Buck the trend! Remember Brave New World? "Ending is better than mending" was not supposed to be the prime directive in an instruction manual...
Buy phones with either removable or easily replaceable batteries and upgradable storage. Buy "pro quality" laptops that are modular and can be upgraded, not consumer-quality "Surface" or "Macbook" junk that's glued together. Or use a desktop. This kind of stuff can last 5-10 years -- throwing it away after a year or two is stupid and environmentally nasty.
I know all this. But the "enemy" in this case is more like a boring uncle. It's not worth the time and aggravation listening to their inane yammering:D
Brilliant about the credit:D
Also, 1ct is actually pretty big. Average ring size in Europe and poorer US states is like 0.5ct -- it's only in NYC and California where average > 1 ct.
So buy one for pennies at a pawnshop or estate sale and tell your kids it's an "heirloom" from Great Uncle Olaf when he got married in 1932. Pass it down:D
Not crap. The definition was just too narrow. The "legitimate" diamonds mined in apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia were ALSO blood diamonds. They supported a bloody, abusive system.
Cut the cord to the "news" too -- it's mostly talking heads yammering on about crime and death. Gore sells, but fear also pushes the US towards "law and order". Don't be part of the mass incarceration system by enabling "news" reporters to spread fear.
It would be just terrible if the South African government fell and those warehouses ended up looted... sweet, sweet karma. Shame it didn't happen around 1990, in fact.
Good for you. Your success probably has to do with other factors, not paying a bunch of fucking thieves in South Africa thousands because "society" says you should do so.
Better yet, what about diamonds literally made of part of the husband's penis? "Look honey, I gave up the remainder of my foreskin to make this ring for you!"
It would be ironic if the non-carbon impurities in monkeyshit actually made diamonds of a brilliant and exotic color, otherwise unattainable. Think of Kopi Luwak -- maybe they'd be equally valuable.
People who've lived outside the US and/or have actually done work for social justice abroad are interesting as compared to cookie-cutter Americans who can't see past the ends of their noses.
Clearly you need to date either: (1) European women who give less of a fuck about marriage in general and its trappings. Cohabitation and low-key civil weddings are quite common. (2) Enlightened women who care about social justice issues, and maybe have been to Africa and seen the corrosive effects of the industry:D
Why sacrifice? Why not do things that are enjoyable to the both of you? Hedonism > Self-flagellation. The price of an average American wedding + ring pays for a nice trip around the world for two.
The diamond industry for wedding rings is bullshit -- it was created in by US advertisers in the 1930s to prop up South Africa's failing economy. Don't buy into the hype. Real or synthetic, it's still BS.
Give a nice wedding ring, but not expensive. Maybe something that's been in the family for a few generations. Doesn't have to be diamond either -- non-diamond engagement rings are quite common outside the US.
Power to tax is power to destroy. Let's destroy it, even if it costs US CE jobs. Long term impact on the environment is more important than short term jobs.
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Buck the trend! Remember Brave New World? "Ending is better than mending" was not supposed to be the prime directive in an instruction manual...
Buy phones with either removable or easily replaceable batteries and upgradable storage. Buy "pro quality" laptops that are modular and can be upgraded, not consumer-quality "Surface" or "Macbook" junk that's glued together. Or use a desktop. This kind of stuff can last 5-10 years -- throwing it away after a year or two is stupid and environmentally nasty.
Do your part in ending planned obsolescence.
What about the current "raw water" fad?
Toxoplasma Cola?
I know all this. But the "enemy" in this case is more like a boring uncle. It's not worth the time and aggravation listening to their inane yammering :D
Brilliant about the credit :D
Also, 1ct is actually pretty big. Average ring size in Europe and poorer US states is like 0.5ct -- it's only in NYC and California where average > 1 ct.
So buy one for pennies at a pawnshop or estate sale and tell your kids it's an "heirloom" from Great Uncle Olaf when he got married in 1932. Pass it down :D
Not crap. The definition was just too narrow. The "legitimate" diamonds mined in apartheid South Africa and Rhodesia were ALSO blood diamonds. They supported a bloody, abusive system.
This is actually a big advantage if you're BUYING a ring. Why does anyone have to know where/how you got it?
One can only hope -- organized religion has been a cause of a lot of pointless war and suffering.
Cut the cord to the "news" too -- it's mostly talking heads yammering on about crime and death. Gore sells, but fear also pushes the US towards "law and order". Don't be part of the mass incarceration system by enabling "news" reporters to spread fear.
It would be just terrible if the South African government fell and those warehouses ended up looted... sweet, sweet karma. Shame it didn't happen around 1990, in fact.
Good for you. Your success probably has to do with other factors, not paying a bunch of fucking thieves in South Africa thousands because "society" says you should do so.
Why not pass one through the family? Whatever blood spilled has already been spilt, you're not harming anyone additional.
Better yet, what about diamonds literally made of part of the husband's penis? "Look honey, I gave up the remainder of my foreskin to make this ring for you!"
It would be ironic if the non-carbon impurities in monkeyshit actually made diamonds of a brilliant and exotic color, otherwise unattainable. Think of Kopi Luwak -- maybe they'd be equally valuable.
People who've lived outside the US and/or have actually done work for social justice abroad are interesting as compared to cookie-cutter Americans who can't see past the ends of their noses.
And thus, such things can be used as a test of whether one really wants to spend their life with someone else...
The story would be funnier if the little ring in the box didn't fit the blushing bride... OOPS!
Clearly you need to date either: :D
(1) European women who give less of a fuck about marriage in general and its trappings. Cohabitation and low-key civil weddings are quite common.
(2) Enlightened women who care about social justice issues, and maybe have been to Africa and seen the corrosive effects of the industry
Considering their past association with propping up apartheid and a generally evil South African government, yep, let 'em fail.
Why sacrifice? Why not do things that are enjoyable to the both of you? Hedonism > Self-flagellation. The price of an average American wedding + ring pays for a nice trip around the world for two.
Plastic would scratch and go milky relatively quickly. But yeah, there are more interesting (and cheaper) gems than diamonds.
The diamond industry for wedding rings is bullshit -- it was created in by US advertisers in the 1930s to prop up South Africa's failing economy. Don't buy into the hype. Real or synthetic, it's still BS.
Give a nice wedding ring, but not expensive. Maybe something that's been in the family for a few generations. Doesn't have to be diamond either -- non-diamond engagement rings are quite common outside the US.
Open your minds.
Power to tax is power to destroy. Let's destroy it, even if it costs US CE jobs. Long term impact on the environment is more important than short term jobs.
I'd rather join Planned Parenthood and help your daughter get her tubes tied ;)