Blue Moon

Tonight is not only significant because it is the end of 2009 and we are on the threshold of 2010 !

But it is also important because there is a Blue Moon!

No, it is not literally blue in color (unless where you are viewing, a lot of dust particles or smoke particles are in the atmosphere).

But, tonight, Dec. 31, 2009, if you look in the sky, you will see a Full Moon. And, this full moon is called a Blue Moon because it is the second of 2 Full Moons that occur in the same month.

And here is another verrrrrry interesting ‘factoid’ about tonight’s Blue Moon: Only once in every 19 years is there a blue moon on New Years Eve! Wow. Interesting.

And in case you are wondering, the last time a blue moon occurred on New Year's Eve was in 1990. The next time this will happen will be in 2028.

And, ready for another ‘factoid’ about the Blue Moon tonight? OK. Here it is:

There will also be a partial eclipse of the moon tonight. This is another rare event.

Alas, the eclipse will only be visible in Europe, Africa, Asia, and in extreme North Canada. But, it will be happening.

Anyway, if you are outside tonight, take a look.

And if you want to read more about this interesting astronomical event, HERE'S A LINK

And, just for fun and completeness, here are a couple more links: HERE and HERE

Mars, A Testament to Catastrophe

Yesterday we told you about an excellent new On Line Peer Reviewed Journal, the Answers Research Journal.

Today, we will give you a link to a typical very interesting and exciting article which was published in that journal on July 23, 2008.

Personally, I have had a lot of ‘thoughts’ about Mars. For example, I have often wondered if Mars was similarly impacted by the events that occurred during the time of Noah’s Flood. And ...

Interestingly, the writer of this article has noted that Mars seems to have had a significant Catastrophe in its history. Hmmm.

Apparently information from NASA missions to Mars is readily available on the internet for researchers to use. And, as the author of the article indicates, much of this information points to Catastrophe! Hmmmm.

Anyway, to read the article and to get a good idea of how wonderful this new Free On Line Journal is, HERE’S THE LINK

Answers Research Journal

From time to time we like to tell you about exciting new Organizations, Journals, Magazines, etc.

Well, this is one of those times. And Today we want to tell you about a wonderful new Journal.

“Answers Research Journal” (ARJ) is edited by Andrew Snelling, PhD. It is an outreach of Answers in Genesis.

Believe it or not, this excellent OnLine Journal is FREE!

This information from the Journal site explains its purpose:

Answers in Genesis is excited to announce the launch of its online technical journal, Answers Research Journal.

ARJ is a professional, peer-reviewed technical journal for the publication of interdisciplinary scientific and other relevant research from the perspective of the recent Creation and the global Flood within a biblical framework.

All published papers may be freely copied, downloaded, quoted, and distributed for non-commercial and non-sale purposes (as long as the author of each publication is clearly identified, Answers Research Journal is acknowledged as the publication, and the integrity of the work is not compromised).

Wow! What a boon! Free! Excellent Peer-Reviewed papers. “Young Earth Glasses” ... etc. Thank you Answers in Genesis !

Since this is a brand new Online Journal, there are only 2 issues online. So you are on the ‘cutting edge’ of this new Online Journal for Creationist based Research.

You will definitely want to bookmark this Journal and return to it frequently.

In the meantime, to see and read Volumes 1 and 2, HERE’S THE LINK

Ancient Tablets tell about Assyrian Empire

Recently we posted an entry of special interest to Dentists. Today our entry is for those (and I know you are out there) who have a special interest in Archaeology.

This is another National Geographic article so watch out for the glasses.

But, bottom line... many have said that there was no writing, etc. in the past. Well, there was.

And, even though this article does not mention the Bible, the fact that there is further proof of the Assyrian empire, and that they did write, and that they were advanced, as depicted in the Bible, is once again confirmed by Archaeology.

The Bible does have many things to say about the Assyrian Empire. Imagine that. It really existed. And the Bible was confirmed once again in its historical facts.

Well, with that said, to read about another interesting archaeological find, HERE’S THE LINK.

Baby Christopher

You have read several articles on this blog from a Sports Writer in Oregon. And, doubtless you have used several Kleenex tissues as you read them.

Well, get out your box of tissues again because he has written another heart warming and heart wrenching story.

Heart. That is the ‘key word' here.

For, you see, there is a little boy who needs a new heart and this sports writer, his dad, is going to tell you about it.

So, without further ado, HERE’S THE LINK

Also, he (the Sports Writer) has a blog on the newspaper and on Christmas day he posted the link to that article along with an introduction to why he wrote it. Plus, there are some wonderful comments by the Oregon Fans (from literally around the world) who follow his blog. If you would like to check all that out (and I think you will--and be SURE to read the comments, they will thrill your heart), then HERE’S THE LINK

Faith the Two-Legged dog !

Have you ever seen a two legged dog? Well, there is such a dog.

Her name is ‘Faith’. The picture you see on the left is when a puppy.

Now at age 7, she is still going strong and a great inspiration to many.

What an amazing story. HERE’S THE LINK

What really happened on Dec. 25?

It is Christmas Day!

Yes, It is that very special time of the year again and it seems that almost everyone has been rushing around buying and wrapping presents, putting up Christmas trees, stringing lights, cooking yummy delicacies, going to Christmas plays and concerts, attending parties, and just generally enjoying this special time of the year.

Christmas!?

What is so special about Christmas? Why do we celebrate it?

And, what happened on Christmas anyway?

Of course, we have been told and told and told -- that the Lord Jesus Christ was BORN on Christmas day! But, was He?

Well, to answer that question, let me point you to a short but very interesting and instructive Bible Study from our companion site (the one with our Bible Studies).

Of course you can read the information but you will find it much more beneficial to print out the study and do it offline. You will probably even want to share this information with your family and friends.

So, to read about what REALLY happened on Christmas day, HERE’S THE LINK.

If you look at the bottom of that page, you will find a link that says ‘Print Page’. Click on that and you will get the study without the peripheral sidebars and etc.
or
you can CLICK HERE and you will get the 'ready to print' version.

Listen to Handel’s Messiah!

It is not Christmas unless and until I hear Handel’s Messiah. Perhaps you feel the same way.

If you do. And, if you have not yet heard it this Christmas season, then you will want to listen to this.

NPR (National Public Radio) has on its website the complete Oratorio that was recorded a few years ago by the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

It is 1 hr. 57 minutes in length including a short advertisement for some other recording or whatever (which seems to be the thing websites do before they let you hear their content these days) and comments by several musicians and commentators that precede the actual performance.

All of that preliminary stuff takes about 9 minutes. Then the program begins.

So, even if you can no longer find a performance of the Messiah in your ‘neck of the woods’ (I can’t), then, thanks to high speed internet, we can still enjoy the beautiful inspiring, God-honoring music of Handel’s Messiah. HERE’S THE LINK

And if that link did not work for you, but, I think it will, then TRY THIS and when you get to that page, you will see a little link at the top of the page that says “Listen: Handel’s Messiah." Click on that and you will get it.

Worldview Weekend Rallies for 2010

Here’s a ‘head’s up’.

Yes, I know that you are surely snowed under (some of you literally) in the busyness of Christmas and New Year’s holidays and there are also all those football bowl games to watch. So, you think you surely do not have time to even think about anything else.

But you DO need to think about this!!!! And, if necessary, make your plans now to attend. That is why I am sending you this ‘head’s up’ right in the middle of the Holiday rush and ‘madness.’

What is it this time?, you ask.

Well, you will recall that in the fall of 2009, I recommended these events to you, having attended one and being most impressed.

And now, the early 2010 Schedule has been released (for the months of Jan through May).

So, I thought I would post these dates for you. If you are anywhere near one of these outstanding events, BE SURE to attend!

To read the list of the dates and locations for the first half of 2010, HERE’S THE LINK

The Ice Age: Causes and Consequences

Yesterday Winter began! And we showed you a picture of the blizzard that helped usher in the great event.

But, as bad as that Blizzard was and is, how about an Ice Age?

You have probably been told that there have been many Ice Ages in the ‘long history’ of earth, the evolutionary history of those with the ‘long ages world view glasses’.

But is that true? Have there been MANY ice ages?

Or, has there been ONLY ONE.

This article by John D. Morris, Ph.D. was in the August 2009 Acts and Facts Publication by ICR.

This is definitely a ‘must read’ article. Why?

Because it briefly but clearly answers and explains many of the questions you probably have about the ice age.

HERE’S THE LINK

Today, Dec. 21, is the Winter Solstice

Yes, Dec 21 is the First Official Day of Winter!

But try to tell that to the folks in the NorthEast USA and elsewhere around the world who are trying to dig out from humongous snowfalls.

‘Winter’ came a few days early for them and others around the world.

Indeed, the picture today, was taken by a relative who was in the thick of it! Wow!
What a mess.

Of course, some people really like winter. Don’t ask me why. I am sure not one of them. In fact, as I have often said, “If I never see another snowflake as long as I live, it will be fine with me.”

But, I digress. So, to continue. As you know, the occasion of the Winter Solstice is important for several reasons, not the least of which is that the days which have been getting shorter and shorter for the past several months, will now begin to get longer and longer! Yay!

It will be a slow and incremental increase in the length of each day, of course, culminating eventually the longest day of the year each year at the Summer Solstice.

But, today, we are thinking of the Winter Solstice. And, we are not the only folks who have found this to be an interesting and important time of the year.

The ‘ancients’ (who supposedly were ‘ignorant’, knuckle dragging entities according to those with the evolutionary glasses) knew about the Winter Solstice and even erected structures (monoliths, buildings, carins, etc.) to help them know exactly ‘when’ the Winter Solstice occurred.

One of these structures is known as Maes Howe (also known as Maeshowe). I have visited this site and other similar sites such as the Chambered tomb of Newgrange. These sites are famous for their midwinter (Winter Solstice) alignments.

Many of these sites today have video cameras set up so we can sit at our computers and see what the ‘ancients’ saw millennia ago. One of these cameras is at the Maeshowe site. HERE’S THE LINK

And for more information and a bunch of other links about Maeshowe, HERE’S THE LINK.

Bible Students check this out

For all you Bible Students out there, here is a really helpful link that was sent to me recently by a friend.

Seems that you can enter a Book of the Bible and Verse, click, and voila, for every city, town, whatever, in that verse, you get a map showing its location and a little short entry about it.

And not only do you get a ‘normal old-timey' map. You can also get satellite imagery of its appearance today from space.

Wow. Astounding. Soooooo helpful. HERE’S THE LINK

Logos Research Associates

As you know, there are many wonderful Creation Based Ministries ‘out there’. We have referenced several including Answers In Genesis, Institute for Creation Research, and others.

Well, guess what, there is another Creationist ministry which has recently come ‘on the scene’ and it is definitely worth your interest, time, prayers, and support.

I first heard about this in an email sent to many folks from one of the founders, Bill Hoesch.

And, if that name sounds familiar to you, it should, because the last 3 posting ‘click throughs’ have been written by him. I purposefully posted them before posting today’s blog entry so you would have an idea of the type of work this ministry does.

Anyway, to read the email announcing the formation of this ministry, HERE’S THE LINK

When you visit the website, you will likely recognize several of the members and possibly have met some of them in person. I have heard and / or met several of the members of this new Ministry and they are ALL excellent and ALL very qualified in their fields and topics.

This young Ministry has already accomplished several important things including a recent conference titled “Darwin was Wrong.” You can watch free videos of that conference on their website.

But, even better, you can purchase the entire set of videos of that Conference at an UNbelievably LOW price via a link provided on their website.

You might want to purchase the videos and then show them to folks in your home, Bible Study, or Church Group. Think of the impact that showing these videos can have. Wow.

Anyway, all that to say, this looks like an excellent new Creation World View Glasses Ministry and is one you will want to consider supporting with your finances, with your prayers, and by attending meetings, conferences, etc.

So, with that by way of introduction to Logos Research Associates and so you can check it out for yourself, HERE’S THE LINK

The Flood account of the Hualapai Indians

For the past couple of days we have been discovering some of the many effects of the humongous earth changing Flood of Noah.

We have seen the Navaho Sandstone formations that were deposited by the flood as the result of massive erosion of the Appalachian Mountains.

And, and we discovered that the Red Butte formation on the top of the many layers of the Grand Canyon was also due to the flood and its aftermath.

The Biblical account of the Flood of Noah is recorded in Genesis Chapters 6, 7, and 8.

But, is there any account or record of a flood in the Southwest where all these things are now observed?

Well, according to the Hualapaii Indians, who live in the Southwest in the area of the Grand Canyon and the Zion national park, YES, there was a flood!

And they have a legend which tells of that flood!

But, the Hualapaii Indians are not the only culture and race with a flood account.

History records that there are hundreds of Flood Stories and Legends from all over the world. Some are very similar to the Genesis account. Others have more distant parallels. But the legends exist and are worldwide.

Hmmmm. Do you think there might be a common denominator? Could these accounts be variations of the Genesis Flood of Noah, but, corrupted by time and the changes that invariably occur during centuries of oral retellings of the accounts? Hmmmm.

We. obviously, don’t have time to address those hundreds of other accounts and legends here. However, there are many books and articles which do. So feel free to learn from them.

But, in the meantime, if you would like to learn about the Hualapaii Indian account of a humongous flood in the past, HERE’S THE LINK.

The Red Butte

Did you enjoy yesterday’s entry about the Navaho sandstone?

Well, I did also. So, let’s consider another interesting Geological formation and see what it might also tell us about Noah’s Flood.

The Red Butte formation is located near the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

I was privileged to see it on a recent trip to the Grand Canyon. In fact, the picture you are viewing for today’s blog entry is one that I took of the Red Butte while on that trip. The Butte itself is seen in the distance beyond the edge of the canyon.

You will notice that the Red Butte sits on top of the many layers of the Grand canyon. Its location is significant in that it reveals much about its origin and the origin of the Grand Canyon itself.

To discover why the Red Butte is where it is and why it looks like it does, HERE’S THE LINK

The Navaho Sandstone in Zion National Park

Hopefully you have been to the Zion National Park in Utah. It is a beautiful and very photogenic place.

Among the things that you will see in this park are 2,300 foot high cliffs that are composed of sandstone, and referred to as the Navaho Sandstone.

But, Where did this sandstone come from?

The Park rangers tell us that "the Navajo Sandstone is an ancient windblown sand dune deposit."

But is that correct? Were these cliffs, which are part of a deposit of sandstone that extends from “southern California to central Wyoming and from Idaho to New Mexico” the result of a windblown deposit?

Or could there be another origin for this sandstone?

Could it be in any way related to the Flood of Noah? Some scientists think so.

And, further, there is evidence that suggests that the Navaho sandstone came from the Appalachians of the Eastern US ! Wow!

Want to find out more about this? Then, HERE’S THE LINK

Polystrate Fossils!

Yesterday we looked at several very unusual trees.

Today we are going to look at one type that they left out but which is very interesting and important. I am referring, of course, to Polystrate Fossil trees.

I have always been fascinated by Polystrate Fossils. And they are more common than you might think. But the evolutionists don’t like to talk about them so one gets the impression that they are not common.

But, what is a Polystrate Fossil? you ask.

Good question. And, briefly, it is a fossilized tree that extends through several layers of rock. Hence the name poly (many) + strate (layers / strata).

So, what is so ‘odd’ about that, you ask?

Well, to an evolutionist, this is something they wish didn’t exist because it certainly makes their ‘theory’ of millions and millions of years to lay down each layer very hard to justify when there is a tree growing through allllllll those layers. Hmmm. Might be another problem here with the ‘theory of evolution.’ Yes, you can say that again.

So, to read more about Polystrate Fossils and their implications, HERE’S THE LINK

There are trees and then there are trees!

Usually when you and I think of trees, the ones in our specific area come to mind and, to us, those are what trees should look like. Yes, they are pretty but they are ‘just trees’ and do not seem to be especially remarkable because they are so familiar.

But, there are also some reallllly unusual trees in the world, the likes of which most of us have never before seen or imagined.

A recent article on the web tells about and shows pictures of of some of those realllly unusual trees. They range from really weird looking to reallllllly reallllly old.

But remember, these trees are in a secular article, so, when dates such as 60,000 years are given, the author is wearing his ‘evolutionary old earth world view glasses’. There is no way to ‘prove’ the 60,000 year old dates. They are ‘assumed’, as is usual, when ‘pronouncements are made while wearing ‘old worldview’ glasses.

But some of the old dates, such as for the Bristlecone Pine, the Prometheus, and the Methuselah trees are right in line with trees which began to grow right after the flood. And they can be ‘dated’ because you can count the rings.

Anyway, with that caveat about the ‘ages’ of these trees, surely you would like to see some of these realllllly interesting trees, so HERE’S THE LINK

1909

Recently I got another one of those amazing emails that goes around the internet and the world. The subject was the Year 1909.

Now, 100 years later, the email is pointing out some of the vast changes that have occurred in the past 100 years.

Those of us with gray hair will recall that we saw many if not most of these changes happen in our lifetimes.

You ‘young-ins’, however, will surely be astounded at how different things are today and will surely wonder how folks managed to ‘live’ in those days.

Well, I could go on and on with the “I recollect .... “ that old folks are ‘wont’ to do. But, let me spare you that and instead point you to the email itself. HERE’S THE LINK.

Dec 11-19 is Hanukkah

Jews are in the midst of the 8 day Jewish Holiday of Hanukkah (Chanukah).

You may have also heard of this Festival / holiday by its other name ‘the Festival of Lights.’

As noted on the Chabad website, this holiday is a celebration of two miracles:

1) “The 2nd century BCE victory of a small, greatly outnumbered and out-armed army of Jews, known as the "Maccabees," over the mighty Greek army that occupied the Holy Land. The rebellion was in response to the Greek attempt to force a Hellenistic G-dless lifestyle on the Jewish inhabitants of Israel.”

2) “The kindling of a seven-branched Menorah (candelabra) was an important component of the daily service in the Holy Temple. When the Maccabees liberated the Temple from the hands of the Greek invaders, they found only a small cruse of pure and undefiled olive oil fit for fueling the Menorah. The problem was, it was sufficient to light the Menorah only for one day, and it would take eight days to produce new pure oil. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days and nights.”

To learn more about this significant Jewish Holiday as reported on the Chabad website, HERE’S THE LINK

And to get Wikipedia’s ‘take’ on this holiday, HERE’S THE LINK

Bad Teeth in Egyptian mummies!

Some readers of this blog are Dentists so this article is ‘for them’ and, of course, for the rest of you folks also.

Whether you have teeth or not, or ‘work on them’ or not, you will hopefully find this interesting.

Seems that cavities, periodontal disease, abscesses, and other tooth maladies are not just a recent thing that we can blame on the 20th and 21st Century sweets and other causes.

Apparently Egyptian mummies have been found, using CT (Computerized Tomography Radiology studies), to have had the same types of tooth problems that we have today.

This article will tell you all about it. HERE’S THE LINK.

Asleep in Jesus

ICR (Institute for Creation Research) has an excellent Daily Devotional publication known as Days of Praise. If you do not subscribe to it, you should.

From time to time I peruse back issues and recently while doing this, I came across an excellent article by Dr. Henry Morris, the founder of the organization, who is now ‘Asleep in Jesus.’

In this brief article Dr. Morris made several wonderful observations concerning what “Asleep in Jesus” means.

I think you will find his insights most instructive and encouraging. HERE’S THE LINK.

Cans Cans Cans

You might think that things are getting kinda silly today when you see what we found for your ‘edification’. But, I think you are going to like it.

Seems that there recently was a very interesting Sculpture contest that is not your ‘average’ contest.

The annual event is called ‘Canstruction’ and it uses, you guessed it, cans! Cans of food!

Yes those cans of food that you open, empty, and then throw away (tuna, veggies, etc). Believe it or not there is another ‘use’ for these cans...

And, I could go on and on telling you about this but, this is one of those ‘you have to see it to believe it’ things.

So, without further ado, HERE’S THE LINK.

Colored Snow

While checking the weather a few minutes ago, I noticed that there is another snow storm expected to roll through the central part of the US today. Which brings us to the topic of today’s post.

What could that possibly have to do with today’s post you ask?

Well, this is realllllly weird. Did you know that there is such a thing as ‘colored snow’? I didn’t either. But, apparently there is such a thing.

To read about and see pictures of ‘colored snow’, HERE’S THE LINK

Pearl Harbor Day

Today is Pearl Harbor Day. Is your flag flying?

December 7, 1941 is truly one of those days that lives in infamy.

In the quiet of the early hours of that Sunday morning, Pearl Harbor was attacked by 353 aircraft which came in two waves.

Tragically 2,402 U.S. personnel were killed and 1,282 were wounded.

Many U.S ships, airplanes, and buildings were destroyed and / or damaged.

Bottom line, as you know, this event caused the U.S.A. to enter World War II.

Much has been written about this watershed day. There are articles, books, movies, etc. which give the details, some accurately, some not so accurately.

One really good article is at the Wikipedia site. It is long and detailed but worth the time to read. HERE’S THE LINK.

Analemma

Yesterday we looked at amazing Mathematical calculations and their astounding precision.

Well, that precision is also evident in many other things than just numbers. Yes, numbers are important but it is their application that really matters.

One can readily see these mathematical applications in the precision in snowflakes, chemical products, plants, leaves, cells, atoms, etc. In all these things and more, you can tell that mathematics is involved. Indeed, Math is everywhere.

Perhaps one of the most readily observed application of Mathematics is in the structure, organization, and precision of events in the universe. The stars, planets, comets, etc. do not just randomly move about but actually follow very precise routes and paths.

In fact, the paths and locations of the astronomical objects really do, as the Bible teaches, serve as guideposts for signs, seasons, etc.

As Genesis 1:14- 19 (kjv) says: 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

One example of this mathematical precision which was set into place on the 4th Day of Creation is what we are going to look at today. And that is the analemma of the sun.

Analemma of the sun !?! What is that? you ask.

Well, “the shape traced out by the Sun over the course of a year is called an analemma.” It is a mathematically designed course / route and is another example of the details and precision in the work of the Creator God of the Universe.

To see a picture of an Analemma, HERE’S THE LINK

And if you would like to track the movement of the sun and make your own Analemma, as did the children in the Blog picture above, HERE’S THE LINK to how they did it.

The Beauty of Math

The entry for today was in an email sent to me by a friend, who is an math expert and loves numbers.

I don’t know who wrote (well, perhaps the term ‘calculated’ would be a better word) these amazing math things. Perhaps this is something that ‘math folks’ do all the time. But it sure was a new thing to me.

We have mentioned over and over again that the intricacy of cells, animals, plants, stars, planets, etc. point to a Creator God rather than just happenstance occurrences.

Well, in the same way, these mathematical calculations certainly could not have happened by chance either. Talk about a Master Designer! Wow!

I did not check every calculation on my trusty little calculator. But those that I did check were correct. So, WOW. This is amazing.

So what is it that is so amazing and awesome, you ask?

Well, see for yourself. Surely you will also be amazed at the beauty of Math. HERE’S THE LINK.

Microscopic Animals and Plants

Lately, as you have noticed, we have been viewing some really amazing pictures of very unusual creatures, their defense mechanisms, and other astounding features.

Today, we’ll look at more pictures of amazing creatures. But, this time we will look at animals and plants that live in water, ponds, etc. and are so tiny that microscopes are needed to see them.

These are especially interesting to me because years and years ago, (when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in school), I had the opportunity to see many of these same creatures using a light microscope to view the ‘invisible to the human eye - teensey weesney’ animals and plants in lake and pond water.

After carefully collecting bottles of pond and lake water, putting drops of said water on slides, and then observing under the microscope, I saw many of these same little animals swimming and the miniscule plants doing whatever plants do (which is not much).

Darwin and the other early evolutionists couldn’t see these things because they did not have the microscopes then that we have today. So, with the limited magnification devices they had, they saw little or nothing of the details that we can readily see today. Had they seen the intricate structures of these microscopic animals and plants, they could not have honestly said that single cells are ‘simple’ and thus early evolutionary building blocks.

As you look at these pictures, ask yourself -- Are these animals and plants consisting of one or a few cells really simple? Could these have just happened by chance? Or, does it look like they have been created?

Well, with that said, HERE’S THE LINK.

Venice Flooded by Seasonal High Tide

Visitors and residents of Venice are not having ‘fun’ in the usual touristy way these days. Why?

Because it is ‘flood time’ in Venice.

When I visited Venice years and years ago, it was during the ‘normal’ season when the only excesses one had to endure were the gazillions of pigeons in St. Mark’s square.

But, a friend had told me of her experience of visiting Venice when flood waters were everywhere. She told about walking on boards and wearing boots. I was amazed and even though I had no reason to doubt her, somehow this just seemed hard to believe.

Recently an article on the internet reminded me of the flood event my friend had experienced. And it included pictures! And, yes, as she had related, folks were walking around on boards or in water with and without boots.

Of course, this flood doesn’t hold a candle to Noah’s Flood. But, wow, what a mess. This is definitely not the time to visit Venice unless you are a real fan of wading around in water!

Anyway, to see what it is like in Venice when the ‘tide is in’, and 27 great pictures of the fairly frequent event, HERE’S THE LINK.

Dec 2009 will have a BLUE MOON

Tonight, Dec. 1, 2009, if you look in the sky, you will see a Full Moon. No, it is not literally blue in color (unless where you are viewing, a lot of dust particles or smoke particles are in the atmosphere).

But, the full moon tonight is the first of 2 Full Moons that will occur in December 2009.

The second time this month that a full moon will be seen (In North and South America) will be on Dec. 31, 2009. (Folks on the ‘other side of the world’ will actually see this same full moon on Jan 1, 2010) so ‘technically’ they will not have a Blue Moon December. Oh well.

Anyway, those of us on ‘this side of the world’ will have 2 Full Moons in the same month. And that is where the concept of a BLUE MOON comes to play. Why?

Because, when a month has 2 Full Moons, The second Full Moon in the same month, is called a “Blue Moon”.

Interesting.

Anyway, if you are outside tonight, take a look.

And if you want to read about this interesting astronomical event, HERE’S A LINK

The Bombardier beetle

Yesterday we saw some amazing defense mechanisms of several animals and insects.

We mentioned that the folks wearing the Evolutionary World view glasses would say that these various defense mechanisms just happened by chance as the animals evolved.

Well, think about it. Do you really think that those complex mechanisms just happened by chance?

We could look at each of the 9 mechanisms mentioned yesterday but, for sake of time, let’s look at just one of these fascinating defense mechanisms and see whether it seems likely it could have happened just by chance.

Specifically, let’s look at the amazing Bombardier Beetle.

It has a defense apparatus that shoots a hot (about 212°F, i.e. boiling hot!) mixture of chemicals out of a swivel nozzle into the face of its predators. Wow!

Among the several articles 'out there on the net' that explain how its defense mechanism works, here are 2 you will want to read and decide for yourself if this could have happened by chance.

HERE’S THE LINK TO THE FIRST ARTICLE
and
HERE’S THE LINK TO THE SECOND ARTICLE.

9 very unusual Animal Defense Mechanisms

Yesterday we mentioned that there are Mushrooms that glow in the dark! How amazing and odd.

But that is not all that is strange, unusual, amazing, (fill in the blank with your favorite superlative) in nature.

Today, let’s check out these very strange and bizarre animal defense mechanisms.

Of course, the ‘old earth world view glasses’ say these evolved.

But, as you read this article and look at the pictures, think about it. Does it seem likely that such mechanisms would happen by chance?

Or, is it more likely that there is a Creator Who designed these protective devices for the ‘critter’.

HERE’S THE LINK

Mushrooms that Glow in the dark!

As it says in the article “The freaky findings, reported today in the journal Mycologia, increases the number of aglow mushroom species from 64 to 71, shedding light on the evolution of luminescence in nature.”

Hmmmm --”... shedding light on the evolution of luminescence in nature.” Guess which world view glasses the writer of this article had on? Right! The ‘old earth evolutionary’ glasses.

Now, why would mushrooms just happen to accidentally develop luminescence. Doesn’t this seem like a design thing and not just a chance accident that happened 71 or so times?

To read the article written with evolutionary world view glasses, HERE’S THE LINK

And, by way of rebuttal, two of several articles, written by a Ph.D., tells about mushrooms in general. Indeed, these 2 articles probably will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about mushrooms and unless you are really ‘into’ the study of mushrooms, you will probably not read them in their entirety. But, that is OK. You just need to know that they are ‘out there’.

As my father used to say, “If you know where to find the information you need in a hurry, you don’t have to remember everything...” Good advice.

Anyway, these 2 rebuttal articles do not directly address this luminescence feature in mushrooms but do discuss problems with the evolutionary world view aspect of the article. And that, to me, is more important than the fact that there are mushrooms that amazingly glow in the dark.

So to read (or scan) the 2 articles from the Creationist perspective, HERE’S ONE LINK and HERE’S THE OTHER LINK.

Church Signs

Don’t you just love to read those short pithy statements on Church Signs as you ride down the street? I do.

So, in keeping with that line of thought, let me tell you about one of those Church signs that was posted on the internet (as well as outside the church).

Reportedly, this sign was placed outside a church in Caledon, Ontario, Canada. The sign says:

There are some questions that can’t be answered by Google

What a hoot ! And so true!

And, to see several more really pithy Church Signs with messages worth heeding, HERE’S A LINK

Mickey Mouse is 81 years old !

His ‘birthday’ was Nov 18, 1928 although one ‘comment’ on the page with the article telling about his birthday said it was really May 15, 1928.

However, the writer of the article says that Disney prefers to used the Nov. date.

Oh, well, whichever. But, regardless, it is still amazing.

I remember having a Mickey Mouse stuffed toy ages ago.... probably it is still around here somewhere though tattered and ragged for sure and not in any ‘shape’ to be a collector’s item but it was a ‘favorite toy’.

Ah, memories!

And speaking of memories, Mickey Mouse doesn’t hold a candle to a fine lady with whom we had Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. She is 90 years old! Wow! -- And still alert, energetic, and fun. It was a joy to chat and visit with her! Mickey will need to go some to catch up with her.

Anyway, to read the article about Mickey Mouse (sorry there is no article except this blog entry re my 90 year old friend), HERE’S THE LINK

Thanksgiving

Today is my very favorite ‘Holiday’, Thanksgiving.

When I think of Thanksgiving my thoughts turn to turkey, dressing, the wonderful side dishes, pies, cakes, and fellowship with friends and family as we give thanks to God for all the many blessings He has given us in the past year and indeed in our lifetimes.

What a wonderful holiday.

Hopefully you are observing this event with family and friends. Or perhaps you are serving meals at a Church, Mission, etc. Or, you might even be working. But whatever you are doing, this is a very important time to Thank God for our blessings.

You probably know much of the history of this Holiday. But, ‘thanks’ to the Revisionist History that is so rampant these days, the true history of Thanksgiving may be becoming muddled in your mind.

So to ‘unmuddle’ (is there such a word? probably not) that history, I thought our explanatory link today would be best served by the information provided by David Barton on his excellent site, WallBuilders.com.

If you are not aware of David Barton, you should be. He is a true expert on the history of our nation and all the events from before the founding to the present day. When I want to know the true history of our nation, this is the man and the site to which I turn first (and last). You would be wise to do the same. The history as he relates it is accurate and with no revisionism.

He has written many articles about Thanksgiving and posted them on his site. The one we will read today is dated 11/08. It clearly explains the history of this Holiday. HERE’S THE LINK.

So, is there an answer to Darwin’s Book?

As you know, yesterday was the 150th Anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s book: ‘Origin of the Species’.

But this occasion has not gone unnoticed by many Creationists including Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron.

They are distributing copies of the book “Origin of the Species” to 100 Universities in America and 1,000 Copies at Oxford in England.

The book they are distributing has the complete current text of Darwin’s famous book but also contains important rebuttal information in the 50 page introduction.

As you can imagine, this is causing quite an uproar in the “Evolutionary WorldView Glasses” community.

For example, “Prominent creationism opponent Eugenie Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, complained that Comfort's edition left out four chapters. But Comfort explained that she had a copy of a first printing, which was condensed for cost purposes and referred to a website where the four missing chapters could be read. The second printing, which is going out on campuses today, is the full version of the book, he said.”

To read more about the distribution and the uproar it is causing, HERE’S THE LINK

150 Years ago today his book was published

This is a realllllly big year for those wearing the “Evolution World View Glasses”. Why?

Because, Darwin’s birthday was February 12, 1809 (200 years ago) and 150 years ago, he published his book: On the Origin of Species (on November 24, 1859.)

Answers in Genesis produces a magazine, published quarterly, which everyone should read. I subscribe to it and find it excellent. The Winter 2008-2009 issue mainly focused on Darwin (since his 200th Birthday was in Feb. of 2009).

In that issue are many informative articles about Darwin, his background, beliefs, etc. Fortunately AIG has posted links to many of these article on their website. You will find them very interesting and eye-opening. You will also see why you should consider subscribing to this excellent magazine. So, with that said, HERE’S THE LINK TO THOSE LINKS.

Hell's Best Kept Secret ... Part 4

Well, we have come to the final part of the 4 parts in this excellent series.

Again, as we have said previously, if you have not yet seen parts 1, 2, and 3, be sure to watch them before you watch this because these build on each other and are not ‘stand alone’ parts.

Also, as an aside, you probably noticed, when you are on the YouTube web page viewing this and the other parts of this series, that there are links to other videos that Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort have done.

So, after you finish viewing part 4, Feel free to click on their other videos as they are all really good.

For example, the one where Kirk Cameron talks with Gang Members is ‘something else’. Wow.

But, as usual, I digress. So, with that said, it is time to view the final part in this series, Part 4 (which is 8 minutes 39 seconds in length). HERE’S THE LINK

Hell's Best Kept Secret ... Part 3

Well, here we go again. And, as I mentioned yesterday,if you have not yet listened to the previous 2 parts, which were posted on Friday and Saturday, please go back and listen to them before you listen to this.

Ok, I assume you are ready to roll with today’s continuation of this video series. So, here is part 3 of the 4 parts. This part is is 9 minutes 43 seconds in length.

It is very eye opening and a must see. HERE’S THE LINK

And, by the way, we have a short but very good and important study on the 10 Commandments on our Website. To go to that study, print it out, and do it offline at your leisure, HERE’S THE LINK

Hell's Best Kept Secret .... Part 2

Ok. Let’s continue this 4 part series.

And, if you have not yet listened to (well, seen and listened to) Part 1 which we posted yesterday, please go back and listen to it.

Why?

Because these build on each other and are not ‘stand alone’ events. This was originally one video but apparently on YouTube you can only post up to about 10 minutes at a time. So, this series had to be broken up into 4 parts.

So, now it is time for Part 2 of the 4. This part is 9 minutes 54 seconds in length and among other things tells an interesting and pertinent story about parachutes. HERE’S THE LINK

Hell’s Best Kept Secret .... Part 1

Did you know that the Fall away rate of Christian Conversions (aka ‘backsliders’) is about 80 - 90%

Wow! That is horrible! Why is it happening?

Are you, or a family member, or a friend one of these who has fallen away?

Or, have some of those to whom you have witnessed and who seemingly had accepted the gospel message -- have they now ‘fallen away’ and are no longer following Christ?

Again, we ask ‘Why’?

Today and the next 3 days we are going to be looking at the reason for this ‘falling away’ and at Hell’s Best Kept Secret.

Why 4 days?

Because this is a series of videos on YouTube, each of which is approximately 9 minutes long. If you have time to listen to all of them at once, great. But, I am assuming you don’t have that much time.

So Today, we will be looking at Part 1 (of 4 parts) of this video series produced by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort. HERE’S THE LINK.

Dr Damadian is a Creation Scientist and ....

Yesterday we addressed the concept that some folks claim that Creationists can not be ‘Real’ Scientists. And you read a wonderful article which told of a few of the countless Creationists who have have done ‘Real’ Science.

At an AIG Conference a few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting and shaking hands with Dr. Raymond Damadian. Who is he you ask?

Well, believe it or not Dr. Damadian is a Creationist and the inventor of the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine.

Perhaps you have had the personal experience of having an MRI exam or know of a friend or family member who has.

Needless to say, this is a marvelous invention and has been instrumental in diagnosing many illnesses.

To read about Dr. Damadian and the invention of the MRI, HERE’S THE LINK

And, if you have ever wondered what images from an MRI exam of the brain looks like, HERE’S THE LINK.

Can Creationists be “Real” Scientists’?

Yesterday we noted that we frequently mention Evolution on this site.

And, as you have also noticed, we frequently mention the 2 different Worldviews:

1. The Evolutionary Worldview that everything arose from nothing and there is no God ...

2. And the Creationist Worldview that holds to the Biblical account of Creation as recorded in the Bible.

Many folks, usually those wearing the “Evolutionary Worldview Glasses”, claim that Creationists can not be ‘Real’ Scientists.

But is this true? Are Creationists really stupid? Are they incapable of doing ‘Real’ Science?

Well, check out this article. It was written by Dr. Jason Lisle, a Creationist and a ‘Real’ Scientist. His PhD is in Astrophysics. I would call that ‘Real’ Science. HERE’S THE LINK

Evolution of the Coke Bottle design

As you know, we talk about evolution a lot on this site.

And, yes, changes can and often do occur in 'design' (of animals, trees, plants, insects, dogs, etc.)

But the changes do not produce something totally different.

The plant is still a plant (perhaps with a different colored flower or whatever). The tree is still a tree (perhaps smaller as in a Bonzai). The insect is still an insect (though it might have a different color) and does not turn into a frog or some other totally different thing. The dog is still a dog (though perhaps a poodle instead of a labrador retriever).

Well, you get the point.

These MINOR (MICRO) changes are often the ‘proofs' that the ‘Evolutionary world view glasses’ wearers present to say that MAJOR (MACRO) changes also occur (dinosaur to bird or visa versa, etc).

However, so far no proofs of MACRO changes have been found.

Today’s blog entry shows another example of ‘evolution’. This time it is the ‘evolution’ of the design of the Coke bottle.

I don’t know who made this picture but it is a good example of the fact that, yes, changes often occur in design.

But, at the end of the day, a tree is still a tree, an insect is still an insect, a dog is still a dog, and.....

A Coke Bottle is still a Coke Bottle. It is not an airplane, a car, or anything other than a bottle. HERE’S THE LINK

Strong Leonid Meteor shower expected Nov 17

Ok, folks, a big heads up ! This should be worth watching so I am posting this today so you can make your plans for tomorrow.

Many times through the years I have watched the Leonid Meteor Showers but usually have been unable to truly appreciate its beauty because of interference by a bright moon and/or city lights.

And, of course, overcast skies, rain, or really brrrrrr cold can interfere with happy viewing.

But sometimes conditions have been ‘just right’ and the meteor shower has been spectacular. And, reportedly, an opportunity for some really good viewing will be Nov 17.

So, if you are away from bright city lights and have a good view of the sky (without clouds, rain, etc), then get a lawn chair and some blankets and prepare to watch this year’s meteor shower.

Alas for those of us in the USA the viewing reportedly will be better in Asia, but there still should be good viewing in North America so do not dismay.

So, regardless of where you are, this should be a great year to see the Leonid Meteor Shower. To read about the best times and locations for viewing, HERE’S THE LINK.

Water Drop @ 2000 Frames per second bounces!

All of us have seen rain and splashes of water from a watering hose, while watering plants, pouring coffee or other liquids, and even when spilling things.

But, a slow motion view of what happens when a water drop actually drops is truly amazing.

The water actually bounces and ... well, you just have to see this. Who would have thought?

This is just one more astounding feature that the Creator God has programmed into nature and even explains how insects can walk on water.

HERE’S THE LINK

Night owl gene

     

Those of you who are observant surely have noticed the time of postings for most of the blog entries. Yes, correct, in the wee hours of the night.

Well, that brings us to the topic of the day which is -- tah dah -- The Night Owl Gene!

Believe it or not, there really is such a gene. It is also often called the ‘After Hours Gene’ and, according to one of the articles I read, it is a mutation of a gene called “after-hours” (Afh), which is located in the gene Fbxl3, a gene until now not known to be linked to the circadian cycle. Apparently, the Fbxl3 binds and drives the degradation of a clock protein called Cryptochrome (CRY).

Not many folks have heard about this gene but it explains why the ‘night owl folks’ have the seemingly ‘odd’ preference to sleep late in the mornings but are alert and awake and doing things into the wee hours of the night.

The folks who do not have this gene are ‘morning people’ and usually consider those with the 'night owl gene' and, therefore, sleep late in the morning, to be sloths. They also think the ‘night people should change their ways, get up early, and be instantly awake like they are.

Well, for the night owl folks, this is much easier said than done since they are genetically programmed to be night people.

But, the night owls do ‘conform’ to the day folks for most of their lives in that they get up early, go to their day jobs, and stagger around bleary eyed in the mornings until finally the time of day when they would have awakened had they been allowed to be ‘normal’ happens. Then they are alert and happy and merrily working for the rest of the day and wayyyyy into the night. But, until then, life is not fun or very productive.

On the other hand, the ‘day folks’ wake up in the early hours or maybe even pre-dawn, are instantly alert, and ready to start doing things. But, they can not understand why the night owl types aren’t able to do the same thing.

Yes, yes, I have heard that old adage: “You can’t soar with the eagles if you are up with the owls”. ...

Anyway, the other day I was discussing this with some folks who are ‘day people’. When I tried to tell them about the ‘night owl gene’, they didn’t believe me.

So, I set out to once again find some of the articles I had read years ago which told of the discovery of the ‘Night Owl Gene’.

And as a result of that search I found several articles. I will include only a few of them for you to read but there are many more.

So, with that said, and to read more about this interesting gene, CLICK HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE .

By the way, guess which gene I have. Hint: Look once again at the time that most of these blog entries are posted.

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Yes, Today is Friday the 13th. And some folks have a fear of that special day. Hence the word paraskevidekatriaphobia which means ‘The fear of Friday the 13th”.

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that [US]$800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day". ...

So how did the Friday the 13th superstition develop and why do many folks fear that day and worry that bad things might happen to them?

According to Wikipedia, there are several theories. To read about those theories and even more information about this famous or infamous day, HERE’S THE LINK.

Arlington National Cemetery

Yesterday, Nov. 11, was Veteran’s Day and we learned some interesting information about its origins.

Today, let’s learn about one of the most famous places of repose for many of those Veterans.

I am referring, of course, to Arlington National Cemetery. Hopefully you have visited it in person and observed the awesome Changing of the Guard ceremony. If you haven’t, this is a ‘must see’ experience.

In the meantime, or by way of refreshing your memory, there is a very interesting article on the net telling about Arlington National Cemetery and how it came to be.

So , since I know that you also will also want to know this reallllly interesting and fascinating historical information about Arlington National Cemetery, HERE’S THE LINK.