Richard Thomas aka JPRT464 - Greetings from the tropics!

JPRT464

My name is Richard Thomas, and I’m a biologist, actually a herpetologist, at the University of Puerto Rico. I grew up mostly in Florida and South Carolina. I graduated (BA) from the University of South Florida in 1968, and from Lousiana State University (Ph. D., 1976). I’ve discovered and described fifty-some-odd new (= previously unknown) species of frogs, lizards, snakes, and a salamander, along with a number of others that I discovered but did not describe myself. A major enjoyment of mine (aside from reading), since I was a kid, has been going into the woods and looking under rocks and such to see what kinds of neat animals turn up (and I lived in a great part of the country to do that). I was in the news last year for describing (along with a co-author) the smallest lizard in the world (about an inch and a quarter in total length), from a remote part of the Dominican Republic. Aside from my professional biological interests, I’m interested in skepticism, psychology, history, religion, and other stuff. When I read fiction, it’s usually science fiction. Books that I’m currently reading include The Gods of Ancient Rome (Turcan), Intelligence, Race, and Genetics: Conversations with Arthur Jenssen (Miele), The Atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair (Le Beau), The Secret Origins of the Bible (Callahan), Darwin’s Cathedral: Religion, Evolution, and the Nature of Society (Wilson), and The Scar (Mieville).

Edited by: Chris OConnor at: 3/17/03 2:40:45 am

NaddiaAoC · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 4:08 am Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

Very cool! Welcome to BookTalk, JPRT. It's nice to have you.

Nad

Kenny Meek · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

I thought you were awesome in The Waltons....so what caused the deconversion?? Was it too much of the recipe??

Chris OConnor · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

Richard

Welcome to BookTalk Richard! I know you've been having quite a rough time at getting into the BookTalk chat room for the past month, so I really hope we can get that resolved. We sure would love to see you on Thursday nights.

I didn't realize that you graduated from USF...so did I! Although you graduated in 1968, which was the year I was born.

I've been to Puerto Rico once and I absolutely loved it. My trip was business related, but I did stay at a high-rise hotel in San Juan - I forget the name. Remember the hotel that had the bad fire and a bunch of people died? Thats where I stayed. What a gorgeous view...from one of the top floors right out at the crashing waves below. I fell in love with Puerto Rico that weekend.

One thing I was impressed by was how clean the streets were. For a city the place is immaculate in my opinion. And incredible food too! I wish I knew the names of the restaurants we ate at, but I forget. The most memorable thing to me about Puerto Rico would have to be the people. What a huge difference in culture. The people were so friendly and welcoming to me and my business associates. I was there to see the VP Marketing of Banco Santander about 3 years ago.

Next time I go back I want to see Mayaguez. Everyone told me the beaches are gorgeous in that area. One thing I noticed about the beaches in San Juan are that the waves look pretty violent. From my room I could see signs warning people of what I assume were strong rip tides. It looked as if the shore was pretty steep...like if you walked out in the water you would be pulled out by currents fast from the undertow. It was beautiful though and I cannot wait to return when I have some time for sightseeing. I'd like to check our Arecibo too.

Chris

JPRT464 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

I think it was the salamanders etouffé.

JPRT464 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 10:37 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

Chris,

USF was a pretty young school in those days. I haven't been back in a while. I still have family in the Tampa area, though. Did I see in one post that you said you were a realtor? My grandfather was a realtor in Tampa many years ago. He also ran a lumber mill there during the '30s and '40s -- lumbering cypress from along the Hillsborough River. . .

Yes, Puerto Rico is a pretty neat place. The north coast gets the trade winds directly, so there tends to be more wave action there (and sometimes rip currents) than on the west coast, and the coast tends to be rockier and steeper, often with small cove beaches. The west coast around Mayaguez or the south coast is gentler, often with mangroves, but some nice beaches too. There are lots of interesting places to see from coast to mountains.

Richard

JPRT464 · Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2003 10:47 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

Thanks, Naddia. I'm looking forward to some interesting discussions, and maybe I (or my computer) will get the hang of chat eventually.

That hanging post about salamanders was a reply to Kenny. I'm just learning my way around this forum. It's somewhat different from other forums that I've taken part in.

Richard

ZachSylvanus · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2003 10:00 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

Welcome aboard! I heard about your discovery in the Dominican Republic in one of my biology classes. Neat stuff :)

Jeremy1952 · Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2003 11:38 am Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

I'm just so excited to have a real live herpatologist on board I can barely contain myself. S.J. Gould put forth the proposition that mammals began as neotonic amphibians, tadpoles that reproduced without ever becoming "adults". This insight shot my interest in amphibians and "reptiles" way up. Recently I've been reading that more evidence, still not conclusive, has accumulated.

So: welcome, welcome, welcome.

P.S. any relation to Lewis Thomas?

Edited by: Jeremy1952 at: 3/16/03 10:40:05 am

Chris OConnor · Posted: Thu May 01, 2003 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Greetings from the tropics

Richard

You must be very frustrated. Tonight you just couldn't seem to get the chat room working. People are telling me that it is because you are using a Mac instead of a PC. I'm not sure.

We would see you post a sentence and then come in and out of the chat room over and over. I hope you can figure this out because we sure would love to be able to chat with you.

Chris

JPRT464 · Posted: Thu May 01, 2003 9:05 pm Post subject: Reply

It was pretty frustrating. I was getting a full screen, but I was not getting all the chat. Intermittently I would get a few of the posts, but then that would disappear. It could be something about my computer, although generally I don't have trouble with internet connections. I'll keep trying.


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