TOTALLY FANTASTIC HUMBACKED WHALE PICTURE

http://www.doobybrain.com/2009/08/21/humpback-whale-gives-a-diver-a-high-five/

CFZ ON TWITTER

Tim Matthews writes:

We are not always up-to-date in terms of things technological but we are now on Twitter so for those of you who enjoy writing minimalist musings on Twitter, please acknowledge/join/say hello/engage with us via CFZ or CFZJon. You will, we hope, appreciate our own efforts at Haiku....

And watch out for the snake!

The Management.

THE DIRECTOR OF THE CFZ WEARS A SILLY HAT AND CUDDLES HIS WIFE

THE ONGOING CREATIONIST DEBATE

I have been following the ongoing creationist vs. evolutionist debate with interest. I am not going to moderate it, nor am I going to get involved other than with this posting. However, I think that I should once and for all state both my personal opinion, and the CFZ's position on the matter.

Firstly the CFZ. Part of our core belief statement reads:

"That Young Earth Creationism, and the popular conception of Intelligent Design are fallacious. Although some of us are athiests, others are deists, but those who believe in God believe in Creation NOT Creationism. We pledge ourselves to combat the disturbing rise in power of those who would teach superstition as scientific fact, and who are also linked to political movements that we believe to be dubious in the extreme."

And it is that last line, which is - to my mind (because it was me who drafted the statement, and bullied it through council) - is the most important. In the past we have published various theories that (to some people's minds) are equally as far removed from the orthodoxy of current scientific belief. However, initial bipedalism (for example) was never linked to powerful political lobbies that stand against everything in which we believe.

But on to me personally. For the first sixteen years of the CFZ's existance I managed to keep my personal religious and political views out of my public persona. But now it is impossible to do so. I am an anarchist and I am a Christian, and my personal belief system is very similar to that of someone like St Francis, (and before anyone accuses me of indulging in autohagiography I'm not doing anything of the sort. I am no saint, nor would I want to be). However, although I believe in both aspects of God (both the alpha and the omega) I see no contradiction in that belief and my belief in evolution or the big bang theory or anything else.

The story of the beginning of the world as described in Genesis is a creation myth originally espoused by nomadic tribes in the Middle East thousands of years ago. The world is not 6000 years old; Satan did not bury dinosaur skeletons in strata to tempt mankind; there is no tooth fairy. Capisce?

(Actually I'm not sure about the tooth fairy)

And as far as my core tenets of belief are concerned, it can be summed up in the following passage from the Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 22, verses 37-40:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Treat everyone the way you would like them to treat you, and love and respect the earth. Basically, nothing else matters at all....

SCOTTIE WESTFALL JOINS THE CREATIONIST DEBATE

Jon,

You may want to link to this or not. But I've waded into the controversy about Creationism. Having lived under a half-theocratic government, I don't think I want any piece of it again!

http://wildlifemysteries.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/my-issue-with-creationism/

I am no Dawkins, though. I do respect people of faith, if their faith is used to set their moral and ethical standing, and actually allows them to improve themselves.

However, for your discipline, I think it's a very bad thing to be attached to. I'm sure you get lots of people making fun of it or misrepresenting your hypotheses. I really don't think you need the Creationist headache.

And they are a headache, and then some.

Scottie

OLL LEWIS: Yesterday’s News Today

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/

Stereoscopic Sunday is here! Red and cyan glasses at the ready; this week’s photo is of the ultimate showdown. Who will be victorious? The smart money is on Pikachu, as he has bested Mewtwo in the past, a feat that thus far no Doctor Who villain has proved capable of. (Cue long rant by Richard in the comments section graphically describing Pikachu’s potential demise when faced with a Dalek, probably).

Anyway, news:

Lizard Species Projects Ribs Outwards for Defence

Pecking order: rare birds on show

Volunteers called in as zoo strike intensifies

Bizarre-looking bat's strong bite

‘Bats’ not a creature you want to mess with, then.

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE

I would just like to say a big `thank you` to everyone who made my 50th birthday yesterday so memorable and enjoyable. As you mostly all know, I am a soppy old git who wears his emotions very close to the surface, and I blubbed like a big softy quite a lot yesterday.

I told Corinna some time ago that I didn't want a birthday party whereupon I drank too much with my friends and cronies. I can do that whenever I wanted, and to be quite honest, I always get melancholy on my birthday and miss my mother, who died back in 2002. I then forgot about it all, and was overwhelmed when - after visiting Marjorie Braund in the hospice (as I have done every day that I have been able) - I found that my dear wife had arranged a birthday tea for me for me of the sort that I haven't had since I was about 12.

Also there were Roy and Kaye Braund-Phillips and my three beloved nephews, Richard F, Graham, Oll, and by chance my old friend Richard Ingram from Exeter who made me a Victorian moustache cup.

Later that evening I was summoned to The Farmers Arms where Jennie the landlady had made me a magnificent cake, and all the waitresses kissed me. What a lucky fellow I am.

And then when I came back I found this tribute to me from Nick Redfern, and I finally burst into tears and had to be consoled by the dog.

My presents included rare books on Hong Kong from Richard Muirhead, a gilded thylacine made by Fleur, and a magnificently silly hat made by Olivia.

I don't deserve any of this. I am not a terribly good writer, and my achievements are fairly esoteric, and I am - when it comes down to it - basically a bad-tempered old hippy who drinks too much, and I am overwhelmed by all this attention from everyone. But, at the risk of sounding like some horribly shallow Hollywood actress, on her fourth marriage and eighth facelift, the only thing that I can say is "Thank you, and I love you all"....