The New Jewelry Gallery At The Victoria And Albert Museum

Suzy Menkes writes about the new high-tech jewelry gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum + the imaginative designs by the architect Eva Jiricna + other viewpoints @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/22/arts/fvanda.php

Useful links:
www.vam.ac.uk
www.ejal.com

A must-visit.

Comic-Con 2008

(via Wiki) Comic-Con International: San Diego, commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, is an annual multigenre fan convention founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans. It is traditionally a four-day event (Thursday through Sunday—though a four hour preview night on Wednesday is open to guests pre-registered for all four days) held during the summer in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Convention Center. Comic-Con is both the name of the annual event and the common name of the organization.

Useful link:
www.comic-con.org

I am a huge fan of comics. The Comic-Con 2008 exhibition starts on July 24 - 27 at the San Diego Convention Center. It's an interesting venue to observe and enjoy. Don't miss it.

African Diamonds

I found John J. Teeling's (Executive Chairman, African Diamonds) views on mining and natural resources at the recent Wharton Global Alumni Forum in Cape Town, South Africa @ http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2018 interesting. As he rightly put it, if there's no geology, you cannot have a mine.

Useful link:
www.afdiamonds.com

The Oil And The Glory

The Oil and the Glory: The Pursuit of Empire and Fortune on the Caspian Sea by Steve LeVine is a fascinating book on greed, corruption and risk-taking by the largest oil and gas companies in the world + the history of the great oil fields of Caspian Sea region, from its first development in the 19th century, through to today. A must-read.

Useful link:

http://oilandglory.com

Carbon Trading In The New Markets

It's interesting to observe bankers and investors immerse into environmental revolution, as full scale carbon trading takes shape in the United States. Experts believe the volume of carbon trading in the new markets is projected to surge from the equivalent of $64bn last year to $3,000 in a decade, which is quite phenomenal. This will happen only when and if the US ratifies the Kyoto Agreement, and then it's business. In an attempt to make the world a better place, the key players will not only revolutionize the concept but also reap huge profits. Let's watch and wait to see if it actually works.

Useful links:
www.earth-policy.org
www.carbonexpo.com
www.climos.com
www.grestech.com

Burmese Gem Ban

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill to place a total embargo on the importation of gemstones (rubies, jades, etc) from Burma reaching the United States, that are mined there and subsequently passed through third-party countries such as Thailand, etc. Earlier the U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill and sent to President Bush to be signed into law. If enacted, the legislation will have a large impact on imports of Burmese rubies, since more than 90 percent of the world's rubies originate in Burma.

Useful links:
http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
www.senate.gov
www.house.gov

I think it will hurt small gemstone dealers in Burma and the gem and jewelry industry that processes the goods in Thailand, more than the Burmese government.

The Batman Character

I am a huge fan of comics. Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight @ http://www.history.com/shows.do?episodeId=322796&action=detail is a fascinating show. If you are a fan of comics, don't miss it.

Useful link:
www.history.com

FATF Update

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has developed a guidance document in close consultation with representatives of the dealers in precious metals and dealers in precious stones industries. Go to www.fatf-gafi.org for further information.

InnoCentive

I found the article on Innocentive, a company that links organizations (seekers) with problems (challenges) to people all over the world (solvers) who win cash prizes for resolving them @ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/science/22inno.htmlpagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=df5efa6eea21c9b7&ex=1216958400 brilliant.

Useful link:
www.innocentive.com

Random Thoughts

You give all of your inspiration and everything you want to do to the dancers, and it’s up to them to make it work, actually. The choreographer really depends on the dancers in the end.

- Alexei Ratmansky, Choreographer

How true!

Marcel Tabuteau

Marcel Tabuteau: How Do You Expect to Play the Oboe If You Can't Peel a Mushroom? by Laila Storch tells a remarkable story in an engaging style.

Solar Power From Saharan Sun

Alok Jha's article on solar power from Saharan sun + the impact @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/23/solarpower.windpower was interesting. As Doug Parr (Greenpeace UK) rightly put it, if it's cost-effective, a largescale renewable energy grid is just the kind of innovation we need if we're going to beat climate change.

Useful links:
www.esof2008.org
http://ie.jrc.ec.europa.eu
www.greenpeace.org.uk
www.jrc.ec.europa.eu

FTC Update

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has rejected a petition from the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) and nine other trade associations requesting that the commission use its industry guides on the use of the term 'cultured' to describe laboratory-created gemstones. The groups that had signed on to the petition included the JVC, American Gem Society, American Gem Trade Association, CIBJO (World Jewellery Confederation), Cultured Pearl Association, Diamond Council of America, Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America, Jewelers of America, Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America and World Federation of Diamond Bourses.

Useful links:
www.ftc.gov
www.jvclegal.org
www.americangemsociety.org
www.agta.org
www.cibjo.org
www.cpaa.org
www.diamondcouncil.org
www.dmia.net
www.jewelers.org
www.mjsa.org
www.worldfed.com

The Best Places For Business

Forbes 2008 survey of the best places for business lists the following countries.

1. Denmark
2. Ireland
3. Finland
4. United States
5. United Kingdom
6. Sweden
7. Canada
8. Singapore
9. Hong Kong
10. Estonia

For the complete list, go to www.forbes.com/bestbizcountries

Little else is requisite to carry a state to the highest degree of opulence from the lowest barbarism but peace, easy taxes, and a tolerable administration of justice: all the rest being brought about by the natural course of things.
- Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776)

Beyond Orientalism

The exhibition, Beyond Orientalism, opens on 25 July 2008 - 25 October 2008 at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) in Kuala Lumpur. The show highlights Islamic calligraphy, tile designs, beautiful geometrical motifs + the art of M.C. Escher + a rare 19th century Koran, made for a Malay sultan with lashings of gold illumination + Chinese calligraphic wall scrolls with Koranic quotations. A must-visit!

Useful link:
www.iamm.org.my

Andrzej Klimowski + Danusia Schebal

The visual translation of The Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov's masterpiece of Soviet magical realism, by Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schebal was brilliant.

Useful links:

www.klimowski.com

www.danusiaschejbal.com

www.selfmadehero.com

Random Thoughts

You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world, but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird... So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing -- that's what counts. I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something.

- Richard Feynman
www.feynmanonline.com

Two American Music Icons

Two Men With The Blues by Willie Nelson/Wynton Marsalis, two of contemporary American music's greatest icons, is a great album with great music. You will love it.

Useful links:

www.wyntonmarsalis.org

www.willienelson.com

A Green New Deal

According to the New Economics Foundation, a unique new group of specialists in finance, energy and environment, a Green New Deal will deliver a comprehensive solution to the triple crunches of the credit crisis, high energy prices and climate change. In order to achieve positive results many countries will have to learn the art of rapid transition (economic + political + behavioural). The Green New Deal group's inspiration comes from President Roosevelt's response to the 1929 Wall Street financial crash. A Green New Deal Report can be downloaded from the New Economic Foundation's website @ www.neweconomics.org

Geometric Informatics

The video of Radiohead's 'House Of Cards' by director James Frost using 3-D and radar technologies was brilliant. I liked it.

Useful links:
www.geometricinformatics.com
www.radiohead.com

I liked the idea of making a video of human beings and real life and time without using any cameras, just lasers, so there are just mathematical points - and how strangely emotional it ended up being.
- Thom Yorke

Jamie Hewlett

Jamie Hewlett is an English comic book artist and designer. He is best known for being the co-creator of the comic strip Tank Girl and co-creator of the band Gorillaz. He is a major creator in the comics industry, and one of the few to break into mainstream media. I am a huge fan of Jamie Hewlett.

Useful links:
www.gorillaz.com
www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com

The World's Most Sought-after Champagnes

I found Vidya Ram's article on highest-quality Champagnes @ http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2008/07/18/champagne-prices-rising-forbeslife-cx_vr_0718wine.html interesting. I think demand is definitely outstripping supply, really.

Useful links:
www.liv-ex.com
www.wamllp.com

Champagne is what is drunk in the casinos of the world, on the yachts of Russian oligarchs and by footballers' wives, so there is an element of flash money about it.
- Justin Gibbs

An Interesting Gem Dispute

David K Li writes about a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Harry Winston company + the 733-carat sapphire connection @ http://www.nypost.com/seven/07162008/news/nationalnews/heavyweight_gem_cuffle_120112.htm

The New Museum

The New Museum has announced plans for a triennial exhibition devoted to emerging global artists, slated to open in the spring of 2009. Go to www.newmuseum.org for further information.

Random Thoughts

I like to wait for the noise in the brain to recede and to have a better relation to the unconscious. Anyone who spends time with young people knows that you can’t fake play. There’s real play, and then there’s fake play, and when young people are fake playing you see it immediately. I’m deeply suspicious of the craft in which I have expertise, because I grew up in a dictatorship. Whether it was the shadow of the dictatorship of Trujillo, or was my father who was part of the military apparatus of the dictatorship, I always knew the dangers of authoring, and authority, and storytelling.

- Junot Díaz
www.junotdiaz.com

The Vikram Talwar Story

The Vikram Talwar story + the differentiator factor between a good C.E.O. and an average one + other viewpoints @ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/jobs/20boss.html was insightful and inspiring.

Useful link:
www.exlservice.com

Heard On The Street

If Americans stopped consuming, the pain would be global.

Green Technology

(via fastcompany) I found the article on Frank Pringle @ Popular Science Best of 2007 Innovators + Best Inventions of the Year intriguing.

Useful link:
www.globalresourcecorp.com

I’ve been told the oil companies might try to assassinate me.
- Frank Pringle

I think Frank Pringle has figured out a way to extract fuel from hydrocarbons by using microwaves. I sincerely hope Frank is legitimate and can deliver on the promises.

Heard On The Street

Most business panics are like summer storms. They come up abruptly, are erratically intense, then suddenly dissipate.

CIBJO Update

The 2009 CIBJO Congress will be held on March 2-5 in Macau, at the Macau Venetian hotel.

Useful links:
www.cibjo.org
www.venetianmacao.com

Random Thoughts

When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is usually the reputation of the business that remains intact.

- Warren Buffett

How true!

When Markets Collide

When Markets Collide: Investment Strategies for the Age of Global Economic Change by Mohamed El-Erian is an insightful book + he is a doer and a thinker + someone who understands risks. He is one of the world’s most respected financial and economic analysts.

Useful link:
www.pimco.com

Ecotourism

What is ecotourism?
The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

Useful links:
www.ecotourism.org
www.rainforest-alliance.org
www.sustainabletravelinternational.org
www.tia.org
www.wildland.com

Green travel has gone from a trend to a part of mainstream consumer and corporate culture.
- Brian Mullis, Sustainable Travel International

Enjoy nature + relax.

Politicians + Art

Jerry Adler writes about the art of politics + other viewpoints @ http://www.newsweek.com/id/147791

When I get to heaven, I mean to spend a considerable portion of my first million years in painting, and so get to the bottom of the subject.
- Winston Churchill

Useful link:
www.pbs.org

Great Collectors Of Our Time

Great Collectors of our Time: Art Collecting Since 1945 by James Stourton is an interesting book on art collectors. A must-read.

Useful link:
www.sothebys.co.uk

Sometimes you have to buy out of the box and pay out of the box. That’s the collector. They are the pilot fish of taste.
- James Stourton

Astonishing Photos

The photographs taken by Hal Brindley of a leopard savaging a crocodile @ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/18/ealeopard118.xml was brilliant.

Useful links:
www.halbrindley.com
www.krugerpark.co.za

Before The Rains

Before the Rains directed by Santosh Sivan is a romantic drama/tragedy set in the Colonial India of the 1930's. A strong narrative, interesting characters and good acting = Good movie. A must see.

Useful link:
www.beforetherains.net

Video Games Artwork

Louis Marchesano gives a tour of video games artwork designs @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7514493.stm

Useful link:
www.getty.edu

Sir John Marks Templeton

Sir John Marks Templeton was an American-born British stock investor, businessman and philanthropist. It was very inspiring to read the obituary of Sir John Marks Templeton @ http://www.economist.com/obituary/displayStory.cfmsource=hptextfeature&story_id=11745591, a man with such great a life philosophy, who seemed to live close to God and at the same time a dedicated investor. Congratulations to the Economist.

Useful links:

www.templeton.org

www.unlimitedloveinstitute.com

www.templetonprize.org

None of us know what’s going to happen after we die, any more than that caterpillar knows.

- Sir John Marks Templeton

Thomas Schütte

Thomas Schütte is an important German contemporary artist + his Model for a Hotel 2007, a sculpture that has occupied the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square since last November is rather interesting. It's made from transparent plates of red, blue and yellow glass stacked like bookshelves. What's intriguing is its simplicity. Great concept.

Useful link:

www.thomas-schuette.de

Millimeter Wave Technology

According to TSA (Transport and Security Administration), Millimeter Wave Technology, another form of body-imaging technology, uses non-ionizing electromagnetic waves to generate an image based on the energy reflected from the body. The images generated through millimeter wave are lower-resolution than that of x-ray backscatter, and as a result, privacy may be less of a concern for the traveling public. TSA anticipates that both 'passive' and 'active' millimeter wave technology will be deployed at pilot sites in the near future.

Rafi Gabay, Head of Customs at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, believes that the ‘Millimeter Waves’ device, manufactured by TSA can be used to detect smuggled diamonds.

Useful links:
www.tsa.gov
www.iaa.gov.il

Making Diamonds Work For Development

The Madison Dialogue has published a new white paper that looks at the efforts being made to use diamonds for sustainable development. Great work.

Useful links:
www.madisondialogue.org
www.srk.com
www.fataltransactions.org
www.mineralpolicy.org
www.earthworksaction.org

Heard On The Street

The gem market is filled with individuals who know the price of everything, but the value of nothing.

A Floating Ecopolis

Vincent Callebaut's designs are phenomenal, a completely self-sufficient floating city intended to provide shelter for future climate change refugees. A unique biomimicry. What a great concept! I hope Callebaut's designs will inspire creative solutions to climate change problems.

Useful link:

http://vincent.callebaut.org

Random Thoughts

If you don’t fully understand an instrument, don’t buy it. If you would not buy a specific product for yourself, don’t try to sell it. If you do not know your customers very well, don’t lend them any money. If you do these 3 things you will be a better banker, my son.

- Sñr Emilio Botín
Chairman, Banco Santander
www.santander.com

How true!

The Official Filthy Rich Handbook

The Official Filthy Rich Handbook by Christopher Tennant is a great book about the über rich + it's informative and witty. I liked it.

Useful link:

www.filthyrichhandbook.com

Random Thoughts

The four most expensive words in the English language are, 'This time it's different.'

- Sir John Tempelton

How true!

Lang Lang

Chinese pianist Lang Lang, at age 26, is one of the most visible, in-demand classical musicians in the world today + his story, published in the new autobiography, Journey of a Thousand Miles, is an interesting book.

Go to www.langlang.com for further information.

The Gore Energy Speech

Andrew Revkin writes about former Vice President Al Gore's energy speech in Washington + other viewpoints @ http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/the-annotated-gore-climate-speech

Useful link:
www.algore.com

Great idea. I think a combination of wind, solar, and geothermal + right policies and attitudes among industry experts may provide changes to our energy infrastructure, but we'll need more time. A 10-year transformation is hard to come by, really.

Up-And-Coming Travel Destinations

I found the list of up-and-comers with the fastest growing travel and tourism earnings via World Travel & Tourism Council interesting. They are:

- Macau
- Angola
- Montenegro
- Seychelles
- Libya
- China
- Azerbaijan
- Romania
- United Arab Emirates
- Chile

The Green Bible

The Green Bible by Harper Bibles is interesting. Here is the description from Harper:
The Green Bible will equip and encourage people to see God's vision for creation and help them engage in the work of healing and sustaining it. With over 1,000 references to the earth in the Bible, compared to 490 references to heaven and 530 references to love, the Bible carries a powerful message for the earth. This Green-Letter edition of the Bible will highlight scriptures in green ink that teach about God's care for creation and how God interacts with creation, in an effort to bring greater awareness to how this message is woven throughout the Old and New Testaments. Essays from leading conservationists and theologians on how to read the Bible through a "green lens" as well as a green topical index and Green Bible trail guide for personal study will be paired with teachings throughout the ages to show people how caring for God's creation is not only a calling, but a lifestyle.

Go to The Good Book Business for a different perspective.

The World's Best-Loved Statesman

The Mandela Story @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7500615.stm as he turns 90, was brilliant.

Useful link:

www.nelsonmandela.org

Heard On The Street

Mistakes of judgment are the toughest to learn from, because each one is different.

Future Headline: ‘DTC Sightholder Jailed For Attending Sight’

Chaim Even Zohar writes about the current impasse in South Africa + foreign diamond traders dilema + the licensing mess + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp

Random Thoughts

The primary type of mistake we make – and everyone makes – is when something changes that we didn’t see coming.

- John Osterweis
www.osterweis.com

Heard On The Street

A common expression we use around here is the Chinese one, 'to have known and not to have acted, is not to have known.'

Real-World Lessons

Students from West Hawaii Explorations Academy build electric cars from start to finish and, in the process, learn how to practically apply what they learn to everyday life. Go to http://www.edutopia.org/race-knowledge for further information.

Kirkland Uncorked

Kirkland Uncorked: A Festival of Style and Taste is a grand celebration showcasing Washington’s finest wines, gourmet foods, engaging art and the best the Northwest has to offer in jazz and classical music—all in one elegant and entertaining weekend on the shores of Lake Washington.

Go to www.kirklanduncorked.com for further information. A must-visit!

Billy Joel

Billy Joel is an American pianist and singer-songwriter. Joel's music reflects influences from many different genres + these various influences have in part led to his broad success over a long period of time. I am a huge Billy Joel fan. Go to www.billyjoel.com for further information.

Consumer Mistrust In The Jewelry Industry

(via gem market news, july/august 2008, issue 4) Stuart Robertson writes:

Recently, De Beers released the results of a survey they did regarding the trust factor that consumers have with jewelers. The results are staggering. Consumers had multiple choice answers and only 5% of all respondents said they trusted jewelers a lot. More than half of all respondents said they 'actively mistrust' or 'mistrust jewelers a lot.' De Beers stated that as an industry, we must do better (note that one could speculate that De Beers released this information in an attempt to eventually lead consumers to the De Beers diamond brand as a name consumers can trust). These results might have been about diamonds, but the same would probably hold true if the questions were posed regarding color.

For more than 25 years that I have been in the jewelry business, I have been talking about the lack of disclosures in the industry. Twenty five years later, it is marginally better. On the wholesale end, it has improved due to efforts of organizations such the American Gem Trade Association. The AGTA requires members to disclose treatments of gems. However, on the retail level, other than some brave stores that have implemented full disclosure policies, it is still greatly lacking. As independent appraisers, we continue to successfully educate consumers regarding treatments with only minimal problems from the consumer learning this information. If anything, their problem is that they were not told of the treatment. How do retailers expect to gain consumer trust if they knowingly hide information relevant to the sale of the gem? Retailers are so fearful of losing out a sale, some will seem to do anything or say anything to make that sale.

How true! What's the gem and jewelry industry's trust quotient? I think the gem and jewelry sector (North America + Asia + other emerging markets) have a long way to go to prove that they can be 'trust-builders' not 'trust busters'.

Economic Growth + Attitude

Meinhard Miegel, director of the Bonn-based think tank Denkwerk Zukunft, analyzing a mass of survey data finds that while two thirds of Germans favor economic growth in principle, only about a sixth of them are willing to work for it. The rest value leisure, safety and early retirement over work and achievement. Given these attitudes the popular idea that a low-birthrate country like Germany can grow its way out of the rising costs associated with an aging population 'is reckless and built on sand.' Go to http://www.newsweek.com/id/145810 for further information.

Useful links:
www.iwg-bonn.de
www.monitor.com
www.eur.nl

How true!

Floating Windmills

I found the article on floating windmills and the technology @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/16/windpower.renewableenergy interesting and insightful + Blue H's film of the prototype turbine platform launch here + a consortium called Windsea + Statoil project called Hywind

Useful links:
www.bluehgroup.com
www.statoilhydro.com
www.statkraft.com
http://sway.no

Great ideas + innovate approaches.

True Or False

True of False. The Internet is the New Sweatshop.
Answer: True
http://www.newsweek.com/id/143740

I couldn't agree more.

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