quick ?: dinos and birds

[n9145756@cc.wwu.edu]

I have not been reading the list lately so I have missed a lot.  I also
want to thank those that did reply to my posts they were very helpful and
have raised more questions than I have time for.  Well back to the
question.....

Are birds the closest extant relatives to dinosaurs?  And are squamates
and lacertains included too?  I always thought that the Dinosaurs
(ornithischians) and (saurischians) evolved separately {as two independent
lineages} breaking "Dinosauria" as a natural group, thus no longer holding
its 150 year reign as one group.  I hope this makes sense...it's fairly
confusing in some respects.  :)      

Landry

n9145756@titan.cc.wwu.edu

Whoopie spring quater is almost over and summer is here....what to do?