Misc. comments 5

[redbird]

To 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 great^million-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.

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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.

Comments

Infected

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I don't think of myself as a West Wing fan, and have probably seen all of one episode, but when I saw the title Taking Wing: Archaeopteryx and the Evolution of Bird Flight, by Pat Shipman:, I initially took it to be some sort of odd academic West Wing fan analysis.

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

"How do you know if someone is as bisexual as they claim?"

what, there are levels? i must figure out how to get the rules out of the c*b*l. i mean, i read soc.bi, i aspire to be a Big Meanie(tm) when i grow up, and i have in the past been all excited about people with both innies and outies. i thought that was as good as it got. sheesh. ;)

[maviscruet.livejournal.com]

Your right. Your sexual preferance is little more then a statement of your general tendency towards attraction. It should matter not one bit when applied to any individual relationship, since after all who cares if they normally fancy men/women (delate as applicable) right now there in love with you.....

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

I've seen a fossil of Archaeopteryx lithographica and took a photo of it. I'll have to dig it out and post it, or e-mail it to you.

[redbird]

Thanks, but there's no need: it's a few miles away by subway, and I have a museum membership.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

How wonderful!

[elusis.livejournal.com]

Re: the "how do you know if someone is as bisexual as they claim?" question...

Rumor has it that if you rub a piece of cut onion on the inside of the alleged bisexual's wrist, and it turns purple, you know you are dealing with a True Bisexual (tm).

[pthalo]

I date women. I have my preferences within the subset of women, but "woman" is the most important criterion. Even to that there have been exceptions. stuff. and if we want to be honest I'm probably 80% lesbian but whatever. :)

I crush on straight girls because of that whole untouchables thing I guess. I'd date bisexual girls, even girls that are more attracted to men than women. As long as they're attracted to me and I'm attracted to them. Though, granted, the "attracted to me" part is more important.

Really, I can't grok why I'd care if a girl is 80% straight as long as her attraction to me is part of that 20%.

straight people are very queer indeed. ;)