50 years old today: still fighting for truth, justice and the American way

It's been one month since I last posted to this blog. Today (July 23, 2010) is my fiftieth birthday. I celebrated by posting a response about the facts of evolution to a creationist blog (that I will not name here) whose owner continually flaunts his ignorance while pretending to be wise.

Contrary to what that creationist claims, it isn’t blind faith that sees a tree of life. It is what the data from many different measurements all show. Nested hierarchies of data are what are expected and predicted by evolutionary theory, and that the nested hierarchies of different types of measurements produce the same tree of life is yet another proof.

He also claims that the fossil record only shows separate kinds without macroevolution taking place; again he is wrong. The fossil record shows transitions from fish to land animals, from dinosaurs to birds, from land animals to whales, and from apes to humans with clear transitional forms found in the fossil record where genetic and other evidence predicts they should be found.

IF his arguments were based on facts, then I could respect them more. His sources are wrong and so naturally his conclusions are wrong. According to some polls nearly half of adult Americans don't accept the fact evolution happens. This is just as ridiculous and just as wrong as if half of adult Americans insisted the earth is flat in spite of all evidence to the contrary.

Telling lies in the name of God is a surefire way to turn people away from Christ, especially when it is something that is as easily checked as the evidence for evolution. Certain denominations of Christianity and other religions still insist that evolution must be false. I have an open mind to truth, whether or not it agrees with what I want to believe. I hate lies, which is why so many creationists piss me off. To their credit, many of them mean well. It's just that they are basing their opinions on lies they have been told by sources they trust.

Good news from Texas

There IS some good news about the anti-evolution insanity rampant in this country. A Federal court in Texas slammed the Institute for Creation Research. ICR had whined because the state had denied them the certificate they need to issue a master's degree in science education from their graduate school. In the decision, Dr. Gerald Skoog is quoted as saying that the proposed ICR Master of Science program “integrates selective scientific data that gives credence to [the framework of Biblical creationism], but ignores, or circumvents, a large body of scientific data that erodes and shatters the foundation of this framework.”

For those of you who insist the Bible is literally true on every subject, read this again: "a large body of scientific data that erodes and shatters the foundation of this framework." Get it? Your viewpoint is NOT supported by the evidence of the world. Either your interpretation is wrong, or the whole Bible is wrong, or your God is a trickster to plant so much evidence that contradicts a literal interpretation of His Book.

The court also says: "It appears that although the Court has twice required Plaintiff to re-plead and set forth a short and plain statement of the relief requested, Plaintiff is entirely unable to file a complaint which is not overly verbose, disjointed, incoherent, maundering, and full of irrelevant information."

Well, if they could reason clearly they wouldn't be creationists, so this description of their statement is not a surprise. By the way, to make myself clear, I am not saying that creationism per se, the belief in a higher power or consciousness that created or manifests this universe, is wrong. I do insist that a literal reading of the Bible's book of Genesis is NOT supported by the evidence of the world and is in fact FALSIFIED by it. That's just the way it is, like it or not, make of it what you will.

Awe-tograph

As I reported back in February, a famous author contacted me about a page I have on my web site about the Red Baron's Fokker Triplane. I corresponded with Dale Titler, author of The Day the Red Baron Died, and eventually asked if he would autograph a copy of his book to me. There were some delays from my end, but I finally received it yesterday.

Rosetucky is rehearsing again

It has been a few weeks since Rocky and I practiced our music regularly, but last night we jammed for an hour and tonight for an hour and a half. Last night we played and sang some songs better than when we had been rehearsing several nights a week, and tonight's session was even better although a little rough in places. Overall, the songs are getting tighter and smoother.

Are Republicans getting stupider nationwide?

Any candidate for public office who is so out of touch with reality as to deny the fact that evolution happens should be disqualified. Anyone that ignorant and that gullible should not be in any position of authority. I am amazed we are having this debate in the 21st century. It shames America that nearly half of its adults are so misinformed on this matter. It is just as ridiculous and just as wrong as if half the adults thought the earth is flat.

In a governor's race going on in Alabama, one Republican candidate accused the other of daring to teach science in science classrooms instead of teaching religion in science classrooms. In his reply to this attack, the accused Republican said he is just as much of a moron as the other guy attacking him for allegedly being sane.

In a governor's race in Maine, seven Republican candidates were asked if they thought intelligent design or creationism should be taught alongside evolution in public school science classrooms. Three said yes, and one (Matt Jacobson) said to teach evolution in philosophy class and teach science in science class.

For candidates in Alabama to make such a big deal about being fundamentalist Christians is no surprise, but Maine too? Are Republicans around the country brain-dead idiots out of touch with what is real? Why is fundamentalist evangelical Christianity doing this to America, to humanity? Do they think they bring honor to God or Christ by spreading lies that are easily shown to be false by anyone who honestly examines the evidence for evolution and the age of the earth?

Victory Through Air Power

Alexander P. de Seversky came from Russia to the United States after World War I. His airplane company made the first metal monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear for the United States Army Air Corps in the mid-1930s. He was a better pilot than he was a businessman though, and by the end of the decade the board of his own company replaced him.

In 1942, just a few months after Pearl Harbor, Seversky's book Victory Through Air Power was published. It was a best seller and made some impact on the American public concerning air power. I first read this book when I was a young boy. I have read it again several times since then, or at least portions of it.

Recently I started taking notes of specific claims made in the book about specific aircraft, ships and historical events. I checked some of these out according to modern sources and wrote an essay about it that I posted today on my web site as My thoughts on Seversky's book Victory Through Air Power. This is the first new post to the Studies section of my web site since 2004! This essay may be modified in days or weeks to come, but I posted what I have now as it is for what it's worth.

My Schwinn is tuned up

The weather lately has been perfect for bicycle guitaring: slightly cool but not cold, warm in the afternoons but not hot, little wind. A couple days ago I left my Schwinn at the local bicycle shop for its annual tune-up and for them to check how true the recently-built new wheels are. I just picked it up today, and it is sweet. All the cables are adjusted for smooth and easy shifting and braking. The chain was cleaned and lubricated. My Super Sportabout tracks straight and true when I ride "no hands" playing guitar on it.

Last night I played solo guitar at my bass player's house. Rocky had a few of his friends and family over, and a good time was had by all.