Here is a neat website.. there was another one I found too in some article.. but I didn't save it. http://bfads.net/

Bestbuy is selling DVD-Rs for 6.99 per 100 - thats pretty exciting. There are some good deals on monitors and stuff at a few different places too.. maybe this year I will pick up that 22 widescreen

I like the idea of getting stuff for cheap but lack the motivation to go out and try to fight others for it. =(

PREDICTION:

Some 80 year old lady is going to be surprised as she gets trampled to death, again, because people give more of a damn about a 10 dollar TV. The media picks it up and shoves it down our throats nearly rivaling the Paris Hilton coverage and in the end nobody will care.

Black Friday has, and always will be, a veritable orgy of capitalism.

I prefer doing my Christmas shopping from the warmth and comfort of my own home, online. Most of the deals I find online are as good as the ones that people are going out shopping at 4 AM for.

I always used gottadeal.com/blackfriday

Looks like your site is similar but maybe a little neater...

Thus far ive seen nothing i really want or want to get for xmas presents this year...

Last year was also pretty disappointing...

Typically i try and do all my xmas shopping on black friday(at least the major items) and pick up the little things later. Havent had much luck with that the past 2 years tho...

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My sig got eated by the bit bucket...
Fellenwhite Moonsong
Sixty-Something drunken freak of Lanys
Formerly known as:
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75 Gnomish Puppy kicker

I love Black Friday. You get to see people behave in ways you would never get to see them behave any other day.

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yeah but its a good inkling of what we'll get if civilization collapses.

Ive only done BF for about 5 years, but call me crazy, I havent seen any of the 'insane' things people are doing. I dont think ive found anyone fighting over the stuff in the aisles or even yelling at one another... Then again, i never go to walmart or something similar... I just see a shit-ton of lines and alot of the good stuff gone fast.

Maybe the media has you guys pinned on the bad minority percent of BF shoppers?

Bitch I'll kill you that's my waffle iron for $1.59.

Sam's club, the jewelry counter. Reliable entertainment every year. Free food, old ladies are held back until the counter opens (typically an hour after the store opens).... they hold small auctions, its great fun.

Sentance structure is for losers btw.

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It's jewelry from a Sam's Club. That should tell you everything you need to know about the quality of people who hang out in that area, holiday or no holiday...

Anyone who buys jewelery (regardless of the bullshit you're told at the counter) is a f'in sucker. Plain and simple.

er, that should say "at Sam's club" is a sucker. I think jewelery is ok, but diamonds and stones and such are bullshit.

Doesnt make it any less fun to watch than rasslin'

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Yeah, why is that?

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Why what? Why are they a sucker, or why are diamons and stones bullshit?

The latter.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Because they are shit grade diamonds that are about as equal in value as cubic zirconium would be my guess.

"This is my ring that Earl got me. He bought it from the Wal-Mart!"

I am sure it is every woman's dream to be able to tell that story.

Ah, I thought he meant all diamonds and stones were stupid, not specifically the ones from Sam's Club.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

No -- you're right Argrax, I do think all diamonds are stupid. Stones can be ok unless they're artificially pumped in value, too.

I won't explain but most of my reasoning can be abstracted from the following read...

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond

I like jewelery in general though.

As far as buying diamonds from Sam's Club... should be obvious. The quality is way lower than the quality you'd find in a specialty store. I mean, my belief is all diamonds are completely worthless, though there are varying degrees of how "quality" a diamond is.

If you're going to waste hard earned money (in most cases) -- you may as well do it on something that has clarity and brilliance to it.

I totally agree with Skycrasher. Of all the frivolous shit out there buying a rock made artificially rare to jack up the price, and then wearing it around your neck / on your finger / whatever is one of the more retarded things we do as a society.

The article ended with this:

So it's safe to assume that twenty years later, the 'apocalypse' of the diamond industry has come and gone?

...

Is an item intrinsically bad because it poses the risk of you getting ripped off? Just because you can pay double at Birks versus another vendor isn't the fault of the product, it's the fault of the consumer; it doesn't reduce the 'fire' of my own stone.

If an item is rare, it is desirable, it's human nature and I doubt anyone would dispute that. So what difference does it make if the rarity, to some degree (one I believe is increasingly small), is artificial? Is a Ferrari stupid because the production of them is capped? If you're going to make this argument, your closet best be full of generic clothing.

Fribur, why is wanting to wear something that has an amazing natural beauty, stupid?

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Diamonds are not worth what they're sold or portrayed as, that's the fundamental problem.

People will naturally want things that seem to be of value (when they're duped in to believing so.) or are rare. (when they're in fact not.) The diamond rarity is not "small" -- it's quite large and it's a controlled supply by one monopolizing company.

That's bad business, it's f'ing the consumers 7 ways from Sunday, and it's ridiculous that people think that diamonds are worth anything.

If it's about the look, you can get any exact copy of a diamond with the clarity and cut in a cubic zirconia. =)

Diamond slingers should rot in hell.

PS: You sound like a guy who has been forced to buy his fair share of diamonds.

If you want a diamond, buy one that is made by those compression machines. "Fake" diamonds, more like technologically sped-up diamonds.

So what are they worth than? Whether you choose to ignore it or not, diamonds are one of the most rare substances on earth with amazing mechanical properties. You make it sound as is diamonds were arbitrarily chosen to be the 'item' to revere, a laughable prospect; people love diamonds because they're beautiful, plain and simple.

Your article is over 25 years old, DeBeers is said to control less than 50% of the industry, I think it's time you move on.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Diamonds are worth ZERO. I'll never buy into the myth that they're rare (because they're not.)

Believe what you want -- at the end of the day you'll be the sucker paying 2 months worth of salary for a wedding ring that's worth 0$, not me. =) Doesn't bother me if you care or not. Ha.

No, it's not intrinsically bad for that reason.



Sure; I'll dispute that. There are all kinds of things out there that are rare and not necessarily desirable. 8-tracks are rare, for example, as are 8086 processors. Or, how about any of the elements above say... 100? Rarity doesn't automatically make something valuable, and I'm surprised you think it's that simple. Some things are rare because we don't want them.



Actually, my closet is generally full of generic clothing; thanks for assuming, though! :p. One of the differences between clothing and a rock, however, is that the clothing actually serves a purpose.

Trying to compare an intricate machine to a fucking rock is rather, stupid, too!



"Amazing natural beauty?" Lol-- I imagine most guys (and even many girls) don't give a rats ass about that "amazing natural beauty." In the end, it's a rock-- a rock, good sir. It wasn't even used as a traditional symbol of an engagement until recently (in human historical terms). The demand for this rock is entirely contrived, and I find it silly.

I have a lot of the same arguments about Christmas trees-- if you step back from all the cultural trappings involved, it's pretty dumb that for a month or two of the year we go cut down a tree, put gaudy shit all over it, set it in our living rooms, and stare at it while saying "ooooo pretty!" Silly, isn't it?

Such is social pressure...buy this shiny, transparent piece of rock, I swear it's worth $5,000!

maybe your definition of rare is different from mine. If i can buy it any day of the week at any hour (24hourwalmart), and have a huge selection to pick from.. well shit, that doesn't seem to fucking rare to me.

As for the black friday stuff, I have actually never participated in black friday anywhere. I doubt I will this year, I don't live near a best-buy anymore, if I did though, I would go get those DVDs.

If it weren't so close to christmas, I would buy myself a 22" widescreen monitor, but since it is, I have to save that money for the little jerkasses in my family.

oh, and I agree that gems are bullshit

copper is where its at =P

isn't this a repost from last year?

My definition of rare:

So I'm sorry Skycrasher, but you saying they're worth zero unfortunately doesn't make it true nor does it make for much of an argument; though I guess I should've known better. I don't like Guess jeans, they have little value to me, yet people still line up to buy them and so for me to suggest they have no value in light of that fact is just ignorant.


I'm willing to bet that there's a number of collectors that feel differently than you about 8-tracks and likely old computers as well. I'm not suggesting that a rare item must be valued equally by everyone, as you're implying, that's ludicrous. What I am stating is that if two similar items exist, one rare, one common, the rare one has more value.


Actually my comment was first directed and Skycrasher and second, not an assumption but a statement. That is, you can't make the argument against diamonds for it being artificial rare (supposedly) and wear namebrand clothes, that would be hypocritical. Thanks for assuming I was assuming though!

As for an intricate machine versus a rock being a stupid comparison, you clearly missed the point. Ferrari limits the amount of cars they produce to increase value, DeBeers limits the amount of diamonds they sell (again, supposedly) to increase value. Is the practice stupid or just good business? I'm certainly not kept awake at night, fearful that my stone will plummet in 'value' due to some rogue business flooding the market with them.


If you can look at a properly cut stone of good color and clarity and go, 'Meh', than good for you, you're in the minority. The whole, 'it's a rock' argument is also nonsense but I appreciate your contribution. What do you hold as valuable? For your sake, I hope nothing, otherwise I'll denigrate your statement with 'it's just plastic', or 'it's just metal', or 'it's just wood'.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Diamonds still are not rare, just because just not produced as much as iron ore, uranium, etc. Iron ore and uranium also aren't sold for tens of thousands of dollars either. As far as we know, there is an infinite supply of diamonds. How then, can they be rare? It hasn't been proven otherwise.

If there was an end in sight to diamond production (anytime in our lifetime, the next 200 years, the next 1000 years?) and sales then I guess they'd be rare. However, the fact remains that there is an abundant and ample supply to fill the demand, AND THEN SOME.

What do diamonds symbolize? Why?

If you asked the regular average joe on the street to look at a piece of cut of clear plastic in the shape of a diamond, or any other polished stone, they would not be able to tell the difference. So what does it matter to 99% of the population who isn't in the know about the quality of a rock if they have one, and what compels them to spend hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of dollars on them?

What can a diamond offer than a stone of similar qualities can not represent?

Diamonds are poised as if they're a rare material that is going the way of the do-do and that most certainly is NOT the case.

You'll never convince me otherwise, and I don't care if I convince you -- I'm fine with you wasting your money. =)

That right there, is a phenomenal argument, I'm going to leave that little gem be (no pun intended).


Not much else to say other than that you're repeating yourself; some people buy knockoffs (be it whatever product), people that can afford it, buy the real thing. Is the difference small, yes. Is the difference negligible, no.


I'm not seeing where anyone made this argument.


I think that's the definition of ignorance right there.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

That's fine. =)

You still can't tell me how diamonds are rare. Are they in danger of being depleted? Is there a shortage of them? Do they provide something that another stone or piece of plastic can't?

Answer those and I'd concede.

There is a giant Diamond in outer space. This truth cannot be denied, accoring to the BBC. He'res a link if you must be convinced. Say what you will but all the times are diamonds being made in our vast universe. Carbon and Fire, the pressure of a collapsing star creates the beauty of a million miles. Can you match that with your skepticism, Skycrawsherx? Nope.

Is there any other gem that is the product of a dying star in the vast cosmos that we inhabit but a small part? Cause if there is I would like to hear about it. How about Black Diamonds that are from supernovas that exploded into meteors and impacted our planet. That shit is hardcore not some pink opal shit. I'm a gem formed when a dinosaur peed into some shit and fuck dogs, that's what an emerald is called.

I would fuck every diamond in the world with my giant cock. Screw all hobo gems.

I'm with the douchenozzle on this one.

I recently came into possession of an item that I was told that the stones were diamonds. I did not believe it, I couldn't tell if they were real or not. My wife could not tell. She took it to where she works (waitress) and none of the other girls could tell if they were real. (I really thought those harpies could spot a fake a mile away)

Finally, she took the item to a jeweler where they burst into laughter the moment she brought it out of her purse.

Rare? Nah. Relatively rare compared to Oxygen? Sure I guess. There is other rare shit in this world we don't put any value on. But like DN said, there is no shortage, we aren't about to run out.. and since diamonds are "forever", we never will.

I'm on the skycrasher team this time and large reason is all the fucking horrible bling bling rap I hear all the damn time.

The lanys resident poor people brigade (surcam, dragguun the ultra miser) doesn't like an expensive thing? Big news in the world. Go back to eating your hamburger helpers and get off these real people forums.

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Seeing as how this was missed in grade school:

It's truly mind boggling how people are attempting to argue that diamonds aren't rare.

Though you guys definitely got me on the whole, "It's difficult to tell a real diamond from a fake diamond, therefore it can't have worth" as we all know that diamonds are the only 'precious' substance that's easily imitated.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

Nope.


Nope. Can be easily reproduced via plastics, and cubic zirconia.


Nope. Easily reproduced via plastics, and cubic zirconia.


Nope. 20+ tons are farmed EVERY SINGLE YEAR. They could farm 100 tons a year. What good would the business be if everyone knew they were farming 1000 tons a year? You have absolutely ZERO idea about how much is left. All we know is that there is literally TONS of it, and they're sold at an artifically higher rate than any other piece Ha.

You're wrong. I know that your dislike of me runs so deep that you can not possible at any cost be proven wrong by me, but, you are.

Diamonds are not rare. Diamonds are marketed as if they were. Diamonds have an increased artificial value / worth. In reality, diamonds are worth no more than a piece of gravel.

Jesus fuck you guys will fight about anything.

He's trying to get the best of me, and in every single thread he tries the same thing. He always has a retort (even if it's stating the same things over and over) and will try to bully others into conceding or stop posting, then he feels victorious. It's bullshit. Just look at his post history.

He's worse than I when it comes to arguing with people about stupid shit while being wrong -- still insisting he's right.

At any rate, he's wrong and should just accept the fact are not nearly as rare as they're portrayed to be and they're artificially inflated value/price-wise.

i dont think he understands what rare is.

If any of us can go buy one in the next 10min.. its not rare.. and we can. Bison meat is harder to find than a diamond.

and not only can we all go buy one, everybody here owns one, has bought one or knows somebody that has one. That just doesn't seem rare to me... Now maybe a yellow diamond is rare...

damn, I guess I should make a full post before I hit the button... but think about this: If diamonds are so rare and valuable, how come you can't sell a used one to save your fucking life. I mean, if you pawn a wedding set, they literally give you nothing for the diamond. These fuckers will even pay 1 dollar for a CD but your diamond isn't worth a dime. Whats up with that?

Plastics and cubic zirconia are not diamonds, the properties are markedly different so try again, better yet, don't.

Perhaps 20 tons seems like a lot to you, and I understand your inability to grasp the 'big picture' but relative to virtually all other mined, harvested and manufactured products, 20 tons isn't much.


What reason do I have to dislike you? After this thread, you seem fairly inept but that's hardly reason enough to genuinely dislike a person.

Beneath your ramblings and me having to state and restate brutally obvious things, there's a number of interesting arguments about and surrounding diamonds and much of the reason I posted in the first place. Alas we managed to skirt most of those with little hope of return, oh well.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

At least Hunter has brought something to the debate. You're just being insipid and belligerent.

Right. I'm inept. You keep saying the same thing but offer no rebuttal for my arguments. You're like a child yelling at a wall hoping something will change. Then when other people agree, and say "Yeah, you know what? Diamonds are pretty stupid, I wonder why people buy them?" you insist that you know for a fact!

"YOU KNOW WHAT, BY GOLLY DIAMONDS ARE OBJECTIVELY WORTH SOMETHING LIKE GOLD BULLION GOD DAMNIT! LISTEN TO MEEEEEEEE! WHY CAN'T YOU SEE IT? SOMETHING THAT IS HARVESTED EVERY YEAR OVER AND OVER WITH NO DEPLETION IN RESOURCES IS RARE!! IT'S FREELY AVAILABLE AND CAN BE BOUGHT (BUT NOT RE-SOLD) ANYTIME YOU WANT, BUT IT'S RARE!!!"

They could mine more diamonds if they wanted to. Ha. They just don't. Why? Because it keeps the myth perpetuating that they are something to be sought after because of their rarity.

It won't. Diamonds are worthless. People who buy them are suckers.

A real diamond offers nothing that a cubic zirconia or piece of plastic doesn't. Outside of the purchaser, who may or may not have been ripped off into buying a faux-diamond (they'd never know.), no one else on this f'in planet cares in the least, about that little polished rock hanging around their neck.

Diamonds are retarded. At least you could just admit it.

You know what's rare? Moon rocks!

The wiki on synthetic diamond is interesting - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_diamond

I read the one about cubic zirconium too... I always thought it was a man made diamond, but it is "diamond like" - not a lab grown diamond.. they have different properties.

You can polish quartz rock into a diamond-like sheen. Ha.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.0 ... topic_set=

This is a interesting article on synthetic diamonds. It was on the wiki, but I found it a more interesting read.

The other thing to remember about Diamonds is the social cost. It's not exactly a fair trade product.

That was the single best thing i have read in years. Thanks!

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"Creating Havoc and Pie Since 2001!"
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I love black fridays!

I do ALL my shopping that day. It's me and 2 other girlfriends, 2 mini vans, and a shitload of wrapping paper.

We crash at one house, plan out our route- by 4am we are on the go. in out, in out. We do the hurry grab it and go until 11, then we can take our time and shop. It's usually Kohls, walmart, target, then toys r us all by 9am.

WE have it down pat, around 1pm we head out for a nice steak lunch- hit whatever we have left and head to the ones house, she has a huge connected garage which we set up with tables, then we have a wrapping extraviganza.

I am usually home by 4pm, everything bought, wrapped, and paid for in cash. Its the best feeling ever. 12 hours and its all done.

*note* some rules: you gotta have a sense of humor. you can't care if you get the deal or not, if you do- it means you can buy more shit somewhere else. you gotta LOVE to people watch!!! you gotta be super nice to the cashiers, cause people are just mean sometimes. Always look for those extra sales stores have but not advertised. never ever ever go to a best buy or circut city- its crazy insane and you will be there forever, no other stores.

Sadly, I cant do it this year I am working electronics in Target- I was bummed about it all, but now am excited to see it from the other angle. (remember- I love to people watch)
Plus, true story.... we had a customer SHIT on the floor in the video aisle the other day. I was in tears, how the hell do you look at videos and shit a log while standing? Well, we are betting if he comes in the store or not Fri... my money is he will!

I'm a littel behind here because I haven't been to the boards in a while, but I can still think of examples where this isn't true. In fact, I'll use 8-tracks again. In my right hand I have an 8-track. In my left hand I have a CD. The CD is far, far more common, yet has more value than the rare item. Your statement can simply be proven false by a million different examples.




This is the last time I'll argue semantics on this little point, but I'll just point out that in your previous post, you assumed that I didn't buy generic clothes. You were wrong, as most of my clothes are indeed generic. Hell, the shoes I'm wearing right now I got for $2 at a second hand store-- but they are name brand! Does that count? :p



I didn't say that their practice of limiting supply is stupid. The people that are stupid are the people that fall for that little trick and buy the rocks at an artificially high price. The fact that the resale value of diamonds is so incredibly bad is a huge indicator of the artificially propped up value of diamonds. People buy their diamonds for their ridiculously high prices because DeBeers and other companies have managed to convince the public that 1) omg they are rare!, 2) omg you have to get one for your engagement!, and 3) (and this is the most important)-- omg if you buy one used somewhere it's not the same; you're cheap!.

You fall for it. Fine. Go buy your rock, wear it on your finger, and brag about it. I'll go buy a cubic zirconium, you won't know the difference, and I'll snicker at your stupidity for paying 10 times what I did because you bought the propaganda.




I guess we'll just have to disagree. I maintain (with as much evidence as you have!) that a well cut fake is indistinguishable from the real thing to 95% or more of the population. It makes no difference. I'll also maintain that really don't have a strong reaction to a well cut diamond. I think they look at it, go "ooooooo" because they know they are supposed to, then walk away and never think about it again. Why? Because in the end, it's just a rock.



What part of that argument is nonsense, exactly? Is it your contention that it is NOT a rock?



The things I hold as valuable? Honestly-- my family and friends, pretty much. I could walk away from the shit in my home without feeling the least bit bad about it. I don't even keep "keepsakes" like pictures or memory items like photo albums. If my home burned down, aside from the inconvenience of having to find a new place to live and spend money to replace some of the comforts of my old home, it wouldn't bother me at all. The other stuff? It's just stuff. As you said-- it's plastic, metal, or wood. Nothing more.

if it weren't for your stance on global warming, i would be gay for you fribur

Good article, thanks for the link. The new developments in synthetics are fascinating, right down to the death threats from De Beers.

I think my favorite part of that Wired article was the "it isn't a symbol of eternal love if it was made just last week" line from the De Beers guy. I literally laughed out loud.

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