Here are a couple of great videos that I encountered via different sources within minutes of each other. Both demonstrate cooperative hunting and problem solving in toothed whales (Odontoceti). The first, pointed out to me by my mother, is a beautifully photographed and (as always) nicely narrated by David Attenborough, clip of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops) working together to create silt nets by hitting their tail flukes on the sea floor which they use to corral fish into a tight group.
The second is a CNN clip that comes via Jerry Coyne’s blog Why Evolution is True and it shows killer whales (Orcinus orca) working together to wash seals off of sea ice.
While perusing my friend John Wilkin’s blog Evolving Thoughts I discovered that WordPress has a post rating feature (one to five stars) and having learned this I have turned it on so that you can shower my rantings with five star ratings. The rating bar can be found at the bottom of each post, so have at it!
OK, it took me a while to get to it but I am, as promised, responding to creationist Arthur Biele’s lengthy comments left in response to my criticisms of his writings on horse evolution. For those interested I suggest you go back and read Mr. Biele’s article and my original critique first. Those that do I think will find that his response didn’t really answer any of my original criticisms. Instead what he did was dump a new load of barely coherent nonsense on me.
A warning though, this goes on for quite a bit (it sure felt like it while I wrote it), which is of course due to the well known fact that accurately and substantially responding to horseshit takes considerably more time and effort than it does to spewing it.
Biele: With regard to Eohippus, If you knew anything about the actual fossil record, Eohippus finds are many and that category has been a dumping ground for certain archaic partial skulls that defy any specific classification, nor are they known to be ancestors of any known ‘evolved’ descendants, and they are mostly from Europe.
While apparently attempting to impugn my knowledge of the “the actual fossil record” Mr. Biele clearly demonstrates his own ignorance of the subject at hand. Let’s break this down in order:
Someone has finally gone and done it. Someone got hold of a copy of convicted felon “Dr.” Kent Hovind’s doctoral dissertation and posted it on the interwebs for all to laugh at. I’ve read it before (no, I wasn’t the one who leaked it) but now at last we can all share in the hilarity.
Myself and jail-bird "Dr." Dino.
Of course it represents exactly the sort of scholarship one would expect from a high class educational establishment like Patriot University (Hovind’s alma mater) seen here in their latest location:
Well, this year was bittersweet. I (mostly) finished a large new addition to our haunt (‘The tomb of the mummy’), however between that and the other little things I tried to do, I bit off way more than I could chew. The result was I didn’t properly finish anything and didn’t even get the old stuff dressed right (no glowing monster eyes, or spooky music etc., etc., etc.). Nor did I get the street signs up to attract more traffic.
Sigh…
I guess I just have to look at it as everyone keeps telling me: “hey you’re all ready for next year now.”
I’m not though. I still have to put finishing touches on several of this years additions and then there are the plans for next year that were already thought of but put off due to lack of time and money.
Still I want to acknowledge the help, not only physical and financial but also artistic, that our friends Don and Gaynell Frack gave us. I also want to thank them for putting up with my near meltdown when as the sun was going down I realized we weren’t going to make it to a proper finish. Thank you both!
Anyway here are some pictures (all taken by Don Frack):
"Debating creationists on the topic of evolution is rather like trying to play chess with a pigeon; it knocks the pieces over, craps on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory."
Consider helping me defend science education by making a donation. Just click on the sign below and it will take you to my web page where you will find the Paypal donation button on the left.
Posted by Troy Britain 
OK, it took me a while to get to it but I am, as promised, responding to creationist Arthur Biele’s lengthy comments
