Heard On The Street

The change will be good. It's just like evolution and climatic change. New species will arise. Many will perish unless they adapt. For the speculator, many new niches and many opportunity will arise.

New Travel Sites

(via Rachel King/fastcompany) I found the travel websites @ http://www.fastcompany.com/multimedia/slideshows/content/10-hot-travel-sites.html?partner=fasttake interesting.

The Animated Life

Jeff Scher's short film on the sight and sound of rain @ http://scher.blogs.nytimes.com was brilliant. I liked it.

Useful link:
http://fezfilms.net

Asian Art Scene

Some of the hottest untapped art markets these days are in Asia. A new way to discover the contemporary Asian art scene is to go the source.

Useful links:
www.shanghaimuseum.net
www.gwangju-biennale.org
www.mediacityseoul.or.kr
www.showcasesingapore.com
www.singaporebiennale.org

World Pearl Forum

The Dubai Pearl Exchange is to host the first World Pearl Forum at the Atlantis hotel, Palm Jumeirah from February 17 - 18, 2009. The event will see participation from more than 200 leading pearl specialists from across the world addressing the opportunities and latest challenges in the global pearl sector. Don't miss it.

Useful links:
www.dpe.ae
www.dmcc.ae

Green Buildings In India

The CII-Godrej GBC will be hosting the sixth Green Building Congress in Mumbai, India, on September 27, 2008, which will include an exhibition and an international seminar on green buildings. According to S. Raghupathy, senior director/head of CII-Godrej GBC, green building concept is growing in popularity in a big way in India + by 2010, it's expected that about 1,000 green buildings, with over one billion sq ft would come up all over India.

Useful links:
www.igbc.in
www.ciigbc.org

Iconoclast

Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently by Gregory Berns is an insightful book on inner workings of the iconoclast's mind. A must read.

Useful link:
http://www.ccnl.emory.edu/greg

Lead-glass Filled Rubies Update

Many are buying lead-glass filled rubies over the Internet/jewelry television channels as natural + these modified rubies are being offered for a few dollars a carat by many dealers and jewelers + they are also found at the mines and trading centers in Southeast Asia/South Asia/Africa + many have no skills identifying these disguised rubies. Please refer to the following for more information.

- AGTA Gemstone Update: Lead Glass Fracture Filling
- GAAJ: Lead-Glass Impregnated Ruby

If in doubt, always consult a reputed gem testing laboratory.