Sept 2005 APS Bulletin
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Palæontological S o c i e t y Bulletin VOLUMEAlberta 20 • NUMBER 3 www.albertapaleo.org SEPTEMBER 2005 ALBERTA PALÆONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OFFICERS c. Provide information and expertise to other collectors. President Dan Quinsey 247-3022 d. Work with professionals at museums and universities Vice-President Ron Fortier 285-8041 to add to the palaeontological collections of the Treasurer Mona Marsovsky 547-0182 province (preserve Alberta’s heritage). Secretary Wendy Morrison 646-3186 Past-President Vaclav Marsovsky 547-0182 MEMBERSHIP: Any person with a sincere interest in palaeontology is eligible to present their application DIRECTORS for membership in the Society. (Please enclose mem- Editor Howard Allen 274-1858 bership dues with your request for application.) Membership Howard Allen 274-1858 Program Coordinator Philip Benham 280-6283 Single membership $20.00 annually Field Trip Coordinator Wayne Braunberger 278-5154 Family or Institution $25.00 annually COMMITTEES THE BULLETIN WILL BE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY: APAC† Howard Allen 274-1858 March, June, September and December. Deadline for sub- APS 20th Anniversary Dan Quinsey 247-3022 mitting material for publication is the 15th of the month Wayne Braunberger 278-5154 prior to publication. CRLC Show Dan Quinsey 247-3022 Wayne Braunberger 278-5154 Society Mailing Address: Education Dan Quinsey 247-3022 Alberta Palaeontological Society Fossil Collections Ron Fortier 285-8041 P.O. Box 35111, Sarcee Postal Outlet Fund Raising Dan Quinsey 247-3022 Calgary, Alberta, Canada T3E 7C7 Library Mona Marsovsky 547-0182 (Web: www.albertapaleo.org) Paleo Rangers Dan Quinsey 247-3022 Ron Fortier 285-8041 Material for the Bulletin: Social (position unfilled) Howard Allen, Editor, APS Website Vaclav Marsovsky 547-0182 7828 Hunterslea Crescent, N.W. † Alberta Palaeontological Advisory Committee Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2K 4M2 (E-mail: [email protected]) The Society was incorporated in 1986, as a non-profit organization formed to: NOTICE: Readers are advised that opinions expressed in a. Promote the science of palaeontology through study the articles are those of the author and do not necessarily and education. reflect the viewpoint of the Society. Except for articles marked “Copyright ©,” reprinting of articles by exchange b. Make contributions to the science by: bulletins is permitted, as long as credit is given. 1) Discovery 2) Collection 3) Description 4) Education of the general public 5) Preservation of material for study and the future UPCOMING APS MEETINGS Meetings take place at 7:30 p.m., in Room B108, Mount Royal College: 4825 Richard Road SW, Calgary, Alberta. Friday, October 21, 2005—APS Open House and Fossil Clinic: Field Trips in Review. Bring in your finds and photos from the summer field season! Friday, November 18, 2005—Ossama I.I. Yousif, P.Geol, BDR Consulting Ltd.: Fossil Fuel is…Just Fossils. Friday, December 9, 2005—Cory Gross, Alberta Palaeontological Society. The Grandfather of the Buffalo: Fossils in the Culture and Beliefs of the Nitsitapii. ON THE COVER: Souvenirs of the APS Paleo Rangers field trip to Canyon Creek, Alberta, July 2005. See story, Page 6. Photos by Dan Quinsey, design by Howard Allen. APS Bulletin 1 September 2005 when you are contacted. We look forward to seeing you at the presentation Welcome Back! in September. ❏ By Dan Quinsey, President elcome back to all our members. I hope everyone had a good, safe sum- From the Editor mer break. Bulletin deadlines: First, on behalf of the Alberta Pal- Waeontological Society, I would like to let our friends No more Mister Nice Guy across the border know we are praying for mercy for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, for wisdom in By Howard Allen leadership, and for comfort in this time of loss and devastation. You are in our hearts. y now, many of you may have noticed that the The September meeting has been postponed. Bpunctuality of the Bulletin can be roughly cor- Instead, members are encouraged to attend a presen- related with the price of crude oil: the higher the oil tation by Dr. Scott Sampson of the Utah Museum price, the later the publication date of the Bulletin. of Natural History and host of Dinosaur Planet. His The timing of this issue is a perfect example. As an topic will be “Late Cretaceous Dinosaurs of Mada- oilfield consultant, my work takes me out of town gascar: Implications for Gondwanan Biogeography.” for weeks on end and regrettably, when things are The presentation will take place on Thursday, Sept- busy—as they are now—the Bulletin drops down a ember 22, 7:30–9:00 p.m. in the Jenkins Theatre, few lines on my list of priorities. For this, I apologize. Mount Royal College. A major factor in my ability to get the Bulletin out The October 21 General Meeting will be an open on time is the deadline, which falls on the 15th of the house and fossil clinic. The General Public is invited month prior to publication (it’s been posted on Page to drop in and visit us at Mount Royal College, room 1 forever). B108 from 7:30–9:30 to view specimens on display Until now, my treatment of the deadline could be and take advantage of resident experts to help iden- compared to making microwave popcorn: You stick tify fossils that are brought into the clinic. Members the bag in the oven, set the timer for 5 minutes and are strongly encouraged to bring fossils they have hit the start button. The instructions say that the acquired over the summer as well as any items they popcorn should be done in 3 minutes—the deadline. would wish to display. If you have a poster you would After only 2 minutes, a few kernels are already pop- like to display as well, you are welcome to bring it ping; these are the fine people who get their Bulletin along. For more information, contact Dan Quinsey submissions in early. By 31⁄2 minutes (well after the at (403) 247-3022 evenings and weekdays. deadline), the popping has reached a crescendo. But Start preparing now! The December Christmas you know that if you hold on a little longer, you’ll get Social will feature a swap meet during the Social Ac- more pops. After 4 minutes there are only one or two tivities. Members are encouraged to bring along any pops per second—should you wait a little longer? books, resources, palaeontological or related items Stop now and you’ll waste a few kernels; but if you they have to participate in this activity. wait too long, the whole bagful may be burnt. Finally, We are still looking for a Social Chairperson. The you hit the stop button and hope it’s not too late. responsibilities of this position are not demanding. For the current issue I was still getting submissions You are expected to come to all the General Meet- 33 days after the deadline. When I’m busy at work, I ings and start the coffee prior to the beginning of the get only a few days off between jobs—then it’s out of meeting and perform a quick clean-up afterwards. As town again for another few weeks. I hope you can see well, you will maintain a list of members volunteer- why these relaxed deadlines have got to end. Starting ing to bring treats to the meetings and remind them with the December issue, the “deadline” will be “dead of their commitment a few days prior. serious”: November 15, 24:00 hours. Anything (and I Our Bylaws were ratified by Alberta Registries mean anything) coming in after that will be left as an over the summer and with that, you will be contacted “old maid” in the proverbial popcorn bag. for more information if you hold a Family Member- Thanks for your patience, and enjoy the issue! ❏ ship. Please be prompt in providing the information APS Bulletin 2 September 2005 that lived before us… Upcoming Talks Legend has it that a city-state, for weeks, went on arguing what comes first: the chicken or the egg, Friday, September 21, 2005, 7:30-9:30 p.m. while the enemy took the opportunity to conquer the city. If they had only one palaeontologist, the Mount Royal College, Room B108 argument would have been settled in a minute, and Alberta Palaeontological Society Open House the city saved. Will it take a palaeontologist today to and Fossil Clinic. convince policy makers and economists which comes first: survival or profit? he Alberta Palaeontological Society welcomes Biography CSPG members, families and the general public T Ossama I. I. Yousif is a graduate (M.Sc., Mining to their October Open House and Fossil Clinic. APS Engineer-Geologist) of Gubkin Petrochemical and members and guests will have specimens on display Gas Industries Institute, Moscow State University, and resident experts will be on hand to help identify in 1963. He worked in the Middle East and Sudan fossils that are brought in to the clinic. Fossils found before moving to Canada in 1972. He is presently the on the summer field trips will also be presented and CEO of BDR Consulting Ltd., where he is involved in discussed. alternate energy, environment and rewriting of Geol- ogy of Petroleum. Friday, November 18, 2005, 7:30 p.m. Mount Royal College, Room B108. Friday, December 9, 2005, 7:30 p.m. Fossil Fuel is… Just Fossils. Mount Royal College, Room B108 Speaker: Ossama I. I. Yousif, P. Geol., The Grandfather of the Buffalo: Fossils in the BDR Consulting Ltd. Culture and Beliefs of the Nitsitapii. Speaker: Cory Gross, etroleum is referred to as “fossil fuel,” (Robley Alberta Palaeontological Society PK. Mathews, 1984). Is it a fossil? Generally, a living organism becomes a fossil when it lacks the raditionally, the Nitsitapii (Blackfoot) people energy to continue on living, and only a relic is left Toccupied a territory stretching from the Rocky to indicate it ever existed.