So what got it all started?

An interesting question that until recently I had no idea had controversy beyond the creationist versus evolutionist argument.

First off, let's define the term "evolution" since that is really at the root of this disagreement. Evolution can represent two separate and distinct theories that, while not at odds with each other, at least don't need each other to be possible. The first definition, that is not really very much in question, can be basically summized as "survival of the fittest". Suggesting that a species can change over time based on environmental factors to better suit their environment. For example, Liberals are largely pro-choice which results in a higher proportion of children being raised in conservative households, thereby increasing the Republican head counts while decreasing Liberal heads before they've had a chance to realize their mistake.

The second definition of evolution revolves around the basic idea that through the means of natural selection, a population group can change from one species to another. Remember that separate species are defined as being able to procreate and produce fertile children (horses and donkeys are for this reason, not the same species).

It is this second definition that forms the basis for Darwin's Origin of Species that claims we are all not only descended from apes, but that all life on the planet comes from the same source. So basically suggesting that humans are only a few evolutionary leaps from Symbion pandora (that's right, lobster lip parasites!).

Those who support the second theory and thereby the Origin of Species argument are apparently vehemently opposed to those arguing for Intelligent Design.

Intelligent Design is the theory that the development of life on Earth has been guided by an intelligent being. It does not suggest that this being is God, alien or otherwise, but does argue that there are too many coincidences in the development of life on earth for it all to have happened without someone/something guiding it.

As I'm a fan of analogy,allegory and alliteration (!), let me put it this way. Imagine throwing 300 trillion trillion trillion trillion scrabble pieces into the air. Origin of species says that it is possible for those pieces to fall in such a way that the entire works of the bible might be layed out before you with perfect spelling and (somehow) punctuation. Intelligent design says that this is so incredibly unlikely that it is far more likely that the falling pieces are influenced into these works by someone capable of manipulating their fall.

Anyway, this topic was brought to my attention by the Ben Stein movie, Expelled, in which Ben Stein travels around the world trying to understand why certain prominent scientists vehemently refuse to even consider the possibility of intelligent design to the point of which people have lost their jobs and ruined their careers by simply asking questions.

After all, what is science without questions?

New Year, New Job, New Resolutions, New Observations (Complaints)

First post of 2009 - is this some sort of milestone? Should I immortalize this happening in song and glorify the moment for all the ages?

Probably not.

Which brings me to my next topic! Honors.

I like honors - I think it is important to remember those who have given, sacrificed and died to preserve our way of life, our liberties and our rights to have other "L" initiated things. But what is the point of honoring someone/something if noone knows it?

I was sitting in my local BW3 (I finally found out what the 3rd W is...) watching the trivia questions pop up on one of the abnormally frequent TVs. A question presented itself regarding the red stripe down the leg of the uniform for a US Marine. Did you know it honors previously fallen Marines? I didn't - so what is the point?

Is it that the only honoring they care about is from those who know what it means and are therefore in the "in-crowd"? seems to be a pretty small group to me - if I were a fallen Marine, I would like to think more people are honoring me than a group of stuffy alive bastards with all their legs.

The same goes for many other things - the symbology on the dollar bills for instance. How many people know about the Star of David hidden in there? That is was put there to honor the contributions of a prominent Jew who asked for nothing more than something for his people? How is this honoring his contributions to the establishment of the county, if noone knows what it's there for?

Very strange behavior... Makes me sad in some ways... I love ellipses...

So now that is out of the way, some news... (there's another one!) I am no longer with Cox AutoTrader/Automart (longer name = quick collapse? the evidence is there!) after having been downsized. Seems I got out just early enough as they've recently announced they'll be merging what's left of that group into ATC like some amorphous blob preparing to feed. I have fortunately, landed at a local web solutions firm and am staying engaged with my love of technology.

Now that I'm in and things are starting to settle into a nice rythm, I have time once more to blog, watch Youtube and waste vast amounts of time on ICanHasCheezBurger.com - oh the humanity.