RE: Jurassic Park 4 Synopsis (a little longer)

["Allan Edels" <edels@msn.Com>]

My understanding is that the disease called DX is caused by PRIONS
[pronounced "PRE-ons"].  This is based on the "The Lost World" book.
These nearly alive molecules are theorized to be the cause of BSE
(Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis) [pardon my spelling, if wrong], AKA
"Mad Cow Disease".  This disease (DX) would not only be able to be
spread to birds, but to humans as well, probably through eating the
remains of something that died from (or was infected with) the disease.


Curiously, the disease might affect some of the dinosaurs like rabies
affects mammals.  Since the human version of BSE causes the patients to
act like they have Alzheimer's - essentially large areas of the brain
are eaten away by the disease.  Alzheimer's patients are known to become
violent towards the latter stages of the disease.  Imagine an already
extremely violent and dangerous animal that has had its inhibitions
(however miniscule those may be) removed!  Foaming at the mouth -
probably not.  But attacking everything in its sight - definitely.  

The infected carnivores could also be somewhat stupid at times - for
example, attacking one person and really ripping it to shreds (for 'fun"
- not for food) while other people (very close by!) get away.  This
might counteract the impression that dinosaur (especially 'raptors')
were even smarter than humans.  You might even have Alan Grant explain
[while running? :-) ] that because these animals were recreated by
people, they are actually more vicious, more intelligent, and much
faster than actual dinosaurs were.  The disease would make them closer
to reality of the Mesozoic. 

Of course, the fact that the disease might spread to people or to our
livestock animals (and therefore, eventually to us) could be another
major problem for Alan Grant and company to overcome.

I liked JP I - I like the other movies, but mostly as escapist fare.
The best part about all of the JP movies is that the dinosaurs really
seemed REAL.  (Not perfect, not always correct, though, - but real in
many ways).   My hat's off to ILM and Stan Winston, et al.

I hope that any further movies show the dinosaurs in a more realistic
light. (Oh, well...)

In response to Buckaroobwana  - I think the _T. rex_ was robbed in that
fight too!  In fact, as the fight starts, _T. rex_ chomps down on the
_Spinosaurus_'s neck.  This should have been the killing bite -
especially considering the power of the _T. rex_'s jaws versus the
slenderness of _Spinosaurus_'s neck.  I think the reason the
_Spinosaurus_ wins is based on 2 things - Jack Horner's insistence that
_T. rex_ was merely a scavenger, and the studio's idea that the _T. rex_
as the all conquering dino was getting tired.

Hope this has educated and delighted all,

Allan Edels 

BTW:  I knew someone who died of what has been presumed to be BSE,
probably contracted while eating exotic foods ~10 years ago in England
and France.  It was a terrible way to go, especially for a very
intelligent man with a good memory...
[Dr. T.H. - you probably knew Joe as well].

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu] On Behalf
Of Roberta Meehan
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:41 AM
To: dinosaur
Subject: Re: Jurassic Park 4 Synopsis

Mickey Mortimer wrote:
> 
> Øyvind M. Padron wrote-
> 
> > what? a JP4 with all dead dinosaurs?
> > but but...
> >
> > how will the tyrannosaurs and raptors eat all the paleontologists if
> > theyre all sick and dying?
> 
> Ah, but you see the disease is like rabies- it makes the dinosaurs
more
> prone to excitement and aggression.  Raptors foaming at the mouth,
attacking
> and killing everyone in sight...  :-)


Just so long as no one things the disease actually is rabies!!  Only
certain of our friends would be able to contract rabies itself --
because of body temperature and other internal conditions.  I seriously
doubt the raptors would be good candidates for rabies.  It is possible
that none of the dinos would be about to contract rabies.

Roberta Meehan (stepping out of lurkdom for the first time in about two
years!)