[SBeck]

For those of you who'd like to be absolutely amazed, read a little about the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn.

[Born to Conserve]

Diamonds are a big con. They have no value. Wearing them represents your stupidity.

Sell your diamonds now (for about 1/3 what you paid if you're lucky) before the price crashes.

[zeaal]

Fascinating read. Thank you for posting it.

[Dialup Llama]

Diamonds are preferred by terrorist and dictators hence they are called blood diamonds. Buy a diamond certified to be from North America. I think they are called polar diamonds.

[LarryLied]

Lev Leviev is a very religious man, a convinced follower of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and his movement. His businesses close on the Sabbath

Arkadi Gaidamak is a major player in Africa Israel. Africa Israel is largely controlled by one of the main shareholders in ASCorp--Lev Leviev. Gaidamak was the subject of a French arrest warrant and is the man who provided the GPS equipment used in the assassination of UNITA leader Savimbi in Angola (a man Reagan called a "Freedom Fighter"). Maurice Tempelsman, Jackie O's consort and a man alledged to have "dated" Madeleine Albright, runs the diamond show in Angola (he arraigned for oil leases for the Kennedy kids). He is a front for DeBeers in America. It is unlikely there is any competition with DeBeers. That is the last thing the industry wants. More information posted today here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/723695/posts

[KarlInOhio]

The diamond market must be stabilized in order for it to exist. If prices went down to a totally free-market level, they would become so cheap that nobody could afford to mine them or cut them.

That sounds very much like Yogi Berra. "Toots Shor's restaurant is so crowded nobody goes there anymore."