Saturday, 02 July 2011
So here is one of the most interesting blog posts I’ve read in a while. In it, Greg Laden (who has Harvard degrees in Archaeology and Biology) writes about the difference between evolution and origin-of-life sciences. This was of particular interest to me because in at least one video I’ve made recently, I imply a difference between the start of life and the development of life since that point.
Of course, as Dr. Laden points out, the distinction is arbitrary because, well, we don’t know exactly when life began or when, precisely, ‘things’ went from being non-living to living. The comments associated with his post bear this pout better, but a valuable reason for splitting evolution up into these two domains is when responding to Christians (which is exactly what I’m doing in those videos). Christians, of course, like to claim that their god started life. A subset of those Christians also claim that species have not diversified from that point, but were each created, immutably, in current form directly from their god.
On the first point (god started the ball rolling), I don’t really have any qualms. I mean, I see no evidence for the idea that a deity lighted the spark, but there’s no hard-core evidence regarding life’s moment of commencement. Again, this would be tough to pinpoint even if we could hop in our Delorean and go back in time, becuase a lot hinges on what, exactly, makes something alive. So, it’s likely we’ll never know when and where life started (although there are a few good theories that are a lot better than ‘according to Genesis…’).
However, only a buffoon would deny that species change, via natural selection and mutation, over time. To me, this is the evolution that is undeniable. Even if a god – especially the Jehovah variety – revealed himself to us humans tomorrow, evolution would still be a fact. He (or she) might say, “Yeah, I’m the one who created life,” but evolution would still have happened and be happening. The only way to not accept this is to be sheltered from a real understanding of evolution, which is what many Christian religions strive to accomplish.
Sunday, 03 July 2011
Though we are trying diligently to save money this weekend, we ventured over to IKEA for lunch. They have a special going on this weekend in which kids get to eat free. You don’t even have to buy an adult meal! This was readily apparent when, upon arriving at their dining area, I noticed a table of ten people: two adults and eight children.
Anyway, Jennifer and I did buy lunch for ourselves, but we also scored a free lunch for our spawn. I think this marks the first time we’ve ever purchased a restaurant meal for Isla. She didn’t eat all of her meal, of course, so we packaged up the rest and took it home.
We also let Owen play in the play area for 45 minutes. Parents can just drop their kids off and go shopping. Well, we didn’t shop – we just sort of wandered around the store – but it was still relaxing to have Mr. Nervous Energy off playing somewhere else for a while.
Also today: Owen and I whipped up a batch of sun tea:
I know it looks really appetizing here, but I made it too weak. One way I’m gonna solve that problem is by preparing sun tea in smaller containers from now on. This appears to be safer from a health standpoint, too.
Monday, 04 July 2011
In an effort to stem our yearly tradition of lame-ass fourth of July observances, my wife made arrangements for us to hook up with some friends in Stillwater this evening.
The parking was terrible! I think everyone in Minnesota descended on Stillwater. I dropped my wife and kids off right at the restaurant where we were to meet with our friends (Brine’s – which is just about the only place in downtown Stillwater to have a decent meal), then drove off looking for parking. My usual spots were all taken, so I just ended up driving around. I passed on the opportunity to park in one lot for $10, then circled out of town and came back in on one of those ridiculously steep streets. Ten more minutes passed and then I found a spot – at 45 degrees – about four blocks form the restaurant, so I parked there.
Anyway, apart from that, the day was pretty great. We walked around Stillwater, bought some tickets for our kids to play on the inflatable sliding/jumping things and then hunkered down right on the shore of a very flooded St. Croix River. At 10:00 sharp, and to strains of Also Sprach Zarathustra, the fireworks began. With the sun down and a cool breeze coming off the water, the weather was perfect. She fireworks were the best I’d seen in a while (it certainly helped being right at ground zero. Isla thought they were amazing, as was evident from her incessant clapping and pointing. At about 10:15, she turned to Jennifer and decided to start nursing and, despite the noise, the lights, and the crowds, she fell asleep. Owen was disappointed when the fanfare was over, but like a good trooper, he climbed the mountain back to our car and, along with his sister, slept for the ride home.
Also today – I posted this video from March 1992. It features my friend Rhett, who passed away six years ago today. Have a look: