ON THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES PUBLISHED 165 YEARE AGO

 

 

To deny objective truths is to be scientifically illiterate, not to be ideologically principled.

(Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Starry Messenger perspectives on Civilization.)  

 

 

On this day, November 24^th, in 1859, Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species, which ignited the sometimes violent controversy over the origin of man.

Today, the evolutionary tree of life has been so well documented that scientists consider it an ‘objective truth.’

 

Yet, one hundred and sixty-five years later there are still people, tying their personal beliefs to a two thousand years old book that was the impetus of the Dark Ages, a time of scientific ignorance and religious persecution - and with their banners flying high demand that Creationism be taught to children in school, in place the scientific objective truth of Darwinian Evolution.

Ignorance abides

the Ol’Buzzard

EXCEPTIONAL MOVIES

We have a great movie multiplex in our town.  Seniors pay only $4.00.  My wife and I attend movies whenever there is playing something we might enjoy; but we don't expect much - just entertainment. 


There is a difference between great movies and entertainment.  

Today's movies are full of special effects, and some are spectacular.  But, take away the special effects, graphic violence and non-stop action, you find the story line is thin and the acting is mediocre.  

These are my pick for movies with great scripts and exceptional acting.  











































































These are the Ol'Buzzard's pick for quality movie watching.   I can watch them over and over across the years and never get tired of them.  


Unfortunately, with today' dumbing down of story content we have set a standard for movie goers.    Most young people today could not sit through most of my movie pics.   They would be board with the story and not appreciate the exceptional acting.


the Ol'Buzzard 

THIS AIN’T ANCESTRY.COM

We are an advanced breed of monkey

on a minor planet

of a very average star.

Stephen Hawking

About 6 to 7 million years ago humans and chimpanzees diverged from an earlier primate ancestor, though we still share about 97% of our DNA with our chimp cousins.

Somewhere around 4 million years ago our pre-human ancestors became bipedal, and about 3.5 million years ago Australopithecus Afarensis became distinctly human. 

There were many evolutionary adaptions that developed and died out, but about 1.8 million years ago Homo erectus became identifiable with present day humans.

It was Homo erectus that left the cradle of Africa and spread through Asia and southern Europe. 

Evolutionary adaptations produced Homo Heidelbergensis and then Neanderthal and finally modern humans.   It is estimated that about 2.5% of the DNA of humans outside of Africa is Neanderthal. 

Human evolution is not only obvious from physical appearance and mobility, but also in brain development.

Over the course of human evolution three distinct brains emerged.   The oldest and most primitive is the brain stem and cerebellum (which turns out to be the main structure of the reptilian brain) which controls autonomic body functions.  The next layer of our brain to develop was the hippocampus and hypothalamus which records memories and experiences.  The final layer is the cerebrum that allows language and abstract thought. 

The brain is not static, but constantly rewires itself to adjust to new experiences and demands.  The human brain is even known to repair itself (rewire itself) to bypass effected neurons in stroke victims.

  

Time on an evolutionary scale is vast, and if we survive there is no reason to believe that ‘we’ are the final product of human evolution.  

The future of humans no longer depend on survival skills, size or wit.   We live in a society that services our needs.  We are less active and less imaginative.  We depend more and more on technology.

So what evolutionary changes in the human animal might we expect as people move from a world of personal interaction, required physical activity and survival demands to a virtual reality world of 24/7 TV, computers and cell phones?

Just wondering

the Ol’Buzzard

FORTY DAYS AND NIGHTS OF RAIN

So far we have had three days of torrential rain here in western Maine, but there are still thirty-seven more to go to match the Biblical downpour.   It makes me wonder if Pentecostals are beginning to sing and dance and talk in unknown tongues, and lining up for the Rapture.  

Did you ever really consider what cataclysmic event would be required to drown the entire earth in forty days and nights of rain?  

We have mountains here in western Maine just shy of four thousand feet in elevation, and that is small for many ranges.   It would have to rain one hundred feet a day during the forty days and nights in order to cover these mountains and drown the people of Rangeley, Maine.  That amounts to approximately four feet an hour.   At four feet am hour rainfall the atmosphere would be so heavy with water you would drown just by breathing.   In other words, God probably wasted thirty-nine days and twenty-three hours of rainfall during his rage against mankind. 

But, fundamentalist people continue to believe verbatim the story of Noah and all the other fables of the Bible.   These people are as dirt ignorant as they are enthusiastic for their religion.

However, they are also enthusiastic voters. 

the Ol'Buzzard