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jerrykaufman, who was writing about Taking Wing: Archaeopteryx and the Evolution of Bird Flight, by Pat Shipman:
I need to take another look at Archaeopteryx: I knew they were fairly small, but blue jay–sized seems smaller than I remembered. Crow, maybe. I might be able to squeeze that in Wednesday, if I can convince myself not to spend half a day at the museum. (Yes, I'm flaunting this wonderful city.)
I know there are some recent studies of modern birds running up slopes and climbing trees, and they used their wings. This doesn't, of course, prove that this is how bird flight evolved, but it gives us an idea of how wings can be useful on the ground.
There are good, recently discovered fossils of ancient birds from China. I vaguely recall that there are some hot new theories as a result (although National Geographic was very publicly embarrassed after putting one of those on its cover, which soon turned out to be a fake put together from two different fossils). Archie wasn't the first bird (that's been clear for a long time), and I'm not sure he's on the ancestral tree of modern birds (rather than a greatmillion-uncle), but those are remarkably good, clear fossils. Archaeopteryx lithographica, possibly the most fannish of dinosaurs.
In response to someone who asked, in the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
bisexual community, "How do you know if someone is as bisexual as they claim?":
Why does it matter to you?
From the personal viewpoint, what matters to me is whether someone is attracted to me (and, related to that, whether they want to act on that attraction). If they are, it's not important whether they strongly prefer women, strongly prefer men, honestly don't care, are attracted to very different things in women than in men, or have a filter/orientation that doesn't fit any of those labels. I don't insist that my partners be bisexual--some have been, but I've also had successful relationships with a heterosexual man and with a lesbian.
From the political viewpoint, I'll take all the allies I can get.
jerrykaufman, who was writing about Taking Wing: Archaeopteryx and the Evolution of Bird Flight, by Pat Shipman:I need to take another look at Archaeopteryx: I knew they were fairly small, but blue jay–sized seems smaller than I remembered. Crow, maybe. I might be able to squeeze that in Wednesday, if I can convince myself not to spend half a day at the museum. (Yes, I'm flaunting this wonderful city.)
I know there are some recent studies of modern birds running up slopes and climbing trees, and they used their wings. This doesn't, of course, prove that this is how bird flight evolved, but it gives us an idea of how wings can be useful on the ground.
There are good, recently discovered fossils of ancient birds from China. I vaguely recall that there are some hot new theories as a result (although National Geographic was very publicly embarrassed after putting one of those on its cover, which soon turned out to be a fake put together from two different fossils). Archie wasn't the first bird (that's been clear for a long time), and I'm not sure he's on the ancestral tree of modern birds (rather than a greatmillion-uncle), but those are remarkably good, clear fossils. Archaeopteryx lithographica, possibly the most fannish of dinosaurs.
Addendum: if the models in the subway station are true-to-life (true-to-rock?), yes, Archaeopteryx was blue jay–sized.
In response to someone who asked, in the
bisexual community, "How do you know if someone is as bisexual as they claim?":Why does it matter to you?
From the personal viewpoint, what matters to me is whether someone is attracted to me (and, related to that, whether they want to act on that attraction). If they are, it's not important whether they strongly prefer women, strongly prefer men, honestly don't care, are attracted to very different things in women than in men, or have a filter/orientation that doesn't fit any of those labels. I don't insist that my partners be bisexual--some have been, but I've also had successful relationships with a heterosexual man and with a lesbian.
From the political viewpoint, I'll take all the allies I can get.
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