Daily Archives: April 19, 2017

The Texas State Board of Education found common ground Tuesday between key players on both sides of a contentious debate about what language to include in high school biology standards.

Currently, the curriculum requires students to evaluate scientific explanations for the origins of DNA and the complexity of certain cells, which some say could open the door to teaching creationism.

A10-member committee of teachers and scientists, appointed by the board in July to offer suggestions to narrow the biology curriculum standards, wants to replace this language so it no longer requires students to challenge evolutionary science.

At a February meeting, board members took a preliminary vote to modify curriculum standards and kept in language that would require students to challenge evolutionary science. Another preliminary vote will take place Wednesday, and a final vote on the issue will occur Friday.

The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.

In a recent letter, the committee signaled its desire to remove the word evaluate from two teaching requirements in a letter, arguing that it would save valuable instruction time without creating significant instructional problems.

The committee proposed replacing the word evaluate with language that didnt challenge scientific theories. In the standard governing how to teach high school students aboutDNA, itrecommendedchanging the phrase from evaluating scientific explanations for the origin of DNA to identifying scientific explanations for the origin of DNA.

At Tuesday's meeting, several key board members as well as activists and experts on either side of the issueexpressed a willingness to compromise and use the word examine instead of identify or evaluate.

Those on board included conservative organizations The Discovery Institute and Texas Values which strongly objected to stripping the word evaluate, and Republican board member Barbara Cargill, who championed the effort to keep the controversial language in the curriculum.

Cargill said people who testified on both sides of the issue seemed OK with the word examine.

"I prefer 'evaluate,' but in trying to be thoughtful about the fact that this is streamlining and after talking to teachers, I think 'examine' is something that I could be OK with, too, she said.

The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.

The search for a consensus began after Republican board member Keven Ellis asked Ron Wetherington, a Southern Methodist University professor who was one of 10 committee members who wrote the letter, if there was a middle term that didnt stray too far from the word evaluate.

Wetherington, who testified in favor of narrower language, floated the words examine, explore and investigate, which he said were stronger than identify but still not unreasonable.

Several teachers were also present to testify about how they thought any changes could affect their classrooms.

Sherry Joslin, a middle school math and science teacher, mother of two Houston public high school students and a former NASA engineer, said students need to be able to evaluate different scientific viewpoints, including those on evolution, to learn critical thinking.

When people ask me why I quit my job at NASA, I tell them that children are more complicated systems than space shuttles, Joslin said. Avoiding the evaluation of ideas hinders progress.

But for some teachers, the question isnt about the benefits of evaluating ideas; it's about the practical constraints of doing so.

Scott Lane, a semi-retired educator with 33 years of experience as a public school math and science teacher, said evaluating scientific concepts is not beyond a student's abilities, but he also highlighted that public educators have six months to cover a years worth of curricula.

This language must be translated as it is into the performance indicators for [the state's standardized test system], or the material will never be taught in the way the language intends, Lane said.

The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Board members drew criticism fromKathy Miller, president of the left-leaning Texas Freedom Network. She said they have too often ignored recommendations about curriculum standards and textbooks that they've requested teachers and scholars to make.

Miller said the proposed changes would not silence students or take away their ability to ask a question, and they would still allow teachers to go beyond the curriculum.

Although Republican board member Marty Rowley has said suggestions that the standards would open the door to creationism are unfounded, a few who testified Tuesday raised concerns about the belief creeping into science class.

Aron Ra, author of a book called Foundational Falsehoods of Creationism, said that "high school students have no proficiency to 'critique' scientific evidence and neither do most of their teachers.

Raymond Bohlin, president of Plano-based Probe Ministries, which advocates for integrating faith and learning, indicated that creationism may have a seat in the classroom.

Bohlin said instruction in evolution needs to consistently avoid a commitment to materialism and that using the word "identify" would reveal a religious bias towards materialism.

Read related Tribune coverage:

Disclosure: Southern Methodist University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune.A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewedhere.

Meet Paige: Our new Facebook Messenger bot helps you keep track of the 85th Legislature. Subscribe by messaging HELLO to m.me/texastribune.org. Learn more.

View post:

Texas education board nears compromise on evolution standards - Texas Tribune

Science Daily

Research unlocks molecular key to animal evolution and disease ... Science Daily The dawn of the Animal Kingdom began with a collagen scaffold that enabled the organization of cells into tissues, scientists report in a new article. and more »

Read more here:

Research unlocks molecular key to animal evolution and disease ... - Science Daily

By Ruth Reader 04.18.17 | 5:47 pm

Actress Jessica Alba sat down with Fast Company Monday to discuss whats next for the company she cofounded, Honest Company, which markets and develops nontoxic baby, personal care, and household products. The brand grew out of concern, while pregnant in 2008, about the safety of all the baby shower gifts she was getting. It is now a 400-person company valued at $1.7 billion that, like any that scales rapidly, is having growing pains. Recently, it underwent a major reorganization with 80 layoffs and the hiring of a new CEONick Vlahos, a former Clorox executiveto help drive Honests next phase.

Fast Company chatted with Alba before her appearance at an American Express Success Makers event that included another innovative companys founderWarby Parker CEO Neil Blumenthal.

Fast Company: Honest Co. has been through a lot of changes and restructuring in the last yearhow have you handled that?

Jessica Alba: Its kind of like having kids. You never really know what youre in for until youre in it and every day is different. The thing that I always try to do in life is work from those experiences and evolve. Its been this journey as an entrepreneurand tremendously exciting. The life lessons Ive learned along the way have made me a more diverse person and I have a depth that I just didnt have prior to starting this company. I mean even just going to work every day and being around the same people for the last five years. That in of itself is something that I just never experienced before in entertainment. So its been really cool.

Jessica Alba [Photo: Celine Grouard for Fast Company]FC: What drove your decision to hire a new CEO?

JA: We want to transform from a primarily ecomm distribution model to a more omni-channel one. I always wanted the Honest Company to be a brand that is global and having Nicholas join our team is going to make that more of a reality. His background is incredible, having worked with Burts Bees and then obviously having the experience overseeing so many different brands at Clorox. Were all scrappy entrepreneurs learning as were going. Its nice to have his leadership in place. Its really cool.

FC: Is an IPO on the table?

JA: I never want to talk about that part of the business. I really stay focused on the day-to-day and how to deliver the best experience for the consumer and how to really evolve the brand. From our distribution to the product offerings to pushing our R&D innovation team to deliver the best experience for everyone. So thats where I like to stay focused. All the other stuff Ill let other people talk about.

Jessica Alba [Photo: Celine Grouard for Fast Company]FC: Last year, Honest was criticized for having certain chemicals in some of its cleaning products. After the media reports came out, the company switched to a formula that didnt contain this particular ingredient. Was that a response to the reports?

JA: Thats completely not the case. We always look at all of our formulations and were always looking at more efficacious formulas. We brought in a completely new R&D team a few years ago and theyve been formulating new formulas around each one of our categories. That was one that we really wanted to do better. We wanted more efficacious products and we wanted to expand our scent profiles and we just wanted to have more of a real positioning in cleaning and we also wanted our price points to be more accessible.

FC: Youve said you want to make your products available to all peoplehow are you handling pricing on what are traditionally more premium products?

JA: There are various degrees of premium pricing and most of that comes from economies of scale. When youre making 10 of something, your pricing on that is going to be much higher just to get that product out the door than when youre making 200,000. So whats been great in our business and distribution growing to the size that it is today is that were now getting efficiencies in our own pricing and were having those economies of scale apply to our bottom line, allowing us to offer the customer more competitive pricing. Thats always been the goal and were always looking at ourselves and trying to refine ourselves and trying to be in peoples homes in the best way that we can. Having competitive pricing is part of that.

Ruth Reader is a Brooklyn based writer for Fast Company who covers startups, company culture, and financial technology.

More

More:

Jessica Alba On The Honest Company's Evolution - Fast Company - Fast Company

Arv Edgeworth-Local Resident

In the article Letter: Trust the Lord, you mention how old scientists have determined the earth to be, which is 13 billion years old. That age is incorrect.

The mistake is believing the rock layers making up earths crust took that long to form. All the geologic record was formed by Noahs flood, only about 4,400 years ago.

The universe appears to be expanding. There are 17 different Bible verses that state that God created the stars in closer to the earth, then moved them outward like you would a curtain that was bunched up. Since man, being created on Day 6, had to be able to observe them for determining signs, seasons, days, and years, God would have had to leave a trail of light coming back to us at the speed of light, which gives the appearance of an expanding universe.

The high hills or mountains before Noahs flood were probably only a few hundred feet high. If you examine the rate the flood waters were receding in Genesis 8, they were going down about 22 1/2 feet every 2 1/2 months. They had gone down about 50 feet the first 5 months after they started receding. But then something happened.

Over the next four months the waters were completely gone and the earth was dry. What would explain that? Read Psalm 104:6-9. God spoke and He formed high mountain ranges and deep oceans. After that He makes a promise that the flood waters would never again cover the earth.

That promise is found in two places in the Bible in Genesis 9 after Noahs flood and in Psalm 104:9. As proof of that scientifically, all the highest mountains have marine fossils on top of them. The kind found on the bottom of the ocean.

In order to form fossils they have to be buried deeply and suddenly. There would be no fossil record without Noahs flood. We find billions of dead things, buried in rock layers, laid down by water, all over the earth. Noahs flood is the best explanation for that.

Evolution fails the test because what we find are missing layers, reversed layers, polystrate fossils running through many layers, human artifacts in every rock strata, clear down into the supposed Pre-Cambrian. If evolution were true that is not what would be observed.

If evolution actually happened, we should be able to look all around us and observe at least thousands of life forms in all different stages of change from one distinct life form into a completely different life form. None can be observed.

Evolution fails scientific testing. Cats produce other cat kinds and dogs produce other dog kinds. That is why there are no dats or cogs running around.

If evolution actually happened in the past, we should be able to observe billions of life forms in all different stages of change from one distinct life form into a completely different life form. Those missing links are still missing.

Evolution fails that test also proving it did not happen in the past, either.

Evolution is a fairy tale for grownups that dont understand real science. Once upon a time, long ago and far away, billions of years ago.

A lullaby and good night.

Visit link:

Letter: Evolution fails the test - Kdminer

Ferrari has been a constant in Formula 1. It's the oldest surviving and most successful team in series history, and with famed personalities like Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher at the helm, Ferrari has always been a team to watch. Its legacy continues on today with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, both of whom are some of the most-decorated drivers in the sport.

And as powertrain technology advances, the cars become more efficient and preciseif less acoustically interestingthan before, something demonstrated in this video of Ferrari's F1 engine evolution.

The footage begins with the glorious V-12 era. Many regard this as the best period of Formula 1 because of the sound and drama that filled each event. Piloted by Jean Alesi, the 412 T2 rockets around track with loads of exhaust-music and speed. Then it's onto Schumacher and the fastest car in F1 history, the F2004. The V-10-powered instrument set more records than any other driver/car combo, many of which still stand today. Following shortly after is the age of V-8 Ferraris, a historic time in the company's history with Raikkonen behind the wheel. He won the 2007 World Championship with this iteration of the car, tacking onto the team's legend. Rounding out the footage is the current stage of F1 with the high-powered V-6 powerplant. Though there are many skeptics, this configuration proves to be one of the most powerful versions. Turbos spin the engines past 1,000 horsepower, helping to bring excitement back to F1.

Watch and listen to each clip in the video below, each representing their own significance to motorsport. Don't think that Ferrari will let up any time soon, though, as it looks to edge out competitors like Mercedes in each race. With a recent win at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the team continues its effort towards yet another championship in 2017.

Excerpt from:

Listen to the Evolution of Ferrari's Formula 1 Engines - The Drive

Jane Lynch poses with her Emmy for "Hollywood Game Night" at the 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards in LA on Sept. 12, 2015. Danny Moloshok / Reuters file

I think we've gone backwards, a little. But never in Hollywood. Entertainment is very inclusive. Whoever does the best job gets hired. And there's a lot of gays and lesbians in every level, every job from crew to writing and acting.

Ellen [DeGeneres] took one for the team when they canceled her show (ABC pulled "Ellen" in 1998 shortly after the comedian came out publicly as a lesbian), and look where she is today. It wouldn't happen today.

I always wondered if I would have to be closeted. I would lay in bed as a young person thinking, "What if I become famous? Do I hide this thing?" But I never had to. I never had to make that decision because of the people who came before me like Ellen and Melissa [Etheridge] and K.D. [Lang]. I was never in the closet. It wasn't an act of courage I just didn't have to be.

As television and movies open up more LGBTQ roles, though, does that expand your opportunities or is it limiting? Are you concerned about being typecast?

I never look at my work in those terms ever. I don't step outside and objectively evaluate it. What's great about Hollywood in its representation of gay characters and trans characters is that it finds its way into middle America. It creates a wave of acceptance.

I would have loved it as a kid. A "Glee" would have made me very happy.

Do you remember the first gay character or person you saw on TV?

I didn't know Paul Lynde was gay, but I loved him. I didn't have "gay" to attach to him, but I remember feeling a kinship with him on some deep level that I didn't even know what it was.

A lot of people want to know whether Sue Sylvester was secretly a a lesbian. I mean, those track suits...

Do they?! No, she's not. She's not one way or the other. She had boyfriends. Another neutral kind of person who, wherever the power was, whatever she had to do she went that way. But she never expressed an affection for a woman, she never had a relationship with a woman. She had plenty of boyfriends. I don't think she was in the closet. I don't think that was an issue.

Follow NBC Out on

Read the rest here:

Exclusive: Jane Lynch on Gender-Defying Roles, Hollywood's LGBTQ Evolution - NBCNews.com