Abstract The paper refers to a well-known advertisement from the diamond industry which emphasizes that diamonds are forever, but the marketing may be superfluous because the demand for diamonds in the United States remains strong today. The paper notes that many observers, though, suggest that the diamond industry in the United States is being manipulated by international terrorist organizations to fund their operations at home and abroad. Others suggest that the market is being unfairly controlled by the major players in the diamond industry to keep supplies low to maintain current pricing levels. The paper provides the background and an overview of the global diamond industry, followed by some salient facts concerning this industry. The paper discusses the most and least dominant firms (in terms of size, investments and income) in the diamond industry which is followed by an analysis of how major players in the industry collude to keep diamond supplies on the world market low and prices high. A summary of the research and important findings are presented in the conclusion.
Outline:
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Facts about the International Diamond Industry
Most and Least Dominant Firms in the Diamond Industry
Conclusion
From the Paper " The Central Selling Organization (CSO) buys the rough from mines owned or controlled by De Beers, from cartel members, and also from independent producers. As a result, much of world production flows through the CSO to be sorted, valued, and ultimately resold" . By sharp contrast, perhaps the least dominant firm in the diamond industry, especially in the United States, is the Crater of Diamonds State Park located in near Murfreesboro, Arkansas, the only diamond mine in the country that allows the public, for a modest price, to dig for and keep the diamonds they find. Other firms in the United States involved in the diamond industry include the New York Diamond Dealers Club, which is a 2000-member private organization for site holders, manufacturers, wholesalers, and brokers".
Abstract This paper examines the development of the use of synthetic diamonds as gemstones, rather than primarily for industrial purposes. The paper approaches this issue from several angles. These include the current nature of the market and the demand for synthetics, the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) manufacturing process and the differences between these and natural diamonds.
From the Paper "Synthetic diamonds, according to some, represent the future of the diamond industry, if not in whole then at least in part. The demand for diamonds combined with rising costs has caused manufacturers and consumers to look for other options to meet their fine gemstone needs. Simply put, there are only so many natural diamonds to go around. As a material, diamonds take an exceedingly long time for nature's pressures to create. Synthetic diamonds offer the possibility of diamond production on demand, rather than an industry that is subject entirely to the whims of mining and the possibility of unearthing new stores of this finite limited resource. Demand for diamonds in general is up, even though supplies of the gem have dropped significantly. The result is excellent market conditions for the viable emergence of a synthetic diamond industry."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the elements in the story, "The Diamond Necklace", and how the author defines the concept of quality.
From the Paper "Guy De Maupassant's short story ?The Diamond Necklace,? revolves around the character Mrs. Loisel's perception of quality, both symbolically and literally. Mrs. Loisel's vanity and her love of beautiful things creates an ironic situation in which she and her husband end up paying a huge price for a beautiful necklace that is practically worthless. Through the literary elements of setting, character, and symbol, De Maupassant poses the argument that human avarice and desire blind people to genuine quality, superiority, and excellence. An examination of the elements in "The Diamond Necklace" supports this argument. "
Abstract This paper summarizes the book Jared Diamond"s "Collapse". The author explores some of the examples of social collapse presented. The paper argues that the book falls short by failing to consider other possible causes of social collapse besides environmental disaster.
From the Paper "As the keyword of its title suggests, this book deals with the catastrophic collapse of societies. Specifically, it deals with collapse ..."
This paper discusses that throughout Western Africa the quest for diamonds has caused civil wars and affected the stability of many governments and their economies.
Abstract The paper discusses the battles over diamonds in the Western Africa nations especially the civil wars in Angola, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The paper points out that many African countries especially Botswana, the world's largest diamond producer, have avoided the diamond wars and developed a prosperous economy fuelled by diamonds. The author states that world governments and organizations, diamond traders, financial institutions, arms manufacturers, social and educational institutions, human rights groups and celebrities are combining their efforts to demand the strict enforcement of sanctions and encourage peace in Africa.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Competing for Diamonds Would-Be Success of Diamond Countries
Fighting the Rebels
Conclusion
From the Paper "National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), a rebel group, has been in constant conflict with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola ( MPLA) for about twenty years. These two groups have created a civil war in Angola as both groups fight for control of the country. As a result, the country is covered in land mines that kill many innocent people on a daily basis. Still UNITA refuses to relinquish diamond mines to the MPLA government and the country remains in a dangerous civil war."
Abstract This paper explains that synthetic diamonds have the same unique qualities as natural diamonds, hardness, density, superlative strength, and thermal conductivity. The author points out that synthetic diamonds are created in a laboratory, avoiding the high costs of mining, transportation, foreign taxes, and tariff issues. The paper relates that the future of synthetic diamonds is limitless, especially their use as radiation sensors, light emitters, and unwettable coatings.
From the Paper "In addition to the time saved, there is also a cost issue. Natural diamonds are produced in a limited number of countries, including Australia, Botswana, Russia, and Congo Republic. There is only one mine found in the United States. Since Americans are the consumers of over 50 percent of the world's diamonds, this produces a costly problem. The costs of mining in foreign countries are high. According to De Beers mine, a leading producer of natural diamonds in South America, 250 tons of ore would need to be excavated to find one stone that would be large enough to equal a one-carat diamond."
This paper is a literature review to answer the question: "Does diamond advertising lead to civil strife that damages international relations and causes vast amounts of human suffering"?
Abstract This paper explains that advertising contributes to the conditions that cause prices to increase, making diamonds ever more valuable for clandestine transactions among the world's criminals and terrorists. The author points out that the media is responsible for carrying the messages that create the demand; the mine owners create the profit motive. The paper concludes that, even though diamonds reach the consumer via a number of criminal, corrupt, or terrorist individuals or organizations, De Beers's advertising is at the root of the civil wars, international ill will, and maiming and murdering of civilians, which happens in the countries that produce at least the so-called ?blood diamonds?.
From the Paper "It was noted in the introduction that De Beers conducted an advertising campaign to decrease the number of those "forever" gemstones available for resale from family treasures, as well as using advertising worldwide to increase demand. This article contends that De Beers, which had been directly involved in Sierra Leone until the 1980s, did much more to control the prices paid for diamonds, which would in turn control the lengths people would go to in order to obtain them. After the beginning of the Sierra Leone civil wars, De Beers "its attempts to mop up supplies everywhere in the world, De Beers not only sustained the artificially high price of diamonds, it also undoubtedly bought diamonds from war zones"."
Abstract This paper discusses how J. Sorie Conteh's novel "The Diamonds" examines the real, economic impact of the stone upon recent history and the story that lies behind the diamond's glittering surface.
It looks at how the story is set in the African region of the Sierra Leone and how Conteh portrays a world of great misery caused by the pursuit of diamonds in this region. It shows how eventually, rather than resulting in prosperity, the devotion of the inhabitants of the region fall into a profound state of personal and social dissolution.
From the Paper "The climax of the novel details Gibao's willingness to commit ritual murder to find out where the largest diamonds of the mine will lie. A local sorcerer who also profits off of the diamond industry in the Sierra Leone by fueling speculation in the hearts of the businessmen of the area, by telling their fortune and giving them tips about where to find the best jewels informs the too credulous Gibao that by committing this murder, he will be able to find the biggest diamonds. Superstitious rural farmer at heart that he is, Gibao is all too willing to believe the lies of the witch doctor."
Abstract The roots of diamond production in African colonial exploitation and expropriation are identified in this paper. Additionally, their current links to civil warfare are outlined: guerilla forces use diamonds to procure cash and cash to buy weapons.
Abstract This paper explains Jared Diamond's theme in his book that geography determines all of the differences between the world's societies. The author points out that, according to Diamond, geographic factors have been responsible for all historical developments. The paper describes such geographic factors as population size, the transfer of knowledge between continents, the availability of potential crops and domesticated animals and the orientation of continental axis to facilitate the spread of agriculture.
From the Paper "In the epilogue of "Guns, Germs and Steel", Yali asks Jared Diamond, "Why is it that you white people developed so much cargo and brought it to New Guinea, but we black people had little cargo of our own?" This question is answered by Diamond through the theme of his book, for according to Diamond, geography determines all of the differences between the world's societies. Population size in civilizations and diffusion between continents have been determining factors, as the geography of Yali's homeland demonstrates, for it imposed isolation from the rest of civilization and kept the population low, which resulted in a primitive culture in which material progress was not valued or pursued."
Abstract This paper examines Fred Wah's bio-fiction work, "Diamond Grill." It describes how Wah's words and ideas challenge binaries and how he reflects on his multicultural heritage throughout the book. The paper also questions why deconstructing oppositional thinking is important and discusses this in the context of Wah's work, "Diamond Grill."
From the Paper "One must deconstruct oppositional thinking and analyze whether one can be both taken at face value based only on their individual person (regardless of race), and at the same time still champion a love for one's racial origin. Wah asks, "Why deny the immigrant his or her real world?" (125) and, at the same time, rejects society's ideal of what his family's "residue" must be: "Sorry, but I'm just not interested in this collective enterprise erected from the sacrosanct great railway imagination dedicated to harvesting a dominant white cultural landscape" (ibid). Again, even Wah admits it is difficult to loosen oneself from the bias that directs us to categorize people based on their race. The author himself notices glimpses of Chinese in his children's body posture, and searches for the hint of the "Nordic gloom" in their countenances (133). His brother Donnie is "the blondest Asian in our family" (140), "too blond to be the best Chinese cook in the family" (ibid). This is a bit of comic rhetoric on behalf of the writer: it is difficult to rid ourselves of these illusions, as society imputes them on a continual basis."
Abstract This paper provides an analytical and critical review of the article, "How Community Institutions Create Economic Advantage: Jewish Diamond Merchants in New York" by Barak D. Richman. The writer explains that the article provides a deep insight into the highly complex world of diamond industry and its historical background, and discusses its main arguments and questions some of them. Non-economic factors affecting economic exchange are discussed as being of particular importance in this industry. This paper contains MLA-style footnotes but does not include a works cited page.
From the Paper "The specificity of participants is the first argument put forward in answering this question. They all belong to the system called "the F-connection" (family and friends (i.e. community) members). The Jewish communities were historically predetermined to engage in the diamond trade, since due to their continuing prosecution in earlier times they had to be able to easily transport their assets, and engage in professions with portable inventories. Their dominance and success in the diamond trade is explained by the author through a competitive advantage of the Jews in organizing diamond transactions more effectively than their potential rivals."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the themes in the two stories, "Othello" and "The Diamond Necklace" focusing on price, avarice, greed, and jealousy.
From the Paper "On a deeper level, De Maupassant is arguing that all that glitters is not gold. He is saying that we humans need to learn the difference between the excellence and superiority of the quality life, and the glittery flash of fake values and appearances. In the play "Othello" by William Shakespeare, the main character goes through a similar loss because his pride and vanity blind him to the reality of the world around him. "
Abstract This paper highlights the four main philosophies of the Diamond Sutra:
1) Liberation
2) Newton's Third Law
3) Perception of Attributes
4) "Swwshowing the Way"
The paper is built around various quotes from the sutra. An explanation for each quote is given, and the quotes are studies for what light they shed on Buddhist teachings.
From the Paper "This passage is meant to expand the reader's understanding of the multitude of creatures that must be liberated in Buddhist culture. By including all of these categories, the reader can easily understand that humans are not the only creatures that this text must be applied to. Instead, it can be applied to all creatures that are born. This group includes, but is not limited to: bugs, fish, elephants, mice, as well as humans. It also includes creatures that can think and ones that do not have the ability to think at all. No matter how many beings there are, they must all be liberated."
