My Life & FFXIV RP Blog

The tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur, including bones, soft tissue, and even feathers, has been found preserved in amber, according to a report published today in the journal Current Biology.

A micro-CT scan of the delicate feathers that cover the dinosaur tail. Image: Lida Xing. 

While individual dinosaur-era feathers have been found in amber, and evidence for feathered dinosaurs is captured in fossil impressions, this is the first time that scientists are able to clearly associate well-preserved feathers with a dinosaur, and in turn gain a better understanding of the evolution and structure of dinosaur feathers.

We clearly need a new Jurassic Park movie featuring cute feathery dinosaurs.

The paleontologist who “discovered” this sample didn’t dig it up,  he and his team found it in an amber market where the amber it was preserved in had been shaped and was being sold as jewelry.  This is both ridiculous and exciting though, because on one hand it’s a shame this sample was cut and shaped before anyone who knew what it was could get their hands on it, it also gives us an idea of how many other samples might be in that particular amber mine. 

Also this amazing quote from Xing:

Mog mosh looked up at the sky as he flitted through the residential district of the Mist. There was a storm blowing in and he knew it would be best for him to get this assignment over with before the rain started. Drying out his pom and delivery hat was always a pain in the Kupo. That wasn’t the only store brewing but that was not Mog Mosh’s problem.

He stopped outside the small home at the top of a large set of stairs and double checked the address.

“This looks like the right place Kupo.” He looked to see if he could spot the individual he was instructed to deliver the package to and could not find him in the well maintained yard. Having exhausted the outside he zipped over to the door and knocked and waited for Darius to come to the door.

As the door opened, he saw the little moogle. “Um hi…the mailbox is right there. Is there a corespondance charge? Did the Admiral reuse a crate? Godsdamnit…” It wasn’t until he thought a little harder that he realized who he was talking to.

Mog Mosh dipped his delivery hat to Darius before flitting back out the front door.

The parchment in Darius hand contained the following message:

            Darius,

     If this letter has found its way into your hands it is because I have been taken. I have found out who has been trying to take me out of the picture. His name is Moja Muja, and he is a slave trader out of Thanalan. About 8 years ago when I was a foolish young captain I happened across a ship belonging to this individual, and took it upon myself to liberate him of his goods. I abhor slavery, I believe owning another being is perhaps the most scum sucking, bottom of a barrel, shite thing one can do. So I took his ship, freed the slaves and left his crew on a deserted island to suffer. I suspect someone amongst them escaped and managed to get word back to their boss. I apologize for dragging you into this but I believe I will need your assistance to get me out of this proverbial fire I am tangled up in. I suggest you talk to Itara, as she is the only other individual who knows about these events that I suspect would trust you enough to talk to you. May the 12 guide your aim. 

Me: Hey look, it’s us!

THINGS A PRESIDENT CANNOT DO:

Reverse any Supreme Court decision 

This includes Obergefell v. Hodges, which made same-sex marriage a constitutional right; Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which reaffirmed a woman’s right to choose first articulated in Roe v. Wade, another Supreme Court case. Grutter v. Bollinger, which instituted affirmative action, the entire body of Civil Rights case law, plus anything related to due process, including the right of minors to due process, your right to an attorney, Miranda rights, inadmissible evidence, etc.

(Even if Trump appoints the worst possible SC nominee, they still can’t reverse any of these decisions without a really significant case coming before the Court with new facts, and then they have to write an opinion stating how this case is different than that other case…it’s unlikely to happen.)

Write law or repeal any existing law

While traditionally, presidents have exerted influence on the legislative agenda (see, Obama’s role in advancing and promoting the Affordable Care Act) they cannot actually write or pass legislation. Bills, joint resolutions, concurrent resolutions, and simple resolutions must be introduced in the House by a Representative.

Presidents cannot strike down law. Only Congress can repeal laws, and only the Supreme Court can strike them down as unconstitutional.

Presidential influence is just that—influence.

(And if—for example—you are hated by 95% of the party you joined last week, and burned all your goddamn bridges by insulting them at various points in your campaign…..they’re unlikely to partner with you in crafting legislation.)

Make any law or declaration that infringes in any way on the rights of the states

So in the US, most of the rights are reserved to the states. You name it, it’s a state-run power. Criminal procedure and law? States. Medicare and Medicaid? States. The definition of marriage? States. Insurance, health departments, housing, unemployment benefits, public education, all these are state programs. And the president cannot infringe on those powers given to the states.

(This is why down-ticket voting is so important, because Mike Pence as governor of Indiana had 800x the power he’s going to have as VP.)

Declare war.

This one is the most complicated, because with the advent of our “conflicts” in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc. there has been a significant shift in the articulation of the war doctrine, and it is one of the least restricted of the president’s “restricted” powers. But, despite all that, a president still has no power to declare war.

Unilaterally appoint heads of administrative departments

Unilaterally make treaties with foreign nations

To the FFXIV Tumblr community, I’m on a mission to save kids and I need your help. My local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital treats thousands of children each year, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. These kids are facing scary stuff like cancer, cystic fibrosis, and injuries from accidents to name just a few.

This is my 3rd year participating in this fantastic event. Last year I raised over $300 for this charity and this year I decided I would set my baseline at $300. My hope is to crush that number when all is said and done. But I still need your help to do this. If you can even donate $5 it will help. Last year the combined collective of participants in Extra Life raised 8.3 Million dollars in 2015.

For me I do this because I wan’t to give others a chance, I do this to raise money and awareness for this charity. I do this because to me this is important. And I do this because I hope thru my efforts to raise money I can help a young child get the medical help they need so that they can have a future they may not have had otherwise.

Extra Life is one of my Mitzvah’s. In the hebrew culture we are taught that we should perform Mitzvah as a course of life. A mitzvah is basically doing a moral deed or act of human kindness. For me extra life is one of my ways to give back to the rest of humanity. And in order to do that I do need your help.

Together let us raise as much money as possible to help out sick kids, and make the world a little bit better of a place.

To the FFXIV Tumblr community, I’m on a mission to save kids and I need your help. My local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital treats thousands of children each year, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. These kids are facing scary stuff like cancer, cystic fibrosis, and injuries from accidents to name just a few.

This is my 3rd year participating in this fantastic event. Last year I raised over $300 for this charity and this year I decided I would set my baseline at $300. My hope is to crush that number when all is said and done. But I still need your help to do this. If you can even donate $5 it will help. Last year the combined collective of participants in Extra Life raised 8.3 Million dollars in 2015.

For me I do this because I wan’t to give others a chance, I do this to raise money and awareness for this charity. I do this because to me this is important. And I do this because I hope thru my efforts to raise money I can help a young child get the medical help they need so that they can have a future they may not have had otherwise.

Extra Life is one of my Mitzvah’s. In the hebrew culture we are taught that we should perform Mitzvah as a course of life. A mitzvah is basically doing a moral deed or act of human kindness. For me extra life is one of my ways to give back to the rest of humanity. And in order to do that I do need your help.

Together let us raise as much money as possible to help out sick kids, and make the world a little bit better of a place.