Assorted subjects

[roger@arkansas.net (Roger A. Stphenson)]

Hello all,

Matthew Troutman wrote, "They all have hollow bones and air-sacs like birds
so they were light like birds. This information is never given or really
considered in weight estimations."

Wrong. Not all dinosaurs had hollow bones. Hadrosaur femurs are solid, when
preserved well. Triceratops bones were solid, as were Anklyosaurs. A light
Nodosaur would make the armor useless. A Tyrannosaurus rex could just flip
one over and have lunch.

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That 'raptor' word is used in "the Dinosauria" in section 7, page 213.
Guess what? The reference there is to birds of prey. Casual use of that
word in reference to any dinosaur will promote casual use, and any serious
dinosaur student should avoid it. Why? There is no such thing as casual
science. That's how we end up with people actually believing ther are human
footprints alongside those of dinosaurs at Glen Rose, Texas.

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To advocate self esteem above truth does a greater disservice to young
minds than gentle correction. In the words of Paul Simon, "no I would not
give you false hope", and self esteem built on inaccuracy is a house of
cards. This may be why I know of several people with college diplomas that
cannot work in their field(s) of study. Our (USA) educational system
ignores this fact, and continues to produce well educated factory workers.
Self esteem takes a massive blow when a degree holder cannot pay the bills
with that sheepskin. Is the education system as we know it responsible for
the accumulation of useful knowledge or ego enhancement? The idea that one
can do anything they choose, if they work hard enough, is shameful.

A person with colorblindness could never be a film processor. A person that
has glaucoma (sp?) can never be a fighter pilot. We all have limitations,
and even M.J. couldn't play baseball worth beans, even though he may be the
best hoops player ever. He realized this and came back to the profession
that he was best suited. Very few of the rest of us can afford to
experiment with our lives or livelihoods in this way.

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I wish the SVP would be held in Little Rock, Dallas, or Memphis one of
these years. I'd really love to attend, but these northern and eastern
cities are just too far away. I could attend, but then I'd have to give up
my field work in South Dakota, and that aint happenin'. Too bad there isn't
a web page with live coverage, or maybe video tapes. (not too subtle a hint
there)

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Could someone be kind enough to explain the differences in the dental
arrangement of Dromeosaursidae and Elmisauridae, or is the lack of skull
material in the later a problem? Could supposedly shed Dromeosaursidae
teeth actually be from members of Elmisauridae?

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The Who mentioned the band discussed as of late, "T. rex". I don't remember
the exact tune at the moment, but the line goes, ",,, to the sound of old
T. rex,,". Maybe someone with extensive rock history knowledge can remember
what I can't, and provide the title of said diddy. It may be "You Better".

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Roger A. Stephenson