Category: News

This morning’s Washington Post has an article titled “In Evolution Debate, Creationists Are Breaking New Ground” about a new $25 million ‘Creation Museum‘ that is being built near Cincinnati to promote the view of biblical creation of the Earth vs. Evolution.

Some tidbits…

“It holds that the world and the universe are but 6,000 years old and that baby dinosaurs rode in Noah’s ark.”

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“But by any measure, Young Earth Creationism – which holds that the Bible is the literal word of God and that He created the universe in seven days – has a more powerful hold on the beliefs of Americans than evolutionary theory or intelligent design. That grip grows stronger by the year.

Polls taken last year showed that 45 percent of Americans believe that God created humans in their present form 10,000 years ago (or less) and that man shares no common ancestor with the ape. Only 26 percent believe in the central tenet of evolution, that all life descended from a single ancestor.

Another poll showed that 65 percent of Americans want creationism taught alongside evolution.”

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“But often, scientists say, the creationist bottom line is a through-the-looking-glass version of science. The scientific method of theory, experiment and assumptions upended does not apply. Ask Ham if he could accept evidence that conflicts with his reading of Genesis – proof, say, that a fossil is more than 6,000 years old – and he shakes his head.”

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“Ham is ambivalent on the question of intelligent design. He admires the movement’s founders and applauds their battles. But he is skeptical of creationists who see intelligent design as a battering ram that might smash down the constitutional doors and allow the Bible back into schools.

They are not a Christian movement, they are not about the Bible,” he says in his spacious corner office at the museum. “It’s not even against evolution, not really, because they don’t tell you what that intelligence is. It could open a door for Muslim belief, for Hindus, for New Age.

We are telling you unashamedly that the word of the Bible is the way.”

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I support everybody’s right to believe whatever they want, but it’s often painful to endure their efforts to spread their ignorance and religious intolerance.

for further reading:

Ministry uses dinosaurs to dispute evolution
Cincinnati Enquirer, 5/22/05

I remember when I was in the 8th grade, and for the first time gas prices climbed above $1 a gallon. A friend pondered the fact that for the first time, the rolling numbers for ‘amount’ would be moving faster than the numbers indicating ‘gallons’.

That would have made me sound old, if not for the fact that just a few years back we all enjoyed gas at 75¢ a gallon for a brief inexplicable time. So my kids have lived during less than $1/gallon times.

I’ve long thought, and still believe, that Americans are spoiled by gas prices that are cheaper than in most of the world. Maybe the rising cost of gas will force us to pay attention to energy issues, fuel economy, and public transportation.

Still, $3.01/gallon… ouch.

The Social Security Administration has released their annual listing of most popular baby names for 2004, and my own name, Christopher, remains among the top ten but has dropped from #9 to the last spot. In 1965, the year I was given the name, it was ranked 18th in popularity for boys names. But it was climbing, and by 1972, when I was seven, it had jumped four spots in one year, from 6th to 2nd place in the list. And for 23 years, from 1972 to 1995, Christopher held the #2 or #3 spot on the list, including a stretch of 16 consecutive years (1979-1994) at #2!

But in 1996, the slide began, two years in 4th, four years as #5, then three consecutive drops to #8, #9, and now to 10th. It seems apparent that “Christopher’s” shot at the top spot is quickly slipping away. What went wrong? Why did my name do so well for so long, but just couldn’t grab the gold medal!

Still, #10 is nothing to sneeze at. From 1880 to 1940 Christopher didn’t even break into the top 100 most popular boys names. The low point came in 1933 when it sank to #376. But from that point on it was a steady climb up the charts, until the recent long run at #2, and now the new downward trend.

None of my children’s names have ever reached #1 status. The strongest performer is ‘William‘ which has spent plenty of time in the top 10, but never reached the first spot. But Jennifer (my wife and sister’s name) owned the #1 spot for girls for an amazing 15-year run from 1970 to 1984. But all things pass, and Jennifer has now dropped to #38.

Oh yeah, the name that kept Christopher out of the #1 slot for all those years it was stuck at #2… Michael. But after 38 consecutive years at #1, Michael has now been stuck in second for the last six years. See how if feels Michael! Christopher will be back!