ok, so this is a bit weird, but there's a company out there somewhere (isn't there always...) that is taking the ashes of cremated relatives and converting them into... you guessed it... diamonds! this company (can i mention names? well, their web address is www.lifegem.com (in case you fancy getting grandpa made into a rock)) has the tag line "A LifeGem is a certified, high quality diamond created from the carbon of your loved one as a memorial to their unique and wonderful life.". hmmm..."the carbon of your loved one"...how touching!brings a tear to the eye. what they should have said was "thanks to lifegem, diamonds are now quite literally a girl's best friend".

i'm freaked out. does anyone else think that this is more than a little twisted?? i mean, while you're at it, why not make granny's carbon into a hat or a nice sturdy pair of walking boots? and is there satisfaction to be derived from the fact that you're wearing a hyper-compacted relative whilst everyone else thinks you're a loaded narcissus with a penchant for expensive frippery? maybe there is.

to my satisfaction, and as some kind of redeeming factor for the human race, the 'testemonials' and 'customer comments' sections of the website remain mercifully empty (it's a niche market alright) with the web-mainstay 'coming soon' text emblazoned across it's middle. can't wait.