Re: Fw: Dinosaurs and birds

[don ohmes <d_ohmes@yahoo.com>]

Why then, do track records set on windy days not enter the record books? 
Ignorance on the part of the AAU, or empirical evidence? 

No one argues that the upper body out-accelerating the lower body (the 
thrust-parallel-to-ground case) will eventually cause "problems" (= falling 
over). Small amounts of acceleration don't cause _instant_ failure however, and 
what happens in the interim is important in the evolutionary context. 

Argh. Have to go back to work. Will gnaw this bone one last time later...

Don

----- Original Message ----
From: jrc <jrccea@bellsouth.net>
To: d_ohmes@yahoo.com
Cc: dinosaur@usc.edu
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 9:11:27 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Dinosaurs and birds


>A man running in still air at top speed that catches a wind gust strong 
>enough to increase his speed an increment above "normal running speed" 
>doesn't "fall over"!

I do.

> You'd have every skill guy in the league
> pounding on your door, and you'd be rich beyond your wildest dreams. 
> Actually, ANY athlete. If
> you are right, which of course, you are not.

I never turned pro, but did have an athletic scholarship in college -- does 
that make me an athelete?  I'd fall over.  But then, I always was 
klutzy......

> Those guys understand that margin of victory is _meaningless_. They
> _don't_ understand "small" windows of advantage. You either win, or you
> _don't_.

Most of us aren't Bill Tilden.  Those of us who aren't do lose some of the 
time, and are more interested in improving our win/loss ratio than we are in 
winning every time.
JimC