Friday, June 23, 2006

Primitive Man Never Existed, and the Stone Age Never Happened?

I came across a website that has some pretty amazing claims. I’m going to entertain myself by posting it here for journalistic purposes for rebuttal. The source for this article is here, but I don't necessarily recommend visiting it because of pop-ups.

“Did you know that 700,000 years ago, people were sailing the oceans in very well-constructed ships?” Umm, yeah, this is the opening statement and it’s hella random. 700,000 is long before modern humans walked the Earth.FH  Our ancient ancestors in that time knew how to make fire and hunt. (Yup, the use of fire wasn't even invented by modern humans.)FF  The advent of advanced world wide sailing actually consists of well documented events. Do the names Columbus and Magellan come to mind?

“Or have you ever heard that the people described as “primitive cavemen” possessed an artistic ability and understanding just as refined as those of modern artists? “ Umm, again, hella random.  First of all, artistic ability is in the eye of the beholder.  However, artistic ability can be judged in terms of complexity and the ability to create the desired results as accurately as possible.AA  This statement is literally comparing the Mona Lisa with finger painted stick figures, and calling them both equal.

“Did you know that the Neanderthals, who lived 80,000 years ago and whom evolutionists portrayed as “ape-men,” made musical instruments, took pleasure from clothing and accessories, and walked over painfully hot sands with molded sandals?” Painfully hot sands in Europe during the Ice Age?  LOL  Seriously, Neanderthal was adapted for Europe,EU not the Northern Sahara.  It isn’t likely very many Neanderthal often encountered hot sands. Besides that, no modern consideration of Neanderthals describes them as "ape-men".  They were human and very likely contributed to modern human lineage outside of Africa.NH

“In all probability you may never have heard any of these facts.  On the contrary, you may have been handed the mistaken impression that these people were half-ape and half-human, unable to stand fully upright, lacking the ability to speak words and producing only strange grunting noises.  That is because this entire falsehood has been imposed on people like yourself for the last 150 years.”  This paragraph uses a common literary technique that attempts to accuse the reader of holding on to an incorrect view point, but through no fault of their own.  No one likes to be accused of ignorance.  Perhaps this article intentionally targets supposed weak-minded individuals?  This method involves numerous logical fallacies.LF

“The motive behind it is to keep alive materialist philosophy, which denies the existence of a Creator. According to this view, which distorts any fact that stands in its way, the universe and matter are eternal.  In other words they had no beginning, and thus have no Creator. Then how did life come to be?  The supposedly scientific explanation is the theory of evolution.” These statements are just plan lies. “Materialist Philosophy”MP is a term that often is misused as general accusation against anyone that doesn’t blindly accept a particular viewpoint about a creator.  Beyond that, no where in modern science will you see any statement that suggests our Universe as no beginning.BB  That’s just nonsense.  Then the paragraph goes on to ask stupid questions that are meant to direct the reader’s thinking (getting them to think they are starting to realize some secret that the “establishment” has been hiding from them). Again, continuation of numerous logical fallacies.

“Because since materialists claim that the universe has no Creator, they must provide their own explanation for how the life and myriad species on Earth came into being.  The theory of evolution is the scenario they employed for that purpose.  According to this theory, all the order and life in the universe came about spontaneously and by chance.  Certain inanimate substances in the primeval world combined by accident to give rise to the first living cell.  As a result of millions of years of similar coincidences, organisms came into existence.  And finally came human beings, as the final stage of this evolutionary chain.” Actually, I’ve written about this before.  Evolution didn’t come about to prove anything about a creator.  It came about because evidence from geology was contradicting long held beliefs that were derived by taking the Christian bible too literally.  That’s it.  Facts contradicted beliefs, so the facts won and our understanding of biological evolution was discovered because of this.DE

“The early history of mankind—which is alleged to have come into being as the result of millions of accidental mutations, each more impossible than the last—has been distorted to fit in with this scenario.  According to the evolutionists’ account, which is totally lacking in any proof, the history of mankind is as follows: In the same way that life forms progressed from a primitive organism up to man, the most highly developed of all, so mankind’s history must have advanced from the most primitive community to the most advanced urban society.  But this assumption is completely devoid of any supporting evidence.  It also represents the history of mankind prepared in line with the claims of materialist philosophy and the theory of evolution.” Again, that “materialist philosophy” accusation is present.  This paragraph also declares an opposing view as an assumption with no evidence, but of course, the opposing view is no assumption, and is based on facts.  This continues to employ logical fallacies.

"Evolutionist scientists—in order to account for the supposed evolutionary process that they claim extends from a single cell to multi-celled organisms, and then from apes to man, —have rewritten the history of mankind.  To that end they have invented imaginary eras such as “The Cave-Man Age” and “The Stone Age” to describe the lifestyle of “primitive Man.”  Evolutionists, supporting the falsehood that human beings and apes are descended from a common ancestor, have embarked on a new search in order to prove their claims.  They now interpret every stone, or arrowhead or bowl unearthed during archaeological excavations in that light.  Yet the pictures and dioramas of half-ape, half-man creatures sitting in a dark cave, dressed in furs, and lacking the facility of speech are all fictitious.  Primitive man never existed, and there never was a Stone Age.  They are nothing more than deceptive scenarios produced by evolutionists with the help of one section of the media.”
Well, this is a long paragraph full of falsehoods and, in my opinion, intentional misdirection (lies).  First of all, this paragraph argues against points that simply don’t exist.  No facts support the idea of a half-man/half-ape being, and no serious person supports this idea as fact.  Who are these “evolutionist scientists” that this paragraph is referring too?  No one.  They don’t exist since no true scientist of evolution or otherwise would say such things.  They are as imagery as the half-man/half-ape being mentioned.  Humans are apes and evolved from a common ancestor with the other apes.HS  Furthermore, this paragraph talks about points in anthropology, not evolution.  Such confusion is common place for such literature.  One more point, the Stone Age is a well studied period.SA

“These concepts are all deceptions because recent advances in science—particularly in the fields of biology, paleontology, microbiology and genetics—have totally demolished the claims of evolution. That the idea that living species evolved and transformed into “later” versions of each other has been deemed invalid.” Well, this appears to be a direct lie.  All of the sciences mentioned here grow more and more dependent on our understanding of evolution as more is learned in each of their fields of study.  The foundation of evolutionary studies is not the will to prove a creator doesn’t exist.  The foundation of evolutionary studies is several principles of geology, as mentioned by me above.  However, since the principles within geology are ironclad, they are never mentioned by such articles. Writers of such articles intentionally hide any references to geological principles because any mention of them would destroy their arguments outright.

“In the same way, human beings did not evolve from ape-like creatures.  Human beings have been human since the day they came into existence, and have possessed a sophisticated culture from that day to this. Therefore, “the evolution of history” never happened, either.” This statement is thrown into to make it seem as though the article proved the existence of a creator.  However, the article never even addresses any points that prove such a position; more logical fallacies.

“This book reveals scientific proofs that the “evolution of human history” concept is a falsehood, and we shall show how the fact of creation is now supported by the latest scientific findings.  Mankind came into the world not through evolution, but by the flawless creation of God, the Almighty and Omniscient. In this site, you can read the scientific and historical proofs of this.” This is a common redirection used by many people trying to promote highly questionable notions.  The paragraph assumes the reader was convinced of the writer’s message and offers more “enlightenment” (often for a fee).  Well, I’m not going to charge my readers anything!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Newport OC

I'm visiting Newport in the OC. This is a cool like haven in LA where there's interesting people, but not too many of them. Kinda a sleepy place with like a hypersmall Conie Island area nessled in a smallass harbor. There's a rest'rant here called Newport Landing Restaurant that's got a bartender named Mike who's appeared in some show called The Real OC Desparate House Wives on Bravo...along with this girl Lindsey who appears in the scenes where the girls sit around drinking. Funny. I might try to catch it just to see this shit. I only came here on a whim and it took forever to get here from Industry, but I'm glad I did. Anudder guy Lawerance was local and was a Raiders fan, so we had a few sports stories to exchange.

As I sit out on the quiet misty evening looking on the harbor, I'm relaxed. The noises of the rest'rant are now behind me as I'm outsite in a vacant seating area. A small touring boat is sneaking around the docked boats, though I don't know why. The night air is light, damp and sprinkling me extremely lightly. Distant lights reflect serenely off the water's calm surface. It's only 11pm and this sleepy noke is almost completely shut down now. ::Breath of crisp air:: I just might come back here soon.
___
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Friday, May 26, 2006

I think I've written about all the X-Men movies in my blog

X-Men: The Last Stand is dramatic in its violence and willful disregard for the sacred nature of franchise characters. In this, the movie is well done. The plot is thin, and it jumps quickly from one setting to the next, but this is expected for an action flick, and this really is an action flick, much more so than the previous two X-Men movies. But what this allows for the franchise is something that has been missing...the massive mutant on mutant battle were an outnumbered force of good faces off with massive forces of evil. Why am I discussing the movie in this manner? Cuz there's a crap load of hardcore X-Men fans that will hate this movie, not for its qualities or perceived lack thereof, but for the fact that this movie takes the story of the X-Men to a place that their precious comic books could not. This movie goes for broke with the characters, exploring their dark sides with no remorse. This makes the movie all the more fun, and brings life to the characters despite the movie's very simple plot. Yes, the movie coulda fleshed out the X-Men characters more, but it doesn't really need to. If you are into the comic books, then you know the characters already. If you aren't, then the characters are taken at face value when they fulfill their purpose in the story. This is a fun movie that moves the X-Men franchise forward. How does a "final installment" move a franchise forward? hmmm. :)

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Busy

I can't remember when I started being really really busy in my daily life. I seems it started sometime late in 2004 and hasn't let up. It's nice to have stuff to do; stuff that isn't just something to do. Just sometimes it does start to wear one down. I was looking over my Outlook calendar the other day. A long time ago, I didn't even have use for it. Now, I'm glad to have a day here or there that is free from appointments, duties, scheduled fun time, etc. Some people are hella busier than me. I'm glad I'm not too busy.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

No Trouble with Earthquakes

I just realized that I haven't been in a major quake in a long time, like 17 years. huh.

Friday, May 19, 2006

Trouble with Crucifixion

People really do treat each other extremely poorly. The more I hear experts talk about the crucifixion, the more it becomes apparent just how little human well being was regarded in the ancient world. Even for criminals, this treatment was horrific. No matter what one believes about Jesus death, the fact that anyone (be it son of God or lowly criminal) was nailed to anything through their hands and feet is repulsive.
Make no underestimate, these people suffered. Some of the most sensitive nerves in the body where pierced with a large nail and then used to hang up a the body upon a tree, stake or cross, left to suffer agonizing convulsions and nerve shattering pain throughout the body while onlookers gawked. How inhuman does one have to be in order to condone this?
I know this sentiment regarding crucifixion is two thousand years too late, but people still do engage in similar activities in modern times. Even with recent American torture embarrassment, it is not a normal thought for us to accept the inflictation of real torture on the scale of the crucifixion. The guilt of those particular U.S. soldiers in the recent cases amounts to taking hazing a bit too far. There are people in our current world that not only feel real torture is acceptable, they take joy in committing the heinous acts and are rewarded for them. This posting isn’t as random as it may seem.

Sometimes too cleaver

Some websites can be a bit too cleaver. I was going to post a link to an article that appeared in the Feb 1-8, 2006 Seattle Weekly which detailed the fall from grace experienced by the Discovery Institute in their efforts to combat reality with the highly fictional "Intelligent Design" notion. Well, Seattle Weekly does have their back issues on their website, but in the form of an Active X controlled pseudo-PDF format. Not so easy to link to, though it does store the exact pages as they appeared in the periodical when printed. I still recommend reading the article entitled Discovery's Creation. Goto Seattle Weekly and click on the Print Edition link under the Home tab. The browse for the Feb 1-8 issue under the back issue folder in the left menu, then goto page 19. It's not as hard as it sounds, but still is way too many steps when all would be needed is a direct link.
Anyways, the article does a good job of laying waste those nut-jobs at the Discovery Institute in light of recent Federal Court decisions reaffirming the lunacy of "Intelligent Design". It's a good read, and worth the time it takes to click through all those steps.

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Anyone can be a Guru

You will find your answer at the end of your search.

Your quest begins with an answer and ends with a question.

When answers are given by others instead of by self

discovery, the lesson has not been learned.

Why walk upon hot coals if you can walk around them?

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Ol'gang

Friday night was back to the ol' instigations by Miriam, Ronie and I at Chevy's, then back at Miriam's place. It's been too long. We cracked up about all kinds of shit all night.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Random Bonds

I ran across this message on a bulletin board on myspace at 5:00pm. The title was like "available Giants tickets for tonight" and the body was "anyone interested?" The message was left at almost 4:00pm.

Well, Barry Bonds just might've met and even broke Babe Ruth's home run tonight, so I figured that this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. At first, I tried to just send a reply message via myspace, but then figured that was not the best way. I didn't have this person's direct info, but I know who did, her cuzins. So I called up one cuzin. No answer. I called up another, yes, Kim answered. The funny thang is that Kim has just moved to San Diego and was in the middle of unpacking, so I did feel a little funny about asking a favor to contact her cuzin and find out about the tickets, but hey, I did it anyway. hehe

So after about 1/2 hr's worth of phone tag (from Silicon Valley to San Diego to San Francisco and around again a couple of times), I finally was in direct contact with Kate who had the extra tickets. Note the plural. Time was ticking. The game was set to begin at 7:15pm, and it's already like past 6pm. My first choice: I call up Allie and (with really explaining what was so important about this game) I head over to her place. Unfortunately, I made a bad request to take her car instead of mine. Well...

...she was almost out of gas. Arg. So, we had to go to the gas station. tick tick. Ok, guess what? The attendant had put someone's cash payment on our gas pump! Allie and I always use credit cards, so when the pump stopped at 10 dollars, we both got a bit confused. It took like 10 minutes for the attendant to sort out the mess!! tick tick tick ARG!!!!!

Hey, we made it to the game just at 8:00pm. The seats where about 10 rows up, in field and near 1st base. GREAT SEATS, especially for the price Kate offered!!! Allie and I did miss a couple of Bond's at bats, but no homers yet. The score was Cubs 3, Giants 1. Allie and I went to the food court. When we came back, the score was Cubs 6, Giants 1. I went to get a beer refill. When I came back, the score was Cubs 8, Giants 1. Pattern here? LOL Hmmm... I did get to watch Bonds at bat twice. Let me give Kate a big thank you for making these tickets available!

Kate her b/f headed out at the end of the 8th after Bond's popped out. Allie and I stuck around to the end of the nineth. I don't like leaving games early. We waited for traffic to die down at the nearby Borders and then at Amici's Pizzeria, then headed back to Silicon Valley. ::yawn:: I did some work online and now here I am at 2am thinking why didn't I post the story when I didn't have to get some sleep. :) It has been awhile since I've been so completely random, but I'm glad I did, even if Bonds didn't get this record when I was there.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Focus Keyboard FK-8200

I am dependant upon an extremely rare keyboard. This keyboard is the Focus Electronic FK-8200. It is special for several reasons.

First, it has an extra top row of PF key’s above the function keys. This top row is programmable on the keyboard itself; no special drivers or software. Some other vintage programmable keyboards also have extra keys, but they are on the left side of the keyboard which makes the keyboard too long for most keyboard trays. Other programmable keyboards require computer software or drivers to work, which means that if the company stops supporting the product, the keyboard will become obsolete. I couldn’t do without these PF keys for my CAD work.

Second, it has a built-in calculator that can send results directly to the computer. This is a function that is unique to an extremely few number of keyboards. I think there’s a patent on it or sumfin, otherwise I’m sure this would be a more common feature. As it stands, only two Focus keyboards and a few their predecessor Omni keyboards have this feature; and only the Focus keyboards have the “Send” function.

Once a person gets to using this features, they become addicted to them.

The fact that makes all of this frustrating is that no new FK-8200’s have been made in several years, and the company that used to make them appears to no longer be in business. Finding these keyboards is becoming increasing more difficult as time goes by. I’m becoming dismayed at the prospect of breaking mine and not being able to find another to replace. They are good quality keyboards that take frequent use in stride, unless you happen to spill the slightest bit of liquid on it, then they fry. I’ve already destroyed two this way.

[UPDATE April 2024]
So this article gets a far amount of attention from time to time.  There seems to be interest in the feel of the FK-8200, its programmable keys and also the calculator function.  As noted in the comments, I'm also using a G910 keyboard, which has a mechanical-feel keyboard and nine programmable keys. It works well, though software is needed for the programmable keys. Additionally, I'm considering something like a modern numeric keypad that doubles as a calculator, which appears to have a function to send calculated values to your computer, similar to the FK-8200.

Monday, May 08, 2006

MI:III

Mission Impossible III is a good movie. It's better than II, and definitely different that I. At the beginning, after the opening scene, I did get a little fearful about the movie getting bogged down in story, but the action picks up a just the right moment, and keeps going to the end. There are the normal set of twists in the plot, so no surprizes there, but the action was incredible and intense. It's a fun movie.
Now, I'm looking forward to Da Vinci Code, X-Men 3 and kinda interested in Poseidon (mostly cuz of the g/f's interest), all coming out this month. It’s not often that Hollywood has (at the least) a promising lineup of movies in a single year, but this is all within a single month!

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Cinco de Mayo

uAnother friday night spent out, for Cinco de Mayo. Yes I celebrated of the day of the great battle in which the locals mexicans pulled together a militia to take on the French, but lost, however the French were so annoyed they left on there own anyways! lol It's funny how this day has grown in popularity in the U.S., but is pretty much not even noticed in Mexico. Anyways, Miriam, Allie, Stevo and I meet up at Compadres in Palo Alto for after work drinks. It was hella crowded. After that, we tried to go to a couple of other places, but ended at St. Stevens Green in Mt. View. Later Miriam's new interest came out later and she scared him with her dancing abilities. He was a trooper though, but he did drop her on the floor once. lol
Apparently, after Stevo, Allie and I left, Miriam and her date had enough fun where she ended up barfing at some point.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

The Cellar in SF






Well...it looks like I discovered a new place in SF Friday. Kimi and I meet up with her younger sister in SF and headed down to The Cellar with some other friends, to meet up with even more friends that were celebrating another friend's BD. It was a crazy night! The DJ sucked, and the music was mostly Eighties with some random Ninties thrown in from time to time, but the atmosphere was fun. For example, it's been awhile since I've watched girls making out with each other.
This picture Kimi's little sister, her b/f, and me. This is my second night out in SF within two weeks. I haven't been in a club up there in years, and now all of a sudden, it seems like I've never stopped. hehe Posted by Picasa