Features of the week

Welcome to this Friday's edition of "Features of the week". Many interesting stories and article links ahead!

1. Wolfowitz has departed his role as the World Bank president, but the media focuses on the search for a new president.

Meanwhile, few bother to ask what the World Bank really does in the first place.

2. At James Simons' Renaissance Technologies hedge fund, only scientists need apply.

3. Bloomberg Markets Magazine on a growing force in the markets: artificial intelligence.

4. Another exchange merger: Nasdaq to buy Sweden's OMX for $3.7 billion.

5. Jim Rogers talks about investing in China, Japan, and commodities.

6. Another hedge fund manager goes public: FT Alphaville on the IPO of Platinum Asset Management and founder Kerr Neilson, the "Warren Buffett of Australia".

7. Reuters on Britian's "surveillance society".

8. Bloomberg discusses a row over Okinawan history during the second World War.

9. Archaeologists struggle to uncover the secrets and treasures of an Aztec emporer's tomb, as Mexico City bustles overhead.

10. Michael Steinhardt discusses the rise, and coming fall, of contemporary art prices.

11. Fintag and Dealbook on the biggest hedge funds. It turns out many are housed in the walls of "bulge-bracket" investment banks.

12. "Paul had a point". Reason Magazine asks, "Non-interventionists have been remarkably prescient. So why are they still shunted to the fringe?". (Ron Paul vs. Rudy Giuliani).

13. FT Alphaville discusses, "Sovereign wealth funds and the $2,500 billion question".

14. An interesting profile of hedge fund manager Bruce Kovner from New York Magazine that I missed the first time around. Thanks to Naked Shorts for the pointer.

15. Hans Sennholz says, "Money is Flooding the World Markets".

16. Niklas Zennstrom, co-founder and CEO of Skype, talks with FT.com's "View from the Top" about Skype's marriage with eBay, entrepreneurship, and new user-generated content. Parts 1 & 2.

Enjoy!