Simon Mayo Interview

Film director Danny Boyle tells Simon Mayo about his new movie: Slumdog Millionaire
http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/videos/kermode_interviews.shtml

Useful links:
www.film24.com
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000965

Great interview. I enjoyed it.

The Minsky Moment

The Minsky Moment
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/02/04/080204taco_talk_cassidy

There are basically five stages in Minsky’s model of the credit cycle: displacement, boom, euphoria, profit taking, and panic.
- John Cassidy

Can it happen again? My view is financial markets are frequently dyed, coated and fracture-filled, whenever there is a crisis. Even today the so-called gurus of the financial world have difficulty interpreting the linkages between the financial markets and the economy. The Minsky effects are inevitable in a free market economy. What's shocking to me is that the regulatory institutions and the goverment have no functional tools/mechanisms to respond quickly. They are in state of momentary autism, really. We are paying for it dearly, forever. Thank you John for the insightful essay.

Bill Cunningham Viewpoint

On the Street Winter Whiteout
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/16/fashion/20090118-street-feature/index.html#

I think the designs were stunningly beautiful, elegant + different. I liked it. Thank you Bill.

Gold: The Global Obsession

The Real Price of Gold
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/01/gold/randy-olson-photography

Useful link:
www.randyolsonphotography.com

The characters are so natural, bright and stunningly vivid, would you join the gold rush?

Look-alike Jewelry

Keeping Up Appearances
http://www.newsweek.com/id/178821

Useful links:
www.kennethjaylane.net
www.justingiunta.com
www.subversivejewelry.com
www.bagborroworsteal.com
www.gilt.com
www.yoox.com

Great essay. Thank you Sameer. My view is social climbers will go the extra mile to put forth a prosperous image regardless of the balance in their bank account(s). It's a state of mind.

The American Consumer

IDEX Online Research: Don’t Bet Against the Spending Power of the American Consumer
http://www.idexonline.com/portal_FullNews.asp?id=31747

Useful links:
www.kennethgassman.com
www.stuartvyse.com
www.annieontour.com

Ken, I completely agree. American economy = Spending. It's a habit, it's embedded in the (created) culture, forever.

Amberif International Fair

The 16th Amberif International Fair of Amber, Jewellery and Gemstones will be held in March 11 – 14, 2009 at the Exhibition Centre (MTG SA), 5 Beniowskiego Street, Gdańsk, Poland. Don't miss it.

Useful links:
www.amberif.pl
www.amber.org.pl

National Gallery Of Art

Amid Intimate Galleries, a Jewel of a Painting Collection
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/arts/design/16coll.html

Useful links:
www.nga.gov
www.metmuseum.org

It's a good place to start. There is no question about it. Thanks Roberta.