The question thats been troubling me for years, and more so after the release of Jurassic Park.
Lets face facts - its strange enough that a lot of these avain things don't fly. Science at school does little to explain why or why not- like it doesn't explain the ground-up theory and the tree theory of avian evolution, the evolution of down feathers, and a whole bunch of related stuff. Atleast, we weren't taught Creation unlike those kentucky kids who are taught
Though indirect evidence suggests that evolution is at work, an intelligent mind will be able to figure out that this world is too complicated to have evolved, and that it should be the work of a higher power
Religious people all over the world are uniformly funny.. lol...
Anyways, the answer is this
For an animal with side-mounted eyes, forward movements result in parallax shifts (apparent motion of near objects relative to distant objects). Now, vertebrate eyes--and retinas--work much better with completely stationary images. So what happens is that the bird's body walks on while the head is temporarily left behind to stabilize the image. The head is then jerked forward at the start of the next step.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Monday, May 30, 2005
The October...
I read about Russian Revolution in the same year of its collapse. Thinking back, it should have been a spectacular experience(it wasn't then to me). On the one hand you read about the glorious revolution(our history textbooks were/are written by commies), liberation, and all the usual communist crap, and be impressed, and on the other hand, watch the fall of the nation. Wish I was a bit more intelligent then.
I remember the "Junior Encyclopedia" that my uncle gave me on my 10th b'day. The book started out with a colour picture of earth's cross segment- crust, mantle, core and all the rest, the solar system, the universe, physics, chemistry, automobile industry, nations, languages, biology, evolution, sex education and almost everything that would amuse a 10 year old. That was my bible then. Those were my theist days, and I had to have this book and an assortment of various idols all around me when i went to sleep. Freaking hilarious, coming to think of it.
Coming back to the point, there was only one photogrpah on the Soviet Union- not the kremlin, not the revolution, not the impressive factories and slogans, not the sputnik, and most definitely not the flag. It was the photo of an uzbek farmer looking into the distance, and the caption said- A soviet farmer in his rural house. A totally unremarkabe farmer, with typical crowfeet lining the edges of his eyes, his wife and daughter huddled close.It then went on to talk about the perpetually frozen siberia, fishing on the volga river, the trans continental railway that ran from St.Petersburg to Vladivistok, and several other non-commital issues.
The section on the Unites States, in stark contrast stated out by saying
USA, the richest, the fourth largest and the most powerful nation in the world and had a night-time photogrpah of Chicago and New York to substantiate the fact.
Later in life, when i was commie myself, this picture was the single reason for my anti-american stance.I even came to hate the book that opened my mind to the world and taught me so many things.Probably the reason why I am not sitting at home and doing goddamned pujas.
Life has changed me... It took a journey and a long-drawn relationship, but, it was well worth its while.
I remember the "Junior Encyclopedia" that my uncle gave me on my 10th b'day. The book started out with a colour picture of earth's cross segment- crust, mantle, core and all the rest, the solar system, the universe, physics, chemistry, automobile industry, nations, languages, biology, evolution, sex education and almost everything that would amuse a 10 year old. That was my bible then. Those were my theist days, and I had to have this book and an assortment of various idols all around me when i went to sleep. Freaking hilarious, coming to think of it.
Coming back to the point, there was only one photogrpah on the Soviet Union- not the kremlin, not the revolution, not the impressive factories and slogans, not the sputnik, and most definitely not the flag. It was the photo of an uzbek farmer looking into the distance, and the caption said- A soviet farmer in his rural house. A totally unremarkabe farmer, with typical crowfeet lining the edges of his eyes, his wife and daughter huddled close.It then went on to talk about the perpetually frozen siberia, fishing on the volga river, the trans continental railway that ran from St.Petersburg to Vladivistok, and several other non-commital issues.
The section on the Unites States, in stark contrast stated out by saying
USA, the richest, the fourth largest and the most powerful nation in the world and had a night-time photogrpah of Chicago and New York to substantiate the fact.
Later in life, when i was commie myself, this picture was the single reason for my anti-american stance.I even came to hate the book that opened my mind to the world and taught me so many things.Probably the reason why I am not sitting at home and doing goddamned pujas.
Life has changed me... It took a journey and a long-drawn relationship, but, it was well worth its while.
1: Alumni/alumnae meet is a place where people get together to avoid people, which they could have done otherwise.
2: Alumni/alumnae meet is a place where people shake hands, ask where the other person is working, give an artificial smile, move away and forget the conversation, which they could have done otherwise.
2: Alumni/alumnae meet is a place where people shake hands, ask where the other person is working, give an artificial smile, move away and forget the conversation, which they could have done otherwise.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
The aforementioned Mr.Ganesh also happened to have Reservoir Dogs and Boys don't cry.. Was impressed. But my DVD drive wasn't. It refused to play them. Finally ended up watching Girl, Interrupted. Wasn't worth the fifteen rupees, but my bike got a semi-water wash(water-logging). Fair enough.
Been trying to get my hands on H2G2 movie. Guess it would be quite enjoyable despite strong reports from H2G2 cult claiming otherwise.
Its surprising how business subleties are most often not so explicit. This unnamed VCD/DVD rental guy also happens to do a real estate business. Seemed quite a sensible combination to me- a symbiotic relationship between real estate and VCD/DVD rental. Feeling all smug, I went out, and realised that this is not an exception, but the norm. All successful VCD/DVD rental places are also into real estate.
Guess i was born a bit too late. Would have been an intellectual riot a couple of centuries back.
Been trying to get my hands on H2G2 movie. Guess it would be quite enjoyable despite strong reports from H2G2 cult claiming otherwise.
Its surprising how business subleties are most often not so explicit. This unnamed VCD/DVD rental guy also happens to do a real estate business. Seemed quite a sensible combination to me- a symbiotic relationship between real estate and VCD/DVD rental. Feeling all smug, I went out, and realised that this is not an exception, but the norm. All successful VCD/DVD rental places are also into real estate.
Guess i was born a bit too late. Would have been an intellectual riot a couple of centuries back.
I love deadlines- specially, I love the swooshing sound they make when they swish past....
My ass is on fire. Can't belive the amount of time I wasted last week. Criminal, absolutely totally, unbelievably criminal...
If I get past this, it could be considered a miracle by Pope Benedict XVI, and the gears be set in motion for canonisation.
Don't even have the time to kick myself for having been lazy.
My ass is on fire. Can't belive the amount of time I wasted last week. Criminal, absolutely totally, unbelievably criminal...
If I get past this, it could be considered a miracle by Pope Benedict XVI, and the gears be set in motion for canonisation.
Don't even have the time to kick myself for having been lazy.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Dr.Sadist, or how i learnt to ruin someone's career..
Am back. No apologies asked, none given.
Fact of life: A juvenile serendipaceratops arthurcclarkei with a missing R-cortex knows more about taking a career decision than a tambram mom.
Imagine the best saturday morning... It had rained last night... the world is beautiful, offering infinite possibilities.. alive with broken trees on all over, flooded roads, and a distinct tangy waft of the overflowing sewer next street. This is how it is in bangalore at least. Having decided to ignore all this, we proceed to enjoy an otheriwise crisp saturday morning, with a cup of coffee, and no radio city of course. Plans are already in motion for an amazing lunch, followed by 'Girl, Interrupted', courtesy: Mr. Ganesh of the CD shop, which interestingly, does not have a name, Everyone refers it respectfully as the CD shop next to Shiva Bakery, which more surprisingly sells just biscuits and tea.
The area has a huge students' population, and Mr. Ganesh is a much-respected godfather, partly because he lends out DVDs at a cheap rate, but mostly because of his being a philanthropic appeaser of sexually frustrated youth. As a student, you can't afford to disrespect the only person in the area who lends pornographic CDs.
And then comes the call- the voice at the other end is raspy and with an unmistakable accent - one of a worried tambram mom who is forced to take career decisions for her darling daughter, who she thinks hasn't grown beyond 13 years of age, and is an innocent hard-working girl, not realising that her daughter has shacked up with 6 different people, 2 of them being her neighbour's dogs.
Formal introductions were made. She came to know that i am a tambram(politically right, but practically wrong), studied at IIITB and is currently working in a place which she thinks is a safe place for her daughter to work.
During the course of our conversation, I came to know a lot more about her second cousin's son who is in australia, and how he thinks that an IT degree is a must before she gets married(try talking to these people.. its amusing..they think that if her daughter does a ph.d, she'll develop a monstrous ego, and wont find a suitable groom..lol...) She asked about the course, explained that her daughter got an M.S. by research at IIT Madras, and how an M.Tech is better than an M.S., for the job market and for her marriage(ya, these ppl are for real), asked everything about the hostel from the bolts in the room to the flush in the loo, how safe the hostel is(safe=>she shouldn't be shacking up..lol..), how i found the course and the profs.
This went on for half an hour, at the end of which i decided that i've had enough, and redirected her to one of my friends,a tambram herself, but a sweet one at that. Am sure that she'd be able to handle these questions much better than I can.
And btw, it was her daughter's career.. shouldn't she decide? someone correct me if i am wrong :)
Fact of life: A juvenile serendipaceratops arthurcclarkei with a missing R-cortex knows more about taking a career decision than a tambram mom.
Imagine the best saturday morning... It had rained last night... the world is beautiful, offering infinite possibilities.. alive with broken trees on all over, flooded roads, and a distinct tangy waft of the overflowing sewer next street. This is how it is in bangalore at least. Having decided to ignore all this, we proceed to enjoy an otheriwise crisp saturday morning, with a cup of coffee, and no radio city of course. Plans are already in motion for an amazing lunch, followed by 'Girl, Interrupted', courtesy: Mr. Ganesh of the CD shop, which interestingly, does not have a name, Everyone refers it respectfully as the CD shop next to Shiva Bakery, which more surprisingly sells just biscuits and tea.
The area has a huge students' population, and Mr. Ganesh is a much-respected godfather, partly because he lends out DVDs at a cheap rate, but mostly because of his being a philanthropic appeaser of sexually frustrated youth. As a student, you can't afford to disrespect the only person in the area who lends pornographic CDs.
And then comes the call- the voice at the other end is raspy and with an unmistakable accent - one of a worried tambram mom who is forced to take career decisions for her darling daughter, who she thinks hasn't grown beyond 13 years of age, and is an innocent hard-working girl, not realising that her daughter has shacked up with 6 different people, 2 of them being her neighbour's dogs.
Formal introductions were made. She came to know that i am a tambram(politically right, but practically wrong), studied at IIITB and is currently working in a place which she thinks is a safe place for her daughter to work.
During the course of our conversation, I came to know a lot more about her second cousin's son who is in australia, and how he thinks that an IT degree is a must before she gets married(try talking to these people.. its amusing..they think that if her daughter does a ph.d, she'll develop a monstrous ego, and wont find a suitable groom..lol...) She asked about the course, explained that her daughter got an M.S. by research at IIT Madras, and how an M.Tech is better than an M.S., for the job market and for her marriage(ya, these ppl are for real), asked everything about the hostel from the bolts in the room to the flush in the loo, how safe the hostel is(safe=>she shouldn't be shacking up..lol..), how i found the course and the profs.
This went on for half an hour, at the end of which i decided that i've had enough, and redirected her to one of my friends,a tambram herself, but a sweet one at that. Am sure that she'd be able to handle these questions much better than I can.
And btw, it was her daughter's career.. shouldn't she decide? someone correct me if i am wrong :)
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