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Ancient, Oriental, Reptilian.

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Greetings. The Cretaceous/Paleogene extinction event was catastrophic, with innumerable forms and species disappearing from the fossil record. A few tough creatures managed to survive the environmental destruction, with some lineages surviving to the present day. The Chinese water dragon is one such ancient animal. Physignathus cocincinus. A native of southern China and mainland southeast Asia, this large reptile is a representative of a lineage that extends back 120 million years. First described by George Cuvier in 1829, this omnivorous animal has remained unchanged since it diverged from its nearest reptilian relatives back in the early days of the Cretaceous Period. A member of the subfamily Amphibolurinae, the dragon's nearest relatives are native to New Guinea and Australia, with the ancient subfamily found nowhere else on the planet.  Measuring about a meter in length, Chinese water dragons are sexually dimorphic, and dinural by nature, staying active during daytime hours. T...
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The Unforgettable Shoebill.

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Greetings. Balaeniceps rex, also known as the Shoebill, is a large long-legged wading bird. It derives its name from its distinctive, enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like physical appearance and has previously been classified with the storks in the order Ciconiiformes based on this morphology. However, new genetic evidence places it with pelicans and herons in the Pelecaniformes. The species lives in tropical East Africa in large swampy environments from South Sudan to Zambia. The shoebill is a tall bird, with a typical height range of between 110 to 140 centimeters, some specimens reaching as much as 152 centimeters in height. Length from tail to beak can range from 100 to 140 centimeters, with wingspans ranging from 230 to 260 centimeters. Adults weigh from 4 to 7 kilograms. A male shoebill will weigh on average around 5.6 kilograms, as opposed to the typical female weight of 4.9 kilograms. The signature feature of the species is its huge, bulbous bill, which is st...
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Robbinsville Re-Revisited: Inquiries Unanswered, Illusions of Accomplishment Perpetuated.

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Peter Robbins. A UFO celebrity that does not hold a scientific degree in any discipline, yet is viewed by many in the UFO subculture as an accomplished individual. Why?  Let's take another look at this particular little blot on the ufological landscape.  Mr. Robbins' biography, as it appears on his website http://peterrobbinsny.com/ is as follows. Be sure to pull up a chair for the ride, it is a long and self-aggrandizing journey. "Peter Robbins is an investigative writer, author and lecturer whose writing and research are focused on the subject of truly anomalous UFOs and their implications for humanity. He has appeared as a guest on and been consultant to numerous radio shows, television programs and documentaries. Lecture topics include but are not been limited to: Media, Ridicule and UFOs: The Origins of UFO Ridicule Politics, History and Human Nature: Roadblocks on the Path to Disclosure Comets, Cults and Fundamentalist Thinking: A UFO Related Cautionary Tale Little ...
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