Friday, August 25, 2006
Obituary
Pluto's not good enough. That's what some really smart guys, with a few PhDs and a few international awards in between them, have concluded. Learned guardians of the great science that they are, I'm sure their logic cannot be faulted. Therefore, I will not attempt to comprehend or to analyse the decision.
What I do know is that my parents once bought me an expensive book, titled Space and written by a gentleman named Robin Kerrod, that had a great many fascinating photographs as well as descriptions of the deeps beyond the imagination of a ten year old. It listed a tiny planet called Pluto as the ninth and smallest planet of the solar system.
Pluto was my favourite planet. Because it was the smallest. Because it was the farthest from the sun (at least most of the time). Because it was the youngest. Last but not the least, because I identified it with Disney's Pluto. But now , they say it is not a planet anymore. It's just another lump of rock whirling aimlessly in space.
Everything that Little Baba's books said was wrong. Everything that Little Baba's teachers said was wrong. The learned guardians must be right. Because the books and the teachers were wrong about lots of other things as well.
So goodbye, Pluto. Like the god you were named after, may you rest in the nether world of abstruse science and popular culture.
Space, the final frontier - that's what one of Little Baba's heroes, Capt. Jean Luc-Picard, would always say. Little Baba would watch starry-eyed, as the heroic captain commandeered the USS Enterprise to boldly go where no one ever went before. But Pluto, you were always the final frontier of the solar system. You were the sentinel who would zealously guard our home. Unfortunately, you are small. And size does matter. So it didn't quite work out.
I remember Little Baba used to say that he wanted to be a learned guardian someday. Maybe he could have stood up for you. But you know something, it doesn't matter. You are no longer a planet. And he is no longer a star.
I know this is a pathetic obituary for an old friend but...
PS : I wonder where Voyager 2 is. Did he even stop by to say hello?
Management Class : News , Meandering thoughts of a fickle mind
What I do know is that my parents once bought me an expensive book, titled Space and written by a gentleman named Robin Kerrod, that had a great many fascinating photographs as well as descriptions of the deeps beyond the imagination of a ten year old. It listed a tiny planet called Pluto as the ninth and smallest planet of the solar system.
Pluto was my favourite planet. Because it was the smallest. Because it was the farthest from the sun (at least most of the time). Because it was the youngest. Last but not the least, because I identified it with Disney's Pluto. But now , they say it is not a planet anymore. It's just another lump of rock whirling aimlessly in space.
Everything that Little Baba's books said was wrong. Everything that Little Baba's teachers said was wrong. The learned guardians must be right. Because the books and the teachers were wrong about lots of other things as well.
So goodbye, Pluto. Like the god you were named after, may you rest in the nether world of abstruse science and popular culture.
Space, the final frontier - that's what one of Little Baba's heroes, Capt. Jean Luc-Picard, would always say. Little Baba would watch starry-eyed, as the heroic captain commandeered the USS Enterprise to boldly go where no one ever went before. But Pluto, you were always the final frontier of the solar system. You were the sentinel who would zealously guard our home. Unfortunately, you are small. And size does matter. So it didn't quite work out.
I remember Little Baba used to say that he wanted to be a learned guardian someday. Maybe he could have stood up for you. But you know something, it doesn't matter. You are no longer a planet. And he is no longer a star.
I know this is a pathetic obituary for an old friend but...
PS : I wonder where Voyager 2 is. Did he even stop by to say hello?
Management Class : News , Meandering thoughts of a fickle mind
mental baba 6:52 AM
