Cost of Life - $$$$$

$253.4 million USD! That is the cost of life. The question that riddled me, a question that has been raised many times by leaders, generals, saints, priests and profound thinkers alike - as to WHAT IS THE VALUE/COST OF LIFE?

And the answer was provided by a humble 12-member jury in Angleton, Texas in front of a packed crowd. Perhaps, that's when the unfortunate widow Carol Ernst must have realized that her husband was after all an invaluable possession of her life much more than her wildest dreams. Robert Ernst would have died a second time if he had heard the verdict himself.

With all due respect and much deserved condolences to the Ernest family, I do not want to sound capitalistic when I say this, do you think this was a justifiable verdict? Who gets to decide on attaching a value to life? And even if someone does, how much should be the price tag?

I recently read this on USATODAY.com in the editorial column, in which, this person has asked a very valid question and that is - Will he be paid any compensation (punitive damages) if he were to lose his life in a war defending his country even close to the amount to be shelled out to the Ernst family? Why is life of a Ernst guy more valuable than his or any other citizen?

Merck will but of course appeal against this verdict since they seem to be the victim here more than anyone else. Merck did voluntarily withdraw Vioxx from the market when FDA published in one of its report regarding the fatal side-effects of the drug.

So was this all another court room drama (read gimmick)? Did Mark Lanier really score a momentous victory over the so-called irresponsible, murderous, capitalistic leeches called Corporates (leftists would have given me a standing ovation for that line!)? Or all that he did was add another high profile case and a lot of greens to his bank account? Did he really scare Pharmaceutical companies to be more responsible in their conduct or did he manage to scare a thousand others from researching and developing many possible life saving drugs?

The argument seems to point as if Merck has knowingly tried to kill many of its consumers, perhaps out of an unexplainable sadistic pleasure and at the risk of losing a million customers across the globe. Well if that is the case, then the Bush administration better be careful, since it is possible that Mr. President might be sued for knowingly sending troops to their sandy graves in Iraq, after all its a matter of determining the COST OF LIFE!

Religiously Terrorized or Terrorized Religion

The recent terror bombings in London was yet another attack on humanity that now seems to be a part of our lives. Every single day, we read in the papers and graphic images flash on television that makes mockery of life and death. Terror bombings, massacre, innocent victims held hostage, brutally murdered, jihad.....hey wait a minute did you hear Jihad....hmmm...I have heard that before.

Aaha! Kuwait, Palestine, Bosnia, India(PoK), America, London, Madrid - all have something common, and what might that be? These countries are all victims of terrorrism but there is something else.....And that is faith of the terrorists - Islam.

Majority of the terrorist organizations are filled with Islamic fanatics and they talk about Jihad and revenge. But I fail to understand, why only the Moslems? Why is that the followers of Islam are by large terrorists? No, I would not brand all moslems as terrorists, but yes a majority of terrorists are moslems. Why do Moslems feel that they are the most oppressed class in the world, why is that fanatism comes easily to them? Why are they not as tolerant as the other religions of the world?

Is it because of the fanatic influence and the way Islam is interpreted for its followers or is it the essence of the religion itself? Is it really true that jihad is an essential part of Islam's preachings and that it is acceptable and forgiven by Allah and thus justifying the murder of fellow humans? Why is Islam giving birth to so many terroist organizations and still claim to the world that Islam has nothing to do with this?

A religion by itself is always harmless but with human influence, things change and religion becomes the master of our thought process. What do you think?