The-problem-of-the-snakes

TheproblemofthesnakesWhenIcalledupmymotherinthecountrysideonthetelephoneshewasveryupset.Therearesomesnakesinourcourtyard,shetoldme.Snakescomenearthehousenowandthen,andtheyseemtohavemadetheirhomehere,notfarfromthewalnuttree.Canyougetridofthemplease?Ifeltveryproud.Herewasachancefor.metodistinguishmyselfbyinventingsomethingmercifulthatwouldcatchsnakesbutnotharmthem.Iknewmyparentswouldnotlikemetohurttheselivingcreatures!ThefirstthingIdidwastoseeiftherewereanyproductsthatmighthelpme,butthereonlyseemedtobepowdersdesignedtokillsnakes.Anewapproachwasclearlyneeded.Isetaboutresearchingthehabitsofsnakestofindtheeasiestwaytotrapthem.Luckilythesereptilesaresmallandthatmadethesolutioneasier.Preparedwithsomeresearchfindings,Idecidedonthreepossibleapproaches:firstly,removingtheirhabitat;secondly,attractingthemintoatrapusingmaleorfemaleperfumeorfood;andthirdlycoolingthemsothattheywouldbecomesleepyandcouldbeeasilycaught.Idecidedtousethelastone.Iboughtanice-creammakerwhichwasmadeofstainlesssteel.Betweentheoutsideandtheinsidewallsofthebowlthereissomejelly,whichfreezeswhencooled.Iputthebowlintothefridgeandwaitedfor24hours.AtthesametimeIpreparedsomeice-cubes.ThenextmorningIgotupearlybeforethesunwashot.Iplacedthefrozenbowloverthesnakes'habitatandtheice-cubesontopofthebowltokeepitcool.FinallyIcoveredthewholethingwithalargebucket.ThenIwaited.AftertwohoursIremovedthebucketandthebowl.Thesnakeswerelessactivebuttheywerestilltoofastforme.Theyabruptlydisappearedintoaconvenientholeinthewall.SoIhadtoadjustmyplan.ForthesecondattemptIfrozethebowlandtheice-cubesagainbutplacedthemoverthesnakes'habitatintheevening,asthetemperaturewasstartingtocool.Thenasbefore,Icoveredthebowlwiththebucketandlefteverythingovernight.EarlythenextmorningIreturnedtoseetheresult.ThistimewithgreatcautionIbentdowntoexaminethesnakesandIfoundthemverysleepy.Butoncepickedup,theytriedtobiteme.Astheywerepoisonoussnakes,Iclearlyneededtoimprovemydesignagain.Mythirdattemptrepeatedthesecondprocedure.ThenextmorningIcarriedinmyhandasmallnetusedforcatchingfish.Thiswasintheexpectationthatthesnakeswouldbiteagain.Butmonitoredcarefully,thesnakesprovedtobenotroubleandallwentaccordingtoplan.Icollectedthepassivesnakesandthenextdaywemerrilyreleasedthemallbackintothewild.Pressedbymyfriendsandrelations,Idecidedtoseizetheopportunitytogetrecognitionformysuccessfulideabysendingmyinventiontothepatentoffice.Onlyafteryouhavehadthatrecognitioncanyousaythatyouaretrulyaninventor.Thecriteriaaresostrictthatitisdifficulttogetnewideasacceptedunlesstheyaretrulynovel.Inaddition,noinventionwillgetapatentifitis:◎adiscovery◎ascientificideaormathematicalmodel◎literatureorart◎agameorabusiness◎acomputerprogramme◎anewanimalorplantvarietyNorwillyoureceiveapatentuntilasearchhasbeenmadetofindoutthatyourproductreallyisdifferentfromeveryoneelse's.Therearealargenumberofpatentexaminers,too,whoseonlyjobistoexaminewhetheryourclaimisvalidornot.Ifitpassesallthetests,yourapplicationforapatentwillbepublished18monthsfromthedateyouapply.SoIhavefilledintheformandfiledmypatentapplicationwiththePatentOffice.Nowit'samatterofwaitingandhoping.You'llknowifIsucceedbythesizeofmybankbalance!Wishmeluck!