UID and Cellphone Numbers – a benign start?

India’s Unique Identity Number is all set to ride on the country’s large cell phone database which has around 500 million subscribes. It’ll be a challenge to collect the subscriber’s biometric data and prevent duplicates. But most importantly, will it be misused by the government to create a police state as has happened in so many other countries?

How Patents stifle and go against Human nature

Coming to the US has introduced me full force to the Patent system prevalent in the country. “Intellectual Property” as it is called rules large aspects of America’s legal system. Almost anything can be patented – right from software, to hairstyles (as my wife told me), to business practices. Coming from a country where such things don’t enter most people’s minds, I’ve been able to observe it from outside, and have realized that it’s contrary to the very thing that makes humans special.

It’s a travesty and an insult to the natural behavior of humans and goes against the very impulse that has propelled humanity to the top of the food chain. Don’t believe me? Read on!

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