Silver Marketing Initiative

The Silver Institute today announced that it will launch a consumer-marketing element as part of its wide range of industry programs. The 'Silver Marketing Initiative' (SMI) will combine a media and grassroots campaign to increase awareness and encourage consumer purchases of sterling silver jewelry. It will also educate the consumer and trade press on sterling silver and be a source of market information and product news on sterling silver. Go to www.silverinstitute.org for further information.

Blind Taste Test

James Surowiecki writes about telling the difference between red and white wines in a blind taste test + other viewpoints @ http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/16/pf/wine_hooey_0601/index.htm

It reminded me of diamond grading, really.

House Of Poetry

The House of Poetry, a project by Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is to research and document classical and contemporary Arabic poetry, in order to facilitate the role of poetry as an effective communications tool for inter-cultural dialogue.

Useful links:
www.mbrfoundation.ae
http://cultureartsdubai.ae

Hats off to His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum. I think the genre of poetry has been embedded in Arab culture for ages and I hope young Arab poets will continue their tradition, especially Nabati poetry.

Travel Tips

(via livemint) SeatGuru provides excellent information on what to expect vis-a-vis aircraft seating plans, in-flight amenities and other information about an aeroplane—for almost all major airlines. The site features detailed seating map graphics along with comments denoting seats with limited recline, reduced legroom, misaligned windows, etc. Color-coding helps distinguish superior and substandard seats, as well as facilities such as in-seat power ports. Go to www.seatguru.com for further information.

Random Thoughts

Just like in nature, you need scavengers to clean up.

- John Stark
www.ppmamerica.com

How true!

Gemstone Treatments Update

Prime Art & Jewel claims to be the first U.S. jewelry wholesaler to receive NRC license for the distribution of Electron and Neutron Irradiated Gemstones. Go to http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/irradiated-gemstones.html for further information on irradiated stones.

Useful links:
www.prime-art.com
www.nrc.gov

Atypical Elements Of Art Auctions

I found art auctions on cruise ships @ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/16/arts/design/16crui.html intriguing. This is definitely a 'buyer beware' article on collecting art. A must-read.

Useful links:
www.parkwestgallery.com
www.artprice.com
www.salvadordalimuseum.org
www.fineartregistry.com

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is a 2008 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman, co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan.

Useful links:
http://thedarkknight.warnerbros.com
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569

Absolute stunner + full of surprises. This is a fantastic movie!

Fly By Night

Jeff Sherr's 'Fly By Night' video @ http://scher.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/fly-by-night/index.html was fantastically beautiful. I liked it.

Useful link:
http://fezfilms.net

The End Of Food

The End of Food: How the Food Industry is Destroying Our Food Supply--And What We Can Do About It by Thomas F. Pawlick is an interesting book, makes a good case, and insightful.

Useful link:
www.theendoffood.com

Is there a model for the future?

Diamond Grading Labs

Ken Gassman writes about diamond grading labs, their certificates and methodology + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullMazalUbracha.asp?id=30649

Hats off to Ken Gassman! It was a brilliant article.

Heard On The Street

Fall in love in haste, repent at leisure.

India-British Trade + Diamonds

(via the-week) According to London-based Commonwealth Business Council, rough diamonds accounted for as much as 70 percent of British exports to India until two years ago. Nearly half that level now, they still account for 33 percent of exports, often concealed in official trade reports as 'non-metallic mineral manufactures'. Scrap metals account for another three percent. Although India is the third largest consumer of diamonds, with an eight percent share after America (51 percent) and Japan (11 percent), much of the diamonds sold to India through Britain are thought to head straight to Surat, Gujarat, for cutting and polishing. Eleven out of every 12 diamonds sold around the world are processed in India, irrespective of where they are mined. In terms of value, the exported precious stones are worth around 1.1 billion pounds ($2 billion).The Commonwealth Business Council figures, which are to be released officially later this month in its report, 'India UK Trade and Investment Flows 2008', are backed up by British government statistics.

Useful link:
www.cbcglobal.biz

Random Thoughts

Ain’t only three things to gambling: knowing the 60-40 end of a proposition, money management, and knowing yourself.

- 'Puggy' Pearson, the late, great poker pro

How true!

Online Games + The Experience

Recent advancements in video game designs are offering advanced degree of realism + connect with the characters much more + each moment in a game is providing a unique experience.

Useful links:
www.naturalmotion.com
www.lucasarts.com
www.gamedaily.com

Jewelry From Mine To Shelf

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is introducing a line of gold and silver jewelry that can be traced from mines and manufacturers that meet its environmental and human rights standards. A customer who buys the jewelry can log on to a website to see where their particular piece of jewelry was mined and learn about the suppliers' environmental programs.

Useful links:
www.walmart.com
www.samsclub.com

As the largest retailer of jewelry in the world, we see an opportunity to bring more sustainable practices to this industry.
- Wal-Mart

Hats off to Wal-Mart! Wal-Mart's move is definitely a baby step in the right direction. I hope other brand jewelers would recognize the need and follow Wal-Mart's footsteps that meet sustainability standards.

Starbucks Phenomenon

I found John Quelch's views on Starbucks' troubles + the impact @ http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5973.html educational and insightful.

Useful link:
Marketing Know: How

Stores no longer have the soul of the past and reflect a chain of stores vs. the warm feeling of a neighborhood store.
- Howard Schultz

How true!

Carbon Capture + Storage (CCS) System

I found the article on carbon capture and storage system @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/14/carboncapturestorage.fossilfuels very interesting. My view is even if they find a suitable location for storing carbon, the real challenge would be proper maintenance and monitoring systems. But at least it's a step in the right direction.

Useful links:
www.ldeo.columbia.edu
www.bgs.ac.uk

Naturalist

Naturalist by Edward O. Wilson (two-time Pulitzer Price winning author) is a wonderful autobiography by one of world's foremost biogeographers and proponents of the conservation of biodiversity. A must-read.

Useful links:
www.eol.org
www.macfound.org

Rio Tinto Diamonds Update

Rio Tinto Diamonds, the world's largest supplier of champagne diamonds, has released its latest range of champagne diamond promotional materials. Go to the Web site for further information.

Useful link:
www.riotintodiamonds.com

Harry Clarke

Economist writes about Irish artist Harry Clarke + interesting original illustrations + other viewpoints @ http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/artview/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11734867

Useful links:
Harry Clarke
www.wolfsonian.org
www.nationalgallery.ie

Random Thoughts

Advances in electronic paper, of which Kindle (Amazon's new wireless reading device) is an example. Eventually every surface in the world will be a display of some sort.

- Nicholas Negroponte
Chairman, One Laptop Per Child
http://laptop.org

Chinese Wine Market

According to wine merchants, Berry Brothers & Rudd, China is set to become the world's largest producer of bulk wine in 50 years time as well as a major force in fine wine + global warming will cause a radical shake-up of the industry. Can the Europeans, especially the French, Americans, and Australians compete with the Chinese?

Useful link:
www.bbr.com

In 50 years, consumers will ask for wine by the brand name or flavour and won't know, or care, where it has come from.
- Jasper Morris

Ivory Update

The standing committee of the UN's Convention on Endangered Species (Cites) is meeting in Geneva to discuss Asian tiger farming, the export of mahogany from the Amazon basin and a proposal to allow China to import elephant ivory. Many experts believe elephant ivory is a booming black-market commodity worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and China is the biggest customer. I think giving China the right to import more ivory legally will simply fuel the black market.

Useful link:
www.cites.org

The Exploratorium

The Exploratorium is the best science museum in the world. Inside there are hundred of exhibits, it's an educational fun house and an experimental laboratory all rolled into one. Explore Virtual Unreality in the Seeing Gallery. Seeing is believing. Don't miss it.

Useful link:
www.exploratorium.edu

Chris Jordan

Chris Jordan is an artist who captures the real world with his camera + the vivid cool visuals are brilliant + the message is clear.

Useful link:
www.chrisjordan.com

What The Nose Knows

What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life by Avery Gilbert is a fascinating and enlightening book on sense of smell. A definite nose-opener. A must-read.

Useful links:
www.whatthenoseknows.com
www.monell.org

Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie was an American songwriter and folk musician. Guthrie's musical legacy consists of hundreds of songs, perhaps the best known are 'This Land Is Your Land,' 'If I Had a Hammer,' 'Turn, Turn, Turn.' They are timeless and his spirit lives on.

Useful link:
www.woodyguthrie.org

Heard On The Street

Get away from the crowd. All business is global.

Random Thoughts

I'd like to see technology give everyone on earth clean water, electricity and a cell phone.

- Philip Rosedale
Chairman, Linden Lab

Harley-Davidson Museum

You will find the opening of the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, USA, interesting. The museum will have a large gallery that showcases the evolution of its cruiser-class bikes. They are definitely unique piece of art + innovation. Don't miss it!

Useful link:
www.harley-davidson.com

Marketplace For Ideas

Andrew Bast's interview with Edward Jung on marketplace of ideas + other viewpoints @ http://www.newsweek.com/id/145772 was brilliant and insightful.

Useful link:
www.intellectualventures.com

We think of an idea as an action that causes a reaction, and that reaction creates products of value.
- Edward Jung

The Fence

The Fence by Andrew Gray is a political thriller set in Johannesburg at the turn of the millennium. Jan Klein is hired by Brano, the world’s biggest diamond company, to investigate the transgressions of their best trader — José Perreira (aka The Fence). Ten years as a legal advisor to the government have hardly prepared Klein for this mission, but his old mentor, the enigmatic general, now head of internal security at Brano, is sure he’s the right man for the job. So Klein sets out for Rundu in Angola with only his Marmite sandwiches for comfort. But this is not the simple mission it, at first, appears to be and Klein is drawn into a world of high politics where outcomes are all that matter. The Fence is an intricate political thriller that offers a chilling portrayal of corporate corruption. Go to www.loot.co.za for further information.

Weather Business

Weather forecast are getting better with refined satellite technology + powerful supercomputers. For businesses, and for individuals, getting better information on weather is very important, especially travel, agriculture and energy firms. The advent of trading of weather derivatives is rather interesting + most weather-derivatives contracts are based on the temperature. WeatherBill and Priceline have launched online ventures tapping into this new market. Caveat! Watch out for weather speculators!

Useful links:
www.weatherbill.com
www.weather.com
www.wmo.int
www.priceline.com

From Prospecting To Selling

Jim Clanin writes:

From prospecting to selling: The life of a gemstone
Conventional mining engineering handbooks and courses have traditionally overlooked mining for gemstones and mineral specimens as an industry. This is mostly due to the fact that in ore mining, blasting is the first step in crushing the rock for processing and extraction of the valuable elements. In gem mining, the rock must be gently taken apart to avoid damaging the material.

Gem and specimen mining are different to all other types of mining. In all the other mining sectors from gold and silver to sand and gravel to oil and gas, there are four phases of mining. The only phase that gem mining has in common with the others is the first phase.

The first phase is prospecting: before any deposit can be assessed and exploited it must be found.

Phase two is exploration: during this phase, the ore deposit is drilled, mapped and sampled to give its overall size, shape, position, value and complexity. The operator will know whether this deposit is going to be profitable one or if it is marginal and the operator should wait until the value of the product gets to the level that a profit can be made.

Phase three is the development phase of the ore deposit. This means excavating haulage tunnels, if it is an underground mine, removing the overburden in surface operations and erecting processing plants to handle and process the material economically.

Phase four is exploitation of the deposit. The ore is mined, removed and process in the processing plant to a saleable form. It is in this phase that the profit is made when the stone is sold on the market.

Sometimes the development and exploitation phases can be carried out concurrently. An example of this could be in sand and gravel operations where the area around the pit develops as the pit expands. But the deposit will have undergone extensive exploration to show it has the necessary quality of material to produce a profit when exploited.

In gem mining the miner explores a deposit while developing (with tunnels or a pit) the structure until he finds something to exploit. He must gently take apart the rock so not to damage the minerals any more than they might already be. The deposit may have outward signs that it may produce minerals or gemstones of value but after some exploration the miner may find nothing valuable.

Useful link:
www.gemstone.org

Oil Sand = Alberta = New Kuwait

John Vidal writes about Alberta's vast oil sands + ecological devastations + the impact + other viewpoints @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/11/fossilfuels.pollution

Useful links:
www.pembina.org
www.albiansands.com
www.shell.ca
www.syncrude.ca
www.suncor.com

Art In Action

The 31st Art in Action craft festival will be staged in Oxfordshire, UK, from 17 – 20 July, 2008. The festival includes everything, from painting and printmaking to ceramics and textile design. Don't miss it!

Useful link:
www.artinaction.org.uk

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