# I want to corner the world supply of... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-corner-the-world-supply-of/574079 "2011-03-09T19:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-corner-the-world-supply-of/574079/1 "2011-03-09T19:50:29Z")
I was just reading the thread about the most useless chemical element ( [What's the most useless chemical element? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=599617) ), which got my mind to thinking that maybe a get-rich scheme would be to corner the world supply of an element, like Lutetium mentioned in the chemical element thread, that is useless now, and when people do find a use for it, they would have to come to me, and I would have them at my mercy! Bwahaha. My next step is to figure out what would be the easiest thing to corner the world supply of, if I was a super-villain on a budget? It should be something that can’t be easily produced by other people, e.g. if I tried to corner the world supply of hot dogs, someone else can easily make more hot dogs. It should be something that other people might want some day, e.g. if I corner the supply of dirty socks once worn by Arnold Winkelried, no one would care. And it should be something that I can do on a small budget. What could there be? I was thinking of some kind of rare stamp, but that would probably require a big budget. Gold would be a good one but I could never afford it, and I don’t have a bunch of henchmen to steal it for me like Goldfinger. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-corner-the-world-supply-of/574079/2 "2011-03-09T21:38:40Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > My next step is to figure out what would be the easiest thing to corner the world supply of, if I was a super-villain on a budget? For a super-villain, I’d nominate coltan. Weaponry and evil intent would deliver the Congolese stocks, 'cause that all that holds them now. I would envisage something akin to a buffalo stand. You might even pick up the Nobel Peace Prize on the way. The profits from the African mines would enable a simple stock market raid to pick up the requisite resources from Australia and Brazil and you’d have north of 85%. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-corner-the-world-supply-of/574079/3 "2011-03-13T14:26:43Z")
That might work, but it seems that many other countries have coltan deposits, and cornering it might work in the short run, but in the long run would be difficult. I was hoping for something easier. Also starting a war in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be a long and messy procedure. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-corner-the-world-supply-of/574079/4 "2011-03-13T21:16:54Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > Also starting a war in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be a long and messy procedure. \*Ending \*a war in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be a long and messy procedure. What are you like with a paintbrush? Do you have some uber creative flair? You can do that on a budget. Only problem is achieving the richly rewarding due recognition within your own lifetime.