Diamonds & the RIAA

eaglebtc writes "After reading the previously-posted article on cdfreaks.com about the rapid erosion of cheap CDR's, I found another equally scintillating write-up about the economics of music CDs written by Richard Menta, founder of MP3 Newswire. Sure, we've all heard the whining about how CDs are so expensive, but Mr. Menta takes a unique perspective on the issue by comparing the RIAA to DeBeers. He argues that both companies control distribution of products in their respective markets with an iron fist, and by so doing can artificially raise prices. Coincidentally, the bubble is beginning to burst in both markets: the RIAA is fighting against the uprisings of P2P software, and the diamond cartel's lawyers are losing sleep over the $5 diamonds produced in a lab."

The names may change, but

[teamhasnoi]

no matter. DeBeers will try and lobby a solution to protect their market.

If that doesn't work, I predict that your fiance will be expecting a new 'Mars rock' ring, and NASA will finally be able to finance that trip to the moon they've been faking^W talking about.

What to get that special someone

[pagluy]

The latest Metallica wrapped in a box of of lab fabricated diamonds. Total cost? $100 Having your headbanging girlfriend love you forever? Priceless

Darn

[Stargoat]

I knew I should have waited two more years before getting engaged!

Dogbert at the jewellery store

[Jucius Maximus]

Dogbert: So you're telling me that if I give you thousands of dollars, you'll give me a pebble you found on the ground?
Store Owner: These are not just ordinary rocks! They're precious and virtually priceless diamonds!
Dogbert: That's only because you chose to restrict the supply.
Store Owner: Ok Ok you figured us out. I'll give you a bag of diamonds if you'll keep quiet.

(Dogbert walking away with a bag of diamonds)

Dogbert: Well now I'm a party to this dirty little secret...

Modern indie music and synthetic diamonds

[Anonymous Coward]

both are made under several tons of intense electric and heavy metal presure ;-)

Re:Labor Of Love

[Gothmolly]

I've had plenty of chicks ready and willing to accept my seed after $10 worth of cheap vodka. All you diamond buyers are suckers.

of diamonds and women

[civilengineer]

Among non-living things, the best carbon based object is considered to be diamond. Among living things (which are mostly carbon based) women are considered best. (It seems that's the reason women like diamonds so much.)

Artificial diamonds are here. When are artificial women coming up?

Taco needed $5 Diamonds

[capedgirardeau]

About a year ago as I recall :)

Antoher reason I am glad I have ducked the marriage bullet to this point.

(honestly it wasnt that hard, I am a geek after all)

Cheers

Re:Labor Of Love

[oliphaunt]

What I'd like to see is a return to the days where women came with a dowry. Yes, I'll still buy her a ring that costs $X,000 and her parents will still spend $YZ,000 on a fancy wedding- but they will also give ME a check for $50,000 because they don't have to support her any longer.

Or if not a check, at least some cattle or some other form of livestock.

If the engagement ring is two months' salary, the dowry should be 20% of the value of the parents' net worth.

Re:Labor Of Love

[Anonymous Coward]

I've seen your women, they are the livestock

Ha ha

[FifteenSquids]

Some sucka I work with just dropped 25 large on a diamond for his woman. I'll have to forward the diamond story and see if I can hear his weeping through the office wall. heh

The RIAA dream.

[hndrcks]

"You should spend about a month's salary on the next Britney Spears album."

Re:Labor Of Love

[wwest4]

yeah, because the whole point of getting married, for men, is in-house pussy.

sheesh.

Re:They aren't so worried about $5 synthetics

[zeroclip]

Here on slashdot we read the article before making a coomm.. oh uh.. no thats right.

Re:Taco needed $5 Diamonds

[El]

Pretty easy to duck bullets when nobody's shooting anywhere even remotely near you...

I want a diamond cd!

[Stonent1]

Since diamonds can be produced cheaply according to the previous article. I want a cd made of a solid piece of diamond. Then I'll never have to worry about scratches again. And if I wanted, I could sharpen the edge and flex my l33t ninja skillz!

Re:The names may change, but

[randyest]

so then, if you choose to marry a boy, any one will do? ;)

Re:Labor Of Love

[MKalus]

MMMhh, so it is Hollywood + DeBeers + Hallmark == Evil Empire?

And there I thought it was Microsoft ;)

I told a girl once, while living in the States, the only thing she could expect from me is an onion ring, after all it at least has nutrional value.

One Week Only!!

[PetoskeyGuy]

Does your Cartel seem destined to fail in future markets. It's time you learned how to succeed. The Very Successful Drug Cartels will be having a convention this fall. Don't let your Cartel go the way of the Railroad Express!

Choose any of these great topics...
... Extortion
... Bribery
... Price Fixing
... Secret Pricing
... Lobbying
... Obtaining cheap 3rd World Labor
... Becoming a government monopoly

and for the truly abitious
... Murder, Mayhem and Intimidation
... Finding the trouble makers
... Going Multi-National
... End Competition for Good!

Sign up now for priority seating. Check our some of our current well known registered participants.

Music - RIAA
Video - MPAA
Diamonds - DeBeers
Oil - OPEC

Don't start a Cartel without checking out this conference. Only one Cartel per Industry please.

Give a RIAA CD to your girlfriend...

[leoboiko]

...because copyrights are forever!

Upgrade to a Stepford 9000!

[RatBastard]

You, sir, look like the man who would emjoy the benefits of the new Stepford 9000! She's more customizable than the 7000 or 8000 series - all aspects of appearance can be modified to a wide variety of configurations. From tall and buxum to short and muscular and everything in between! With new patented No-Sass circuitry she won't ever cop an "attitude", unless you want her to. New to the Stepford 9000 series: she's compatible with your entertainment center's universal remote control!

Re:Labor Of Love

[Jucius Maximus]

"MMMhh, so it is Hollywood + DeBeers + Hallmark == Evil Empire"

Axis of Evil ;-)

Re:Labor Of Love

[Syrrh]

Consumer, report yourself to mental reprogramming IMMEDIATELY.

Next thing we know, you'll be basing your ring-buying habits on something outrageous like appearance. Who wants a tasteful, personalized piece when you could spend an equal fortune on an enourmous 4-carat that looks like a big shiny fishing lure?

Re:Labor Of Love

[DickBreath]

The whole point of diamonds is their expensiveness itself. Your bride wants you to spend a lot of money committing to her so she can trust you: she wants to know that you'll be around to help raise the kid before she accepts your seed. Cheap diamonds completely miss the point.

Talk about illogical nonsense.

If you spend a fortune on a diamond so that you can be in the poor house when it comes to raising the kids, does this make sense? Or would you rather have a $5 piece of rock and lots of other money to invest in raising offspring.

(Personal opinion follows, not for flames...) This is the kind of thinking I expect from females. It is part of their master plan to remove all joy from the universe.

Re:The names may change, but

[Anonymous Coward]

Try any of the following:
1) Local chapter of ACLU
2) Local Amnestry group
3) Local artist or arts school
4) Any town with a healthy population of liberals

Maybe it's just me, but I assumed the original poster also wanted his potential fiancee to be intelligent and personable.

misunderstanding...

[gosand]

I've had plenty of chicks ready and willing to accept my seed after $10 worth of cheap vodka. All you diamond buyers are suckers.

"Fuck off, loser" doesn't mean they are ready and willing to accept your seed(ling).

Re:The names may change, but

[TrevorB]

I just wondered what the reaction would be if I got a baby seal head stuffed and mounted on a ring, and wear it around on my hand, saying "Look what I got! Is isn't it gorgeous! And it's so big!

Would get a little heavy after a while.

Where to place the overpriced CD's

[Darth Hubris]

I saw the title and immediately thought: If you shoved the overpriced CD's up the RIAA's asses, in a week you'd get diamonds.

De Beers losing its monopoly?

[chazzf]

Do you hear that really loud grinding? That's Cecil Rhodes [wikipedia.org] spinning in his grave.

No, wait, that's the new diamond-based cd copy protection shredding my drive. Damn...

Re:Labor Of Love

[Anonymous Coward]

Cool, now I can get the Diamond Music on CD and listen to it while I RTFA on diamonds and CDs.

Ah Family Guy

[Anonymous Coward]

Diamonds: she'll pretty much have to.

Re:They aren't so worried about $5 synthetics

[mcgroarty]

Dude, I've listened to Jewel, and she is not worth it.

Re:Labor Of Love

[Anonymous Coward]

Take it from a married guy. You DON'T get sex after marrage. I was heard a story that went, "Put a marble in a jar every time you have sex before marrage. Once married, take a marble out every time you have sex. By the time you die, you will still have marbles in the jar."

Re:The names may change, but

[Casca]

Those are all excellent places to try, except all those girls already have girlfriends.

Re:Labor Of Love

[oliphaunt]

Your point is well taken- why waste a huge wad of cash on a few trasient moments when you could take that money and use it as a down payment on a house? Weddings can be very expensive now, but I mean a dowry IN ADDITION to the wedding. Think about it- what does a wedding involve? Lots of flowers, girls in dresses, guys in suits, and the family gets to catch up on all the gossip. Who is this party really for?

Just like the ring, it's really for the bride. And her mother. I could give a shit whether there are three or four bridesmaids, or whether we have fish AND chicken and steak, or just the fish and steak choices at the reception. I just don't care which table uncle Leon sits at. If you as a parent choose to blow a wad of cash on your daughter's wedding, don't pretend for one SECOND that the groom derives any value from the event.

This is a party you are throwing for your daughter, which is very nice of you. It is not an acceptible substitute for the dowry I deserve-- as compensation for the service I've done you by taking your daughter off your hands.

And stop eating too!

[raehl]

I refuse to eat food, because the agricultural subsidies that prop up the US food market keep the rest of the world in abject poverty.