Source: Live Science

Scientists claim to have possibly found what may be the world’s largest dinosaur graveyard.

The dinosaurs may have been part of a mass die-off resulting from a monster storm, comparable to today’s hurricanes, which struck what was then a coastal area.

The findings could help solve a mystery concerning why the badlands of western Canada are so rich in dinosaur fossils.

The roughly 76-million-year-old fossil beds apparently hold thousands of bones over an area of at least 568 acres (2.3 square km), skeletons that belonged to a roughly cow-sized, plant-eating horned dinosaur known as Centrosaurus. This treasure trove provides the first solid evidence that some horned dinosaur herds were much larger than previously thought, with numbers easily in the high hundreds to low thousands, said senior research scientist David Eberth, a paleontologist and geologist at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Alberta.

The “mega-bonebed,” which consists of 14 smaller bonebeds, lies in northern Alberta near Hilda, Canada, right by the border with Saskatchewan. The graveyard was actually discovered in 1997, but confirmation of the discovery’s size was detailed this month in the book “New Perspectives On Horned Dinosaurs” (Indiana University Press, 2010).

Alberta is extraordinarily rich in fossils, such as those of duck-billed dinosaurs, horned dinosaurs including Triceratops, ankylosaurs, raptors related to Velociraptor, and tyrannosaurids such as Albertosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex. The area was home to a remarkable diversity of other animals as well, including birds, pterosaurs, alligators, turtles, lizards and mammals - in fact, scientists recently found mammal tooth marks on dinosaur bones in Alberta.

Thousands die in flood

Back when these centrosaurs lived, Alberta was warm and lush, and encompassed lowlands on the western coast of the Western Interior Seaway, a vast inland sea that divided what is now North America in half. The way the fossils are linked together in the same layers of earth within these bonebeds suggests all these centrosaurs were wiped out simultaneously.

The likely culprit in this scenario was a catastrophic storm, which could quickly have routinely made the waters flood up as high as 12 to 15 feet (3.6 to 4.6 meters), if experiences with modern floodplains are any guide.

“The flooding could have reached more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the shoreline,” Eberth told LiveScience. “The landscape basically just drowns.”

The flat area would have provided no high ground for escape, leading to thousands of animals drowning in the rising waters.

“It’s unlikely that these animals could tread water for very long, so the scale of the carnage must have been breathtaking,” Eberth said. “The evidence suggests that after the flood, dinosaur scavengers reentered the area, trampling and smashing bones in their attempt to feast on the rotting remains.”

Fossil mystery solved

These storms could also help explain why fossils are so abundant in the badlands of western Canada overall, “and why they are often found preserved so exquisitely,” Eberth said.

Coastal floodplains such as those seen in modern Bangladesh can cover vast areas, with flooding killing hundreds of thousands of livestock, not to mention the human tragedies that occur.

“Because of their size and the scale of the flooding, dinosaurs could not escape the coastal floodwaters and would have been killed in large numbers,” Eberth explained. “In contrast, fish, small reptiles, mammals, and birds may have been able to escape such seasonal catastrophes by retreating to quiet water areas, the safety of trees and burrows, or simply by flying away.”

The researchers now hope to take lessons they have learned in Alberta to compare it to other parts of the world in an effort to pinpoint signs of past catastrophes elsewhere.

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My Take: I’d trade my job as a Los Angeles court reporter any day to go off to Canada to study dinosaurs. Better yet, I’d get all the Los Angeles court reporters I know to quit their jobs and go with me. How much fun would it to be to find such rich, historical details about these ancient creatures? My son has been a huge dinosaur fan for years and at 10 he’s still going strong on them. He’s had, over the years, different custom wall words and dinosaur decals on his bedroom wall. He has always had wall letters on the walls, but he switches out posters of dinosaurs and other things he’s fascinated by, and usually they have something to do with dinosaurs or science.

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Lone Star Legal

Austin divorce attorneys can help you and your spouse settle quickly on an amicable settlement. Before you call one, though, consider the services of a qualified and reputable Austin family law attorney who is experienced with mediation. Studies show that divorces handled through mediators vs. divorce lawyers in court are often less acrimonious for all involved in the post marital world.

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times

For 50 years, they’ve avoided it. But California’s public universities are now inching closer to using the word they’ve long viewed as taboo: tuition.

Unlike schools in every other state, California’s public campuses in effect have banned official use of the word and what it means — that students pay at least a hefty share, if not most, of their education costs.

The state’s renowned master plan for higher education, which in 1960 established separate roles for the University of California, California State University and the community colleges, also declared that the public institutions “shall be tuition free to all residents.” Since then, even as the amount students pay for their education has soared, campuses here have stubbornly insisted on using the word “fees” for the instructional charges that other states call tuition.

Now, however, a movement is underway to drop what many education experts consider an outdated, even dishonest term. It’s high time, they say, to adopt the “T-word” in registration bills and campus discussions.

For example, with UC’s basic undergraduate educational cost now topping $10,000 a year, three times more than a decade ago, “tuition” is the accurate term, they say. They also note that in 2009, California’s confusing terminology nearly kept the state’s veterans from receiving certain federal education benefits and financial aid.

“Calling it tuition is necessary because that’s what it is. It’s just truth in advertising really,” said UC student regent Jesse Bernal, who is co-chairman of a systemwide study group that recently recommended the 10-campus university start using the term. UC’s Commission on the Future, to which Bernal’s advisory panel belongs, was to meet Monday to discuss the issue and other reforms designed to chart UC’s course through the current budget crunch and beyond.

Is a desk a desk?
Master plans aside, the wording changes signify a need to clarify the real issues: that the state is so cash-strapped if universities don’t find a way to get more money they won’t be able to afford school furniture, let alone teachers’ salaries. To call it “tuition” instead of fees sounds more official, and in official there is a hint of more expensive.

The wording change, Bernal added, “also signifies that we are steering away from the master plan. This is what the state is forcing us to do. As an institution, we now have tuition.”

The panel’s proposal states that the word “fees” incorrectly implies “specialized or optional services,” while “tuition” more accurately describes the way the money is actually used: to support academic programs, student services, student financial aid and administrative services.

But owning up to that reality might be difficult, several experts predicted. And approval by the UC regents, the Cal State Board of Trustees and the Legislature would be required.

“It would have a deep, deep symbolism. I think it would be a philosophical change of how we view things,” said Daniel Alvarez, chief consultant to the state Senate’s Education Committee.

Currently — and confusingly, many say — California’s public universities and colleges use “tuition” only for the hefty surcharges that out-of-state students pay to attend schools here.

Otherwise, the state is unique in its avoidance of the term, said Daniel J. Hurley, director of state relations and policy analysis for the American Assn. of State Colleges and Universities.

He and other experts said the issue was not merely symbolic, noting that last year, it had briefly threatened to keep military veterans attending private colleges in California from receiving promised benefits under the new GI Bill.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs had pegged the assistance amounts in the bill to the highest undergraduate tuition charged by public colleges in each state. But since California public institutions did not charge “tuition,” the level was set at zero for the state. It took several months of protests and bureaucratic wrangling to straighten out the mess and restore the aid.

That difficulty triggered informal conversations about finally shifting from “fees” to “tuition” on the 23 campuses of the Cal State system, said spokeswoman Claudia Keith. If UC makes such a change, Cal State will probably follow suit, she said.

UC President Mark G. Yudof said he had to get used to California’s “fee” terminology when he arrived in 2008 after holding top jobs at state universities in Texas and Minnesota. Now, although he anticipates some disagreement among the university’s regents, he would not oppose the proposed shift, he said. “I always lean toward honesty,” Yudof said.

But resistance remains.

Victor Sanchez, president of the UC Student Assn., wants to stick with “fees” for strategic reasons. “It would leave some hope of returning to some principles of the master plan,” said Sanchez, who is finishing his bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Cruz.

In the past, the “tuition” taboo was so strong that politicians would correct themselves if they used the term and university officials would scold newspaper reporters who wrote it. Now, Assemblyman Marty Block, a San Diego-area Democrat who is chairman of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said in a recent e-mail that he would support the proposal. “It more accurately reflects where the money is going and its purpose of teaching students at our colleges and universities,” he wrote.

Daniel Simmons, a UC Davis law professor and vice-chairman of UC’s systemwide Faculty Senate, said a switch would undoubtedly ease confusion for students and parents when they see their university bills. Most faculty members also support the change, he said.

Still, Simmons said, for most students, the semantic change is not as important as the steadily rising cost of their education. “That’s the real issue,” he said. “It doesn’t matter a lot if you call it tuition or not.”

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My Take: If the electronic book carts and the metal detection security systems in the libraries at most universities were not in place, I could see the libraries start to charge for checking out books for classes. Come to think of it, metal detectors might soon be needed just to get inside a lecture hall, people are so angry about fee increases and the prospect of not completing their education, that anything is possible. Call them fees, or call it tuition, it all boils down to money. And if the state doesn’t find a way to make it affordable for everyone to attend college, we’ll have more problems on our hands than a word game.

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Texas Legal Help

If you’ve been arrested in Texas on a drinking and driving charge, there is no doubt you need to hire the best Texas DUI attorney you can. A Dallas drug crimes lawyer is also key if you’re facing charges of possession or another drug-related offense. Criminal defense cases are highly technical and it is very uncommon that good results can be achieved without an experienced defense attorney working for you.

Are you in a fraternity or sorority? Then you probably have greek letters attached to your organizational name. Wouldn’t you love to see that name on a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or bags? You should consider having these products made especially for your fraternity or sorority. It could even be used as a great fundraising idea, order t-shirts and then sell them to others. Not only will you make some money for the house, but you will also raise awareness for any causes you may be fighting for by using the back or front of the shirt to showcase that cause.

Greek t-shirts are fun, flirty, and inexpensive to produce. They can be a great alternative to some really expensive marketing methods and can be very beneficial. You can get custom designed greek t shirts at many online retailers, but make sure you use a good one with a solid reputation. Pricing can be based on colors used, number of words, and other design choices. Ask your seller questions and make the best of the number of words allowed for the base price to keep the cost down. The more personalized the easier it will be to sell or if you just want enough for your house consider using the house members individual names on the greek tees.

However you choose to customize these shirts one thing will always be true – they will be original and custom made for you by you.

There is a huge market for IT products in today’s computer age. Many retailers and service companies are starting to focus on the IT professional and their business needs, while a quality IT person can be difficult to find, IT products are not.

When choosing a service to say design company profiles or deliver IT sales leads, one must do their research and check out the competition as well as make careful lists detailing exactly what is needed to make your business successful and organized to a tee.

IT organizational charts can be very helpful in organizing exactly who does what, what needs to be accomplished, and when it will be completed. There are companies that can help you to achieve these complex documents and look at everything from an outsiders perspective.

Whatever your business needs are, take your time and choose the service provider carefully. Making the wrong choice in service providers and companies can be a very costly error and the choice should not be taken lightly. It is very important to make sure that you have all of the information available. Consider reputation, length of time in business, satisfaction records, and current/past clientele. A good company should be able to provide references, company names and people who have used their services in the past, they would be able to tell you how they truly operate once they have your sale.

There are many choices available both locally and online, there is no reason to accept less than what you require to make your business model a success.

The mortgage industry is in trouble everywhere, the country is terrified as we slide in to a depression. People are losing their homes, they are losing their jobs, families are piling in together in order to save costs and keep at least one of their homes.

There is help, there are people available to assist you and they will help you to keep your home without refinancing and without losing your home. Payment modifications are becoming very popular, they can help you to save money, lower interest rates, push back any monies overdue, and enjoy your family’s home without the constant stress of constant fear.

In Louisville Kentucky mortgages are the topic of discussion, as it is in the rest of the country. Banks here in Kentucky have come up with lots of options, among them are the usual refinancing and bank purchase. In KY refinancing would mean having to prove that your home is worth more than you owe, this is the way most people go and it would allow for the homeowners to pull much needed cash out of the equity of the home without a home equity loan. The Louisville, KY purchase mortgage program can help to relieve you of debt.

Wherever you are in the country it is obvious that we must check in to all available options and make the best choices.

Driver training schools have been around for many years, they serve an important purpose since they teach people the right way to think in certain situations. There are high school driving classes, professionals schools and private driving schools. Depending on your specific situation and goals you would be able to choose the right one for you.

Motorcycle driving courses in NY teach the basics and beyond to prospective drivers. First the student will attend classroom training, reviewing materials and watching videos about all of the horrible things that could happen. Next, the student is taken out by an instructor in a special car and the student gets to practice in the real world. Finally, once the student is ready they will take their final motor vehicle motorcycle license test and the instructor would standby to ensure that you pass the test.

A truck driving schools in NY works much in the same way, except that employment is generally involved. The student will either have a job lined up or the school will place them once they have achieved a pass on their driving exam. The student will study theory, accident prevention, the mechanics of long hauls and of course, the right things to do in bad/dangerous situations. If the student was sent by a company then the company will usually pay for the training regimen, however if the student is hoping to get work from this situation, it is likely that they have paid for their own training. In the end it may be worth it, truck driving is always in demand and is a noble profession.

Academy driving schools in NY are attended by students of all ages who need to pass the driving exam or have had some trouble and now need to retake the exam. These students will learn the basics of driving a passenger car both on residential streets and highways. The students who take these courses are generally much more attentive drivers.

Years ago, my mother passed away very suddenly and it left a hole in my heart. We had her cremated and instead of burying the ashes, we purchased a beautiful urn. Before then we had no idea that the choice of cremation urns would be so difficult, there were just so many to choose from and of course, one must think ‘what would she want to spend eternity in?’ this in itself can make you choose very carefully.

The urns available are used for different purposes, for instance, if you will be burying the urn then you can choose from a variety of burial urns, there are also pet keepsake urns for those of us who cannot bear to lose our four footed best friends.

In order to move on and get past the pain we must grieve, without making these choices it is impossible to move on and this can have a very negative effect on our subconscious minds, leaving us vulnerable to depression and manic episodes. While I know that at such a difficult time it is easier to have someone else make these choices, unfortunately it will be regretted later since closure may be harder to obtain.

Losing someone we love is very difficult, but when that time comes, we must be strong and make choices that will allow for closure while celebrating that wonderful person’s life.

Lately there has been a great deal of talk about a very disturbing trend, Elder Abuse in nursing homes across New York. We trust these institutions to take care of the elders in our families, these people are important to us, yet they are treated as if they had no feelings and are no longer people. The aids in these places forget about our loved ones and do just the bare minimum, you come to visit and notice bed sores and wet sheets. You try to complain and are told that it happens and is nothing to worry about; if you have no prior knowledge perhaps, you believe and trust them. Unfortunately, nothing is done and those bedsores can become infected and can lead to prolonged hospitalization or even death. This is unnecessary and someone must make these places accountable.

There is finally a trustworthy attorney in New York, this practice is determined to make nursing homes with abusive staff, pay for their sins. This is a Brooklyn nursing home abuse lawyer, however he helps people in NYC and Long Island as well. These nursing homes tend to hire aids and other cheap methods of employment; however, they should be staffed with nurses who can actually help your family member when and if they are in need. If you have a family member who has been abused or neglected in this way, please contact these attorneys right away and make the nursing home pay for what they have neglected to do for your family elder.

In addition to nursing home abuse, they also have a Bronx Construction Accident Lawyer and a New York City Car Accidents Lawyer; of course, they can help anyone in NYC and Long Island as well.

Trustworthy attorneys and law firms are hard to come by; when you need help, it is best to visit the good guys.

The state of New Jersey is well known for its strict traffic laws; we have done some in depth research in order to find the best ways to avoid trouble when driving in NJ. The most important thing to do and to learn everything that you need to know in order to stay on the correct side of the law is to sign up for an online safety course. New Jersey is one of the only states at this time that will allow you to take safety courses online, there is one in particular that will meet all of your needs. It is the online safe driving course and it is a fantastic investment in your future.

Below you will find a list of NJ driving laws and some information that may prove to save you a great deal of money and keep your family safe.

Top 7 Traffic Laws in New Jersey

1. Drinking & Driving Violations - This is obvious, however many need to be reminded that you can and will lose your license for this violation.
2. Driving without a license or with a suspended license - Again, it should be self-explanatory, but many still drive intoxicated. This will lead to losing your license for a number of years, usually 3 for each violation.
3. Driving without insurance - This is a serious violation in any state, but NJ takes it incredibly serious.
4. Driving without proper registration - You must be registered in your state and ensure that the sticker is placed in the correct way. This is the easiest violation to catch since each year has its own color (so you cannot just use last year’s sticker) and there are often checkpoints set up to catch these violations.
5. Illegal U-Turns - As you probably know, left hand turns are not allowed throughout most of NJ, this unfortunately leads to getting lost a lot and many u-turns in order to get back to the road you were on. Well, this is illegal and if caught you will receive a hefty fine that cannot be fought in court.
6. Leaving the scene of an accident / hit and run - you will lose your license and face criminal charges as well. This is simply one of the worst things you can do as a driver in any state. If you have any accident or hit someone, do not leave, do not panic, do not claim responsibility or start apologizing as this is an admission of guilt and will lead to further lawsuits. Take pictures, call the police, and file the proper paperwork. Be a responsible adult and take responsibility for your actions.
7. Reckless driving - Drag racing, driving too fast, running stop signs or weaving, all of these things will mean an automatic ticket and possibly being arrested if you are also found to be on any substance or if you are going excessively fast.

Again, the best thing that you can do for yourself is to sign up for an online safety course such as the one mentioned above. Not only will you learn how to stay out of trouble you will receive a 10% discount on your auto insurance for the next 3 years, 2 points will be removed from your permanent driving record, and since it’s all done online you won’t have to go sit in an uncomfortable classroom for 8 hours at a time. Visit the Online Safety Course today and mention that you heard about them on this blog.

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Locksmithing

Locksmithing began as the science and art of making and defeating locks. Locks are simply mechanism that secures buildings, rooms, cabinets, objects, or other storage facilities. Some type of key is usually used to open a lock. This means the of opening a lock may require a two-factor authentication for greater security, such as requiring both something you know (a combination) and something you have (a key or keycard). Knowing how to pick locks is part of the knowledge base of any good locksmith. Locksmithing and lock picking date back approximately 4000 years to Emperor Sargon II of Egypt.

Pre-Trial and Trial

If after the formal arraignment your motion to suppress is successful, your Bucks County PA criminal lawyer will explain that all the evidence in your case is thrown out and your charges will be dropped and no further court appearances are required. However, if it was not successful, then a pretrial conference is needed. Depending on the county you live in, this is usually 45-60 days after the formal arraignment and is the third hearing scheduled in your case. One of your Bucks County PA criminal attorneys, the judge and prosecutor attempt to resolve any outstanding issues or plea agreements. Then your trial will begin within 30-60 days, depending on the county.