DocentDoings

October 1, 2009-- In 1994 a research team led by Tim White of the University of California, Berkeley; Berhane Asfaw, former director of the National Museum of Ethiopia; and Giday WoldeGabriel of the Los Alamos National Laboratory announced the discovery of the first fossils of a new human ancestor, Ardipithecus ramidus. The researchers presented tantalizing evidence that the species was a biped living in woodland conditions more than a million years before the famous "Lucy" fossil of the species Australopithecus afarensis. The research, to be published in an October 2, 2009, special issue of the journal Science, reveals that our earliest ancestors underwent a previously unknown phase of evolution, shedding new light on the nature of the last common ancestor of chimpanzees and humans. An artist's reconstruction of the face of Ardipithecus ramidus was made possible by a digital reconstruction of skull parts from two individuals. The face of "Ardi" did not

Thanks to the organizing efforts of Rolando and Maria, 23 docents traveled to Chinatown for a presentation and lunch at Homeboy Industries, located down the street, off Alameda and within a couple of blocks south of the Chinatown station on the Gold Line. The meeting began with a story and riveting description by Joseph who grew up in the Aliso Gardens Public Housing Project, was shot twice at the ages of 14 and 15, became involved in gangs even younger, and served time in prison as a result of his heroin use and conviction (he has since gone clean). But it was at Aliso Gardens where Father Gregory Doyle began his lifelong committment to not only gangbangers like Joseph, but in changing the cultural environment of the gang bangers and providing them with a second chance and purpose in life. Joseph said, in his gang time, there were 8 different gangs operating in Aliso Gardents and that over the years, there have been some 800 different gangs formed in the Los Angeles area. He des

Point Vicente Interpretive Center, located adjacent to the Pt. Vicente Lighthouse, was the sight of the docent's October field trip. The Interpretive Center opened in 1984 with a mission to present and interpret the unique features and history of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The almost 10, 000 square foot newly expanded Interpretive Center, re-opened on July 15, 2006, features exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Peninsula, with a special emphasis on the Pacific gray whale. This premier whale watch site provides spectacular opportunities to view the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, from December through April. The City trains volunteers (docents) to lead tours inside the Center via Los Serenos de Point Vicente, the City’s volunteer docent organization. Double click to enlarge photo of attending docents:

Scientists have identified the fossilized remains of the smallest dinosaur yet discovered in North America, a house-pet-sized creature that would have scurried between the legs of its larger relatives. The new species, Fruitadens haagarorum , weighed less than 2 pounds and was about 28 inches long, scientists say. The tiny dinosaur would have been an agile and fast runner, said study coauthor Luis Chiappe, director of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 's Dinosaur Institute. It had to be nimble to survive the hazardous time in which it lived, the late Jurassic period 150 million years ago, which was ruled by giant meat-eaters such as the allosaurus. The findings, reported by Chiappe and an international team of dinosaur experts, appeared Wednesday in the British science journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. However, the fossils were actually unearthed in Colorado in the late 1970s. They lay in storage at the Natural History Museum until recently, whe

Reporting from New Orleans - Federal officials announced Wednesday that they were removing the brown pelican from the endangered species list, capping a century-long recovery that started under President Theodore Roosevelt. The brown pelican is a fixture in Southern California and along the Gulf of Mexico from Texas to Florida, where Roosevelt established the first national wildlife refuge on Pelican Island to protect the bird from human slaughter. It is an icon in Louisiana, where it is the state bird and where Interior Department officials assembled Wednesday at the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge near New Orleans to proclaim the brown pelican "fully recovered" and no longer in need of federal protection. "In many ways, the brown pelican stands as a symbol of our nation's struggle to protect and conserve our wildlife," said Tom Strickland, assistant Interior secretary for fish, wildlife and parks. He said the bird had made "a long,

Chuck, Can one limit what is said on a blog site. It looks good, but I would not want to have it used to "gripe" or provide misinformation. Could it be used as a newsletter and posting of docent information only with restrictions as to who posts articles or information? If it can be used to disseminate information about the members, events, Board minutes, opportunities for participating in museum activities -- would require an editor -- would that be possible? Barbara Chuck's response: Barbara, yes, I have volunteered to serve as Editor and to post docent comments such as your post above. Right now, only board members can view the blog and comment. And yes, board members are encouraged to comment and set the direction and content of the blog. If the response is negative, I can shut the blog down.

As discussed at the Docent Board meeting on Monday, I have set up a blog for use by and limited to the docent board members who attended the board meeting, including Susan who missed the meeting as board secretary. I have limited this blog so that only those email addresses that I have included have the opportunity of viewing the sample blog which consists of a sample picture, text message and three minute video. You may have to click on older post to view the previous published items. Please notice the comment box where you can click and enter a comment. I have loaded information intended to give you an idea of what can be included in the blog. As blogmaster, docents can either send me info to put on the blog, or, if added as an author, load items of interest. The blog, to be useful, should receive articles and allow comment and viewing/comment by the greater docent population. I have completely severed this blog from being noticed or referenced in any way by Google or Blogspo

Exposition Park Aerial View (double click to enlarge picture):