Thirty years later

Yesterday was the thirtieth anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman (I wonder what differentiates a murder from an assassination? The profile and/or celebrity of the victim?). One of the most celebrated, revered and controversial figures in entertainment, Lennon's impact and influence continues to reverberate through the music world and society at large. Either a passionate crusader or a modern-day Quixote, depending on your point of view, Lennon never promoted a cause halfheartedly. But his most enduring legacy is undoubtedly his music. Surely he will be remembered for his political activism as well, but Lennon was neither the first nor the last to campaign for world peace. Yet there will forever be only four Beatles, and there will never be another John Lennon.

The United States enjoyed a good day at the chessboard on Wednesday, with International Master Anna Zatonskih advancing to the round of sixteen at the Women's World Chess Championship. She will face number-one seeded Humpy Koneru of India. Over in England, top-ranked American chessplayer Hikaru Nakamura drew his first-round game of the London Chess Classic against reigning World Champion Viswanathan Anand, also of India. Tomorrow is a day off for Zatonskih while Nakamura again takes the Black pieces, this time against former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.

In other news, I came across the following brainteaser on Brainden.com the other day but couldn't manage to figure it out. Think you know the answer? Leave a comment. Cheating is strongly discouraged.

"A desert king tells his two sons to race their camels to a distant city to see who will inherit his fortune. The one whose camel is slower wins. After wandering aimlessly for days, the brothers ask a wise man for guidance. Upon receiving the advice, they jump on the camels and race to the city as fast as they can. What did the wise man say to them?"