Made For Maharajas

Made for Maharajas: A Design Diary of Princely India by Dr. Amin Jaffer is a fascinating historical book on art and luxury goods associated with the aristocracy of the maharajas during these centuries. A must read.

Useful link:

www.vam.ac.uk

The Democratic Convention 2008

The Democratic National Convention 2008 in Three Minutes @ http://www.time.com/time/video/?bcpid=1485842900&bctid=1760455467 was brilliant. Thanks Craig Duff.

Useful links:
www.demconvention.com
www.denverconvention2008.com

Gemstones + Patience

What is the most important aspect of buying gemstones? Patience. From an action standpoint, buying is boring, because it's very much a waiting game. Every day buyers are bombarded with information about the gemstone markets (local + international). Almost all of this is pure noise. Your best bet, as a buyer, is to ignore 95% of everything you hear about gemstone markets. It sounds very simple. But it is not. We as humans are not designed to sit still. We want to be doing something, not sitting around waiting for miracles to happen. In actuality, waiting takes tremendous discipline. Practice.

Random Thoughts

If you know American history, you know that Barack Obama's nomination is the social equivalent of landing a man on the moon.

- Howard Fineman
http://www.newsweek.com/id/156121

I agree.

Videogame Update

I found N’Gai Croal's article on design innovation in the game industry @ http://www.newsweek.com/id/154375 interesting. Good ideas + real-world experience = Innovation

Useful links:
www.thatgamecompany.com
www.valvesoftware.com
www.digipen.edu
http://interactive.usc.edu/research/games

Capital Museum

'Chinese Memory: Treasures of a 5000-Year Civilization' exhibition will be open till October 7, 2008.

Go to www.capitalmuseum.org.cn for further information.

A must visit.

Positive Psychology

Want to learn to make the most of your life? Meet Tal Ben-Shahar. He is an author and lecturer + currently teaches the largest course at Harvard on Positive Psychology.

Go to www.talbenshahar.com for further information.

Trivia Question

Chaim Even Zohar writes about trivial issues (De Beers name changes) + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp