Did anyone catch the NatGeo programs about dinosaurs that I mentioned last week? I did. Horner mentioned quite a bit on there. He spoke of dinosaur defenses. Triceratops for example may not have used it's horns for defense. You would think they would have, but being the fact that they had the horns on their heads it would be impossible for them to use the horns for defense. Horner stated the last place you ever want any defensive weapons would be on your head. It makes sense, since it would just give the predator an open invitation to bite you on the back of your neck. Though I don't know, maybe that is why Triceratops and all other ceratopsids had those big frills.
Though I have seen some modern mammals with horns use them as a defensive device. For instance, one time I saw a gazelle chase away a cheetah with it's horns. And wild boar often use their tusks for defense as well. So, it's not totally unheard of for an animal to use some of it's head dressing for defensive weapons. Some animals even use their teeth for weapons, like baboons. A male baboon has canines equally as long as those of a leopard's, and sometimes even gets the best of leopards with them too. They've even been known to kill leopards. The best protected animals however are the ones that have their defenses on the tails or on the backs. Like we see in porcupines. Think of the dinosaurs that had spikes and clubs on their tails, like stegosaurs and ankylosaurs. They could disable a predator with those defenses.
Old animals (like old movie stars) seemed to have a lot more character than they do today. No mammals today have spiked or clubbed tails. Though we do see mammals with spikes on their bodies. But very little energy is needed to raise your spikes, or curl up in an impenetrable ball. I wonder if this means that dinosaurs were much more active animals than modern mammals? Perhaps. The last mammals to employ such a mechanism as a clubbed tail were the glyptodonts. But no mammal around today has any of these kind of weapons.
Bat-eared foxes are probably one of the most victimized carnivores in Africa! Even the smaller felines, like the caracal, can bring them down. I think it would do these primitive foxes some good if they could evolve some kind of defensive weapons of their own. It seems their big ears are great for hearing for termites underground, but seem to be useless in hearing for some feline sneaking up behind them. They have a long crest of stiff hairs on their back that probably should evolve into porcupine-like quills. They have stiff hairs on their tails, that I think should evolve into hard spikes that they can swat at a predator to say, "Keep away from me, or I'll poke your eyes out you fool!!" Maybe get a little bit bigger too, to be able to stay out of reach of such felines as caracals. These are adaptations I think would keep these attractive foxes a little more safe.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Jack Horner on NatGeo Programs
Horner, who heads up the palaeontology department at Montana State University, will be on 2 different National Geographic programs airing on October 11, 2009. My sis Anna will be going to MSU in Bozeman next year, and I will be going there on a tour of the college myself to see if there's anything that I can get into. I'd love to join their palaeontology club, for the sake of Metazoica, as well as to learn more about dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts. I've been an admirer of Horner's for quite a while and this is exciting news! Not that he hasn't been on many programs about dinosaurs before, but this is just exciting news. I will be tuning in, hope you all will be as well. Learning about palaeontology helps a great deal in figuring out what evolution might do in the future. So it's always handy to watch as many of these programs as you can. And Jack Horner is one of the World's foremost authorities on the subject. Horner also lives in Bozeman and also works at the Museum of the Rockies, which Anna and I got to visit while we took a trip to Bozeman.
Anyway, here is the article:
http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=7587
October 06, 2009 -- MSU News Service
BOZEMAN -- Montana State University paleontologist Jack Horner and MSU's Museum of the Rockies will be featured in two National Geographic Channel programs on Sunday, Oct. 11.
The first program, titled "Bizarre Dinosaurs," will air at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mountain time. The second, "Dinosaurs Decoded," will air at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
"Bizarre Dinosaurs" says the planet used to be bunched together in one super continent that was inhabited by very small and similar creatures. Over millions of years, as the continent began to break apart, the creatures began to grow apart. They became bigger and weirder. Bodies with tiny arms grew massive heads. Tiny heads adorned giant crests. Long necks steadied long tails.
"Dinosaurs Decoded" uses animation to show how Horner, his long-time collaborator Mark Goodwin from the University of California, Berkeley, and other renowned paleontologists envision the growth of dinosaurs. They believe that dinosaurs underwent extreme transformations as they grew. They sprouted and lost horns and bumps on their skulls, for example. Males shed dull colors for startlingly bright ones. "A young Triceratops or T. rex may have looked so different from its parents that you'd have a hard time recognizing it," said Dan Levitt of Veriscope Pictures, producer of "Dinosaurs Decoded."
"Horner is shaking up his colleagues by suggesting that the transformations were so dramatic that up to a third of all known dinosaur species may vanish in cases of mistaken identity," Levitt said. "They may simply be misclassified youngsters."
"Dinosaur Decoded" is posted on the National Geographic website at http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/dinosaurs-decoded-3944/overview#tab-Overview
Crews for the show filmed at the Hell Creek Formation around Jordan, MSU's Museum of the Rockies and elsewhere. Veriscope's latest trip to the Hell Creek formation was in July 2008. Veriscope filmed at MSU in September 2008.
To read more about "Bizarre Dinosaurs," see http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/bizarre-dinosaurs-4041/Overview
Evelyn Boswell, (406) 994-5135 or evelynb@montana.edu
Anyway, here is the article:
http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=7587
October 06, 2009 -- MSU News Service
BOZEMAN -- Montana State University paleontologist Jack Horner and MSU's Museum of the Rockies will be featured in two National Geographic Channel programs on Sunday, Oct. 11.
The first program, titled "Bizarre Dinosaurs," will air at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Mountain time. The second, "Dinosaurs Decoded," will air at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
"Bizarre Dinosaurs" says the planet used to be bunched together in one super continent that was inhabited by very small and similar creatures. Over millions of years, as the continent began to break apart, the creatures began to grow apart. They became bigger and weirder. Bodies with tiny arms grew massive heads. Tiny heads adorned giant crests. Long necks steadied long tails.
"Dinosaurs Decoded" uses animation to show how Horner, his long-time collaborator Mark Goodwin from the University of California, Berkeley, and other renowned paleontologists envision the growth of dinosaurs. They believe that dinosaurs underwent extreme transformations as they grew. They sprouted and lost horns and bumps on their skulls, for example. Males shed dull colors for startlingly bright ones. "A young Triceratops or T. rex may have looked so different from its parents that you'd have a hard time recognizing it," said Dan Levitt of Veriscope Pictures, producer of "Dinosaurs Decoded."
"Horner is shaking up his colleagues by suggesting that the transformations were so dramatic that up to a third of all known dinosaur species may vanish in cases of mistaken identity," Levitt said. "They may simply be misclassified youngsters."
"Dinosaur Decoded" is posted on the National Geographic website at http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/dinosaurs-decoded-3944/overview#tab-Overview
Crews for the show filmed at the Hell Creek Formation around Jordan, MSU's Museum of the Rockies and elsewhere. Veriscope's latest trip to the Hell Creek formation was in July 2008. Veriscope filmed at MSU in September 2008.
To read more about "Bizarre Dinosaurs," see http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/bizarre-dinosaurs-4041/Overview
Evelyn Boswell, (406) 994-5135 or evelynb@montana.edu
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Nevermind Then....
I took down the post linking to this one guy's blog. The only reason I posted it up here in the first place was to return the favor. But since he deleted my link from his journal, I deleted the link to his journal from my blog. No big deal. I guess he couldn't handle criticism. Like I said, no one can handle it like I can!! Sorry, but I HATE anime-style drawings!!! I hate anime PERIOD, with the utmost, intense passion!!!! I can tolerate manga a little better, but there are no words strong enough to describe how much I HATE anime!!!! "Hate" is a very mild descriptive word compared to how much I dislike anime-style drawings and cartoons. Nothing personal in that, it's just my preference. And my own personal drawing style is the old-fashioned ways, like they did with Bugs Bunny, or like Walt Disney's old school style. I was watching Disney's Dumbo today and comparing it with how cartoons are done now, and it's sad that everyone prefers this sucky anime-crap that is out now. I never liked anime. Even as a kid, I hated anime-style cartoons. They hurt my eyes to watch. Cartoons today are not cartoons anymore.
My ma wants me to start learning how to draw modern-style and modernize Uncle Martin and the Gang. I told her I'm not sure I want him TOO modern!!! I don't want Martin to look like Spongebob with those ugly, balled-out eyes, one tooth on each side of his mouth, or a banana-shaped nose!!! Besides the only modern free-style of cartooning I would even consider would be manga and I'm too lazy to do that!!! I don't have enough money to do Pixar-style. So, it's old school or nothing with me.
But anyway, I guess this person couldn't handle the criticism. Like I said, not everyone can handle criticism like I can! I was told LONG ago that a person who cannot handle criticism, there's something wrong with them. Now, criticism that someone gives about someone else's work (or ideas) that is based on their own personal feelings about the other person, that kind of criticism is totally USELESS, and I agree!! I will always go against that kind of criticism. But I had nothing against this person at all. He just gave his own opinion of my site and that was it. So I can say that nothing I said to him was said with malice. I've never spoken out of malice. That's not who I am! Even if I did know this guy, and did like him, I still would have said what I did. But if he were my friend, he'd know not to take any criticism too personally. But instead LEARN from it. I've learned over the years to take all criticism with a grain of salt. LORD knows my site gets a lot of it, even from people I really do consider friends. Doesn't make me like them any less.
My ma wants me to start learning how to draw modern-style and modernize Uncle Martin and the Gang. I told her I'm not sure I want him TOO modern!!! I don't want Martin to look like Spongebob with those ugly, balled-out eyes, one tooth on each side of his mouth, or a banana-shaped nose!!! Besides the only modern free-style of cartooning I would even consider would be manga and I'm too lazy to do that!!! I don't have enough money to do Pixar-style. So, it's old school or nothing with me.
But anyway, I guess this person couldn't handle the criticism. Like I said, not everyone can handle criticism like I can! I was told LONG ago that a person who cannot handle criticism, there's something wrong with them. Now, criticism that someone gives about someone else's work (or ideas) that is based on their own personal feelings about the other person, that kind of criticism is totally USELESS, and I agree!! I will always go against that kind of criticism. But I had nothing against this person at all. He just gave his own opinion of my site and that was it. So I can say that nothing I said to him was said with malice. I've never spoken out of malice. That's not who I am! Even if I did know this guy, and did like him, I still would have said what I did. But if he were my friend, he'd know not to take any criticism too personally. But instead LEARN from it. I've learned over the years to take all criticism with a grain of salt. LORD knows my site gets a lot of it, even from people I really do consider friends. Doesn't make me like them any less.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Interview With Dougal Dixon
I did it, I took the big leap. And now Metazoica presents their very own interview with the pioneer in speculative evolution himself, Dougal Dixon. He was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions I thought everyone would like to know. Just got his responses today through e-mail. And here they are, his own words to me. Enjoy!
1. What got you interested in speculative biology in the first place?
Always interested in dinosaurs, since about 5 years old. From there it was a small step to other strange-looking animals. And if the strange-looking animals had some scientific plausibility then that would fit in better with my scientific education.
2. How often have you thought about speculative biology?
Frequently.
3. What was your goal with your first speculative biology project?
AFTER MAN was a popular level book on evolution. But whereas all popular books on evolution look towards the past, and see what has happened, I wanted to look towards the future to see what might happen. Not a firm prediction but rather an exploration of possibilities. The result is a picture book of funny animals, but with each funny animal telling some story about evolution or ecology. Fictitious examples of factual processes, so that the novelty would draw people in to find out more.
4. What other sciences do you study?
Two degrees in geology, with a special interest in fossils and evolution. Masters thesis on palaeogeography - tracing the history of the landscapes of the British Isles throughout known geological time.
5. Among those, which do you find yourself most drawn to?
Palaeontology.
6. And why?
See above.
7. Are you currently working on anything new in the speculative biology field?
Second series of THE FUTURE IS WILD.
My novel GREENWORLD will be published in Japan this year. Again it deals with fictitious examples of factual processes - in this case the relationship between Homo sapiens and the natural environment - but set on an alien planet. A planet with a whole thriving ecosystem, based on the same biochemical principles that we have here on Earth. Human settlers - evacuated from an overpopulated and polluted Earth - arrive and set up a civilization. We follow the first thousand years of settlement, in which every environmental disaster caused by humans on Earth is repeated. Every incident has its counterpart in Earth's history. Told as a series of short stories, dealing with subsequent generations of a few principal families, and the whole thing building into a kind of a dynastic epic. Illustrated by excerpts from field guides, herbals, bounty notices, recipes, zoo advertisments, scientific papers - all aimed at the characters, not the reader. The reader is an eavesdropper here.
8. Do you consider yourself tops in the growing field of speculative biology?
Others do! I seem to be the go-to guy when it comes to that.
9. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment in any scientific field?
In my case, from my day job as a science writer, to inspire others to take an active interest in the fields of science.
1. What got you interested in speculative biology in the first place?
Always interested in dinosaurs, since about 5 years old. From there it was a small step to other strange-looking animals. And if the strange-looking animals had some scientific plausibility then that would fit in better with my scientific education.
2. How often have you thought about speculative biology?
Frequently.
3. What was your goal with your first speculative biology project?
AFTER MAN was a popular level book on evolution. But whereas all popular books on evolution look towards the past, and see what has happened, I wanted to look towards the future to see what might happen. Not a firm prediction but rather an exploration of possibilities. The result is a picture book of funny animals, but with each funny animal telling some story about evolution or ecology. Fictitious examples of factual processes, so that the novelty would draw people in to find out more.
4. What other sciences do you study?
Two degrees in geology, with a special interest in fossils and evolution. Masters thesis on palaeogeography - tracing the history of the landscapes of the British Isles throughout known geological time.
5. Among those, which do you find yourself most drawn to?
Palaeontology.
6. And why?
See above.
7. Are you currently working on anything new in the speculative biology field?
Second series of THE FUTURE IS WILD.
My novel GREENWORLD will be published in Japan this year. Again it deals with fictitious examples of factual processes - in this case the relationship between Homo sapiens and the natural environment - but set on an alien planet. A planet with a whole thriving ecosystem, based on the same biochemical principles that we have here on Earth. Human settlers - evacuated from an overpopulated and polluted Earth - arrive and set up a civilization. We follow the first thousand years of settlement, in which every environmental disaster caused by humans on Earth is repeated. Every incident has its counterpart in Earth's history. Told as a series of short stories, dealing with subsequent generations of a few principal families, and the whole thing building into a kind of a dynastic epic. Illustrated by excerpts from field guides, herbals, bounty notices, recipes, zoo advertisments, scientific papers - all aimed at the characters, not the reader. The reader is an eavesdropper here.
8. Do you consider yourself tops in the growing field of speculative biology?
Others do! I seem to be the go-to guy when it comes to that.
9. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment in any scientific field?
In my case, from my day job as a science writer, to inspire others to take an active interest in the fields of science.
Monday, August 24, 2009
My Decision
I've been thinking for the past few weeks about rejoining the SE forum. I haven't looked in there, just so everyone knows. I've stayed out because I wanted the decision to go back there to remain solely on my own. I know some peeps wanted me to return, and as much as I thank those people who want me back, and appreciate their support, I didn't want my choice to be influenced in any way.
Anyway, I have decided not to return. Sorry to those who asked me to come back. I'm not ready to go back. The final choice was made when an incident on YouTube happened. I blew up at someone. Not that that person didn't deserve it! I mean, he attacked me, and several other people commenting on a video and his attacks were completely uncalled for! In my defense, it was late at night and I was very tired that night when I replied to him. Usually I always try to keep my cool even in the face of people like that, and this past year I've been attempting to reform. But that night I just totally lost it. I usually only get angry at people who make threats over the internet, and repeat offenders. But I didn't even know this guy, or what flew up his butt that night.
This is why I don't like arguing and fighting. I always feel bad afterwards because sometimes I tend to go overboard. Though I have learned to monitor it this past year. I didn't want to return to any forums really until I learn to completely keep my cool. That is, not reply to the trolls and idiots. And we all know there is a big troll on the SE forum, and he knows whom he is! Anyway, I want to get to a point where I can read his posts and not get angry at him, because I could lose it again, especially when I see that jerk shit-talk someone I like or force his opinions on others without providing proof!! Both of which he is infamous for doing. Anyway, I want to make sure when I go in there, I don't blow up at anyone for any reason. That guy on Youtube, I was saying afterwards that I wish I hadn't blown up at him, just because I am trying to keep from doing that now. But maybe it's all for the better, it told me that I am not ready to go back to any forum.
Anyway, I have decided not to return. Sorry to those who asked me to come back. I'm not ready to go back. The final choice was made when an incident on YouTube happened. I blew up at someone. Not that that person didn't deserve it! I mean, he attacked me, and several other people commenting on a video and his attacks were completely uncalled for! In my defense, it was late at night and I was very tired that night when I replied to him. Usually I always try to keep my cool even in the face of people like that, and this past year I've been attempting to reform. But that night I just totally lost it. I usually only get angry at people who make threats over the internet, and repeat offenders. But I didn't even know this guy, or what flew up his butt that night.
This is why I don't like arguing and fighting. I always feel bad afterwards because sometimes I tend to go overboard. Though I have learned to monitor it this past year. I didn't want to return to any forums really until I learn to completely keep my cool. That is, not reply to the trolls and idiots. And we all know there is a big troll on the SE forum, and he knows whom he is! Anyway, I want to get to a point where I can read his posts and not get angry at him, because I could lose it again, especially when I see that jerk shit-talk someone I like or force his opinions on others without providing proof!! Both of which he is infamous for doing. Anyway, I want to make sure when I go in there, I don't blow up at anyone for any reason. That guy on Youtube, I was saying afterwards that I wish I hadn't blown up at him, just because I am trying to keep from doing that now. But maybe it's all for the better, it told me that I am not ready to go back to any forum.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Should I Or Not?
As you can see, I haven't posted much on this blog, I've been so terribly busy. Been 2 months since I posted anything here, and quite a while since I've done anything on my Metazoic site. So much has gone on in the past few months. I have been quite well rewarded now, I have a new little girl in my life, Minnie. She is the highlight of my being now. She's not a young dog but she still has a lot of good years left in her, she's almost 4 years old, and I think she came from a puppymill. She seems to never have lived in a house, and she's shy about being touched, even in a positive way. So I have quite a job ahead of me training her. She's a beautiful girl!! She's not a chihuahua like my others, she's a papillon, and an ex-breeder and I think she just had a litter recently because she is blowing her coat something fierce!!! It could be that and the fact that it was 100 degrees this past week at her old home in Olympia! Well, believe me when I say the summers here are cooler. Last week, while Olympia was experiencing 100 degree temperatures, we've been enjoying temperatures around 68-70 degrees. I love it here!!! I'm so glad I finally got to move out here. Well, I've had Minnie for 3 days now, and her shedding has lessened considerably.
Anyway, for the real reason I started this post. I'm debating whether to go back to the SE forum or not. I heard from another member and they want me back. That makes 2 people now who have asked me to return. But I am not sure I want to. I didn't enjoy it much the last time I was there, they seemed more interested in talking about video games than speculative evolution. And video games are not my thing. Then there is the thing about the owner being a jerk the last time I was there. That probably won't change! I'm usually a damn good judge of character, and I thought he was a good person, but he proved me wrong. He blows his top over minor little things, and I just won't tolerate it. What promise do I have he won't do it again? Ever since I left there, I've been trying to go for a change in personality myself, and if I go back, it'd be just as bad as if I were to return to the Pluba forums. To make a long story short, one of the most popular people on the Pluba forum is also one of the worst people I've ever met on the internet, and she is a manipulator who associates with people who hack into other people's computers. One of her friends hacked into an old Hotmail account I used to have, and she claimed she knew nothing about it. But I can tell you for sure, she DID!!!
Then there is the morale of the people on the SE forum. I'm not saying the people I still like on that forum are like that, but a lot of the people on that forum seem to have been led to believe JohnFaa and Viergacht are good people and I just don't agree with that. Right after I left, JohnFaa was still griping about me on that forum, and when I gave him the same thing on this blog, he shit his pants and went back to the SE forum and his own blog and played the martyr, saying to everyone that I hassled him first, which was totally untrue. And everyone there (except for the few sensible ones) believed him. And Viergacht is just a lunatic! Though Katrina and I have a $50 bet going with each other about how long it would take Viergacht to put me on ignore if I were to go back to the SE forum. She says he'll put me on ignore within the first day, I say within the first 5 minutes! hehe! I know his type, he acts tough online, but he couldn't handle Katrina, and he blocked her from his journal. She wasn't even mean to him, she just told it like it is! Really though if the majority of the people on that forum want to believe those two are "good" people and I am not, that's their business! But I don't trust them at all, and a forum that accepts loonies like those, I have no business being in there. Again, I'm a good judge of character, I have rarely been wrong, I know bad news when I see it.
I'll tell you, any time you hear a grown person hassling children, using the word "retard" or "retarded", or making fun of fat people, those are the types of people you know you can't trust at all! I know through personal experience. I've lived long enough to see a great number of those kinds of people wind up in jail---or in a serious court case at least, hehe. It's got nothing to do with the name-calling really. But it's the lack of morale those people have. And I don't want to go down that path of destruction again. I've toned down considerably since I met Metalraptor. I admit I have a long way to go, but I'm getting there slowly but surely. If I join the SE forum again, I'd just be throwing all that I've worked for this past year away. I made a promise when I decided to go for a change, that I wouldn't join anymore forums. At least not until I know I've changed and I can hold on to that more rational behavior. Though I know no matter where I go, I'm going to come across people I don't like or just don't trust that's just how humans are! But still... ya know.
My life has been so busy anyways, I've been doing things for the UMG Productions site, still planning a promotional tour. I just finished a book of more than 500 pages for the site, all about the different breeds of dogs. I've also been working on the same kind of thing, only about the different breeds of horses. Horses are my second love, besides dogs. I have a couple of horses, but they are currently living with Katrina, who has some acreage for them to run around and graze. I don't have that kind of acreage now so they cannot stay with me and I miss them!! I've never written a book about horses before. But I have written about 5 dog books in my life! The very first I wrote when I was in 5th grade, and I had just begun to study dogs. I also wrote one in middle school. Then I wrote one right after I finished high school. Then in 2000 I wrote one again, I printed it but I never published it. Then this year, I made an updated version of the book I wrote in 2000 and this time I did publish it.
Well, that all has been going on, and so has the deal with INXS--my favorite rock group. Seems they are in muddy waters right now and I do feel bad for them. But I remain loyal. When I really like something or someone, I remain loyal forever. I just hope this does not mean the end of INXS's career. Then I guess I must join the ranks of Beatles fans that still love them, but know they will never see them whole again. I don't want that to happen to INXS, and it does kinda worry me that it might. I mean, a lot of former fans have turned against them because of this new project they have been working on. I say let's see what happens first before we make any harsh judgments. I'm not giving up on them, and I'm sure they appreciate the fans who will always be loyal to them. In fact I know they do.
Anyhow, I don't think I will be returning to the SE forum. But anyone who wants to discuss speculative evolution with me or Metalraptor, please feel free to send your discussions to me here or through e-mail. Metalraptor knows a lot more than I do about this, but I can do a little bit of good speculation, based on what I know and what I have learned.
Anyway, for your entertainment, here's some pics I took of Minnie. She'll look a lot better once her coat comes in again. Once that happens, I think Minnie might be a good show potential! I was studying AKC's version of the papillon breed standard, and she's got almost all--except for the long, flowing coat!
I got Vegas in this one. You can just see him on the ground. He still hasn't got used to Minnie being here.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Long Time, No Hear From!
I just wanted to fill my viewers here on what I have been up to lately. I've been working on one of the biggest projects of my career. A book about dogs of the World. It's my passion. I know this has nothing to do with Metazoica, but I just wanted to let you all know what has been taking up my time. For the past week, I have been up all day and all night just trying to get this book done. It's been like when you are running in a race and you are aiming as hard as you can for that goal line, and you want to make it there as fast as you can and yet still run a good race. That is what this past week has been like.
Well, yesterday the tired finally caught up with me and I slept all day long. Then I woke up to a message on my answering machine saying that my ma's best friend's husband finally died. Don't feel bad! He was not good for her anyway! When I first met that jerk there was something about him that bothered me. And then this friend told me that he wanted to marry her, and they'd only known each other for 3 weeks! That scared me, for her sake! He never did anything for her, unless she paid him, and he made her pay half the bill any time he took her out on a date. That should have told her something right there. But this friend is like a newborn baby, her instincts are lousy!! She's too trusting and I know better than anyone that when you are too trusting, you're gonna get burned! My instincts are sharp, and I sensed this man was no good from the beginning. I tried to urge this friend not to marry that man until she got to know him better. But she didn't listen. She married him anyway. Less than 2 months after meeting him for the first time. I knew there would be disaster. Sure enough, he always insulted her, never took her side on anything, made her pay for everything, and tried to kill her twice during the course of this "marriage".
Well, he's dead now, thank goodness! He's been going downhill in his battle against liver cancer for the past 3 years, and it finally caught up with him this past week after spreading to his intestines, his stomach, kidneys and finally his spine. I say Good riddance! And my ma's friend is a free woman! She's going to go to nursing school to become a CNA. I'm so happy for her now!! I hope she learned something, but chances are she didn't. She's one of those types that thinks she cannot live without a man, and so she marries the first man who woos her, whether he is a scum bag or not. So MANY red flags went up with this man, and my ma's friend just let them slide off and laughed them away. He wasn't even good-looking!! He looked like a cross between a shaved chimpanzee and a donkey!! I didn't know what this friend saw in him. I could look past his looks if only he had treated her nicely. But he didn't. Not even close!!
As for me, well, I am still at work on this book. I'm on the hounds section now, and that is the longest and toughest section! There is a breed of hound out there for every country, city and village in all of Europe!! And I've got them all in this book. I actually began this book in 2000, and almost completed it then. But since then, some changes have been made. For example, AKC's list of recognized breeds has grown, so I have to update it. I would just go with the original that I typed out back in 2000, but the disk that I had stored this book on somehow got corrupted. So I have to do the whole darned thing over again!!! Oh well. The original book came to more than 500 pages. I'm going to see if I can do this one with less pages. So far, it's looking good. There is no real reason why I am doing this book, I don't think I will be putting it up on our UMG site, I don't have my supervisor's OK on this book. It's just a personal triumph. Something that I have deep in my bones, and I want to complete the book this time, and get it bound. It's probably going to be too expensive to put up on the UMG site, it's in color and already there are about 200 pages, just in breed descriptions alone. So, it's going to be a book I just print once, and then no more. And just for me. I even devoted this book and my work to my Groucho, I am doing it for her. So, I have to get this done. hehe!
Today has been a long and dull day! But it'll get better. Because today, I get the biggest, bestest birthday present ever! I'm getting a beautiful easy chair! It's called "the cuddler" and as far as I know, it's only available in one store. It's my birthday present to myself, though my sisses did help chip in a little, I couldn't say no when they offered. But mostly it's to me and from me. Here it is though, after 5:00 and I am still waiting! I'm getting tired of waiting!!!! But they called a couple hours ago and said they are on their way. So I have to wait. But it sucks when I want to leave the house and can't cuz I have to wait for the delivery men to come!!! I can't even go out for a walk!
Well anyway, that's what's been going on for the past couple weeks. Sorry I have not been around much.
Well, yesterday the tired finally caught up with me and I slept all day long. Then I woke up to a message on my answering machine saying that my ma's best friend's husband finally died. Don't feel bad! He was not good for her anyway! When I first met that jerk there was something about him that bothered me. And then this friend told me that he wanted to marry her, and they'd only known each other for 3 weeks! That scared me, for her sake! He never did anything for her, unless she paid him, and he made her pay half the bill any time he took her out on a date. That should have told her something right there. But this friend is like a newborn baby, her instincts are lousy!! She's too trusting and I know better than anyone that when you are too trusting, you're gonna get burned! My instincts are sharp, and I sensed this man was no good from the beginning. I tried to urge this friend not to marry that man until she got to know him better. But she didn't listen. She married him anyway. Less than 2 months after meeting him for the first time. I knew there would be disaster. Sure enough, he always insulted her, never took her side on anything, made her pay for everything, and tried to kill her twice during the course of this "marriage".
Well, he's dead now, thank goodness! He's been going downhill in his battle against liver cancer for the past 3 years, and it finally caught up with him this past week after spreading to his intestines, his stomach, kidneys and finally his spine. I say Good riddance! And my ma's friend is a free woman! She's going to go to nursing school to become a CNA. I'm so happy for her now!! I hope she learned something, but chances are she didn't. She's one of those types that thinks she cannot live without a man, and so she marries the first man who woos her, whether he is a scum bag or not. So MANY red flags went up with this man, and my ma's friend just let them slide off and laughed them away. He wasn't even good-looking!! He looked like a cross between a shaved chimpanzee and a donkey!! I didn't know what this friend saw in him. I could look past his looks if only he had treated her nicely. But he didn't. Not even close!!
As for me, well, I am still at work on this book. I'm on the hounds section now, and that is the longest and toughest section! There is a breed of hound out there for every country, city and village in all of Europe!! And I've got them all in this book. I actually began this book in 2000, and almost completed it then. But since then, some changes have been made. For example, AKC's list of recognized breeds has grown, so I have to update it. I would just go with the original that I typed out back in 2000, but the disk that I had stored this book on somehow got corrupted. So I have to do the whole darned thing over again!!! Oh well. The original book came to more than 500 pages. I'm going to see if I can do this one with less pages. So far, it's looking good. There is no real reason why I am doing this book, I don't think I will be putting it up on our UMG site, I don't have my supervisor's OK on this book. It's just a personal triumph. Something that I have deep in my bones, and I want to complete the book this time, and get it bound. It's probably going to be too expensive to put up on the UMG site, it's in color and already there are about 200 pages, just in breed descriptions alone. So, it's going to be a book I just print once, and then no more. And just for me. I even devoted this book and my work to my Groucho, I am doing it for her. So, I have to get this done. hehe!
Today has been a long and dull day! But it'll get better. Because today, I get the biggest, bestest birthday present ever! I'm getting a beautiful easy chair! It's called "the cuddler" and as far as I know, it's only available in one store. It's my birthday present to myself, though my sisses did help chip in a little, I couldn't say no when they offered. But mostly it's to me and from me. Here it is though, after 5:00 and I am still waiting! I'm getting tired of waiting!!!! But they called a couple hours ago and said they are on their way. So I have to wait. But it sucks when I want to leave the house and can't cuz I have to wait for the delivery men to come!!! I can't even go out for a walk!
Well anyway, that's what's been going on for the past couple weeks. Sorry I have not been around much.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Squamozoic Era
Sixty-five million years ago, the world was struck by the worst catastrophe since the end of the Permian. Often referred to as the K-T event by scientists, the extinction was powerful enough to wipe out nearly two thirds of all life on Earth. Victims of this extinction ranged from the massive azdarchid pterosaurs and mosasaurs, to more unassuming creatures like enantiornith birds and polyglyphanodont lizards. The worst of these casualties were the non-avian dinosaurs, which up until that point had been the dominant land organisms on the planet. In our world it was the mammals, and to a lesser extent the birds, who inherited and conquered the world after the K-T. But in this world, something different happened. While crocodilians, turtles, and amphibians continued on as normal after the extinction, it was squamates, lizards, snakes, and their kin, who would come to dominate the post-Mesozoic biosphere.
At first, the early part of this world's Cenozoic would look a lot like our own. But to a discerning eye, one could already see the changes starting to take place that would lead to a world ruled by squamates. Big komodo dragon-like monitors stalked pantodonts and “condylarths”, large iguanids related to Pristiguana spread all over the New World, and gigantic Titanoboa-like snakes swam in the waters. By the time the Early Eocene rolled around, the squamates had gained near-total control of the Earth. The advances that mammals and birds had made up until that time had been merely fleeting. Throughout the rest of the Eocene and Oligocene, squamates were the dominant land animals on Earth. But there were not the active, warm-blooded, erect-gaited squamates of today. Rather these were huge sprawling or semi-erect animals, making this part of the Cenozoic look rather like a neo-Permian or Triassic. But all of this would change in the Miocene. The giant sprawlers and semi-erect squamates that dominated the Oligocene weren’t alone. At the same time, they shared their world with early forms of erect-gaited, warm-blooded squamates, many of these ancestral to modern day groups. In the Early-Middle Miocene, these groups took over, their advanced gaits and metabolisms competing most of the big sprawlers and other primitive squamate groups to extinction. Eventually further environmental changes such as the ice ages would further cement these advanced squamates hold on the planet, making them the dominant group of animals on Earth
The dominant herbivores of the Old World are erect-gaited agamids, who come in a wide variety of forms, ranging from small, arboreal drepanosaur-like creatures to gigantic elephant-sized animals reminiscent of the extinct pareiasaurs; the largest land animals on Earth. The main tall, giraffe-like browsers of this world are the giganatids, anseriform birds slightly resembling the dromornids of our world. Giant armour-plated herbivorous and omnivorous cordylid skinks related to girdled lizards and sungazers take the place of ankylosaurs and glyptodonts, inhabiting scrublands, deserts and uplands across the Old World. Preying on these animals are endothermic, erect-gaited monitors, who act in many cases like wolves, hyenas, and saber-toothed cats, and predatory geckos, which are pantherine-like ambush predators. Other predators include the more primitive predatory monitors, the therolacertids, who act like the weasels, badgers, and other small carnivores in this world. In the Old World, giant predatory short-skulled amphisbaenians prey on large surface-dwelling animals like giant subterranean worms or crocodiles. Across both the Old and New Worlds, lacertids and skinks evolve unparalleled diversity, with small insectivores and mid-sized generalists occurring across all environments, from forest floors to tree tops. And of course, completely bucking the curve, Madagascar becomes dominated by hooved “murder crocs”, huge numbers of arboreal chameleons, arctocyonid condylarths, and oplurid iguanas.
While many different lineages of squamates have evolved endothermy and erect gait, fewer have evolved integumentary structures, and thus are poorly-equipped to withstand the cold. Therefore, the differences between the Old and New World is more marked than in our world. However, several lineages of squamates on both sides of the planet have managed to make the crossing, and establish themselves on the other side. A group of agamids, mountain-dwelling species similar in appearance to Scutellosaurus, came to the New World in the Pliocene, and subsequently took the place of bighorn sheep and mountain goats. At the same time, gracilisaurs and sauroraptors have managed to make the crossing in the other direction, the former becoming established as deer-like herbivores in Eurasia while the latter have taken a wide variety of small predator niches. Boreosaurids, the ferocious opportunists of the North, are found all around the Holarctic region, whether it be Old or New World.
Australia has always sort of been dominated by squamates in our world, and the same is true in this one. The dominant herbivores of Australia are the agamids, like in the rest of the Old World. However, these are not the familiar Laurasiagamids of Africa and Eurasia, but rather their own unique group, the Gondawanagamids. Gondawanagamids tend to have semi-erect gaits like a crocodile or a therapsid, rather than the erect gaits that charictarize Laurasiagamids. But in an odd twist, many lineages of Gondawanagamids have circumvented this by several lineages becoming bipedal, ranging from omnivorous opportunists to full-blown herbivores. Joining them on the plains as large herbivores are the odd placental tingamarrs, herbivorous birds thought to be distantly related to emus and cassowaries, and meolanid turtles, who are more diverse here than anywhere on the mainland. As can be expected, monitors are the dominant predators of Australia. However, compared to the predatory monitors of the mainland, these monitors seem very different in their adaptations, being more prone to bipedalism and other similar niches due to their harsh environment. The two Australias also have another trait in common; they both seem to be places where evolution has gone mad. While across most of the world monitors are terrestrial predators, and crocodilians are mostly restricted to aquatic habitats, the situation is reversed in Australia, where predatory mekosuchines compete with geckos for the cat niche, while aquatic monitors take the place of crocodilians alongside native crocs in the water.
As opposed to the Old World, which is dominated by predatory monitors and geckos, the New World is dominated by all manner of iguanines. Perhaps the epitome of this are the crotaphytids. While in our world crotaphytids are restricted to leopard and collared lizards, in this world crotaphytid iguanians are some of the most successful squamates of all time, evolving erect gaits and endothermy in the Americas and become long-legged giant cursorial predators. These animals, the sauroraptors, resembling the long-extinct non-avian theropods, and take up a variety of niches including those of small animal catchers and wolf analogues.. Some of the latter even spread across to the Old World, and are prevalent there. Anoles take the place of cats in the New World, evolving into big-game hunters, arboreal predators, and terrestrial stalkers. The New World is also home to parabirds, strange squamates descended from anoles that seem to converge a bit on the basal birds of the Mesozoic, but rather than becoming more advanced, they have taken their Archaeopteryx-like body plan and run with it. Strange basal iguanines have evolved into their own unique predator group, the paramonitors; sphenacodontian-like animals which hunt the deserts of the southwest. Most of the large herbivores of the New World are members of a special group of iguanid-derived iguanines, the ungulosaurs, which range from primitive trilophosaur-like species to huge prosauropod, and ground sloth-like animals. The phrynosomatids take part in this diversification too, becoming analogues of peccaries, bison, and the extinct ceratopsians. The anguids also become diverse, evolving into a variety of forms including prairie dog-like burrowers, raccoon analogues, ankylosaur analogues, nectar-eaters and ferocious northern predators. Helodermatids are also more diverse in this world, taking the place of saber-toothed cats and bear-dogs.
For the majority of the Cenozoic South America was an island continent, isolated from the rest of the world. Because of this it developed its own, unique fauna. Giant, sprawling megalania-like teiids, predatory bear-like iguanids, and sebecosuchian crocodiles stalked meiolanid turtles, sloth lizards, native ungulosaurs, and grazing corytophanids across the pampas and plains. But that all changed when North America came and linked to the continent by way of the Panamian land bridge. No longer isolated, South America was buffeted by an invasion of northerners. Gilas, sauroraptors, advanced ungulosaurs, terror owls, and many other adaptable northern groups spread south, muscling out many of the natives. Today, South America’s fauna is mostly made up of these northern invaders. However, some species proved to be adaptable and survive. One of these groups were the corytophanids, which took the place of the sauroraptors, herons, and even some grazers in the South. Their diversity has been severely cut, but they have survived. Teiids have also been heavily hit, formerly huge carnivores as big as Megalania, now they are reduced to smaller monitor lizard analogues. Meiolanid turtles have survived, though not as diverse as before, and have even managed to spread north into southernmost North America. Sebecosuchians too have mostly been able to hold their own, but are now found as smaller predators.
While squamates are the dominant land animals in this world, they are by no means its only inhabitants. Champsosaurs survived the K-T event, and subsequently take the place of gharial-like fish eaters all over the world, except Australia. Crocodiles are less diverse in this timeline, but more varied. Familiar crocs and alligators prowl the waterways of the world, except in Africa, where their niche is taken up by dyrosaurs. There are even several varieties of terrestrial crocodilians, including pristichampsid "murder crocs" and sebecosuchians. Aquatic turtles are more diverse than in our time, but terrestrial turtles are conspicuously absent. The exception to this are the meiolanid turtles, ankylosaur-like chelonians found across Australia with a few genera in the New World. Birds, the sole surviving group of dinosaurs, have been quite successful in this world, though not as much as in our own. There are many groups of birds unique to this world or who have had greater success here than in our world. Pseudodontornithes soar over the seas as albatross or sea bird analogues. Giant anseriformes browse from the trees, as presybyornids take the place of ducks and other aquatic waterfowl. Terror owls, small animal hunters the size of a troodont and related to modern day owls, hunt for prey in the undergrowth across every continent except Australia. Mammals, while far from dominant, have also managed to become somewhat diverse. Multituberculates take the place of rodents and in some cases larger herbivores, alongside condylarths and pantodonts. Bats have evolved in this timeline, swooping overhead as insectivores. Some mammals have even become predators; leptictids and miacids hunt small mammals, birds, and squamates in the undergrowth.
Because mammals never really diversify in this world, numerous lineages of squamates take to the sea and become aquatic. Arguably, the most successful of these are the snakes, who fill the sea with hundreds of species, ranging from small ones to giant species that put our modern sea snakes to shame. Monitors too have tried to become aquatic once again, and patrol the seas and bays like reptilian sharks or the odontocetes of our world in search of fish and marine squamates. Some are semi-terrestrial and come on land to rest like seals, while others are entirely marine. Carnivorous squamates are not the only squamates to try and go marine. The ungulosaurs too developed their own aquatic lineages, the clownguanas and the sirenosaurs. Pseudodontornithes soar over the ocean like albatrosses, while true gulls live much like gulls always have. Like in our world, the seas are filled with huge amounts of plankton. And also like in our world, there are filter feeders that have evolved to take advantage of this marine bounty. Overall, the filter feeders can be divided into three general size classes. The first of these are the presybyornids, who range in size from a small duck to a swan or a small seal. The next are the marine arctocyonids, which range from seal to dolphin-sized. The largest, and most abundant, filter feeders of this world are the sharks, which vaguely resemble the basking and whale sharks of our world.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Earliest Relative of Monkeys
Well, this was a cool article I found, it talks about a fossil found that may be one of the earliest direct links to the evolution of monkeys. Well, everyone by now should know how fascinated I am by primates, so this article really hits home with me. It caught my attention right away, anyway. My apologies to my readers for not being on here much, I'm planning something with my supervisor that should be very big in getting the word out for UMG Productions! So, I've had a busy week planning and plotting with her.
Skeleton Sheds Light on Primate Evolution
Malcolm Ritter, Associated Press
May 19, 2009 -- The nearly complete skeleton of a small 47 million-year-old creature found in Germany was displayed Tuesday by scientists who said it would help illuminate the early evolution of monkeys, apes and humans.
About the size of a small cat, the animal has four legs and a long tail. It's not a direct ancestor of monkeys and humans, but it provides a good indication of what such an ancestor may have looked like, researchers said at a news conference.
Because the skeleton is so remarkably complete, scientists believe it will provide a window into primate evolution. The animal was a juvenile female that scientists believe died at about 9 or 10 months.
"She tells so many stories. We have just started the research on this fabulous specimen," said Jorn Hurum, of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, one of the scientists reporting the find.
The creature is nicknamed Ida after Hurum's 6-year-old daughter.
The unveiling, at New York's Museum of Natural History, was promoted by a press release for the cable TV show History, which called it a "revolutionary scientific find that will change everything."
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, among the speakers at the news conference, called it an "astonishing breakthrough."
The story of the fossil find will be shown on History, which is owned by A&E Television Networks. A book also will be published.
Hurum saw nothing wrong with the heavy publicity which preceded the research's publication Tuesday in the scientific journal PLOS (Public Library of Science) One.
"That's part of getting science out to the public, to get attention. I don't think that's so wrong," Hurum said.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Family of the Week: the Shrubucks
The Ungulascelididae is the first family to evolve off the elephant shrews in the Metazoic. They basically resemble giant versions of these animals, and they are every bit as flexible. They are basically quadrupedal animals, though they occasionally rear up on their hind legs to reach for any food items that are out of reach to quadrupeds. The nose is long and flexible, the ears are large and pointed. The eyes are large, some species even have tusks. They are slenderly built animals, the legs are long and the feet are soft, like those of camels, with blunt hooves. They are very agile animals, and leap and bound much like we see in modern deer and antelope. The tail is long and thick, and used to balance the animals as they rear up on their hind legs. There are 4 toes on each foot, and in the genus Scopulus, one of the toes on each forefoot is flexible, giving them an added advantage in grasping branches they want to feed on. These animals travel together in rather large herds, usually led by a dominant male.
The largest member of this family is Mananasus, which is a large forest-dwelling shrubuck that has a long, flexible nose like a modern elephant. They stand about 10 feet tall, and with the long proboscis, can reach leaves an extra 4 feet above their head. This species often will stand on their hind legs to attempt to reach higher leaves. This is the one species that is fully vegetarian, feeding only on leaves and fruits from high branches. Most other shrubucks are omnivores. Ungulascelides is known to scavenge kills from other animals, acting rather like modern jackals in the early Metazoic era. The smallest of the shrubucks is in the genus Varicares. These are rather small animals, and most shelter in burrows. In the early Metazoic, these animals take the place of warthogs. Though they are not quite as ugly. The legs are shorter in this genus than any other variety of shrubuck. This is also the only one of the shrubucks that made it out of Africa. One variety lives in the mountainous forests of southern Europe. This animal feeds on low growth vegetation, as well as insects, earthworms, slugs, grubs and carrion. They live in smaller family groups, much like wild boar today, and all members of the family roost in large burrows dug by the adults in the family.
These animals are like most others around during the Metazoic, they are diurnal. They prefer to roost at night, and do their hunting and traveling during the day. They live in a variety of habitats, but most species prefer drier areas. Though there are quite a few species in this family that are forest and even jungle dwellers. Females usually have more than one calf, and are quite protective of them. Males play very little in the way of family life. Though they too are defensive of their families.
Shrubucks have several enemies. Mostly large reptiles like crocodiles and pythons. Pythons normally take the young animals. Rarely, if ever, any adults. Carnivorous rats and squirrels will also take on these animals as well as wild dogs. Shrubucks defend themselves quite well by way of powerful kicks. The tail also acts as a defensive mechanism. The tail is long and thick, and excellent for slapping at an attacker. Though most predators find a way around this. These animals are the start of a line of animals that would later in the Metazoic become the Choerocaballids, the therapeds and even the deinognathids. But their most unique and unusual descendants will be the sinecrus, that take to the water.
The largest member of this family is Mananasus, which is a large forest-dwelling shrubuck that has a long, flexible nose like a modern elephant. They stand about 10 feet tall, and with the long proboscis, can reach leaves an extra 4 feet above their head. This species often will stand on their hind legs to attempt to reach higher leaves. This is the one species that is fully vegetarian, feeding only on leaves and fruits from high branches. Most other shrubucks are omnivores. Ungulascelides is known to scavenge kills from other animals, acting rather like modern jackals in the early Metazoic era. The smallest of the shrubucks is in the genus Varicares. These are rather small animals, and most shelter in burrows. In the early Metazoic, these animals take the place of warthogs. Though they are not quite as ugly. The legs are shorter in this genus than any other variety of shrubuck. This is also the only one of the shrubucks that made it out of Africa. One variety lives in the mountainous forests of southern Europe. This animal feeds on low growth vegetation, as well as insects, earthworms, slugs, grubs and carrion. They live in smaller family groups, much like wild boar today, and all members of the family roost in large burrows dug by the adults in the family.
These animals are like most others around during the Metazoic, they are diurnal. They prefer to roost at night, and do their hunting and traveling during the day. They live in a variety of habitats, but most species prefer drier areas. Though there are quite a few species in this family that are forest and even jungle dwellers. Females usually have more than one calf, and are quite protective of them. Males play very little in the way of family life. Though they too are defensive of their families.
Shrubucks have several enemies. Mostly large reptiles like crocodiles and pythons. Pythons normally take the young animals. Rarely, if ever, any adults. Carnivorous rats and squirrels will also take on these animals as well as wild dogs. Shrubucks defend themselves quite well by way of powerful kicks. The tail also acts as a defensive mechanism. The tail is long and thick, and excellent for slapping at an attacker. Though most predators find a way around this. These animals are the start of a line of animals that would later in the Metazoic become the Choerocaballids, the therapeds and even the deinognathids. But their most unique and unusual descendants will be the sinecrus, that take to the water.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Attack of the Synapsids
Otherwise known as attack of your great, great, great, great, great grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Anyway, its here...Will Baird and Zach Miller (and also Scott Elyard, apparently) have posted some stuff on their project, appropriately titled the XenoPermian. Zach has his picture of the "Triassic" seaside coast both on Will's blog and on Art Evolved, and Will has posted an overview of the first chunk of the project on his blog, The Dragon's Tales.
The reason I put the "Triassic" of this timeline in quotes is, quite simply, because there isn't one in this time period. In the XenoPermian, the volcanic eruptions that caused the P-T extinction never happened, or were at least spread out over many millions of years. As a result of this, the Permian bleeds smoothly into the Triassic. Actually, the Triassic being consumed by the Permian would be a better word, since a lot of the fauna that characterize the Permian never goes extinct (gorgonopsids, for one) and a lot of the fauna that characterize the Triassic never evolves (nothosaurs, placodonts, for example).
So, here are the two links. Zach's picture can be found here (http://blogevolved.blogspot.com/2009/05/long-road-to-failure.html), and Will's post is located here (http://thedragonstales.blogspot.com/2009/05/welcome-to-xenopermian.html)
The reason I put the "Triassic" of this timeline in quotes is, quite simply, because there isn't one in this time period. In the XenoPermian, the volcanic eruptions that caused the P-T extinction never happened, or were at least spread out over many millions of years. As a result of this, the Permian bleeds smoothly into the Triassic. Actually, the Triassic being consumed by the Permian would be a better word, since a lot of the fauna that characterize the Permian never goes extinct (gorgonopsids, for one) and a lot of the fauna that characterize the Triassic never evolves (nothosaurs, placodonts, for example).
So, here are the two links. Zach's picture can be found here (http://blogevolved.blogspot.com/2009/05/long-road-to-failure.html), and Will's post is located here (http://thedragonstales.blogspot.com/2009/05/welcome-to-xenopermian.html)
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