What is Scale Of Dinosaurs?
1.
The Scale of Dinosaurs
The Scale of Dinosaurs is used in the quantification of one's greatness in terms of Dinosaurs. Therefore, one who is great can be said to 'have Dinosaurs' and conversely, one who is not great can be said to 'not have Dinosaurs'.
Of course, it is not as simple as 'Dinosaurs, period'. there is a scale involved, hence, 'The Scale of Dinosaurs'. First and foremost, more Dinosaurs is always a good thing. This, of course, does not mean that he who has the most Dinosaurs is the greatest. However, an increase of your rating on the Dinosaur Scale is always adventageous, regardless of the new addition's species.
Secondly, certain types of Dinosaurs are worth more than others on the scale. This, also, does not imply that those species worth less are necessarily maladaptive, just not as great as those worth more. Nor does the scale measure by size alone. A Camarasaurus, for example, is worth more than a Stenonychosaurus. But, while the former is larger than the latter, a Styracosaur beats out a Camarasaur in terms of '
Generally speaking, there are certain species at the top of every Genus, Family, and Subfamily, and perhaps even at the head of the Suborders, as well.
Take, for example, the Theropods. The Tyranosaurus and the Utah-Raptor are both roughly the equivalent of each other in
Now, on a larger scale you must compare the different groups of Dinosaurs. Just as a Tyranosaurus and a Utah-Raptor are at the heads of their subgroups and are therefore roughly equal, so too will the heads of the larger groupings be roughly equivalent. To clarify, a
Other examples can be found in the Ornithischia. At the head of the 'Armored' division would be the Stegasaurus and the Ankylosaurus. The 'Horned' Ceratopsian division is, of course, fronted by the Triceratops and, arguably, Styracosaurs as well. Finally, the Ornithopod subgroup is led by the likes of Edmontosaurs and so on.
To further elaborate on the use of the Scale of Dinosaurs, we must implicate cross comparisons...
The aforementioned Edmontosaurus, which is the best of 'duckbills', beats out the Hypacrosaurus in its own group. But what about other groups? Let us go back to the mighty Diploducus. If one were to compare this Sauropod to an under-ranking duckbilled Hypacrosaur, you would, as expected, find the Diploducus to be of greater Dino-Merit value. Furthermore, Utah-Raptors beat Protoceratops, Brachiasaurs beat Parksosaurs, and Stegasaurus beats Centrosaurs, etc. etc.
To sum all of this up, the '
One should always manage their Dinosaurs wisely.
Common Usage of the Scale of Dinosaurs
General
1) Positive - "Wow! That guy is awesome! He has so many Dinosaurs!"
2) Negative - "
Josh is such a loser. He has no Dinosaurs."
Specific
3) Positive - "I just aced my mid-term! I have a Diploducus!"
4) Negative - "Oh man, what a fool that man is. He doesn't even have a Protoceratops."
Mixed/Conversational
5) Positive -
"You seem to be having a good day today. Have you gained a Dinosaur?"
"Yes, actually. I just earned another Parasaurolophus."
6) Negative -
"You've been acting like a moron all day! You're losing a Dinosaur for this!"
"I don't care. I still have two Nodoaurs and an Allosaurus."
Comparative
7) Diploducus > Centrosaurus
8)
Protoceratops < Utah-Raptor
9) Tyranosaurus = Diploducus
Mathematical
10) 3 x Stegasaurus > Coelophysis + Deinonychus
11) Diploducus > Tyranosaurus - Protoceratops
12) Triceratops + Utah Raptor = 2 x Tyranosaurus
The Scale of Dinosaurs, Copyright © Jeff Johnson 2004
(that's right, I copyrighted it.)