Thursday, October 22, 2009

Belated Happy Birthday, Bloody Mary

Supposedly, this year is the 75th birth anniversary of the Bloody Mary. Read about it here.

Considering that 75th anniversaries are called diamond anniversaries, maybe all bloody marys served this year should be served in a diamond mug/cup/whatever container.

Two serious questions though:

1) Is there a record of the first bloody mary made?

2) Is it such a loved/popular drink to be celebrating its 75th anniversary?

I personally don't like it!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Maoists: Exterminate or Educate?

'Red rage' has become a common headline in the newspapers for the past 3-4 days. Maosists in central India (Chattisgarh and Maharashtra (Vidharba) to be precise) have sent shockwaves throughout the country.

In Chattisgarh, they abducted a policeman Mr. Francis Indwar and brutally beheaded him; and threw the body on a highway. The rage over that incident was yet to settle down; when they struck in Gadchiroli by ambushing a police party and massacaring a alrge number of policemen.

The body count apart, these incidents would definitely have sent a chill down the spine of the security forces posted in these areas. There are already rumblings about government apathy.

The incidents are shocking. Its time to adopt a 3 pronged approach to battled the Maoists. One, hammer them like the Lankan army did to the LTTE; and two swiftly incorporate them into the mainstream, and third, DO NOT EXPLOIT POOR FARMERS AND TRIBALS MERCILESSLY!

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Down with frivolous patents

For long, the system of patents has baffled me. How can people gain a right over anything and everything? I mean, products/machines is fine; even ideas that lead to innovative products is fine; but a mere abstract idea??

This article describes the methods of granting patents and how the end of the frivolous patent is near. Nice reading with some amazing pictures. (specially of the cat).