Chuck Close

Meet Chuck Close, an American painter and photographer who has achieved fame as a photorealist, through his massive-scale portraits. Check out the link www.chuckclose.coe.uh.edu

Random Thoughts

When I was young, maybe 6 or 7 years old, I'd play on the Navy golf course with my pop. My dad would say, "Okay, where do you want to hit the ball?" I'd pick a spot and say I want to hit it there. He'd shrug and say, "Fine, then figure out how to do it." He didn't position my arm, adjust my feet, or change my thinking. He just said go ahead and hit the darn ball. My dad's advice to me was to simplify. He knew that at my age I couldn't digest all of golf's intricacies. He kept it simple: If you want to hit the ball to a particular spot, figure out a way to do it. Even today, when I'm struggling with my game, I can still hear him say, "Pick a spot and just hit it." When I'm making adjustments during a round, I know some of the television commentators theorize that I'm changing this or moving that, but really what I'm doing is listening to Pop.

- Tiger Woods
www.tigerwoods.com

Great advice.

Heard On The Street

Great people have great timing. Take windfall profits when you have them.

Frugal Traveler Update

Frugal Travel: A Woman’s Perspective
http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com

Useful link:
http://wanderlustandlipstick.com

Great advice.

New Gemstone Treatments

New Gemstone Treatments - A Coming Crisis
http://www.colored-stone.com/stories/may09/new-gemstone-treatments.cfm

Useful links:
www.gps.caltech.edu/~grr
www.jwkustos.com

A new thinking in forensic gemology. Really. Thanks Joel.

Maasai Sunstone

In search of East Africa's eye-catching Maasai sunstone
http://www.jewelryartistmagazine.com/feature/feb05.cfm

Maasai Sunstone: Found first by a young Maasai man on tribal grazing lands in about 2000, the stone's basic color, red orange, mimics the bright hues of the Maasai people's dress. Since the Maasai have found several of East Africa's gem deposits, it seems fitting that at least one of their stone discoveries should carry their tribal name.
- Don Thompson

I completely agree. Thanks Don for the explanatory essay on East African gemstones.

Antwerp's Diamond Quarter

Recession takes the sparkle out of Antwerp's diamond quarter
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/23/diamond-gems-trade-antwerp-belgium

Useful link:
www.diamantkring.org

Four out of five uncut diamonds produced anywhere in the world + more than half of the polished stones travel from Australia, Russia, Canada, India, Botswana and London to Antwerp for buying and selling. The diamond trade is dominated by minorities such as Orthodox Jews, Indian Jains, Maronite Christians from Lebanon and Armenians.

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland

Tim Burton's next movie, a remake of Alice in Wonderland is set for release in March 2010. USA Today got an exclusive first look at the production stills. They are gorgeous. Can't wait. Check out the link http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2009-06-21-alice-in-wonderland_N.htm

Useful link:
www.timburton.com