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> With the purchase, Berkshire Hathaway Energy will carry 18% of all interstate natural gas transmission in the United States, up from 8%. Always interesting t

> With the purchase, Berkshire Hathaway Energy will carry 18% of all interstate natural gas transmission in the United States, up from 8%. Always interesting to learn what XX% of a random industry a random conglomerate owns.

deadalus 6y ago
De Beers Group sells approximately 35% of the world's rough diamond production through its global sightholder and auction sales businesses. source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Beers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Beers
- ed25519FUUU 6y ago
  > From its inception in 1888 until the start of the 21st century, De Beers controlled 80% to 85% of rough diamond distribution and was accused of being a monopoly.[5] Competition has since dismantled the complete monopoly, though the De Beers Group still sells approximately 35% Interesting. I wonder if synthetic diamonds played a role in that downward trajectory.
  - teruakohatu 6y ago
    The competition is Canadian and Russian diamonds but De Beers have waged a publicity campaign against synthetics for years, even recently launching their own line of synthetic diamonds but branding it as an inferior product.
    - kbutler 6y ago
      Just this week I heard an established jewelry store advertising synthetic diamonds. I've understood that historically de Beers would cut off jewelry stores from the supply of natural diamonds if they sold lab-grown, but maybe their power has declined enough for the stores to jump ship. The ad noted "bigger" than natural, "created in a tiny star" (probably CVD https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-created-diamonds/ https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-created-diamonds/), and something about "created since you started dating..." I expected them to cite the improved clarity vs natural, but the ad didn't mention it.
    - swyx 6y ago
      > branding it as an inferior product. wow. that is genius. you don't have to be a fan of what they do to recognize that they have incredible marketing savvy.
curiousllama 6y ago
Fun fact / challenge: nobody reading this comment is in a room without a product made by Koch industries.
- nappy-doo 6y ago
  Prove it. I spend a significant amount of my time making sure I buy brands that DO NOT fund that hateful family. I have also written to companies I like that advertise of Fox News. (I don't need a hobby, I like using my time to vote with my dollars.)
  - curiousllama 6y ago
    Look at these brands: https://www.kochind.com/companies https://www.kochind.com/companies Guardian might've made your windows (car & home); Invista might've made the nylon in your clothes; Molex makes the liiiiiiitle tiny bits of plastic in the computer you're using. Live pretty much anywhere except the coasts in the US? Koch probably sold the softwood lumber used to build your house. You sure your car doesn't burn gasoline from Flint Hills? Do you ever use paper products? Georgia Pacific (Brawny, Dixie, Angel Soft...). They're so foundational in so many basic industries, they're just unavoidable.
    - nappy-doo 6y ago
      I avoid the GP products. I can't change the plastics in my computer. My house is older than dirt, and the windows are so old you can see the glass warping. The lumber's proper sized, not scaled by 0.5inches (eg, rafters are true 2"x8"), but I get your point. It's hard to PROVE what the state is. Let's just say, I try my hardest.
      - curiousllama 6y ago
        You certainly try harder than most! Plus, most of these companies are in B2B commodities industries where purchasing is the margin driver, not sales. So I wouldn't worry too much about whether the Nylon 6,6 in your yoga pants was made in an Invista facility... your purchasing decision just wouldn't matter that much.

deadalus 6y ago

De Beers Group sells approximately 35% of the world's rough diamond production through its global sightholder and auction sales businesses. source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Beers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Beers

ed25519FUUU 6y ago
> From its inception in 1888 until the start of the 21st century, De Beers controlled 80% to 85% of rough diamond distribution and was accused of being a monopoly.[5] Competition has since dismantled the complete monopoly, though the De Beers Group still sells approximately 35% Interesting. I wonder if synthetic diamonds played a role in that downward trajectory.
- teruakohatu 6y ago
  The competition is Canadian and Russian diamonds but De Beers have waged a publicity campaign against synthetics for years, even recently launching their own line of synthetic diamonds but branding it as an inferior product.
  - kbutler 6y ago
    Just this week I heard an established jewelry store advertising synthetic diamonds. I've understood that historically de Beers would cut off jewelry stores from the supply of natural diamonds if they sold lab-grown, but maybe their power has declined enough for the stores to jump ship. The ad noted "bigger" than natural, "created in a tiny star" (probably CVD https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-created-diamonds/ https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-created-diamonds/), and something about "created since you started dating..." I expected them to cite the improved clarity vs natural, but the ad didn't mention it.
  - swyx 6y ago
    > branding it as an inferior product. wow. that is genius. you don't have to be a fan of what they do to recognize that they have incredible marketing savvy.

curiousllama 6y ago

Fun fact / challenge: nobody reading this comment is in a room without a product made by Koch industries.

nappy-doo 6y ago
Prove it. I spend a significant amount of my time making sure I buy brands that DO NOT fund that hateful family. I have also written to companies I like that advertise of Fox News. (I don't need a hobby, I like using my time to vote with my dollars.)
- curiousllama 6y ago
  Look at these brands: https://www.kochind.com/companies https://www.kochind.com/companies Guardian might've made your windows (car & home); Invista might've made the nylon in your clothes; Molex makes the liiiiiiitle tiny bits of plastic in the computer you're using. Live pretty much anywhere except the coasts in the US? Koch probably sold the softwood lumber used to build your house. You sure your car doesn't burn gasoline from Flint Hills? Do you ever use paper products? Georgia Pacific (Brawny, Dixie, Angel Soft...). They're so foundational in so many basic industries, they're just unavoidable.
  - nappy-doo 6y ago
    I avoid the GP products. I can't change the plastics in my computer. My house is older than dirt, and the windows are so old you can see the glass warping. The lumber's proper sized, not scaled by 0.5inches (eg, rafters are true 2"x8"), but I get your point. It's hard to PROVE what the state is. Let's just say, I try my hardest.
    - curiousllama 6y ago
      You certainly try harder than most! Plus, most of these companies are in B2B commodities industries where purchasing is the margin driver, not sales. So I wouldn't worry too much about whether the Nylon 6,6 in your yoga pants was made in an Invista facility... your purchasing decision just wouldn't matter that much.