Chuck Steak

Looking for Opportunities in an Irrational Market Place

Alue: "I have a hard time putting my money where my mouth is."

If you were, and still are, so certain that your macro view is correct, then why weren't you/ aren't you shoveling all your money into shorting the market??? If you really believe what you say, then your lack of decisive actions backing your beliefs makes no sense at all.

Talk is cheap....

Blue Nile: Diamonds Are Not Forever

From the Blue Nile website:

The Blue Nile Position on Conflict Diamonds

Blue Nile, along with the global diamond industry, has a zero-tolerance policy toward conflict diamonds. Through measures such as the Kimberley Process, which tracks diamonds from mine to market, the industry in partnership with the United Nations, governments, and non-governmental organizations, polices diamond exports to prevent the trade of illegal diamonds.

At Blue Nile, we only purchase diamonds through the largest and most respected suppliers who, like us, proudly adhere to and enforce the standards established by the Kimberley Process. All Blue Nile diamonds are warrantied to be conflict free. If one of our suppliers was ever found to be in violation of that process, we would immediately sever that relationship. We will continue to support and promote any process that works to uphold legitimacy in the diamond trade.

Diamonds are mined throughout the world, including major mines in Australia, Africa, Russia and Canada. Diamonds are a major source of good in many African nations, employing and providing healthcare to thousands. For more information on this issue, please visit DiamondFacts.org.


Blue Nile supports the Kimberley process, which is an International process to track and certify diamonds. In April 2003, congress and President Bush passed a law adopting the Kimberley Process that requires all US diamond retailers to buy diamonds from manufacturers who have documentation warranting that the merchandise was obtained through legitimate channels. Today, the US Customs Service actively enforces the Kimberley Process requirements as diamonds enter American ports. For further information, please read the White House statement on the passage of this law.

On Dec 02 09:03 AM sstro wrote:

> Diamonds are pretty and sparkly and we have been ingrained to believe
> the bigger the diamond the more we love someone. Well the next time
> you look at that rock on someones finger try looking into it's past
> and see who's blood,sweet, tears and possibly the lose of their life
> made it possible. Diamonds might have sentimental value but you will
> rarely get back what you paid. Price fixing and slave labor is what
> gives diamonds their value.

New Technology Makes Natural Gas a Viable Replacement for Oil

Thank you for your response(s), Fred Banks. If you believe that NG prices will eventually escalate, does it stand to reason that in spite of whether the US does or doesn't become a major exporter of gas, it would still appear that NG E&D companies such as Chesapeake make attractive long-term investments?

New Technology Makes Natural Gas a Viable Replacement for Oil

Fred Banks, I'm curious -- what is your reasoning in saying that you aren't bullish on the future of natural gas?

New Technology Makes Natural Gas a Viable Replacement for Oil

Very informative article. "Natural gas is the only viable long-term energy solution for transportation." Perhaps Detroit automakers will finally begin to figure out that natural gas vehicles are the next big thing.

S&P 500 Energy Stocks

I agree with you, don2m. Your investment idea seems like a good idea.


Will you loan me the money to try it?