Portrait of Darwin at about the age of his historic voyage on HMS BeagleToday is the 199th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. I've said more than enough about Darwin in the past couple of years on this blog and won't go into one of my usual evolution rants. Suffice to say that Darwin is a personal hero - certainly one of my favorite historical figures. He was born on the same day, in the same year, as Abraham Lincoln. Please give a thought today to what both of these towering figures did and how our world, nearly 200 years later, is so much better for their lives.
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Here are some other Feb. 12 birthdays:
Good Guys
Paul R. Ehrlich
Buckminster Fuller
Bad Guys
Arlen Specter
Cotton Mather
Mr. Exterminator -
Specter pisses me off at times but he's not THAT bad. Let's say you had a choice between Presidents Huckabee or Specter...
Anyway, I'd like to thank you for dropping by my blog and hope to see you again in the future.
Yeah, actually I don't think Specter's a Bad Guy at all, but I needed balance. I couldn't see any justification at all for listing Lorne Greene, Joe Garagiola, or Christina Ricci in the Bad Guy category. As a native New Yorker, I might have been talked into Dominic DiMaggio, who spent his entire career playing for the Boston Red Sox. But you know how much I hate to spark a controversy.
Exterminator said: "But you know how much I hate to spark a controversy."
The first thing I noticed about you, Ex, when I began exploring the atheosphere was what a wonderful, inspiring peacemaker you are. ;)
I think we should plan a big blow-out for Darwin's 200th birthday.
Babs, plans have been in motion for several years. Check this out!
I didn't know about him and Lincoln.
I can think of justification for Christina Ricci. Wait, what were we talking about?
Darwin and evolution...my wife has on occasion asked me where was the tar pit I crawled out of when we have been at odds.
Last year a friend of mine who is a teacher in a middle school asked me to give a presentation on flintknapping to her classes (average to low achievers) and we went through the rigamarole of getting the principal and others to sign off and approve things.
One of the art teachers also brought her kids in to see, and I had a couple of the kids try it themselves. Some of them had a real feel for it.
Middle of the third period of four, in runs the principal, red faced, bellowing at the top of his lungs. He was shouting at the teacher because she "tricked" him into approving it, called her a "REEtard" right in front of these kids, went into a tirade about this was inappropriate for these kids because they weren't smart enough to really understand what I was doing anyway. Again, the kids are sitting right there.
Couldn't help it, I said, "But sir, this is so simple even a CAVEMAN can learn it."
To economise the story, I am now persona non grata at that school.
Plus, anyone who watches Animal Planet would have seen quite a resemblence between His Excellecy and the caperings of angry baboons and chimps.
@ Philly - hey, now you have another bit of useless trivia crammed inside your brain. I can assure you that this is a meme that won't dessert you!
@ Sarge - I was REALLY hoping for a happy ending to the end of that story. I suppose he is still actually employed as a principal.
I think we should plan a big blow-out for Darwin's 200th birthday.
Party at Ex's on Feb 12, 2009. Everyone is invited!
Babs, plans have been in motion for several years.
I meant our group should plan a blow- out. Oh well, at least OG knew what I meant.
So, Ex - should we bring anything to the party?
Babs:
So, Ex - should we bring anything to the party?
How about a natural selection of wines. I'll supply the Beagles & Lox, and mock Galapagos turtle soup.
Evo:
Yes, I know that technically the Galapagos critter is a tortoise not a turtle. So feel free to come up with a joke that's scientifically accurate.
"He's better than his brother Joe - Dominic DiMaggio!"
Alas, this "Magister" continues his rule unabated...him and several others.
My father-in-law used to say that if kids were around half-assed adults the kids would probably wind up quarter-assed.
After some of the "persons-in-authority" I've dealt with, the kids will have to struggle to be 1/64th assed. And it sure won't be their fault.
Sorry to hear that, Sarge. It's usually the kids who suffer from our inability to be adults.
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