From: Steve Fritzinger - SE Sun Vienna Va
     To: All
Subject: Dale Crowley, Jr.'s $5,000 Challenge (and possible free beer)

From: fritz@triguy.East.Sun.COM (Steve Fritzinger - SE Sun Vienna Va.)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.

A local Creationist, Dale Crowley, Jr., has a radio show called "The
King's Business". He regulary blasts the "lies, and wild guesses" of
"evolutionism". Because of the bad weather over the last couple of
months, he has been especially active. He says that he likes to
discuss "evolutionism" on snow days because all the children will be
home from school, listening to him.

During the Feb. 9th broadcast (the 9th was another snow day), Crowley
announced his $5,000 Challenge. It consists of 3 questions. He will
pay $1,000 per question to any person who can answer them with a
$2,000 bonus if all three are answered.

I wrote him on Feb. 14th and asked for a copy of the questions.
Yesterday, they arrived along with a true motherload of Creationist
material. Here are the questions. My plan, in the unlikely chance he
actually pays off, is to donate 3 or 4 Kbucks to the Smithsonian's
Museum of Natural History* and then take the remainder, along with
any t.o irregulars who can make it, to the Brickskeller** and blow it
on beer.

1. "Explain the mechanism, i.e. biological process, by which the
first living cell came into being in the absence of a precursor cell
containing the DNA genetic molecule to direct the formation of the
cell."

2. "Explain the mechanism, i.e. biological process, by which evolving
creatures produced DNA molecules within their own cells sufficiently
different from their precursor cells to give rise to new creatures
with new features, new capacities, new instincts etc."

3. "Explain the mechanism, i.e. the biological process, by which
evolving creatures could cling to life, survive, and evolve in a
hostile world when their immune systems were not yet in place and not
yet fully functioning."

Each question contains the caveat, "Mere guesses and/or assertions of
dogma will not do. The answer requires laboratory or other observed
evidence based on modern scientific knowledge about the world we live
in." He also says that, "Contest judges will be three Ph.D biologists
selected by 'The King's Business' radio program." Crowley seems to be
pretty well connected with other creationists. Any idea who the three
judges will be.

E-mail or post your input. I'll write up a draft response, and post
it here for criticism, then send the final in to Crowley. This looks
like slow pitch to me. Let's knock it out of the park.

Steve

* Crowley was involved in a late 70's suit against the Smithsonian to
prevent them from using "a portion of your God-given income to
support an institution which is committed to the work of turing
people away from the God you love and serve", so this should really
tweak him off. Besides it will look good on my '94 1040.

** The "Bricks" is one of Washington's best beer bars. It's the only
place I know where you can get a 15 year old bottle of Thomas
Harding's Curiously Strong Stout.

-.--
Steve Fritzinger -- steve.fritzinger@East.Sun.COM

==============================================================

   From: Steve Fritzinger - SE Sun Vienna Va
     To: All
Subject: More on Dale Crowley, Jr.

From: fritz@triguy.East.Sun.COM (Steve Fritzinger - SE Sun Vienna Va.)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.

In addition to asking for the questions for Crowley's $5,000
challenge, I also asked him to explain some remarks he made in his
Feb. 14th broadcast.  Here's a portion of my letter:

   I am also curious about some of your comments on
   today's broadcast.  You said that while "survival of the
   fittest" was a fact, natural selection is an "evolutionary
   fairy tale".  This claim is at odds with the common perception
   that natural selection is the "survival of the fittest".  Would
   you please explain why you think the two are at odds with each
   other?

In response, I received a hand-written note which says:

   Natural selection is *supposed* to change genetic code.

   **Foolishness**

Survival of the fittest happens all the time and strengthens
   the already existing gene pool.

* underlined in original
** double-underlined in original

Today I'm writing back to clarify some issues about the contest, and
to comment on some of the material he sent me***.  I'm also going
to point out that Chapter IV of _The Origin of Species_ is titled
"Natural Selection; or The Survival of the Fittest".

Steve

*** This includes a sheet titled "Some Scientific Concepts in Support
of the Creation-Science Premise".  It contains, among other jewels,
the 1st and 2nd laws of Thermodynamics, moon dust, magnetic field
decay, the Glen Rose Mantrax, and the odds of a 100 amino acid protein
forming "randomly." [They don't. -- drice]


---
Steve Fritzinger   --  steve.fritzinger@East.Sun.COM