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a new pendant, crafted by yours truly, in a fit of angst.  materials: silver, wood, bronzite, crystal.

This year marks not only one, but two anniversaries in regards to the “Father of Evolution”, Charles Darwin.  It’s been 150 years since the publication of On the Origin of Species, and 200 years since his birth.  So to celebrate, evolutionary linkage must ensue.

First off: Discover’s Darwin Special

A lesson in the asinine:  Creationist Master of Science Degree?

I have no words for this: Catholicism Evolving?

Complete Works: Darwin Online

More silliness: And to think I live basically across the river from this! My favorite part of this: “The exhibit is to clearly show that natural selection is not a mechanism to change one kind of animal into a totally different kind,” Ham said. For example, he said, dogs can develop new traits from one generation to the next, but they remain dogs.  The operative keyword you missed here is GENERATION. Oh you believers, you really know how to brighten my day.

Recsources: Evolution on PBS

Okay, I think I’m done with the links now.  Just a thought on evolution in our times:  I believe that we are evolving out of our need for God and marriage.  I think this is a very good thing.  The sooner we let go of our primitive explanations for things that we can now understand scientifically, the better it will be for not only our species, but for this planet.

“an outdated map, crumpled in my pocket.”

Summer memories fade away all too fast.  I can hardly wait for spring to arrive and the start of a new camping season!  I got a new p&s Kodak for the new year, so I’m anxious to get out there and see what we can accomplish together!

2009 has arrived.  What will we make of this fresh opportunity?

Lots of people make “New Year’s Resolutions”… but many don’t get around to making them last, or work at all for that matter.  Last year, for instance, one of my resolutions was the ever-popular “lose weight”.  I managed to lose 25 pounds, but at the beginning of this year, I am as heavy as I was at the beginning of last year.  Well, I’ll have to work on that again this year.  My resolution for 2009 is to be more open with friends and family.  We’ll see how that goes, I am notorious for not expressing things well, so I tend to keep it to myself for fear of saying something the wrong way.  So far, I feel I have been making progress.  I also vow to get my ass to the ocean this year!

What will you do this year?

Fifties Pin-up queen Bettie Page died Thursday, December 11, 2008.  She had been hospitalized for pneumonia, and suffered a heart attack which left her in a coma.  She never regained consciousness.  The “Pin-up Queen of the Universe” was 85.

Bettie always looked like she was having a great time, even when tied up and gagged.  But she is free now, and will be missed.

While pottering about on the web today I ran across this article on the Wired Network.  It’s about so-called “living fossils” - species whose last evolutionary crossroads was millions of years ago.  The most widely known of these is, I believe, the crocodile.  This article shows off more strangeness, such as a purple frog with a snout.  I didn’t read all of the comments section, I knew exactly where the discussion would go, and it only took about three posts for the lulz to kick in.  Of course, evolution happens.  Religious zealots say it doesn’t, that God made everything exactly as it should be.  Or claim Intelligent Design, which, in my mind, constitues a gray area where God and Evolution work hand in hand.

Almost immediately, you get the commenter who says “look, these creatures have not evolved, so therefore evolution does not exist, and God will smite thee for believing in it.  Darwin is such a fail.”  Of course, when someone points out that his theory is total horseshit, poster immediately takes on the “u r an asshole” attitude.  Comments section devolves into utter bullshit.  Good reading if you want to laugh.

I know this has nothing to do with ‘design’ in an aesthetic or adornment sense, but is “design” of the universe and therefore distantly related, maybe?

The Cherry Cordial Set consists of necklace and earrings, with an asymmetrical touch.

Materials:

Cherry Quartz (glass)

Silver and silverplate findings and chain.