So the culture wars continue...

Texas to Dissociate with American Library Association over Alleged Marxism, Gender Ideology

Interesting

Life in Space Affects Men's And Women's Health Very Differently

Back in 2011, NASA and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) — on the recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences — assembled six workgroups to investigate and summarize the current body of knowledge about human and animal spaceflight. The groups focused on cardiovascular, immunological, sensorimotor, musculoskeletal, reproductive and behavioral implications on spaceflight adaptation for men and women. The results have now been published in the latest edition of the Journal of Women's Health.

The study — done in anticipation of longer-duration spaceflights — will inform the health and safety considerations required for astronauts, particularly as they pertain to sex and gender differences.

Thanks to Alexandra Bond for the link!

Starting off my holiday with a little amusement

I slept in today, waking up at 10, and getting ten hours of sleep. It was nice not having to be anywhere. I thought I'd disabled all my alarms, but the Gentle Alarm on my phone went off at 6-something. But I managed to go back to sleep with no problem.

So I got up, showered, and headed over to the laundry room for a Diet Coke, as I didn't have any soda in the house and wanted a bit of caffeine. On the way I made friends with a little tiny dog a lady was walking. On the way back, the dog did that circling thing that they do and then hiked its leg to pee. I said something about how the circling was cute, and the lady said she thought so too, and that she (the dog) always did that. I said, 'she?' and she said yes, and that she knew I was surprised because the doggie hikes its leg. She always does that, too. Meanwhile, I'm staring at the penis between his legs that is rather prominent and erect. I just smiled, shook my head, and went on. But you would think the dog owner would know a bit of basic anatomy. True, maybe I should have corrected her misconception, but I didn't. Oh, well, at least they won't have an unexpected litter of puppies. He looked healthy and well-cared for. Surely a vet will let them know at some point. I didn't catch his name. Hopefully it's not too girlie.

Okay, I've had a small breakfast of pimiento cheese on some everything crackers. Did I mention I've lost 14 lbs since the end of March? Yay! I haven't actually been dieting, but the cleaning helped keep me moving. Now I hope to keep that activity up by going to the Y. In the meantime I'm trying to eat somewhat healthy and in good portions. Time to go review my list of things I want to accomplish today and see about starting. :)

Not surprising, but sad

Smoking Gun on Sexism?

But a new study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences offers evidence of bias among scientists -- male and female scientists alike -- against female students. The study was based on evaluations by scientists of hypothetical student applications for a lab manager position, with the application materials identical in every way, except that half of the pool received applications with a male name and the other half received applications with a female name. The faculty members surveyed -- 127 professors in biology, chemistry or physics -- were told that their analyses of the applications would be used to help the students. And they were asked to evaluate the students' competence and "hireability" and to consider how large a salary they would recommend and how much mentoring they would offer the student if hired.

The scientists evaluating these applications (which were identical in every way except the gender of the "submitter") rated the male student more competent, more likely to be hired, deserving of a better salary, and worth spending more time mentoring. The gaps were significant.

Female scientists were as likely as male scientists to evaluate the students this way. For instance, the scientists were asked to rate the students' competence on a 5-point scale. Male faculty rated the male student 4.01 and the female student 3.33. Female scientists rated the male student 4.10 and the female student 3.32. On salary, the gaps were also notable. The average salary suggested by male scientists for the male student was $30,520; for the female student, it was $27,111. Female scientists recommended, on average, a salary of $29,333 for the male student and $25,000 for the female student.

Click on the link above ('a new study') to read the paper itself.

Some thoughts

I really wish Kentucky would extend its voting hours. 6 am-6 pm (at least in many areas--we have a variable schedule--some areas have until 7 pm) doesn't work for many workers or parents trying to get their kids to and from school. I took the day off just in case of problems. Not everyone has that luxury.

I apparently belong to one of only two precincts in Lexington with less than 100 voters registered. I know this because a news story mentioned that there were two with only one voting machine because of this. I guess that means if I don't want to encounter lines, I have to stay put. :)

I really think McCain lost this election not because the oeconomy tanked in September (let's face it, it's been doing so for months now--it just became more palpable due to Wall Street tanking), but because 1) his campaign never really found a direction to go forward with (chasing issues from here and there, not really presenting what John McCain himself stood for well, not like Obama's platform for change and slogans that included people like 'Yes, we can') but even more importantly, 2) the choice of Sarah Palin as running mate. No matter how much he might have been liked by many voters, it proved to be a very telling about his judgement, and I think many voters could not stomach her being a heartbeat away from the presidency--not because she is a woman, I think that has nothing to do with it--but because she is Sarah Palin. She has some very scary ideals that believe it or not do not resonate with the majority of Americans, and is obviously unprepared to be vice-president, much less president.

I think the gender card got played way too much during this race. I did not favour Hillary Clinton based on her personality. It had nothing to do with her gender. And I found the selection of Sarah Palin as a vice-presidential candidate insulting, knowing that there were many other Republican women who would have served very well. It seems like some people had an idea that as long as someone had the female plumbing than we are all interchangeable, which is not the case. I would love to have a female candidate I could really have gotten behind like I did with Obama. But whilst I won't say I would have voted McCain over Clinton in this election, I certainly wouldn't have wanted to vote for her, and would only have done so out of necessity. I could not have voted for McCain, however, once he selected Palin, because among other things I question his judgement strongly over that one. I'd rather have a candidate I can believe in. I found that with Obama.

Also, I'm happy that in the end, race was not as important as say, oeconomy. Obviously there was a huge turnout among blacks and apparently a very good one among Latinos. And looking at the breakdown in Applalachian counties (at least in my state), the numbers for McCain over Obama were very strong--but it's unclear whether that had to do with race or if they're just such Republican counties). But one of the pundits also pointed out that a different demographic which Obama did well with were college-educated whites, a group Democratic candidates have not done well with in the past. Since I'm part of that demographic, I'm glad we were able to make a difference.

It was an accident, and they were forgiven, but it breaks a 1,000-year-old rule (and Greek law)

Women break all-male Mount Athos ban

Four Moldovan women accidentally violated a 1,000-year-old ban on females entering the all male monastic community of Mount Athos, when they were left on Greek shores by human traffickers.

Well, that's a relief...

Your Inner Gender is Female

You're sensitive, caring, and willing to connect with anyone who's open to you. You make friends easily, and you enjoy all sorts of conversations. You understand most people you meet - better than they understand themselves. You're totally a woman... or at the very least, your soul is female.

What's Your Inner Gender?

Okay, had to do a quiz

You Are 24% Girly

You are a pretty hardcore tomboy, and a very free spirit. Gender roles be dammed, you like to do things your way.

How Girly Are You?

I feel sorry for her

although, of course, the man had a fundamental right to block her from using the embryos they'd created when they were together. But they went through the in vitro fertilisation specifically because she had pre-cancerous cells in her ovaries and had had to have the ovaries removed. So, she has no other option to have a biological child, whereas he does. It must be terribly frustrating to have these embryos in storage without being able to use them, and now they'll be destroyed. The one friend I have who has been through in vitro was surprised this wasn't all hammered out ahead of time; she and her husband had to establish custody of their embryos. Maybe clinic policies are different in England, or they were different when the couple went through IVF in 2000.

UK woman loses European appeal over frozen embryos