A Weird World

A World Gone Mad as seen on The Eyes of Texas.

Is this world turning weird and screwy, or what? Does anyone know is happening to our priorities? Other than I know they’re changing, I have no idea.

Whoever thought you would be penalized for being a success? You rich ones out there are getting ready to take a 51/4% tax surcharge. Yes, just because you’re worked hard and became successful.

Somehow, I don’t think that’s quite what our Founding Fathers had in mind. A wiser person once said, from thoughts come words; from words come action; from action comes habit; from habit comes character; and from character comes priorities. Is it the change in the character of our country that is skewing our priorities? That’s all I can figure.

Look at the most recent outburst of what I consider skewed priorities, Michael Mania. Don’t misunderstand. My deepest sympathies are with the family over its tragic loss of a loved one and a talented musical artist. He was what he was, and I’m the last person in the world to judge anyone. But his passing was turned into a circus, which to my way of thinking was an insult to him. From adults on down to pre-teenagers, folks were falling down in the streets, bawling and tearing out their hair, wailing and gnashing their teeth and covering themselves with appropriate amounts of sackcloth and ashes.

I sure didn’t see any gnashing of teeth or writhing in agony on the streets when America brought home her last hero who died for you and me in the Middle East. Naïve me, I figured sooner or later, the Michael angst would sort of be winnowed away by the winds of time. But I was mistaken. Call me cynical in situations such as this, but I can’t help believing that much of what has been and is going on is not so much out of concern for the deceased, but a means to keep names and faces in the media, i.e, a Michael tribute in a few weeks celebrating his birthday?

All you have to do is listen to the news and you’ll hear the seething accusations being hurled about. And does the media cooperate? Wow!

I thought President Obama had them in his hip pocket, but he’s a neophyte where the grieving survivors are concerned. Though not quite as weird, over in South Carolina, is a governor who told his staff he’d planned to hike the Appalachian Trail, then scooted down to Argentina for a little hankypanky. But that’s not so weird-boggling as the fact that prior to his little Argentine soiree, the governor repeatedly asked his wife’s permission to visit his lover during the months after she had discovered his affair. Now, that’s weird. If I’d pulled a stunt like that, the last thing I would have remembered was my wife screaming at the top of her lungs, ‘will someone show me how to reload this #! thing.’ But, this is a weird world, filled with people and stories that put fiction to shame. I can tell you about the marriage that didn’t even make it to sundown, or the poor kid in Africa with the Mowgli syndrome who flaps his arms and talks like a bird, but neither is quite as bizarre as the dead being reborn in diamonds.

A Connecticut woman, shaken by her pet’s death, had its DNA put into a synthetic diamond so she could have him with her forever. Yep, DNA2Diamonds can do that for you. It ain’t cheap, and it takes a few months, and it’s weird, and the company does a booming business from what I hear. In this weird world, I’m surprised someone hasn’t come up with the idea of putting celebrities’ DNA in diamonds and selling them. Or, is that the next new marketing ploy in this weird world that is growing more so by the minute?

Posted by Kent Conwell at 12:06 PM

A precious keepsake out of the ashes

Susan Pigg
living reporter

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but how about a diamond to commemorate her favourite four-legged friend?

The average newlywed may have to wait millions of years for the Earth to create the almost-perfect clear gem on its own.

But DNA2Diamonds promises fancy coloured, lab-grown versions in as few as five days, and created from the hair or ashes of beloved pets, partners or progeny.

"Anybody can have a picture, anybody can have a painting, anybody can have a paw print, but how many people can have a family heirloom to give to their children that says, `Here's a piece of the dog your mom loved?'" says Donna Sullivan of East Hartford, Conn., who is having diamond earrings created from about half a cup of white, black and tan hair from her rat terrier Ariel who died last spring.

The $2,000 yellow-green diamond keepsakes will be couriered to Sullivan's door in about two months. And she can curl up at night knowing there was no invasive mining, bloody turf wars or hard labour involved.

Instead, these colourful sparklers – they also come in red and cognac and can reach a maximum size of 2 carats – are created in a high pressure-high temperature incubator where pressure and temperatures exceeding 2,000 C duplicate conditions below the Earth's crust, where diamonds are created.

Except the process also starts with a tiny diamond "seed" and carbon extracted from the hair or ashes provided by loved ones. Sullivan even has a personal identification number for Ariel's hair, which allows her to follow the creation of her keepsake step-by-step.

DNA2Diamonds, which is relatively new in the U.S. and ships worldwide, has labs in Russia that have been operating for seven years, largely producing cutting diamonds for industrial purposes, says Tom Bischoff, company president (see dna2diamonds.com) Experts are now working to perfect other colours.

While pet owners have proven to be the biggest market, says Bischoff, some people have offered up strands of their own hair, as well as their partner's and their children's, to create diamonds celebrating anniversaries and significant family events.

The most heartbreaking, Bischcoff says, was a recent call from a young man whose baby had died shortly after birth. He was looking to create a diamond ring for his wife as a permanent memento of their son's short life.

"In this economy, everybody wants to make sure that they spend their money wisely," says Sullivan, who notes that coloured mined diamonds are more expensive than clear versions. "When my husband bought me an engagement ring, he spent a good chunk of change to show me how much he cared. I'm doing the same thing to show how much (Ariel's) love and the fun she's brought me has meant. It's a celebration of her life – the good times and the memories."

Sullivan, who shows and breeds rat terriers and still has five of Ariel's offspring at home, says she intends to eventually mark their passing the same way, and pass the diamonds down to her three children.

"I'm not looking to put my husband in an earring," Sullivan says, "but this is just the beginning."

High-End Pet Hair

Loving thoughts of your best furry friend not enough for you? Well, save up and get ready to cut a check to DNA2Diamonds.com, who will happily extract the carbon from a lock of pet fur and turn it into a GIA-certified diamond. Bunny, horsey, puppy, kitty: any fur will do. You could be wearing your diamond, sized anywhere from .25 to 2 carats, in 70 days or less, at prices ranging from $2,000 - $18,000. And, as a slightly morose option, carbon may also be drawn from your heavenly pet’s ashes.

Submitted by Laura Capitano to The Florida Times Union.

The inside scoop on how diamonds are made out of your deceased dog

It is heartbreaking to lose a dog but today there are more options than ever to commemorate your pet. There are memorial web sites; apparel, mugs, hats and even mouse pads where you can have your dog’s picture; and now there’s one more thing to add to the list: a diamond. It’s true; you can actually make a diamond out of your deceased dog. So not only can a diamond last forever, the memory of your beloved dog can as well.

According to DNA2Diamonds, they will take your dog’s DNA through a lock of fur or ashes (after they’ve been cremated). Carbon is then extracted from the DNA sample and added to a real diamond – you knew there had to be a catch somewhere; come on, if anyone’s DNA could be turned into a diamond, we’d all be rich, right?

The laboratory grown diamond is then placed in an incubator which duplicates the natural diamond creation process only quicker. DNA2Diamonds states that the process will take 70 days or less, and the end result is a cognac, yellow-green, or red diamond in the shape and size of your choice. You can keep the diamond as is or set it in a bracelet, earring, pendant or ring. And like any other diamond, it is inspected by the Gemological Institute of America.

What's the difference between natural and man-made diamonds?
DNA2Diamonds explains the difference between naturally grown diamonds and laboratory grown diamonds, "The primary differences are price, environmental impact, and fair-trade considerations." So the bottom line is that a diamond from DNA2Diamonds will be cheaper and it won't hurt the earth or its creatures while it's being made. It's a win-win for everyone.

So what makes DNA2Diamonds better than the others?
Tom Bischoff or DNA2Diamonds states, "The best testimonial of all is that more and more distributors of diamonds created from personal carbon are contacting us to request diamond supply from us rather than their current source. When you think about it, that is a strong statement in itself." Bischoff also relayed that many other companies take up to six months to return a finished product.

How do you know if it's really your dog's DNA in your diamond?
Tom Bischoff had this to say, "First, please know that the DNA identification is destroyed when the heat and pressure process of growing the diamond is applied. This is the case in all HTHP (high heat, high pressure) process. Next, please know that the DNA in itself does not alter in any way the fact that the carbon extracted from the personal source that you send to us (hair or cremated ashes) is (a) personal carbon and (b) is used as the core element to grow your diamond."

Bischoff goes on to say, "There is no system or machine known to man at this moment in time that can identify the personal source of carbon used to grow the finished diamond, which is the same for ALL producers of laboratory-grown diamonds using a personal source of carbon."

Depending on your selection, the cost from DNA2Diamonds can run up to $18,000. Diamonds are expensive but the memory of your dog is priceless - sounds like an American Express commercial.

For more information or to order a DNA diamond: Visit the DNA2Diamonds web site by clicking here.

Courtesy of Examiner.com.

The Bling Report

If you’re looking for a unique and elegant way to preserve Fido for eternity, look no further than DNA2Diamonds. Thanks to this company, you may transform your pet’s memory into a dainty diamond ring, bracelet, earring or pendant.

How it works
Step One: send a DNA sample of your pet to DNA2Diamonds. DNA2Diamonds will then extract carbon from the DNA sample and inject it into a diamond seed. The diamond seed is placed in an incubator, where it is subjected to a speeded-up version of the earth’s natural diamond-creation process. The result is a genuine “in the rough” stone that contains your pet’s DNA. This stone is further refined by careful cutting, and thorougly inspected by the Gemological Institute of America before it gets packaged up and sent to you. You choose the shape and carat size of the diamond, as well as the color: red, yellow-green or cognac. While your pet may have had you wrapped around their paw when they were alive and kicking, DNA2Diamonds makes it possible for you to wrap them around your finger after they have passed.

DNA2Diamonds makes jewelry out of pets.

Courtesy of: The Bling Report

Say "YES" to GREEN Diamonds!

A strong defender of the environment, Leonardo DiCaprio has his own eco-site to inform others of environmental issues and is a Board Member of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Global Green USA.

Since his line of work is in the entertainment industry, DiCaprio reaches a large audience with his environmental efforts. Some of his work has even focused on these issues; such as his 2006 film, Blood Diamond, a feature-length film based on conflict diamonds.

It is no secret that the diamond industry has a long history of devastating social and environmental consequences. Celebrities and non-celebrities alike are now seeking environmentally friendly and conflict free alternatives for their diamond purchases.

DNA2Diamonds creates the ultimate personal diamonds that you can feel good about purchasing, gifting and wearing. These "Green" diamonds possess the identical chemical, physical and optical properties of earth-mined diamonds, yet are created using the signature carbon from yourself, a loved one or a family pet.

The creation of a DNA2Diamond involves no mining or other invasive activity that ravishes the environment. No water or air pollution is created. No greenhouse emissions, damaged ecosystems or hazardous chemicals. The only resource consumed is a modest amount of electricity.

DNA2Diamonds are free from human conflict. No warlords, insurgencies or invasions. No unethical labor or illegal trade practices. The creation of your diamond is as pure and peaceful as the diamond itself.

Why not say "YES" to a GREEN Diamond?

DNA2Diamonds are available in three cuts and three colors - discover the GREEN difference now.

Green Diamonds Rock!

The creation of a DNA2Diamond involves no mining or other invasive activity that ravishes the environment. No water or air pollution is created. No greenhouse emissions, damaged ecosystems or hazardous chemicals. The only resource consumed is a modest amount of electricity.

DNA2Diamonds are free from human conflict. No warlords, insurgencies or invasions. No unethical labor or illegal trade practices. The creation of your diamond is as pure and peaceful as the diamond itself.

To place your DNA2Diamond order now, please click here.