Random Thoughts

When a blue chip becomes a blue duck, the loss is severe.

- Alan Geddes

Innovative Videogames

I found The Virtual Army Experience, a traveling exhibit of the U.S. Army, intriguing. Even though it may be perceived as an innovative tool to teach teamwork, rules of engagement, leadership and high-tech equipments, if not properly utilized the concept may boomerang, really. I think the The Virtual Army Experience-like videogames could be useful teaching business methodologies and social skills.

Useful link:
http://vae.americasarmy.com

Everything Is Cinema

Everything Is Cinema: The Working Life of Jean-Luc Godard by Richard Brody is an interesting biography on Jean-Luc Godard's artistic journey. A must read.

Jacob Rothschild

The conversation with Jacob Rothschild, an avid art collector @ http://www.economist.com/daily/columns/artview/displayStory.cfm?story_id=11825979 was brilliant and insightful.

I can’t stop collecting, I’m afraid.
- Jacob Rothschild

Heard On The Street

Traders and professionals are one thing, and their twists and turns give us insights into the behavior of markets. Main street is a different story.

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

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:

www.albom.com

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:

www.madinat-al-hareer.com

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.