pete,

For the "links between apes and men" see my previous comment which I reproduce below:

"From what I've read, GfS, there was no "radical jump from apes to sophisticated tool makers" (note that contemporary apes, like chimpanzees, use tools). The evolution of Anatomically Modern Humans (AMHs) in Africa was a long and complex (and still incompletely understood) story stretching over, at least, 8 million years. For details see Stephen Oppenheimer's 'Out of Africa: The Peopling if the World' (2004). There were many "in betweens" but they all became extinct for the usual reasons why species become extinct*. In fact WE almost became extinct at one point."

Previously unknown species of extinct fossil hominids (upright apes) seem to turn up in Africa at pretty regular intervals. A summary of this data, at least up to 2003/4, is contained in the prologue to Oppenheimer's book. He admits that the exact links between these creatures have not yet been fully worked out (but that's cool - we're talking about Science here not 'faith' and superstition).

So if you're going to maintain any credibility in this debate, pete, you're going to have to do some reading (and not just creationist literature).

* Mainly the effects of changing climate on habitat.