Mark Folsom wrote:

"Uncle Al" <UncleAl0@hate.spam.net> wrote in message
news:3FDB58ED.7B575C7D@hate.spam.net...

Sam Wormley wrote:

Ref: http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob1.asp

Once an emerald leaves its country of origin and circulates
around the world, the gem's provenance becomes murky.
Scientists have now developed a nondestructive method for
determining the source of an emerald, even down to the mine
from which it was extracted. That information can affect the
gem's price and make it easier for historians to reconstruct
ancient trade routes.

See: http://www.sciencenews.org/20031213/fob1.asp

Don't be overmuch optimistic. It is no big deal to diffuse and react
deuterium into gemstones at high pressures and modest temperatures (a
chemist's Parr hydrogenation bomb). Diffusing hydrogen is big
business for lessening color in diamonds, quenching F-centers (even
neutralizing small graphite inclusions) and moving them up several
color grades. Whiter is much more expensive.

Defense routinely loses to clever offense. Yo cannot drive a bung
into the broad end of a funnel (e.g., Homeland Severity).

Would that we had a clever defense on our side.

Or a clever offense, or anybody in power who could find his ***** using
both hands and a mirror and make it stick.