Science vs. Bush

I really try to keep politics out of this blog. But we're existing in times when that's difficult to do. Especially when science is abused for political gain:

More than 60 influential scientists, including 20 Nobel laureates, issued a statement yesterday asserting that the Bush administration had systematically distorted scientific fact in the service of policy goals on the environment, health, biomedical research and nuclear weaponry at home and abroad.

The sweeping accusations were later discussed in a conference call organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists, an independent organization that focuses on technical issues and has often taken stands at odds with administration policy. On Wednesday, the organization also issued a 38-page report detailing its accusations.

The two documents accuse the administration of repeatedly censoring and suppressing reports by its own scientists, stacking advisory committees with unqualified political appointees, disbanding government panels that provide unwanted advice and refusing to seek any independent scientific expertise in some cases.

''Other administrations have, on occasion, engaged in such practices, but not so systemically nor on so wide a front,'' the statement from the scientists said, adding that they believed the administration had ''misrepresented scientific knowledge and misled the public about the implications of its policies.''

You can read this quote in context in today's New York Times. What really worries me, though, is the implication that it's almost acceptable that "other administrations have, on occasion, engaged in such practices".

Maybe that's why I take what I do more seriously than I should.

Things I Like...

If anyone's wondering what to get that special biology teacher in your life, let me offer you a suggestion:

Ouch

Beautiful weather this afternoon.

I decided to go running. I used to run a lot, but have taken most of (okay...ALL of) this winter off.

So my first run in since fall felt really good...I did a couple of easy miles.

Now I hurt.

Daily Recap: Friday, 2/20

Happy birthday Jeremy!

Investigating Technologies:
This was our last "official" day in this harbor rotation. We will rotate to new harbors on Monday, although most groups will still have a little bit to finish up on the current rotation.

Anatomy and Physiology:
Lab day! We started the cardiac physiology lab (blood pressure and pulse). My plan is to let students finish it on Monday, which would then push the test back to Thursday.

Biology:
Today was a normal Friday catch-up day. It was also the day for retaking the genetics test. I was gone for these two classes, so I'm not really sure yet how it went.

Have a great weekend!

Sub Today for Biology

I'll be gone this afternoon during 6th and 7th periods, so will miss both biology classes.

Daily Recap: Thursday, 2/19

Investigating Technologies:
We should be VERY close to finishing our current rotations. Now is the time to double-check to make sure you've got everything in your portfolio and are ready to go with your presentations. We will rotate to a new harbor on Monday.

Anatomy and Physiology:
1. We briefly discussed heart sounds. It would be a good idea to read page 572 in your textbook that discusses these.
2. In preparation for tomorrow's cardiac physiology lab, I demonstrated the appropriate technique for taking a blood pressure and radial pulse. We also briefly discussed what these readings mean. You can refer to the "Clinical Application" on page 15.3 in your textbook for a review of this.
3. The first 17 paragraphs of "How We Die" were assigned for reading. You can either turn in a "say something" activity, or else reply on this blog to a previous post title "The Strangled Heart".

Biology:
1. Lab Day! We worked in small groups to make geologic timelines. Each group should turn in their completed timelines, and each individual should have a copy of the data table and answers to the three questions in their lab notebooks.
2. Tomorrow is the retake date for the genetics exam. If you are wanting to do this, you will need to have your action plans completed at the beginning of class.

The Strangled Heart

Today's assignment in anatomy and physiology is to read the first 17 paragraphs of Chapter 1 from the book How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter by Dr. Sherwin Nuland. As a response to the reading, you can either complete a "Say Something" worksheet, or respond to this post.

If you respond to this post, please pick the one sentence or statement from the reading that stood out to you and write a short paragraph summarizing your reaction to that statement or sentence. Please make sure that you include your name as part of your response so that I can give you credit.

Picture of the Day

Ever fell like they're out to get you?

Daily Recap: Wednesday, 2/18

Happy Birthday JoAnna!

Don't forget to suggest a topic for th3 100th post. (...please...)

Investigating Technologies:
Interval 4 is now open. You should be finishing your challenge products and putting your portfolio together. We will rotate to a new harbor on Monday.

Anatomy and Physiology:
1. A new Physio-Phocus was passed out today. Take note that your next exam will be a week from today.
2. We took notes about cardiac physiology. These notes are available online if you'd like to download and print them.

Biology:
1. We finished up the notes about Darwin and the history of evolution.
2. Your assignment is to read the Newsweek article "The Real Darwin". A contextual redefinition worksheet was passed out that you should complete to help with new vocabulary.

Anti-evolution in Missouri

Our neighbors to the east are getting in on the fun. From NCSE:

House Bill 656, introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives on February 10, 2009, and not yet referred to a committee, is the latest antievolution "academic freedom" bill. The bill would, if enacted, call on state and local education administrators to "endeavor to create an environment within public elementary and secondary schools that encourages students to explore scientific questions, learn about scientific evidence, develop critical thinking skills, and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion about controversial issues, including such subjects as the teaching of biological and chemical evolution*," and to "endeavor to assist teachers to find more effective ways to present the science curriculum where it addresses scientific controversies."** "Toward this end," the bill continues, "teachers shall be permitted to help students understand, analyze, critique, and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses*** of theories of biological and chemical evolution.*"

*First issue: As with other "academic freedom" bills, what is the purpose behind singling evolution out for special treatment? Why not encourage students to "explore scientific questions, learn about scientific evidence, develop critical thinking skills, and respond appropriately and respectfully to differences of opinion" in all areas of science? Why are these skills only important when discussing evolution?

**Second issue: The controversy surrounding this theory is a social controversy, not a scientific one. Any uncertainty that exists relates to HOW it happened, not IF it happened.

***This is the recurring theme of these types of bills. Since it's been ruled unconstitutional to prohibit the teaching of evolution, or to encourage the teaching of religious-based alternatives, the new strategy is to set evolution up as being a theory full of weaknesses. This is a back-door attempt to promote a particular set of religious beliefs.

The bill continues:

This section only protects the teaching of scientific information and this section shall not be construed to promote philosophical naturalism or biblical theology, promote natural cause or intelligent cause, promote undirected change or purposeful design, promote atheistic or theistic belief, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or ideas, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion. Scientific information includes physical evidence and logical inferences based upon evidence.

Religion involves a faith in some sort of supernatural power. By definition, naturalism is a way of looking for answers about nature in nature. Trying to set scientific naturalism up as an opposing religious belief is not only illogical, but it also cheapens both science and religion. Additionally, the methods of science involve "methodological naturalism", which means that scientists seek the answers to questions using METHODS that are natural. "Philosophical naturalism" is atheistic, but is not a requirement of science.

This paragraph not only tries to make science look like a religious belief, it actually goes a step further and tries to equate science with atheism. Labeling evolution as inherently atheistic is another back-door way to promote a Christian Fundamentalist agenda.

The nice thing about bills like this is that they typically die in committee. Let's hope this one follows that pattern.

Name the Baby

This from Panda's Thumb:

The irresistibly cute baby gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo needs a name, and the Zoo is sponsoring a name-the-baby contest. You can enter here.

BTW: Panda's Thumb is another great (evolution) science blog. But, alas, it's also another one that can't be accessed from school...

School Funding Stuff

I got so caught up in Darwin Day festivities last week that I haven't posted on the school funding issues lately. Let me try to bring you up to date as best I can.

1. Governor Sebelius proposed a budget that would, in essence, cut school funding by $11 per pupil.

2. The state senate brought forward a bill that slashed state funding across the board. This would have resulted in a cut to schools of about $117 per student. On the floor of the senate, bi-partisan amendments were proposed and accepted that reduced this amount to $33 per student.

3. The house of representatives brought forward a bill that would cut funding by $88 per pupil. On the floor, amendments were accepted that reduced this cut to $66. These cuts would include cuts to special education.

4. A committee of senators and representatives met to iron out the differences in the two chambers' bills. The senate refused to budge from their school cuts. There was also some disagreement on funding for certain social services. Unable to reach an agreement, the committee is adjourned.

5. House and senate leaders push through a "compromised" bill that is essential the same bill passed by the house. Cuts to schools are $66 per pupil, and would also affect special education. The bill is then sent on to the governor for signing. At the time, there was speculation about what she would do. Her options were a) sign the bill into law, b) veto the bill outright, or c)sign the bill but use her power to line-item veto those things that she doesn't like.

Last week, the State of Kansas stopped issuing income tax refunds due to budget shortfalls. Yesterday, the leadership of the Kansas house and senate refused to allow Governor Sebelius to borrow some money to cover these expenses, along with the state payroll which goes out later this week, unless she first signed the budget bill into law. This left the state of Kansas at a stalemate, with thousands of government employers at risk of not getting paid on time.

Today, it was announced that the leadership of the legislature was willing to meet with the governor to discuss the borrowing of money. This seems to be good news. Also this afternoon, the governor signed the budget bill (actually called a "recision" bill) into law, but line-item vetoed the school funding cuts, including the special education cuts, and replaced them with cuts of $33 that matched the bi-partisan bill passed by the senate. I'm sure this stuff will continue to develop in the next few days, and I'll do my best (in a biology teacher-not-a-government-guy type of way) to keep this blog updated.

It's important that we keep the following in mind:
1. These cuts affect the CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. They have only begun preliminary work on the budget that will cover the 09-10 school year.
2. The money to cover expenses would be borrowed using a "certificate of indebtedness." It's my understanding that these are used relatively frequently to cover short-term funding shortfalls.
3. When the legislative leadership demanded that the governor sign the budget recision bill before they approved the certificate of indebtedness, the governor had not yet received the bill, much less had a chance to review it.
4. Advocacy for one group should not imply opposition for other groups. By advocating for public education I do not stand if opposition to other state programs such as higher education. It is the governments responsibility to fund each and every program that they have established. In times of revenue shortfalls, cutting those programs (especially in the middle of a fiscal year) cannot be the only options discussed.

Bird v. Jet Engine

Video footage of a commercial jet engine test showing what can happen if something (like a bird) enters the engine during flight:

I got this from Bad Astronomy, which is a great space science blog. Unfortunately you can't access it from school...

Daily Recap: Tuesday, 2/17

Happy Birthday Chelsea!

Please take a moment to suggest topics for the 100th post here. Thanks!

Investigating Technologies:
We should be getting very close to finishing up this rotation. Interval 4 will be open for everyone tomorrow, and we should be ready to rotate on Monday.

Anatomy and Physiology:
Today was a work day to finish up the heart anatomy lab that we started last Friday. Tomorrow we will begin studying the physiology of the heart. I should also have a new physio-phocus ready for you tomorrow.

Biology:
We took notes over the history of the theory of evolution. We didn't get clear through them so we'll finish them tomorrow. Please make sure that the tasks you listed on your action plan are finished by Friday if you want to retake the genetics test. Also note that your third SIN activity is due on Friday as well.

25 Best Blogs

Time Magazine has released its list of the 25 best blogs. You might even be able to open a few of them at school. I'm sure the fact that M-Squared didn't make the list is simply an oversight...

Reader Poll

Okay, it's time for the 2 or 3 of you that actually read this to give me some feedback. Sometime before the end of this week I will publish the 100th post to this blog (this one is number 84). What I'd like to know is this:

What should the subject of the 100th post be? Post your suggestions by clicking the "comments" link below. Thanks for your input!

Are Humans Evolving?

Monday afternoon: There's a short break in the action today at our inservices, so I think I'll try to address one of the last two Darwin Day questions from last week. As was the case with the rest of them, this is a true/false statement: Humans are still evolving.

This statement, like the rest of them, is false. While we probably won't expect humans to grow tails or gills, the collective human genome has changed considerably since our species first walked on Earth, and it continues to change as successive generations inherit our humanity.
*** *** *** *** ***
Tuesday Morning: I got interrupted yesterday, so let me try to finish my thoughts here. One of my favorite examples of human evolution is the enzyme lactase. Humans, like other mammals, produce milk to nurse their offspring. This is possible because young mammals make a enzyme called lactase, which allows them to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk. Most mammals, however, stop producing lactase as they mature and are able to provide food for themselves. This happens because the gene that codes for lactase turns off.

In some humans, this gene never turns off...with the result being that these people produce lactase throughout their lives. This is a genetic mutation that spread quickly through the human species in regions where livestock were domesticated. The advantage of this mutation is obvious: people who produced lactase could drink milk, and therefor had one more source of nutrition in their diets.

Today, we tend to see this mutation in populations that have become dependent on domestic cattle (i.e. about 90% of Americans produce lactase throughout their lives). The other 10%, who actual have the "normal" gene, quit producing lactase early in their lives and are "lactose intolerant" as adults. The rate of lactose intolerance is high (as we would expect it to be) in countries such as China that have not traditionally been dependent on domesticated cattle.

Happy Presidents' Day