Crocodile Relative in Brazil

'Missing Link' to Crocodile Discovered

RIO DE JANEIRO (Jan. 31) - Brazilian paleontologists said on Thursday they had found the fossil of a new species of prehistoric predator that represented a "missing link" to modern-day crocodiles.

The well-preserved fossil of Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, a medium-sized lizard-like predator measuring about 5 1/2 feet from head to tail, dates back about 80 million years to the Late Cretaceous period.

"This is scientifically important because the specimen literally is the link between more primitive crocodiles that lived in the era of the dinosaurs 80-85 million years ago and modern species," said paleontologist Ismar de Souza Carvalho of Rio de Janeiro Federal University.

Montealtosuchus arrudacamposi, an agile terrestrial predator of the Peirosauridae family, had different habits from today's crocodiles but it was similar in form and structure despite having longer limbs, scientists said.

The fossil was found near the town of Monte Alto in Sao Paulo state and is named after the place and the local scientist who dug up the fossil in 2004 -- Arruda Campos.

The new species is one of a number of important finds by paleontologists in Brazil and Argentina over the past few years.

I think it is great whenever they find new fossils/animals like this. It kind of ties alot of things together and gives me hope that sooner or later, they will beyond a doubt, prove that "dragons" in fact, did exist. Bring 'em on!

Animals Rule,

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Dragons, Dinosaurs & The Bible

Dragon Stories

In fact, there are many such stories, from all over the world. One of the oldest is of Gilgamesh, hero of an ancient Babylonian epic, who killed a huge reptile-like creature named Khumbaba, in a cedar forest. The early Britons provide the first European accounts of reptilian monsters, one of which killed and devoured King Morvidus of Wales, c. 336 BC. Another monarch, King Peredur, however, managed to slay his monster at a place called Llyn Llion, in Wales.

The epic Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf tells how Beowulf (c. AD 495-583) of Scandinavia killed a monster named Grendel, and its supposed mother, as well as several sea-reptiles, but eventually lost his life at the age of 88 in the process of killing a flying reptile. The Saxon description of this creature fits that of a giant Pteranodon—it was ‘fifty feet in length (or possibly wingspan)’. The monster called Grendel, which Beowulf killed many years previously, is described as follows. He was apparently a youngster (having been known for only 12 years), man-like in stance (i.e. bipedal), and he had two small forelimbs that the Saxons call eorms (arms), one of which Beowulf tore off. He was a muthbona --one who slew with his mouth or jaws -and his skin was impervious to swordblows.

Other well-known stories involving medieval heroes and dragons include Siegfried of the ancient Teutons (possibly the same person as Sigurd of Old Norse, who slew a monster named Fafnir), Tristan (or Tristram), King Arthur, and Sir Lancelot, of Britain, and perhaps the most famous of all, St George who became the patron saint of England. (The film and video The Great Dinosaur Mystery details many more of these accounts besides those listed here.)

The dragon ensign was used by many armies. Under the later eastern Roman emperors, the purple-dragon ensign became the ceremonial standard, called the drakonteion. In England, before the Norman Conquest in 1066, the dragon was chief among the royal ensigns in war, having been instituted by Uther Pendragon, father of King Arthur. Other kings who used the dragon ensign were Richard I, in 1191, when on crusade, and Henry III, in 1245, when he went to war against the Welsh.

In China, the dragon appears as the national symbol and the badge of the royal family, and the dragon adorned the Chinese flag until the founding of the Republic of China, in 1911.

Although doubtless over the years many of these dragon stories and drawings have gained embellishments, the fact of their virtual worldwide existence, and the many items of similarity between the creatures slain and known dinosaur fossils, clearly point to an underlying reality. Modern children’s story books about dragons invariably have drawings of fairy-tale creatures, but according to Paul Taylor, who has done extensive research on this issue, many (perhaps most) of the historical dragon stories do not have this imaginative element; usually the more ancient stories are more matter-of-fact in quality, while the more recent ones tend to be more fantastic. One explanation of this could be that as the evidence in the form of the dinosaurs became extinct, the storytellers felt free to make their stories more marvellous and to combine the features of several dragons into one.

One thing that we might reasonably expect, if God created the dinosaurs on Day Six of Creation Week, is that they would be mentioned elsewhere in the Bible.

Dinosaurs in the Bible

In fact, two such animals are described in the book of Job. The first is a giant vegetarian animal that may be either a Diplodocus or a Brachiosaurus: ‘Behold now behemoth which I made with thee; he eateth grass like an ox... He moveth his tail like a cedar... his bones are like bars of iron, he drinketh up a river’ (Job 40:15-24). The second appears to have been some sort of large fire-breathing animal. Just as the small bombardier beetle has an explosion-producing mechanism, so the great sea-dragon may have had an explosion-producing mechanism to enable it to be a real fire breathing dragon: ‘Canst thou draw out leviathan with a hook.. his breath kindleth coals and a flame goeth out of his mouth... .’ (Job 41:1-34).

It is also interesting that in the King James version of the Bible the term ‘dragon(s)’ is used more than 20 times in the Old Testament, once metaphorically, referring to the Pharaoh King of Egypt as a dragon (Ezekiel 29:3), and the other times referring to animals; for example, ‘ ... the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot’ (Psalm 91:13), ‘And I will make Jerusalem heaps and a den of dragons ... ’ (Jeremiah 9:11).

This has special significance when it is realized that the KJV was published in the year AD 1611; that is to say, less then four centuries ago, the translators of the Bible were happy to use the term ‘dragon’, confident that its use would be meaningful and not mythical for the readers.

This article and compilation of creationists takes on dragons and or dinosaurs, makes for a fascinating read. It also leaves room for various interpretations. All open to individual scrutiny, none to be dismissed. It's your call!

Dragons Ruled/Rule,

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": "NEW" Sneak Peek "Dragon, Book Of Shang" www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Attacked By Saltwater Crocodile & Shot!

Man saved from croc shot in error

A man has been accidentally shot by a rescuer who was trying to free him from the jaws of a crocodile in northern Australia.

The victim, in his late 20s, was attacked by the reptile near a popular tourist spot on the Mary River south-east of Darwin.

He was flown to hospital by helicopter for emergency surgery for bite and bullet wounds.

He is currently in a stable condition in hospital.

Crocodile attacks and shootings are rare in Australia.

To suffer both at once is - to say the least - unfortunate.

Jason Grant was collecting crocodile eggs at a remote reptile farm when he found himself locked inside a giant set of jaws.

For a few terrifying moments the animal wildly shook its victim before the intervention of a fellow worker.

He fired two shots at the saltwater crocodile. One hit the target, while the other struck the arm of his stricken colleague.

It was enough though to bring the drama to an end.

The injured man was flown to hospital in Darwin, where he is recovering.

Remember the old blues song, "Born Under A Bad Sign"? Well, the sign must have fallen on this guy. Get nailed by a saltwater croc and shot at the same time? Are YOU kidding me? At least he gets to live to tell about this. Just goes to show, "when it isn't your time to go, YOU wont"!

Kharma Rules,

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

Siberian Mammoth Has Answers

Mammoth May Explain Fate of Species

Jan. 5) - Frozen in much the state it died some 37,500 years ago, a Siberian baby mammoth undergoing tests in Japan could finally explain why the beasts were driven to extinction — and shed light on climate change, scientists said Friday.

The 6-month-old calf, unearthed in May by a reindeer herder in northern Siberia's remote Yamal-Nenets autonomous region, is virtually intact and even has some fur, though the tail and ear of the animal dubbed "Lyuba" were apparently bitten off.

"Lyuba's discovery is an historic event," said Bernard Buigues, vice president of the Geneva-based International Mammoth Committee. "It could tell us why this species didn't survive ... and shed light on the fate of human beings.

"The last of the ancient beasts are thought to have roamed the earth from about 4.8 million years ago to 4,000 years ago, and researchers have debated whether their demise was due to climate change or over-hunting by humans."

This is what we've all been waiting for — the chance to explain everything about the mammoth, said Naoki Suzuki of the Jikei University School of Medicine, who is leading the first phase of an international study of the carcass's structure.

"Our findings will be a big step toward resolving the mystery of their extinction," Suzuki told a press conference in Tokyo.

The 4-foot gray-and-brown mammoth underwent a computed tomography scan that produced 3-D pictures with an almost surgical view, Suzuki said.

Lyuba, which appeared to have died with no external wounds and was discovered still frozen, is the best preserved mammoth yet unearthed, according to Sergey Grishin, director of the Shemanovsky Yamal-Nenets Museum.

Scientists hope to analyze the 3-D data to get a better picture of the mammoth's internal organs and structure, as well as for clues on the baby's diet and why it died, Grishin said. They will also analyze tiny air samples left in Lyuba's lungs for clues to the earth's atmosphere during the last Ice Age.

Meanwhile, at a display in central Tokyo, children peered into a freezer displaying Lyuba's shriveled body. The mammoth is on display until late February.

"It looked amazing, almost like it was alive," said 10-year-old Chikara Shimizu.

"Maybe they found Lyuba because the ice in Siberia is melting from global warming," said Chikara's father, Misao Shimizu. "I find that very worrying."

Akito Arima, head of the Science Museum in Tokyo where Lyuba is on display, said global warming may be a reason the mammoth was discovered now, but he gave no details.

Permafrost — earth that remains frozen year-round — lies under much of Siberia but scientists fear that global warming will cause it to melt and could accelerate climate change by releasing large amounts of warming carbon dioxide gases into the atmosphere.

This is a great find and discovery that should help the scientific community learn quite a few things about what was going on many years ago. I would like some answers as to what happened to some of our long lost species.

As far as all that "global warming" stuff, let me say this, "when the Earth is ready to undergo a cycle change, it will, and, WE have nothing to do with it." "Quit getting your undies in a bunch and get on with your life." When the shift occurs, there is nothing YOU can do about it anyway. The shift will occur, as it always has and always will.

So, You are probably saying, "how does he know all this?" Well, I'm smart and I remember. What else can I say.

Knowledge and Remembering Rule,

Bobby Sharpe reggae8@aol.com "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Book Update www.myspace.com/akuasharpe

WolfQuest Video Game, Live As A Wolf

Video Game Looks Into World of Wolves

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The new video game "WolfQuest" allows players to follow the call of the wild in the role of a wolf in Yellowstone National Park.

Players learn quickly, with help from realistic graphics, that wolves do a lot of running - across plains, through forests and up and down steep slopes.

"You have to learn how to hunt, survive, defend your territory and ultimately find a mate and establish your own pack," said project director Grant Spickelmier, assistant education director at Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.

The first episode, "Amethyst Mountain," was officially released Dec. 20 as a free download at . Spickelmier said the game had been downloaded 13,500 times by Wednesday.http://www.wolfquest.org/

The Minnesota Zoo developed "WolfQuest" with Eduweb, an educational software developer in St. Paul, on a $508,253 National Science Foundation grant. Other partners include the National Zoo in Washington, the Phoenix Zoo, Yellowstone and the International Wolf Center in Ely.

The game is aimed at ages 10 to 15 because kids that age have largely stopped going to zoos and are more interested in things like video games, Spickelmier said.

"We're hoping to capture some of those kids back with this game," he said, adding that the Minnesota Zoo also hopes to interest kids in wolf conservation and biology.

Eleven-year-old Riley Breckheimer, of Apple Valley, tried out "WolfQuest" at its launch party at the zoo and declared it "pretty cool." He said he took down one snowshoe hare and got an elk about halfway down. The game also gave him new respect for wolves.

"They can run over miles and miles of area just to get to one elk to get something to eat," he said. "It's not like humans where humans have to go just a few blocks to the grocery store."

It's not the first time a zoo has offered computer games. The San Diego Zoo, National and the New York Zoos and Aquarium have games for younger kids on their Web sites. Nor is it the first time a video game has simulated wolf life: the DOS game "Wolf" was released in 1994.

But Steve Feldman, spokesman for the American Zoo Association, said "WolfQuest" takes things to a higher level.

"The level of realism, and also the goal, which is to effect real conservation behavior change, is what make this game unique," Feldman said.

In the first episode, as a solitary wolf roaming Amethyst Mountain in Yellowstone, players chase down elk and hares, relying on their eyes and sense of smell. When the "scent vision" screen toggles on, the background goes black and white and scent trails light up. The screen also shows how old the trails are.
To howl like a wolf, players just hit the "H" key, which in future episodes will help draw in their pack.

"WolfQuest" can be played alone or with up to five players online, where players also can connect and share tips. Additional episodes due in 2008 will explore other areas of Yellowstone and allow players to establish territory (yes, by lifting a leg) and defend their elk carcasses against hungry grizzly bears, raise pups and even kill sheep on nearby ranches.

The game won praise from David Walsh, president of the National Institute on Media and the Family, a group that studies the impact of media on children's health and development and often makes news for its criticism of violent video games.

"It's got great educational value while at the same time it's engaging," Walsh said. "It's a good alternative to the shoot 'em up games that are so popular with that age group. ... I think this game has the potential to chart some new territory."

This will be really cool for the animals lovers in your home, family and life. It will teach YOU about one of the most magnificent animals ever. The wolf is my spirit animal. They can teach YOU so much. Enjoy the game!

Animalz Rule(Especially wolves)

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! WolfQuest

Help The Pit Bulls Live

This is about California legislation being passed to exterminate pit bulls. If it passes in California, it could be on it's way to anywhere. Someone has to try to make a difference...what if it were your pet?

Please pass the word along and post this...so as many people can see this as possible.




























































































































This has to be stopped.

Animalz Rule(even Pit Bulls)

Bobby Sharpe "Dragon, Book Of Shang": Dragon, Book Of Shang Is Coming Soon! reggae8@aol.com