[TML] Personal Armor Noise was Re: Current USAF fleet

[Knapp]

Want to see a diamond sales man struggle, show up with expensive
clothing and tell him you want a diamond with perfect proportions,
perfect cut, clairity I1 or SI2 (but you can see the imperfections
without 10x magnification!! LOL, at one meter?) and a color that is
yellow, maybe about color R say 2 carats mounted in yellow gold with a
diamond certificate.

http://www.thediamondbuyingguide.com/diamondcertificates.html (USA stuff)
(If you read the rest of this guide look at how they try and press you
into the "better" diamond purchase. Really quite funny. Mostly, it is
about how bad you will look to your peers, if you get a "lesser"
diamond. Will she still love you if you come home with THAT? Come on
now, how many can really resist with the new partner on your arm?)

BTW diamonds are VERY hard to sell for a good price second hand! They
are not a good investment. They are however very pretty, women seem to
like them and it is about what they represent not what they are really
worth.

This is just one area where I became an informed consumer but most of
us are not for most purchases and this lets very poor quality rule
over good quality. Why pay the price when you can't tell the
difference? This is turn leads to the death of well crafted or hand
crafted goods and artist.

This must translate into an adventure idea somehow.

-- 
Douglas E Knapp
http://sf-journey-creations.wikispot.org/Front_Page