Thou this post might seem outdated, but true enuff, I only managed to find time for "Blood Diamond" last nite. One of the better movie i had watched for the past months. I m not a Big Fan of Leonardo Dicaprio, but i would say he did a gd job this time round. His skillful South African accent and the way he conveyed his warped upbringing and poignant love/hate relationship with his home continent. Seems like DiCaprio is making an earnest bid to change from pretty boy to tough guy with his dual roles as the hard edged undercover cop in The Departed (Hollywood version of HK's Infernal Affairs) and the mercenary with shifting morals here in Blood Diamond. Only regrets, I personally feel that equal weight should be given to the two male characters. It will be more convincing if an effort was made to portray the situ from the perspective of Solomon Vandy (casted by Djimon Hounsou), the African Black. Hounsou is a tough actor and i think he should be given more to work with.Another scene that left an impact is how the rebel army kid
napped the innocent kids and trained them into killing-machine. Watching the innocent kids being brainwashed to bloodshedder, seeing the skinny kids held tightly on the machine gun they could barely carried, its just too heavy to bear the gut-wrenching facts. War is cruel and ugly enuff.. even more undesirable involving children in armed combat. Today, as many as 300,000 child soldiers are engaged in military fighting in approximately 30 countries on every continent except Antarctica and Australia. In addition to Afghanistan, for example, child soldiers are serving in armies in Angola, Uganda, Pakistan, Burma, Sierra Leone, Colombia and Chechnya. Not even little girls are exempt from this conscription. Often they find themselves forced into sexual slavery or used as human minesweepers. Children are being used as soldiers; there are countries increasingly coercing children soldiers into military action, raising moral dilemmas that can be matters of life and death for the opposing troops. The consequences? These people are digging their own path to death. They are putting the future of their countries in stake.After watching the show, I wonder how many diamonds in the market are 'conflict diamond'?
I read an article about Ernest Blom, the president of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses, saying that conflict diamonds are now all but 'an historical fact.' I do not know the reality, but does consumer really care? Apparently, not many people are concerned that their coveted “bling-bling” status symbol might be a 'blood diamond'. I myself being a vainpot too lookforward to Tiffany and Cartier Engagement D-Ring, but if this diamond is the cause of so many innocent lifes, i would rather forsake the carats.
So.. in order to own a stone without involving human misery, i did the following research:
How can you help to STOP BLOOD DIAMOND?Always ask for certificate. Consumers should ask retailers the following four questions when purchasing diamonds:
1. Do you know where your diamonds come from?
2. May I see a copy of your company's policy on conflict diamonds?
3. Can you show me a written guarantee from your diamond suppliers stating that your diamonds are conflict free?
4. How can I be sure that none of your jewelry contains conflict diamonds?
As consumers, we have the power to change that by demanding details about the diamonds we buy. Demanding proof that a diamond is conflict-free sends a powerful message to the world that we will not support an industry or nation that helps fund terror groups.
Change won't happen overnight, but it will happen if we are persistent.
Labels: BlockBuster, two cents thot
