Kimberley Process Update

The Kimberley Process has released 2007 statistical data on diamond output, exports and imports. Go to www.kimberleyprocess.com for further information.

Sustainable Energy Solutions: Theory + Practice

Ad van Wijk is the Founder/Chairman of Econcern, an international energy company providing solutions for renewable energy/sustainable energy via solar energy, wind energy, bioenergy.

Ormat is an interesting Israeli company run by husband and wife (Lucien/ Dita Bronicki) dedicated to engineering geo-thermal energy plants and producing power from them, in several parts of the world.

Useful links:
www.econcern.com
www.ormat.com

What's interesting is that both companies are finding ways of creating sustainable energy solutions and putting them in to practice.

Pearl Testing: Analytical Methods

Pearl testing at times can be very difficult. Experts use a combination of different methods for positive identification. For instance freshwater pearls typically may contain high concentration of manganese, and the high manganese concentration in the specimens can be detected by trace element analysis (Laser Ablation ICP-MS) or by X-ray luminescence methods, which may also help differentiate between freshwater and marine pearls. Provenance determination in a pearl can be achieved by Laser Ablation ICP-MS. Infrared/Raman spectroscopy can also be used to identify modifications of calcium carbonate in pearls to identify the origin of pearl color + naturally colored Tahiti cultured pearls and naturally colored freshwater cultured pearls can be distinguished from their artificially dyed counterparts by Raman spectroscopy. Natural pearls can be differentiated from cultured pearls by different X-radiography tests that reveal the internal structures from a manufactured nucleus. Several radiograms may have to be taken to study varying depths within the pearl's internal growth structures to create a profile. It's not always easy. Lately the application of tabletop X-ray tomograms have improved pearl testing dramatically.

Signs Of The Time

I reread David Owen's article 'My Airline' (Shouts & Murmurs column in the New Yorker). For a unique airplane experience go to http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2008/07/07/080707sh_shouts_owen to read the full text. Funny + Sad.

Endeavor

Endeavor, a non-profit group based in New York, is dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship in emerging economies. I think Endeavor is changing/redefining the concept of entrepreneurship in emerging economies of the world.

Useful link:
www.endeavor.org

David Galenson

Patricia Cohen's article on David Galenson + the quantitative methodology/valuation in the art field + other viewpoints @ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/arts/design/04pica.html?_r=1&oref=slogin was brilliant.

Useful link:
www.davidgalenson.com

In my view ranking artworks is a good idea. If the experts are able to simplify the valuation methodology, then I think it might work. Many in the industry believe that art markets are speculative/manipulative. You have got to be an insider or knowledgeable to understand the whole business.

Synchrotron Light

Synchrotron light is used in cutting-edge research in physics, chemistry and materials sciences + many new areas of research in fields such as medicine, geological and environmental studies, structural genomics and archaeology. The experts are now in the process of developing the so-called fourth generation light sources.

Useful links:
www.desy.de
www.xfel.eu
www.scitech.ac.uk
www.cockcroft.ac.uk
www.srs.ac.uk
www.isis.rl.ac.uk

Baalbeck International Festival

(via Wiki) The Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and most known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbeck in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival. Classical music, dance, theater, opera, and jazz as well as modern world music are performed each July and August in the ancient Roman Acropolis, one of the largest and well preserved Roman temples ever built.

Useful link:
www.baalbeck.org.lb

A must visit. I think the festival is a sign of hope.