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The Diamond Age
bigner writes "The new diamond age is here and will revolutionize the computer industry. Diamonds show amazing potential as a superior semiconductor."
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So now computers can get me laid!!!
Just another day in Paradise
Stop turning /. into a Wired repeater service.
Microsoft is a kid learning in the monopoly game. Imagine them buying arms to insure that India invades Pakistan with the promise of a law to force Windows on all PC in both countries. That's what is going on in the Diamond industry. (I hope Bill is not reading this).
I am hoping for years that artificial diamonds floods the market.
I saw in a documentary in 1997. The color is what they could not remove (mainly yellow).
But still the Diamond industry (read De Beers with 98% of the world market for jewelry diamonds, 75% of total market by value) was trying to push hard to make these "illegal", by forcing some laser markings in the factory, permit to produce and all kinds of hurdles. When it failed (totally impractical, and government don't give a F about De Beers), they thought about marking their own "natural" diamonds, but that would mean loosing the huge market of illegal/smuggling diamond rings, and the best money laundering system in the world with strong ties to arms smuggling (and a lot more).
No way the diamond industry would do that, how would they pay Sierra-Leone and it's neighbors to wage war to insure the flow of diamonds? In the 80's De Beers gave arms to both sides in Sierra-Leone against promises for years of diamond exploitation without tax. No matter who wins, they had their diamonds. The whole geopolitics instability is good for the circulation of diamonds, insuring no local laws (not for long anyway).
The few scandals in the oil market are nothing compared to the diamond industry (except for the amounts of money involved of course). Each time I hear about bringing justice in an oil rich country I think of these African soils "owned" by De Beers, with the population kept in war and poverty for the riches of the De Beers owners.
Note: De Beers are not allowed to do business in the US because of their monopole, but nothing is done to stop the flow of diamonds by De Beers "independent" representatives to cross the border every day from western Canada.
De Beers started the whole and "If he loves you he will buy you a diamond" and "A Diamond is (love) forever" in early 1900. Now people believe that a diamond ring goes down ages back. Not true at all, a gold ring for both husband and bride was the norm.
... aren't you amazed at the quantity of people who say "Damn de Beers and their blood diamonds! I will never support a company like that!" and are still dressed in Nike shoes, Adidas shorts and t-shirt and Calvin Klein underwear? (I have to admit taking a shot at Calvin Klein is gratuitous and maybe they really do have good working environments, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't)