Artbeads

Artbead caters to individual artists + bead stores + professional designers worldwide. A must-visit.

Useful link:
www.artbeads.com

Changing Africa

A new atlas charts Africa's changing landscape over recent decades @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/10/climatechange.conservation

Useful link:
http://www.unep.org/dewa/africa/AfricaAtlas

Shocking, really.

Afghanistan's Crown Jewels

Jeffrey Bartholet writes about the mystery 'keyholders' who secretly protected Afghanistan's crown jewels through all the turbulence and chaos of war and looting + other viewpoints @ http://www.newsweek.com/id/140158

Useful links:
www.nationalgeographic.com
www.nga.gov

Bolzano's Museum Of Modern And Contemporary Art

William Lee Adams has an interesting update on Bolzano's Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art @ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1811690,00.html

Useful links:
www.museion.it
www.ksv-network.de

It's breathtaking and beautiful! A must-visit.

The Man Who Loved China

The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom by Simon Winchester is a fascinating book about the bigger picture of the rise and future of the largest nation on Earth. Great read.

Useful link:
www.simonwinchester.com

Onassis Jewels

Jewels belonging to the daughter of Greek shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis will be auctioned by Christies in London. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7447560.stm

Useful link:
www.christies.com

The World's Best Places To Live 2008

According to Mercer Consulting's annual roundup of the global cities with the best quality of life, Zurich once again comes out on top, followed jointly by Vienna (2), Geneva (2), then Vancouver (4) and Auckland (5). The survey also identifies those cities with the highest personal safety ranking based on internal stability, crime, effectiveness of law enforcement and relationships with other countries. Luxembourg ranks highest for personal safety; Baghdad, the lowest.

Useful link:
www.mercer.com

Roy Lichtenstein: The Painter

'Roy Lichtenstein: Girls' show continues through June 28, 2008 at the Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Avenue, near 77th Street, New York. Don't miss it!

Useful links:
www.lichtensteinfoundation.org
www.gagosian.com

The show is terrific. I think Roy Lichtenstein adored women.

Heard On The Street

Q: How do you make money in the market?
A: Nothing could be simpler: buy low, sell high.
Q: How can I learn to do that?
A: Ahhhh…that takes a lifetime.

Takashi Murakami + His Students

Sonia Zjawinski has an interesting update on Takashi Murakami's students: Ai Yamaguchi + Erina Matsui + Chiho Aoshima, and their profiles, styles + other viewpoints @ http://www.wired.com/culture/art/magazine/16-06/pl_arts

Useful links:
www.takashimurakami.com
www.ninyu.com
www.tokyoartbeat.com
http://the-artists.org

We Think

We-think: The Power of Mass Creativity by Charles Leadbeater is a fascinating and thought-provoking book on the pros and cons of growing communities on the web. I liked it.

Useful links:
www.wethinkthebook.net
www.charlesleadbeater.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiP79vYsfbo

Money For Nothing

Money for Nothing: One Man's Journey Through the Dark Side of Lottery Millions by Edward Ugel shows how difficult it can be to cope with windfall wealth. A personal memoir of greed and hope.

Useful link:
www.edwardugel.com

Our salespeople were lottery winners — we just never bought tickets. Selling to the winners was like selling to myself.
- Edward Ugel

How true!

Carbon Calculators

I found Carolyn Fry's article Carbon Calculators @ http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/feb/19/carbon.web interesting. As she rightly put it, if enough people begin cutting their carbon footprint now, the CO2 saving will soon stack up, whichever you calculate it. Thanks Carolyn for the excellent info.

Useful links:
www.carbonfootprint.com
http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk
www.resurgence.org
www.climatecare.org
www.carbonneutral.com
www.chooseclimate.org
www.transportdirect.info
www.electricityinfo.org
http://coinet.org.uk

Gao Xingjian's Reflections

An artist must walk his own path, and if there are rules, they should only be rules that he himself has created.
- Gao Xingjian

How true!

Gao Xingjian at the Alisan Fine Arts gallery
http://iht.com/slideshows/2008/05/06/arts/06Seno-Slide.php
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/11/arts/seno.php

Green Living

Have a look that the U.S. Department of Energy's PDF guide, which is surprisingly helpful and chockful of suggestions for green living.
http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Plant_Trees_to_Cool_Your_Home_and_the_Planet

I should have started planting trees twenty-five years ago.

Flame Queen Opal

One of the most famous opal in the world, dubbed the Flame Queen, weighing 263.18-cts will be auctioned by Bonhams & Butterfields on June 22, 2008, at the auction house’s San Francisco and Los Angeles locations.

Useful link:
www.bonhams.com

The unusual color pattern in this opal is one of the best, really.

Diamond Handbag

Created by Japanese designer Ginza Tanaka, the platinum bag valued at £1m has been set with more than 2,000 diamonds + its diamond shoulder strap can be detached and worn as a necklace or a bracelet, while the 8-carat pear-shaped diamond centrepiece surrounded by a cluster of eighty-one smaller diamonds can be taken off and worn as a brooch.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7443742.stm

London Jewellery Week, sponsored by Coutts, runs from 11-15 June, 2008.

Useful links:
www.ginzatanaka.co.jp
www.londonjewelleryweek.co.uk

Fans of designer couteur will love it.

On Persuasion

(via Amazon) The book Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges by Antonin Scalia + Bryan A. Garner was great. Here is what they have to say:

- Know your audience
- Lead with your strongest argument
- Communicate clearly and concisely
- Close powerfully and say explicitly what you want your audience to do
- Banish jargon
- Hone your public speaking skills
- Dress appropriately
- When you're not on your feet, you're on stage
- Look judges in the eye
- Don't chew your fingernails

Though the ideas are for developing briefs and arguments to persuade judges, I think the 10 rules listed above apply to any business situations.

Video Games Update

David Kirkpatrick writes about video games and their application for immersive experience + issues of marketing, sociology, and Internet culture + other viewpoints @ http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/06/technology/games_change.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008060606

Useful links:
http://worldwideworkshop.org
www.gamesforchange.org
http://globalkids.org
www.girlstart.org
www.amd.com

I think games can embody any values and be on any subject and many would go the extra mile to have an immersive experience.

Louise Bourgeois's Art

Louise Bourgeois is an artist and sculptor. Peter Plagens writes about her unique styles and persona, her long career + other viewpoints @ http://www.newsweek.com/id/140278

What a remarkable woman and artist. At 96, she is precious and inspiring!