A summary of today's Biology text with a few excerpts - Crayfish and Spiders

Every time I read in my biology textbook I'm awed that not everyone acknowledges God. Of course, not everyone reads my biology textbook, but still!

Today I learned about crayfish (representing all crustaceans) and spiders.

Crayfish have open circulatory systems. In other words, their short blood vessels just end and let blood pour our directly onto all the cells in their body. It's the most efficient circulatory system in Creation. It's only possible if a hard outer covering exists though (i.e. an exoskeleton or shell). Sometimes they lose a leg or antenna or claw in a fight, and you'd think they'd bleed to death, but they have a double membrane in each appendage, which means a membrane seals the opening in such a case, and the appendage regenerates!

Spiders spin webs, as everyone knows. But did you know a rope weaved of spider silk would be stronger than the strongest steel pipe yet almost as flexible as a normal rope? "In physics research, scientists are trying to develop a process called 'laser-induced nuclear fusion.' If it could ever be developed, it would result in a limitless, nuclear reaction that turns hydrogen into helium. This is a violent reaction but, when done on a tiny sample, it is controllable, provided the sample is held in a very strong, very flexible container." They've found no better material to use for these containers than spider silk.

There are spiders that make sheet webs, ones that make tangle webs, ones that make orb webs, ones that make trapdoors, and ones that make long sticky threads that they launch at their prey then reel back in.

"Now think about this for a moment. Consider the fact that spider silk is a marvelous material which 3,000 years of human science cannot even come close to manufacturing... As you study more and more science, you will see these kinds of engineering marvels exist all over Creation,... Through examples such as this one, we know that life is no accident. Such incredible systems cannot develop by chance. Clearly, Creation tells us what an awesome God we have!"

Excerpts are taken from J L. Wile and Marilyn F. Durnell's Exploring Creation with Biology, Module 12

Why is history class so boring?

An excerpt from Stephen Mansfield's More Than Dates & Dead People. He's explaining why history as taught in the classroom is so hated and monotonous, yet people like history (as shown by their interest in historical fiction, historical films, history channel, historical landmarks, etc.).

"...When you study history in a typical school today, the books you read, the lectures you hear, and the conclusions you're supposed to make are all conditioned by a certain philosophy. The people who write those books and plan your studies design what you are supposed to learn according to a certain set of principles, a certain view of the world. And that view is rooted in the philosophy of evolution...
Let's think about it. What does evolution teach? Evolution is the idea that life happened accidentally. Supposedly, the accidental mixing of some biological goo billions of years ago gave birth to the first living cell. In time, that cell grew into a critter. I won't bore you with technical language. Then, there were suddenly lots and lots of critters. In time, those critters eventually grew into man-like critters - namely, monkeys and apes - and eventually into cappuccino drinking, cell phone-toting, city-dwellers.
Ah, but lets think about what this means to our experience in the House of Historical Horrors. In other words, what does believing in evolution mean for the study of history?
First, according to evolutionary theory, all of life is an accident. There is no design or purpose. Everything just is - with no meaning, no pattern, no destination. Everything is random.
Secondly, notice that according to evolution, everything is growing from the very simple to increasingly complex - from the outdated to the new and improved. This means that what is old is not as good as what is new. Old is simple and goofy, while new is shiny and sophisticated. This means that the past is less important than today, and today will be less important than tomorrow.
Well, no wonder history class is so boring! If evolution provides the philosophy we use to understand the past (and it does, because evolution is the official public school explanation for what exists), then it only makes sense that history is going to seem like a silly thing to learn."

Happy Anniversary, Grandpa!

My grandpa went to live with Jesus seven years ago yesterday.

He was a devout Catholic his whole life, but became a Christian in the weeks before he died. In those weeks, he would gather all his children and grandchildren around him and talk to us all. Basically telling of life lessons he'd learned, of things he thought important to pass on. I don't remember most of it; I was 10 and I was for the most part oblivious to the more serious things that took place.

He had cancer for (I think) around 15 years. I'd say he lost the battle 7 years ago, but did he really? Yes, cancer is a terrible, painful disease. Yes, Grandpa died of it. But I see it as his ride to Heaven. We all have to die somehow, sometime. It's inevitable. Some people go to they're eternal home painlessly and some have a long, torturous journey to make. Grandpa had an uncomfortable ride, but what does that matter? He's in Heaven!!

What would be the use of a quiet, painless death if you're on the express lane to an eternal pit of misery? I cannot imagine the hopelessness and despair I would feel if I or a loved one was staring death in the face and I didn't have Jesus to comfort me.


Romans 10:9-13 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”


Praise God, for He is wonderful.

April Fools!

Here are some of my favorite pranks from a list I found several years ago. The truth is, nearly every joke on here (at least the first 40 or so) are pretty hilarious.

#7: Alabama Changes the Value of Pi

1998: The April 1998 issue of the New Mexicans for Science and Reason newsletter contained an article claiming that the Alabama state legislature had voted to change the value of the mathematical constant pi from 3.14159 to the 'Biblical value' of 3.0. Soon the article made its way onto the internet, and then it rapidly spread around the world, forwarded by email. It only became apparent how far the article had spread when the Alabama legislature began receiving hundreds of calls from people protesting the legislation. The original article, which was intended as a parody of legislative attempts to circumscribe the teaching of evolution, was written by physicist Mark Boslough.

#15: Metric Time

1975: Australia's This Day Tonight news program revealed that the country would soon be converting to "metric time." Under the new system there would be 100 seconds to the minute, 100 minutes to the hour, and 20-hour days. Furthermore, seconds would become millidays, minutes become centidays, and hours become decidays. The report included an interview with Deputy Premier Des Corcoran who praised the new time system. The Adelaide townhall was even shown sporting a new 10-hour metric clock face. The thumbnail (found at TelevisionAU.com) shows TDT Adelaide reporter Nigel Starck posing with a smaller metric clock. TDT received numerous calls from viewers who fell for the hoax. One frustrated viewer wanted to know how he could convert his newly purchased digital clock to metric time.

#29: New Zealand Wasp Swarm

In 1949 Phil Shone, a New Zealand deejay for radio station 1ZB, announced to his listeners that a mile-wide wasp swarm was headed towards Auckland. He urged them to take a variety of steps to protect themselves and their homes from the winged menace. For instance, he suggested that they wear their socks over their trousers when they left for work, and that they leave honey-smeared traps outside their doors. Hundreds of people dutifully heeded his advice, until he finally admitted that it had all been a joke. The New Zealand Broadcasting Service was not amused by Shone's prank. Its director, Professor James Shelley, denounced the hoax on the grounds that it undermined the rules of proper broadcasting. From then on, a memo was sent out each year before April Fool's Day reminding New Zealand radio stations of their obligation to report the truth, and nothing but the truth.