Blood Diamond

'I wonder.. Would God ever forgive us for what we are doing to each other?
I realise.. God left this place a long time ago!!' - Danny Archer, Blood Diamond.

Di Caprio is nominated for Best Actor in Leading Role for the Academy Awards and this drew my attention to watch the movie.

A Blood Diamond (also called a conflict diamond or a war diamond) is a diamond mined in a war zone and sold, usually clandestinely, in order to finance an insurgent or invading army's war efforts.

The movie mainly captures an african man estranged from his family due to the civil war. How his son turns into a rebel and is forced to be a part of R.U.F is a story that shocks the very soul. Di Caprio plays a smuggler alongside Jennifer Connelly(from Beautiful Mind), a journalist.

This is Caprio's best performance ever and he has played the role to perfection. Its horrifying to realise how different the world is in Africa. The horror, the violence, the beauty, children and deprivation is quite unthinkable. Blood Diamond is a must-watch especially for women who dream of story book weddings and a 24 carot diamond for their engagement.

* The World Diamond Council set out to draft a new process, whereby all diamond roughly could be certified as coming from a non-conflict source.
* Conflict-free diamonds are diamonds of certified origin which are guaranteed not to be tainted by violence, human rights abuses, child labor, or environmental destruction.
* The Antwerp resolution called for an international certification system on the export and import of diamonds, legislation in all countries to accept only officially sealed packages of diamonds, for countries to impose criminal charges on anyone trafficking in conflict diamonds, and instituted a ban on any individual found trading in conflict diamonds

A Diamond is Forever - there is a shocking story behind this gliterring stone.

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Mega Serials and Mindless Entertainment

For all those, who have seen or heard about the mega serials that run in Sun TV and the likes, this might not come as a shock. For the rest, the good news is that you dont miss much even if you miss an entire week's episodes, the bad news is that it never ends.

I remember in Selvi or Annamalai, the entire episode was about Radhika climbing down a set of stairs and there are memories from the past which come as flashes.

For me, this is mindless entertainment and a cluttering nonsense in the idiot box. The quality is down to cheap entertainment and by and large the silver screen actors are paving way to the small screen.

If mega serial amounted to water supply, India would never run short of water ever.

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I wonder

I wonder
A Gentle breeze titilates you,
And i wonder,
Do you bend down feeling shy or out of shame?

Was it because you sway to life's pressures
Or was it because you were too ecstasic in its touch!!

A few words that entered my mind while walking thro the fields in Walldorf, Germany.

While in Germany, i used to walk from my hotel to office, to watch these fields, hear the church bell ring and see people cycling by. Old men & women sit on park benches unmindful of the clock ticking and a myriad of thoughts and emotions cross my mind. A perfect world it is!!

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2006 - A year that was and not!!

Today is probably the time i look back at the year that whizzed past. The funny thing is i cant remember most of 2006. It just went past in a jiffy. Probably 2006 was in more hurry than i was.

Nevertheless, this year has been good. I travelled to a part in the globe which i never though i would be in. I learned to eat with Chopsticks, speak mandarin and realized that the globe was bigger and more diverse.

Germany - WorldCup FIFA 2006.
To be there in the land where the world's greatest football event was hosted was definetly an eye-opener. I learnt more about the legends Zidane, Pele and Maradonna.
Following every match, every minute of the game was exciting and FIFA 2006 was worth the effort. A memory to relish and remember for years to come :-)

Hoganekkal - Giant falls and a coracle ride. Friends to have fun with and talk and giggle. This trip was memorable and i spent a good deal of my time wading in the water.

The trips that were made and some i dint make. To Mangalore, Calcutta and Amsterdam.
I read good books and watched some excellent movies.

I wanted to make new beginnings, end old ones that wasnt meant to be. Some dreams came true while others are lignering around. I came a full circle with myself and 2006 was a milestone in my life.

I leanrt that life sometimes can be very mean on you. When your going through tough times, you simply have to keep going. This is a new beginning and am sure 2007 has lot of surprises to be unveiled and am making a positive start. Bye bye 06, Come on in 07.

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