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Monday, July 28, 2008

Random Thoughts

In college …I avoided science, math, and accounting-all the normal preparations for business. I was on the arts side… As I look back on it now, it’s obvious that studying history and philosophy was much better preparation for the stock market than, say, studying statistics. Investing in stocks is an art, not a science, and people who’ve been trained to rigidly quantify everything have a big disadvantage. All the math you need in the stock market…you get in fourth grade.

- Peter Lynch

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Tuesdays With Morrie

Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom is a fascinating book on lessons he learned from his dying college professor. I think it's also a reminder to appreciate the simple, little things in life. A must-read.

Useful link:


Madinat al-Hareer

(via Wiki) Madinat al-Hareer is a proposed 250 square kilometer planned urban area in Subiya, Kuwait, an area just opposite Kuwait City which, upon construction, would include the Burj Mubarak al-Kabir , the world's tallest structure, a natural desert reservation of 2 square kilometres, a duty free area which will be beside a new airport, in addition to a large business center, conference areas, environmental areas, athletic areas, and areas that concentrate on media, health, education, and industry. The City of Silk will also include numerous tourist attractions, hotels, spas, and public gardens. As of this time, it is unclear as to the scope of this project, if it has received any approvals, or if it has the required funding; however, the city will be built in individual phases with total completion within twenty-five years. The development will cost an estimated 25 billion Kuwaiti Dinars (136 billion USD).

Useful link:
We are not dreamers at all when we talk about investing $132 billion. We’re thinking on a different plane because we cannot afford to think like everyone else. We’re thinking about something that might seem unimaginable. We’re going to outmaneuver everybody who is going to remain in the old mode of thinking about economic prospects.
- Sami Alfaraj, President, Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies, www.kuniv.edu.kw
Ambitious + Contemporary architecture + Highly motivational. I hope the Silk City would be operational on time.

Unique Bordeaux Collections

The Antique Wine Company is offering limited-edition collections of the finest vintages from each of Bordeaux's eight most illustrious châteaux. Go to www.antique-wine.com for further information. Don't miss it.

Useful links:
www.chateau-margaux.com
www.vins-bordeaux.fr

Art Market Update

Souren Melikian has an interesting update on the state of the art market + the new economic environment @ http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/26/arts/melik26.php

A must read.

The Country Girl

I accidentally came across the movie, The Country Girl (1954) directed by George Seaton, and decided to watch. Bing Crosby + Grace Kelly + William Holden were brilliant. Grace Kelly won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as the singer's long-suffering wife. In fact I am a huge fan of the trio, Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and William Holden. A must-see movie for classic movie fans.

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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Vatican Splendors

The Vatican Splendors exhibition will be on display at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, Minnesota beginning September 27, 2008. To be notified when advance tickets go on sale, go to www.mnhs.org/vatican

Useful links:
http://vaticansplendors.com
www.mnhs.org

A must visit.

Random Thoughts

What we . . . refer to confidently as memory. . . is really a form of storytelling that goes on continually in the mind and often changes with the telling.

- William Maxwell

How true!