Ornithocheirus - Facts and Figures

Name: Ornithocheirus (Greek for bird hand); pronounced OR-nith-oh-CARE-usHabitat: Shores of western Europe and South AmericaHistorical Period: Middle Cretaceous (100-95 million years ago)Size and Weight: Wingspans of 10-20 feet and weights of 50-100 poundsDiet: FishDistinguishing Characteristics: Large wingspan; long, thin snout with bony protuberance on end About Ornithocheirus Ornithocheirus wasnt the largest pterosaur ever to take to the skies during the Mesozoic Era--that honor belonged to the truly enormous Quetzalcoatlus--but it was certainly the biggest pterosaur of the middle Cretaceous period since Quetzalcoatlus didnt appear on the scene until shortly before the K/T Extinction Event. Aside from its 10- to 20-foot wingspan, what set Ornithocheirus apart from other pterosaurs was the bony keel on the end of its snout, which may have been used to crack open the shells of crustaceans, to intimidate other pterosaurs in search of the same prey, or to attract the opposite sex during mating season. Discovered in the early 19th century, Ornithocheirus occasioned its share of disputes among the famous paleontologists of the day. This pterosaur was officially named in 1870 by Harry Seeley, who chose its moniker (Greek for bird hand) because he assumed Ornithocheirus was ancestral to modern birds. He was wrong--birds actually descended from small theropod dinosaurs, probably multiple times during the later Mesozoic Era--but not as wrong as his rival Richard Owen, who at that time didnt accept the theory of evolution and thus didnt believe Ornithocheirus was ancestral to anything! The confusion Seeley generated over a century ago, no matter how well-meaning, persists today. At one time or another, there have been dozens of named Ornithocheirus species, most of them based on fragmentary and poorly preserved fossil specimens, of which only one, O. simus, remains in widespread use. Further complicating matters, the more recent discovery of large pterosaurs dating from late Cretaceous South America--such as Anhanguera and Tupuxuara--raises the possibility that these genera should properly be assigned as Ornithocheirus species.

Essay on Using Steroids to Gain the Perfect Body - 1099 Words

Using Steroids to Gain the Perfect Body In our days, most people have set the goal and dream to have the perfect body. They believe by having this image, they will be popular and/or attractive. People want to achieve the body that they desire, like a super star, a hero in a Hollywood movie, a strong soldier, and an Olympic athlete. However, what are the extent people will go to get the perfect body? The biggest problem for those who dream to have a beautiful body today, as many people know, is the consumption of steroids. It is amazing what people and athletes will do to enhance their performance, strength and muscle size by taking steroids. Whether right or wrong people who use steroids to become the fastest and strongest will†¦show more content†¦These steroids are made to emphasize and promote muscle growth but without the masculinizing the user as much as testosterone does (Silverstein, p.18). Anabolic steroids were first used to help World War II victims put on weight at the end of the war. Anabolic st eroids were intended for the sick people, but instead of this, healthy people often abuse these steroids because they want to gain muscle (Morris, p.230). There are three major benefits from steroid use and they are: first, athletes will attain a greater increase in lean muscle mass and strength when it is used with a combination of hard training and the drug; second, the athletes body suffers less breakdown as this decrease in muscle breakdown and recovery time permits more frequent training sessions at higher intensity and for longer periods of time (Lukas, p.7); and third but not least benefit, the increased aggressiveness they are believed to simulate as this increased aggressiveness may drive athletes to train harder and longer without the usual fatigue (Rogak, p.11). Other positive effects of using steroids are increases in: storage of muscle glycogen; blood volume; a general boasting of the immune system; and the reduction of body fat percentage. The effects are maintained as long as the athlete continues the steroid use (Silverstein, p.17). Unfortunately, anabolic steroids have many side effects. Some short-term side effects include high blood pressure, acne,Show MoreRelatedAnabolic Steroid Use And Anabolic Steroids1335 Words   |  6 Pagesathletes get so hooked on this so called â€Å"Steroid† ? I’m interested in this question, because that’s the question that truly caught my attention the most and, also keeps me wondering. If people who use it have seen improvement, why do they keep using it. The anabolic steroid also known as the anabolic-androgenic steroid is a drug that athletes use to give more muscle mass to the body and create more testosterone in the body. If traced back to the 1940’s steroids first appeared in Germany. Athletes hadRead MoreGetting Huge, Getting Ripped : Qualitative Exploration Of Recreational Steroid Use1443 Words   |  6 Pagesthe human body was to be capable of surviving; however, today the purpose is to be accepted by the views of society. In order to  "make it† in this world you either have to be a strong man with a six pack or a size two woman with great hair. The need to be perfect has been etched into our brains since childhood. This perfection is found in magazines where women promise that eating healthy will give you this body rather than photoshop or plastic surgery, and men are promised a ripped body with the useRead MoreThe Effects Of Steroids On The Human Body, Steroids Sports, And Reasons Why People Use Steroids1251 Words   |  6 Pages Jared Hipsher Mrs. Sexton 3-26-15 English 10 Steroids Jared Hipsher 3-26-2015 English 10 Mrs. Sexton Steroids Thesis : The history of steroids, the affects of steroids on the human body, steroids in sports, and reasons why people use steroids, are all things I ve wanted to know for a long time now I am going to further my knowledge on this topic. Introduction About A. Types 1. Anabolic 2. Corticosteroids III. History A. 1954 1. WeightRead MoreWhy Performance Enhancement Drugs Use Essay1142 Words   |  5 Pagesperformance enhancement drugs use in professional sports? The use of steroids has been a major problem among sports and has caused lots of controversy. Although these professional sports organizations such as the NFL, NHL, NBA and several others have spent time and money investigating athletes for uses of performance enhancement drugs, nothing has been done to erase records or record breaking statistics. In order to cease steroid and other performance enhancement drug users from cheating there needRead MoreAthletes and Steroids Essay1014 Words   |  5 Pagescontinued use of steroids, his life started to spiral out of control. He was feeling very depressed, struggling academically, and had become very aggressive. That bright, young man with aspirations to play major league baseball ended up taking his own life with a fatal gunshot on October 1, 2002. Ultimately, Rob Garibaldi killed himself but steroids could easily be deemed his accomplice. Steroids have only recently been heavily scrutinized but in actuality athletes started using them in the earlyRead MoreDo you think body building is healthy? Well it is not. As though it might seem healthy for you800 Words   |  4 Pagesthink body building is healthy? Well it is not. As though it might seem healthy for you because of all the vitamins and organic food body builders consume, it is actually really bad for you. Body building, if done right, can be an excellent way of getting in shape and becoming a healthier new you and also it will increase your strength and overall health. But with all of the steroids, supplements, bad dieting habits and extreme workouts, it is very dangerous and unhealthy to the human body. The dangersRead MoreSteroids As Dangerous Illegal Substances1229 Words   |  5 Pagesword that comes to mind? Steroids. In early 2013 Lance Armstrong’s face dominated the headlines. Reporters condemned him, public figures shamed him and fans lost faith in this once great athlete. He was a maverick, a man that did everything to safeguard him first place in the tour de France races but ultimately lost his seven fold winner title. When allegation were put forward his response was a product of meticulous rebuttals and elaborate lies. Many of us see steroids as dangerous illegal substancesRead MoreHigh Performance Athletes Concerned With Optimum Muscle Growth And Repair Essay1404 Words   |  6 PagesWinidrol Winidrol Crazy Bulk Winidrol contains benefits specifically tailored to high performance athletes concerned with optimum muscle growth and repair. Winidrol provides a measurable increase in strength and speed and reduces body fat while improving the retention of nitrogen during protein synthesis for use in cell replacement and tissue regeneration. Additional nitrogen is necessary to increase the ability to build muscle. Additionally, Winidrol can increase blood flow and improves cardiovascularRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs. . Performance-Enhancing Drugs1580 Words   |  7 PagesPerformance Enhancing Drugs Performance-enhancing drugs (PED s) have been an issue for many decades now for the medical and sports field. Olympic and professional athletes have been using them to gain an upper hand on the competition, but some may ask if it s really worth it? Studies show that performance-enhancing drugs have been proven to negatively affect the health of athletes who take them. Simply put, performance-enhancing drugs could either improve athletic performance or can be extremelyRead More Steroid Use in Major League Baseball Essay example1596 Words   |  7 PagesSteroid Use in Major League Baseball Steroids are unhealthy for baseball players and they are giving the game of baseball a bad reputation. Since steroids have become such a hot topic in Major League Baseball (MLB) fans have had nothing but bad things to say about the sport and its players. When sports illustrated asked some of its readers to give reaction to the steroid controversy in the MLB here is what baseball fan Howard Langsner from New York had to say Horrible, just horrible. We take

Night Creature Blue Moon Chapter 34 Free Essays

I slept with a pistol and a rifle. Probably the most action I’d be seeing for years at the rate I was going. This time tomorrow night, I could be minus one†¦ what? Boyfriend? Lover? Really cute guy who made me scream? Hell, I could be minus a limb, my sanity, or my life. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 34 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Better get my priorities in order. As soon as I walked into the apartment, I glanced at my machine. The message light was blinking. â€Å"Dammit, Jessie. Where are you?† Cadotte sounded seriously pissed. Had he realized I’d read his notes, seen his book, knew he’d lied? Or was he just mad he hadn’t gotten a little early-evening delight? I set traps in front of the picture window, the door, hell, every window. I didn’t plan on being surprised by any furry friends, or enemies. I had to sleep today, or I’d be no good at all tonight. Nevertheless, I awoke in the heat of midday and knew I wasn’t alone. I’m not sure what woke me. The mousetraps by the windows? The bells on the front door? The marbles in front of the balcony entrance? None of the above or all three? I heard nothing now. But I felt someone. I crept out of bed, taking along both guns for company. Barefoot and in my underwear, I checked every room, every closet. Not a single trap, bell, or marble was out of place. I was losing my mind. When I glanced out the picture window, the bright light of midday hit my eyes and made my head ache. When I turned around, I saw stars. When the stars went away, I saw him. I cocked my pistol. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall in the hall. His earring swung merrily as he tilted his head. â€Å"Are we back to this again?† â€Å"How did you get in here?† â€Å"It wasn’t easy.† â€Å"Get out.† He started to walk toward me. My heart sped up. â€Å"I mean it, Cadotte!† The gun shook. I lost the rifle so I could steady the pistol with both hands. He laughed. â€Å"Got silver bullets in there?† â€Å"I’ve been packing silver since I met you, Slick.† He stopped a foot away, blinked, snorted. â€Å"Good girl. You may need it.† â€Å"Have you come to finish the job?† â€Å"I thought I finished pretty well.† He wiggled his brows. Cadotte was behaving oddly for a man who’d tried to murder me a few hours back. He didn’t have any weapons that I could see. Of course he could strangle me with his bare hands, if I let him get close enough. â€Å"You know damn well I meant finish me off. Kill me. Murder me. Dump my body somewhere it’ll never be found.† His mouth fell open. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Someone shot a crossbow at me.† His gaze drifted over my body. â€Å"You seem all right.† â€Å"I’m fine. Mandenauer isn’t.† His eyes snapped back to my face. â€Å"Dead?† â€Å"Is that what you’d like?† â€Å"I don’t even know the man. Why would you think I’d try to kill you with a crossbow? I could have done pretty much anything I wanted to you at my place.† And had. My cheeks warmed. â€Å"You’ve got a crossbow.† â€Å"Me and about a hundred other guys.† â€Å"What’s it for?† â€Å"My grandfather. It’s a gift.† He threw up his hands. â€Å"If I’m a werewolf, I don’t need a damn crossbow to kill you. Why would I be that stupid?† He had a point. Cadotte took one huge step and grabbed the barrel of the gun. God, he was fast. I held on tight, figuring he’d wrench the thing out of my grip. Instead, he put the business end to his chest. â€Å"Shoot me. See what happens.† â€Å"Have you lost your mind?† â€Å"Yes. I love you, Jessie. I’d rather die than have you look at me as if you think I’m going to hurt you.† As declarations go, it was pretty impressive, I never thought a man would tell me he loved me. Especially one like this. Of course my skeptical mind whispered: Is he telling you he loves you because you told him ? When he was a big black hairy wolf? Did it matter? My chest ached. My eyes burned. No one had ever said they loved me before, not even my mother. Suddenly I understood why people did anything for love. I eased my finger from the trigger. I’d rather die than be the one to kill him. Even if he was a werewolf†¦ I couldn’t do it. The pistol was too heavy to hold any longer. I let it fall back to my side, then placed the weapon on the couch. Cadotte pulled me into his arms, buried his face in my hair. â€Å"I missed you.† He smelled like the wind and the night, the forest. When I was in his arms, everything I believed became jumbled and confused. I could only think of touching him skin to skin, of feeling him move inside me, of letting him make me forget who he was or what he might be. I pulled his T-shirt from his jeans, slipped my fingers beneath, spread my palms across his back, his shoulders. He had the most beautiful skin, smooth planes, hard muscles. I could touch him forever and never grow tired of the game. He stepped back and drew the shirt over his head. I became fascinated with the ripples across his stomach and chest. I wanted to taste his skin while his muscles danced against my lips. I dropped to my knees and did what I’d only dreamed of, placing openmouthed kisses across his hard, supple belly, sucking his flesh between my teeth, laving my tongue over the curve of his navel. He groaned and forked his fingers into my hair, pulling me closer, showing me he liked my fantasy as much as I did. His erection pressed against my chest. The rasp of his jeans across my nipples, covered only by an old, thin T-shirt, was as arousing as his hands or his mouth. Suddenly he slid to the floor and crushed his face to my breasts, filling his hands with me. It was my turn to thread my fingers through his hair and press him ever closer. His earring dragged across one tight nipple as his mouth closed on the other. For a minute I wished he had long hair and that he would swish the tresses all over my body. The thought was soon gone when he ripped my T-shirt down the center. My breasts spilled free, and he moaned as if he’d been given a gift. â€Å"Hey!† I protested. â€Å"I’ll buy you another. I’ll buy you a hundred. With lace. Red, blue, purple.† The words were muffled against my skin. The puff of his breath against me made my hands clench on his shoulders. I wanted to say something sarcastic about me in purple lace, but I couldn’t quite manage it. â€Å"That shirt was old anyway.† â€Å"And ugly. You should wear silk, Jessie. As soft as your skin right here.† He placed a gentle, sweet kiss at the curve of my hip and I shivered, then smoothed my palms over his biceps. No man had ever spoken this way to me. Hell, in my experience men didn’t do much chatting during sex. Mostly, â€Å"oh, yeah,† or, â€Å"right there.† Cadotte seemed to like to talk nearly as much as he liked – His hand slipped into my panties and stroked me. â€Å"Oh, yeah,† I muttered. â€Å"Right there.† â€Å"How about right here, right now?† My answer was to slip the button from his jeans and slide the zipper down. My hand followed. Heated, hard skin met my palm. â€Å"Do you even own underwear?† â€Å"What for?† He lost his shoes and his jeans, fumbling a bit in the pocket for a condom. I thanked my lucky stars he’d remembered, because I continued to forget a lot of things. And the whole puppy issue just wasn’t funny anymore. He covered himself and tossed the empty package to the floor. My underwear soon followed. He thrust into me just as he had in the pond; one smooth stroke and he was all the way home. I expected him to be wild, rough, fast. I wouldn’t have minded. I wanted to forget that this could be the last time we were together. I imagined the blue moon hovering just below the horizon, waiting to pounce. Neither one of us knew what would happen tomorrow – if there’d even be a tomorrow. I’d never done it on the floor. The men I’d known hadn’t ever been so anxious to have me they couldn’t wait awhile. I discovered the idea that he needed me, now, was as arousing as his mouth at my breast and his body within mine. Instead of desperation and frantic need, a pounding, pulsing coupling, he gave me love. His kiss was sweet and gentle as he traced his lips across my cheekbone to the corner of my eye. His breath a breeze that ruffled my hair, I sighed and he drank me in. The pace slowed. His hands almost reverent as they soothed and aroused, I wanted to crawl inside of him and stay there forever. â€Å"‘ You feel so good,† he murmured against my neck. I ran my hands down his back, rocked my hips, and took him as deep as I dared. He quivered, then stilled. â€Å"Look at me, Jessie.† I couldn’t focus on what he wanted until he kissed me, then took my lower lip between his teeth and tugged. My eyes popped open. He was so close I could see where the black of his pupil and the dark brown of his iris met. For an instant I was staring into the eyes of the black wolf, and I stiffened. â€Å"Hush.† He kissed the corner of my mouth. â€Å"I love you, Jessie. I’d never hurt you.† He punctuated every other word with a slow slide and firm thrust of his body into mine. All I could do was nod and clutch him tighter. Taking my hands, he placed palm against palm, clenching our fingers together. I felt him growing inside of me, pulsing, coming. â€Å"Come for me,† he whispered. â€Å"I want to go there together.† My attention drifted lower, to where our bodies joined. My eyes fluttered closed. He stopped moving. â€Å"Look at me,† he demanded. â€Å"See me. Please.† I frowned and opened my eyes. His expression was so sad, I wanted to touch his face, but he wouldn’t free my hands. I lifted my mouth inviting his, and he kissed me, long, deep, wet, while he remained buried inside. â€Å"I see you, Will,† I whispered against his mouth. â€Å"I’ve always seen you.† He lifted his head and together we reached what we’d been searching for. At the moment of climax his eyes went intense, fierce. He thrust into me faster, harder, and I clenched around him, the waves of pleasure so intense I could do nothing but ride them and call his name. He didn’t collapse on top of me in a heap of satisfied male flesh. Instead he rolled to the side, taking me with him, keeping us joined through some acrobatic maneuver that would have been even more impressive if I could think. My hands free at last, I touched his cheek, his hair, and he nuzzled my palm. My heart did that nauseatingly slow flop toward my belly. Oh, boy, I had it bad. â€Å"I love you,† he repeated and before I could force the words back where they belonged – a secret in my heart until it was safe to set them free – they popped out of my foolish mouth. â€Å"I love you, too.† How to cite Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 34, Essay examples