SunRun

Impressive and innovative solar startup that saves energy and cash. Check it out.

Useful link:
www.sunrunhome.com

Person Of The Year 2009

Ben Bernanke is TIME's Person of the Year for 2009. I think he is the most important player in the world's most important economy. Congratulations! I hope he does the right thing for the world.

Useful link:
www.federalreserve.gov

A Country That Loves Art

Meet the United States Artists Fellows for 2009. I think art inspires peoples lives. I wish the USA fellows all the best.

Useful link:
www.unitedstatesartists.org

Jon Rafman

Check out Jon Rafman's brilliant collection of artworks with a story. Stunningly natural and immersive, really.

Useful links:
http://jonrafman.com
http://googlestreetviews.com

Blippy

Blippy is a soon-to-start online social network that lets you share details of your credit card purchases with friends or strangers. Interesting concept, really. All the best.

Useful link:
http://blippy.com

Diamonds

Noble Gems International has announced the publication of the new edition of Diamonds by Marijan Dundek. Check it out. www.noblegems.com

Gold Market Update

The Financial Times report on gold was interesting. So many constituencies are taking refuge in gold that its price surge is the symbol of the age: a store of anxiety as well as value. How will gold buyers be able to tell when the top of the market is about to arrive? After all, gold is almost impossible to value beyond the cost of production, which today stands way below the current price. Apart from jewelry and small industrial applications, such as in electronics, gold has no use other than as an investment. So true!

Luke Johnson Viewpoint

Luke was spot on. I thought Peter the entrepreneur's parlour game (money, power and recognition) was a brilliant way to cut out the fluff. I liked it because of the honesty of the words.

Useful links:
www.lukejohnson.org
www.riskcapitalpartners.co.uk
www.channel4.com

Random Thoughts

We teach the kids that by having more money coming in than going out, they will amass wealth which will give them financial freedom to do good for themselves, others and the world.

- Naomi Schachter
www.financiallyfreellc.com
www.creativewealthintl.org
www.campmillionairepa.com

Spot on.

Jason Hawkes

Jason Hawkes specialises in aerial photography. They are stunningly beautiful.

Useful link:
www.jasonhawkes.com

The Botany Of Desire

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan is a fascinating book that will change the way we think about our place in nature. A must read.

Useful link:

www.michaelpollan.com

The London Array

The London Array offshore windfarm is all set to become the largest windfarm in the world following its scheduled completion in 2012, becoming the first in the 1-gigawatt class.

Useful links:
www.londonarray.com
www.energy.siemens.com

Shenzhen & Hong Kong Bi-city Biennale Of Urbanism\Architecture 2009

China is the new design/architecture laboratory/capital of the world. There is a lot to learn from China so keep an open mind. The Shenzhen side of the biennale runs through January 23, 2010; Hong Kong biennale is up until February 27, 2010). Don't miss.

Useful links:
www.szhkbiennale.org
http://hkszbiennale.org
www.bodw.com

Planetary Skin Institute

The organization will develop and prototype all the technologies necessary to make it work. All the best.

Useful links:
www.planetaryskin.org
www.nasa.gov
www.cisco.com
http://en.cop15.dk
http://unfccc.int
www.connectedurbandevelopment.org

Global Business BBC

Peter Day's interview with bankers, academics and investors in the microfinance sector in Bolivia was interesting. Many startups are jumping on the microlending bandwagon. I hope they don't turn out to be a bubble.

Useful links:
www.grameen.com
www.brac.net
https://promujer.org

Trunkated Trunk

I really liked Eugenie Scrase's Trunkated Trunk for its natural look. Congratulations for winning at the BBC Two's School of Saatchi show.

Useful links:
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00p71qk
www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk

Random Thoughts

We didn't do all the smartest things. We didn't do anything really dumb. I made plenty of mistakes. I didn't maximize the opportunities offered by the chaos. But in the end, it worked out OK.

- Warren Buffett
www.berkshirehathaway.com

Spot on.

Poverty Action Lab

(via Wiki) The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab is an academic center located at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and dedicated to field research in development economics. Lab affiliates implement randomized controlled trials (RCTs) similar to those used in medical research in order to answer questions in economics and related social sciences.

Useful link:
www.povertyactionlab.org

The Nabokov Collection

The Nabokov Collection = Simply beautiful. A brilliant project.

Useful links:
http://designobserver.com
www.nabokovmuseum.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Nabokov

Random Thoughts

It is already known that the color of a drink can influence the way we taste it. We wanted to know whether background lighting, for example in a restaurant, makes a difference as well. The extreme lighting conditions found in some bars can undoubtedly influence the way a wine tastes. We thought it was simply that colours that people found agreeable would put them in an agreeable mood. However early tests seem to show that it is not as simple as that. We still believe however that it is something to do with the mood they put people in. For some reason some colors put people in a more positive mood.

- Dr Daniel Oberfeld-Twistel
www.staff.uni-mainz.de/oberfeld

Spot on.