Can life be created?

The evolution theory states that humans evolved from lower life forms. That insects, fish, reptiles, etc. are therefore "lower" life forms than humans, because they evolved gradually over time.

I have some proof that the "lower" life forms are just as complex as "higher" forms.

First of all, anything that is alive is EXTREMELY complex. Even single-celled organisms. Cells are made of series of amino acids, proteins, and lipids, all arranged in a precise manner. The odds of this arranging itself by chance is quite unlikely, in fact, maybe even impossible. Cells can transport nutrients, rid themselves of unwanted material, fight off disease, reproduce through mitosis, and do other tasks.

Do you really think that cells just evolved by chance, and yet are precisely designed to do all these necessary tasks? Based on what we observe about the universe, randomly arranged materials should be disordered, not ordered.

If evolution were true, then cells would start off very simply and get more and more complex. But this doesn't back up what we observe. A single cell is so complex that the chances of it arising on its own by random processes are unfathomably low. Further, even consider the complexity within a single molecule within a single protein within a single cell. Plus, there are still unicellular organisms to this day. How can this be the case if everything has been evolving for billions of years?

Now I am not saying that things do not change over time. I agree that there is speciation and that organisms have variances, but the variances all are based off of a pre-determined genetic starting point. There has never been a single experiment that proves that time and chance can create something new; all time and chance can do make slight variations on what's already there.

Experiments have shown that some of the organic matter in cells can be recreated in a controlled environment. Life has never actually been created by scientists, just a few of the basic building blocks of life. Despite this, these experiments are widely touted as proof that life can arise on its own by chance.

This might sound appealing when talking about evolution, but here are a couple things to consider. For one, these materials were created in a directed and controlled environment, utilizing some of the brightest minds in the world to create a very specific set of conditions. This is far from the conditions of materials floating around in the wild. Also, it is treated as an afterthought that the scientists have only created a few organic materials, rather than having actually created a living cell. That's a pretty important distinction to make, wouldn't you think? And, even if they *could* make a cell in a laboratory, it would only prove that it requires intelligence to make life.

The fossil record doesn't prove evolution either. There is plenty of admitted manipulation and fakery of so-called missing links. Also (thanks to Chris Kendall for mentioning this), why did evolutionary scientist Steven J. Gould need to dream up punctuated equilibrium theory to explain away the absence of fossils? This theory states that gradual, incremental evolution did not occur the way Darwin thought, and that species rapidly changed leaving no fossil trace.

Punctuated equilibrium theory is now a widely accepted evolutionary tenet - and it has to be, because the fossil record to supposedly prove Darwinian evolution simply isn't there. It's common sense that if the fossils existed, there would be no need to make up a theory to explain away their absense.

Knowing this information, the only logical conclusion for me is that all life was created by a wise, super-intelligent being.

Is heavy airport security warranted?

There has been much controversy in recent years over airport security. Is it simply to keep the public safe, or is it compromising the average person's privacy?

The drastic security measures that airlines have enacted since the September 11, 2001 incidents have turned airports into some of the most heavily guarded and monitored areas in the world. To read about some of the safety measures taken at airports, take a look at this link.

Stunningly, air travel is actually the safest transportation method in the country, at only 200 deaths per year in the United States. You would think, based on the security measures at airports, that traveling by plane were extremely risky. On the contrary; 40,000 people in the U.S. die in automobile accidents per year, yet no one is clamoring for car companies to build safer cars, or for road contractors to build safer roads. At the same time, most people view airport security as a necessary measure to prevent terrorism.

Terrorism is cited as the main reason for heightened security, but I have some questions about whether terrorism is as much of a threat as it is perceived to be. For one thing, we have known for years that the military has staged false flag attacks in the past (attacks carried out by the military but blamed on other entities) for agenda purposes. (Osama bin Laden had been a CIA asset for years before 9/11, by the way.) Additionally, over the years, we have learned more and more reasons to doubt the official story of 9/11. If 9/11 didn't occur as a result of terrorism, then there is less reason to have heavy security. As some food for thought, I will list my top five reasons to question 9/11, although there are many, many more.

1. According to official flight records kept by the Federal Aviation Administration, American Airlines Flights 11 and 77 (the planes that allegedly hit the north tower and Pentagon, respectively), never took off that day.

2. I have major questions about World Trade Center Building 7. How did this building collapse into its own footprint at free-fall speed without being struck by a plane?

3. How were the passengers of the jets able to make cell phone calls? Here is a USAToday article from 2004 that says new technology was being developed to allow people to have cellular reception on American Airlines planes. According to the official story, people were able to make calls from AA jets three years before the technology to do so was installed.

4. According to the official story, one hijacker's passport was found in a pile of rubble minutes after the towers fell. The buildings were completely turned to dust so that not a single human body part, piece of office equipment from the towers, or frame of steel remained; yet, a small booklet survived unscathed? It is unthinkable that a small paper book could have survived such a massive explosion, especially in near-mint condition.

5. How did everyone in the major media know that Osama bin Laden was behind the attacks within minutes?

According to this evidence, it appears that the media covered up the facts about 9/11 to push the government agenda across. If there were real terrorists intent on killing Americans because they "hate our freedom," there are plenty of other ways to do damage other than hijack airplanes. The government can't keep us safe from everything, and the hyperactive security at airports, in my opinion, does not make us any safer. Why aren't there similar security measures for people boarding buses and trains?

Just say "no" to heavy airport security. As the old saying goes, "those who give up their freedom for security deserve neither."

History of Terracycle

Two ambitious young Princeton students, Tom Szasky and Jon Beyer, founded Terracycle in 2001. Their main idea in founding the company was to do something productive using waste products. They used worms to turn garbage into useful items like fertilizer. This is a process known as upcycling.

Some of the products produced by Terracycle include fertilizer, all-purpose cleaner, recycled fence, picture frames, and cactus plant food. Rubbermaid and Oxo Good Grips are two U.S. plastic companies that have purchased plastics from TerraCycle. Old Navy and Office Depot each had promotions sponsored by Terracycle for Earth Day. Terracycle also had a program called Bottle Brigade that was used for fundraising for schools.

Although Terracycle has some innovative ideas, I do not believe that this company is making a huge impact on the world today. They seem like a company that has gained some recognition because they are environmentally-friendly; however, they do not make many useful products, and they are not a well-known name brand. I think they could become more prolific as they do more research and testing in the future, but as of now I think that their impact on the market is minimal.

Thoughts on Undercover Boss

I found the Undercover Boss show to be very engaging, and it provided a new perspective for me on how companies operate. Since large corporations such as American Building Maintenance Industries, Inc. (ABM) have thousands of employees, it is sometimes hard for executives and high-level managers to relate to the everyday workforce. Doing janitorial work or driving a bus around might seem like a simple task to those in charge, but when Henrik Slipsager, the CEO of ABM, actually got out there and did the work, it proved to be much more difficult than he imagined. In fact, he wouldn't have even gotten the driver job had he been actually applying for it as a Joe-Schmo off the street! The film showed that many of the low-level employees are "unsung heroes" and take pride in doing their work the right way.

At the end of the episode, the unsung workers who did well were rewarded for their services. This reality series was a great example of why you should try to do your best and be a good employee, no matter what your line of work may be.

Joe Paterno/Gerry Sandusky Case

There was recently a scandal that has been documented at Penn State University. For years, Gerry Sandusky, one of the football coaches at Penn State, was involved in the sexual harassment of young boys. The most shocking part of this case was that Sandusky was known to have been a sex offender for years, but nothing was done about it. He never went to jail, got fired from the University, or was punished in any way.

This kind of criminal activity being swept under the rug is very disturbing. Not only is it illegal and immoral, but this behavior is also just repulsive and disgusting to a normal human being. The fact that the other coaches and people with the team allowed this to go on for such a length of time is just horrific. When something of this magnitude can remain hidden for so long, it just makes you wonder how much other corruption is going on in our world.

Government's Responsibility to Censor Content in Video Games?

The Supreme Court recently had a case about censorship of video games in the United States. As many people are aware, there are video games on the market today which contain extremely disgusting and anti-social content, and games are getting worse and worse over time. This particular court case was brought forth to decide whether or not the government has the right and/or responsibility to remove such games from the market, and whether the 1st Amendment protects the right to put out any material the game developers want, no matter how offensive.

Basically, the Supreme Court ruled that the 1st Amendment covers the right to put out just about any kind of video game you could imagine; however, sales of offensive games would have to be regulated and limited. There is a rating system for games that prevents minors from buying games with offensive content. Any games with a "mature" rating cannot be purchased by anyone under 17 years of age.

My opinion on this subject is that the government should have the right to censor video games. I think that the right to free speech only goes so far and that these video games influence us negatively, whether we realize it or not. We shouldn't be surprised about how the murder and rape rates have gone up over the years. When the youth are growing up playing games that promote violence and rape, in many cases that is going to influence their behavior. I guess it is good that there is a rating system, but a lot of times, children will find a way to get a hold of these games despite the rating. I believe the best solution is to get rid of these games altogether.