A History of Flight

I recently re-watched one of the Discovery Channel's "Walking with Dinosaurs" DVDs. This particular DVD presents a Pterosaur (apparently the first vertebrates to evolve flight) migrating to Europe from South America. I found the migration as portrayed in the DVD to be fascinating. I am quite sure that a lot of what was presented was speculation based on fossil evidence available so far but still this segment always makes me wish that I had large wings using which I could ride giant thermals and soar for hours and perhaps fly to wherever I want to go on the planet. Hey, maybe I will get around to doing it someday. At the very least, I would "go out" with a...plop :)

Isn't he a tough looking bugger?

Anyway, portions of this segment are available on Youtube.

Picture of the times

"Dying Gaul and his wife" circa 220 BCE.

I am taking an Art History class at UMASS. This sculpture was one of several that we studied last night. I found it very engaging. According to Julius Caesar's own account, the Gauls made combat in the nude. Their wives would go to battle to cook for them and to cheer them on. The Gaulish warriors, on defeat, killed themselves and their women--not necessarily in that order--to prevent being taken as slaves. What struck me most about this sculpture was that the Gaul is still holding on to the wife that he has just slain. Or maybe he is lowering her to the ground. Either way, it shows his presence of mind (and perhaps his fondness for her) even during such a trying time.

"Mom AWOL During Custody Battle Turns Self In"

Apparently the US Army is mulling over desertion charges for a female soldier who recently served in Iraq. This woman obtained emergency leave so she could return to the States to fight a custody battle for her child. Her main reason for getting into the military: so it could pay her bills.

If "soldiers" like this lady are what this nation has to depend on going forward then I am gonna go get trained in guerilla warfare myself. A lot of US citizens feel that it is the Army's duty to help out the woman. Pussies, I say to them! What do you think the Army is: a f*cking welfare program?!

I have to wonder about the various flavors of compassion evident in today's society. We have this female soldier and her plight (I think that she screwed up). On the other "end" of the social ladder, we have Paris Hilton in jail. Then...Wait! What? Paris is already out of jail! Well, gosh darn heckers!! She is such a "class act", isn't she?

On a side note, I remember making a recent post somewhere to clarify that an astronaut who lost an expensive camera during a spacewalk was female (Sunita Williams actually) since a lot of other posters on that forum assumed the astronaut was a male. One guy replied to my post saying, "That's what happens when you send a woman to do a man's job." I thought that he was being chauvinistic. Now it looks like I am not sounding off any different than he was!

Ok, it looks like today is definitely not a day in favor of women's lib.

True Depravity?

Ok, so this morning I had had a solid breakfast at the Country Kitchen in Weymouth and was making my way back to the office. As I was stopped in a red light, this driver, an Elizabeth Hurley lookalike, comes careening around the corner (she had a green light) in a little Volkswagon as if she had forgotton to slow down for the turn. Y'know, Oops! I did it again and all that...Then I realized what was happening. She looked like she was giggling, had a cigarette in her left hand (which was also clutching the steering wheel) and had a phone to her right ear (using her right hand, of course).
I mean, what the hell, man?!

Here comes another one, mates

There is yet another article about exercising being the most effective method for weight loss. However, there is an interesting tidbit. Apparently exercise becomes more effective if performed right after a meal (my Mom always said I shouldn't strain myself after a meal!).

Most people in the western world already know what needs to be done to lose weight and feel better. But a lot of them don't always do what is necessary. It is a question of inertia. You can print all the articles in the world. But if people aren't willing to get out and sweat it...

As for the actual tidbit (training after a meal), I always tell people (who ask me about training) that perfect health begins with developing good posture. If you have imbalances, then exercising will exacerbate such skeletal problems over time. So improve and fix that posture first. Here is a great article by Ian King on fixing imbalances:

http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=281kilter2

And another one (you should really read this if you have a desk job):
http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=07-075-training

And the best time to train:

When one feels like it!

This could be at 11 at night or 11 in the morning. Whatever works and, most importantly, whenever one feels like it. I have gone home after work some days and took a few minutes to do some burpees, sit-ups and single-leg calf raises (using a telephone directory). Then, once a week, right before I fall asleep, I might do a bit of bridging for the neck. The gem here is this: I do it when I feel like it. This way I am guaranteed of not having any burnouts or loss of interest in my training. I don't have to schedule anything. And by not scheduling a training session, I don't have to meet it! So...just do it.

Here is the original BBC article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6712923.stm

Class or Crass

The Miss Universe pageant has been under fire from critics for a good while now. At the Miss Universe 2007: "Pageant organizers say the contest carefully selects women who are intelligent, well-mannered and cultured."


Miss Serbia = Beer.


Miss Russia: Oh, she has got class! What poise! Look at that neck!


Miss India: I don't see any "culture" here. Do you?

Looks like some chick from Japan eventually clicked with the judges.

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (a brief film review)

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer is the tale of a man, Raja Chowdhury (played by Rahul Bose) and a very orthodox Brahmin girl, Meenakshi (Konkona Sen Sharma). He is a wildlife photographer from the northern part of India currently in southern India for a shoot. She lives in Kolkota, aka Calcutta, with her husband's family but is currently visiting her parents in the southern state of Tamilnadu. Word arrives that Meenakshi's mama-in-law is sick. So, Meenakshi, decides to leave for Kolkota immediately. Now her parents, concerned about her making such a long journey alone with her newborn child, hook her up with Raja, who has completed his project and is returning to Kolkota.

I don't like writing long posts (unless its thrashing Britney Spears for not keeping her head shaved). Plus I am not a professional reviewer. So I might inadvertently give a spoiler or two away. All I can say is this: There is a segment in the middle of the movie where their travel is interrupted by communal riots between Muslims and Hindus. Yes, they are all Indians (click here for an example of a communal riot in India). This causes a big delay in their journey north and allows Raja and Meenakshi, with their starkly differing backgrounds, to bond. Meenakshi discovers certain truths (sometimes disturbing to her) about Raja which makes her pause and take stock of her own beliefs and dreams. Will they reach Kolkota in safety amidst the communal strife around them? Find out for yourself.

A very good road movie indeed!