Orion Center

Science and Creation

2010-08-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

A local club that was considering making a donation had one of its members object because we "teach creation rather than science". People who aren't versed in science seem to share this misconception about what science is because they cannot differentiate between scientific knowledge and the stories that scientists tell. They therefore think that evolution is science because a lot of scientists tell evolutionary stories, and therefore creation cannot be scientific.

In reality, science is not a thing, but rather a method of investigation. The scientific method is to make a hypothesis (an idea about how something works) and then arrange tests of the hypothesis to determine if experiments confirm the idea. The hypothesis is adjusted as needed and then retested. There is nothing in the scientific method that dictates what ideas can and cannot be tested. Therefore, ideas about a creator can be tested and evaluated scientifically just as evolutionary ideas can be tested. Politics, religion, comedy, the arts, baseball...all of these subjects can be studied using the scientific method.

Creation and evolution are on similar footing scientifically since neither have been proven. Conisider for example, the foundation of both hypotheses, the origin of life. All of our scientific knowledge indicates that life never comes from non-living material. It's such a well established piece of information that there is a scientific law of biogenesis, that life always comes from life. We never see otherwise. Nevertheless, evolutionists will continue to tell the story of evolution because they believe one day an exception to the law of biogenesis will be found. The key word is "believe". They are violating the scientific method when they continue to promote an idea that has been falsified, but faith is a powerful motivator.

Scientists have a right to believe things and to continue to perform research to identify evidence for their beliefs. They have that right regardless of whether they believe in evolution or creation. Their studies in support of either hypothesis can be completely scientific even though the impetus for studying is based upon faith. As scientific consumers however, we have to be careful not to accept their beliefs as science.

NASA Education in Huntsville Alabama

2010-01-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

Peggy and I just returned from a great trip to Huntsville, Alabama...home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (a tax-funded museum) and the Marshall Space Flight Center (a NASA research center). The picture on the left provides a unique view of the rocket that took the Apollo astronauts to the Moon 40 years ago. The room that houses this Saturn V is over 400 feet long. You can see a few more photos at this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2049923&id=1393465136&l=f6117eac25

I was there to attend a three-day seminar. Each morning we had workshops demonstrating how to teach principles of space flight and exploration. Each afternoon we toured the Marshall complex to hear first-hand from NASA scientists about the work being done on the new generation of Ares launch rockets and Orion crew vehicles.

It is a terrible shame that the space program has been essentially directionless for the last 30 years or so. Even now, when the Federal government is looking for ways to spend money, they just aren't interested in space exploration in spite of the fact that the space program has spawned such economic boons as the telecommunication industry (satellite TV, global positioning technology, wireless communication), enhanced medical technology, and all the technology that depends on the miniaturization that space exploration precipitated. Even in its underfunded condition, NASA employees thousands of highly paid technicians and represents the last bastion of American manufacturing. Ares rockets are NOT made in China.

Speaking of China, they are trying to get to the Moon before we get back there again. Seems a little reminiscent of Spain and England competing for ownership of the Americas several centuries ago. Back then some people probably said "what good is the American wilderness anyway. You can't make money with that."

Some of my seminar classmates were interesting. Have you ever heard of a space artist? Here's a link... www.edwinfaughn.com. It was also fun to see how even the high-tech guys have problems. Our last activity of the seminar was building solid fuel rockets and taking them out to the rocket range to test fly them. Our NASA instructors were very smug about knowing the best way to build and fly model rockets. Sounds like a natural for NASA to lead, right? Well none of the rockets would fire no matter what the NASA educators tried. Turns out they recieved a bad batch of solid fuel igniters. Made in China.

Free Money For Our Science Center

2009-04-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dear friends of Orion Center, Inc.,

We're excited to announce a no-cost, new way that you can support Orion Center, Inc.!

When you apply for the new Orion Center, Inc. platinum Visa Card, our issuing bank (UMB) will donate $50 to Orion Center, Inc. the very first time you use it! And UMB will donate a percentage of all your future purchases on the card to Orion Center, Inc. as well! All of this is done at no cost to you, and no cost to Orion Center, Inc.!

The more of us who participate, the bigger the impact we can make. You can apply at www.orioncenter.org. Just click over the FUNDRAISING menu and select the option to apply for an Orion VISA card.

All the benefits of a platinum Visa card will be yours, along with the satisfaction of showing your support of Orion Center, Inc.'s mission every time you use your card.

Choose from five Orion Center card designs. Each of the 5 custom Orion Center, Inc. card choices makes a statement about our mission and about you.

So join me in applying for the Orion Center, Inc. Visa card today.

Sincerely,
Bill Mundhausen
Director
Orion Center, Inc.

P.S. Request your Orion Center, Inc. Visa card today and take advantage of the low introductory rate!

Parent/Teen Information Expo

2009-04-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Project Healthy Living organized an event for high school students and parents from around the area to provide resources needed to better equip young people for the high school years. Topics ranged from drug and alcohol concerns to proper nutrition. Participating organizations included the Orion Center, Osage Beach Department of Public Safety, Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri State Water Patrol, Citizens Against Domestic Violence, Kids Harbor and more.

I was asked to man a booth to distribute information about Internet safety for teens, and I incorporated several videos developed by the National Center For Missing And Exploited Children. Due to popular request, I am including Youtube links here.

One of the questions that comes to mind from this kind of event is "Is it useful?" There is a segment of the population that suggests that education is the answer to life issues, but I don't find that to be true. Most teenagers who participate in risk-taking behaviors do so because they choose to...not because they are unaware of the risk. Expo events like this one are the easiest form of education to produce, but are probably too superficial to impact the participants.

Nevertheless, the videos are interesting and help parents understand the issue.