Biologists classify humans as just another primate. Most people, however, consider human beings as completely separate from the animal kingdom.

What makes us human?

Last update: 11-07-2008 21:51

Like spirituality, and all our other human tendencies that evolved before it, lying was naturally selected for us because better liars survived longer to have more offspring. Soon after early humans acquired consciousness and the ability to think they became aware of the many dangers they faced. Animal predators and competition from other humans for food, space, and mating partners were the greatest threats. Strength and agility were important, but being able to read the intentions of potential enemies soon became more so. Before verbal language evolved, body language and verbal sounds were the only way individuals communicated their intentions to others. In time, some individuals became more adept at faking their body language than others. The development of verbal language provided early humans with an important new tool, the ability to lie to deceive others! Of course, more of the better liars survived so we all now have some ability to lie, and do so for a myriad of reasons.

Last update: 11-07-2008 21:54

 Been Talking Down to another group lately?

Almost everything about us as individuals was determined for us before we were born. The particular combination of genes we inherited from our ancestors were activated by our master genes and our mother’s hormones shortly before birth. All of our physical traits and emotional behaviors are determined by these genes. Nurturing and training by our families and community teach us which behaviors are socially acceptable and which are not.

Last update: 11-07-2008 21:50

Grudgingly, most of us have finally been convinced of our economic plight. For several years, many journalists, politicians and broadcasters have worked tirelessly to convince us our economy was steadily worsening, but most of us disagreed and were suspicious of so much negative news being reported when conditions didn’t seem to warrant it. Now that we have succumbed I’m sure we won’t read or hear many positive financial news accounts until some of our current policymakers have been replaced with ones whose economic ideas are more in tune with those of the reporting journalists and broadcasters.

Last update: 11-07-2008 21:55

We often hear skeptics of the theory of evolution say something like, “Scientists can’t even tell us for sure where the first living cell came from so they can’t possibly know how all other life forms on Earth evolved from it.” The first assertion is true, the second is not. Evolutionary biologists are still debating several different scenarios as to how the first living cell originated, but the most popular one is that it formed from chemical clusters near a deep volcanic vent in the sea.

Last update: 11-07-2008 21:56

Every day now either on TV broadcasts, in print media or on the Internet some mention is made about our reliance on fossil fuels for our energy needs. What are they? How were they made? How did they get where they are today? They are, of course, crude oil, coal and natural gas.

The skyrocketing price of gasoline is getting most of the media’s attention, but the prices of coal and natural gas have also been rising at a rapid clip. Speculation by investors in stock futures markets around the world undoubtedly has contributed somewhat to these price increases but economic pressure from increased demand without increased supply is causing most of it. Gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, paint solvents, roofing materials, soaps, toiletries, plastics and a myriad of other products start out as crude oil pumped from underground reservoirs and delivered to refineries where it is processed into a variety of products that are further processed into all of the ones above. How did the oil get into the reservoirs?

Last update: 11-07-2008 21:57