Lucy Is A Vampire.
 

So you're saying she's in the sky in her bat form?

This gets Subject Line of the Week Award!

Haven't I seen you someplace before?
 

You forgot the all-natural facial cleanser.

Isn't that ironic.

Socking (Yanking your chain for nearly three whole posts) Up

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Future tense? I must have missed the sly subtext of your "Fuck me" post.

I'll forego the obvious "see above" response because I genuinely like you (chorus: "Awwwwwww!" ). Don't give up - keep trying with the wordplay, the subtlety (and dare I say it, the 'irony'), just for the sheer joy of it. At least one person out there appreciates it.

CDF (let's all give a big shout out to fringey's Mom. Hi, Mom!)

(Edited to say: Nice "Lucy is a Vampire" re: line. This is the kind of quality stuff we need more of.)

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Bangladesh is another popular point of origin for rubies (or so says my friend in the biz...). don't know the working conditions of the Bangladeshis, but don't imagine they're much better.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

As PLF is off his game lately, many of us have dared to say irony, with nary a meow. Something is wrong around here.

Plus, all this talk of diamonds, and no KOO KOO sock.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Sorry, that's my pathetic schtick today.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Obviousness didn't pay off so I gave it up. So to speak.

Are you telling me I'm no longer funny? Crap. Maybe it's time for another vacation.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Again, that is NOT BLOOD, it's dirt and misery. So many products are stained with dirt and misery that I've given up on trying to avoid them. Rugs, clothes, furniture, memos . . . probably also some types of electronics. Other products are ruining the environment.

This is not only not funny, but depressing. I should take a break. Ironic, no?*

*I realize there is no irony here, but I really wanted to say that. In fact, even more so because of the lack of irony.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

As far as I know, only diamonds are subject to hoarding and price fixing. But other subjective factors make gemstone pricing less than efficient. For example, a few years ago one of the few Tanzanite mines got flooded. Prices went nuts as people speculated on how long it would be until they were able to mine again, etc. As it was tanzanites had gone from "huh" to must have by virtue of being promoted on QVC/Home Shopping.

For an engagement ring, stone hardness is important. Diamonds are a 10 on the Mohs scale. Their durability is part of the appeal as an engagement ring stone -- it will hold up to daily wear through a 50+ year marriage. Rubies and sapphires are a 9 in hardness so they're pretty durable. I wouldn't call them "truly rare" but good color and quality, nice sized stones don't fall off the truck every day. Emeralds are softer, only a 7, and have internal flaws that can cause them to shatter. An emerald engagement ring setting would need to be designed to protect the stone.

Ruby or sapphire would be my call for a non-diamond engagement ring or emerald if she adores them but your friend would have to be careful with the setting or it won't hold up. Sapphires come in a wide range of colors (blue, green, yellow, pink, purple, orange) if she doesn't like blue.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Maybe the prancey kitty is bored. Or maybe he's moved on to new, inaccessible heights of subtle irony beyond the ken* of mere mortals. Who knows, he might even be employed.

CDF

(* but not Barbie - I saw "Legally Blonde," and I've embraced the Zen-like superiority of brainless blondes.)

Lucy Is A Vampire.
 

I think if you look into it even a little bit you'll find that there is plenty of blood shed and human rights violations occuring since the military/smugglers run this business in the area. I believe the Thai government actually granted immunity to one of the largest drug/jewel smugglers to allow for opening of the borders to trade - since the government couldn't get a part of the take if it was all going through smugglers. But plenty of people were killed for stealing from the smugglers and the government.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

I like pearls, probably because they are my birthstone, but also, because they are simple in appearance and not terribly flashy. Strangely, I do not have any. I used to have a pearl ring and I learned quickly they aren't good for every day wear, and wouldn't work well as an engagement ring.

I have a diamond, it's big enough it causes people's eyes to follow it around when I talk with my hands. It was my mom's. Before it was hers it was my grandmother's. It doesn't really matter that it is a diamond, just that my mom loved it and wore it. It reminds me of her, so I wear it.

I have learned a lot about it from E/O who, without ever seeing it was able to tell me a lot about my ring. That's a darn neat trick, E/O has my undying respect when it comes to such things.

I don't see wearing an engagement ring. When I find the right Mrs. Eaze I imagine I'll just wear a band of some kind.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Not at all. I was just giving you a hard time.

Time to go home - g'night, everybody.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

My apologies. Enjoy the schtick, pathetic though it may be. I'm going home.

Synthetic Diamonds
 

Another sad example of over-engineering in materials selection.