(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.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
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
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
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
Useful link:
www.pipilottirist.net
Green Investing
Richard Shaffer writes about Vinod Khosla, the world’s foremost investor in environmental startups + other viewpoints @ http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/127/a-devilish-green-angel.
Useful link:
www.khoslaventures.com
Useful link:
www.khoslaventures.com
Monday, June 30, 2008
Gems + ROI
Andrew Wood writes:
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but they do not always offer sparkling returns for an investor. Although smaller and more portable as a hard asset than gold ingots, they cannot be acquired via tax-efficient portfolio bonds alongside other precious assets. Works of art, property, vintage wines and collectibles, such as books, toys and comics are examples on which investors may wish to speculate. Trading in these markets can be problematic, expensive and pose security problems. Trading in bullion or precious artifacts is risky and cumbersome for the returns achieved.
In a bear market is it possible or prudent to invest in precious metals and stones, or should one stick to bonds and gilt-edged securities? If you recently acquired diamonds, thank your financial adviser for his foresight. A recent Asian mining takeover meant that share allocations nearly doubled for a junior mining organisation in the Madagascar market. Remaining assets in South Africa were hence rolled over into new corporate entities that rewarded investors with bonus share allocations in addition. Junior mining companies offer high potential in global commodity markets largely because of the China syndrome, which cannot be ignored.
Many investors tend to think of South Africa, Australia and possibly Amsterdam when considering gold, diamonds, or coal. But institutional asset traders deal in the commodity facts of the real world. China is actually the world's largest producer of gold and the largest holder of US dollars. It has hundreds of small gold mines that remain unexploited because of lack of expert mining methodologies and bureaucracy and natural resources mismanagement.
China's thirst for water, coal, copper and other resources is unstoppable. Australia has trouble meeting coal production requirements to sustain demand from Asian powers, which need these commodities to feed their vast but inefficient blast-furnace economies. China could exploit for maximum gain its vast gold deposits if it chooses to utilise western expertise. Would this propel China to world power status and also lead to substantial dividends via bond investments? For risk-averse investors wishing to diversify, a prudent allocation can be made in Global Emerging Markets (Gems) through collective fund vehicles specialising in such diversified precious assets. Smart investors worried about risk can easily have the best of both worlds by investing in such markets via a variety of individually structured offshore personal portfolio bonds.
Sparkling gems shining out in the junior mining sectors. Global emerging markets and the resurgent Asian economies of China, India, Indonesia and Thailand continue to be the prime movers for cautious investors with a sense of adventure. Investment in this market optimises one's position as a direct consequence of gaining access to the hundreds of gold mines in China that are underexplored and undeveloped.
Mitigating Gem investment risks. Although bond returns tend to be safe and steady but relatively low, Gem and global commodity market (GCM) asset investments are not guaranteed. Conversely, Gems aren't as risky as, say, corporate junk bonds, venture-capital projects and unlisted dot-com startups. To mitigate risks while optimising portfolio gains, investors should seek international independent advice from qualified specialists who are best positioned to structure the correct portfolio bond offshore according to your individual circumstances. These issues are of particular importance:
- Taxation and inheritance: regardless of performance of any asset, interests should be protected to the fullest extent possible.
- Dedicated local asset management teams: having your portfolio actively managed.
- Expense ratios and market level adjustment concerns: Gems not only sparkle more safely when acquired via tax-exempt trading bonds, but also save each way because trading or bid/offer spread differentials are substantially reduced.
- Gems' Diversity: bond investors can strategically acquire allocations in all these emerging market sectors and trade them profitably on a daily or monthly basis.
Diversity in mining companies, commodities, precious metals, or the exchange-traded funds that invest in Gem markets are the simplest, safest and smartest way of adding precious Gems to one's portfolio without undue concern that they will lose their sparkle. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but Gems are potentially more profitable in both the long and short-term term.
Useful link:
www.barclayspencer.com
How true!
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but they do not always offer sparkling returns for an investor. Although smaller and more portable as a hard asset than gold ingots, they cannot be acquired via tax-efficient portfolio bonds alongside other precious assets. Works of art, property, vintage wines and collectibles, such as books, toys and comics are examples on which investors may wish to speculate. Trading in these markets can be problematic, expensive and pose security problems. Trading in bullion or precious artifacts is risky and cumbersome for the returns achieved.
In a bear market is it possible or prudent to invest in precious metals and stones, or should one stick to bonds and gilt-edged securities? If you recently acquired diamonds, thank your financial adviser for his foresight. A recent Asian mining takeover meant that share allocations nearly doubled for a junior mining organisation in the Madagascar market. Remaining assets in South Africa were hence rolled over into new corporate entities that rewarded investors with bonus share allocations in addition. Junior mining companies offer high potential in global commodity markets largely because of the China syndrome, which cannot be ignored.
Many investors tend to think of South Africa, Australia and possibly Amsterdam when considering gold, diamonds, or coal. But institutional asset traders deal in the commodity facts of the real world. China is actually the world's largest producer of gold and the largest holder of US dollars. It has hundreds of small gold mines that remain unexploited because of lack of expert mining methodologies and bureaucracy and natural resources mismanagement.
China's thirst for water, coal, copper and other resources is unstoppable. Australia has trouble meeting coal production requirements to sustain demand from Asian powers, which need these commodities to feed their vast but inefficient blast-furnace economies. China could exploit for maximum gain its vast gold deposits if it chooses to utilise western expertise. Would this propel China to world power status and also lead to substantial dividends via bond investments? For risk-averse investors wishing to diversify, a prudent allocation can be made in Global Emerging Markets (Gems) through collective fund vehicles specialising in such diversified precious assets. Smart investors worried about risk can easily have the best of both worlds by investing in such markets via a variety of individually structured offshore personal portfolio bonds.
Sparkling gems shining out in the junior mining sectors. Global emerging markets and the resurgent Asian economies of China, India, Indonesia and Thailand continue to be the prime movers for cautious investors with a sense of adventure. Investment in this market optimises one's position as a direct consequence of gaining access to the hundreds of gold mines in China that are underexplored and undeveloped.
Mitigating Gem investment risks. Although bond returns tend to be safe and steady but relatively low, Gem and global commodity market (GCM) asset investments are not guaranteed. Conversely, Gems aren't as risky as, say, corporate junk bonds, venture-capital projects and unlisted dot-com startups. To mitigate risks while optimising portfolio gains, investors should seek international independent advice from qualified specialists who are best positioned to structure the correct portfolio bond offshore according to your individual circumstances. These issues are of particular importance:
- Taxation and inheritance: regardless of performance of any asset, interests should be protected to the fullest extent possible.
- Dedicated local asset management teams: having your portfolio actively managed.
- Expense ratios and market level adjustment concerns: Gems not only sparkle more safely when acquired via tax-exempt trading bonds, but also save each way because trading or bid/offer spread differentials are substantially reduced.
- Gems' Diversity: bond investors can strategically acquire allocations in all these emerging market sectors and trade them profitably on a daily or monthly basis.
Diversity in mining companies, commodities, precious metals, or the exchange-traded funds that invest in Gem markets are the simplest, safest and smartest way of adding precious Gems to one's portfolio without undue concern that they will lose their sparkle. Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but Gems are potentially more profitable in both the long and short-term term.
Useful link:
www.barclayspencer.com
How true!
Kit Kittredge
(via Wiki) Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is a 2008 comedy-drama film based on the American Girl character, Kit Kittredge, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio during the Great Depression. It is scheduled to be released on July 2, 2008. The film is the first in the American Girl film series to have a theatrical release; the first three received television releases.
Useful links:
http://www.americangirl.com/movie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0846308
Useful links:
http://www.americangirl.com/movie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0846308
The Arab Rich List
I found the The Arab Rich List @ http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm/sidZAWYA20080408034338 intriguing.
- Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al-Saud
- Nasser Al-Kharafi
- MAK
- The Sawiris family
- Mohammed Al-Amoudi
- Abdelaziz Al-Ghurair
- Maan Al-Sanea
- Suleiman Al-Rajhi
- Mohammed Bin Issa Al-Jaber
- Saleh Kamel
- Saad Hariri
- Majid Al-Futtaim
- Suleiman Al-Gosaibi
- Bassem Al-Ghanim
- Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al-Saud
- Nasser Al-Kharafi
- MAK
- The Sawiris family
- Mohammed Al-Amoudi
- Abdelaziz Al-Ghurair
- Maan Al-Sanea
- Suleiman Al-Rajhi
- Mohammed Bin Issa Al-Jaber
- Saleh Kamel
- Saad Hariri
- Majid Al-Futtaim
- Suleiman Al-Gosaibi
- Bassem Al-Ghanim
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