The mineral diamond is a crystalline form of carbon. Diamonds are
renowned for their superlative physical qualities, especially their
hardness and their dispersion of white light into a rainbow of colors,
known in the trade as fire, for which they have been highly prized
throughout history. Industrially, diamonds are ideal material for
cutting and grinding tools — common applications include the cutting
surfaces of saw blades and drill bits. The De Beers Group has been the
largest player in the diamond industry for over one hundred years. The
company own mines that produce some 40 percent of annual world diamond
production, and control distribution channels handling nearly two
thirds of all gem diamonds. Some controversy over diamonds has been
generated because of the monopolistic practices historically employed
by De Beers including strict control of supply and alleged price
manipulation, as well as the practice by some African revolutionary
groups of selling conflict diamonds in order to fund their often
violent activities.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond
_______________________________
Today's selected anniversaries:
330:
Byzantium became Constantinople, the new capital of the Roman Empire
under Constantine I.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantinople)
1792:
Explorer Robert Gray first sighted the Columbia River, the largest
river flowing into the Pacific Ocean from North America.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River)
1812:
British Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated by John
Bellingham in the lobby of the House of Commons.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Perceval)
1894:
The "wildcat" Pullman Strike began in Illinois.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullman_Strike)
1960:
Mossad agents abducted Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi leader and fugitive war
criminal hiding in Argentina.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Eichmann)
_____________________
Wikiquote of the day:
"When you separate yourself by belief, by nationality, by tradition,
it breeds violence. So a man who is trying to understand violence does
not belong to any country, to any religion, to any political party or
partial system; he is concerned with the total understanding of
mankind." -- J. Krishnamurti
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/J._Krishnamurti)