Rocky road

Not long ago "bling" was an alien concept to Britain. But the news that the demand for diamonds is rising will confirm suspicions that Britain is turning into something of a "bling" society, where ostentatious demonstrations of wealth and luxury are the norm, or at least widely aspired to. Look at David Beckham's diamond ear studs or Tony Blair's Caribbean holidays. Of course there's nothing wrong with people showing off a little. But they should remember the words of the late publisher of Forbes magazine, Malcolm Forbes, who once noted: "Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." In other words: no hard work, no "bling bling".