Heard On The Street

I’m not a gambler, except in business. I’ve seen it all. Things you can imagine and things you couldn’t imagine.

Charles + Colvard Update

Charles and Colvard is launching a new, interactive web site http://whatismoissanite.com to educate consumers and jewelry retailers understand their unique jewel. A must-visit.

Useful links:
www.moissanite.com
www.brillianceofme.com

Renewable-energy Island

I found Elizabeth Kolbert's article on the Danish island of Samsø (renewable-energy island) and their innovative way of life @ http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/07/080707fa_fact_kolbert?currentPage=all educational and insightful. I would like to visit the island of Samsø one day to see for myself what they have done to save energy and environment.

Useful links:
www.energiakademiet.dk
www.eawag.ch
www.uvek.admin.ch
www.arch.ethz.ch

Peter Greenaway

On the occasion of Saloni 2008, Peter Greenaway gives new life to the world’s most celebrated masterpiece, merging an extraordinary wealth of languages including visual arts, cinema, poetry, music and some of the most cutting-edge new technologies. Leonardo’s masterpiece 'The Last Supper' has survived both the fast natural ageing process caused by experimental painting techniques conceived by the artist and the many attempts to restore its initial aspect, as well as having outlasted bombings during World War II. The Biblical scene will come to new life under the spectator’s eyes thanks to live projections of images and light bouncing on the very painted surface, accompanied by a soundscape of voices, music and noises. The performance will take place in the Refectory of the Dominican Friary in Santa Maria delle Grazie Church: on the very wall of the refectory, Leonardo portrayed the moment when Christ announces one of the apostle will betray him, causing disruption and dismay among them.

Go to www.petergreenaway.info for further information.

Brilliant!

Sothebys Update

Souren Melikian writes about Sotheby's contemporary art sales @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/03/arts/melik3.php What's amazing to me is the mood; the art market keeps bouncing from strength to strength. The money is flowing even more easily.

Useful link:
www.sothebys.com

The New Diamond Story

I found the new diamond story @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7483451.stm intriguing. The rare gems found inside zircon crystals is amazing.

Useful links:
www.nrm.se
www.nature.com

Measuring The Crowd Within

(via Economist) Edward Vul @ Massachusetts Institute of Technology + Harold Pashler @ University of California, San Diego, have revealed in a study just published in Psychological Science that the average of first and second guesses is indeed better than either guess on its own. Dr Vul and Dr Pashler’s article, 'Measuring the Crowd Within: Probabilistic Representations Within Individuals', is published in Psychological Science, which also hosts a blog on the subject.

Useful link:
www.psychologicalscience.org

Insightful + educational.

Art Update

Souren Melikian has an interesting update @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/02/arts/melik2.php on works of contemporary art. The art market's endless boom = mystery unexplained.

Useful link:
www.christies.com

Mama Mia!

Mamma Mia! is a British & American film adaptation of the West End musical of the same name based on the songs of pop group ABBA. The title of the film comes from the group's 1975 chart-topper 'Mamma Mia'. A must-see movie.

Useful links:
www.mammamiamovie.com
www.mamma-mia.com
www.imdb.com/title/tt0795421

Pipilotti Rist

Elisabeth Charlotte Rist is a well-known video artist based in Zurich + Los Angeles + I think her colorful and musical works convey a sense of happiness and simplicity. Her art = visual pleasure.

Useful link:
www.pipilottirist.net

Green Investing

Richard Shaffer writes about Vinod Khosla, the world’s foremost investor in environmental startups + other viewpoints @ http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/127/a-devilish-green-angel.

Useful link:
www.khoslaventures.com

Gems + ROI

Andrew Wood writes:

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but they do not always offer sparkling returns for an investor. Although smaller and more portable as a hard asset than gold ingots, they cannot be acquired via tax-efficient portfolio bonds alongside other precious assets. Works of art, property, vintage wines and collectibles, such as books, toys and comics are examples on which investors may wish to speculate. Trading in these markets can be problematic, expensive and pose security problems. Trading in bullion or precious artifacts is risky and cumbersome for the returns achieved.

In a bear market is it possible or prudent to invest in precious metals and stones, or should one stick to bonds and gilt-edged securities? If you recently acquired diamonds, thank your financial adviser for his foresight. A recent Asian mining takeover meant that share allocations nearly doubled for a junior mining organisation in the Madagascar market. Remaining assets in South Africa were hence rolled over into new corporate entities that rewarded investors with bonus share allocations in addition. Junior mining companies offer high potential in global commodity markets largely because of the China syndrome, which cannot be ignored.

Many investors tend to think of South Africa, Australia and possibly Amsterdam when considering gold, diamonds, or coal. But institutional asset traders deal in the commodity facts of the real world. China is actually the world's largest producer of gold and the largest holder of US dollars. It has hundreds of small gold mines that remain unexploited because of lack of expert mining methodologies and bureaucracy and natural resources mismanagement.

China's thirst for water, coal, copper and other resources is unstoppable. Australia has trouble meeting coal production requirements to sustain demand from Asian powers, which need these commodities to feed their vast but inefficient blast-furnace economies. China could exploit for maximum gain its vast gold deposits if it chooses to utilise western expertise. Would this propel China to world power status and also lead to substantial dividends via bond investments? For risk-averse investors wishing to diversify, a prudent allocation can be made in Global Emerging Markets (Gems) through collective fund vehicles specialising in such diversified precious assets. Smart investors worried about risk can easily have the best of both worlds by investing in such markets via a variety of individually structured offshore personal portfolio bonds.

Sparkling gems shining out in the junior mining sectors. Global emerging markets and the resurgent Asian economies of China, India, Indonesia and Thailand continue to be the prime movers for cautious investors with a sense of adventure. Investment in this market optimises one's position as a direct consequence of gaining access to the hundreds of gold mines in China that are underexplored and undeveloped.

Mitigating Gem investment risks. Although bond returns tend to be safe and steady but relatively low, Gem and global commodity market (GCM) asset investments are not guaranteed. Conversely, Gems aren't as risky as, say, corporate junk bonds, venture-capital projects and unlisted dot-com startups. To mitigate risks while optimising portfolio gains, investors should seek international independent advice from qualified specialists who are best positioned to structure the correct portfolio bond offshore according to your individual circumstances. These issues are of particular importance:

- Taxation and inheritance: regardless of performance of any asset, interests should be protected to the fullest extent possible.
- Dedicated local asset management teams: having your portfolio actively managed.
- Expense ratios and market level adjustment concerns: Gems not only sparkle more safely when acquired via tax-exempt trading bonds, but also save each way because trading or bid/offer spread differentials are substantially reduced.
- Gems' Diversity: bond investors can strategically acquire allocations in all these emerging market sectors and trade them profitably on a daily or monthly basis.

Diversity in mining companies, commodities, precious metals, or the exchange-traded funds that invest in Gem markets are the simplest, safest and smartest way of adding precious Gems to one's portfolio without undue concern that they will lose their sparkle. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but Gems are potentially more profitable in both the long and short-term term.

Useful link:
www.barclayspencer.com

How true!

Kit Kittredge

(via Wiki) Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is a 2008 comedy-drama film based on the American Girl character, Kit Kittredge, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio during the Great Depression. It is scheduled to be released on July 2, 2008. The film is the first in the American Girl film series to have a theatrical release; the first three received television releases.

Useful links:
http://www.americangirl.com/movie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0846308

The Arab Rich List

I found the The Arab Rich List @ http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20080408034338 intriguing.

- Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al-Saud
- Nasser Al-Kharafi
- MAK
- The Sawiris family
- Mohammed Al-Amoudi
- Abdelaziz Al-Ghurair
- Maan Al-Sanea
- Suleiman Al-Rajhi
- Mohammed Bin Issa Al-Jaber
- Saleh Kamel
- Saad Hariri
- Majid Al-Futtaim
- Suleiman Al-Gosaibi
- Bassem Al-Ghanim

Pure Gold Jewellers

Pure Gold Jewellers was selected from the pool of large business brands as Dubai's best shopping experience by Dubai's Department of Economic Development, based on a number of criteria: the appearance of each store location from lighting to the music selection + cleanliness of the venue + the appearance as well as the warmth and friendliness of each staff employee + the intuitiveness of staff towards customer service. Congratulations!

Useful links:
www.pugold.com
www.dubaided.gov.ae

Knowledge Economic City

(via Wiki) Knowledge Economic City of Medina was launched by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin AbdulAziz in June 2006 and is the third of six economic cities announced by Amr al Dabbagh, Governor of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority. The 25 billion Riyal (USD7 billion) project is located at Al-Madinah, the home of Muhammad and where Qur'an was compiled. The project has special significance for Muslims throughout the world because of its location. Knowledge Economic City is designed as a project to position Saudi Arabia and young Saudi Arabian entrepreneurs as internationally respected leaders in knowledge based industries and aims to attract and develop talent from around the world. It is intended to create opportunities on a global scale while providing investors and entrepreneurs with infrastructure, opportunity, a unique pool of talent and the potential for a healthy return on investment. Go to www.madinahkec.com for further information.

Art + The New Money

According to The Art Newspaper, the huge wealth from oil and mining in the Middle East and Russia is flowing into fine art, with a rush of new buyers entering a market that was already booming. Roman Abramovich, the Russian metals and minerals tycoon, was the buyer of two of the three most expensive paintings sold at Sotheby's big May sale in New York, paying $86m (£43m, €55m) for Francis Bacon's 'Triptych, 1976' and $34m for Lucian Freud's 'Benefits Supervisor Sleeping'. Sheikh Saud al-Thani, from the Qatari royal family, is building an art museum and the sheikh has emerged as one of the biggest collectors in the world. According to Art Market Report's Contemporary Art 100 index, the rise in the contemporary market has been especially strong, with prices up by 300 per cent in the past three years. I think the Russians will turn out to be the Japanese of the early 21st century. In the 1980s, Japanese property developers were famously among the biggest buyers, mopping up Impressionist works only to offload them at much lower prices just a few years later when the Japanese asset bubble burst. The art market has changed, thanks to globalization + the new money; amazingly there is still demand for the best works. Again, thanks to emerging economies of China, India, Russia, Mexico and Brazil.

Useful links:
www.theartnewspaper.com
www.arttactic.com
www.sothebys.com
www.christies.com
www.phillipsdepury.com
www.mutualart.com

The Art Of The Incredibles

The Art of The Incredibles by Mark Cotta Vaz is a beautiful companion to the film. The inspirational artwork is brilliant.

Random Thoughts

It’s important to hire people with diverse experiences and viewpoints, which you don’t necessarily get if you just hire straight -A Harvard MBA’s. Getting good grades and having courage are not the same thing. Being really smart and having good judgment are not the same thing. People – men or women – shouldn’t be winnowed out so early in life.

- Susan Byrne
Westwood Holdings

How true!

The Band Wagon Movie

The Band Wagon (1953) is a musical comedy film. It stars Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray and Jack Buchanan. The film was written by Comden and Green and Alan Jay Lerner, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and produced by Arthur Freed. The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Costume Design, Color, Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay. In 1995, The Band Wagon was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'.

One of the best MGM musicals. What a show! Definitely a must-see + a film to cherish forever.

Useful links:
www.imdb.com/title/tt0045537
www.loc.gov/film

Art Market Update

Souren Melikian has written an excellent article on the state of the art market @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/28/arts/melik28.php

Art lovers with millions to spare, do not despair in these lean times. Even when there is not much left to sift through, great works of art can still be found, if only because so few buyers have the eye needed to recognize them.

How true!

Good Guys And Bad Guys

Good Guys and Bad Guys: Behind the Scenes with the Saints and Scoundrels of American Business by Joe Nocera is great book, a collection of his best business writing over the last quarter-century. A must-read. I think he has a unique talent to paint the human drama behind the economic trends. He offers a fresh perspective on these characters.

Boryeong Mud Festival

(via Wiki) The Boryeong Mud Festival is an annual festival which takes place during the summer in Boryeong, South Korea. The first Mud Festival was staged in 1998 and, by 2006, the festival attracted 1.5 million visitors to Boryeong. The mud is dug up near Boryeong, trucked to the Daecheon beach area, and dumped at a 'Mud Experience Land'. The mud is considered rich in minerals and used to manufacture cosmetics. Most of the participants are foreign tourists, attracted by clever marketing by the town who discovered that it is more lucrative as a tourist attraction than using the muddy fields for agriculture. The economy generated from the festival supports the many hotels and restaurants along the waterway and several blocks inland.

Useful link:
www.mudfestival.or.kr

A must-visit.

Green Festivals

(via Guardian) Leo Hickman writes: A survey of 1,407 festival goers earlier this year by AGreenerFestival.com and Buckinghamshire New University found that 80% considered noise at festivals had an environmental impact, 82% thought waste had a negative impact, 56% thought festivals had a negative carbon footprint, 60% were worried about water, 53% were concerned with land damage and a whopping 84% thought travel and transport had a negative environmental impact.

Useful links:
www.agreenerfestival.com
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/ethicalliving/2008/06/heading_for_the_green_fields.html

Leo Hickman was spot on.

Fake Fabergé Easter Egg

Maev Kennedy writes about a Fabergé fans nightmare: The shatteringly bad news was that it was not the gem of a lifetime's collecting - a genuine Fabergé Easter egg, one of the jewelled toys of the Russian Imperial court and worth up to £10m - but a copy, worth at most £100,000, roughly twice its original price at auction.

Go to http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/news/story/0,,2288006,00.html for further information.

Diamond Rough Imitations

Jewelry Insurance Issues writes about new trends in prized uncut diamonds in jewelry + 4C's issues + the scams + other viewpoints @ http://jcrs.com/newsletters/2008/2008_05.htm

Useful link:
www.jcrs.com

Random Thoughts

Berkshire has a policy started in 1965, when I became involved, to acquire terrific companies run by terrific people. And then I don't have to do anything. But it's worked. We don't ever sell companies. A lot of private equity firms, they talk about buying something with an exit strategy. Well, we have an entrance strategy, but we have no exit strategy. The idea is to build and build and build, whether it's GEICO, whether it's Dairy Queen, whether it's, you name the company. We have 76 of them now. We trust our managers. They've earned that trust. They've delivered over the years, and we let them run their businesses. I take no credit for any of their successes, and I take no blame for any of their failures.

- Warren Buffett

Montreal Jazz Festival

The 29th annual festival, from June 26 - July 6, 2008, features 11 days of non-stop entertainment, from noon to midnight, right in the heart of downtown Montreal. It’s the summer celebration par excellence for people of all ages and origins, a cultural breath of fresh air, and a place for incredible musical discoveries with influence such as Jass, Blues, Latin-Jazz, Brazilian, Cuban, African, Reggae, Contemporary, Electronica ... It's the best in the world. You don't want to miss it!

Useful link:

www.montrealjazzfest.com

Spore Creature Creator

Electronic Arts has released the so-called Spore Creature Creator, which allows players to generate infinitely varied 3D critters and interact with them. It's fun.

Useful links:

www.ea.com

www.spore.com

Enhancing The Industry’s Capital Base

Chaim Even Zohar writes about the world's first listed polished diamond fund (approximately 60 percent of white diamonds + 40 percent of rare colored diamonds) + the impact + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp

Useful links:
www.diapasoncm.com
www.ubs.com

If the business is successful, expect to see more copycats.

WALL-E

WALL-E is a 2008 computer animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. WALL-E is an acronym for Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth Class. The film, which follows the romance between two robots in the future, is directed by Andrew Stanton, whose previous film, Finding Nemo, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Useful links:

http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/wall-e

www.pixar.com

The creators at Pixar are indeed masters of their craft. Not only are they masters of the technology, they are masters of telling a story. Get up from your chair and go see the movie.

Living Flowers

Living Flowers: Ikebana and Contemporary Art exhibition (June 15, 2008–September 7, 2008) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) in Los Angeles, features arrangements from three Los Angeles ikebana schools with international cutting-edge works of art. A must-visit. The flower arrangements are beautiful.

Useful link:

www.janm.org

Gino Severini

Gino Severini was an Italian painter and a leading member of the Futurist movement. Throughout his career, Severini published important theoretical essays and books on art.

A sensational auction record was set when the stylized rendition of a dancer painted by the Italian Gino Severini in 1915 climbed to £15.04 million, making it the most expensive Futurist work ever auctioned. Sotheby's performance definitely illustrates the soaring vitality of the art market despite an ever darkening economic context.

Souren Melikian writes about Gino Severini's works @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/27/arts/melik27.php

Everything is in movement, everything rushes forward, everything is in constant swift change.
- Gino Severini

Useful link:
www.sothebys.com

India: The Emerging Giant

India: The Emerging Giant by Arvind Panagariya is an interesting book on India's economy and sheds light on one of the most successful experiments in economic development in modern history. Great read. India is not only the world's largest and fiercely independent democracy, but also an emerging economic giant. I think it is a definitive book on India.

India: The Emerging Giant provides a comprehensive and panoramic exposition of the twist and turns in India's economic policy over the last several decades. As Arvind Panagariya has so convincingly argued, open policies and rapid economic growth is the best antidote for poverty reduction. This scholarly yet readable book is the best riposte to those who have any doubts of the validity of Indian reforms. Nandan Nilekani, Co-Chairman, Infosys Technologies Limited

Useful link: http://www.columbia.edu/~ap2231

Bio House

Shusaku Arakawa + Madeline Gins's visionary, boundary-defying art and architecture incorporates a wide-range of disciplines including experimental biology, neuroscience, quantum physics, experimental phenomenology, and medicine. Architectural projects have included residences (Reversible Destiny Houses, Bioscleave House, Shidami Resource Recycling Model House), parks (Site of Reversible Destiny-Yoro) and plans for housing complexes and neighborhoods (Isle of Reversible Destiny-Venice and Isle of Reversible Destiny-Fukuoka, Sensorium City, Tokyo). A definite must-visit. The designs are brilliant.

Useful links:

www.reversibledestiny.org
http://video.wired.com/?fr_story=FRdamp280097&rf=bm

Online Art Auctions In India

According to Dinesh Vazirani, co-founder and director of Saffronart, online auctions have grown more than 10 times in the last five years due to larger access, better transparency, cost effectiveness and easy participation. Online auctions have also transformed the landscape of modern and contemporary Indian art opening a wide spectrum of art lovers. Go to www.saffronart.com for further information.

Good Monsoon + Good Harvest = Good Jewelry Business

Jewelers in West-central and North India are praying hard for a good monsoon and a good harvest to boost their businesses. If the monsoon is good, then the jewelry trade can expect a rise of 30 -35 % in gold sales in the November-December period. The jewelers believe that good rains increase farmers’ disposable income, which they traditionally invest in gold jewelry. The harvests coincide with marriage season and festivals such as Navratri, Dussera, and Diwali. India’s inflation has risen to 11.5% in June affecting almost all the markets in the country.

Building In Motion

Italian architect David Fisher has unveiled the so-called Dynamic Tower, the world's first building in motion, in Dubai, with a second version planned for Moscow, with other locations planned worldwide.

Useful links:
www.dynamicarchitecture.net
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7472559.stm

It's amazing. I liked the design. It's an innovative architecture by David Fisher, but would the self-powered rotating skyscraper work? I hope it's a win-win case.

Chocolate Genome Project

Mars has announced that it is to decode the genetic structure of the cocoa tree via the Chocolate Genome Project, a joint research project with the US Department of Agriculture and IT firm IBM. They believe understanding the tree's DNA could make crop production more resistant to pests, diseases, and water shortages that may come from a warming climate. The experts believe it would take approximately five years to sequence, assemble, annotate and analyze the cocoa genome; the information would be available before then, as it is gathered, through the Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA). DNA sequence information would be publicly available for no charge and no information will be patented.

Useful links:
www.m-ms.com
www.usda.gov
www.pipra.org
www.watson.ibm.com
www.nri.org
www.jic.ac.uk

Atul Gawande

I found Atul Gawande's article on Itch @ http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/06/30/080630fa_fact_gawande/?currentPage=all educational and insightful. Itching is definitely a peculiar and diabolical sensation. What's amazing to me is despite centuries spent mapping the body’s nervous circuitry, we are still learning about the curious link between our brains and bodies.

The Colossus

According to José Luis Díez, the curator of 19th century art at Madrid's Prado Museum, the Colossus could have been painted by the little-known Asensio Juli, an assistant in Goya's workshop. Díez, who carried out a detailed analysis of the picture, claims the initials in the bottom left-hand corner read 'AJ'. Goya experts are split over the surprise claim. Go to www.museodelprado.es for further information.

Venezuelan Diamonds

The head of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) is calling on its 29 member bourses to avoid trading, directly or indirectly, in diamonds from Venezuela, after the South American country's declaration that it will suspend itself from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). Go to www.worldfed.com for further information.

One Perfect Day

One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding by Rebecca Mead is a fascinating book on the wedding industry. According to Mead, America's wedding industry exceeds $161 billion annually -- an enormous sum that suggests how much weddings have become not only big business, but big fantasy. In my view, it has become a global phenomenon.

Useful link:
www.rebeccamead.com

Hirschsprung Museum

The Hirschsprung Collection is beautifully situated in the green parklands of the Østre Anlæg on the old ramparts of Copenhagen. The museum houses Heinrich and Pauline Hirschsprung's collection of Danish art and first opened its doors to the public in the summer of 1911. The 20 Major Works provides information about many of the museum's premier works, including paintings from the Danish Golden Age and works by the Skagen painters and Danish Symbolists. A must-visit.

Useful link:
http://hirschsprung.dynamicweb.dk

Coulée de Serrant

Nicolas Joly is one of France's most polemical vignerons and one of its best: his Coulée de Serrant, from a plot first tended by Cistercian monks in the 12th century, ranks among the world's top whites. Despite high prices, this estate has no trouble selling its wines - demand far outstrips supply. A must-visit.

Useful link:

www.coulee-de-serrant.com

The Shack

The Shack by William P. Young is an interesting book. He has written a remarkable tale in a fictional form that will continue to inspire people for years to come, really.

Useful link:

www.theshackbook.com

Word-of-mouth phenomenon = Blockbuster

Inspiring Note

I found Jack Novia's Global Ethics 101 + his insights @ http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2008/tc20080624_622859.htm inspiring. At the end of the day it's a company's behavior that determines its value. How true!