Missing-link fossil wasn't a fish -- it has a pelvis

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Thursday, July 4, 2002 | David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor

[Phil V.]

A fossil previously mistaken for the remains of an extinct fish turns out to hold the earliest known creature to have emerged from the Earth's waters and walk on land some 350 million years ago.

This ancestor of every four-limbed, backboned animal living today -- the first creature clearly designed to walk on land, with forward-facing feet -- fills a major gap in the evidence for the evolution of vertebrates from sea to land, scientists say.

[Jonah Hex]

WHOA, DUDE!!!! I never said or quoted that, so why are you ripping me?!?

[Junior]

Aaargh! That was a reply the medved's spam on the post immediately above yours. My sincerest and deepest regrets.

[Jonah Hex]

No problem. I've been called an idiot before, but usually for something I did.

Of course, my wife reserves the right to call me an idiot (and worse) at all times!

(smile)

[medved]

The reason isn't terribly difficult to grasp. Even without reference to God, man can determine good and evil.

Not really. If that were the case, then evildoers would at least recognize themselves as such, but even such writers as Dale Carnegie have noted that the villians in history invariably fail to see themselves as villians. In their own minds, they're always either doing good works, fulfilling some grand scheme, or merely providing a service which othere need (as in the case of Al Capone).

[Phil V.]

Is this a record for a Phil V. thread?

No.
The tabloid threads were more frequented and attended by the more highly evolved.

[PatrickHenry]

... the villians in history invariably fail to see themselves as villians. In their own minds, they're always either doing good works, fulfilling some grand scheme ...

That's a good response. However, I think such meglomaniacs are rare. Probably the Clintons are a good example of the type, being totally without conscience, but they haven't yet had the opportunity to commit crimes on a vast scale like the Stalins of the world. Most of us would experience guilt, and wouldn't even contemplate the deeds of history's monsters. I don't think the exceptionally malignant examples of mankind prove anything about the rest of us.

[monkeyshine]

See. You do a lot better when you are not commenting on Israel.

[Phil V.]

See. You do a lot better when . . .

Sometimes ...
when you cry ...
no one sees your tears......

Sometimes...
when you are in pain...
no one sees your hurt...

Sometimes...
when you are worried....
no one sees your stress......

Sometimes ...
when you are happy ...
no one sees your smile ......

But fart just one time...

[gore3000]

I guess calling his post spam is a good excuse for never bothering to try to refute it eh? Seems you went to a lot of trouble to make that list. Perhaps a more worthwhile way of spending your time would have been to try to refute what he says in it? Or is the problem with his post that you folk cannot refute it so you do not want people reading it?

[RadioAstronomer]

Hi! Great post, thanks!

[Scully]

Hmmm...I've often thought that we had overlooked some transitional possibilities in fossils. Softer tissues (or even tougher cartilagenous parts) are more difficult to preserve, often these structures must be inferred from the functionality of surrounding bone. The best preserved soft tissue fossils I have seen were preserved in shale, definitely not limestone.

[Scully]

You sir, are a self righteous ass with delusions of grandeur

Hehe! You pegged him quite well, but alas, the dear boy does not listen well.

[Scully]

A great intellectual adventure awaits you.

Ah, Patrick...I have missed your quick wit. :)

[sirchtruth]

A fossil previously mistaken for the remains of an extinct fish turns out to hold the earliest known creature to have emerged from the Earth's waters and walk on land some 350 million years ago.

All this from a friggin' pelvis bone?? You evolutionist live in fantasy Land, some call it San Fransico...

[Scully]

Abuse button hit.

Why, medved, you are getting a bit touchy aren't you? jennyp posted a factual account of your activities is all, easily verified. Oh, I forgot...you aren't as concerned with facts as you are conjecture and fantasy. Pardon me.

[VadeRetro]

Abuse button hit.

For 83 in which jennyp reverently catalogs maybe one one thousandth of your output? And Jim Robinson's awed reaction back on March 13th? ("Nobody likes spam.") Can't a person form a fan club anymore?

BTW, since you feel you aren't getting your posts answered, you might want to just start linking my rebuttal to God Hates Idiots Too when you post it so it won't look like I'm following your around from thread to thread to thread as you spam the same tired old nutcase rants over and over.

[Scully]

All this from a friggin' pelvis bone??

The operative word is "functionality". For instance, should paleontologists uncover your pelvic bones 500 million years or so from now, they could infer many things about you, including your gender and that you walked upright (but I am assuming here, forgive me).

[Don Myers]

Are you sure it isn't an undiscovered plant? Or, it could be fossil remains of that dude from Mars who crashlanded a few thousand years ago?

[Lazamataz]

Lawdy, Lawdy, fossils done be dee Dibble's work!

[Lazamataz]

BTW, since you feel you aren't getting your posts answered, you might want to just start linking my rebuttal to God Hates Idiots Too when you post it so it won't look like I'm following your around from thread to thread to thread as you spam the same tired old nutcase rants over and over.

I would have given Creationism a fair shake, until I saw the people who supported it, and how they supported it.