Kimberley Process Debate

Chaim Even Zohar writes about Kimberley Processes's inflexibility + weapons for diamond issues + other viewpoints @ http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullEditorial.asp

Chaim was spot on.

Useful links:
www.kimberleyprocess.com
www.rusarm.ru
www.globalwitness.org

Classic Movies

Richard Schickel's favorite films from Warner Bros @ http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2008/rs_warner_bros_85 was brilliant.

Antwerp Diamond Trade

Duncan Bartlett's article on the diamond trading community + other viewpoints @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7619722.stm was insightful. Duncan was spot on.

Useful link:
www.diamantkring.org

In fact, diamonds still make a lot of money in Antwerp - but it is shared among a small elite.

Gallup Daily

Learn more about Gallup Poll's measure of Daily Mood @ http://www.gallup.com/poll/106915/Gallup-Daily-US-Mood.aspx

Hans Rosling

Hans Rosling, the founder of Gapminder, makes highly complex data understandable (interactive and enjoyable graphics) to the general public. Go to www.gapminder.org for further information. I liked it.

Beautiful Art = Painkiller

The research carried out by Professor Marina de Tommaso's team on the healing effects of a beautiful piece of art + other viewpoints @ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/09/17/sciart117.xml was educational and insightful.

Useful links:
www.newscientist.com
www.uniba.it

Heard On The Street

I'm not sure it's the bottom yet. Every time someone says we're at the bottom, things get a bit worse.

Random Thoughts

The line separating investment and speculation, which is never bright and clear, becomes blurred still further when most market participants have recently enjoyed triumphs. Nothing sedates rationality like large doses of effortless money. After a heady experience of that kind, normally sensible people drift into behavior akin to that of Cinderella at the ball. They know that overstaying the festivities -- that is, continuing to speculate in companies that have gigantic valuations relative to the cash they are likely to generate in the future -- will eventually bring on pumpkins and mice. But they nevertheless hate to miss a single minute of what is one helluva party. Therefore, the giddy participants all plan to leave just seconds before midnight. There's a problem, though: They are dancing in a room in which the clocks have no hands.

- Warren Buffett

How true!