Re: dino enthusiasm

[jpoling@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jeff Poling)]

>Well let's get down to business all you young types.  I'm 57 and when I got
>into dinos there were no Bakkers no Horners and no general audience
>literature.  What there were was these huge monsters in our museums that
>turned on a large population from my pre-dino enthusists peers.  And you
>know its still the bones that do it for me.  I am against too much
>subjective interpretations in museums because they might well be wrong
>(that's a sure thing), kids and adults confuse dino reproductions with other
>hollywood monsters and don't really believe these things are different.  The
>bones pull you right in there as these things are real and my aren't they
>marvelous.
>
>There is so much subjective intrepretation in dino paleotonlogy today that
>we start thinking that it is all real.  Ever watch paleoworld on dinos?
>They keep stating things as fact that aren't really known and just someones
>current opion (often Bakker's).  Books tend to be better but I don't think
>that too many of the serious good general readership books are really read.
>Therefore museums really should be at the forfront of trying to keep realism
>and reflect fairly conserative ideas.  Its fine to accompany the displays
>with other ideas. So maybe some of the "leaping lizards" should get a bit
>closer to earth and maybe some of the colors shold have a lable warning
>"this is only a wild ass guess" on them.  HMMMMMM
>

   As Dr. Grant would say, "Where's the fun in that?"

** "A warp core breach is imminent?     ** "Those who trade a little freedom **
** This calls for the handyman's secret ** for a little security will soon   **
** weapon, duct tape." --- Red Green,   ** find that they have none of       **
** Chief Engineer, U.S.S. Voyager       ** either." --- Jeff Poling          **